In article , Peter Kozlov
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.

yep, as well as embedded devices, such as routers and iot devices,
although those mostly aren't what one would consider a linux box. it's
not like someone is going to install libre office on a thermostat even
though the thermostat runs linux.

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.

they're all versatile, but in different ways.

no single product is ideal for every task.
choose the best tool for the job.

You have your choice of desktop environments and
total control over the file systems.

there's full control over the file system, however, system files have
restrictions for security (which can be overridden when needed), just
like on linux.

Apple on the other hand has the cash and the resources to build custom
hardware and advance their ideas into products.

and that's exactly what they're doing, including designing arm-based
processors for ios devices and assorted other chips in many other
products. they have more than 10,000 employees doing chip design.

they're also doing something in the automotive space, but exactly what
nobody knows, other than those directly involved and they ain't talking
(and probably don't know the full scope themselves either).

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.

it's not that apple wasn't interested in aperture, but rather not
enough users were.

aperture didn't sell in sufficient numbers. products that don't sell
well are eventually discontinued. there's no point in putting resources
into something that isn't generating revenue to support it.

lightroom won that race for a variety of reasons, including having very
tight integration with photoshop and being faster than aperture,
although aperture's speed did improve in later versions.

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.

it was (although somewhat canned), but that's a very different product
than google assistant, siri, cortana, alexa, etc.

Huawei has under the screen finger print scanning. I like touch
id more so that face id.

fingerprint scanning through the display is not that fast and not that
accurate either.

apple's face id is more secure than a fingerprint sensor and very
convenient in winter months when people are wearing gloves.

unfortunately, face unlock on other phones is not very good. samsung's
can be spoofed with a selfie taken on another phone, something which
was demoed minutes after it was announced, in the hands-on area.