From: discar@nosc.mil (Joe Discar)
Subject: Re: Some more misconceptions regarding OS/2 and NT
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:11:42 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.162641.13575@mksol.dseg.ti.com> mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539) writes:
>
>Well, my first computer HAD floppies, but let's look at that assertion
>a minute.  By switching from tape to floppy, I got faster load times,
>random access reads/writes, etc.  Now, what do I get from having a
>CD-ROM that might be useful to me?  The ability to load the Windows/NT
>SDK.  That's it.  It's not worth buying a CD-ROM drive for.
>

The ability to have a distribution media that costs only a buck to send.
The ability to be able to start the install of a large application
(PS4 insurance data base, Unix, SDK, Kings Quest V, Wing Commander) without
having to actually sit there and feed floppies.  The ability to have access
to large amounts of organized data (business lists, on-line manuals,
encyclopedias, language references, libraries, clip art).  The ability to
acquire lots of shareware software for a song--without having to spend
DAYS downloading via modem...

Heck, the only drawback that I've found is that there is SO MUCH data
that being able to use it one disk at a time is PAIN! (I am now considering
purchasing a jukebox--or simply another CD-ROM drive to stick on my
SCSI chain).

You may not find it useful, but others (such as myself) do.  It has nothing
to do with Microsoft (to be honest, only TWO of my Cd-ROMs are actually
bearing the MPC label).  It's just a good, useful, technology; denying
that it is simply because of preconceived bias and prejudices is lacking
professionalism.

>>Would you have us still living in the world of cassette tapes for data
>>storage, where load times were measured in minutes for even the smallest
>>applications.
>
>YOU CAN'T WRITE TO A FRIGGING CD-ROM!  Why is it that folks at
>Microsoft don't seem to be able to understand that?  WHY WOULD I WANT
>TO BUY A MASS STORAGE DEVICE THAT I CAN'T WRITE TO?
>

So what?  When was the last time you wrote over your BIOS ROM?  Still
pretty useful, though, huh?  When was the last time you painted over
a purchased painting?  Or erased and wrote over a book?  There are lots
of applications for Read-only-media.  

I am quite certain that Microsoft understands the read-only nature of
CD-ROM.  Perhaps, you should give them a little credit: the way I see it
software is getting bigger and bigger--and we NEED some sort of
mass-producable media to distribute the applications of tomorrow.  Whether
it's CD or not, we'll discover in about ten years.  Microsoft is banking
that it's CD-ROM.  I think they're right--given the strengths that the
CD media has.

>
>This isn't an upgrade to a newer technology, and it is NOT cheaper for
>me.  It might be much more convenient for YOU, but that's Microsoft's
>problem, not mine.  I CANNOT WRITE TO A CD-ROM.  THEREFORE, THERE IS
>NO REAL REASON TO BUY ONE EXCEPT FOR ARROGANT VENDORS WHO SEEM TO
>THINK THEY CAN FORCE THEM ON PEOPLE.

Why is it you keep lambasting Microsoft?  Are you mad at Corel for
distributing their software on CD?  Are you upset at Morningstar for
distributing stock data and fund data on CD?  Heck, are you mad at
Phillips for DEVELOPING the technology in the first place?  If you don't
like the fact that some vendors choose to distribute their software in 
the cheapest way possible (for them), then don't buy it.  Nobody's 
forcing you to.

>
>Do you get it yet?
>

Do you?


Xref: sparky comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy:1899 comp.os.os2.advocacy:4145