I think all of Microsoft's products suck, its too bad everything is secondary to them. By that I mean, if software is developed, its devolped for Microsoft, then everybody else. As far as their products go, they're great. I don't think there is anything wrong with them, and I use them every day. But its how much they charge for their software, and the way they deal with Piracy I hate.
First off if a kid could even scrape enough money together to get Halo 2, there is no way he is going to be able to pull together enough money to buy a $300 copy of Vista, if not more. Not to mention the steep system requirements that would go along with it. I mean geeze, me an average joe who uses the computer, is paying more for a peice of software, that I am for the motherboard and cpu. Unless I surrender and go with garbage dell. If my job revolved around the computer, it would be fine, high end software is expected to be expensive, but im not making Speildberg Movies on my PC, and im developing games, so why should I have to pay so much to do so little. Its like if you have any brain at all, Microsoft is going to screw you. It works out fine for people who have no idea what they're are doing, buy a computer out of the box with a pre-loaded free OS, who never re-format the PC.
Last is the Piracy, they make it so difficult for people who know a thing or two to use their software its not even funny. I mean I like to format my computer every 4 or 5 months usually after an upgrade, cause I like my system clean, I don't like it all cluttered up, and every single time, I have to re-register the OS, which is a pain in itself. Saying YES, I actually paid for your software. Its not that bad if nothing is changed and you just do a re-format, cause the OS remembers the system hardware to verify whether its the same computer or not. But I upgrade a major piece of hardware at least once a year if not more, and that means another call to Microsoft.
I have a friend who is using an illigal copy of WinXP Home, and because his OS is not "Genuin" he no longer has access to any downloads off Microsofts site. Meaning vital software updates, and DirectX which is needed for near evey game on the market now. I wouldn't be surpised if they finally got to the point where they said anything with Microsoft's Logo on it is not un-usable to anyone who does not have a Genuin OS. Yes, everyone knows Piracy is wrong, which is why I own a legal copy, but they make it so hard for people to afford their software, and then comfortably use it. So I think requiring Vista for Halo 2 is a joke, the game has been out for over a year and it wasnt even fun to begin with.
Sorry to drag on like this. But I got all fired up....
