“The day before this was written, Windows XP whined in its lower right-hand dialogue bubble that critical updates were available, and could we please get with the program,” writes Associated Press reporter, Larry Blasko.
Blasko continues, “Since Sept. 19, 2000, the computer that this is being written on updated its operating system 113 times. If, instead of an operating system, it were a car that had been recalled 113 times, the Justice Department would be doing a dance on the manufacturer’s head while Ralph Nader chewed on its ankle. But because it is software, a lot of hours have been meekly devoted to fixing mistakes that shouldn’t have been sold in the first place. Worse, of the 113 updates, 30 are described by Microsoft as ‘failed.’ Which means that about one out of four attempts to fix what shouldn’t need fixing have flaws themselves. Or maybe it’s just that Microsoft didn’t detect the proper degree of submissiveness in the end user. An examination of the updates shows updates that undo mischief caused by previous updates, kind of like a second surgery to fetch the instruments left inside you by mistake the first time.”
Blasko goes on and on, obviously fed up with his situation, asking, “Why should we spend our time fixing Microsoft’s messes?” It’s too bad Blasko doesn’t make the next logical leap. Perhaps a “switch” might be in order here?
Read about Blasko’s travails with the Windows “eXPerience” here.
hahaha
I love this
One by one the house of cards starts to fall.
I host web sites. I bet I spend $50-$100.00 per month on toll-free telephone support with my customers who have Windows problems. Customers often call and are upset that their email will not work… often threatening to change hosting companies.. only to eventually discover that the problem is not the web site or email services, but with Windows, Outlook and/or Norton Virus scanning mail in Outlook.
I wish I could send Bill Gates a bill every time. I don’t even use Windows but I have to pay for its problems.
What else is new? By the way, I see M$ is going to adopt an open GL graphics system on Longhorn. I always say to the blind wandering in Wintel land, “To see the Windows of 3 years from now, look at the Mac of today”.
I just saw on M$NBC that yet another Wintel virus is making the rounds. Mr Blasko will have to download, install and reboot yet another time. I wonder if Wintel users can get repetitive-motion injuries from all the restarts/reboots…
Let us not forget the numerous updates we’ve already had to OS 10.2 since it’s release. One, of which, killed my new 12″ Powerbooks battery.
I’ve completely crashed OS 10.2 more times than I’ve crashed XP. XP is not perfect, and neither is OS 10.2. For every failing of XP, one can find a failing with OS 10.2.
I happily use OS 10.2, Windows XP, and Linux with Gnome. The best computer and OS is the one that does what you need. But, since this ONLY a matter of opinion, there is no right or wrong. Just like faith, arguing with opinion is a fools errand.
John Tock, Mac OS X has not had 113 system updates. Get you head examined, it’s not even close. And Apple’s updates generally IMPROVE the OS, not break other parts requiring patches ad infinitum.
My XP box at work crashes 3 times per week on average. My Mac OS X box at home doing CAD, Video editing, and more has crashed five times in the past two years.
Dude, see “fools errand”.
Explain to my why my Powerbook crashes more than my IBM T23? Explain to me why a recent update to OS 10.2 killed my Powerbook and I had to send it to Apple to get mended?
(note: Just downloaded Quicktime 6.2, and now it tells me I have to reboot. Ugh)
And most of these OS X complaints stem from those that don’t know how to maintain a system properly – yes, you DO need to know something about the OS and how to run it…
Thank you MacMan. And the same applies to XP and Linux.
Yes, true, John…
Thank you MacMan. And the same applies to XP and Linux.
But not in direct proportion. One needs to know much less about OSX than Windows to maintain optimum efficiency. Plus, your alleged battery-killer update is far more likely to be a problem on your end, either from an individually faulty battery (even Apple can’t be 100% error-free on every single computer they make) or from bad management by you. That is, I believe, the point that MacMan was trying to make.
And just for the record, I have never had one single problem downloading, installing, and running every OS X update. I doubt there is a Windows user that can claim the same.
Ashami,
Re: Battery-killer. Do a search on Google for OS X 10.2.4 update and Powerbook/iBook batteries.
This discussion is JUST like religion. It’s completely open to interpretation. And frankly, there is no right answer. One OS is NOT better than another. However, one may LIKE an OS better than another. This is OPINION and not factual data.
Don’t get me wrong, I love OS X. It’s a very slick GUI for *nix. I think it’s much nicer than X-Window. I can basicaly get rid of my Linux box and use my Mac for my *nix fix. It’s just different than Windows, but I don’t think it’s better or worse. I usually don’t get involved in Mac vs. Windows discussions, because they’re pointless. I can use both, and very proficiently I might add. They’re computers, different varieties, nothing more.
Nothing more.
Is one OS better than Another? One of the frst commentators says “no”. I disagree. Is Win 95 better than Win 3.1 to 3.0 to DOS 7? Yes, one OS can be better than another. Is Unix better than Windows for the data center? Yes. Is the Apple GUI more user friendly that Windows? Yes. Is Office better on Windows or Mac? It’s even admitted to by PC reviewers, Office for OS X is currently superior. Is Creative work better on OS X than XP? Yes. Are games better on XP than OS X? Yes. So if you are buying your computer to play games, buy Wintel, but for everything else including pretty cool games, buy a Mac with OS X.
I have a Powerbook running 10.2.6 with 250 MBS RAM that I routinely run Photoshop 7, Illustrator 10, Dreamweaver MX, AIM, iTunes, Safari, and Mail all at once and my computer hasn’t crashed more than 3 times in the 18 months I’ve had it.
I’ve had no battery trouble whatsoever when I switched to Jaguar. Just thought I’d let people know that it’s not a problem necessarily with PB’s and OS X, rather these are isolated problems.
Unlike full blown software gaff’s like *cough*passport*cough*… excuse me.
My office has 8 pc’s running 2000.
PC’s only runs Office, IE and Act2000! Crashes everyday.
Then there’s one lonely 333mhz iMac running: Photoshop, Illustrator, Mail.app (collects 10 accounts as backup to Act2000), Scanner, Digital Camera, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Safari, IE and iTunes all day all at the same time. Never crashed once for the last 4 months.
Case closed.
I have had a dual 867 mhz for a year and I have never had a system crash….not once. Apps hang….that’s no sweat….bang’em loose and restart the app. I cannot understand how people hang their machines.
To Mr Tock,
I almost bought the 12″Aluminum PBook, but opted for the G3 512 cache 14″ iBook for about the same money instead. Never had a problem, incredible battery life, networks great with everything at work, etc. Like another post said, most ‘doze updates address security flaws while most Apple updates address enhancements to the OS, adding capabilities. Remember OS X is a NEW OS for Apple, where XP is more of the same crap MS has been shoveling for quite some time. It puzzles me when all these people have problems with Airport Extreme Base Stations, Batteries, keyboard indentations on the screen, etc. I have not had problem one with any Apple product I have bought since the intro of OS X. Just like violins & wine, it just keeps getting better.