Why would anyone use Windows?

[Skeptic]

Sat here, Ubuntu set up and it works like a dream.

Bought a external HDD - plugged it in and it worked straight away.
Have a lovely looking desktop theme which works the way I want it to.
It's quick, free and simple to use.
Have a newsreader set up, music player, video player, connected to wireless and an office suite is bundled with it.

Why, when I can get all this for free would I want windows (excluding gaming...)?

I can't think of any reason to keep my XP dual boot. Can you?! Well, one reason is slow transfer rates over MSN but I will cope with that as I use it, say, once a year!

Tell me why the world doesn't use this...!

 

[mr.sly]

You answered it yourself. Gaming.

 

[MikeHunt79]

Certain software only works with windows such as photoshop.

Still, I find virtualbox type software allows me to run photoshop and bbc iPlayer under ubuntu with no problems. Games tho require a reboot.

 

[Skeptic]

Only a niche of PC users would require the ability to game, I would imagine. Not the majority, certainly. I also think about how much money companies could save using a *nix based system.

Also the amount of programs which are Windows only are becoming less and less. And with Wine, some which are Windows based are now available on Linux. Seems like now a Linux version which is simple enough for the average user to comprehend, it might pose a threat..not a big one (yet) but I feel MS can't ignore it forever. The annoying ginger stepchild of Windows has been hitting the gym and is becoming ready to fight.

 

[rjk]

well windows caters to corporate solutions better
most corporate software is built around windows versions or windows compatible software

 

[brummie]

It's the power of advertising.
You buy what you see. Most people i speak to have never heard of linux. Apple and Windows is all they know of.

 

[Mobius 1]

i guess, there is a small lack in programs, like say...if i wanted an alternative to amarok (not that i would!) there isn't much out there that matches it, or betters it. but on windows, there is always an alternative to WMP, even if you havent heard of it or seen it. thats my only gripe i guess.. other than that i would possibly think of completely switching over to linux. but not just yet, i will do probably in a couple of years when it gets a bit bigger/better.

 

[Barrybear]

if linux went gaming mainstream i would be there no question

 

[Frapple]

You answered it yourself. Gaming.

+

well windows caters to corporate solutions better
most corporate software is built around windows versions or windows compatible software

Especially when it comes to email, exchange in particular.

 

[Appsenser]

This is the most one sided dicussion i've seen in a while. Linux is not ready for the main stream at all. It's biggest problem is choice too many distros with too many different choices in libs, makes it nearly impossible to create packages for apps that will work on all distribution and driver support is dismal.

I read a blog the other day about a guy who is proud of his mum or wife or gay life partner or whatever for installing a wireless driver under Ubunutu and connecting to a wireless network. Big whoop my mum done that on Windows like 4 yrs by pluggin in a USB device followed by the cd and kept pressing 'next'.

Also, I hate it when people moan on about the Windows default install footprint and the unnesscary services that run. Last time i installed Ubunutu, Hardon Henry or something stupid, it was about 5GB with like 5 different email clients, 3 different office suites. ridiculous.

The problem with linux supporters is they can't see that people don't want choice and this is the reason OSX is gain market share because there is one way, the Apple way.

 

[Rhys]

It took me ages yesterday to get Flash to work in PC Linux OS MINI ME. Ended up using command line stuff to install it. Linux is still too difficult to use.

Although free is better than paying for Windows. If piracy of Windows wasnt so easy im sure Linux would be a lot more popular.

 

[rsatd]

if linux went gaming mainstream i would be there no question

Linux is not the problem, problem is games developers do not want to waste time on porting to another OS.

Still, I find virtualbox type software allows me to run photoshop and bbc iPlayer under ubuntu with no problems.

BBC iPlayer works fine in Firefox for me... no need for other random software, just mplayer and firefox...

 

[Outcast]

if linux went gaming mainstream i would be there no question

I would leave...No question.

Games = Toys.

I have no requirement for a Toy O/s

 

[almichev]

Photoshop is another reason. Gimp only supports up to 8-bit images at the moment. Does anyone know of an alternative to Gimp that can handle 16-bit up?

 

[Vai]

The only reason I don't use Linux permanently is because the applications I use are Windows only, whilst most Linux applications also have a Windows version.
Wine is great but every time I use it there are always errors and problems with it running applications.

 

[riddlermarc]

I have to use Visual Studio and other MS applications in my job (home and work), that's why I keep my laptop dual boot. Some things (including gaming) cannot be supported as yet under Linux so circumstances dictate what OS to use as and when

 

[tntcoder]

I have to use Visual Studio and other MS applications in my job (home and work), that's why I keep my laptop dual boot. Some things (including gaming) cannot be supported as yet under Linux so circumstances dictate what OS to use as and when

Likewise, i keep an XP virtual machine for Visual Studio & development work.

 

[almichev]

I think fus is in the honeymoon period

 

[GarethDW]

I think fus is in the honeymoon period

Whereas apparently Appsenser is in the 'OMG she's been having an affair!' realisation period.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Because of the monopoly MS hold on the industry. How many machines that are bought have Windows already on them?

How many people love change?

The answer is within..