so either way, if things stay the same it would b nice but if [censored] changes then we all get rid of microsoft and scooter down the free/open internet and live happy and support it and say [censored] u M$ and get supporters and [censored] MS over and live happily ever after. Either way... id b a adventure if the OS goes to market.

are u still going to make that site about boy cot ms? i think u should still post about how they plan to [censored] us programmers/mp3 listeners/etc over

Well, honestly, I don't think it will happen. I mean, it's possible, but highly unlikely. Not enough people would agree with it. All the Unix/Linux servers out there would work fine. People would switch over rather than paying a ton of money. It's just pretty unlikely. It would suck the big one if it happened. But I don't think we have too much to worry about.

All I can say right now is that if that happened....DAMN

i think home users less experienced than us would highly not switch to another OS, I used to love windows and i still do but i think i can handle the change but bussinuess people like my uncle and other fmaily and friends would probably not switch... but they can upgrade and live with the [censored], Im not. I think there will b alot of people that will probably switch but i think the majority of them will stay with M$. I was raised on windows.. it would b a challenge for me to switch.

haha, this will not happen for three reasons.
One:
Microsoft is a company. Companys need to make money. With Microsoft's stock declining in recent dates they cant afford a huge marketing fluke.

Two: The reason it will not be successful is because the OS doesent allow you to do certain things. These things happen to be the major reasons non-computer-minded individuals buy PCs.
Therefore, M$ is narrowing its market down to businesses. This is a double-edged sword. What would a corporation like more than to finally insure their computer-related personel is working?
But a market so small will not produce the fantastic profits windows has incurred in the past.

Three: M$oft would be putting themselves in legal jeopardy. If they release this software they will be proving they are in fact trying to control content. This may not be as illegal as it is un-ethical, but it will surely give the Justice Department and other compaines a stronger case.

I read a very interesting point on another board about the theory on the new internet they said that linux servers would do what microsoft said so they get "security money" or somthing like that

/me wonders how many people in the DoJ bill paid off.

I think that if this did start to happen, if people told other people that they could get a free os just like they can get a free mp3 or movie, then they would consider it. Now, learning to use it would take time but I don't know.

At first, before reading Learner's post, I thought "Ok well I will just never use computer's again if this is how it is going to end." But then, i realized, "Hey, that could work." So now if it does start happening, then I am replacing windows with linux and figuring it out as I go...then here comes the family to ask me how to do things I am learning myself.

As much as we can create and advance it is just more that can be taken away.

*note, I edited "DoD" to read "DoJ" because I mean Justice not Defense.