quote:what about something free like linux?

You get what you pay for.

quote:You get what you pay for.

Is that why Microsoft keeps repeating that Linux actually costs more than Windows?

Umm, what are you getting at HenryApe? I''ve been running Linux since Red Hat 4.0 was around, and the only thing it costs me to use it was the price of the CD on the shelf at that time and the hardware I was running it on. Now, I can download the latest CDs directly from the Internet and burn them.

If I compared the cost of the software I needed to purchase on Windows (paint programs, image editors, 3D modellers, compilers, IDEs, FTP software, file sharing tools, source code management software, etc) it would (and has) costed many $1000''s of dollars.
And considering software has a shelf life of 2 years, I need to reinvest more money every 2 years to get updated to the latest versions.

Whereas Linux costed me the price of the CD to burn it on and the cost for bandwidth to download it. That''s all there is to it. No licenses. Free upgrades. Source code available for me to modify if need be. Everything I need is freely available and open.
Unlike closed tools which I can not change or modify if I need to (and inevitably every tool I ever used had something I wish I could change or fix).

Whatever rant you heard about is utterly false. Being a real user for many years I have saved a considerable amount of money not only on software but hardware. I still have my old outdated machines running Linux and still performing for me. Unlike under Windows where it would not even be possible to run XP on anything less than a P3. I have tried on a P2450 and it was unbearably slow (so was Windows 98 for that matter). My P3 550 barely runs Win98, but it is very useable with Linux.

quote:Original post by DaMangz
Umm, what are you getting at HenryApe? I''ve been running Linux since Red Hat 4.0 was around, and the only thing it costs me to use it was the price of the CD on the shelf at that time and the hardware I was running it on. Now, I can download the latest CDs directly from the Internet and burn them.

When you''re running a business, the initial cost of the hardware and software is usually quite insignificant compared to the cost of hiring people to look after the system. Linux professionals generally cost a lot more than Windows professionals.

Of course, that''s really only an indicator of the relative "maturity" of the two operating systems. Once Linux gets better accepted in the industry, more people will be trained in using it, and the cost of said professionals will decrease.

If I had my way, I''d have all of you shot!

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quote:Unlike under Windows where it would not even be possible to run XP on anything less than a P3. I have tried on a P2450 and it was unbearably slow (so was Windows 98 for that matter). My P3 550 barely runs Win98, but it is very useable with Linux.

Really??? I''m running WinXP on a Celeron 500 with 64mb RAM and it works fine