Only the novice pizza eater goes for the bubble as that is where the dough has heaved up and displaced the cheese and pepperoni onto the adjacent slices.

You're comparing apples to oranges. The out-of-the-box-XP machine is being compared to a linux-put-on-a-windows-box machine.

If the original poster wanted a linux computer that has great optimizations out of the box, then maybe the original poster should have bought a laptop from system76.com or linuxcertified.com or something.

If it was a dedicated "security chip", responsible for ecryption/decryption, they'd never be able to export the thing, that's for sure.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that, just because Congress or a State Legislature gives (keyword) money to a private company like Microsoft or Ford, does not grant the politicians authority over privately-owned equipment.

Encrypt everything.

Ask for the "reimbursement" to be made in the form of a bonus so it's clear who owns the laptop - what you do with your bonus is your business. Yes, you'll have to pay taxes on it (I assume your tax laws count a bonus as income) but that's cheaper than the full price of the laptop and now it's yours, without question.

So long as there's 1) no contract to spell things out clearly and 2) the computer is "theirs", there will always be the risk of someone claiming the data on it is owned by them, not you. You may have an amazing relationship with your current boss but that situation may change (new boss, turn-for-the-worse in your relationship, whatever). If there's a contract in place, fine, but I suspect you're hesitant to ask that a contract be drawn up for just this situation.

Thus, if the company is willing to fork over the money, have them fork it over in a way that does not link it to the computer.

Or, of course, pay for it yourself. You obviously thought it was worth it given that you already bought it. Yes, an extra grand in your pocket is nice but you already decided you were willing to part with the money so if ownership of the data is important then you're not really out anything - it was an expense you were willing to pay.

I have actually had a brief conversation with an American who asked what language do British people speak in England....

I have, though I haven't bothered to install it and try my key as I can't be bothered to yet.

Reading down in the article it sounds like some people have done just that. It will require a phone conversation with MS, but it does apparently work.

MS it seems just won't send you copy, which really inadvertently is promoting the dissemination of their product through shall we say "alternate" channels. Thought I guess this way they save a few pennies on bandwidth or media.

Anyway it seems this has worked in the past, I am not sure about the present or future should it continue. I will likely give it a try at some point.

uh and why do you say that? Where in the link you provide does it say that they aren't paid by oil companies (since we're being all scientific here)? Who are these MEMBERS? It could be two guys, it could be a hundred.

And you are claiming that the APS refutes anthropogenic climate change? Their statement, at the link you provided, actually reinforces their stand that CC IS caused by man made emissions. That these MEMBERS disagree with the APS's statement is of no consequence.

If I write a letter to the pope that says "We, the members of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, Hate God, so please change your policy toward God accordingly," that doesn't mean the Church or its members hates God.

My dell mini9 gets ~3h in xp, or ~3:50 in ubuntu.

It's probably only a matter of time before someone sues the church over the existence of God.

Using the same approach, atheists can sue the government to prove the existence of God, and use that to undermine "In God We Trust" on our currency, swearing oaths on the Bible, and the tax-free status of churches.

What was the word?

The B-52 has been in constant service since 1955, and is slated to continue active duty until 2040. They aren't being replaced either. The airframe is so solid that they are able to just keep upgrading rather than rebuilding from scratch.