Am I the Only One?

     So, I was just reading through some blog posts, and I found one on MacDailyNews about Mary Jo Foley, a Microsoft blogger that just recently purchased an iPad.  I was shocked.  Not by the article, which was the usual, computer-politics driven garbage, all about how one system is far superior to another because we worship it (and yes, you Linux and Windows people do it too).  No, what shocked me was the comments.
     People seem so zealous over something so trivial.  The business-driven geeks of the world have striven for so long to make your operating system irrelevant, and content available on whichever system you chose, that trash-talk about how one OS outweighs another seems like sad sales pitches.
     Now if these people making comments had had valid concerns with the ease-of-use or the security and usability of Windows, I would have taken them seriously, but I found none after roughly twenty posted comments.  Not once did I see a comparison of features, or how things really are better on the other side.  This whole damn world of computer consumers seems obsessed with the religious cult of (insert Operating System Here).  Its stupid.  The people posting on Mac Daily News need to get over their buyers remorse, realize that they're computer is not a god, but a piece of machinery intended to entertain or make productive, and get over brand labeling.  So do the people on ZDnet (all of you Verizon addicts).  And the people on any of the other thousands of blogging and news sites out there who get so sure that their chosen system is the center of the computing universe.
     I can guarantee that if its a system out there, I can find a way to program in C++ on it, so in the end, they all end up the same lumps of hardware.  (Though that is another school of contention, but I won't rag on them here.)
     So, to the whole world of zealous, cultist computer users, grow up and get over yourselves.  I'm out. 

Alternative Operating Systems

In my constant search for the best of computing, and the best computer experience, today I have been searching through alternative operating systems to Windows, just to see what's out there. Its an impressive venture, and I'm awed by the array of choices out there. So far I have copies of at least five versions of Linux to try out, OpenSolaris 10, and a windows compatibility project called ReactOS. All of these alternate systems are free, and most of them have a live CD image that you can use to test-run the operating system without actually installing it. This makes choosing one easier, because there is a lot less risk of damaging your system if you don't actually install.
My favorites so far are Ubuntu 9.04(which is now up to 9.10, but I haven't installed that one yet), and OpenSolaris 10. These two operating systems are designed on the Unix platform, and for the most part are compatible with each other and with Mac systems(at least in theory, I'm not having so much luck with that). OpenSolaris seems to run better, but Ubuntu has a larger assortment of programs designed for it.
But for most of the other systems I've been trying to test, I have met with disastrous results. Most of these other alternate systems have little compatibility with my hardware, and they seem to have major problems with graphics modes. ReactOS seemed to work fine on my Compaq, but because I have a KVM(Keyboard Video Mouse) Switch on, the mouse and keyboard weren't detected. So I'll just have to re-try this one on another system.
Expect more updates as I have more fun and frustration with alternative operating systems, and we'll find out if any of these will hold a candle to Windows in terms of casual computing use.