How many of you used to be Microsoft/Windows fanboys/fangirls?

[Lucifiel]

Just wondering, guys. :D

I used to love Windows but as it went from 98 to XP, my enthusiasm for Windows somehow died somewhere along the way.

Then, I loved Microsoft too even though the Internet Explorer fiasco got me a little concerned way back in 1998. But then I forgot about the fiasco. And it wasn't until much later on that I got to read about what Microsoft did, that really pissed me off.

But none of this was related to my moving to Linux, I dare say. :p

[steveneddy]

I was never a "fanboy", but I do still think that Windows 2000 Professional was a better OS than XP any day. AAMOF, I have a copy of both and if I have the choice, it would be Win2K.

But I hated MS from the first time I realized that it was a POS. always crashing and other problems.

It wasn't until I bought my own PC almost 8 years go that I started to hate Windows.

It was ME. I thought the devil had designed this load of stuff.

I "discovered" and have been hooked on it for four years now.

[y-lee]

I don't think the word fan would be the right word for me. I used MS-DOS mostly cause it became so popular, tho i altered the heck out of it, hacked into the files, wrote my own code and used unix tools tools ported to that environment. Then I had to know it because i taught computer science at a college and had the misfortune of teaching that class. haha. anyway as times changed i found myself using windows from 3.1 to XP, but finally at last i came to my senses and installed ubuntu and my windows days are now officially over!

[kevinlyfellow]

Nah... I first learned on a win95, and was constantly annoyed by the os and all other software when they upgraded (I ran the 66 Mhz, 16 Mb machine until 03, so you might understand my frustration!). Whether my judgement of windows was fair given the situation, I certainly wasn't a big fan of Windows (my favourite site was annoyances.org).

[samjh]

There really should be a neutral choice in the poll. :)

I give credit where credit is due, that's all. Neither a fanboy or a critic. Microsoft has made, and still makes, good products in my opinion. Just because their business practices are dodgy, doesn't justify bagging their work purely because of the brand name.

[DJ Wings]

I *was*... But that's another story. Now I bash MS at any chance. (Not really, but...)

[stimpack]

Never, I came from an Amiga so Windows was a downgrade for a long time.

[FuturePilot]

I'll admit it. I used to *love* Windows:redface: I wasn't going around promoting Windows or anything. But I was a Power User. Like they say, there are always exceptions. And I guess I'm an exception to that rule about not trying to convert Windows Power Users to Linux. I have been converted but only because of my open mindedness and willingness to learn something new unlike most Windows Power Users.

I look back now and can't believe I ever liked Windows.

[Adamant1988]

Just wondering, guys. :D

I used to love Windows but as it went from 98 to XP, my enthusiasm for Windows somehow died somewhere along the way.

Then, I loved Microsoft too even though the Internet Explorer fiasco got me a little concerned way back in 1998. But then I forgot about the fiasco. And it wasn't until much later on that I got to read about what Microsoft did, that really pissed me off.

But none of this was related to my moving to Linux, I dare say. :p

I think, as far as products go, when I was younger I was a very large fan of Microsoft's Windows. In that same breath though, I was never a fanboy and I started with Linux when I was around 13 (Red Hat 7.2). I do not admire Windows nearly as much these days, but I still like to play with the technology now and again.

My curiousity was my converting factor, my need to explore alternatives; not necessarily explore the system mind you, but alternative operating systems. Truth be told if not for a mis-shipped computer from a magazine I would probably be using a Mac right now. (My family ordered a Mac, but got a PC instead)

[gabhla]

Back when I didn't know better, I "liked" Windows, but hardly a "fanboy". Now I know better, and could care less about Windows. It's been gone from my hard-drive for over three years.

[MacDuff]

I may be the oldest person on this thread, having started my computer career designing systems using DIBOL on DEC boxes. When I actually started coding, it was using DOS and I cursed when Windows 3.1 began to become popular. I knew I would have to chase Microsoft. As each new Windows release came out I cursed more but had to satisfy my client's desires to have the latest MS product.

I don't write much code anymore and with the release of the most expensive Windows OS ever, I decided enough is enough and determined that I would try Linux on my system to see if I could possibly save my clients from Microsoft by allowing them to use Linux in the future.

So far my experience in setting up Ubuntu has been a trifle frustrating, but over the next few weeks I hope to learn a great deal more and will hopefully become as conversant with it as I was with the other Op Systems.

The answer to the question is "Hell NO, I was never a Windows fanboy!".

[Rocket2DMn]

Never loved Windows, but back in the day, Macs seemed absolutely horrible so Windows was the only real alternative. Unfortunately, it's a vicious cycle. I've been well aware of Windows' shortcomings for many years, but until recently, linux wasn't a great alternative. I'm trying to break away, with some success, but unfortunately still reliant on some aspects. I'm not alone, I mean look at all of us dual-booting with XP.

[old_geekster]

I voted "Nay". I have used a form of MS's OS since the 80's, but can't say that I was ever a fanboy. I used it because that was all there was to use.

I still use Windows for gaming.

[a12ctic]

even when i got my first computer with windows 98 i hated it. Unfortunately, linux wasnt very far back then, and mac was ridiculously priced.

[BetaguyGZT]

I was a mark for Microsoft products in general as well...up until I saw Build 5049 and knew that all the promise that was supposed to be "Longhorn" (as it was) was just smoke and mirrors in some cases and total fabrications for the rest.

I beta tested just about everything they were working on - diligently filed the bug reports, only to get replies ranging from 'Will not fix' to 'Thanks for the tip'...okay, I thought...they must know better than I do what's what.

Then I found out that they wanted to kill GNU/Linux, and about 90% of FOSS in the process, with this whole FUD thing about patents.

That ended it for me. I've been using GNU/Linux ever since, and whatever Win32 applications I need I use in Wine. Those applications that don't work in Wine have fallen by the wayside.

So yes, I was a mark, and a fanboy -- and I've grown up.

[slimdog360]

I used to like the games on windows. battlefield, medal of honour and such.

[67GTA]

Before I got into Linux I used it because it was already on my computers. After win 95 it went downhill from there. I was never a fanboy. Long live Linux.

[BetaguyGZT]

You can still play them. There are excellent guides all over the place ( here (http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=93), for starters). Gaming on GNU/Linux isn't as painful as it used to be, and is getting better all the time.

[LightB]

NEVER! I used to be a "fanboy" of computers, and since Windows = PC for anyone that doesn't know any better, you could say of Windows too, but not really. Windows ticked me off ever since that ridiculous stuff with activation. Like I don't have anything better to do than explain myself to some jerk at some call center.

I used to make fun of linux and such because I didn't know a damn thing about it really, same as those people who do it now, but that's about it. I made fun of Windows in it's own way.

[siimo]

I am not a fanboy but i love windows and the tools that microsoft makes for windows developers. I use ASP.NET 2.0, C# etc and its development IDE tools are simply out of this world! Closest Linux OSes have I guess is monodevelop but it is still a pretty young project.

[MethodOne]

I got my start on several Apple II machines in elementary school, then some locked down (with FoolProof) Macs of various models (LC III - iMac DV) running OS 7.5-9.6. When I got my own computer with Windows 98 in August 2000, it came with decent dial-up service (not AOL or NetZero crap). I got my start by playing Web games at http://www.nick.com. In January 2001, I got myself a Hotmail account, which I used until I got a lot of spam. My stepbrother introduced me to StarCraft and I played a spawned copy until I bought my own. He also introduced me to the original Napster (not the current paid service), which I used until it shut down. Unfortunately, my system crashed to a MS-DOS prompt because of a worm and I didn't know how to reinstall my system. So I took it in to the place I bought it and got it fixed.

Then, I discovered a P2P application called Kazaa (FastTrack client), which allowed me to download music and other files, but it was full of adware. I had to take my computer in twice because a user sent me a virus. Now this time, the store recommended i use WinMX instead. There wasn't that much files on there, so I went back to Kazaa. I used it until I found that my computer was slowing down. I uninstalled it and removed it with a program called Ad-Aware. Then, I got interested in emulator netplay, which I played a lot of games using ZSNES (Super Nintendo emulator) and a proprietary player finder called zbattle.net. While I was using my system, my sister clicked on links to install programs mentioned in popup ads like some emoticons, BonziBuddy, Comet Cursor, and Gator (form filler). I spent hours trying to remove that crap from my system and I finally did, but I had to wait for definitions for Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy. I also had problems with the ASPI layer, in which I couldn't rip MP3s from CDs and run ePSXe (PlayStation emulator). When I heard about the RIAA suing college students for downloading music, I wondered if individuals would be targeted. So I downloaded music less than before. Eventually they got an individual and I stopped using Kazaa and WinMX to download music. The MPAA followed suit for movie downloaders, but I didn't care because I'm not a big movie watcher and I had a slow dial-up connection. Both of them also went after LImeWire (Gnutella client). To sum up the good times I had in the old days, it was StarCraft, P2P, emulator netplay, and gaming forums.

I finally did get a new laptop with XP Pro, but I didn't make the same mistakes as before. Since I had a more powerful machine, I was able to run UT2004 and I had a lot of fun with that,
I did happen to lose interest in emulator netplay and P2P, but I gained an interest in Linux when my teacher told me about it. I didn't want to install Linux on my laptop because I had a lot of school work on it. When I read the GPL included in the archive of a cheat code converter called GCNcrypt, I searched the term "Free Software Foundation" and I went to their site, displayed a page discussing issues that didn't concern me before like software patents,trusted (the FSF calls it "treacherous") computing, and the DMCA. I didn't like the fact they listed some obscure distributions instead of popular ones, but it was for the good of their dedicated followers.

I used Azureus to download torrents of music, LInux ISOs, and game ROM sets. Like before, the RIAA and the MPAA first went after trackers, then individuals. They eventually performed their lawsuit routines on users of lesser-known protocols such as Ares, Direct Connect and SoulSeek. That made me think twice about using P2P to download music and movies. I did use iTunes for a while, but gave up on it because the DRM was too much of a hassle. Now I use creative Google searches, specialized search engines, and fan sites that don't care about piracy to download music and movies.

Currently in Windows, I look at Linux and gaming forums, play the occassional game, and use P2P for Linux ISOs and the obscure program or media file. Windows is an okay operating system, but I don't use it that much because I like to use something different for a change. The operating systems/Linux distros I use frequently are Ubuntu, sidux, and Mac OS X. I only use Windows when I need to run that quirky program or popular game (preferably from publishers and developers like id, Epic, Valve, and Blizzard) not available on OS X or Linux.

[arsenic23]

I dunno, maybe when Windows 3.11 and then NT came out. Other then that, no, not really.

[ButteBlues]

I was a fanboy up until about.... oh 2 years after XP came out. That's when Windows started making me discontent.

Now I'm a FLOSS fanboy. ;)

[wolfen69]

I am not a fanboy but i love windows and the tools that microsoft makes for windows developers. I use ASP.NET 2.0, C# etc and its development IDE tools are simply out of this world! Closest Linux OSes have I guess is monodevelop but it is still a pretty young project.

I am not a fanboy but i love windows and the tools that microsoft makes for windows developers. Ummm, OK

[jiminycricket]

I used to love XP when it came out, even awaiting its release date, all the while thinking how superior it was to OS X. But then I discovered KDE and Slax live cd on a review in Ars Technica, and got into GNU/Linux. I think Firefox and Mozilla played a role in breaking me out of Microsoft as well, since it's an open source/free software project and it has the same type of interactions as Linux.

I later started reading the accounts of Microsoft's illegal business practices that drove so many companies out of business, and felt guilty about supporting that company any longer.

[laxmanb]

I like Windows. Vista is sorta cool!!!

[karellen]

what kind of poll is this? only two choices...
it's the only way: fanboy or hater?

[Lucifiel]

what kind of poll is this? only two choices...
it's the only way: fanboy or hater?

... ...

"The apple of my eye" does not refer to hatred, dear. It's an idiom which refers to something which you really like.

That said, I was just curious about how many used to really like Windows or Microsoft(excluding power users, etc.).

[Peter Mount]

Yes, I took the standard route of getting to know confusors.

I started with Windows 3.1. I wasn't until I studied Linux in my IT course (we studied with Fedora) that I felt really comfortable using it. Now I mainly use Kubuntu.

[karellen]

... ...

"The apple of my eye" does not refer to hatred, dear. It's an idiom which refers to something which you really like.

That said, I was just curious about how many used to really like Windows or Microsoft(excluding power users, etc.).

ok, I was wrong. english is not my native language and I'm not familiar with some idioms...:D
but maybe it should be a third choice: the middle category, which use it and don't think too much about likes/dislikes

[afljafa]

I`ll go with the "Windows in fine - I really don`t care either way" option.

[Quillz]

The poll is seemingly limited on purpose...

I'm not a Microsoft fanboy, but I'm also not a Linux fanboy. I use both, I like both, and both have their pros and cons. There are many instances where I would only ever use Windows, and then there are situations where I prefer using Linux.

[Lucifiel]

ok, I was wrong. english is not my native language and I'm not familiar with some idioms...:D
but maybe it should be a third choice: the middle category, which use it and don't think too much about likes/dislikes

Oh, sure thing. :) It's all right. :D

Yeah, just like what many other posters have commented, you're right about the poll being slightly mis-aligned and too limited. It's been a long time since I made any polls and I used to better at forming them too. :p

I'll likely be able to put up better polls in the future. :)

My apologies. :D

[PartisanEntity]

I have never been a fan of an operating system until I started using Ubuntu. I never thought it could be enjoyable to use an operating system, but Linux really makes it a hassle free, stable and trustworthy experience.

[karellen]

Oh, sure thing. :) It's all right. :D

Yeah, just like what many other posters have commented, you're right about the poll being slightly mis-aligned and too limited. It's been a long time since I made any polls and I used to better at forming them too. :p

I'll likely be able to put up better polls in the future. :)

My apologies. :D

:)....it's ok, I've read many of your posts and you seem to have fairly equilibrate and pertinent opinions (as opposed to some extremism I saw even on this forum..)

[Spr0k3t]

I too came from the fields of Amiga. I find working in anything created by Microsoft to be horrid. Unfortunately, my line of work is centered around fixing the problems of said Microsoft flaws.

[miLl3niUm]

I used to be a windows user not a windows fanboy

[Tux Aubrey]

I started home computing with CP/M, then DOS and used mini-computers at work running I-don't-know-what. Windows 3.1 was revelation to me and I actually lobbied for windows over macs when my employer eventually went to desktop computers. I then upgraded with every new version ASAP and was, I admit, a bit of a fanboy (especially of MSWord and Office, my work tools of choice). I realise now that I put up with a heck of a lot, but I did enjoy the challenge. The more I looked into Vista, it seemed like a scam and I really stared to look hard at whether or not I had been overly positive about MS and Windows. When I accidentally booted from a magazine DVD left in the drive, I got a real surprise when this browny coloured desktop appeared. I was hooked on Ubuntu and have been using it ever since.

[runningwithscissors]

No. I used Windows for a long time. But I never really thought that any of the software or tools on it were brilliant or deserving of advocacy or anything.

I am not a Linux fanboy either. However, I am a programmer, so Linux is certainly more likable than others. :)

[reclusivemonkey]

Never, I came from an Amiga so Windows was a downgrade for a long time.

LOL. Me too, I was just going to make this point. AmigaOS was fantastic.

[Duo Maxwell]

nope, the only version I really liked was Windows 3.11 for workgroups from back when I was a kid, on my 286SX 25Mhz and later on my 486DX 66 OCed to 110Mhz lol

But really back then I was also a Mac user, then as the years went on I got more and more into Macs and hated windows with every revision till I decided to try my hand at other OSes, I tried BeOS, Lindows and Mandrake a few years back and wasn't too impressed with any of them till Ubuntu 5.04 came around and I gotthe CDs mailed to me, it was OK then, but I stuck with Macs till 6.06 came out, 6.06 blew me away and I'm still on it now, I still push Macs but Ubuntu Studio looks to be the poor Man's OS X in a year or 2.

[Corfy]

My first experience with a "modern" computer was a Mac at my dad's office back in the late 80s. But I didn't fall in love with computers until I got to college and started working with DOS 5/Win3.1, and then Win95.

My first job after college used Macs, and I was constantly arguing with our IT guy about the merits of Windows over Mac. When I left that job in 2000, they were still using Macs. In the meantime, I moved from Win95 to Win98.

Due to budget concerns, I was forced to skip WinME. But I picked up a copy of XP for my home computer within a week of it's release, and I must say I thought XP was the best OS ever.

Well, that was seven years ago, and before I was put in charge of the computer department at my new office. The constant battle with viruses, adware, spyware, registry corruption, defrags, and various other issues did a lot to disenchant me from my love with XP. But it was my first trial with a Knoppix LiveCD that really put the bug in my ear that there might be a better way.

I first installed Linux on my home computer in February 2005 (that was Debian, BTW... I didn't move to Ubuntu until that October), and I quickly fell in love with Linux. Suddenly, the problems with the expensive Windows seemed ridiculous compared to the stability of the free Linux. I have been practically Microsoft free at home since December 2006 (when we bought a printer that was Linux compatible), and I have never been given a reason to regret switching away from Windows.

Oh, how I wish I could move my office to Linux. It would simplify a lot of problems and make my job a lot easier.

[FFighter]

I used to be. And frankly, 5 years ago, I couldn't really do much with Linux. Only when I was in college and one of my professors showed me Dapper (I think it was) was that Linux called my attention again, but it was very different.

I still like XP and some of Microsoft technologies, such as .NET and DirectX.

[Brunellus]

I was a Microsoft/Intel/IBM partisan back in the day. They represented the more open way of doing business, if you can imagine. Instead of Apple or Commodore, who wanted to sell *everything* that had to do with your computer, MSFT and its allies focused on expanding the number of hardware players. Desktop hardware prices kept falling and pretty soon we all had x86 machines running Microsoft operating systems.

The alternative would have been ridiculous: the Apple model of high-cost, highly-proprietary hardware *and* software.

[acelin]

I have owned a computer with every single Windows OS, from DOS to Vista. I even bought Vista about 2 months after it came out cause XP wiped my computer back to the stone age. I dont regret it, cause Vista is better than XP- honestly is is way more secure ( as in I havent had a single virus or spyware program on my computer) and has never crashed on me. The trade off is that it is epic slow.

[scouser73]

I was a fan of Microsoft, and I liked Windows XP, bloody hated Windows Millennium Edition though, that was a load of cack.

ps, I hate that bloody word fanboy it's utter gash.

[wolfen69]

why would this be moved to windows discussions? :confused: he's asking who used to be a windows fan. i think most people in this forum still use windows.

[gameryoshi600]

nope. I just liked it a bit. I'm a nintendo fanboy XD

[rockface]

Microsoft preyed on the type of individual that I used to be. Dumb,dumber and dumbest, in the extreme (some would say that I still am, though for different reasons). The type that has just a single MSCE certificate and thinks he is a guru on all things IT.

These are the people that got Microsoft where they are. One trick ponies that where cheap, numerous and disposable. They preached to the PHB's and CEO's from the software Bible of Gates/Ballmer in the Church of Quantity Over Quality.

Stupidity is a trait I possess in copious abundance. But even I never fawned over anything from Redmond. I am rather partial to Windows 2000 for some reason, rather like it in fact. Once XP was released the writing was on the wall. Vista has just hammered that home and made it that more obvious.

I dislike Microsoft more than I find Windows (2000 at least) odious. Their personnel and business practices are vomit inducing. No ethics or morals make my bowels wrench and blood boil.

If this is a Microsoft world, as someone has pointed out to me, get me that one way ticket to Pluto please. I just want to get off. :confused:

[ricoris]

My first computer had Win95 and I wasn't exactly a fan of it. It was more like I didn't knew that other possibilities existed. I swifted to Win98 and stayed with it for more or less 9 years. I have to say that I'm not really sure what the person who installed it before selling me did because from the first day I have problems with the sound and also some day some drivers went missing and it was impossible to install them again, even having them in a CD. As I had little memory, I had to buy a new computer with Windows XP. That restablished a little the confidence in windows I have lost with the last computer. I have already heart about Linux but I shared the computer with my parents and they wanted the SO to be Windows. Finally, last year I bought a lap-top which was entirely mine and I tried installing linux. The lap-top came with Vista and I really hate it. It collapses all the time and I don't like how the files are organised. I hope to learn more about ubuntu and to switch to it completely in the future.

[Tonyr63]

I was never a "fanboy", but I do still think that Windows 2000 Professional was a better OS than XP any day. AAMOF, I have a copy of both and if I have the choice, it would be Win2K.

But I hated MS from the first time I realized that it was a POS. always crashing and other problems.

It wasn't until I bought my own PC almost 8 years go that I started to hate Windows.

It was ME. I thought the devil had designed this load of stuff.

I "discovered" and have been hooked on it for four years now.

Hi

I'm surprised to hear you prefer Win200 Pro from XP. I use Win2000 Pro where I currently work and it takes ages to start and shut down even with modern desktop hardware. I think XP Pro SP2 is far better and reasonably stable however I prefer the Linix architecture even thoought I am new to it a struggle with the learning curve.

Cheers

:popcorn:

[Calash]

No option on this poll for me, I liked some MS products, still like some now, and will like some in the future.

[sayakb]

I liked XP on an old PIII of mine. But that was until I met OpenBox ;)

[Kernel Sanders]

I'm still a windows fanboy. Although I am interested in other ways of working, and i'm not so much of a fanboy as to recognise that Mac and Linux excell in a fair few areas!

[roachk71]

Nay:

Microsoft, since the "good" old DOS days, has never ceased to disappoint me. :neutral:

I had been waiting for alternatives since MS-DOS 3.11. Now, barring a few minor annoyances, I have one installed. And it ROCKS!

[SunnyRabbiera]

Well I used to be a big fan of windows 2000, still am... why cant more microsoft operating systems be that good? seriously.

[karellen]

I'm not a fanboy of anything, especially when it comes to a computers OS

[Redrazor39]

Yes :(

I used to argue with mac users for hours about why vista is awesome :(

Then I found ubuntu :)

and I said "(censored) you mac users!"

Then I got a mac :P

but I love Ubuntu nonetheless!


If only they would fix hardy upgrade fiasco whatever's going on.

[CrazyArcher]

I like some MS products, not beeing a fanboy. The main reason that XP is my primary OS is that I can't run Office2007 in Wine. I think it's the most awesome office suite to date, and it makes me work on a dual-boot machine. As for OSes, I think that XP Pro SP2/3 is quite decent, it never caused me any problems and runs quickly, I just have to be cautious.
However, XP becomes dated and I honestly don't expect from MS to release any worthy OS in the future, so I started transitioning to the Linux world. I still can't work in Linux 100% because I find bugs here and there, but Ubuntu is improving rapidly. I hope it will get cooked in a year or too. :)

[NightCrawler03X]

Windows 2000 was my bitch.
Archlinux just totally brought out the geek in me.

[MaxIBoy]

My disillusionment came when the bad news about Vista started coming in from the beta-testers, and became complete when I put Ubuntu on my laptop and saw how awesome it is when it's working right (still have issues with my desktop.)

[digital_root]

I started hating Windows about three years ago, I had been considering switching over to Apple but decided I couldn't afford that, and about 1 year ago I started the move over to linux trying to keep all my files. But then my hard drive crashed so I did a clean install of 8.04

[nerd0795]

Yeah, I used to be a Windows fanboy (my best friend was mac fanboy) and we always argued. Well... after linux, and soon I might be trying Mac os x I'm not really a Windows fanboy. I don't side with OS anymore.

[Dr. C]

The reason to really like Windows and Microsoft software in the past, is a reason that will seem really very odd to many of the younger members of this forum: Microsoft software used to be free from DRM! If one really hated DRM, then in those days being a Microsoft fan boy / fan girl was a natural. Seriously from the mid 1980's until 2000 one could avoid DRM, including such perversions as deliberately creating bad sectors on 5.25in floppies, by buying Microsoft software.

Now that place to be for those of us who loathe DRM is Free Software especially after the release of GPL v3.

[Bungo Pony]

I've never really been a Windows fanboy, although MS did have some good points. I used BASIC for god knows how many years, and then I moved to MS-DOS. Both are MS products, and I enjoyed using both. I actually enjoyed Win3.x since it just sat on top of DOS.

Things changed with Win95. Why did I need an "upgrade" version when I already had Win3.1? Couldn't you just format the hard drive and then install the non-upgrade version? Also, why do I need to use the upgrade version if I don't need it? It asks me to insert the Win3.1 disk just to make sure I own it, and then it doesn't need it.

This was when I realized that Microsoft were becoming crooks. It was also around this time I heard of the alternate named "Linux" and swore I'd switch someday. That day came in March 2007.

[Jim!]

I was never a fanboy, I used Windows all the way from 3.1 to Windows XP, but was never a fanboy, I just used it because it work, was the only OS I had ever known and because it was the only thing I knew was available. I went through a phase where I became fascinated with Macs as a result and found my self buying old Mac LC's with whatever OS they used at second hand market/dump 'sales'. I have always been quite open minded when it comes to what OS I use.

[kahlil88]

"I used to use Windows. Yup. I was one of the losers."
Ashamed to say, I was once a Micro$oft fanboy. I would argue for hours with my Mac fanboy friend about how PCs were superior to Macs (this was before I used Mac OS X). When I discovered the world of GNU/Linux, everything turned around. Now I hate Windoze, and I think Mac OS X is a great operating system (not that the whole thing was written from scratch by Apple or anything). Mac OS 9 still annoys me though.

[JoneYee]

I use to love Windows, when I was much younger and before i came to work at my current job.

I am employed by a MAJOR partner company of Microsoft and they constantly want me to drink the kool-aid. So much so that while I am a Server Hardware Enginering Interface, they continually press for me to go get an MCSE. I routinely tell them to stick it.

I think I lost any last feelings for Windows when I realized that there was no process to move iTunes to the WM platform and around the same time I started doing beta of Vista for predeployment in our enterprise environment.

I also see how much MS charges to support its product on top of the ridiculous license fees. They won;t talk to you if you are an OEM customer (you bought your OS preloaded by your hw manufacturer).

I am an anti-establishment guy, and ran Mandrake ages ago. With the disdain that my current job has generated for Microsoft, it was a matter of time until I strapped on a life jacket and jumped off the ship.

You should see the look on their faces around here when they ask how my engineering certification is going and i tell them I should have my LPI by the end of the year.