Adequacy front page
Stories Diaries Polls Users
Google

Web Adequacy.org
Home About Topics Rejects Abortions
This is an unofficial archive site only. It is no longer maintained. You can not post comments. You can not make an account. Your email will not be read. Please read this page or the footnote if you have questions.
Poll
Fave OS?
Windows XP 12%
Windows 2000 50%
Windows ME 0%
Windows 98 0%
Windows NT 4 0%
Windows 95 0%
Windows 3.1 0%
MS-DOS 37%

Votes: 8

 Windows XP: First Impressions

 Author:  Topic:  Posted:
Feb 03, 2002
 Comments:
Knowing as I do that Adequacy readers are extremely interested in cutting-edge operating system (OS) technology, and having finally saved enough money to buy a copy of Dr Gates's latest entrant to the market, Windows XP , I decided to write the following small review. My only hope is that it will serve, in some small way, to spread the news about this fantastic leap forward in chair/keyboard interfaces.
diaries

More diaries by Greg
Security

The installation was speedy and painless. I inserted the CD in its drive, followed the prompts, provided the requested information (such as screen resolution, credit card number etc.) and, just over an hour later, feasted my eyes on the lovely eye-candy that is the XP graphical user interface.

Being of a somewhat technical bent, and keen to look "under the bonnet" as it were, I immediately checked XP 's footprint and memory use. [When I say immediately, it took me just over twenty minutes to figure out how to get this information - but far from being a problem, this is a blessing: the ordinary user is protected from such complexities, and can get on with the job of creating rich multimedia content or whatever without having to be concerned with irrelevant details. More on this in a moment]. For the record, my new OS occupies some 1.6 GB of disk real estate, and at this moment is utilising an incredible 30% of my 384 MB of RAM.

Compare and contrast these figures with earlier attempts to create multimedia OSs, such as BeOS. BeOS was very poor value for money, even though it was free, weighing in at a mere 400 MB on disk and using less than 30 MB of RAM for most tasks. So what if it was a little faster. XP effectively gets four times as much out of your computer!

XP makes it easy to express oneself by providing a choice of animated Companions. These cute little critters - my favourite is the sweet little puppy - endlessly amuse and amaze. Dr Gates's Companions represent the apogee and maturity of the innovative leap that began with the humble Animated Paperclip. For power users such as myself, of course, it is relatively easy to switch off these features, but even then usability is not compromised. Let's click on Start-Search-For Files and Folders, as an example, and look for Microsoft Word XP . We are asked "When was it modified?" to which we answer "Don't remember". We are asked "What size is it Small, Medium, Large?" to which we reply "Medium". I pity the poor *nix or *nux user, with her "grep"s and "which word"s - not that those primitive OSs even have Office Suites - as I make my way through this intuitive, never patronising interface.

Now, just about any OS will let me type a simple document such as this one. I remember doing it (perhaps slightly faster, but without an animated Albert Einstein to assist me) with 512kB of RAM and a floppy disk. Where XP really is supposed to shine is as a multimedia OS. Let's grab some snaps from my little digital camera and see what this baby can do.

Remembering the endless tweeking of settings, the time-consuming editing, cropping, enhancing and titling that were demanded by my previous "rig", I'll just pop this USB plug into the appropriate hole in the camera, go and make myself a cuppa, and see if XP has autodetected the camera and loaded the appropriate driver by the time I get back.

Ah, that's better. Nescafe - nothing but the best. Nothing seems to be happening.

My good God!

XP has not only has detected the camera and loaded the driver, it has downloaded all my photos, automatically resized and titled them, uploaded them to Kodak for printing, e-mailed them to everyone in my Outlook address book, figured out somehow that there's a newer version of my camera available, downloaded and printed a colourful one-page brochure, and brought up an online order form, already filled in with my details, which will order a camera for me from my nearest retailer (which happens to be in Hoboken NJ, which is a little odd as I'm in Sydney NSW but never mind) in ten seconds time (unless I click Cancel-Are You Sure-Are You Really Really Sure-Yes) over the .NET using my Passport.

I am very, very impressed.

This is the level of functionality that we've been demanding. This is computing at the cutting edge - artificial intelligence that knows what I want better than I know it myself. Gone are those endless, wasted minutes spent experimenting, testing, thinking!

I have seen the future of the PC - and it is Dr William Gates's magnificent operating environment, Windows XP 2001.


Please fuck off, thanks (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by flarners on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 03:46:54 PM PST
Knowing as I do that Adequacy readers are extremely interested in cutting-edge operating system (OS) technology

I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken; the Adequacy readers (or at least the ones who matter) don't give a flying fuck about the latest Operating System, Cisco Security Hole, or any other computer-related gibberish for that matter. It just so happens that I and several of my Adequacy-reading colleagues are getting really fucking sick of all these half-arsed, poorly-researched, factually-incorrect, obviously trollish tech-oriented diary entries.

So, to you and all of the other trolls who hide under the bridge of Adequacy like haemorrhoids on a steelworker's arse, I reiterate, please fuck off. Thank you.
--
I told everyone we should have a witch-hunt, but they wanted to have a good old-fashioned book burning instead

Please, Mr. F.L. Arners... (none / 0) (#3)
by Slobodan Milosevic on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 03:58:46 PM PST
<p>Please try and warn us if you are going to insert a link to goatse.cx in one of your fine posts. I do not particularly enjoy viewing that vile excuse for a human being. The higher ups here at the Hague will take away my terminal priviliges if they get wind of where I have been on the Internet.

<p>Also, it creates quite a stir here in the computer room, as the prison guards are absolutely enamoured with both the giver and the receiver. I usually have to take action in order to save my own life as they dive for the screen. This does not bode well the next day, as the guards will often extract their punishment on me and my cellmates.

<p>Thank you kindly,

<p>Slobodan


 
Excuse me??? (none / 0) (#4)
by gcsb on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 08:56:43 PM PST
Since when have I been a troll?

I think that all of my comments and diaries have been well thought out, insightful musings on the topic at hand.

If you found them offence or too challenging, then I think it unfair to label me a troll because of this.

Best Regards,
gcsb.


Sig is under re-construction...do not panic.

 
Windows XP - Like an extremely attentive lover. (none / 0) (#2)
by Anonymous Reader on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 03:48:32 PM PST
Windows XP is truly the Smoove B of operating systems.


 
Hi Greg, (5.00 / 3) (#5)
by Anonymous Reader on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 09:35:54 PM PST
I heard there were cute boys here, but I no one told me how smart they would be too!

Ok, about me. I'm just a nice, nice guy. Everyone tells me, Brad, you are so *sweet*! Why are you so sweet to everyone? Well, what can I say? I just like people! I like to have fun and make friends. I'm not into heavy relationships, but you know, I like to just have a good time and keep it casual. I'm 5-9, 155 pounds, not a fat! I sail, and jog, and play softball. Want to see me in my uniform? ;)

I really like how you "follow the prompts" after you "insert your CD into the drive" ;). Bucause sharing is important, especially in sex. If you can't communicate honestly, what are you doing bending over for that guy? Am I right? You know what I mean. You have to "look under the hood" and really understand what each other wants. That's the secret to really good "XP". ;-)

Can you post a photo, Greg?


Cruisin the boards (none / 0) (#6)
by Greg on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 11:04:34 PM PST
Brad

Tempting though this offer may be, and flattering as your comments undoubtedly are, I feel bound to politely decline your amorous attentions.

I feel you may have read something into my diary entry that I didn't intend. For example, I'm sure I didn't mention hoods. That's weird - kkk?

I believe that the human sexual function finds its fullest and finest expression when exercised between consenting, monogamous, heterosexual adults, for the purpose of procreation. Your mileage, as you Americans so eloquently put it, may vary. And that's cool!

Your (platonic) friend
Greg




yikes! (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by poltroon on Sun Feb 3rd, 2002 at 11:26:32 PM PST
How can procreation possibly be the finest purpose of sex? That's like saying the best apple is the one with a purchase price of more than a million dollars and which will remain stuck to you for than twenty years, if not forever! Sounds practically like cancer to me, except usually that's over with more quickly.


Re: (none / 0) (#8)
by tkatchev on Mon Feb 4th, 2002 at 12:35:53 AM PST
May I remind you that people, unlike condoms, are not disposable?

Thank you for your consideration.


--
Peace and much love...




Wrong. (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by The Mad Scientist on Mon Feb 4th, 2002 at 12:55:02 AM PST
May I remind you that people, unlike condoms, are not disposable?

Wrong. As any hiring staff of any bigger corporation can kindly explain to you.


Well, (none / 0) (#10)
by tkatchev on Mon Feb 4th, 2002 at 01:43:34 AM PST
You are probably correct. Though I hope most of us would like to get as far away from that mindset as possible, especially where interpersonal relationships are concerned.


--
Peace and much love...




 

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest ® 2001, 2002, 2003 Adequacy.org. The Adequacy.org name, logo, symbol, and taglines "News for Grown-Ups", "Most Controversial Site on the Internet", "Linux Zealot", and "He just loves Open Source Software", and the RGB color value: D7D7D7 are trademarks of Adequacy.org. No part of this site may be republished or reproduced in whatever form without prior written permission by Adequacy.org and, if and when applicable, prior written permission by the contributing author(s), artist(s), or user(s). Any inquiries are directed to legal@adequacy.org.