Topic: Control over one's computer...

What happened to those older days of computers? When you could look in your Program Files folder without your computer bugging you? When you could just go and delete any programs you didn't want instead of using the uninstall program that doesn't always delete everything? When you could open up your favourite game in a text editor and change the CPU's names or give you lives? When you had to track down 3 different remotes to watch satellite TV instead of pressing one button on a remote that's all automated (and in some cases, doesn't work if some things are already turned on by habit)? When you were the controller of the computer, not the computer itself?

DOS was cool. You heard me.

Shouldnt this be in the Retro Section?

The first couple of complaints: "When you could look in your Program Files folder without your computer bugging you? When you could just go and delete any programs you didn't want instead of using the uninstall program that doesn't always delete everything?" would be solved by owning a Mac.

And as for remotes, no one is forcing you to use a universal remote! use 3 different ones if you really want to.

@Dragoon Probably, never occured to me...

I do, but everyone else uses hi-tech remotes so if I'm at their place I've gotta use them.

Don't use a Mac. Mac's are for squares.

@Newly - he wants to be able to...you know...use his computer for things. Macs are great if you like word processing, shiny hardware, and expensive programs that have better free PC-based equivalents....but I think he prefers compatibility and utility I own both--the Mac rarely gets turned on and it's much more powerful.

And I don't recall conceding any control to my OS in any version of Windows...I still use XP and Vista (and linux and Snow Leopard) and am able to control everything just fine. I'm assuming 7 works similarly well. And DOS did rule--one of the many reasons I like linux (command line rules).

Seconded.

The control is there, the tools have changed is all. More functionality requires more complexity.

And if this becomes a PC/Mac flame war, it's over.

And DOS did rule--one of the many reasons I like linux (command line rules).

. . . yes, the command line does indeed rule. That's why Macs are indeed a better fit if you love that sort of low-level geek control and modification. OS X is of course built on UNIX, and it thereby gives you the ability to control absolutely everything from the command line level, if you have the UNIX shell skills to do so. Windows does not have a real, fundamental shell anymore at all, just a limited pseudo-shell that comes nowhere near the power of scripting you can have in a UNIX-based environment.

EDIT: That's not a flame war, just correcting a strange contradiction in Swerd's statements ("PC is more useful" oddly paired with "I love using a command line").