No thanks!
Let's hope the world wakes up and resists this before Microsoft can deploy such a computing animal.
The good news is, right now, today, Linux has "free as you go" computing. Just download Linux, install, and you have thousands of free software applications at your fingertips! Many are already installed, others need only be installed via a Linux distribution's repository. (And that takes only a couple of mouse clicks!)
You'll also be running Linux. An operating system supported by millions of users around the world! And Linux is more stable and secure than Windows!
What's the best way to get "free as you go" computing? As I've suggested in the past, find a gently used computer. Usually, this is a Windows computer someone wants to get rid of because it's infected or simply running slow due to all the bloat ware that's been installed. Then, get Linux. Run the Live CD, install from the desktop (you'll be completely overwriting Windows thus getting rid of it and all it's problems), and you're all set!
You'll have the latest version of Linux and the latest versions of Linux software all ready to work for you. And the cost is either free or minimal, depending on which Linux distribution you decide to use. And you won't be constantly shovelling loads of cash into Microsoft's pockets. As a bonus, you'll be free of Windows viruses and spy ware! You'll also become part of a wonderful and helpful user community.
So get Linux and stay off the money treadmill Microsoft is planning to build with pay as you go computers.
3 comments:
yeah great, as long as you dont need to do any work with proprietary software formats - which we all do - and no open office isnt quite good enough.
also linux is still completely dependent on an internet connection to install new software packages in a sensible way
dont get me wrong i like linux but its just not ready for the average user who at the moment will not be able to adminster their own machine - look at driver installs ffs!
Microsoft Windows is also dependent on an Internet connection for getting Windows Updates. Most of the programs on MS Windows need an Internet connection as well. Virus scanners, MS Office, Quicktime, Media Player, etc... If they run without an Internet connection they do so with features disabled and/or limited features. So not having an Internet connection can hurt you on MS Windows as well.
With Linux install cds/dvds they come with numerous applications by default that you do not get on a MS Windows install cd/dvd and usually have to buy separately.
As for proprietary formats that is a joke. Most formats that regular users use there are at least 4 open source programs that can convert, open, and edit them. For some formats there are hundreds of applications that can natively work these formats like .doc. Maybe people just don't bother to search the Internet for solutions and that is hardly the operating systems problem. Microsoft does not go out of their way to help users with non-MS formats either.
Average users have to jump through hoops of install/uninstall and reboot processes to install MS Windows drivers. On the newest versions of popular Linux distros the system detects and installs the driver for you just like how MS Windows add hardware is supposed to work. Plug in a digital camera and it just pops up, same with mp3 players, scanners, video cameras and the like.
The only thing stopping average computer users from using Linux is misinformation from people who do not know better or just bash Linux because they had a bad experience once. Once again how is this different from users dealing with Blue Screens and crashing applications on MS Windows.
It seems to be a trend for people to complain to do it Anonymously. Maybe they are unwilling to stand up to the scrutiny of their argument or they are just trolling.
Misinformation and disingenuous posts concerning GNU/Linux usability are going to fail.
The economic downturn, which is affecting the majority of the population, is causing smarter cautionary spending. People are not 'impulse buying' as before. Many are weighing the pros and cons of their purchases, e.g. "Do I just want it or do I need it?"
In our area, we're running a community based program helping people use their 'old' pc's by installing different Linux distros.
I can go on about the methodology we use but the comment can get very long. Suffice to say we have 100% satisfied user base and not one complaint.
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