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Archiver > SOG-UK > 2000-10 > 0971423606


From: Barney Tyrwhitt-Drake <>
Subject: Re: [SOG] Bad times are here again
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:53:26 +0100


In message <>, Bill Templeton
<> writes
>Sadly, this is an inherent fault of PCs, which have the operating system(s) on
>the hard disc, which consequently takes a caning owing to continual accessing.
>The solution is to use a computer with a ROM-based OS, such as the RiscOS
>computers produced formerly by Acorn and now by Castle Technology, Kinetic and
>Mico. I have been a devotee of these since 1982, starting with the BBC B and
>progressing via the Archimedes to the RiscPC, and have never suffered a hard
>disc failure. Admittedly the software base is smaller, but applications are
>available for most purposes, and the graphical user interface is far superior
>to Windows.

As a former user of a ROM-based OS, it's hard to disagree with your
espousal of it's virtues,but I'm afraid the rest of your argument is
fatally flawed. I can summarise it as - "the availability of software is
the most important thing in determining which OS to run, but for
dogmatic reasons, excuse me if I ignore that in reaching a 'balanced'
judgement. Anyhow, let's try to move beyond the "my Dad/OS/spin doctor
is better than yours type of discussion".
--
Barney Tyrwhitt-Drake

Drake Software web site: http://www.tdrake.demon.co.u

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