First of all, I have been a Windows user since 3.11 for Workgroups, so Windows has been my native OS for years. I've seen the system in most of its forms, and am currently using 2000 Pro, with the classic 98 on this PC.
In response to
Procession's points:
1) Buying Windows does not support Xbox. Buying Xbox supports Xbox. Admittedly, Windows and Office are two of the best-selling products on the market, but the majority of their income does not come from consumers like the general public - it is from the contracts for large businesses and institutions to use these products.
The gradual move away from from closed-source software will grow in the future, loosening the grip of MS on the industry. They seem to be focussing on making Longhorn something huge, so it can only be win-win for the consumer. Already the Australian Government is introducing a bill to encourage "open-source software" wherever possible.
The bill can be found here as an rich text file:
http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/bills/0/2003/rtf/03160b.rtf3) I would like to dispute this point. Unless you like to run twenty applications at once, the Windows systems maintain their stability under much activity. I haven't had any problems with 2000, and XP (based on the 2000 architecture) is similar. So for casual users, this point is wasted.
5) Viruses are the user's fault, no matter how ignorant MS are. A good virus program, a popup blocker (or IE alternative) should be a given for every computer, especially in this day and age.
Saying this, I am very interested in the Linux OS, and as soon as my computer is up and running smoothly again, I'll install Linux alongside Windows and it can be one big happy family...
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Originally posted by mouse_clicker:
the profit Microsoft makes off of Windows goes back into Windows
*falls off chair, laughs to death*
Wow, another Windows upgrade. Oh look, the colours *forks out money for essentially the same OS*
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Originally posted by akdaman1:
Windows is great and Microsoft deserve some respect .
*continues to fall and laugh*
Sorry, but they are not the most respectful of companies... Their virtual monopoly of the desktop software and operating systems markets, their abuse of power, their lack of ingenuity or originality with upgrades, they don't get no respect from me.
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Originally posted by Grey Ninja:
For those of you planning on buying an Athlon 64 in the near future, take a guess what the only 64 bit OS is right now.
Longhorn is at least four years away, and Apple are off sniffing daisies and hugging trees.

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Originally posted by Toy:
but that sounds better than taking months to figure out how to install and use an O.S. Plus as already stated if you want to play most games or use most of the programs on the market you need Windows.
For some, me included, the ability to customise an operating system, no matter how little or how much, is too tempting to ignore.
And you can emulate many Windows though Linux, as well as all the free alternative programs.