Comments | chalain: So Beautiful, So Disturbing

chalain

So Beautiful, So Disturbing

Feb 19, 2007 02:58

I wake. For a moment, I stare at the ceiling trying to remember something. Something important. Something important happened last night, but the details escape me. Something fascinating yet sinister, like touring the CIA offices. Something exotic yet somehow familiar, like putting hot sauce on meatloaf. I wonder if I have a hangover. I wonder why I ( Read more... )

silly

Comments 286

samwibatt February 19 2007, 03:22:48 UTC

How very poetic! Of all the things I expected Vista to inspire, this wasn't one of them.

I was planning on waiting a couple of years before taking the Vista plunge - if ever; I haven't read much about it but it never seems like a good idea to get any Microsoft OS before it's burned in for awhile.

Is it super-duper spyware heavy? You keep mentioning the CIA. :) But seriously, I always assume that newer MS stuff has more ways of reporting everything that's installed on your machine to the Home Office to, um, protect you from illegally copied software and competitors' software, and stuff like that.

samwibatt February 19 2007, 03:24:46 UTC

Oh - and what has this hussy doen with chaliren?

I think she's around here somewhere chalain February 19 2007, 03:36:47 UTC

Actually, in this analogy, the new hussy has replaced Windows XP, the "old hussy".

I needed a new development PC and I decided to go buy one before the XP SP2 machines were all gone... but it's too late for that, apparently. Nothing but Vista as far as the eye can see at the local CompUSA.

Re: I think she's around here somewhere bibliophage February 19 2007, 06:10:59 UTC

Want me to buy you a copy of XP SP2? You're allowed.

Thread 18

Hmm. anonymous February 19 2007, 17:01:54 UTC

The whole time I read this article, I thought of Tricia Helfer - in her role as the genocidal Cylon Model Six. No matter how beautiful and desireable, you really don't want her anywhere near.

I suppose the fact that I know the name of the actress who plays Cylon Six (and that there is a Cylon Six) makes me a geek. However, I think I'm in good company. After all, you compared a new computer OS to a spouse.

Hmm. :)

Re: Hmm. anonymous February 21 2007, 21:13:54 UTC

I had the exact same mental image...

Re: Hmm. logicalargument February 23 2007, 18:06:27 UTC

Tricia Helfer's Six has redefined the genre of not-quite-human femme fatale for a generation.

And we all thought Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine had set the standard of making you want to be assimilated ....

Re: Hmm. anonymous March 2 2007, 15:33:24 UTC

I had the exact same picture in my head! I guess BSG really *has* defined that role for us!

Its such a great feeling to find something so well written by clicking on a Delicious link! Thanks for sharing this with us!! :)

Thread 6

davebennett February 19 2007, 17:11:10 UTC

Absolutely stunning analogy! I loved it. I bought my new dev machine in time to get the free upgrade to Vista, but still with XP. I have been having lots of fun with it so far in XP that I have been loathe to install Vista and deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. Your little story both makes me want to run screaming from the room, and get right in there and give it a whirl.

chalain February 19 2007, 18:06:36 UTC

I haven't found anything I can't live without, but it really is gorgeous. I wanted to stay on XP SP2 for another 6-12 months but I needed a new computer and Vista was the only OS available now.

I'm not ready to recommend to people that they should go upgrade, but I can say that being forced to upgrade isn't as horrible as some would have you believe. I haven't found anything outrageous. For example, I haven't had a run-in with the DRM yet.

Like a marriage, my happiness with Vista may stem from my willingness to give it the best chance I could. I bought the most powerful computer CompUSA had available--2.5GHz dual core, 2GB of RAM, 320GB disks, I disabled the onboard video and installed a high-end video card. I bought an OEM bundled computer designed for it and didn't upgrade an existing OS.

It has not been without "new relationship" issues, but so far my reaction has been positive. She may be the deadly agent of sinister government, may not speak english well, and may only know how to cook meatloaf... but the sex is FANTASTIC.

trippinbillie February 19 2007, 20:39:02 UTC

Don't worry, there isn't any DRM to run into. The anti-MS crowd just likes to jump on the fact that Vista support HD-DVD and BluRay (which include their own new form of, already broken, DRM), to claim that it includes DRM that's going to take over your life. When, in fact, it just means you can now play HD-DVD or BluRay discs, if you have the right equipment and software.

davebennett February 20 2007, 02:01:35 UTC

I'm pretty sure that what's in Vista counts as DRM.

Really fairly pretty sure.

Thread 28

sandratayler February 19 2007, 17:29:02 UTC

I love this story! This story is worthy of a broader publication than just your Livejournal. Thank you for sharing your experience with Vista.

chalain February 19 2007, 17:44:11 UTC

Thanks!

Actually, I blame you a bit for this. I'm definitely a "follow the crowd" person, and your recent exciting story stuff makes me want to "me too" more than a little.

sandratayler February 19 2007, 17:46:19 UTC

*Does a gleeful "It's All My Fault" dance*

iposty February 20 2007, 22:31:34 UTC

I found it from here. but it seems to me it's re-posted all over the internet.. contrats again. :)

Thread 5

On relationships... anonymous February 19 2007, 17:52:45 UTC

Yeah, I've dated girls like that -- drop dead gorgeous but totally f***** up in the head. Just get a Mac. She'll be just as beautiful, and better adjusted than you are.

By the by, I'm not a long-time Mac user. I just bought one for shits and giggles two months back and it was the *best* purchase I've ever made. I've never liked Windows, but only now do I realize just how stunningly bad it really is. The *only* time I ever use my Windows box any more is to upload maps to my GPS, because that's the *only* thing I need to do that I can't do on my Mac.

-p.

Re: On relationships... anonymous February 19 2007, 18:48:49 UTC

Yes, yes, yes ( ... )

Re: On relationships... anonymous February 19 2007, 23:55:17 UTC

Agreed. Mac OS X has been the best OS on the market since 2001. And yes, even version 10.0 is better than Vista. Don't get me wrong. I love the new "features" -- the UAC, the multiple overpriced versions, the sudden lack of a single button for moving up a directory, the lack of even a decent upgrade to Paint (for photo editing) or Notepad (for code--line numbers anyone?). That's all great. But iLife alone makes a Mac worthwhile, and if you care anything about security or "getting under the hood" of your computer, OS X's UNIX base is the Hemmy of the OS world, and it is certainly far better than anything else (ala Cygwin?) you'll find on the subject.

Security, stability, AND eye candy without the fuss. Switch to Mac.

Re: On relationships... anonymous February 20 2007, 05:44:13 UTC

I don't really like the way Mac users constantly point to iLife as though its the greatest thing since the multi-button mouse. Really, the only reason programs like that aren't on the PC is because every time MS tries to add a tiny bit of free functionality, pissy people complain that they're abusing their monopoly. I mean...MS even got sued for pre-installing a damned media player. Meanwhile Apple pre-installs iTunes, iPhoto, and iWhateverElse, and no one bats an eye.

Why do you suppose that is? Doesn't iLife seem anti-competitive? How many users go out and buy the $150 Office suite when they get iLife for free?

Thread 13