🚀 go-pugleaf

> : You know, it was only recently that I discovered the "Windows98 
> : emulation" in XP, when I was having trouble with an older game. 
> : The emulation mode fixed the problem. I didn't try it when I 
> : installed CoolEdit. I will try it when I reinstall the program.
> 
> : -Al-
> 
> ***   I see in the future a generic computer that has emulators built in
> as its basis. This way one might run any software at will.
> 
> Richard


That would be good.

I'm pretty sure I won't be moving on to Vista. I'll probably go 
with Ubuntu, in a year or two. I was hesitant to move up to XP 
because of Product Activation, but when I found a hack that 
bypassed it, I decided to give XP a try, and discovered that it is 
much more stable than 98. It does have annoying features -- dozens 
and dozens of processes run by default that you do not need and 
will never need. I turned them all off (the nonessential ones, 
that is -- some of them, you do need). That makes XP faster and 
more secure to run. The default GUI is grotesque, but it can be 
replaced by what is called Windows Classic GUI, which returns the 
computer to the look and feel of Windows 98. All the eye candy can 
be turned off, which speeds up the screen changes.

After you do all this, Windows XP is not bad. The file manager 
still sucks to high heaven, but there are replacement file 
managers -- I use Power Desk. You have to turn on all the hidden 
stuff that Microsoft hides from users, such as some types of 
files, and file terminations. They do this to make life easier for 
malware writers, apparently, since it serves no other purpose. Or 
harder for average users, I'm not sure which.

Vista, I've read, has more annoying product activation and 
security checks, so I don't think I'll be bothered trying to get 
around them. If someone comes up with a simple, easy hack that 
chops all that crap out of the OS, I might try Vista, if I happen 
to get a free copy somewhere ... otherwise, it won't happen. I 
built my last computer specifically to avoid the "Microsoft tax" 
as it's called, and I have no intention of paying for a copy of 
Vista on my next computer. My feelings about Microsoft are similar 
to my feelings about the RIAA. Lakes of fire, burning pitch, that 
sort of thing ...

-Al-