Why are people SO eager to get away from Microsoft?

All I hear all day on the internet are things like
"Get a mac!"
"Get firefox!"
"Get linux!"
"Get ubuntu!"
"Get openoffice!"

enough already, it seems like these people aren't in it for the programs they just want to move away from microsoft

 

oih and for goodness sakes, what is all this talk about a blue screen of death? I haven't had one since I upgraded to XP from 98

 

Microsoft has it's flaws, but it has its successes too...

Firefox...understandable as it is more secure and IE is nothing but a target for hacker crossfire...
Mac...no comment (I can't really...I don't use 'em)
Linux...well, right now Vista has a LOT of issues...
Ubuntu...that is a flavor of Linux...
OpenOffice...some people just need basic Office functionality and don't need to pay for a lot of extra's in MS Office

 

"Get a mac!" - looks better out of the box.
"Get firefox!" - more customizable, more secure.
"Get linux!" - free and unencumbered with drm.
"Get ubuntu!" - an os built on a community kernel.
"Get openoffice!" - does almost everything ms office does...but for free.

It's pretty clear to me why all the aforementioned apps and os's have fans. At one time or another, I've used each of them. Firefox, in particular, has been my primary browser for years now. And until I got office '07, I was quite satisfied with Open Office.

 

Mainly because Microsoft hasn't done its products to its worth...Microsoft charges so much for its products, has more than $40 billion for "free spending", yet Mozilla, the Linux community, the open source community and Apple made innovations in its areas, without spending billions or charging a lot.

You'd think with $40 billion, Microsoft would lower their OS prices a bit, but nope they won't. Apple's OS, Mac OS X, charges $129 for a feature-complete, full version. You can buy Mac OS X for less than a copy of Microsoft Office Student Edition. So they charge more than what everyone else charges, so you'd expect lots of innovative features. But many times innovation is more like imitation, products are delayed.

 

I think most people want to get away from Microsoft because:

a) They're a monopoly
b) Their software is overpriced
c) General negative feeling towards Vista
d) Viruses, spyware, and bloatware (pick your favorite)

But those are just a few reasons. Different people have different reasons...One of the reasons I want to try Linux is because of Compiz Fusion (look it up). But I don't "hate" windows - I use it all the time. And I've never gotten a blue screen or a virus since using XP.

One of the BIG reasons why people are so reluctant to try a new OS is because sometimes you have to give up your favorite piece(s) software. That's why you'll hear about people dual booting into Windows or using a virtual machine to run two different OS's at the same time.

 

Macs: Good for that 5% that uses them, there's a reason Windows is 95% of the market

Firefox: It's a great browser, but I personally prefer Opera

Linux: It's very user unfriendly, no commercial software, no games, it's used more as a moral statement rather than an OS

Ubuntu: Linux that's almost as bloated as Windows XP lol

Open Office: This is great. Some schools require kids to hand in .DOCs and a few hundred dollars for MS Word is highway robbery

 

Wow I think people are being bias and holding grudges
with windows 98 had TONS AND TONS of spyware and system crashes.. when I upgraded to XP I've NEVER had spyware or a blu screen of death so obviously they made improvements

I'd get a macbook if it weren't for the fact I hate using macs...

 

You've never had spyware? Or you don't know you have spyware...

 

I believe it is human nature. We usually take for granted with things that serve us well 90% of the time(without noticing it) then magnify the rest 10% we don't like to 100%.

Other than mac, I have used the other mentioned and while they are ok, they actually have more "nots or lacking" than microsoft's equivalent(for desktop, I like linux for servers 100%). IE vs Firefox may be an exception as both serve me very well, I just find IE to be more comfortable.

 

"Get a mac!" - only so few people say this...
"Get firefox!" - its more useful and more secure because of the lack of ie plugins
"Get linux!" - its free? and also these are enthusiasts
"Get ubuntu!" - look to get linux
"Get openoffice!" - its free and its only a little behind Office

 

I have used my XP for over 8 years without firewall or anti-virus program and recently try to run some of those anti-virus suite on it and didn't find anything flagged as bad.


I have another machine which has norton suite installed by default(comes with the machine) and it never flag anything for the past 5 years or so.

So I can only assume I don't have spyware/virus.

 

I just feels like Microsoft are starting to show that they are a big lumbering company, and can not seem to get things done. Like Sam said they had several years, and billions of dollars in development capital to make Windows Vista, and is still playing catch up to OSX and Linux in terms of security, and innovative desktop experiences.

Sure if you are a reg user who does not care much about computers, just cares about using them to get the job done then Windows works. But a lot of the people here enjoy using computers, and are constantly looking to improve the experience.

The main reason I support some of the projects you mentioned is because they are better. But also because these free projects have fueled advancement nearly all by themselves.

Think back a few years ago. IE just killed Netscape, at that time Microsoft said they were not upgrading IE anymore because it could already do everything a web browser needed to do... Then Firefox came along and lit a fire under their ass. Now all of a sudden IE is an important project to them again.

Imagine what Windows would be like if they did not have Linux, and OSX nipping at their heels? Do you trust Microsoft to keep innovating and make computers better for us? Because I feel that they will simply do whatever will help their bottom line. So I support open and small projects whenever I can.

So it's not that Windows in fundamentally bad or does not work. It's more a moral thing, I enjoy using computers I care about how they evolve. And I do not trust Microsoft to lead that evolution.

 

Guess it doesnt matter then eh?
no slowdowns
I run adaware and things like that too

 

Yes the reason is that Windows is pre-installed on nearly every PC sold. And most of the applications developed are for Windows. That's it. It's not better, or easier to use, or more secure, it's just pervasive and familiar.

I do not hold grudges against software because well it's a piece of software. But I do not like the way MS conducts itself, and I try to support them as little as possible.

Obviously Windows is a huge part of computing, and I use it everyday. Like I said I do not have a problem with Windows, it Microsoft.

 

Err, did you read what I wrote?

 

All I hear all day on the internet are things like
"Macs are a rip off!"
"Firefox crashes!"
"Linux is only for geeks!"
"Ubuntu is for losers!"
"OpenOffice sucks! It doesn't save in .doc by default!"

enough already, it seems like these people don't care about how comfortable their computer experience is, they just want to whinge.



I use the programs listed because I think they're better, period.

 

Exactly. Please don't say "there is a reason" if you have no understanding of the reason to begin with. When you bundle an operating system on 9 out of every 10 PCs sold worldwide, it doesn't take much to imagine why that might be the most-used operating system on the planet. It's exactly the same story with Internet Explorer. People don't use it because it's good; people use it because it's the only browser that comes with their computers; because it's the only browser they've heard of.

 

"Get a mac!" - sorry i dont eat McDonalds, and the other one is overrated
"Get firefox!" - less vulnerable and much more customizable than IE
"Get linux!" - dont care for it
"Get ubuntu!" - see above
"Get openoffice!" - for peeps who dont have deep pockets to buy the real one

other than all that the hate on for MS has been going on for ages. As there will always be ones who hate/dislike those who are on top (richest company) and/or ones that have taken advantage of their position to advance in the business world. ie: MS has done a lot of things that have created unfair competition.
You'll have to go back to the browser wars (IE vs Netscape) being bundled with new puters and see how MS muscled their way into almost everything they touched.
But theres lots who hate Apple/macs as well so theres lots on both sides. Apple deserves theirs just as much. In fact they ask for it lol

 

"Get a mac!" .....Better UI for starters. I'll give you other reasons when I actually get a Mac Pro with Leopord But for now hear is a link: http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/

"Get firefox!" ..... MUCH faster than IE, crashes MUCH less, it's the King of Add-ons/Extensions. When it does crash or PC crashes, when you run it again, it has a restore back feature and load up all the tabs to where it was before the crash or reset. IE doesn't do this and constantly crashes because of flash.

"Get linux!" ..... Better UI, more Freedom to customize UI & Settings (without any 3rd party software), Virus free, and most Linux Distros are FREE. Uses less RAM and crashes MUCH less. You don't have to worry about Adware/Spyware/Malware.

"Get ubuntu!" .... The Best Linux Distro and most User friendly. It's FREE and has a ton of FREE software ready to download instead of searching all over the net for it. Boots Up and Shuts down faster than Windows.

"Get openoffice!" .... It's FREE, does almost or everything MS Office can do.


And with the size of HardDrives now a days, everybody is getting into Dual-Booting. An Alternative is Better than just depending on MS.

I personally still "need" Windows for application & Driver reasons. But if or when Linux and/or Mac OSs are able to fulfill my computing needs completly.(which it is close to already). I will not miss Windows much.

 

or you don't have an internet connection, or your using crappy norton for your anti virus.

 

Nice point there. Yeah that is what MS does, they focus on a market put all they capital behind it, kill all competitors then screw with it until it sucks. Just think if Firefox or Opera did not come along. ActiveX might be the "Standard" technology for embedded applications, there would be no standard HTML it would just be whatever Microsoft decided to implement in IE, and you know they would have tried to kill Flash and Javascript before now.

And OpenOffice right now is helping to force Microsoft to open up thier specs for the office file formats so you are not locked into Office as soon as you make a document using it. They are pushing the Open Document format, and Microsoft is pushing their own "Open" standard.

Just when you think about what computing might be like if Microsoft had their way and no competition at all it scares me to death. So I pretty much only use MS Windows because I have too (and resent that a little), but I avoid their hardware, office software, and everything else I can.

 

Now Microsoft is trying to challenge Flash with Silverlight...I don't think they'll win though. Flash is the standard now. Same with Dreamweaver.

I think neither OpenOffice's format nor will XML win. Probably they collaborate (god forbid ) with a new agreed standard or they both revert to .doc.

 

BTW some of the nastier virus/spyware will not be picked up by a virus scanner after they get their hooks into the system. The first line of defense for the virus scanner is to look at files coming into you computer and try to identify malicious code before it is run.

As soon as a malicious piece of code gets executed on your computer there are many ways it can hide itself from the virus scanners and do it's work.

For example, that Sony Rootkit that came on many music CD's about a year ago, modified the very core of Windows so that Windows could not see the files it was installing. It then proceeded to monitor what music files you were listening too, or copying and report it back to Sony. The code was so poorly written that it would cause blue screens a lot of the time, and that is how it was first detected. That was from a company that we should be able to trust, so imagine what a hacker might do.

So if you are not running protection all the time you are at risk. And if you are not using Firefox, or Thunderbird (which I assume you are not judging from your first post) then you can have viruses installed just by visiting a website, or opening an HTML email in IE or Outlook.

EDIT: More to say

Also, if you are using a internet router then you have a firewall. Try installing XP then plugging it straight into your cable modem and see what happens. Before SP1 if you did this your system would get infected by a worm within minutes.

 

jesus do fat nerds still sit there on their computer making malicious viruses nowadays?

 

Yes they do.

 

Skinny nerd too

 

Doesn't matter if they do or not. There are enough viruses already out there that any unpatched system - read, any Windows operating system without a firewall and av program - is an infection waiting to happen. The best defense is to either protect yourself on Windows, or to find another operating system. Me, I like my XP setup, so I run a clean system. But the majority of people out there don't. Which is why viruses can be so effective.

 

Fat nerds? It's a highly profitable business any more. Think Al Capone era type gangsters fighting it out over electronic turf. Spreading spam at will, holding corporate websites hostage, funneling credit card numbers and such around, selling warez, all kinds of things. Owning a ton of other computers means you've got power to do all kinds of things, should you be so inclined.

 

And its very likely the antivirus companies actually hire hackers to create viruses...and then they quickly patch up that self-created virus to show they're the quickest at virus response.

 

The main people doing it right now are e-mail spammers. They infect your computer, take control of it, and use it as a proxy to forward spam e-mail from your ip address, and using your bandwidth.

Virus writing stopped being just about kids in basements trying hack their friends computers to look "l33t" a long time ago. It's a business now.

 

Ok now we are getting paranoid. lol But yes that is another popular theory.

And pita beat me to my point ;(

 

Yeah, that's pretty true. If not for viruses, anti-viral companies would soon go out of business. It's not as if Vista still falls for the same viruses that infected Windows 98.

 

The would be funny...
Gates: "Ehhem.. Most of the antivirus software won't have backwards compatibility."

 

Am running Dban on an old eMachines desktop as I type. Once the hdd is completely wiped, am going to make it a Linux only machine. My boys can use it to surf the Net, and learn a new system if they'd like. No more worries about using AV, antispyware etc, etc, when they're using the machine. Doubt they'll be able to do any real harm unless somebody decides there are finally enough Linux machines to bother writing and sending malware out hunting for them.

 

I can't tell you why other people are saying these things but I thought I'd give my 2 cents. I've been using Microsoft OS since dos 5 days. I've moved from Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 2000, XP, and now Vista (I used ME for a whole 5 days, what a POS). I've used a variety of Linux solutions Red Hat, Mandrake, Gentoo, Ubuntu, and a couple of others from college. I currently use Macs at work so I'm familiar with OS 10.3 and 10.4.

Out of all the Operating Systems I've used I would have to say I've been pretty disappointed with windows. Windows 2000 and XP are the only bright spots on Microsoft's resume (Other than Office, they done a good job with MS Office).

Currently I use Mac for work, Linux for Programming and Windows for Play. If Mac worked on regular x86 hardware I'd switch for everything but games. If Linux fixed a couple of nagging issues I'd switch for everything but games. Windows just doesn't do anything well, but it does everything ok. Linux does somethings really well and other things it is really lacking, same with Mac just not as much. Windows seems to do just enough to keep competitive.

Right now I'm using Vista and I wish I stayed with XP. I've had more issues getting things to work. In fact I was at a coffee shop two days ago trying to connect to the wireless network. I connected just fine but couldn't get and IP address. This issue only occurs with Vista. Linux and XP work fine, all I can say is WTF. Microsoft has a history of dropping the ball and people that are in the know are just fed up with it.

I'm a developer and I used to develop solely on the windows platform. I no longer do that, I now develop for other systems because Windows is an OS waiting to die. This is just my opinion but if Microsoft doesn't get it right soon they will be sharing the market.

 

ROCK ON! That is a perfect use for an older system.

 

Hmm, I wonder what the world would be like if Microsoft didn't dominate. Which OS would dominate the market? Would there be a dominant one? Somehow, I feel like Microsoft's lax position has really inspired others to outdo them, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

^ That's sort of like saying the US's penchant for invading countries with oil (and terrorizing millions of innocent people) has inspired the world to look for alternative sources of energy. Maybe it's just me, but it would be much nicer if we didn't have to see so much bad (in the computer example, the Microsoft monopoly and bullying business model) to inspire good. I appreciate the open source movement, and I truly believe it to be the way of the future, but that doesn't mean I'm thankful to Microsoft for decades of deceitful business practices...

 

eh, sort of. Hey, I don't like their business practices any more than you do, but they're a profit driven company. Personally I can't stand the idea that they charge so much for Vista and lately I'm starting to think that MS only changes or "improves" their products when the profits or dominance is threatened.

 

i Think odd people fourm keep suggested change such in such open sorce app instead fix issue with current program

 

Last I checked, all these anti-virus companies are more or less the same in handling malware/virus. Some may discover new ones a bit earlier than the other(and that is not as if it is always the same company come first) but all the other catch up pretty quickly.

So whether the program is crappy or not doesn't play a role here, if there is such a thing, it would still be flagged, may be a day or two later.

You are very right that a completely isolated machine is safe from these things though I have internet setup in pretty complex way.

 

Of course I have a router which is running as the firewall as well. And I never exchange EXEs with others nor download things in the wild that I cannot verify the validity, not even booting from a CD other than NT installation or linux I built. I deliberately hook SP1 to the internet when there was this interesting worm, just want to see how it works out.

As for first line of defense, it actually means nothing following your logic. What you have on hand(whatever anti-virus program) is only as new as the last update. So between those time windows, bad files can still slip in.

I only used firefox temperarily and switch back to IE 7. And only use yahoo mail or google mail and never used outlook.

 

I couldn't care less whether the world uses Windows or Mac.. In fact, I find it better that the greater majority uses windows. That means that people like me who use Linux primarily don't have to worry about viruses, worms, trojans and stuff..
As for the rest of the softwares originally mentioned, they have proponents because they are less resource heavy, and get the job done faster.. Case in point- Firefox.
Of course, Mac is a different ball game altogether. It neither is more efficient than linux (although it shares the same roots), nor does it play more games than windows. The most important thing about is it's ease of use.

 

That is one of the reasons I use it too.

 

mac actually has unix as its root, which is sort of like linux, but not really.

the gui is better, pretty much inarguably, which is saying a lot for something that is subjective. even though its a huge install, its obviously cleaner and sleeker than windows. its also equally fast. some people say "osx is slow!" but in reality, you can look up benchmarks, and they are equal performers (if the fight is fair- neither operating system can be running emulated applications)

however, the open gl support in mac osx isn't quite up to par with xp - and d3d is proprietary so osx doesn't get that at all.

that means that gaming is better on the pc. but other performance metrics go back and forth. mac wins some, windows wins some.

what you don't get with osx is the huge user base and games. HUGE software development (especially open source) for windows. serious cross platform work is still sort of in its infancy at this point... macs are great though. no doubt, but i still have boot camp and vmware fusion.

 

The guys behind BSD would jump up to the roof if they hear that BSD(that Mac OS X is based on) is sort of linux(even *nix) ;-)

So would be Apple guys. they have done on top of BSD.

 

i mean, obviously its not just unix... its mac os- there is a ton of work done on top of it.

but its "all that work done on top of it" - and it refers to Unix.

 

too pricey?, and people like to use other forms of os because they like that it is not microsoft, and having to deal with all their security problems, viruses and pirated. plus linux is mostly free.

 

Perhaps it's because in many ways, the above free software is actually better than Microsoft's often quite expensive equivalent.

Mac isn't free, but many people like it better.
Firefox is better in every way you can think of. And it's free. Everyone *should* switch to Firefox. Or Opera.
Linux (and Ubuntu) is better at many (not all) things. And it's free.
OpenOffice is decent, from what I've heard (don't use it myself), but for people who only need to write the occasional basic word document, it should do the trick, and unlike MS Office, it's free.

So it seems to me that there's nothing wrong with these suggestions. OF course, it doesn't really make sense when you take them out of context like this. I'd never recommend Linux or Mac to a gamer. And OpenOffice has a lot of shortcomings. But if you have a problem with people suggesting non-MS software out of some general principle.... well, you're wrong, simple as that.

Oh good, I suppose that means they can't possibly occur, right? Because if you don't have a problem, no one else can either...