Linux vs Windows?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I'm often using chrome as first choice over firefox too. seems slicker.

Haven't tried chrome yet... must get around to having a looksee...

[scracha]

MacOS on a PC (though technically it is on an emulation of the OS) or what ever OS the

Kalyway sir?

[SMOKEU]

I've been using Windows 7 Ultimate for the past couple of days now and I'm not happy.
It's just as unstable as Windows XP Pro. If I didn't play games I'd be glad to see the back of Microsoft shit and stick with Ubuntu.

[caesius]

I've used FreeBSD for quite a few years now.

I've always had Windows XP installed in a VM because I needed two pieces of Windows software, MATLAB and Altium Designer.

But now I've found replacements,

GNU Octave <-> MATLAB
Eagle/KiCad <-> Altium Designer

So yeah, don't really need Windows for anything now..

[Hawk]

Hi Mom,
Apple Mac is getting pretty popular now; they have the best graphic, video and audio editing software available as "exclusive titles", things like "Final Cut Pro" will only work on Apple Macs. Creative (content creators) people love them because of this. They make good-looking laptops and are also pretty easy to use. What they do suffer from is a lack of breadth of software available. For example, only recently are games being released that work on Macs.

Ill start with my favorite quote from an a popular NZ PC mag " Linux the cure for the Microsoft boot sector virus".

Grasshopper ever got behind the GUI on the latest Macs, Yep its bacily Linux, Security, CLI ( BASH) even down to directory structure its all linux based you can even run linux scripts.

I have no particular perferance as I work with Windows, MAC and Linux platforms, client and server enviroment. My advice sit down make a list of your requirements then trott off to the pc shop and find the software that best satisfies those needs.

Remember not all application/OS software needs to cost you There are many open source applications that do the same thing or sometimes better than Microsoft Apps, ever been to portable apps site, google "portable apps".
There is only one piece of software I would recommend and that is Microsoft Security Essentials ( anti virus) and in my opinion its the best bit of software they have released and the price is within anyone's budget, free.
I will admit Gammers are left out in the cold when using Linux but there are work rounds for this and that keeps people like me employed

[SMOKEU]

Remember not all application/OS software needs to cost you

They're called 'torrents'.

[Suntoucher]

From my point of view, I see it most clearly as:

A) Anyone can use Linux, Windows and Mac OSX regardless of skill.
B) All three are easy and simple to use, whilst having more advanced stuff for the more tech heavy. Anyone can get started off the bat just as quickly on all three.
C) All three crash, regardless of what you say, although I will claim Linux crashes less.
D) Windows has more virii and malware. Plain and simple, but that's a market share thing, rather than a software thing.
E) All three are insecure, can be hacked and have virii. Although Windows has more of the latter.

I use Windows exclusively and won't touch the others because:
A) Far greater driver support
B) Far greater market share(almost all), usually I wouldn't care about this, but in the case of a platform it means.
C) Far greater software support.
D) I can go to any shop, build my own computer with specs of my choosing using off the shelf components, install Windows 7 and straight away all the drivers are up and working(albeit I update to the latest GPU drivers)

To me, the convenience of driver and software support is worth the risk of virii and malware because with all the added security features these days it's actually the most secure OS, it's just the most targeted at the same time and I have yet to pick something up myself(I don't visit dodgy websites and download dodgy stuff).

Almost any software you'll find is made for Windows, and it's effortless finding any software to do exactly what I want it to do, install without fuss and work as it is supposed to.

Windows: It just works.

[Brian d marge]

From my point of view, I see it most clearly as:

A) Anyone can use Linux, Windows and Mac OSX regardless of skill.
B) All three are easy and simple to use, whilst having more advanced stuff for the more tech heavy. Anyone can get started off the bat just as quickly on all three.
C) All three crash, regardless of what you say, although I will claim Linux crashes less.
D) Windows has more virii and malware. Plain and simple, but that's a market share thing, rather than a software thing.
E) All three are insecure, can be hacked and have virii. Although Windows has more of the latter.

I use Windows exclusively and won't touch the others because:
A) Far greater driver support
B) Far greater market share(almost all), usually I wouldn't care about this, but in the case of a platform it means.
C) Far greater software support.
D) I can go to any shop, build my own computer with specs of my choosing using off the shelf components, install Windows 7 and straight away all the drivers are up and working(albeit I update to the latest GPU drivers)

To me, the convenience of driver and software support is worth the risk of virii and malware because with all the added security features these days it's actually the most secure OS, it's just the most targeted at the same time and I have yet to pick something up myself(I don't visit dodgy websites and download dodgy stuff).

Almost any software you'll find is made for Windows, and it's effortless finding any software to do exactly what I want it to do, install without fuss and work as it is supposed to.

Windows: It just works.

So it should the price you pay for it

I just left mouse click , install and it just works , cost? Zero , Nadia , and in 7 years of the alternative , not a virus yet , 3 or four junk mail in my gmail account

Stephen

[ac3_snow]

+1 for mac!

[SMOKEU]

Windows: It just works.

Except for the almost daily BSOD and random restarts several times per day, none of which happen with Ubuntu on the same hardware.

[Suntoucher]

So it should the price you pay for it

I just left mouse click , install and it just works , cost? Zero , Nadia , and in 7 years of the alternative , not a virus yet , 3 or four junk mail in my gmail account

Stephen

Hah, only scrubs pay for Windows, MSDN and MSDNAA supremacy. Speaking of which I have a few spare copies of Windows 7 Pro.
How long did it take to set it up once it was installed? Including drivers for everything, WINE and installing the basic software that you use on a daily basis etc.

Installation of an OS isn't only the time it takes to put it from disc onto your hard drive, else people wouldn't think twice about formatting.

Except for the almost daily BSOD and random restarts several times per day, none of which happen with Ubuntu on the same hardware.

What is this? 1999? Last I had of either was Windows ME.

You can't use the same arguments AFTER they're a non-issue.
Else I'll accuse Linux of not having a GUI and still being keyboard only, and running next to no software. WINE hasn't been around forever.

Anyway, it doesn't happen to Ubuntu because it doesn't run the hardware in the first place. Linux still has daily issues with getting Wireless running and GPU drivers for all manufacturers.

Then on top of that you either have to run Linux native software, which is next to none and garbage, or WINE it which is usually hit and miss.

[Bald Eagle]

What is this? 1999? Last I had of either was Windows ME.

You can't use the same arguments AFTER they're a non-issue.
Else I'll accuse Linux of not having a GUI and still being keyboard only.

Anyway, it doesn't happen to Ubuntu because it doesn't run the hardware in the first place. Linux still has daily issues with getting Wireless running and GPU drivers for all manufacturers.

Then on top of that you either have to run Linux native software, which is next to none and garbage, or WINE it which is usually hit and miss.

Open your other eye and I can show you BSOD's on every version of windows up until Windows 7. Not sure about Windows 7 'cos I'm not wasting my time with it.

[Suntoucher]

Open your other eye and I can show you BSOD's on every version of windows up until Windows 7.

Alright, show me multiple computers after Windows ME that have daily BSODs that are software errors. I'll go downstairs and see if I can get the Windows Vista computer to BSOD daily, will also try my XP laptop, or my step mothers Windows 7 laptop.

Might pop into school(AUT) and try all of their laptops, as well as any of my friends. See if any of them have daily BSODs.

But yeah, show me. I never said they can't happen, it's just a very rare case to have daily BSOD's and if someone is getting them they're an idiot. Because they either have a hardware fault or need to just reinstall a driver. The former would be a problem on ANY OS, the latter is a ten second fix, two minutes if you don't have the driver on hand.

Not sure about Windows 7 'cos I'm not wasting my time with it.

So you're making baseless accusations?

Actually serious though, would like to see you pick up any Windows computer and make it daily BSOD. Hell, make it BSOD at all unless you've prepped it first and manually corrupted the drivers. I'm free up til class on weekdays, could try and make mine BSOD if you like.

Extra points if you can make it crash or BSOD doing something Linux software can do.

[SMOKEU]

Anyway, it doesn't happen to Ubuntu because it doesn't run the hardware in the first place. Linux still has daily issues with getting Wireless running and GPU drivers for all manufacturers.

Then on top of that you either have to run Linux native software, which is next to none and garbage, or WINE it which is usually hit and miss.

As far as wireless networking goes, I had enough problems using it with Windows XP that I gave up on the idea of a wireless network. I decided to run a network cable through the attic and drill a few holes in the ceiling. I've never had a single networking issue since.

I can run all the software I need on Ubuntu, except for games. If I didn't play games, I'd happily see the back of Microsoft forever.

I connected some webcams and a printer up to my computer while running Ubuntu, and the hardware works perfectly well without having to manually install any drivers for it.

[Suntoucher]

As far as wireless networking goes, I had enough problems using it with Windows XP that I gave up on the idea of a wireless network. I decided to run a network cable through the attic and drill a few holes in the ceiling. I've never had a single networking issue since.

I can run all the software I need on Ubuntu, except for games. If I didn't play games, I'd happily see the back of Microsoft forever.

I connected some webcams and a printer up to my computer while running Ubuntu, and the hardware works perfectly well without having to manually install any drivers for it.

That's also part of the problem, you're comparing the latest Ubuntu to XP, a 9 year old OS. Compare it to Windows 7, because if someones trying to decide between buying Windows, or downloading Linux, why would they buy XP?

Hell you may as well say you couldn't find drivers for Windows 3.1.

Compare 9 year old Ubuntu(didn't exist, Ubuntu first came out in 2004, could at least compare Ubuntu 4) to Windows XP.

Or compare the latest Ubuntu to Windows 7.