No more linux for me...

[Hammer]

But yes, some Linux dists. like Red Hat feels as bloated as Windows, well not really but almost. With Linux and a 2GB install you atleast get a few webbrowser, complete dev system and similiar but in Windows you get one crappy Web Browser, a crappy paint program, a crappy Media Player and not much more worth mentioning.

At least in MS Windows’s OLE (clip board objects) like services is unified…

a crappy Media Player

Why Windows Media Player 8 (or Media Player 9 for that matter) defined as crap in your view?

Is there a superior all-in-one media player for Linux or a collection shovel-ware?    

one crappy Web Browser

IF that was the case, 90 percent of world’s desktop users should select another browser.

[Hammer]

Well, I wouldn't go THAT far, unless you're talking about the PnP capabilities of Linux, and all the chipset bugfixes compiled right into the kernel (I don't need a patch for an Intel chipset in my kernel if I'm using nForce, dammit!)

I tried the "so-call" MS Windows XP buster “Lindows 4.0” on ASUS A7N8X Deluxe** (nForce II 400 Ultra) and I don’t get sound (so much for hype(sigh)).

**“ASUS A7N8X Deluxe” has both NVidia Sound Storm and Realtek ALC650 20bit audio solutions.  Realtek’s ALC650 sound chip  can be use as alternative audio solution (IF Sound Storm driver is not available).

PS I recall Linux may have a new driver model to be release in the future. It stated to be WDM like installation (i.e. load and run)…

[Hammer]

It cannot even play svcds in right aspect ratio, it also pretty slow.

In regards to speed, it's dependent on hardware and driver interactions (I have no speed problems running Mpeg 1 on following hardware;
1. Celeron 433Mhz, Intel 440ZX, NVidia TNT2, PC100 192MB RAM.
2. Athlon XP 3200+, nForce II 400 Ultra, NVidia Geforce 4 TI 4600 VIVO, PC3200 1GB RAM (also tested with 512Mb).
3. Athlon XP 1800+/2000+, VIAKT133A, NVidia Geforce 2 MX/400, PC133 640 MB  RAM.

I haven’t tested Mpeg 1 on following HW recently (but I know they work fine with Mpeg 1/VCDs).
1. Intel Pentium 4, i850, 1 GB PC800 RDRAM (main development server).
2. Intel Celeron 300A, SIS BX Pro, SIS6236, 128Mb RAM (unused box).

Usually, Video cards (boxed retail) includes PowerDVD OEM e.g. as in Leadtek products.

However i like Windows Media Player 6.4, the gui is small and plays nearly every format correctly as long as you have the codec.

One could type  "Mplayer2" on Start->Run mini-command-line (includes in XP)...

[Hammer]

Tomas wrote:

In regards to speed, it's dependent on hardware and driver interactions (I have no speed problems running Mpeg 1 on following hardware

Forgot to state that it was the startup time i meant. I think it is very slow to startup, compared to other mediaplayers.

It loads about 1 second(s) when using my PC (2) (click from XP's quick launch icon bar)....

[Hammer]

another OS for that matter.

Note that software investment protection may be the overriding factor in the selection of MS Windows.

it's far from perfect and you should have time to configure it and learn what's going on

That’s a presumptuous POV.  I have already configured Mandrake Linux 9.0 for my liking (use as a secondary development server).

[Hammer]

So in this little example our hypothetical cd burning app will recieve many new enhancments with little or no effort on our own part. Plus, in contrast to for ex. the Nero people in Win32 land, all we did is a GUI and some glue to some already very mature CD software, whereas the Nero guys would have written .vxds,

Please recall ASPI driver access for NT 5.x. Note that .VXD class drivers can't be applied for the current MS Windows 2K/XP/2K3....