Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials as a desktop OS?

[FatRakoon]

I once gave away a good handful of my licences of Vista, XP and Windows 7, when I was offered Windows Server 2008 with 10 CALs.

I thought I was getting a nice deal... Oh how wrong I was.

Anyway, after being forcved to use Server as a desktop O/S until I eventually bought Windows 7 again, for my PCs, I realised that using a Server OS as a desktop just simply isnt a sensible option. Not really.

There is so many apps that simply dont work in a Server O/S, sure, there are some great tools out there that do a fine job of converting the Server OS to a useable Desktop OS but at the end of the day, you cannot get away from what it is!

System tools like AntiVirus, defraggers etc are the worst, but also so many games and typically the ones I play, simply dont like being run on a server, and some simply wont install never mind play.

Free might very well be free, but in that case, why not go linux?

 

[loltim]

I once gave away a good handful of my licences of Vista, XP and Windows 7, when I was offered Windows Server 2008 with 10 CALs.

I thought I was getting a nice deal... Oh how wrong I was.

Anyway, after being forcved to use Server as a desktop O/S until I eventually bought Windows 7 again, for my PCs, I realised that using a Server OS as a desktop just simply isnt a sensible option. Not really.

There is so many apps that simply dont work in a Server O/S, sure, there are some great tools out there that do a fine job of converting the Server OS to a useable Desktop OS but at the end of the day, you cannot get away from what it is!

System tools like AntiVirus, defraggers etc are the worst, but also so many games and typically the ones I play, simply dont like being run on a server, and some simply wont install never mind play.

Free might very well be free, but in that case, why not go linux?

Assumed the OP would be just using browser/e-mail client and maybe a few other apps. Games on a server OS seems daft, unless you mean hosting a game server.

 

[AStaley]

Installing Server 2012 as desktop OS could be considered as a bit of fun, but far more trouble than its worth. What's so wrong with OSX that you can't use it, especially with the free Mavricks upgrade it's a great OS almost perfect for a student I'd have thought?

And why would a Uni provide a server OS to its students, doesn't seem practical.

 

[FatRakoon]

Assumed the OP would be just using browser/e-mail client and maybe a few other apps.

But again, Linux...
Unless there is specific Windows Apps of course, but as the OP does say, its given to him and so why not.

Games on a server OS seems daft, unless you mean hosting a game server.

I did read the original post before you editted and yes I agree.

For me, at the time, I didnt realise what I was getting myself into!

Win Server and 10 licences? - Wow, thats 10 legal copies of Windows for my 7 legal copies of mixed windows... I was onto a winner want I? - ok, so I know NOW, but not then.

As for hosting... Sure.

 

[Mr Jack]

Installing Server 2012 as desktop OS could be considered as a bit of fun, but far more trouble than its worth. What's so wrong with OSX that you can't use it, especially with the free Mavricks upgrade it's a great OS almost perfect for a student I'd have thought?

It's just not as nice to use as windows, plus some of the software I need for my research doesn't run on Macs.

And why would a Uni provide a server OS to its students, doesn't seem practical.

The Uni doesn't; Microsoft does. It's available on DreamSpark.

Anyway, I've been using it for a week now. The only issues I've hit were getting antivirus to install (fixed by installing Avast using Application Verifier) and getting the latest Intel HD drivers on (fixed by installing from the .zip'd version rather than the .exe). Games run fine and all the apps I've wanted work fine.

And it's so nice to be back on Windows after slumming it with Mac OS; it makes me smile every day.

 

[Mr Jack]

I've now been running this for seven months. Apart from the initial issues getting Avast! to install and the problems getting the Intel HD drivers on, I've not had a single issue.

It was a bit of hassle but it saved me the price of an OS. I consider that worth it, YMMV.