Vista - An Opportunity For Linux ?

[GhostShip]

I read this story earlier folks ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5271386.stm

Microsoft's attempts to keep the next version of Windows secure could help promote the free software ethic, says technology commentator Bill Thompson.
The release of Vista, the latest incarnation of Microsoft's Windows operating system, could mark the point at which the ongoing argument between two very different models of how software should be developed and maintained is finally resolved.

Vista will ship with Kernel Patch Protection - also called PatchGuard - which checks to see if the core has been altered in any way. This should make it a lot harder for viruses, trojans, rootkits and other types of malicious software, or malware, to install.
PatchGuard will be backed up by support for the Trusted Platform Module, a hardware component built into many new computers that gives the operating system a way to store and use secured information.

If severe flaws are discovered in Vista, and there already signs that the lockdown is far from perfect, then users may well wonder why they have put their faith in the "benign dictator" approach to security.

It seems that with Vista a lot of effort has gone into locking everyone out of the new system including anti virus companies and that is its only protection, should that fail billions of machines across the globe could be affected and lets be honest when has microsoft ever been able to defeat the wily hackers.

As recommenced to me by many more folks daily get yourself a nice Linux "live" release and see what you could have for nothing except a few words of thanks to the developers who believe human progress and openess are the way forward, rather than a monopoly that has seen one man profit so much while millions starve worldwide, something he could solve by just doling out the interest on his cash mountain.

[White Stripes]

i have still yet to find a reason to 'upgrade' my windows box past '2000'.... ive heard arguments are that xp has better support out of the box (i think thats called 'lazy') and better windows 98 support (but i have windows 98 for that)... i dont think microsoft can do any better at this point... they are just adding bloat IMO... granted others may disagree but the playskool interface of XP and the areo desktop that -requires- direct3d on vista just seems... pointless...

and thats where the goodness of linux comes in... want a sleek gui? you got it... want a lite gui? you got it.... dont want a gui? that works too  and you dont need to upgrade every 2 years just to run an OS... as was said before; "linux! because a 486 is a terrible thing to waste" (cant remember by who tho) ... my 233mhz cyrix m2 can boot linux faster than a 1.2ghz machine can boot XP (seriously; think about that one for a moment... or how about this one; ever thought it was possible that a 386 could be used to burn CDs?)

and as far as a TCPA locked, DRM laden, buggy, bloated, slow os vs. an os that not only can i see the source code to but modify it as well...  i think ill take the latter..

ok... im done ranting... 

[KM]

I only have windows on my workstation because of the windows development which is a pain to do in a virtual machine, and that is running 2k3 (because XP is a pile of crap and 2000 takes too long to reboot when windows inevitably crashes) - all other systems i use linux on