To all those morons on that post in ZDNET's talkback...

I'm not sure I can mention another website in the subject of my rant, but oh well.

I get so sick and tired of hearing you morons scream back and forth at each other: "Mac fanboy" "Linsux zealot" "Microslut zealot". I mean, damn guys, they're operating systems, not religions. Yeah, I use Mac and freeBSD at home. I use Windows and Unix at work. Windows, Mac OS, and Unix/Linux all have their strong and weak points.

I'll start with Windows. Windows is about as secure as a book of blank, signed checks left in a public place. That could be largely due to the fact that it has the vast market share of desktop and business usage. Then again, it could be due to crap code, because Windows programs have to be legacy compatible. You can't write an XP only program, cause then you piss off all the people still using 98, 98SE, Me, and 2000 Pro. We can't forget about places that still have NT 4.0 boxes. In all honesty, I believe a lot of PC users are either too lazy/too stupid to upgrade, or have no desire to shell out $100 or more every time Microsoft puts out another Windows variant. Beyond that, there are a lot of morons out there writing code with the sole intent of taking down Windows boxes. As far as user-friendliness goes, Windows is fairly user-friendly, until for whatever reason NT System Authority hijacks your machine and takes it down. Microsoft also tends to be slow about acknowledging and fixing security flaws, from time to time. In all honesty, I still maintain that a lot of the features that they're adding to Vista, such as the Gadgets and whatever that Dock-like thing is called, are hijacked from Mac OS. I'll leave Windows alone now.

Mac OS has had a lot of ups and downs too. OSX is great, they have a good response time in fixing holes in it. However, due to the fact that it has something like, 3% of the market, it's lacking in third party software. Mac OS's security [lack of viruses, spywares, malwares, etc.] is due largely to the fact that it's market share is so small that no one gives a damn about bringing down Mac boxes. When Apple writes a new version of iTunes for Windows, it tends to give a lot of Windows users problems [look at iTunes 5]. Mac OSX is fairly stable and user friendly, and it's nice that with new Macs they include OS 9.2 for legacy programs [Classic mode]. However, Mac OS 7 and 8 had a lot of problems with crashing. Finally, there are a lot of Mac users out there who loathe anything that isn't Macintosh, and they stir the # a lot. Of course, you get that in the Windows or *Nix crowds as well, but the Mac people tend to be particularly vicious. Oh, and Steve Jobs has messed up a lot of things for Apple as well. A lot. Now I'll leave Mac alone

On to Linux. A lot of people bitch about there being so many distros, or how Linux is NOT user-friendly. Well, the thing is, it takes an actual computer user to be able to use most Linux distributions. As for so many distros, that's kind of what open source is about. The Linux kernal/OS was designed to give users Unix functionality, without shelling out the money for a Unix license. Linux was never designed to be 'user friendly'. It was originally made by a computer nerd, then given out to be used by other computer nerds for crying out loud. Linux security comes from the fact that there are so many compiled kernal variants, and the fact that desktop usage isn't widespread enough to give a damn about writing viruses for it. One of the major flaws for some Linux distros is the GUI. It's been written to look like/work like Windows. In my opinion, KDE is one of the better GUIs to use. Also, especially for the ZDNet bastards who keep calling Linux a 'religion', Linus is not a God, the kernal is not the messiah, and the distros are not Apostles. Granted, some Linux people see things that way, but they're retarded to think so. I kind of find it to be ridiculous that no one will grant Linus a trademark on the Linux name. In one of the more recent cases [in Australia] the court actually used Wikipedia to define Linux. Personally, if I were a lawyer, Wikipedia is not something I would consult for legal counsel. I really can't go through and pick a bunch of goods and bads for Linux, because I'm a big open source fan. However, I won't use that as a justification to trash others because of their choice of OS.

And as for your damned AMD/Intel arguements, just STFU. AMD has proven that they can make a better processor, however, Intel has the market share and can produce and distribute more chips due to the fact they have agreements with tons of PC manufactures. Intel will be making chips for Apple in the very near future as well [which I think is another mistake by Jobs].

It would also help if you morons would quit bringing f-ing politics into discussions about IT. Sorry, but there is no Republican/Democrat/Third-party conspiracy in IT. IT is f-ing IT.

This rant should have probably gone on their board, however they don't have a rant section. BTS has a rant section, and I'm registered here.

quite funny.

I wish people would stop bad mouthing windows though.

This coming from a linux and windows user.

No really, go play your games on your linux box.

Most pc arguments are hilarious at best. Its ideal to sit on the sidelines and watch the hilarity.

Angry nerds

my engineers and IT pros at work have these arguments all the time.
It is kinda funny to watch, but it is the same crap on all fields. Look at any group, cars, bikes, sports, beer and anything else in the market, there will always separation. 'Us' against 'them' mentality is a pissing contest, it generally has nothing to do with the product. I see it as free entertainment where ever it occurs. Im not influenced much by advertisment, nor do I have any loyaty to a brand of anything, then again I think getting excited by watching someone with a ball on tv is funny too.

feh!