Just Received This from Bigpond

[Barry_White]

It appears Microsoft and Bigpond are no longer going to support Windows 98/ME for technical support relating to problems connecting because of the operating system.


Microsoft are no longer allowing service providers globally to use the files needed to assist Members with Windows 98/Millennium(ME) to set up a connection to the internet. Due to this decision by Microsoft, BigPond will not be signing up new Members running Windows 98 or Windows ME from 17 October 2005.

Therefore, from 1 December 2005, issues relating to Windows 98/ME will no longer be covered by our free technical support. However, if your technical support problem is unrelated to the operating system you are running and falls within our standard support boundaries, you'll still receive our free technical support.

So, if you're still running Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows ME now might be the right time for an upgrade to Windows XP. Alternatively, you'll still have access to our online Help Centre or we can refer you to a paid technical support service.

If you do want to upgrade to Windows XP, Microsoft will be offering discounts to BigPond Members through our Member Offers program shortly.

The same thing will apply to Macintosh customers who are not using the Macintosh OS 10 - 10.4 platforms.

These changes will not affect the vast majority of our customers, who in turn will benefit from having our resources focused on the latest and more reliable operating systems.

For more information in relation to these changes, please click here.

[Ashore]

Had to happen Barry, Microsoft stopped tech support for Windows 98 in July . Didn't realised they had stopped ME as well, though I can't blame them cause the ME stood for many errors.




The trouble with life is there's no background music.




Russell

[echnidna]

I wonder if bigpuddle accepts linus users?

[Daddles]

I love the 'upgrade to XP' comment - that basically means, 'buy a new computer'.

Richard

[Barry_White]

I've been trying to convice my sister-in-law to upgrade with a new computer. She is running Windows 95 with IE 5 on a dialup that runs at 12k when connected to the internet. She is just down the road from me. Her daughter keeps sending her e-mails with picture attachments that take for ever to download.

[biotechy2k]

I've been trying to convice my sister-in-law to upgrade with a new computer. She is running Windows 95 with IE 5 on a dialup that runs at 12k when connected to the internet. She is just down the road from me. Her daughter keeps sending her e-mails with picture attachments that take for ever to download.

I run ME on this little HP but we've networked it to hubbys desk top which has XP professional I am not a 100% happy with BogPond as my ISP I think we should scrap windows and go straight to Unix or Linux

and not too mention ME is so much slower

[echnidna]

The problem with junking windows alltogether is that theres a lot of free software available for windows but only limited software for other platforms.

eg open office is good but theres a coupla things word can do that OO can't

[Barry_White]

Well Microsoft brought out CE and then they brought out ME and then NT

So what you ended up with was CEMENT and that's what it ran like.

[bitingmidge]

I think we should scrap windows and go straight to Unix

Well, you know there is a Unix based platform that "only" has 8% has a very smug and satisfied bunch of customers.

We feel warm inside whenever these sorts of things crop up, and yes we are running OSX on 6 year old machines without any trouble. (They run too slow to get into trouble, )

Cheers,

P

[bitingmidge]

The problem with junking windows alltogether is that theres a lot of free software available for windows but only limited software for other platforms.eg open office is good but theres a coupla things word can do that OO can't

Bob,
Without being platform specific here, I am always curious to find out what this magic software that isn't available for other platforms is.

I am yet to find a Windows machine that runs SOLELY on "free" software, and don't know what people are looking for that can't be done on "included" software on my favourite platform.

To satisfy my curiosity, could you tell me what you can't do in OO, that needs $500 or so on MS Office to achieve. Specially when there are tons of less than $100 substitutes, while not free, they are close to it.

Cheers,

P

[echnidna]

Bob,
Without being platform specific here, I am always curious to find out what this magic software that isn't available for other platforms is.

I am yet to find a Windows machine that runs SOLELY on "free" software, and don't know what people are looking for that can't be done on "included" software on my favourite platform.

To satisfy my curiosity, could you tell me what you can't do in OO, that needs $500 or so on MS Office to achieve. Specially when there are tons of less than $100 substitutes, while not free, they are close to it.

Cheers,

P

I can select an entire webpage in IE6 and copy it into a word document so I can use it for future reference. OO doesn't do this easily. Takes a real lot of fiddling to do.

My computer is very full of interesting websites etc that I could if I need, print out as books for my own personal reference. Some of the original websites no longer exist.

I am considering saving my reference word docs as pdf's with OO's pdf writer.

My cnc software uses dos 6 and the obscure CAD program that writes the cnc language is now windows based though I still have the dos version.

Google earth is windows based

I have photoshop and paintshop pro both are windows based.
I prefer PSP, don't think its available for other platforms

[Daddles]

Open Office is an intersting one. You'd think my word processing requirements, as a writer, were fairly simple, and I think they are, but getting the format I prefer working properly on OO is a bit of bear and, until the latest version, impossible. Also, many publishers now will take .doc files but not OO files (I've yet to see that option in any of the markets I sub to, which doesn't mean it doesn't happen elsewhere). Sure, OO can convert but it's not elegant and certainly not suitable for submission without fiddling - that's not acceptable to me (I even dislike rtf conversions which should be seamless but for some reason, sometimes aren't). There are also problems with the OO Australian dictionary - at least there is one now but the last time I tried to use it, I wasn't happy. Word produces huge documents (why? no-one else finds the need), but for what I'm doing, as a working author, it does exactly what I want without effort, and when you are working with a 100,000 word document, you value that.

Well Midge, you did ask.

For the record, the number of word processors I've trialled and worked with is now in double figures - Word is the only one that does everything I ask of it. Bummer really as I like the OO concept.

Richard

[bitingmidge]

Thanks!

Now for a different take perhaps:
I save websites direct as PDF prints from the Mac OS (there is a trick to this with some frames sites!) or suck them down as html files with a bit of shareware, to be opened in a browser later.

Photoshop, if my memory serves me correctly was originally developed for the Mac (as was MS Word and Excel!!), all are still available, and I use them but they are a long way from free! (Some of the freeware/shareware paint/photo bits are now arguably better, but to do it nearly free, or free, you need to have a number of applications to achieve whatever you are doing with Photoshop. These are available for all platforms.

CNC software is also available for other platforms at comparable prices (PSP isn't though).

I guess you've also answered my question; the original statement which caught my attention was about the lack of "FREE" software on other platforms, yet all you have mentioned (except Google Earth - so far) are big bucks versions?

Cheers,

P

[echnidna]

My cnc software can take a bmp and convert it to cnc,
Theoretically I can convert a photo to cnc, can the other software do that

[old_picker]

you can set up a computer wih 100% free linux software......
it will run on old computers depending on the version but dont expect support from bigbog or any other isp's either....you will be dependant on mates at the linux users group

basically me and 98 are past it for the web and broadband so if you want your isp to hold your hand, go get a new computer

dont evn think about upgrading your pentium 3 to windows xp as you will be sorry you did....btw the friendly computer sales drones at harvey normans will always tell you it will run fine on your p3

MS office is overated, over priced and full of bugs....if you can avoid using it, do so