Re: xxd -i vs DIY Was: C23 thoughts and opinions

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.
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