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From: David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: xxd -i vs DIY Was: C23 thoughts and opinions
Date: Thu, 30 May 2024 13:31:18 +0200
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On 30/05/2024 02:18, bart wrote:
> On 29/05/2024 22:46, Malcolm McLean wrote:

>> Exactly. Windows costs a fortune.
> 
> Actually I've no idea how much it costs.

The retail version is too much for a cheap machine, but a minor part of 
the cost of a more serious computer.  The server versions and things 
like MSSQL server are ridiculous prices - for many setups, they cost 
more than the hardware, and that's before you consider the client access 
licenses.

> 
> But whatever it is, I'm not adverse to the idea of having to pay for 
> software. After all you have to pay for hardware, and for computers, I 
> would happily pay extra to have something that works out of the box.
> 

I have nothing against paying for software either.  I mainly use Linux 
because it is better, not because it is free - that's just an added 
convenience.  I have bought a number of Windows retail licenses over the 
decades, to use with machines I put together myself rather than OEM 
installations.

I'm not so sure about "works out of the box", however.  On most systems 
with so-called "pre-installed" Windows, it takes hours for the 
installation to complete, and you need to answer questions or click 
things along the way so you can't just leave it to itself.  And if the 
manufacturer has taken sponsorship from ad-ware and crap-ware vendors, 
it takes more hours to install, and then you have hours of work to 
uninstall the junk.

Installing Windows from a retail version DVD or USB stick is usually 
faster than getting "pre-installed" Windows up and running.  The only 
problem is drivers, though Windows is a bit better than it used to be. 
As long as you have a fairly common Ethernet interface then there is a 
reasonable chance that Windows has a driver that will work, and then can 
get drivers for the other bits and pieces.  Laptops, OTOH, can be a real 
PITA for installation of retail Windows.

IME installing Linux is faster and simpler than installing Windows on 
almost any hardware.  The only drivers that have been an issue for me 
for decades is for very new Wireless interfaces.

So - agreeing with your logic - I'd be willing to pay for Linux rather 
than using free Windows.  (But I'm even happier that, for most of my 
use, I don't have to pay for Linux.)




>> And Microsoft spend billions developing it.
>>