[jr2]

At my office, even the damn government that LOVES to waste money still runs XP on nearly all the computers. 

Yeah we are just now trying to migrate over to 7 with a tech refresh.  I agree, it's time.

Oh, and for Windows 8... can someone please try installing Launchy and see if it works on 8?  If it does, that should alleviate some of the issues with the Start menu search being gone.  (key-combo+appname (or partial appname) launch FTW).

I tried the first Windows 8 developer preview and HATED it.  So, should I try RTM?  Like, how much has been fixed?  Can it launch apps quickly via the keyboard or some replacement for Taskbar pinning?

EDIT: Checked; several download sites say Launchy is compatible with 8.  So there's that.

[Mikes]

At my office, even the damn government that LOVES to waste money still runs XP on nearly all the computers. 

Yeah we are just now trying to migrate over to 7 with a tech refresh.  I agree, it's time.

Oh, and for Windows 8... can someone please try installing Launchy and see if it works on 8?  If it does, that should alleviate some of the issues with the Start menu search being gone.  (key-combo+appname (or partial appname) launch FTW).

I tried the first Windows 8 developer preview and HATED it.  So, should I try RTM?  Like, how much has been fixed?  Can it launch apps quickly via the keyboard or some replacement for Taskbar pinning?

EDIT: Checked; several download sites say Launchy is compatible with 8.  So there's that.

It still leaves the question why we should upgrade to a new product that requires third party programs to make up for the lack of functionality that the old product, that we all already use, has out of the box:)

[jr2]

Well, I like hacking things.  I don't like iPhone's lack of openness with third-party apps.  I got one, love the interface, and hacked the restrictions.  I think I get some sort of high every time I make something do something that it's not supposed to do because some jerk decided they were going to control the end-user's experience, even if the end-user wished to change that experience.

[achtung]

Well, I like hacking things.  I don't like iPhone's lack of openness with third-party apps.  I got one, love the interface, and hacked the restrictions.  I think I get some sort of high every time I make something do something that it's not supposed to do because some jerk decided they were going to control the end-user's experience, even if the end-user wished to change that experience.

You gave Apple money to further produce new devices that will be even more locked down instead of supporting manufacturers that encourage/accept unlocking and tinkering.

Excellent work.

[sigtau]

It was either that or pay for an almost-certainly Vendor Locked™ Android phone.  Or HP/Palm's sorry excuse for a smartphone, which isn't really turning a nice profit given its small share of the market.  Better hardware is almost always worth it, since it can't be as easily manipulated as the software.

[jr2]

Or I could always have gotten a Windoze phone, however Mobile 6.5 on a Samsung Omnia II (SCH-i920, not the i8000 or w/e the other Omnia II was - great hardware, loved that part) soured me on that.  No friggin updates, oh wait, here's an update... and all they did was update their stupid apps.  Great, but can I get a stability / performance patch for your crappy OS??  Oh no.. we've moved on to bigger and better phones.  You should get one of those.  :rage:

[Klaustrophobia]

i thought everyone here would have realized that the design goal of smart phones is to make you buy a new one every 1-2 years. 

[Dragon]

Well, it's actually like that with most stuff out there. I've heard a tale of a kitchenware company which almost went out of business, because they made their stuff too durable and saturated the market somewhat. If you make things that will last a lifetime, your customers won't come back, because why? If you want to sell new stuff to your old customers, the old one must go either out of order or out of fashion. Preferably both, so they won't try tinkering and fixing their broken product or declaring themselves "retro" and keep using old stuff (there are people, like me, who'd gladly do both to avoid spending money, but outside of Krakow and Scotland they're a small minority).

[jr2]

Well, if, instead of wasting resources on manufacturing and purchasing the same crap every two years, we had durable stuff, perhaps then we would have more resources to buy other interesting stuff.  Sure, there wouldn't be 13 million silverware companies, only a few because of low demand, however, that would make room for other novelties and useful stuff.

Instead of buying a car every 10-15 years max, maybe increase the value of my home, buy a boat, heck, with enough savings due to not replacing disposable crap, buy a plane?

Hey, I can dream, right?

[sigtau]

But by doing that, you pretty much take away the uncertainty of a market economy, and you've pretty much formed an oligopoly, meaning almost every new startup business will have to have a totally unique product or service 100% unlike its competitors in order to make ends meet.

Anyways, if Microsoft takes this approach with Windows (which it appears they are about to do), then we're going to have some serious ****ware on our hands.  I still have a Windows 98 computer that I use for old games because virtual machines and compatibility mode is a ***** to work with, but I either have to use an old license key from a machine that used to work, or pull one off of the 'nets (not so legal, hence why I did the former since the aforementioned machine is dead forever).  Soon, I won't be able to do that with XP because Microsoft won't let me activate new XP licenses after 2014.  The same thing will eventually happen to 7.  If the aforementioned "****ware" trend continues with Microsoft, we're going to have to find other OSes to rely on.

[Admiral LSD]

If the corporate world is as reluctant to adopt 8 as it was Vista, then MS will probably have to keep updating 7 for a long time, just like they've done with XP.

XP life cycle was/is more of an anomaly than anything else. It is highly unlikely MS will let so many years pass until next OS release again. XP should have died many, many years ago if it wasn't for MS' blunder.

Another contributing factor is that a lot of legacy software won't run properly on Vista or 7. The company I work for is stuck on XP due to several business critical applications whose vender's have yet to push out a proper fix. That is what happens when you get locked into propriety software contracts and the developer goes off in a different direction with their core product and tries to dump the heavily customized product they sold you years ago.

This is the exact situation for which MS made XP mode a feature of Windows 7 Professional.

[jr2]

I still have a Windows 98 computer that I use for old games because virtual machines and compatibility mode is a ***** to work with, but I either have to use an old license key from a machine that used to work, or pull one off of the 'nets (not so legal, hence why I did the former since the aforementioned machine is dead forever).

Where did you get that key?  Did it come with the computer?  If so, you are in violation already, as MS even considers swapping the motherboard to be making an OEM license invalid. (It's not the HP  you bought, so the license supplied by MS to you through HP is no longer valid).  Ta-da, M$ win$ again.  The only way what you are doing could be legal is if it is either a) a full-blown license or b) an upgrade license, and you have a valid license for a previous, qualifying version of Windows.

As far as XP goes, Google volume license and setupp.ini {the only difference between MS XP Home, Pro, and VLK (Volume License Key) Pro is the contents of this file} to make it VLK (Volume License Key). As for M$'s activation, you can always just block it in the hosts file.

As for Vista/7: Google activate windows 7 without ms
Or go browsing around MDL (MyDigitalLife) forums, you can get help there.

As always, DRM does nothing to stop those with the sources or the know, which of course includes pirates, and the only ones caught in the crossfire are legitimate users.

[TwentyPercentCooler]

I still have a Windows 98 computer that I use for old games because virtual machines and compatibility mode is a ***** to work with, but I either have to use an old license key from a machine that used to work, or pull one off of the 'nets (not so legal, hence why I did the former since the aforementioned machine is dead forever).

Where did you get that key?  Did it come with the computer?  If so, you are in violation already, as MS even considers swapping the motherboard to be making an OEM license invalid. (It's not the HP  you bought, so the license supplied by MS to you through HP is no longer valid).  Ta-da, M$ win$ again.  The only way what you are doing could be legal is if it is either a) a full-blown license or b) an upgrade license, and you have a valid license for a previous, qualifying version of Windows.

As far as XP goes, acquire a volume license version, or search the nets for how to change the setupp.ini file in the ISO {the only difference between MS XP Home, Pro, and VLK Pro is the contents of this file} to make it VLK (Volume License Key).  The first like three Google hits should get you that info.  Then, get a VLK keygen, and set your hosts file to block M$'s activation server (also Google).  Now you will always have XP.

As for Vista/7: Google activate windows 7 without ms
Or go browsing around MDL (MyDigitalLife) forums, you can get help there.

As always, DRM does nothing to stop those with the sources or the know,which of course includes pirates, and the only ones caught in the crossfire are legitimate users.

Always. All it takes to crack Windows 7 is RemoveWAT. You even get a working Windows Update.

A bit more OT, I guess: I played with the Windows 8 developer preview for a few months. If all I do is make tweaks to make it work more like Windows 7, that's a pretty clear indication that there's no reason to stop using Windows 7 in the first place. I could see it being decent for a tablet computer, though. Technically, since I have a Wacom Bamboo Create (shut up, it was cheap), I already have the option of using finger gestures to navigate through Win7, although using touch input for a desktop OS is a pointless novelty. I feel bad for the "what is this I not good with computer" types who will buy a new machine with Windows 8 and have to deal with the default UI elements.

As a few posters have already pointed out, trying to make a cross-platform OS means that it's just not going to be very good on any of the platforms.

[Mongoose]

Just for future reference, let's pull back on the "lol pirate Windows keys" line of discussion.

[sigtau]

Even if Microsoft's bull**** policies with handling license keys are indeed bull****, when it comes to OSes for primary use, I still think it'd be better to relocate to something more... legal.  (And potentially, more reliable.)

Really, all of this is going to be hearsay until Windows 8 has been out for a month.  We'll see just how bad of a ****storm it is after that.

[Zacam]

Officially, I have to say that I am not comfortable with the level of discussion RE: keys and work around methods to circumvent, even by abstraction.

And while I don't wish to convey a censorship of "free speech", it is still verging pretty close to the Board policies to the extent that I'd personally be a lot happier if some posts (and quotes of them) would be edited as I'd rather not have to do it myself. Especially as conversation regarding circumvention of protections of previous OSes does not in and of itself contribute to an actual discussion of Windows 8.

Thank you.

[sigtau]

Getting things back onto topic:

"Buy a new HP laptop for college, get a free pair of Beats headphones.  Plus, if you buy a laptop now, we'll refund your Windows 8 upgrade at no additional charge." - an actual commercial from HP

See?  Even HP hates it.

[Mikes]

Getting things back onto topic:

"Buy a new HP laptop for college, get a free pair of Beats headphones.  Plus, if you buy a laptop now, we'll refund your Windows 8 upgrade at no additional charge." - an actual commercial from HP

See?  Even HP hates it.

Means HP will pay for the upgrade to Windows 8, when it becomes available, if you buy a Windows 7 laptop now? How does that translate to hating it.

[jr2]

You misunderstood the commercial.  HP is saying they'll pay for a free upgrade to Windows 8 when 8 comes out.  I suppose MS offering current purchasers of OEM Windows 7 (7 with a new computer) their Windows 8 upgrade for $15 means HP figures "Hey, I'll bite that..." as it's a selling feature.  Plus, with all of the Windows 8 haters and late adopters (don't get a new OS till SP1 crowd), HP probably won't even have to pay the $15.

[sigtau]

I interpreted it as "Since Windows 8 RTM is out, we'll refund you for having to upgrade to Windows 8."

I could've been wrong