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digitalmars.D - Old Machines and XP for Linux(not really a D topic)

reply "Steve Teale" <steve.teale britseyeview.com> writes:
I was in a discussion here recently about 64 bit and how much 
memory people had in their machines these days.

A somewhat unrelated topic is that Microsoft are in the process 
of dumping XP.

Now all those old desktop boxes with only 500k of memory will 
increasingly migrate in containers to Africa, like the discarded 
mountain bikes, and old banger cars. When they get here they have 
traditionally had XP installed, since that is readily available 
for free - legal or not.

Microsoft might do itself a favour in the long term if instead of 
just dumping XP, it started from the Wine code, and made an XP 
lookalike Linux distro. That way, the old boxes would have an 
extended life, Microsoft would have goodwill from a lot of users, 
and would not have to spend a lot of money keeping the old OS, 
the spammers would be blocked in their process of taking over all 
those unprotected XP machines, and lots of young African girls 
and boys could learn to program in D ;=)

Steve
Feb 27 2014
parent reply "John Colvin" <john.loughran.colvin gmail.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 04:31:01 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:

 I was in a discussion here recently about 64 bit and how much 
 memory people had in their machines these days.

 A somewhat unrelated topic is that Microsoft are in the process 
 of dumping XP.

 Now all those old desktop boxes with only 500k of memory will 
 increasingly migrate in containers to Africa, like the 
 discarded mountain bikes, and old banger cars. When they get 
 here they have traditionally had XP installed, since that is 
 readily available for free - legal or not.

 Microsoft might do itself a favour in the long term if instead 
 of just dumping XP, it started from the Wine code, and made an 
 XP lookalike Linux distro. That way, the old boxes would have 
 an extended life, Microsoft would have goodwill from a lot of 
 users, and would not have to spend a lot of money keeping the 
 old OS, the spammers would be blocked in their process of 
 taking over all those unprotected XP machines, and lots of 
 young African girls and boys could learn to program in D ;=)

 Steve


Perhaps of interest:
http://www.reactos.org/
http://zorin-os.com/
Feb 28 2014
parent reply "Steve Teale" <steve.teale britseyeview.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 08:07:12 UTC, John Colvin wrote:

 On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 04:31:01 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:

 I was in a discussion here recently about 64 bit and how much 
 memory people had in their machines these days.

 A somewhat unrelated topic is that Microsoft are in the 
 process of dumping XP.





 Perhaps of interest:
 http://www.reactos.org/
 http://zorin-os.com/


Mmm, interesting, but I don't think either of them are the right 
thing.

I used the term XP lookalike by accident. I should have said XP 
clone or replicate or something.

The Linux kernel must be powerful enough these days to support 
complete replication of XP functionality

Steve
Feb 28 2014
next sibling parent reply "Stanislav Blinov" <stanislav.blinov gmail.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 11:20:14 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:


 I used the term XP lookalike by accident. I should have said XP 
 clone or replicate or something.

 The Linux kernel must be powerful enough these days to support 
 complete replication of XP functionality


ReactOS targets exactly that.

But I still don't follow. Modern Windows software that would run 
on XP is getting extinct, and even if it would run on XP, it's 
unlikely that the boxes you mention would suffice anyway.

If you're talking Linux, why not just use Linux?
Feb 28 2014
parent reply "Steve Teale" <steve.teale britseyeview.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 12:20:14 UTC, Stanislav Blinov 
wrote:


 If you're talking Linux, why not just use Linux?


To people who can just about manage to use outdated software on 
XP, it's probably a big deal to switch to Linux. And is that 
outdated version of Quickbooks available to run under Linux?

You are living in a different world, so don't just assume that 
the knowledge and availability of equipment that you are 
accustomed to exists elsewhere.

I was being semi-sarcastic, since as far as I'm concerned, 
Windows could die tomorrow. What I said was that Microsoft might 
be doing themselves a favour in the long term if ...

Steve
Feb 28 2014
next sibling parent "MattCoder" <somekindofmonster email.com.br> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 18:04:44 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:

 I was being semi-sarcastic, since as far as I'm concerned, 
 Windows could die tomorrow. What I said was that Microsoft 
 might be doing themselves a favour in the long term if ...


I understand your point but I don't see this happening anytime
soon. Because how Microsoft will tell to their inverstors (and
hardware vendors) that they will continue provide XP (or somewhat
equivalent) instead of forcing sales of the new Windows?

Matheus.
Feb 28 2014
prev sibling parent reply "Stanislav Blinov" <stanislav.blinov gmail.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 18:04:44 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:


 To people who can just about manage to use outdated software on 
 XP, it's probably a big deal to switch to Linux.


That doesn't have anything to do with the OS. It's a mentality 
problem.


 And is that outdated version of Quickbooks available to run 
 under Linux?


There's GnuCash, but I wouldn't know all the details, I don't use 
either. What I do know is there are alternatives except for very 
specialized software. It comes down to willingness to explore 
and/or switch.


 You are living in a different world,


You keep repeating this as if no one in this NG understands what 
you're saying. Respectfully, I'll say that you are wrong. I know 
all too well what it is to not have access to the latest greatest 
hardware or money to buy that new slick hoptoshop or whatever. 
Not to mention not having an affordable and stable Internet 
connection. I hope I don't need to go down the chain to more 
meaningful problems.

You're being dismissive just because people most of which you can 
safely assume to be younger than you disagree with you.

I'll repeat myself just to clarify: even if it so happened that 
XP continued its life, in the near future you won't be finding 
any software that would run on it. At least not proprietary 
software. Outdated hardware is not the only issue here.
Feb 28 2014
parent "Steve Teale" <steve.teale britseyeview.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 21:05:01 UTC, Stanislav Blinov
wrote:

 On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 18:04:44 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:


 You keep repeating this as if no one in this NG understands 
 what you're saying. Respectfully, I'll say that you are wrong. 
 I know all too well what it is to not have access to the latest 
 greatest hardware or money to buy that new slick hoptoshop or 
 whatever. Not to mention not having an affordable and stable 
 Internet connection. I hope I don't need to go down the chain 
 to more meaningful problems.

 You're being dismissive just because people most of which you 
 can safely assume to be younger than you disagree with you.

 I'll repeat myself just to clarify: even if it so happened that 
 XP continued its life, in the near future you won't be finding 
 any software that would run on it. At least not proprietary 
 software. Outdated hardware is not the only issue here.


I take your points.

Thanks
Steve
Feb 28 2014
prev sibling parent reply "John Colvin" <john.loughran.colvin gmail.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 11:20:14 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:

 On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 08:07:12 UTC, John Colvin wrote:

 On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 04:31:01 UTC, Steve Teale wrote:

 I was in a discussion here recently about 64 bit and how much 
 memory people had in their machines these days.

 A somewhat unrelated topic is that Microsoft are in the 
 process of dumping XP.





 Perhaps of interest:
 http://www.reactos.org/
 http://zorin-os.com/


 Mmm, interesting, but I don't think either of them are the 
 right thing.

 I used the term XP lookalike by accident. I should have said XP 
 clone or replicate or something.

 The Linux kernel must be powerful enough these days to support 
 complete replication of XP functionality

 Steve


My question would be: why bother? Why not just use linux?

People who can't afford modern machines or expensive proprietary 
software is a market that linux caters for (almost) uniquely well 
already.
Feb 28 2014
parent "Steve Teale" <steve.teale britseyeview.com> writes:
On Friday, 28 February 2014 at 12:20:53 UTC, John Colvin wrote:

 My question would be: why bother? Why not just use linux?

 People who can't afford modern machines or expensive 
 proprietary software is a market that linux caters for (almost) 
 uniquely well already.


John,

Please see my answer to Stanilaw.

Steve
Feb 28 2014