Reference: New Computer

[BillyP]

As some of you may have read, I recently bought a new computer. I was leery of the OS, since the newest OS I've used was Win 95.

I want to tell you all that Windows XP is the best OS upgrade that I've experienced. I'll admit, I don't know much about this stuff. When I went from Win 3.11 to Win 95, I thought that was awesome.

Thanks Bob_Skurka for telling me to get used to it. I know you're not a Windows man but you're advice was great.

 

[thcri]

Billy,

Your pretty much right. I have seen them all pretty much and Windows finally came up with one that is easy to use and stable. NO more reboots etc.

murph

 

[BIGUN]

I don't know what Bob told you, but I like to use the "Classic Windows" theme on XP. Then I feel right at home. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[nomad]

If it were still easy to find the drivers of attachments (scanner, printer, etc) for Win95, I'd still use Win95.
The lightest OS is the best, and Win95 is the lightest.
After that, Win98 is better.
WinXP? It has a serious bug. Don't forget to download its patch from Microsoft site. Otherwise, you can get caught by a virus easily even if you don't open any email attachment, especially if you are using continous communication systems like ADSL.

 

[frank_f15]

i have been running win xp for almost a year now, and i find it to be quite stable. still can't get used to the new interface, takes me awhile to find my way around, mostly cause i don't have to mess with it so much. i am hard headed and don't want to switch to classic view. one thing is to make sure u check updates at least once a week and get the ones u need. but they seemed to have slowed down.

 

[BillyP]

Murph, I hear ya. It sure boots up quick too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BIGUN, I use the "Classic Windows" theme too /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

nomad, I think the virus makers are out to get the latest OS or anything else that's popular /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Frank, Compared to Win95, quite stable is an understatement /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[nomad]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( nomad, I think the virus makers are out to get the latest OS or anything else that's popular /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif But it is not that the virus makers are after popular OSs. It's because some systems like this WinXP have the bugs which need to be patched. This is like you are buying a brand new tractor, but its tires are torn. I recommend you go back to Win95 if you still have the drivers - if not, Win98 rules.

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( nomad, I think the virus makers are out to get the latest OS or anything else that's popular /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif But it is not that the virus makers are after popular OSs. It's because some systems like this WinXP have the bugs which need to be patched. This is like you are buying a brand new tractor, but its tires are torn. I recommend you go back to Win95 if you still have the drivers - if not, Win98 rules. )</font>

I just hooked up at home three computers to a DSL type line. My two WinXP machines work great. No problems with Virus's at all. My Win98 machine with the same Norton Anti-Virus programs as the other two is constantly picking up virus's that are not coming from e-mails even. While no one is even on the computer but just running at the desk top virus's keep coming in. When I talked to my computer people they said you will get that with 95 or 98. XP may have had their problems but it is an active OS that Microsoft is still updating as they find holes. Win95 or 98 isn't even being updated anymore for us to even hear about the holes. As far as security I would not ever have anything critical on a 95 or 98 machince anymore.

just my opinion.

murph

 

[jwstewar]

All OS's yes I said all. Everyone of them including the beloved Mac OS Panther, Linux, OS/400, and MVS & OS/390 on the mainframe all have security bugs/flaws. I heard about one a couple of weeks ago on a Mac that was basically pretty easy to have happen and would give anyone complete access to the computer, but yet Apple has yet (or at least that I've heard) to patch it. At least Microsoft will fix there bugs. Do you know why Windows (namely XP) gets hit so hard? Because that is what the majority of the people use - both ways the attackers and the attackees. What fun is it to cause destruction to the 5 people running Linux and the 3 people using a Mac when I could go after the 50 million running XP. Wasn't it just a week or so ago TBN was down because they had to put a security patch on the Linux OS?

I'm not affiliated with Microsoft don't own any of their stock, but I do make my living writing code using their software and it just bugs me when I hear people making statements that are absotuley false. Does Microsoft code have bugs? Yes, but so does every other software package (including mine) out there. Now what people don't realize is that for cost per feature Microsoft has probably the best ratio out there. Yes, I know Linux is "free", but who ya gonna call when it is broke? Yes, it does break too. Just like all colors of tractors - they're all good, all have their drawbacks, and all will break.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But it is not that the virus makers are after popular OSs. It's because some systems like this WinXP have the bugs which need to be patched. This is like you are buying a brand new tractor, but its tires are torn. I recommend you go back to Win95 if you still have the drivers - if not, Win98 rules. )</font>

Your analogy is flawed. The tractor manufacturer can tell when the tires are worn. It takes a hacker to find and exploit security holes, many, if not all, which the manufacturer of the operating system has no knowledge of before hand. For a company such as Microsoft to make the OS foolproof, would be next to impossible. The only reason that Microsoft has as many problems as they do, the hackers only go after them almost exclusively. They have the lion share of the market and will satisfy the hackers need to become noticed by the greatest number of people. Hackers are people with big ego's that want to prove that they can do something, and they are also like the criminal that tries to commit the perfect crime and not get caught. They are faceless and don't want credit for their dirty deeds. The other brands software also have problems and the hackers rarely target them for this reason, so the problems are almost never disclosed. It would be like a auto manufacturer trying to make a car that would be perfectly safe and protect you in every type of accident possible. It can't be done because there are too many different possibilities....