John Dvorak: The Jinx

[ Thanks to davec for this link. ]

"As I write this, there is talk that XP will allow one extra copy to be made, so you could have one copy on your desktop PC and one on a portable machine. I assume that in the registration process, there will be ways to determine if a copy of the operating system is indeed on a laptop and not, say, on another computer being used by a family member...."

"....The home user, trying to stretch the budget, surely isn't buying new copies of Windows updates for each computer in the household. I should know, because every time I get a new copy of something, everyone wants to try it."

"For this reason I promote Software602 (Web site) and its free office suite, because people are always trying to bum a copy of Microsoft Office from me. I know I'm not alone in this. I've actually switched to Software602 for my own personal use because of this problem. Apparently I did this just in time. Now I'll have to consider Linux for the same reason."

Complete Story

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• PC Magazine: Comparing Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Red Hat Linux/Nautilus(Apr 20, 2001)
• ZDNet: The thrill in the eXPerience is gone(Apr 18, 2001)
• Wall St. Journal/Canoe.com: Tech Industry Aims to Render MP3 Obsolete (Apr 12, 2001)
• technofile: Windows 95, Windows 2000 and the little secret Microsoft doesn't want you to know (Apr 07, 2001)
• ZDNet AnchorDesk: Embed Linux, and put Microsoft on the desktop...(Mar 29, 2001)
• ZDNet News: Will penguins rule? Not any time soon(Mar 12, 2001)
• New York Times/CNET: New Microsoft Office faces dual obstacles (Mar 09, 2001)
• eWeek: Microsoft fights resistance to XP; must regain embedded share, counter Linux in enterprise(Feb 12, 2001)