> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Mike Miller > Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:23 AM > To: TCLUG List > Subject: Re: [tclug-list] Yet another forecast of Linux doom > > > At this time, Microsoft's strongest competitors in the OS market are > earlier versions of their product. Knowing that future releases will have > to compete with current releases, Microsoft's incentive is to produce a > crappy product now, and so they do. If GNU/Linux starts to eat enough MS > market share, MS will use some of their $500 billion to improve their OS > to a point where everyday users will prefer it to GNU/Linux. > > Mike The "upgrades" I've been getting from Microsoft over the last year seem to break various features of legacy stuff like my Office Pro 97, OutLook 2000, and IE6. I see two types of failures as a result. The most annoying is a failure to keep history files and preferences, so the application no longer remembers recent and previous file names, and forgets some personalization settings. System Restore Points have recovered those so far, but nothing else has. The other failure is that an app will just freeze for no apparent reason, and upon closing that window, I get a "would you like to report this serious error" message that includes an explanation that I should upgrade to newer versions. Don't have a cure for these freezes, but they don't happen often enough to be a big nuisance - yet. I always tell in the optional report, that there is no improvement in a Microsoft "upgrade", and will upgrade to Open Office, etc as the Microsoft stuff degrades further. I also include that I have no intent ever to use Vista or IE7, and will switch entirely to Linux because of the lack of real support and quality. I'm lots closer to making the complete switch to Linux.. but haven't yet. Chuck