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Brad Agdern just sent in a cool bit of news for folks that aren’t privacy aficionados. If you don’t mind Microsoft monitoring your computer usage for 3 months (I’m not sure of how detailed the monitoring is… but my guess is that it covers everything you are doing, sites you browse to, files you open, etc.), then Microsoft will send you 1 free software “gift”. The options are:
- Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit and 64-bit DVD)
- Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007
- Microsoft Money Plus Premium
- Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2008
- Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008
You can click here to get started with the application process, and the offer expires 12/31/07 and only lasts while the allotted pieces of software for the program are available (not sure how many they were giving out). So if you don’t mind being monitored, go for it.
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December 12th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
umm my friends who use vista won’t like it, they wouldn’t want to get monitored while they play their … not so legal media :p
also, they already have all these programs free… yeah u guessed
i myself wouldn’t use vista even if i got payed for it.
i was a m$ user (legally) all my life but their low tactics have gotten me to hate their guts. It’s insane how low they have gone this year alone (they must be really desperate…)
just 6 months ago i made the switch now am more than happy with the linux community and their un-egocentric views of life, it’s like one big family
the people at m$ must learn that they can be a big company and not be so egocentric, $$$ hungry and full of bullsh*t (pardon my french). The best example is Google.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Manny which distro have you ended up using? Any tips or hints for folks wanting to move over from Windows?
December 13th, 2007 at 6:24 am
hi,
I searched for couple of minutes in the microsoft feedback website for the offer you have mentioned. But couldn’t locate that. Will you please mention the offer link?
It is simply wrong idea to let those giants monitor your computer even it is for any charity or helpful job. In fact you dont know if they already do that. But without any legal agreement they can not charge you. So it is safe not to legally permit then to get you.
But if they offer licensed software as gift then i will think a bit. Since i have 2 home pc so i can try in one only for the offer. No harm done
December 13th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Morison,
Sorry for the confusion, the link is here:
http://wfp.microsoft.com/
December 13th, 2007 at 10:25 am
“Manny which distro have you ended up using? Any tips or hints for folks wanting to move over from Windows?”
hi, well i ended up with ubuntu 7.10 or better yet at linuxmint.com get version 4.0 (fixes even more issues with ubuntu and makes migration easier for windows users)
mint is prettier too which attracts new users, already has all the codecs n stuff and the interface is well organized for a windows xp user to get started quickly.
another tip is to always keep windows handy in case you need it sometime or a game won’t work in wine.
after 6 months i’ve learned a lot about linux, now i can fix most bugs myself and even prepare my own custom distro for friends, family and also as my personal backup tool in case i need to re-install.
making a distro with your desktop settings is as easy as installing “remastersys” and typing this in the command line:
“sudo remastersys dist”
then all is automatic (just needs about 5gb free for the cache then it auto deletes it).
http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu-linux-mint-livecd-with-remastersys
this is what freedom is about, if you don’t need or like something you can change it yourself and distribute to friends.
If you don’t like some of the changes done by redmond to windows than you can’t do nothing about it…
it’s sad that a person pays hundreds for an OS that will never be of your property.
anyway 2007 was probably the year linux got out of the closet:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=940&num=1
am very excited at what we’ll see in 2008
December 13th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Damn Manny, I didn’t even know about Linux Mint (which looks pretty damn slick) or that remastering your own linux installs was that easy… very helpful post!
Out of curiosity does Linux Mint use all the same repositories that Ubuntu does so you are always up to date with Ubuntu’s latest and can use the Distro-Update util and what not… or does it have to maintain it’s own repos?
December 13th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
@Riyad
hi,
yea it uses all the same repos and adds it’s own.
it’s like ubuntu but umm… better in some aspects.
they also have some “mint utilities” to help the new user configure stuff and not screw things up :p
they are building a software portal (not very big right now), but if you like to install programs the ubuntu way you have synaptic.
If you want “add/remove” (probably one of the best tools ubuntu has to browse and discover linux programs) just install “gnome-app-install”
“sudo apt-get gnome-app-install”
i think i might remaster mint to include this in the live cd.
at first i was a noob and linuxmint was a “must” for me. But now a few months later i use either one and even help test the betas or reselase candidates + report bugs.
Since i hardly can program am trying to give back in any other way i can, it’s weird but it’s kind of addictive (in a good way lol)