Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Slimmed down Windows

Today's even for MAC users tip



“

Build a Lightweight Windows Install with nLite

There are a lot of reasons you might be interested in lightening up and streamlining a Windows installation. I happen to want a super-lightweight version of Windows to run on VMWare Fusion on my Mac, so I can run my must-have Windows applications without allocating a lot of hard drive space or memory to the virtual machine.

Freeware Windows application nLite goes directly into your Windows installation disc and helps you selectively rip out all the features and software you don't want. When you're done (and you can be pretty ruthless), you'll have a new Windows installation disc that you can use to install the lighter, gutted version of Windows. Out of all of the options discussed in this feature, the nLite method will probably give you the best results. Before we dive in, here's what you'll need:
  • A Windows installation disc
  • nLite
  • A computer running Windows to run the nLite wizard and create your new install disc
 ”

4/02/2008 08:59:00 AM 11 Comments

"If the number of Islamic terror attacks continues at the current rate, candlelight vigils will soon be the number-one cause of global warming. "
Argus Hamilton


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11 comments:

OregonGuy said...

I saw this http://tinyurl.com/6krpr yesterday.

Amazing. XP. Fast. Clean. Never crashes.

I wouldn't need to give half my desk space over to my computer.

Perhaps the PC is dead?

4/2/08, 11:50 AM
Rodger the Real King of France said...

I dunt think so Lucy, although I'm not betting on Microsoft's transcendency.

4/2/08, 12:41 PM
Anonymous said...

http://tinyurl.com/6krpr yesterday ............no workee.

4/2/08, 12:46 PM
Rodger the Real King of France said...

worked for me ... hpe for some MAC mini-me

4/2/08, 1:03 PM
Juice said...

I ran this by our programmer son, (that ya'll prayed for) and he answered this:

Yeah, they call those the "apple starter kit" around here. They're
pretty much junk actually :) I mean they are and they are not. For the
price you could get a PC that has like 3 times the computing power.
They can do a lot but with that size/price point comes limitations no doubt about it.

4/2/08, 1:16 PM
Anonymous said...

Sorry, Juice, but I've got to disagree with you point blank on this one. I'm a programmer too (video games including a PC Gamer 'Game Of The Year' title, molecular modelling systems and artificial intelligence engines). The Mac mini is most certainly not junk. It's a reasonably powerful, well constructed, near-silent. I don't know what you're comparing it to (Dell, Gateway, HP, ???) but 3 times the computing power for the same price? No.Possibly a bit more, but then you'll use all that power running virus scanners/Windows Update/AdAware/Zone Alarm and all the other misc. shit necessary to just keep your Windows box from being p0wned by some hacker.

Is it the fastest PC available? no. Not even close. And not designed to be. It's an aestheticly pleasing small desktop computer.

There's more to it than the hardware, though. Compare the softare you get, too. The mini comes with cool software you might actually want, automatic backups, remote desktop, etc. The HP/Dell/Gateway box? Tons of trialware shit that expires in 30 days and nags you forever unless you reinstall Windows from scratch (which is impossible, since they only include a "restore" CD these days). And you have to spend more for all those "security" apps. They're never included. So add at least another $100 EVERY YEAR to that price. So for maybe 15% less you could get a big ugly-ass PC in a grey box with a half dozen fans that sits under your desk and lacks useful software.

Now which is cheaper?


I've upgraded several family members to Mac Minis (I just velcro the whole "PC" to the back of their LCD monitor -- presto, a poor man's iMac. And I ran a Mac Mini @ home (2ghz core 2 duo) but I upgraded to a 24" iMac. Helluva nice machine, runs windows just fine (including video games). And I use Parallels Desktop to run WinXP in a protected shell so I can do my programming. Mac when I want it (90% of the time), PC when I need it.

Sorry to go off on a tangent here, but discounting the Mini as junk just isn't a fair characterization at all.

--Jack

4/2/08, 6:11 PM
Juice said...

--Jack,
Since I am the 'typical white' average pc user, I must await a response from #1 son. When he lets me know, I'll get back to ya. It's still all interesting to my pea brain, though. :)

4/2/08, 7:38 PM
Juice said...

--Jack,
Beloved son #1 response. :)

Here is my reply:

/*
There is no winning these kinds of debates. They are, at their very
heart, aways religious in nature. Mac versus PC is never anything I
am in the mood to argue about these days. I wear the scars of many a
flame war. Buuuuuuuuut, that being said I will address a few points.

Ok, maybe "junk" is harsh but in all honesty I would have chosen my
words better outside of an email conversation with my mother (thanks,
Mom).

It is, however, WAY over-priced for what it is. That apple premium
price point is to be the member of an exclusive club; and the mini is
the entry-level membership rate. You get in the club with a mini, but
you'll quickly find you have outgrown it. Apple hardware up the ladder
from the mini is an expensive meatball, no doubt, and I love it. In
fact, I run an apple now at work (quad core intel Xeon) even! ... But,
I'm running Windows on it most of the time, personally.

Apple software is great. No doubt. Beautiful. Being that Apple is one
my company's largest clients; I can tell you not only are their
designers top-notch but when they leave Steve-Jobsville they generally
go on to build beautiful things anywhere they go. So if this
comparison is all about hardware/UI aesthetics; then Apples rule. The
Apple fan-boys and the Windows geeks can get a tug-of-war thing going
and have it out. I don't give a shit about that. I care about what I
can get and for how much (a used bargain dual xeon eServer purchase
as my home build server is testament to this).

I was initially asked what my thoughts were on the mini, but I'll
opine a bit more:

1.) You can't tell me that Apple doesn't have an install stack to
REALLY keep from getting totally pwned (
http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20080327/tc_infoworld/96676 ) as
well. Operating systems and browsers in general have become so complex
security breaches are inevitable on any platform. You might not call
it a "service pack" at Apple, but a rose by any other name.....

My opinions on Windows and Anti-Virus software can't be summarized
better than Jeff Atwood, so I'll leave it to him: (
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000929.html ). In my house
we do not run Anti-virus at all. Their market-model is based upon fear
and the performance hit with those things is BRUTAL.

2.) Now the trialware shit is real. No doubt. My girlfriend is an
Industrial Design major at SF State. We both run CS3 for design work
and when it came time to get her a laptop we got her a breathtakingly
impressive (and quite beautiful polished black) HP for less than 2k
with 4gb RAM. Was that hardware price offset by a BS install stack?
Yep. Did it require a clean-install? Of course not.

We spent all of 15 (maaaaaaaaaaybe 20) minutes in add/remove programs
and a few moments cleaning up errant short-cut icons. Is several
hundred dollars worth less than an hour of my time? Of course. Do
Apples come easy and clean? Ab-so-effin-lutely. I guess its a matter
of what your level of tolerable inconvenience is. I pay for HBO so I
expect commercial-less programming; but, I'll watch the shit out of
some free network TV and accept the ads.

3.) Now which is cheaper? Answer: There is not one. It always depends
on how you want to use it and your level of expertise. In my living
room I have 4 year old Emachine hooked up to my 42 inch LCD for when I
want to browse something online and present it to guests. I have
upgraded and replaced parts on the cheap over the years on that box (a
DVD drive went out and replaced it for $35 and I might have upgraded
the vid card). If it was a mini I doubt it would still be kicking and
replacement costs are not even close to on par. Now, is an eMachine
ideal? No. It's low-end.



But, I don't care for clubs. In San Francisco I even tend to work out
at "24-Hour" fitness for $28 per month instead of the "Bay Club" for
$150. :)

So, in conclusion: If you can tolerate the occasional weirdo peering
at you in the locker room then by a PC. If coughing-up extra dough to
have towels provided for you then purchase a mini.

Either way, you'll get a workout.

4/2/08, 9:45 PM
Rodger the Real King of France said...

Extremely well met!

4/2/08, 11:16 PM
Anonymous said...

Ha, ha, love your son's analysis Juice.

Casca

4/3/08, 1:51 AM
Anonymous said...

Jack's wrong, and he's wrong in the classic apple fanboi ways. Good antivirus is free, or can be if you've got enough sense to shop around. I don't run any other security apps, I do run a hardware firewall router since I have multiple PCs on my home network, which BTW isn't wireless for security reasons. I haven't had a virus since I was running DOS 6.22. PC's have their zits but MACs have their own issues and one of the biggest is price/performance, where apple is always the most expensive option for any given performance point.

4/3/08, 7:33 AM

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