Was Windows ever cool?

Lysander

Lysander

Lysander

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These days it's fashionable to say you don't like Windows. In fact, as a geek, you're cooler if use Linux or Unix etc. But was there a time when it was cool to like Windows? These days there are hate campaigns for Vista, people who don't know about computers moan about XP being rubbish and if you use Windows 98 you're stuck in the dark ages.

But back in the early-mid 90s with Windows 3.1 and 95, was it fashionable to say, "Oh God, you've got Windows 95! Ace!" Or have people always disliked it?
 
Open Window and you'll feel cooler.






But seriously, these days, "cool" isn't all about the software and speed - it's more about fashion statement and look. Mac = Cool, eventhough the OS is closed to its hardware. The design of Apple hardware is "cool" because it is trendy, sophisticated and also, rather rare compared to the mainstream.
(But that is soon to change... too many iPods users...)

I think windows was "cool" back in the late 90's - but mostly because "wow, I've got a computer!"
 
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Man I thought I was cool when I went from 3.1 which had about 16 follpy discs to install it to 95 which I installed using a "bootable CD-Rom"
 
XP's great. Yes it has a number of issues but then what OS doesn't? For those that moan about viruses so and so forth well stop visiting dodgy porn/opening stupid attachments.

I've used all 3 OS's and I enjoyed OS X but I missed a lot of things/applications/games on Windows.

Windows is a decent platform, it will always have problems/haters but hey it's the most popular OS by a margin. I really can't comment on Vista as I haven't used it much.

Windows is cool.
 
dark_shadow said:
XP's great. Yes it has a number of issues but then what OS doesn't? For those that moan about viruses so and so forth well stop visiting dodgy porn/opening stupid attachments.

I've used all 3 OS's and I enjoyed OS X but I missed a lot of things/applications/games on Windows.

Windows is a decent platform, it will always have problems/haters but hey it's the most popular OS by a margin. I really can't comment on Vista as I haven't used it much.
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Yes, but is it 'coool'?!

Edit: Apparently so :p
 
Is it still fashionable to dislike Windows? I know you'll always have that certain bunch of people who like to be different and use something outside of the mainstream just for the sake of it but I thought it was generally accepted that WinXP was a decent OS unlike the likes of 95 and ME which were dire.

Disliking Microsoft as a company and their business practices is a different matter but you can't argue that XP isn't up to the job.
 
hmm, Was Windows ever cool.

No.

Never.

Mac's + OSX Leopard, Now those are cool. I'm not a Mac fan, But it's well known that because of the music production aspect of a Mac, It's just known to be cooler.

I guess it depends on what you see as cool.

For instance, Alienware to me, Is tacky, Some would find alienware cool. I don't

Cool for me, Is sleek black casing, With no tacky lights and LEDS, and silent functionality.
 
kaiowas said:
Is it still fashionable to dislike Windows? I know you'll always have that certain bunch of people who like to be different and use something outside of the mainstream just for the sake of it but I thought it was generally accepted that WinXP was a decent OS unlike the likes of 95 and ME which were dire.

Disliking Microsoft as a company and their business practices is a different matter but you can't argue that XP isn't up to the job.
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Actually, you can. As a Developer, I much prefer open source platforms simply because there isn't any hidden bits. :) The registry can also be a nightmare for developers and support staff, along with having to pay arbitrary charges to accomplish goals that can be accomplished more effectively with tools that are GPL/MIT licensed. Programming with Open Source frameworks and languages is also more.. I dunno, friendly I guess. Much, much more information available and most developers have the ethos of 'share and share a like'

One of our products is shipped on 2GB flash cards, and operates in a similar fashion to EPOS machines that you see in supermarkets (tills, kiosks, etc.) if we chose windows those machines would need much higher spec hardware, but with Linux we out perform Windows XP/CE by miles on just 2GB flash card and 512MB ram.
 
Not only is windows cool, it's sexy.

billgates.jpg


2K is still the best they've done, it was a damned good o/s. XP is fine. Vista I don't know about.
 
People are idiots, you use the right tool for the job. An OS isn't a fashion statement.

Competition for any product is good, it leads to innovation and constant development (i.e Vistas Aero competing with *nixs Beryl/Compiz)
 
scorza said:
OS/2 Warp was what the cool kids used instead of Windows 3.1.
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I still have a copy of OS/2 Warp (actually, I think I have two). I ditched it when Windows NT 4.0 came out though (that was the first version of Windows I'd consider 'business class' usable).

In the coolness stakes I'm afraid Apple always had them beat. The problem was that Windows always ran on PCs, which (until a few years ago) were almost always just beige boxes that were best hidden out of sight in an office. Where IBM started, everyone else followed (back then they thought PCs would be solely the preserve of the business world, so who cares what they look like). Apple on the other hand were much more enthusiast-friendly from the outset.
 
it isnt cool to use linux (and who uses unix! its like 30 years old) people nowa days just follow the artsy crowd they spend a lot of money on a mac because it looks kool and doesnt get viruses, its ridiculous. if you thought bill gates had a dictatorship running have a look at mac they control your hardware aswell! and at twice the rrp!

at the moment i am using vista and i think its good, stable and reliable all the people who hate it are talking crap
i have linux on my laptop and server and i think its brilliant but not the the newb

infact i actually like bill gates, he have good visions for the future and has a good sense of humor (youtube search "bill gates last day at microsoft")
 
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