life after Windows....

Mxsmanic wrote:

All third party config files are placed in /etc and do not change
between distributions.

How does the OS guarantee that?

It is not the role of the OS to define the behaviour of third party
configuration files.

More APIs means more standards, which means more choice. With Win32,
it's just the same kludged 'standard' that doesn't work 100% reliably
between all versions of Windows.

It seems to be working well on a billion PCs or so.

Every PC I have used Windows on has developed bugs sooner or later that
seriously affected performance and usability.

Until users are forced to upgrade, only to find that software that used
to run won't run at all on the new version.

If the software is well written, it will continue to run. If it's something
like an Adobe product, most of which install rootkits today, it may break with
the next release. But that's what happens with software that breaks the
rules.

The software doesn't have to 'break the rules'. Microsoft change their
APIs between versions, which is what breaks these programs. In
addition, there are undocumented APIs that some vendors use to get more
performance. Good luck getting those to work between versions.

I agree - Windows plays at being a stable, functional operating system,
whereas Linux succeeds.

And this attitude is a bit outdated today. Microsoft haters are getting old,
and Microsoft-bashing is a bit old-fashioned. And of course it's not based on
objective facts, which is the worst problem with it.

There is nothing old or outdated about criticising something that does
not function as well as it should. When Microsoft makes a reliable
product and stops unethical business practices, there will be a case to
be made for Microsoft-bashing being outdated.

In article ,
White Spirit wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

-- snippage --

When Microsoft makes a reliable
product and stops unethical business practices, there will be a case to
be made for Microsoft-bashing being outdated.

If Microsoft ever makes a product that doesn't suck, it'll be when they
start selling vacuum cleaners (not original with me, but I sure wish it
was).

Isaac

White Spirit writes:

It is not the role of the OS to define the behaviour of third party
configuration files.

In that case, the statement "all third party config files are placed in /etc"
cannot be proved and any claim of standardization thereof is invalid.

Every PC I have used Windows on has developed bugs sooner or later that
seriously affected performance and usability.

Bugs either exist or don't exist; they do not develop.

I have never had this problem with any version of Windows based on Windows NT.

The software doesn't have to 'break the rules'.

True, but a lot of software does break the rules, anyway.

Microsoft change their APIs between versions, which is what breaks
these programs.

Which ones?

In addition, there are undocumented APIs that some vendors use to get more
performance. Good luck getting those to work between versions.

That's why they are undocumented. Using undocumented APIs is breaking the
rules.

There is nothing old or outdated about criticising something that does
not function as well as it should.

Of course, but that has nothing to do with criticizing Microsoft.

When Microsoft makes a reliable
product and stops unethical business practices, there will be a case to
be made for Microsoft-bashing being outdated.

As I've said, Microsoft-bashing is outdated, even by your own definition.
It's the kind of thing that newbies learn to chant in school without really
understanding why they do it, just to be one of the crowd.

Mxsmanic wrote:
White Spirit writes:

It is not the role of the OS to define the behaviour of third party
configuration files.

In that case, the statement "all third party config files are placed in /etc"
cannot be proved and any claim of standardization thereof is invalid.

Every PC I have used Windows on has developed bugs sooner or later that
seriously affected performance and usability.

Bugs either exist or don't exist; they do not develop.

I have never had this problem with any version of Windows based on Windows NT.

The software doesn't have to 'break the rules'.

True, but a lot of software does break the rules, anyway.

Microsoft change their APIs between versions, which is what breaks
these programs.

Which ones?

The big change was MFC versus .NET

--
Dirk

http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.onetribe.me.uk/wordpress/?cat=5 - Our podcasts on weird stuff

Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

The big change was MFC versus .NET

You can write software without either of these.

Mxsmanic wrote:
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

The big change was MFC versus .NET

You can write software without either of these.

But not Windows s/w, unless you're a super masochist with no life.

--
Dirk

http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.onetribe.me.uk/wordpress/?cat=5 - Our podcasts on weird stuff

"Dirk Bruere at NeoPax" wrote in message
...
Mxsmanic wrote:
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

The big change was MFC versus .NET

You can write software without either of these.

But not Windows s/w, unless you're a super masochist with no life.


It didn't take you long to get Mixi summed up did it...

--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

William Black wrote:
"Dirk Bruere at NeoPax" wrote in message
...
Mxsmanic wrote:
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

The big change was MFC versus .NET
You can write software without either of these.
But not Windows s/w, unless you're a super masochist with no life.


It didn't take you long to get Mixi summed up did it...

A bit like those purists who sneer at IDEs and write everything using Vi
(when they can't find a vintage Edlin).

--
Dirk

http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.onetribe.me.uk/wordpress/?cat=5 - Our podcasts on weird stuff

Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

But not Windows s/w, unless you're a super masochist with no life.

I've done it, and deliberately, in order to avoid dependence on Microsoft
products.

Mxsmanic wrote:
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax writes:

But not Windows s/w, unless you're a super masochist with no life.

I've done it, and deliberately, in order to avoid dependence on Microsoft
products.

Well, I much prefer C# Express IDE.
Brilliant product, and free.
Right now though I'm programming in Java using Netbeans

--
Dirk

http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.onetribe.me.uk/wordpress/?cat=5 - Our podcasts on weird stuff