what do people have against linux...?

i still dont understand why peopple dont switch to linux. no viruses, free programs, i find it faster, more customizable, but yet 99% of the population uses windows. Why?

I honestly thought that it was more like a 70-30 split, but after being at university for the last few weeks i have seen nobody else with linux. Is it just that they dont want to configure it and stuff? or do they just not know about it? or are they just afraid to change?

i just wanna know what you guys think about this...

 

Well, about ten percent of the laptop users at my uni use some variety of Linux/Unix. Most people just don't know what it is, and most that do are afraid to try it.

 

I ask the same about Mac and OS X .

 

Because normal usage doesn't warrant Linux. Printers, peripherals in general can be annoying for the regular user as it may not work on Linux.

 

Gaming..I think that is what is limiting people from switching..

Mike.

 

It'll need a person with some techie knowledge about linux if he primarily uses Windows. Linux drivers for some hardware are not there, and most applications and games are not natively built for Linux, instead requiring an emulator. It is a double hassle.

 

Linux can be a great difficulty to get up and running to the same degree of compatibility as Windows (if thats even possible). Plus, theres the problem of having to configure nigh on everything and many people don't have the knowledge or time to do this. At Uni, I don't want to be worrying about the integration of my laptop with the library printers - I just want to print out my essay and get to bed!

I don't primarily use Linux on my laptop because my Vista installation runs a lot faster.

 

I don't know about laptops so much but for my desktop Linux is a nightmare.. Getting my X1800 ATI graphics card functioning on 64bit versions of Ubuntu and 64bit openSuse and on paid for Suse Personal 32bit has proved near impossible.. I may be missing something obvious but life's too short to keep banging your head against a wall!

I need something that works, and if it needs a bit of setting up time that's fine, I got used to that in the early days of Windows and DOS. But this issue caused me that many problems I gave up. (for the first time ever!).

There also isn't a native Linux version of the software I use (Adobe/Macromedia Creative Suite 3) so it would have to run through an emulator which I would presume (guessing) would hamper performance.

I would like to use Linux purely because of binning Microsoft etc but have yet to convince myself that I can run it well and troubleshoot any issues quickly without compromising my business by not being able to work for a few days due to downtime.

 

The main reason: It's a professional OS!
Check with the computer science and computer engineering majors and you'll find more users.

 

i think windows is simpler. if u want to access something or change something, say in the registry or just access a hidden file its much easier. ur also limited to what you can do with linux gaming is definetley an issue to. although i would say going from xp to vista is pretty damn annoying. so far im not a huge fan of vista.

 

Do what? In the registry? Isn't a plain text file a lot more accessible than the registry? Not to mention that you can back it up, transfer configurations easier, etc. The problem is that many people who are "advanced" Windows users get upset when their "computer" knowledge doesn't transfer to Linux. Linux is not Windows, and that's pretty much why most people don't use it. It's not what they're familiar with.

 

Its obvious some of you windows users have 1) Never used linux 2) Havent used some of the newer much more user friendly distros or 3) Just enjoy spreading some lies and hearsay.

A distro like PCLinuxOS, Sabayon, or Linux Mint will have literally almost everything working right off the install disk. Ubuntu, for legal reasons some other distros choose to ignore, is only a few clicks away from being fully functional. (It doesnt include some multimedia codecs because of certain laws in place). Linux is becoming much simpler. You dont need to browse the internet and have no guarentee of finding what you need to get something running or find that program you're looking for. You can use a package manager, it gives you a massive list of programs, drivers, codecs, etc. you click the install button, it downloads the program from the repositories and boom you have it and its all ready to use.

In Ubuntu 7.04 all my hardware worked right out of the box, printers, scanner, and everything. In my sabayon install, the only thing that didnt work was my scanner, but I fixed that after a little bit of googling. (Why is googling in my spellchecker lol!) Was not a pain in the posterior to set up everything

Its not Windows thats compatible with everything, its those driver CD's everything comes with that makes Windows compatible with everything. Overall windows native hardware compatibility is very low compared to your average Linux distro.

ISITIRIAIFIEI, why is the registry simple? Its very easy to mess something up in the registry unless you're a very experienced user. It takes a lot more knowledge to modify something properly in the registry than it does to set up a linux distro these days. Linux doesnt even have a registry btw. And you can disable hiding of files in linux just like in windows. Or if you want to do it the "1337" way, you can use ls -a in the command line to list all files.

And Vista faster than Linux? Unless you did something very heinous with your Linux install, I dont believe you.

I do give you all gaming of course. Very few windows games will run natively in linux. But developers dont seem to be taking to Direct X 10 as much as MS hopes for. Maybe this means there will be a push to Open GL development, so maybe it'll become easier to port games onto Linux and Mac? Maybe? Who knows. I for one hope so.

For the record, I dont hate windows, I hate Microsoft. Some versions of windows have been pretty good operating systems, like 98SE, 2000, and XP. I believe there needs to be more competition in the OS industry and linux and Mac need to carve out a larger niche for themselves. Hell, maybe even throw in a 4th large player into the OS industry. We need to keep things interesting and the competition high!

 

It's a gaming issue for me. I'd like to give Linux a try but I video games is one big thing I do on my notebook.
That and I'm lazy, I could have XP and Linus on my notebook if I wanted but I've been too lazy to do so. I have nothing against Linux or the people who use it (unlike lots of Mac users who are way too pretentious).

I'd say most people are "against" Linux out of pure ignorance.

 

Well for starters most people just don't need Linux being that Windows comes Pre-installed on Notebook PCs and OSX on MACBooks. There are very few Notebook or Retailers selling Linux Pre-installed.

Most people also do not know about Multi Booting. They think only one OS can be installed on a PC at a time. If more people knew about the option of Multi booting then more would be inclined to try out Linux.

And also the Complete difference in comparison to Windows turns a lot of people off. Not to mention Linux distros don't hold your hand like Windows. You won't see pop-ups driver for this and that not found, ETC:

 

Simply because 99% of the main brand computers (and nearly 100% of the laptops) come with some flavor of M$ Windows preinstalled.

People are lazy. If manufacturers provided the great majority of their system with some flavor of Linux most people would be using Linux. (and there would be fewer problems with driver incomatibility too, something that for me is still the weak spot of Linux).

They would be using it because it would come fully functional in their hands and nowadays it's no longer more complicated than Windows and it has a lots of added value too. You mentioned customization, more virus protection and free programs. I'd stress the 'free as in free speech' quality of Linux.

There is no EULA to agree with that entitle someone else to do what they want with your computer. But again, most people don't even bother to read the EULA of Windows.

Ignorance is bliss.

 

I've used Linux and Unix before, but on a personal and school computer, I don't want to mess around with the hassle of figuring out how to do it Linux when I already know an easy way to do it in Windows. I also use a tabletpc, and Vista is far and away the best OS for a tablet. I have no reason to run Linux again until I set up another webserver.

 

I think Linux is actually _much_ simpler to use than Windows.

I installed Linux for my parents (which don't have much computer knowledge) on their desktop. They get stuff done on Linux (such as putting photos from their camera on the desktop) more easily than on Windows. And when I am back in town to check on their machine, all recent security updates are there--whereas when they used Windows, I always had to patch non M$ applications for them--they weren't even aware that there are other updates besides Windows Update...

The big problem for non-technical users is that they don't have the confidence to install _any_ operating system themselves (hence the slow sales of Vista to users with existing machines).

So absolutely, as written above, people don't have anything against Linux, they would be fine with it if it came preinstalled and had vendor support.

 

Gaming and MSOffice. Consider the Office 2003 is the standard for document formats. 99% of the Windows installations out there run error free with no complaints.

The vast majority of games written out there are optimized for Windows.
Time is money. Why spend a few hours learning and setting up a new OS when the one on your current computer works just fine. There is a reason why Linux is more popular among the more technical know-how group. It is beacause it takes more know-how to use it. 95% of all people I work with will stare at me blankly if I mention words like "drivers" or "console." Plus most of the IT guys out there rather everyone use Windows. Honest poll of IT managers. How many of them would really rather Linux being used on their systems?

 

I think Linux is a great idea but I do get the feeling that it is still in it's infancy in regards to small business and home users. It's just not geared up to that market in my opinion.... yet..

My dream is for Adobe to release a platform independent collaborative OS for design/publishing etc lol..

 

You also have the people that believe that Windows is superior because you have to pay for it...it's the stupidest reason, but there are people that think that way.

 

yeesh, the real question is, what do you have against windows?
i'm a software developer and have had experience with redhat and fedora. and i can easily say that i would rather install windows than any linux distro on my personal pc. why?
on windows, i can play games, the software that i want to use works, peripherals like my camera, printer, they all work! i have not had any problems
what does an average user do anyway?
play games, surf the web, watch videos, listen to music, chat, make an occasional paper/presentation.
what does linux do for an average person that windows cant?

linux is more secure? i have not had any viruses/worms/trojans/etc on my personal windows pc. what more security do i need? the time, knowledge, and effort it takes to secure your windows pc (updates/firewalls/antivirus/ad blocker) is insignificant in comparison with the time, knowledge, effort it takes to even get linux up and running.
"hmm, my cd drive doesn't work... why didn't i think of typing 'mount'?"

waveblade said it best: Because normal usage doesn't warrant Linux.

 

I think you're trolling, sikidhart. Because you obviously haven't used any recent distro of Linux. I do everything that you state there, and more. And I too am a software developer I've found most developers don't really care or know about the system. They just know the programming language, not how it truly "works" in the context of the larger system. Those that do realize how much more elegant the Unix system design is.

Point for point: The software I want to use works, too. I plug my camera in, it's detected. I don't even have to install some bloated management suite or drivers. Ditto with my printer. And my scanner. Guess what? My scanner doesn't even have working drivers for XP, barely with Windows 2000. And it's a 2400DPI, USB flatbed scanner. All of your things the "average user" does are more than possible, and even easier to do on Linux. It comes with a chat client installed that works with multiple services, games are already installed, more are freely accessible and easily installed, and a full office suite with full functionality.

Linux IS more secure... we don't have any viruses/worms/trojans and don't have to run any software to scan for it. You claim you don't have any, but how can you be sure? If your user runs as administrator, then there's no way you can be sure.

Updates? Don't make me laugh. Check every single program on your machine to see if there's an updated version, search it out on the web, download it, run the updater, delete the installer, hopefully nothing breaks. I use Windows, too. Linux? Go to your updater, click "update", click "upgrade", wait a few, and you're done. No comparison, especially for your vaunted "average" user. BTW, I haven't had to type "mount" on my Linux machines in years now. I stick a CD in, it appears on the desktop. I plug in a USB thumb drive, it appears. What happens when you stick in a USB drive in Windows, it shows as detected, and... you can't find it? I've had it happen more than once, that Windows chooses a "drive" that's already allocated. Windows is NOT without flaws, and when they show themselves, it's almost certain that your "average" user can't fix them.

Normal usage doesn't warrant Windows. The only reason it's easier for you is that you are using your learned skills in Windows, and don't have the same skills in Linux. It's easiest for the complete newbie and HIGHLY advanced user to switch to Linux. The hardest people to get to switch are the "power" users who have too much invested in Windows knowledge to eat a little crow and go back to being a newbie for a little while.

 

don't start getting hostile dude, i have no other motives than to voice my opinion. all im saying is that i have had no problems with windows. it does what i want it to do. i don't try to edit my registry to cheat the 30-day trial of some software then later complain that windows blows.

i believe the first thing i said that windows can do was games so no you don't do everything i stated. no those pre-installed games do not count.
"and more"? what more does an average user need that windows does not/cannot provide?
since when is software that comes with the operating system considered a bonus? no matter what browser windows or linux comes preinstalled with, im still gonna use opera. ditto with winamp, vlc player, yahoo messenger, etc.etc.. having a full featured office suite is of little consequence because i will still be using microsoft excel. windows supports a lot more software (even free ones) than linux does so it doesn't matter what it comes preinstalled with.

and by the same argument, you also do not have the same skills in windows as you have in linux. your scanner's drivers are not working in windows? well mine does. and by my experience i haven't encountered anybody else who has a scanner that didnt work in windows. you might just be unlucky.
i am sure that my pc is currently virus free, i am sure that my files are safe, and that i can still do what i want to do on my pc. sure, windows gets viruses, but that's like saying bicycles gets flat tires so go switch to skateboards!
there are a lot more people trying to sabotage windows with viruses (linux users perhaps? hehe joke) and the like because there are a lot more "targets".

and linux ALSO HAS flaws, and no, average users can't fix them either.

all im asking is that you stop trying to demonize windows. i have no affiliation with microsoft whatsoever. but with the way you guys are bashing it, one would think that there weren't real hard working PEOPLE working for microsoft, with good intentions. you make it sound like they are deliberately sabotaging their own product.

chill and don't try to feed crow to anyone who disagrees with you.

 

yeah, i don't care about the operating system, i care about the software that runs on it, and all the software that i use runs on windows, regardless of its elegance or inelegance

 

What I don't like about Windows is DRM.
http://badvista.fsf.org/

If they remove the DRM and/or make Windows open source, it might actually be good.

 

Yeah baaad vista.

I really think that linux can do anything that windows can... even games (with some work you can get them to run). I used windows for ages now, but I'm learning linux and once I get enough knowledge on it, I'll get rid of windows for good.
By the way, I'm loving archlinux

 

One of the reasons I switched to Linux after being a Windows user for almost 15 years was that I don't like having Windows shoved down my throat. If you go out and buy a new PC on the computer, what's going to be on it? Do you have a choice? I found that if you dig a little deeper, you do have a choice.
Now I can do just about everything in Linux that I was doing before in Windows (well I'm not a gamer, and there are a few products I use that don't have full Linux support at the moment so I have to make due) and it sure is nice being able to run on only 512MB and not having all your memory taken up by a bloated OS plus a bunch of spyware/virus monitors that you pretty much have to have constantly running.
If more people used Linux as an alternative to Windows, game and other software publishers might have incentive to follow suit.. however, the caveat in my opinion is that if enough users were on Linux for it to be considered a mainstream thing, the people who create viruses and malware might follow.. after all, the reason they all target Windows is that 99.9% of the idiots out there are using it, and for that matter a lot of businesses and government operations use it too.

 

I play counterstrike source on linux fine, there are actually quite a few games that work just as well on linux as they do on windows

actually i disagree with this statement, id say i ahve about the same knowledge of windows as i do in linux, and i can do so much more with linux because how its designed (linux isnt really trying to prevent you from doing anything like windows does), and with the viruses? i dunno how you can have none, i have gotten attacked just by connecting my internet before, even with no applications up (on windows) and if you have no viruses, you must not really do much on the internet to have no viruses.

id say im an average linux user and ive been able to edit my xorg.conf file and fstab files and more without any difficulty.

we werent really demonizing windows, more like asking why people dont use it, and take advantages of its benefits.

 

just installed a alpha version of Gutsy (ubuntu 7.10), and it was my first 'real' experience with Linux.

right off the bat - it takes a ton of information sourcing to get everything working straight out-of-the-box. i had to search around for drivers for my wireless (on a Latitude D630), then decide whether i wanted to install 'restricted' drivers or use some ndiswrapper variant. next, gutsy's developers decided that compiz-fusion doesn't play nice on the X3100 platform, so i had to source out the reasons why (flaky drivers) and ways to overcome it. next, i was really, really dissatisfied with the font rendering on Ubuntu, and that took another hour of searching/terminal use to set right (thankfully, the final version of 7.10 should have it enabled by default). the biggest sin? there's scant support for Santa Rosa right now, and many people have had issues getting their sound working. it took upwards of two weeks of constant searching, tears and surrenders before i finally found a guide to compile my own driver package. i won't even get into my initial horror with grub neglecting to automatically input my windows partition. that scared me for a few minutes...

and that gets to the main 'problem' with it right now - its still a bit too close 'to the metal' for most users, who won't be able to wrap their heads around the heavy use of the terminal or installing 'packages' and the like.

after all that though, i'm loving the overall feel of linux with compiz and emerald installed. it runs comparably to my Vista install, except for some horrendous javascript performance, and i'm just as likely to boot into linux for random web browsing/IM as Vista at this point.

 

This shouldn't be a Linux VS Windows Thread, cause I like them both. Each OS has it's upside and downsides. There's things I can do in Linux that I can't do in Windows and Vice Versa.

If your satisfied with Windows, then so be it. But if you want more possibilities then give Linux a try, it really not as hard as most people make it out to be. And best of all it's completely FREE.

Again I recommend Wubi for newbies to try out the REAL experience of Ubuntu with out Partitioning your HardDrive. Live CD doesn't offer REAL experience IMO, so this is better.

 

Mac is Linux.

I've tried to use linux in the past, but my family uses my PC and it always confuses the heck out of them, so they constantly ask me to do stuff which annoys the heck out of me, so I end up uninstalling it. I tried explaining GRUB so they could use windows, but even that didn't work. Now that I have my own laptop, I'll probably install a distro on a 2nd partition.

 

That's nonsense. That's like saying that Jesus was a Nazi.

 

lol, grub was too hard? thats ...really bad lol, but why didnt you set it so that it booted windows automatically for them?

 

I'm a 3D artist, graphic designer and gamer. Linux has few applications with the power and grace to suite my design needs, and it's not too great for gaming/3D.

I'm a system admin in my job, so I respect Linux's use as a server application and for databases, but for other aspects... but it doesn't have the tools to support my needs. Windows XP/Vista and Mac OSX cater to that need.

 

inkjammer -- have you seen Blender? Might do what you need. There's actually a good variety of open source creative software for Linux. Sure, Adobe's bundle might be better, but it costs a ton, locks you into its formats, and restricts your choice of platforms. I'll take Free software on Linux any day.

To the people who are considering moving to Linux: *Please* be careful with hardware selection. It will make the difference between day and night. Simply choose hardware that is known to work with Free (as in speech) drivers, those with open specifications, and you will be fine. Some might see this as a disadvantage, but I disagree. Hardware with Free drivers benefits everyone in the long run. A modern distribution with such hardware will be very easy to use.

 

Snag is these formats have become industry standard... you try sending artwork, packaging artwork and publications to any major (and not so major) print/repro house in anything else! If you look at their print specification sheets you'll see the lists of accepted formats is getting shorter and shorter.

Free image manipulation/publishing/design software on Linux is fine for everyday office use but you'd be hard pushed to find it in a professional design studio.

 

That's somewhat true, but I don't think we all necessarily have to sit back and accept that. Ultimately, printers and manufacturers need to accept the formats that the paying customer wants to use. Right now they normally want Adobe formats, true. A compelling case can be made that open, free formats benefit everyone (including these pro printers), so we just need to keep on educating people on that point as the opportunities arise.

For now, it is possible to find printers that accept Free formats if one looks hard enough.

 

Actually the printer sets the requirements period not the other way round. I do work for pharmaceutical companies and typeset magazines among other things and we have to supply the artwork in the format that the printers require, using different formats just doesn't come into the equation. We would just be wasting our time, as we would get the artwork back with the request to change it into format X or get handsomely charged (hundreds of £s) for some other company converting it and then have to go through the hassle of proofreading it again to make sure no errors have crept in. The extra time and money this would take makes it unfeasible.

It may be possible to find printers that use open formats but not in the industry I work in. I've been a typesetter/designer in the UK for over 12years now and the only way to get a platform/software independent way of getting a printer to accept your artwork is provide the full colour separations myself, which is a nightmare!

I agree education is required to raise awareness of other options but when you're a small fish in a big pond you have to go with the flow!

sorry if I'm wandering off topic here but file formats and software and being unable to self maintain a linux system as quickly as a windows based system are the reasons I avoid it for work.

 

Threads like this are often started by people who installed some Linux distro the day before and who haven't tried to do anything serious with it yet. Come back after a few weeks of use.

The problem with Linux for general use is that you need a very controlled hardware environment, with everything, including peripherals, chosen specifically for Linux. Otherwise, too many things just don't work. Moreover, a lot of that free software is not maintained much, and is almost permanently in beta. This is true when you get beyond the big players like OpenOffice, the Mozilla programs, etc.

In a university environment, as in most business environments, notebook/laptop computers are where it's at, and Linux cannot keep up with them. You can usually install a distro fairly easily, but then little by little, you realize that some of your laptop's handy little functions don't work in Linux, or you need to scan something and you find out the scanner doesn't work in Linux. There's always something. On a laptop, I end up scrolling horizontally a lot. I really rely on the tilt-wheel wireless mouse for this. Guess what? Only the mouse's basic functions work. Tilt wheel? Forget it. Disabling the touchpad? Maybe, maybe not. Cardreader? LOL. Modem, nothing doing (yes, I sometimes need to use a simple modem). Wireless networking? Works on some laptops, but it's kind of sketchy rather than the seamless integration of wireless that is built into the Windows laptop combinations. Simple things, but it's the simple things that are often problematic in Linux.

Then there is the "free" aspect. Yes, there are many free Linux distros now. Good ones too. But while they may be "free" in terms of cash outlay, they aren't exactly free if you count your time as having some value. Until you have actually used Linux for some time, you have no idea what you're up against when it comes to solving problems that crop up.

Almost all of the good open source or free software you would really use in Linux are available for Windows just as easily. And the Windows version are usually the latest, while Linux users use outdated versions until their particular distro updates its version.

For most people, it's just not worth the aggravation. I have Linux on my laptop, but there's no way I would delete Windows. But hey, if all you want to do is to type text, no problem.

 

You need a very controlled hardware environment for any operating system. Try installing Windows on, say, Apple hardware. Without Bootcamp, you're outta luck. But, you also get a lot of things that DO work in Linux, and just won't under Windows. I dare you to get my HP 5200c flatbed scanner working with Vista. It works perfectly with the absolute latest version of Linux, just plug it in and open up Kooka (scanning program). And it has for years. The main issue with Linux support is that hardware manufacturers don't care about it, don't open up the specs, and write drivers only for Windows that are then completely abandoned, especially in the case of laptops. What version of the video drivers are you using on your laptop? Something from laptopvideo2go or omegadrivers? If not, when was the driver set last updated? How about keeping your software up to date... is every program on your computer up-to-date? Each application programmer has to make their own update checking utility, thus wasting "real" development time, and making you have 15 bazillion updaters running every time you start your machine, onr for Adobe, one for Quicktime, one for Java, one for Realplayer... I just hit "update" and every single program on my Linux machine is upgraded to the latest version. You still have to work around failings in the Windows system of doing things, and thinking otherwise is putting blinders on. Yes, there are things Windows does well, but I think a lot of people who don't "get" linux are people who know Windows and work around it's quirks without a second thought, whereas working around Linux quirks all of a sudden becomes a show-stopping issue.

But hey, keep using Windows. I personally just don't like being inspected as a criminal just for using my computer, and don't appreciate the DRM infections that are inherent in any Windows install. Oh, wait... yet another thing you just have to work around in Windows.

 

I agree with Starling on certain points. Linux, being an open-source OS, takes longer to release drivers to keep up with the new technologies that comes out every year. With laptops I have found this to be especially true, since their rate of technology development and release is much faster than for desktop hardware. For example, my 2yo Satellite A70 had everything working (including 3D acceleration, Steam, and CSS) with an ATI GPU. But the distro in question (Ubuntu Feisty) was running on 2yo hardware. Now, Ubuntu won't even boot on my new laptop. It'll probably be another 2 years before my HP can load Linux well, and by then it'll be time for a new laptop! Desktop users, on the other hand have it easy!

 

BTW, OS-X is based on freebsd not linux.
With regard to linux being behind on driver support, for most new hardware maybe. Check out the Nvidia Linux drivers, I do believe that there is support for the latest Nvidia notebook graphics chips.

 

Can you download something to a folder and double click it to install it easily? Will it show up in your menu right away? That almost never happens and is why people get frustrated.

 

And that is why people fail. Did you read the stickies? If you expect Linux to work like Windows except free, you're going to be disappointed. If you expect to learn how Linux works and enjoy the freedom, configurability and power of the system, you'll be quite happy. Linux is NOT a free version of Windows, no matter what you want it to be. It's a free operating system that has it's own benefits and drawbacks, but overall I feel it has many more benefits and many fewer drawbacks than Windows.

As a more direct counter-example, can you start up a program in Windows and quickly download software that is integrated with your system, tested by the manufacturer to verify it works with the system, for pretty much any task you can think of? And then expect that software to be updated right alongside the rest of your computer's software? That's why people get frustrated with Windows... it takes a lot of manual maintenance if you have more than one or two programs installed

 

Pitabred is right. Windows is more difficult to maintain because Microsoft's definition of an operating system is a platform on which 3rd party software can be installed to give Windows functionality. This is why installed Windows programs are so integrative into the Windows system; by default, a fresh Windows install has no functionality and must be augmented with 3rd party software vendors in order to become the Linux distro: an out-of-the-box operating platform that is ready to work for you.

Not only does Microsoft's approach to program management and OS structure essentially cheat the user from getting a functional OS (which I think most people would agree is what contributes to a good OS) for the money they paid, but they must then pay more money to make the OS actually useful. How many people think that this is ridiculous?

On top of that, the integrative, centralized Microsoft approach to programs in Windows makes the OS unstable; the registry is such a fragile file that one mistake can render the entire OS useless, and this is particularily risky when you are allowing 3rd party software vendors to essentially muck with the guts of your OS.

 

...posts like this are most often started by people who have only used linux for a day or two. I have used it for four years now, and the only reason i started it is because i cant seem to persuade my friends to use it, and i dont understand their reasoning of refusing it, so i asked you guys to see if it would become clear.

really? my brand new laptop works pretty well under fedora, and im waiting to see what the new release of ubuntu has in store. The only things that dont work are the card reader, fingerprint reader, and webcam, but i dont really use any of that anyway so its not a big deal

EDIT: my memory card reader works now :O fingerprint reader still doesnt, but i have yet to try the webcam

yet another great point of why linux is better

 

because 99% of the people are still in the Matrix and dont want to free themselves, because are Blinded by AERO effects.
Its all about the money, Vista Ultimate 240$,
Some little programs , Antivirus, Video Editting, Photo Editting, Burning Programs - how much just for entertainment use???

 

I have to disagree. Open Office is a click or two away through the built-in IE. Same goes for Arcrobat Reader or Java. And most other applications too. This is not much different than "apt-get" and for some not so free stuff(like java), it is actually easier to install under windows.

So are some device drivers(say nvidia or ATI).

I didn't pay anything for software on my machines(both XP and Vista came with the machine and I cannot get any money back even I don't use them). I use Open Office for document editing, GIMP for occasional photo editing(there are other choices too).

What typical applications that is in a linux distro that one must pay to use on Windows ?

 

You missed my point. I was talking about out-of-the-box functionality; can a fresh Windows install do word processing? Does your video card work? Does your wireless card work? What can you actually do with a fresh Windows installation? That is my point.

 

There is a word processor built in to windows, not the best admitedly but it is there. Graphics cards do work but like most things they work better with the latest drivers installed. Wifi is an iffy one, some work some dont.
Really (depending on which version of Windows you install) you can type, surf the net, listen to music, watch DVDs, use instant messaging including webcam (if you have one), play a limited selection of card games, chess & mahjong, look at photos, edit photos (to a very limited degree but it is possible to get fair results with perseverance)... so as a result of being able to type, edit photos, surf the net you can build yourself a website! This is all from a fresh installation of Windows.