Ever since 1990 I’ve been a faithful Microsoft user. At that time I also had little choice (MS-DOS or DR-DOS) because my first professional application software ran in DOS only.
My first IBM-compatible was an Atari i80286 16 MHz desktop PC with a 40 MB SCSI removable Syquest HDD. Windows 2.0 remained unused, but NEAT.EXE, MS-DOS 4.01 with its DosShell and Norton Utilities allowed me 100% full control of my machine. MS-DOS 5 and 6.22 were improvements, mostly.
Then came Windows 95, which took away some control with the obscure gobbledyg**k in its registry. Still, its underlying MS-DOS 7 allowed me enough control to tweak my machine. Afterwards Windows 98 and 98SE on top of MS-DOS 8 increased functionality, mostly USB, without really limiting my control.
But then the trend took a sharp wrong turn with Windows XP. It started limiting my access to certain folders and functions.
That condescending trend by Microsoft intensified with Vista, which considers me an ignoramus, computerwise.
And now, having butted heads with Windows 7, I find that it takes away a lot more administrator control, exasperatingly more.
I’ve been MUCH TOO faithful a Microsoft user. With Windows 7 my goat has finally been taken once too often. NO MORE.
I’m very seriously considering migrating to Linux.
As for old databases (patient records from before my retirement) which I need to be able to access until I die, hey, I’ll just keep an older standalone Windows 98SE computer or 2 around (NOT connected to anything).
From then on, for all I care, Microsoft can go make amorous passes at Leopards, Chromiums, and/or Horsehead Nebula Clouds.
I might reconsider though, but only if Microsoft were to construct and release a strictly single user OS, allowing full, 100 % control. I hope they name it “Bachelor 1.01” or “Diogenes 2011” or “Julius Caesar Grand Cru” or something similar.
