My Refusal to use Windows XP
Ok, so right now my school, and 99% of other, upper, schools in our school district run Microsoft Windows XP. A ten year old operating system. I am a little guilty too, because I run WinXP on a 12 year old IBM Thinkpad A21p, designed for Windows 98, as an SSH server. That thing is now offically shut down as of now because there are so many parts failing, I’m now using a hacked router for the job. But back to the main topic. Now, I understand why this is happening, because most kids grew up around Windows. Oh, did I forget to mention the servers are running Windows 2000? Haha. dDos here I come. So yes, most kids grew up around Windows, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have a choice in what OS (Operating System) we get to use. Right now, in my house there are 5 Macintosh’s & 2 Linux boxes. All backended by UNIX. A very powerful back-end. Ok, but what does that have to do with refusing to use WinXp at school. Well, I’m used to growing up around minisupercomputers, with great knowledge into the way *NIX OS’s work, and the terminal. Along with that power comes security. There are so many holes in Windows Server 2000, and Windows XP, it’s not even funny. They also *have* to run anti-virus software, otherwise they will get screwed up. So I’ve decided that I will either be able to use a *NIX OS at school, or not use a computer at all. This is my way of peacfully protesting against the forceful way of having to use Windows. Right now Windows has 93% of the market share, and I’d like that to change. Linux has *most of the Sever market share, and my website is running on it right now. Thats because it is free, **Open Source, and easy to customize. Right now, every school has to buy a separate computer for everything they get, and use the site license, which are expensive. If schools used ***Linux then they could just have little work stations that pull everything they need out of a centralized (set of) server(s). No expensive licenses, no expensive computers. There is even an education edition of the most user friendly Linux Distribution (Ubuntu), called Edbuntu, with a bunch of educational software preloaded and a free Office suite of tools, a word processor, presentation, spreadsheet, etc.
Next time I goto school, and they need to use the computers, I will plain out refuse to do so, because of the vulnerability of our information. If they give my a detention, referral, whatever, I will still stand my ground for the fight for choice. Microsoft has locked most schools into having to use Windows, and I believe that can change. I refuse to use Windows for anything other than dev work, testing, and gaming, from the time this gets posted to forever.
NOTE: THIS IS AN OPINION STAED BY TYLER DOHERTY AND TYLERJD.COM. THIS IS NOT A PETITION OF ANY FORM. THIS IS AN EXERCISE OF AMENDMENT ONE. RIGHT TO THE PRESS FREE SPEECH AND PEACEFULLY PROTEST. THIS IS ALSO NOT AN AD FPR LINUX AND NOT PAYED FOR BY THE LINUX COMMUNITY.
**Open Source Licensed under the GPL.
***Specifically Ubuntu Linux.
I don’t understand what you are protesting. Are you learning Windows XP at school? I would guess not. You are learning a lesson and XP is only the tool being used for delivering.
What are your security concerns with XP? It is very stable and secure if properly patched and maintained. I understand that ubuntu and linux and mac maybe more secure, but the school systems have to teach the masses, not the individuals. You, my friend, are an individual and an exception.
It runs antivirus? good! that is to protect you and them.
Let’s talk cost. I’m not sure what kind of discount educational institutions get, but I would guess that it is not free. Yes, other OSs maybe cheaper or free upfront, but you are not counting operations and support costs. The type of entry level talent that gets hired to support these systems are able to do their job with little training (due to market share)and when they leave (they never stay long) are easily replaced. The skills required to support a linux environment are harder to find in the job market at the salary most schools can afford. People are harder to find, they want higher salaries and they don’t want to do this type of work. This is a stepping stone job that people move on from within 2 years.
The fact that XP has been around for over a decade should show you something. People are still using it! Vista did not go well for Microsoft and 7 still hasn’t really caught on. When Microsoft drops XP from support and stops making patches and updates is when large institutions will to upgrade and redesign the environments.
Is it the best for what it is being used for? Maybe, maybe not; but if it works it will cost a lot to replace. There are definitely better models for classroom environments. And eventually YOUR kids will benefit from them. What you have is light years above what I had IN COLLEGE 15 years ago. Schools, unless they focus on and teach the technology, are always behind, usually due to costs.
Again, you are an exception. Take what they offer, learn what you can in class (or help others if you are bored) and then study your interests on your own and with like minded individuals.
I am a Windows guy, not because I love it but because it has kept me employed for most of the last 20 years! I suggest you look into VMWare and things like ZenApp. They will give you even more to think about when it comes to different ways the classrooms can be set up.
Let me know if you have any questions…
Hope to see you soon.
- Ed -
sorry my bad, not ZenApp, it’s XenApp.
http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=186&ntref=prod_top
@Ed Foxxe
I do agree with you on most of the topics you have stated, but I did not grow up around DOS, and Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, etc. I only had Windows XP on one machine before I upgraded. Now, I’ll tip my hat to Microsoft for making such a great product, but I feel as if the school is trying to *make* us use Windows. And that is what I /hate/. I know the Debian Linux system like the back of my hand. I have even created my own distro of Linux. And about VMWare, Parallels, VirtualBox, VirtualPC, etc, i personally use Sun VirtualBox for my VM’s. It’s free for all OS’s, and open-source. At this very moment, I’m running 3 VM’s on this machine. Windows Vista, and two Ubuntu Servers. All running on top of Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Kola. But thanks for the innput, greatly appreciated.
wow! windows XP is 10 years old???????