ya know, about a year ago i read someplace that Gates was considering a system by which Windows would run off the internet and you would pay a yearly fee for using it. Since then i have heard nothing else about this plan. maybe it was only a rumour, but from the M$ point of view (hatred of the customer & greed) it really makes sense. i would not be surprised to see it happen. this whole thing of refusing to sell computers w/o an OS, or to sell computer parts, or insisting that the "upgrade" be performed by the dealer is sooooo sad. when i called compaq about adding a larger hard drive to my system as hda they about had fits -- in addition to not knowing a thing about how large of a hard drive the system would take. M$ at one time i think was a good company. they did do wonders in the early days. what happened.... thank the gods (which ever you worship) for linux. i'll never acquaire another M$ product. Adrian Smith 'de telepone dude Telecom Dept. x 7042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> Mark Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 4:21:21 PM 5/1/01 >>> But isn't the MS whole plot is to have you "rent" or "lease" software from the .NET and ASPs. What they seem to be doing is making harder and harder for someone to buy and install software on their own machine. They don't want anyone to control the software and the PC. I would not doubt that in a couple of years you will have to pay by the hour to run MS Windows but they'll obsfuscate in a way such that they make it look like you are paying a service (like an electrical utility) to run their software...
