# Microsoft-Do I need to say anything else? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 8, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361 "2002-12-08T21:32:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361/41 "2002-12-11T16:31:43Z")
It doesn’t matter what the shell is, since shutdown is an external command. However, I guess it’s possible that your version didn’t have that particular instruction. If you type “shutdown now” then clearly you’ve indicated that you know what the command does and you’ve specified when you want to shutdown. Just typing “shutdown” could be an accidental tab completion or a lack of knowledge about the command. Same as “rm” by itself doesn’t default to deleting everything! Good advice on the MD5. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361/42 "2002-12-11T20:13:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by **tourbot** \* > Y’know, this gives the impression that you could buy MAC OSX and install it on an intel-type PC. Which I’m pretty damn sure you can’t, so there is some significant expense involved in “trying” this out. I would love to try it out, though. Anyone got 800 bucks they can lend me? (that’s the cheapest MAC I found at the [Apple Store](http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore/)) Good point & you are correct–you can’t install MacOS X on non-Mac hardware. If you are serious about wanting to try it out, it _will_ cost you money but not quite that much. [Here’s a beige G3 refurb](http://www.macresq.com/store/detail.las?-token.prod=MR007444&-token.1=20021211-120223-7559) for $299 from MacResQ. Or if you eBay, [here’s a “buy-it-now” $150 used G3](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2080657943&category=14911). These boxes are fast enough to run OS X at tolerable speeds if you just want to play with it a bit. Somewhat short on RAM but RAM is cheap. ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361/43 "2002-12-11T20:34:58Z")
One quick question from someone who doesn’t really know Linux at all (but is always looking to play around with new things)… You all imply there is software for Linux that is similar to most of the software available for Windows. I take it things like word processing, spreadsheets, etc. Are the documents created by these programs readable by their Windows equivalents? If not, what exactly is the benefit in using Linux if you have to collaborate alot for work, or with family/friends (since most of the world is on Windows)? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361/44 "2002-12-11T22:10:14Z")
They use OpenOffice to a great extent. OpenOffice is a variant on StarOffice, and it uses Microsoft Office’s native file formats, so OpenOffice can open Word and Excel files, and Word and Excel on a PC (or a Mac for that matter) can open files created in OpenOffice. Other compatible s/w also exists for Unix (and therefore Linux, which is one among many \*nix platforms) such as the excellent AbiWord which is capable of opening Word doc and/or saving its own files in Word format. ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361/45 "2002-12-12T10:12:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AHunter3 \* > \*\*They use OpenOffice to a great extent. OpenOffice is a variant on StarOffice, and it uses Microsoft Office’s native file formats. \*\* Nitpick: [OpenOffice.org](http://OpenOffice.org) (it’s [IS NOT](http://www.openoffice.org/FAQs/faq-other.html#6) called “OpenOffice”) _can_ read and write to MS Word files, but by default it saves text in “[OO.org](http://OO.org) Writer” format, an admirably well constructed XML format. UnuMondo [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-do-i-need-to-say-anything-else/141361.md?page=2)