Is Windows XP an Experiance?

[Cyrax9]

Please read the ENTIRE thread before you vote, thank you.

Personally I think WindowsXP is a perfect name for the OS, it's definatly an experience. Most of you probably thing I've flipped, but I'll didn't say what kind of experience, now did I?

WinXP is the worst thing to happen in ages, it's an experience like no other, it's an experience through hell and back. I've tried to avoid it, but when I was at a store showing a demo, I had to see what made this such an experience, I'm sorry I did.

Like every other piece of Microsoft Software, it crashes, only it crashes a lot more. The setup is horrible for home use, especially if you use it for a Family PC. In addition a nice gaping security hole is included with the OS, as well as a built in Firewall that contains stuff I don't even want to think about. The layout is ugly, and product activation sucks, and should be outlawed. The worst feature of Windows XP is the boot-up screen for multiple users, I don't want to use a password just to access my damn PC, and the DOS support it includes is completely as backwards, Older DOS games Play, but newer ones don't!

Here is my final conclusion, if you want a really expensive coaster by Windows XP, otherwise avoid it like the plague.

Now you may vote.

[sdtPikachu]

Well to be fair I've only used it once...

But it's fugly (I had to use the "classic" layout, since the XP one was so detestably inefficient, and must have been built for people with terminal myopia and the ability to remember anything).

It's about as stable as Win2K, which is what I use.
Security holes? As far as hackers are concerned, XP is great. You can read more about XP's so called security at the GRC here (http://grc.com/dos/winxp.htm) here (http://grc.com/dos/xpconference.htm) and here (http://grc.com/dos/xplaughter.htm) if you don't mind wading through lots of tech stuff. But the basic bones of the article are all you need to know (and this is just in relation to DDoSing).
The XP firewall? That shall be my new definition for "oxymoron", like "Windows Encryption"
Product activation? Most invasive procedure of the home/workspace I've ever seen.

All in all even with my brief experience of using XP I loathe it with a passion. Hopefully it's one of those products I'll never have to buy; by the time I need my next OS Linux should be able to provide everything I need.

(Wonders if AOL will actuall succeed in buying Readhat, or if M$ will ever try to make a buggy, bloated version of Linux)
(shudders)

[Perfect Stu]

It's good

I have it, and my computer has never crashed so far (I'm serious)

So :p :p :p

[Jason1]

I have windows 98 on my 400mhz AMD K62, and im loving it, it does everything I want it to, surf the net basically flawlessly.

[Null]

Well sorry cyrax. but i dont know what you've been smoking. :p


WinXP is right up there with Win2k, as the 2 best windows versions.

both stable as hell. hardly ever crashing.

If XP does crash, its HIGHLY doubtful it will take down the entire system. more then likely it will simply close the program that caused the error.

XP manages RAM WONDERFULLY.

using everyting exactly the same, nothing new instealled or deleted.

win98 used 50% ram on my system out of 384 mb ram.
winXP used about 20% of that same ram.

XP runs by far faster then others. (excluding 2K cuz 2k also runs quite fast)

And to further support this. XP actually runs off the Win2000 code. (states that somewhere on the MS webpage)
There are bugs with it of course. But they are getting fixed with every new upgrade.

It does have secutiry holes. which is why i use 2k still on my main system.

The GUI can get a bit annoying. but is easily switched to a normal Windows look. so that issure is like nothing unless your too stupid to change it if you dont like the look. (and actually aftering seeing that look so much now i hardly notice it anyway.)

XP has problems with certain games. but i can remember when win2000 also had problems with games and all that.

XP comes with a lot of extra stuff. that maybe some people might use but i really dont want or need.

So my fav is actually Win2000.

If i were to rate them on thier OS alone, how they work and stuff.

Win2000 / XP (2000 maybe slightly above)
Win98
win95
win3x
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
***10 minutes later down the list***

WinME

...

But out of the windows section. Mac OSX owns them all. :P

[Cyrax9]

Pika, I hope you're right about Linux, it would be the angel of mercy for my next PC, as for XP Firewall being a Oxymoron, I said the same thing about it when I first saw it, almost bursting into laughter. I hate the new interface, but to be fair to null it's ok (in terms of stability), but not nearly as good as Win2K, which is excellent in terms of Stability, unfortunatley what I've discovered is that they tried mixing it with Win98, and got WinMe, the fully integrated it, and got WinXP. I'm using WinMe, I know, it's a shame, but it's only crashed twice by accident, and it hasn't brought down my entire system, I've crashed it myself out of stupidity, but that's another story. I too agree, that Mac OSX is about 20 miles ahead of it though.

[Revival]

I love XP, go ahead and ban me!

There's only one person in this world who can make me give up my XP easily.. all the rest of you, I'll kill before I give it up.

Seriously, I love XP, everything runs perfect on it.. it's a dream come true.. and I love having the ability to change themes. :D

[Old Skool]

Well I for one love Windows XP from a job point of view it’s the best thing Microsoft could have done for me. The networking is simple yet very powerful and yes I know it has some security holes in it but they really are nothing to be concerned over (there about as bad as win2k was at launch and there are loads of fixes out there for them already). Put it this way if a real hacker wants in there nothing going to stop him apart from maybe another hacker are servers in work have been hacked 2 times in the last year.
As for crash’s we are about half way towards completing the roll out of windows XP in work from Win2k and we have already seen a small drop in the number of reported crashes to the PC help desk (this is all going on well we are installing new computers and network routers).

From the home point of view well let’s just say I think every one with an ok PC should get this OS (By the way I have never used the home version of XP). It’s ease to use whether you use classic or the new settings (I find the new lay out much better). It does not crash half as much as 98 or ME and I would even go as far as saying it’s a bit better then 2K plus it plays all the new game. If you do have a cable modem XP will set it up as soon as you plug it in and turn it on and internet sharing is just one simple click of the button.

Overall it’s got to be a good thing I have got almost all of my friends now running XP and not one of them is unhappy with it and believe me they would go on forever if they did not like it.



Oh and here’s a cool site for window XP tweaks http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=guide&dId=120

[Null]

Puppet!!, i saw that you posted last, and i was like oh here we go. hes going to dissagree with everything i said and we'll argue more. But Nope. I agree with EVERYTHINg you said.

i think this is the first we've ever agreed apon.

:)

[Old Skool]

Originally posted by Null
Puppet!!, i saw that you posted last, and i was like oh here we go. hes going to dissagree with everything i said and we'll argue more. But Nope. I agree with EVERYTHINg you said.

i think this is the first we've ever agreed apon.

:)



Damn did not think about it that way ……………Ok I take it all back Windows XP is crap no one should ever buy it. J/K


:beerchug: Null

[The_Dunadan]

i have it and love it! i think its great for family pc; no fighting over settings or anything. i have multiple users and we don't have to enter passwords, thats just an option you can turn on or off for privacy. the holes are there because its new and patches are already out for some of them. who would depend on an os' firewall anyway. my hasn't hardly crashed since the day i got it.

[JCubed]

What are you smokin'? Windows XP runs like a DREAM, and I love the silvery sleek look. I especially like how I can change my background, so now I've got a nice beach and stuff. Everything is smooth, and I haven't experiened any problems. The password is just an option, which I have opted to decline, and it makes it very easy for me to go about MY desktop without ruining my dad's settings, (which are REALLY bad). I can manage my desktop without interferring with him, and visa-versa. I don't see the little pop-up boxes a nuisance, in fact, they ahve saved me from doing many stupid things, which I am grateful for. I don't see what you're complaining about, but oh well. You're entitled to your opinion. And what's kind of funny is that most of the people who have taken this poll have liked XP. Sucks to be you! ;) j/k

[The_Dunadan]

Originally posted by JCubed
What are you smokin'? Windows XP runs like a DREAM, and I love the silvery sleek look. I especially like how I can change my background, so now I've got a nice beach and stuff. Everything is smooth, and I haven't experiened any problems. The password is just an option, which I have opted to decline, and it makes it very easy for me to go about MY desktop without ruining my dad's settings, (which are REALLY bad). I can manage my desktop without interferring with him, and visa-versa. I don't see the little pop-up boxes a nuisance, in fact, they ahve saved me from doing many stupid things, which I am grateful for. I don't see what you're complaining about, but oh well. You're entitled to your opinion. And what's kind of funny is that most of the people who have taken this poll have liked XP. Sucks to be you! ;) j/k

dude, thats the mod of this forum!! sucks to be you:) *jumps in box to see what happens* *knows he exaggerated* *hops off*

[Gamer]

Meh, i dont mind it, i dont have it but my friend does. I went to his house the other day and used it. It kinda cool though.

[GameMaster]

Three words: Mac OS X

Using it right now :D

[sdtPikachu]

Three more words: I hate Microsoft.

IMO they make terribly insecure products, and XP is no exception.

[Cyrax9]

Man, you have't even read my new "M$ Math" equation:

Microsoft+ Bill Gates== The New Axis of PC Evil ;)

I hate M$, and the worst thing was going on AOL esterday and seeing "MR. $5 dollar Hair Cut" on the main screen, I had to quickly cover it with a GT page to prevent puking on my Keyboard.

[Mikkey]

WinXp is the best, it has never crashed yet. I used to have Win98 SE and it crashed like 2 times a day.

if you wanna change things go to http://www.belchfire.net/ dowload StyleXP & get some of there themes.

[Cyrax9]

Originally posted by sdtPikachu
Three more words: I hate Microsoft.

IMO they make terribly insecure products, and XP is no exception.

I couldn't agree more. That's the reason that if I ever was given an XBox, it would be returned to the store, and exchanged for ANYTHING that wasd NOT made by M$. Don't get me wrong, AOHell is pretty bad as well, you've said it if you've used it, and you can admit it, but AOL isn't nearly as crappy as Microsoft Stuff, which might as well have a warning on every box that reads "No support availible, this program will crash your PC, and you will be forced to pay $200 for every upgrade, and $500 every year when we spit out another pile of dung.", Microsoft has more problems, and security holes than my math book that looks like it's been through a paper shredder.

[sdtPikachu]

Originally posted by Cyrax9
I couldn't agree more.

Well Cyrax, you may be plaesed to hear that in between trying to get a degree and helping my mate out at getting www.demolicious.org up and running, I have finally got Linux installed on my machine dual booting with Win2K.

And in answer to my earlier query asking whether or not Linux would ever be up to replacing windows: it already is. The only thing I can't run on Linux is games made for windows (although some of the big games like quake 3 and unreal tornament have Linux versions available) - everything else can run on one of the programs I've got bundled with this distro (the Mandrake 8.2 beta 4 edition which cost me a paltry £9 and arrived on three CD'R's) or I can emulate with WINE or something (albeit unreliably with some programs).

You think XP is stable? You ain't seen nothing chaps. I spent two hours deliberately trying to crash it, and nothing. Anything you throw at it, and it just seems to bounce right back. The blue screen of death or "explorer.exe has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" are things of the past, to which I will bid a hearty farewell.

Linux isn't as easy to use as windows if you're not used to it, but after 10 minutes of fiddling I was able to customise my toolbar to a degree I could only dream about in windows. I am by no means finished, but I'm damned impressed with the whole thing. Linux is great.

One more thing: Linux and the internet ROCK.

[Cyrax9]

Originally posted by sdtPikachu


Well Cyrax, you may be plaesed to hear that in between trying to get a degree and helping my mate out at getting www.demolicious.org up and running, I have finally got Linux installed on my machine dual booting with Win2K.

And in answer to my earlier query asking whether or not Linux would ever be up to replacing windows: it already is. The only thing I can't run on Linux is games made for windows (although some of the big games like quake 3 and unreal tornament have Linux versions available) - everything else can run on one of the programs I've got bundled with this distro (the Mandrake 8.2 beta 4 edition which cost me a paltry £9 and arrived on three CD'R's) or I can emulate with WINE or something (albeit unreliably with some programs).

You think XP is stable? You ain't seen nothing chaps. I spent two hours deliberately trying to crash it, and nothing. Anything you throw at it, and it just seems to bounce right back. The blue screen of death or "explorer.exe has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" are things of the past, to which I will bid a hearty farewell.

Linux isn't as easy to use as windows if you're not used to it, but after 10 minutes of fiddling I was able to customise my toolbar to a degree I could only dream about in windows. I am by no means finished, but I'm damned impressed with the whole thing. Linux is great.

One more thing: Linux and the internet ROCK.

Once again Congratulations to Pika for helping to stop "Mr. $5 haircut" from taking over the world. BTW Pika, you said Linux Dosen't run most Windows Games, what about DOS? Yeah I know, it's old as hell, but if Linux has stuff like DOS Emulators, I'll be saving for a new PC that's Windows-free. It's time for Microsoft to Die the death it deserves, after years of crappy products being shipped out, we may finally have a choice on how we play games, and use our PC's. he Sooner Linux levele's the playing feild with Microsoft, I'l be happy as a clam. Microsoft ha cause me more heartache than any other computer company, and their downfall will be the rest of the worlds success. It's time for Linux Systems, and Macs. I'd still leave a floppy drive around as an "optional" accessory for "small files", since a Word Porccessing Document doesn't take up too much space, but we now know what we need.

[sdtPikachu]

True yeah, there are soem DOS emulators for running under Linux, but I've not got that far as yet...! Come to think of it, I haven't got any DOS games, or indeed DOS apps any more anyway. Ah, I should try and find my old copy of Space Hulk to see if I can get that running...

If it's games you're worried about though, many of the bigger games are (eventually) getting ported to Linux (where they often tend to run faster than the windows versions - the windows programs I've emulate under Linux tend to run faster too). The whole thing gives you not only more control over utterly everything, but it does it more reliably (I repeat: Windows XP has NOTHING on the stability of Linux) but using far, far less system resources as well.

So thankfully it looks like I won't be one of the people in the queue for Longhorn, or whatever they end up calling the next draconian incarnation of XP. Goodbye windows, it was nice knowing you. Actually, no it wasn't. "F**k off and die"

: sdtPikachu is as happy as Larry and hos whole darn family :

P.S. anyone who wants to read my as-yet-unfinished Linux bits can do so here (http://uk.geocities.com/sdtpikachu/link/index.html) and here (http://uk.geocities.com/sdtpikachu/link/linux.html).

[-apu-]

Obviously the new windows is going to be bugged, it's because the previous windows had dos running UNDER windows, and since many of the hardwares used that to their advantage, when xp came out, a bunch of hardware stops working unless u format u'r hard drive and install windows xcp with a clean hard drive, as happydude did, as for the interface, it can easily be changed back to classic mode, and like someone else said, it handles ram amazingly, not only that but it makes things like setting up the dsl connection to the internet and hooking up a LAN a lot easier, as for the password, that can easily be taken off from the password menu, not that u neccesarily want to, it's a lot more secure than the security systems in te other windows. And unstable? Hell no!!! it's never crashed ONCE in my entire history of using it for different purposes, school, gaming, 8 non-stop leaving the computer on to download a extremely high resoulution version of Final Fantasy:The Spirits within.
And i doubt it will crash anytime soon

[sdtPikachu]

"Obviously the new windows is going to be bugged"

Well, why the hell should it be? Why can't they release an OS once the major bugs and security issues have been found out? I'll tell you why: because that kind of testing they consider too expensive to do properly, so they let muggins on the street find their faults for them.

"previous windows had dos running UNDER windows"

Win2K/NT 5 doesn't. XP to me is just NT 5 with a new GUI on top and privacy killing features as well as a load of other useless folderol I'm never going to want to use, but hey I have to install it anyway. Great.

"as for the interface, it can easily be changed back to classic mode"

Still doesn't alter the fact that I hate the windows GUI as a whole, and it has absolutely zero configurability. GNOME is a wonderful thing.

"it handles ram amazingly"

So does Win2K and Linux. One isn't free but doesn't have product activation, one is totally free. I can't really see the point of chaning to XP really.

"it's a lot more secure than the security systems in te other windows"

Which isn't saying much. Windows is probably the most notoriously insecure OS in existence.

"And unstable? Hell no!!! it's never crashed ONCE in my entire history of using it for different purposes, school, gaming, 8 non-stop leaving the computer on to download a extremely high resoulution version of Final Fantasy:The Spirits within.
And i doubt it will crash anytime soon"

Wow, anyone would think it was SPECIAL that you can have an OS that crashes only once a week. Sheesh.

I've kept Win2K running on this PC for over a week non-stop and it didn't crash. So far, Linux has only been on for 24 hours at a time (not tried any mammoth sessions yet), but even after TRYING to crash it, I failed.

Thing is, you've probably not actually done anything to make Windows break a sweat anyway. Leaving a computer on running a single program (i.e. downloading) isn't exactly very taxing, is it?

XP is just the latest incarnation in a whole series of buggy, incomplete, insecure operating systems. True, XP is better than the rest, but should it really have taken so long to get this far when other OS's have been managing it for years?

[marionette]

i don't like XP that much either. we have it on our computer and it has crashed every month for the past 3 months its annoying. it just crashes all the time. and it take a long time to start up. everything else is fine, its just those two things that bug me.

[Ric]

Originally posted by marionette
its just those two things that bug me.

Understandably so, it would piss me off a treat too. Personally I think I'll stick with Windows 98, it has'nt given me any hassle, yet!

[Non-Dusk]

I have it.. doesn't bug up on me like it does to marionettes.. it's odd.. it's nothing special except I can have cool silver color windows http://www.ninglobe.com/YaBBImages/kiss.gif

....

[marionette]

well this sucks. our computer crashed again. and they sent a 3 1/2 floppy disk to fix it, and that didnt work. so we called again, and they sent 7 cd's to fix it. and that didn't work either! so now HP is sending us a box to ship them the computer to fix it. and we'll get it back in about 2-3 weeks. i hate XP! *keeps mubling and walks away*

..lol

[Revival]

I love XP.. I love the ability to switch between users without logging off, which is why I am on AIM almost all the time. I also like the ability to send messages to other users.. I send my mom my shopping list under her username every day :D

[jeepnut]

Originally posted by marionette
well this sucks. our computer crashed again. and they sent a 3 1/2 floppy disk to fix it, and that didnt work. so we called again, and they sent 7 cd's to fix it. and that didn't work either! so now HP is sending us a box to ship them the computer to fix it. and we'll get it back in about 2-3 weeks. i hate XP! *keeps mubling and walks away*

..lol

Wait....you said you have an HP? I think I found your problem.

[marionette]

lmao. well when we called HP they said it was something dealing with XP..and they said that is why it is constantly crashing..mabey they're a bunch of liars..lol

[Null]

has to do with HP.


computer companies load on a bunch of thier software and thier programs onto a computer when you buy from them.

Which is why is usually best to do a reformat right off the bat when ya get the computer.


And instead of sending it into them. I would of saved everything i needed and reformated it anyway. put XP on from scratch. thats when its at its best. (altho i never had a prob with xp upgrading from win98 either. but i hear it runs faster cuz it gets rid of files xp doesnt need)

[marionette]

Originally posted by Null
has to do with HP.


computer companies load on a bunch of thier software and thier programs onto a computer when you buy from them.

Which is why is usually best to do a reformat right off the bat when ya get the computer.


And instead of sending it into them. I would of saved everything i needed and reformated it anyway. put XP on from scratch. thats when its at its best. (altho i never had a prob with xp upgrading from win98 either. but i hear it runs faster cuz it gets rid of files xp doesnt need)

oh ic. well i wouldn't have known how to do that anyways..:(

lol

[sdtPikachu]

Originally posted by Shooter
I love XP.. I love the ability to switch between users without logging off, which is why I am on AIM almost all the time. I also like the ability to send messages to other users.. I send my mom my shopping list under her username every day :D

Wow... anyone would think this is something you couldn't do with *nix machines. *nix was designed to be a multi-user OS right from the start, and has had these functions for years. And naturally, Linux is no exception.

Been learning some of the terminal commands recently. I just love the way in *nix you can move 2000 files at once whilst simulatneously doing a batch file name conversion. Doing this in windows would take forever. The terminal will let you do all sorts of styuff that windows can't, and the stuff it does that windows can do takes about a tenth of the time.

:D

[MasterMind]

Well I don't have XP, and I'm currently running Win98, but I just found out that I can get WinXP for FREE from school. I'm not sure which version it is, but I do get my own users license. Just wondering if it is worth my time to go and get it?

[Revival]

Originally posted by MasterMind
Well I don't have XP, and I'm currently running Win98, but I just found out that I can get WinXP for FREE from school. I'm not sure which version it is, but I do get my own users license. Just wondering if it is worth my time to go and get it? Depends on who you ask.

I love XP, I would never go back to another OS. I haven't had a SINGLE problem with it, it never has crashed with me, no "illegal operations" or anything -- it's perfect for me.

[sdtPikachu]

What I hate most about it is just all the pre-installed software. You can't turn of MSN Messenger (well, you can but it's either a registry hack or mucking about in your sys files - and it's been shown that ****ing service packs reinstall it anyway) which is a BIG security hole, or "feature" as M$ call it. I've not used Mesenger for ooh aout five months... but I chat on it every night. :D Such is the power of Trillian.

There's plenty more useless folderol as well, which you can't choose not to install. What I thought was great about computers was that you had a oad of options - not to with half of XP. "We know what you want better than you do" say M$. It was the beginnnings of the implementation of this in Win2K that finally made me switch to Linux. My estimate is that in a years time at the very most the only thing I will use my windows partition for is playing games. I've already found Linux apps to replace virtually anything I can find for Windows (in fact, most of the stuff I was looking for was built into Linux anyway).

Product activation sucks. My hardware configuration changes quite frequently, and I really can't be doing with having phone M$ up once a month or so begging them to let me use my computer again.

Mwah ha ha ha haah! You and your talk of stability. I can go into the GNOME system monitor and kill all my important processes, rendering my operating system useless. Then I can restart them and it all works again. AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Try killing explorer.exe in the task manager and restarting it, and see how far that gets you.

Like I said above, I've tried crashing Linux on purpose. Sure, I managed to crash a few programs. But not once have I managed to crash the OS. Not once have I had to reboot "cos it was acting a bit funny". Simply put, Linux is virtually impregnable. Mwah ha hah.

Oh yeah, and I can't think of any other OS's that'll give you a complete server (of any kind) OS for less than the price of the new Britney Spears album. Not that you need to pay for it either.

Ah. Unix rocks, and Linux is an utter mind ****ing delight after the dark days of Miscrosoft. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I have a system with 384 MB of RAM. At boot, I get about 220 MB free. Then I had a quick fiddle with my system configuration, and found out that Win2K was loading a load of useless dll's (and all sorts of other stuff) into memory for seemingly no reason at all. A few quick tweaks later and I get 290 MB free at boot. XP does similar things. Why? Cos it's not in M$'s interests to actually make an OS that isn't a beta version.

My advice for 95/98/ME users... get 2000, not XP. Then you get to do without product activation, a load of useless programs and a slightly less opaque OS, IME with exactly the same stability. Which sucks compared to Linux of course. You won't get the shiny gooey and crap like that (unless you use a skinner or similar), but then you're not using your computer just to look shiny and yummy, right?

Oh **** you are. Damn.

Oh well, I shall just have to resort to running DVD movies as my desktop wallpaper in Linux then :D

[Cyrax9]

Windows loads more Crap than anyone needs. In fact, the other day I went throiuugh WinME, my current OS and Deleted about half of M$'s junk that they Call "Software", which in M$-speak translates to "Virus catcher". As far as Explorer.exe Goes, I delted it once in WinME, and use the system restore, which worked leaving anything that was still working intact. I have Office XP, and while it's a nice office app, it's still made by M$, and Product activation is a pain in the ass. I haven't had to call M$ yet to reactivate it, but when I do, the conversation will probably go like this:

Me: Listen you lousy B@st@rds, I paed $500 for this piece of crap you call aan office Product so I could use it for school, and Personal Use, if you want to know why it's not working, it's because I replaced certain Components in my PC, now make the damn thing run again or I'll have the BBB knocking at your cheap-ass CEO's door.

M$: Sir Please calm down, we'l hav it runing in a minute.

For the next two hours...

M$: Is it running yet?

Me: No you idiot, your F***ed up software is worse than a 15 year old Car without an exaust pipe on a major highway!

After it's fixed...

M$: Sorry about all the probelms sir, Thanbk you for choosing Microsoft.

Me: Your NOT Welcome, I didn't choose Moronsoft, I was forced into it to play several old games, and you've just lost a customer on any new PC's!

Afterwards I'll finish Milking the life out of my PC, and eventually when it's no longer upgradeable at all, I'll Buy a Linux or Mac based Machine, which I will proudly Skin a Desktop for that says "Death to M$ and the Evil Empire!" with the Universal "NO" sign over the Windows Logo.