{"id":1188,"date":"2008-07-02T21:23:38","date_gmt":"2008-07-03T01:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.starkeith.net\/coredump\/?p=1188"},"modified":"2008-11-21T10:00:16","modified_gmt":"2008-11-21T14:00:16","slug":"windows-still-works-for-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.starkeith.net\/coredump\/2008\/07\/02\/windows-still-works-for-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows Still Works for Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

I ran across this story from Ernie the Attorney<\/a> today about a lawyer who was having trouble with Windows and got some rather strange advice from a “Windows zealot” in a discussion group:<\/p>\n

The Windows zealot tells him that if he switches to a Mac just to avoid those problems he’s basically ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water.’ Then, after carefully considering the best way to solve all of the guy’s supposed problems, he offers this amazing solution:<\/p>\n

“Do a fresh install of Windows XP. This will ultimately be quicker than trying to figure out what is going on exactly<\/span>. Once installed update Windows until it will update no more.” (emphasis added)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Between that story and things like “How to install Windows XP in 5 hours or less<\/a>,” it sort of got me thinking – what is wrong with this picture?<\/em><\/p>\n

Let me just say from the start: I use Windows<\/strong>. I like Linux (both for its principles and for its intrinsic qualities) and I appreciate Mac OS X (being itself based on Unix), but I use Windows. That said, I do not recommend any one OS over another – it all depends on what you’re looking for. So let’s just say that I’m neither a zealot of any particular OS, nor a “basher” or “hater” of any particular OS, either.<\/p>\n

When I hear stuff about the “Windows half-life<\/a>” and the idea that having to completely re-install the OS on a regular basis is a “normal” thing<\/a>, I just can’t understand it – because, frankly, my experiences have been totally different.<\/p>\n

Let me explain:<\/p>\n

The copy of Windows that is running on my current computer is the same one that was installed when it came from Dell’s factory<\/strong> – it has never been re-installed, ever<\/strong>. And I’ve owned it for almost 3 and a half years. My previous computer ran for nearly 6 years without an OS re-install.<\/p>\n

Let’s also remember that I only own one computer, and I use it every day<\/em> – and I do mean “use.” I do software development on my computer, I install beta versions of programs, I install games (admittedly not many, but still), I do some video editing, I do a little bit of music editing, I use bluetooth headsets and IP telephony, I use the Windows Media Center application… I mean, well, just look at a few of my start menu branches:<\/p>\n