On 2018-12-29, nospam wrote:
In article , Carlos E. R.
wrote:

As I said, product activation alone is enough to
keep me away from Microsoft products aside from any other considerations.

then you won't be using computers anymore, since nearly all software
today has activation in some form due to rampant piracy.

Well, no, that's not totally true. I know you don't like Linux, but as
the thread has Linux on the subject line, and I'm replying on a Linux
group, I feel entitled to say that there is no activation needed to use
or update Linux :-P

i like linux for what it's good at, servers. i have six servers, all
running linux.

Linux is crushing it on the server side.

linux is not good for a desktop os. mac and windows are vastly more
capable, with a much wider selection of software, and generally much,
much better quality.

The Mac and certainly Windows could learn a thing or two from Linux.
Linux is versatile. You have your choice of desktop environments and
total control over the file systems.

Apple on the other hand has the cash and the resources to build custom
hardware and advance their ideas into products. They have the retail
footprint to reach the masses. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch
are all testaments of these capabilities. Once Apple decides they are no
longer interested in something, think Aperture, it just gets killed and
that's a shame.

Also, I bought an Android tablet some time ago that required no
activation or subscription. Yes, it runs Android, but needs no google ID
to get updates, albeit not from Google Play.

that's the exception, not the rule, and it would be surprising and also
undesirable if there was *no* activation at all.

one key advantage of being linked to a google or apple id is that a
stolen device can be remotely wiped and/or deactivated, leaving the
thief with nothing more than something to part out.

Google is crushing it for services. Siri isn't even close to Google's
assistant. Apple needs to step up their game. Google's presentation and
Io with the AI making an appointment for the user was jaw dropping
amazing. Huawei has under the screen finger print scanning. I like touch
id more so that face id.

--
Peter Kozlov