On Wed, 2005-07-27 at 22:00 -0500, ryan wrote: > Les Mikesell wrote: > > On Wed, 2005-07-27 at 17:36, ryan wrote: > > > >>>i infer from some of your previous comments that you're looking to run > >>>CentOS on your desktop machine (since you're talking about DVD drives > >>>and Xine and so forth). if you want a pleasant desktop experience > >>>where things Just Work, i'd recommend you buy a Mac like Bryan said. > >>>running Linux on the desktop is a painful and laborious experience, and > >>>is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. it's a different story > >>>when you're talking about server applications, though... > >>> > > > > > >>I have Linux running on a Desktop machine, and 2 laptops. Installing, > >>updating and using Linux on them has been great and not at all a"painful > >>and laborious experience". > >> > >>For the technically savvy, and those who aren't afraid to learn, Linux > >>is an excellent desktop OS. > > > > > > Yes, but for many things you take for granted under commercial OS's > > like playing music and videos you'll have to do some non-obvious > > and legally questionable things to do the same on Linux. > > > > > The legal argument is a sword that cuts both ways. Commercial OS's have > issues I never need to deal with on Linux. On Windows, if I run MS > Anti-spyware running while I have Kazaa installed, I am violating the > agreement I made when I installed Kazaa!* I don't think Kazaa's legalese will withstand any challenge, particularly when it comes to the question of informed consent. That is, the makers of Kazaa would have to demonstrate they gave you ample information before, during or after the installation of their product that it included other components that captured and shared personal information, that despite much publicity about the security issues in their product they neglected to provide methods for removing the security vulnerabilities, etc. > * http://www.kazaa.com/us/terms2.htm > "you will not take any action, including downloading other software > which modifies, is intended to modify or permits others to modify > registry or other settings on your computer to, disable, remove, block, > prevent the functioning of, or otherwise interfere with any of the > Embedded Third Party Software." </snicker> This looks like they're digging their own hole deeper by asserting ownership over your assets but not providing adequate methods for protection of your assets. Bill -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 189 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20050727/fb9a5e31/attachment-0004.sig> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: smime.p7s Type: application/x-pkcs7-signature Size: 3098 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20050727/fb9a5e31/attachment-0004.bin>