Re: XP - Crashed
 

Cars need regular oil changes and the like. It is the nature of machines to need maintenance from time to time. Aren't computers just a machine like any other?

Re: XP - Crashed
 

It is like changing the oil every week... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

Re: XP - Crashed
 

I've been running XP Home for since May 2003, and its given me no trouble. Well, almost no trouble http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif . Before that I had WinME, which I had to reinstall once since it screwed up (not sure how anymore), and before that Win95, which we got with our first computer back in '97. It never gave me any problems at all. So one re-install over 7 years of Windows use isn't too bad in my estimation.

Re: XP - Crashed
 

Sure, Windows runs fine, as long as you don't touch anything. Heaven forbid you should want to adjust things, or remove the not-so-helpful search dog, or get rid of the Playskool interface. And don't even think about creating a custom install file.

I've done eleven re-installations of WinXP Home over the past year, seven of which have been in the past 3 weeks. I finally had to unplug my DSL before I reinstalled, since I had security breaches happen before I could even do Windows Update. Sure, it's more secure after updates (at least, we don't know what parts aren't secure), but it shouldn't be quite so full of holes or so cranky about giving up its death-grip on every aspect of my computing (anyone else want to run Windows Update in another browser than IE?).

Re: XP - Crashed
 

Windows is windows is windows. Even the people at Microsoft find it hard to work with and feel that the tech support at microsft should be improved.... oh wait, they work there... how ironic.

Re: XP - Crashed
 

OS is an enviroment. The correct analogy would be changing whole passenger compartment (including steering wheel, pedals and control panel) to the new one twice a year. Sounds silly, isn't it?

Re: XP - Crashed
 

Actually, since the OS is what runs everything on the computer, it's like having to pull out the engine, strip it donwn to it's basic components, clean them all and stick the whole thing back together, then hope you didn't forget anything. I'm getting ready to to a format and re-install at the moment, but I've run into a problem. I sorta stepped on my WinXP install CD and then lost one of the pieces, so I got a copy off our tech guy at work. Problem it's not a bootable install CD, so if I format my drive I'm going to up a certain creek without a paddle.
Anybody know how to make a bootable install CD for WinXP? I know there's some programs out there that'll make one for you but I can't remember what they're called...

Re: XP - Crashed
 

You can create a set of startup floppies for WinXP (I think you need 6) that loads the necessary items to get the install going from a non-bootable CD.

Re: XP - Crashed
 

hahahahahahahahahhahaah

I'm an "expert" and I'd run both if I had a spare machine (no dual boot for me). XP is more productive for me, by far. I'm planning on using Linux for my firewall/NAT box if I need to build one. I *might* build a Linux DB box, but then again, I can get SQL Server just as easily... (and its better than some pqsql stuff)

Re: XP - Crashed
 

I think the opposite of this. If you are starting to use a computer and all your using it for is office, email and web surfing linux or mac is what to use. Ubuntu or Knoppix is easier to get working than windows. Less people attack it, it comes with a security system and no activex. I think the ONLY hard thing to do when installing Ubuntu is using and remembering a complex user password. Everything else is the enter key. If you want to play all the games in the world you have to learn how to keep windows working or get them running in emulators. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif