XP updates: do I just need to d/l a freeware key code to get them?

[xenon]

Yep. Anicdotal evidence probably not much good in convincing anyone here. But XP updates have never fucked anything up for me. I waited for a long time before installing SP2 fearing it might break things. But eventually decided the benefits would outway the risks and it worked fine.

Never used Linux. Would be curious to see it. but I'm dammed if I'll learn a whole new OS just to be able to do 75% of what I can do already in Windows. And from what I've read it hardly seems easy work for a computer novice to get up and running.

 

[Structaural]

Yep. Anicdotal evidence probably not much good in convincing anyone here. But XP updates have never fucked anything up for me. I waited for a long time before installing SP2 fearing it might break things. But eventually decided the benefits would outway the risks and it worked fine.

Never used Linux. Would be curious to see it. but I'm dammed if I'll learn a whole new OS just to be able to do 75% of what I can do already in Windows. And from what I've read it hardly seems easy work for a computer novice to get up and running.

I've been using a cracked version of XP Pro since 2003... it's been updating fine since then including service pack 2. Never reinstalled yet - so I'll give it that - it's pretty stable, though my computer crashes when I upload from my Canon camera but that's the only instability...

I'd use Linux if it looked like Mac OS X and ran the same software, otherwise its too 'techy' for me.

 

[Jonti]

i am not defending microsoft but the right of somebody to charge for a product they sell, that actually works pretty well.

I just had to purchase licenses for Biztalk and Commerce Servers - it cost £9000 or so, should it have been free? If not what is the correct price for this?

I use Linux and Windows daily - I dont have any of this one is better than the other agenda - they are good for different things. Its the way of the IT world to not like whatever is popular, its what drives innovation, its a good thing.

I am saying its theft - of course there are degrees as to how much theft affects the person you are taking from - but it doesn't mean it isn't theft - seems only fair if you want to use something that you should pay for it, no?

It seems also that people can salve thier consciences far easier when their actually isnt a physical item to steal - software, mp3, divxs etc.

Here's a thought experiment for you. Imagine someone created an object duplicator. You just shovel any old waste material into a hopper (sand, earth, whatever) and point the gizmo at something you want to duplicate, say a chair, or a nice plate of food. Press the button, and whamo! you've got a duplicate of that chair, or that meal. Want and poverty is eliminated. Nice, huh?

Now imagine laws were passed that prevented you from using the duplicator. Imagine you were told it was theft to use it. How would you react?

Of course, we do not have such a device to eliminate material poverty. But we do have the devices that can deliver knowledge, culture, learning and practical information almost free of charge, just like our object duplicator. Not so important I grant you, but still immensely helpful to many folk on this planet.

See what I'm getting at?