Well, being different can be the same as being worse, if the differences aren't seen as improvements, but simply as making life harder. And I think it's a very valid excuse if people don't want to learn all the new ways, simply because they have to. They do get a choice, do they? Freedom and all that.
Nobody has to learn anything new. Several people in this thread (yourself included) appear to continually ignore this fact: you dont' have to buy Vista. You don't have to use a Microsoft operating system. You don't have to even own a computer.
But let's face reality:
Life becomes easier when you own a computer, and business has very obvious benefits to gain by continuing to use them. And if history is any indicator, business will do what they feel is best for the bottom line. In the end, if some new OS or hardware or software is negatively affecting the bottom line, they'll do something else -- won't they?
I'm quite convinced they will. It seems you're convinced too, because otherwise we wouldn't have this discussion. So what's the problem?
Well' it's about twice as expensive. But no matter, why would they be forced to enrich Microsoft when they're satisfied with what they have? It isn't compulsory, is it? No matter how much Microsoft would want that.
Nope, not required at all. See also: my first paragraph.
It irks me quite a lot that I see those warning messages every time when interfacing with an XP system: "This page has an unspecified potential security risk.", or: "The identity of this computer cannot be verified." "Are you sure you want to continue?"
To me, that sounds like: "Are you sure you don't want to give us money and upgrade, so we won't scare you anymore?"
You see what you want to see, and we already know what color the tint is on your glasses.
Obviously, everyone knows that *nix will do everything you've ever wanted to do, and more, with zero problems, zero hardware issues, zero software conflicts, zero security problems and zero cost.
By the way, that was sarcasm laid on approximately 3km thick. To some degree, you get what you pay for, and there's a reason Linux is free. Vista might be expensive to buy individually and Linux might be
cheap, but cheap isn't the same as inexpensive. Cheap as in not supporting your onboard HTDV tuner, or not being able to use that 5-in-1 printer that you got for the holiday, or not playing the games your kids received from their friends next door.
The only complaint I see you making is that people don't want to change, and people don't want to pay. Welp, moving to Linux is only going to solve the "pay" part, but it's going to sorely exascerbate the "change" part. And likely not for the better, unless you're dealing with someone who never installs anything EVER or someone who has a half-decent amount of tech savvy.
You'd be far better off converting people to Apple before a "pure" Linux.
