Every time this topic comes up, someone like you mentions how you can disable every single "spying" thing... but fail to provide specific details about how/where to do so. Occasionally, they'll tell you to "google it" or "look it up yourself." I find that very curious.

They're saying, "Hey, why don't you get into bed with US?" :)

This is why I keep a Facebook account with absolutely nothing in it, no friends, pictures or status posts of any kind. It's just for employers/law enforcement. My *real* fb account is locked down tighter than hell. :) /Moiself

Which, as someone who's using that network from Sprint's software/hardware SUCK BALLS! It's almost as slow as dialup much of the time. Freedompop is also charging $89 for the WiMAX modem. No thank you...

Incorrect. A computer is only as good at chess as it has been programmed to be. I've beaten both Battle Chess and GNU Chess at times. I'm NOT a good player but I AM hyper-aware of mistakes made and on how to capitalize when they are made. :)

I am simply not going to pay Microsoft a license fee each time I hug someone.

I feel your pain, dude-san. I'm on Sprint's lousy network. 12gb/month where the speed is slower than dialup most of the time.

Can you explain this to me in detail? Their site has nothing specific to how this is done... Thanks.

Everyone knows that children younger than five are adept at learning nearly anything you wish to teach them. So this isn't a true test of how easy Win8 is to use. To make a legitimate test, you'd have to select a person (or group of people) whose age is well beyond the toddler stage and, most likely, a senior citizen who's never used a computer before. THEN you might have the basis for a legitimate test. Of course, the test will have to be more than just opening a video or picture album. You'd have to prove usability in several common areas such as email, web, video chat and the like.

Since you mentioned B5, it's sad to note that Michael O'Hare (Sinclair/Valen) passed away yesterday at age 60. That makes five dead from that show now. :/

She could have deactivated the account which, at least for 30 days, would've probably satisfied the judge/idiot.

There are three basic reasons why I don't use Linux on my Desktop:

1. Software

    I use particular software because a) I like it and b) I've paid for it. a) is the biggie here. I like FeedDemon to read RSS feeds. I paid for it. I like it. It works well. And it isn't on Linux. Indeed there is no equivalent for Linux. This is only one. There is other software that, quite frankly, has no acceptable analogue in Linux. Also, why should I have to learn a new, often substandard, application in Linux when what I know and like is already working in Windows?

2. Hardware

      Specifically, drivers... Ever tried to use dial-up with Linux? Know how damned frustrating it is to be told "Nobody uses dial-up anymore." and then dismissed? I do. And I was stuck on dial-up until *this year*. Yes, I went through all the various websites, tutorials and FAQs and still had a helluva time figuring it out. Contrast with Windows where it just worked without my having to hunt down settings to use, changing MTU/MRU values, or figuring out chat scripting. Same thing is happening with my Sierra 3G/4G modem (250U by model number). Doesn't work in Linux. Searching the web, fora, FAQs leads to frustrating and contradictory "possibilities of getting it working." On Windows, I installed the software, rebooted, plugged in modem and was up and working.

3. Linux is just not ready for the Desktop

      Until you can just plug & play with Linux as you can with Windows, Linux just simply isn't ready for the Desktop. Linux is a wonderful system and, frankly, I'd prefer it for nearly any other use OTHER than my Desktop where I just want things to work, not get in my way and not make me hunt down ways to make it work. Just work.

In the end, I don't find any OS better or worse than any other. Linux, however, is damned frustrating to use when you want to just work and not have to re-learn things you already know/like/prefer. /D

My dialup is free. http://www.nocharge.com/ ;)