I'm IT director where I work, and I force people to use Firefox by disabling internet explorer. They were using IE6 in admin accounts before, and it took me a while to clean up the mess that left on many of our computers.

High level encryption (with a short out password) could force you to erase the data on the hard disk, or make it unusable, if the computer is stolen, but that would also wipe the data if the user forgot their password. Without high level encryption, just plug in a live disk and you have access to all the data. If you want to secure data, make sure your disk is secure, and don't leave it on the table at your favourite cafe. The concept that software can protect hardware is nonsense. Once someone has access to your hardware they can wipe your software security programs.

Every time I boot it gives me a bunch of .dll not found errors, then it crashes. Safe mode won't boot at all. This happened 12 hours after a clean install, and I know it's not hardware because my Linux instillation is running fine. I can't figure what the hell is wrong. It's possible I reinfected myself with a virus, there's some kind of software incompatibility (which shouldn't crash everything but it has), or I have a bad sector on the windows partition of disk.

Reinstalling Windows is a pain, unless you have a good slipstream disk, and I don't; it takes hours to update. Even once you have windows running, then you have to install GRUB again, which is also a pain.

Getting a converter box has been on my to do list for a while, but the truth is I really don't care about TV. I have my favourite shows on DVD (which is cheaper than cable), and can't remember the last time I watched TV.

Why the hell don't they put you on Firefox? IE6 a security nightmare.

Windows is crapware. IE6 is a downloader trojan.

IE6 is the worst browser ever, and they should force people to use IE7 or 8 if they're going to use IE. I'm all for Microsoft doing a security update which automatically upgrades users to IE7 (not that it's much better). Anyone with any sense doesn't use IE anyway.

Windows had to be reinstalled 3 times in the last month; I haven't done the third reinstall yet, and I don't think I'm going to because it'll wipe out GRUB. I just got the one program I needed windows for running in Wine, and I'm in the mood for some Microsoft bashing.

They have drugs for that.

Start having IP's ban IE. Don't make network drivers for Windows.

Linux is too hard for the average computer user to use. That's why.

You can always install crossover office on your Linux, and use that to run your proprietary software. It's much cheaper than buying a Mac, but a little more complicated too.

This is awful. I love PalmOS. It's so easy to use. I have a light weight laptop, and when I want a f*cking laptop I'll take it out. The Palm is an extension of my brain, not a portable computer. PalmOS is like the Mac of handhelds. Black and white is fine for scheduling things and remembering things I'd otherwise forget. That's the purpose of Palms; if they're trying to make a netbook they're getting it wrong.

Wipe Vista and install XP (use an install code off an old computer), or better yet Linux.