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Thread ID: 30013 2003-02-08 08:20:00 Reply to Craigb dedfred (3113) Press F1
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119372 2003-02-08 08:20:00 I went from Win98SE to WinMe - a most unstable operating system!! So I bought Win XP. I now find I do not like WinXP because (a) it assumes total control of my pc (b) despite prior compatibility checks a number of progs (despite upgrade) will simply just not run under WinXP (c) few people read the license agreement but if you take the time to read the one for WinXP you will be surprised at the amount of access you give MSoft to your pc (d) I hate loathe and detest the registration nag screen (e) I am told (I have no proof of this) that after a fixed number of re-installations you have to contact MSoft for an access code. To make matters even worse for me I am having serious problems getting WinXP off my system so I can re-install Win98SE. As soon as I have managed to do so my WinXP will sit on my shelf as a daily reminder to me that change simply for the sake of change is expensive and unnecessary. dedfred (3113)
119373 2003-02-08 08:31:00 So you are saying
"Us" Linux people made a wise choice, going that way ?
E.ric (351)
119374 2003-02-08 23:21:00 Yes E.ric that is what I am saying. And as soon as the program manufacturers start issuing Linux compatible software I will be among the first to take advantage of it. Win users should prepare for future-shock as MSoft has annpounced it is soon to cease ALL program support except for the current version. dedfred (3113)
119375 2003-02-08 23:44:00 > I went from Win98SE to WinMe - a most unstable
> operating system!! So I bought Win XP. I now find I
> do not like WinXP because (a) it assumes total
> control of my pc (b) despite prior compatibility

Well mine was 100% the other way. I have installed on 3 PC's and one is really old and all installed with no hassles at all and in only 1/2 the time it took to install all the other OS. One thing though is that I did full installs and not upgrades. Upgrades tend to have problems due to junk left over.

> checks a number of progs (despite upgrade) will
> simply just not run under WinXP (c) few people read
> the license agreement but if you take the time to
> read the one for WinXP you will be surprised at the
> amount of access you give MSoft to your pc (d) I hate

Use a firewall/router and they cant get what they want. Just ignore it. The only way then is if you okay it.

> loathe and detest the registration nag screen (e) I

Maybe you should register it then and it will go away.

> am told (I have no proof of this) that after a fixed
> number of re-installations you have to contact MSoft
> for an access code. To make matters even worse for me

If you re-install then you will need to get it done again.

> I am having serious problems getting WinXP off my
> system so I can re-install Win98SE. As soon as I have
> managed to do so my WinXP will sit on my shelf as a
> daily reminder to me that change simply for the sake
> of change is expensive and unnecessary.

Easiest and safest way to remove any OS is to format the drive it is on and start again. No serious issue there to getting rid of it. Once formatted it is bye bye.
Big John (551)
119376 2003-02-08 23:47:00 As someone who is about to buy a MS based computer, I find the comment about MS support alarming. Can you point me in the direction of where you read it or is it just a rumour? Millsie (3111)
119377 2003-02-09 01:23:00 Without getting into a slanging match over which OS is better - or worse -as they all have there good points.....

WindowsME is on my system is very stable. By comparsion 98/98SE did not work for me.

Part of the secret though with WinME and I suppose this applies across the board with other OS's is that WinME seems to go much better with a clean installation and upto date drivers.

As for XP letting everyone in or out, get a firewall such as ZoneAlarm, Tiny Peronsal Firewall or others. XP is no different to 95/98/ME in this regards.

If you don't want XP then quickest way out is a total reformat with a Windows OS of your choice and start again.
Gordon. (2217)
119378 2003-02-09 01:47:00 Millsie: It's "sort of" true. MS no longer support Windows 3.X or Windows 95. :-( I think NT is soon to be the same. It's even "reasonable". A very small minority will use the old versions, because they buy new computers, and the new versions of software come with them. It's just not economic to keep training tech support people on discontinued products.

It's only people like me who use old machines who need y2k patches etc. :D

But you can assume that after 5 or so years you are likely to have to "upgrade" if you want/need MS support. But it will still "work". Software does not spontaneously disintegrate, though it sometimes seems so. Though I wouldn't put it past some manufacturers to include "timebombs" ;-).
Graham L (2)
119379 2003-02-09 01:50:00 Windows 95 down already has no support from Microsoft
Windows NT (Server and Workstation) and 98 are due to be unsupported as of the middle of this year
No doubt ME and 2k will be following in a few years time (2005?)
cyberchuck (173)
119380 2003-02-09 05:02:00 A disk reformat is precisely what I want to do. No way will it reformat from within the Win platform, and I have no quibble with this. There MUST be a way to do it from within DOS but I have tried every which way and still had no success. dedfred (3113)
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