Posted on 10/30/2009 1:02:46 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
These topics came up yesterday during my interview with Curtis for Network World's Panorama Podcast series. It was an interesting conversation with someone who has crossed over worlds, from Microsoft employee to free software advocate. But it raised as many questions in my mind as it answered.
(Excerpt) Read more at networkworld.com ...
Why Windows 7 will crush Linux
By Ron Barrett on Fri, 01/09/09 - 3:04pm.
7 can’t do worse than vista, i’d think
This is impossible because Linux killed Microsoft in 2003. We all know that. It was predicted confidently.
MS has representation on many standards bodies. The last thing we need is another operating system from MS right now
Somewhat off topic, but saves me from having to post a vanity.
I have a EeePC (701) with Xandros Linux, Firefox 2.0 and Flash 9.0.
The newer EeePC has GNU Linux. I was wondering if anyone knows how difficult it would be to make the switch to GNU Linux and upgrade to Firefox 3.5 and Flash 10??
Don't worry--looks like it's vaporware, anyway.
The XP virtual machine (that comes with Windows 7) appears to work pretty well, although you have to run Windows Update to bring it up to the latest. It actually starts with Internet Explorer 6!!!
It's WinXP SP3. You would think that Microsoft would at least have brought all the other packages to the current release.
LOL!!
LOL!!
I can’t answer your question directly - but you have the terminology mixed up. Xandros is a distribution (so that makes sense.) Your use of the term GNU Linux doesn’t. GNU software is part of every Linux distribution. Perhaps you mean Debian or Ubuntu? These are distributions that are FSF blessed (at least Debian is..) and Ubuntu is a Debian progeny.
I think there’s an Ubuntu distribution especially for the EeePC. You might check into that....
Love that site. :-)
Who says Microsoft won’t do it if the O/S market becomes weird and unprofitable?
Linux wasn’t anywhere near viable for widespread desktop use in 2003. However, 2009 is another story. There are distros (Mint in particular) that install and set up everything for the end user, including stuff like Flash and media codecs without any headaches.
The popularity of cross-platform open source applications like Firefox, Thunderbird, etc. make it much less of an issue to make a switch.
And frankly, I find Linux much easier to use. Everything in Windows requires memorizing or Googling some nonsensical method of navigating through a maze of windows. I find Linux much more straightforward.
To each his own, but as I said, as the cross platform applications gain popularity, so too will the willingness of end users to switch to Linux or Mac if they’re rolling in dough for designer hardware.
You do realize that was an April Fool’s joke, right? :-)
Yeah, but the response seemed appropriate. :)
Microsoft wins because people are used to it.
The author in the article makes several incorrect statements like Windows has ease of installation. I run Linux and Windows on all my machines. Windows *never* runs correctly until I load all kinds of drivers. Then I have to pay for all the software that runs on it. Sometimes the software costs $20 and does things Windows should just freaking do.
I load Eeebuntu on my Eee901 (for instance), and it just runs. No additional drivers and no additional programs.
Linux will never win simply because of the McDonald’s factor. The food may suck, but at least they know what it tastes like.
eeebuntu is what you want.
Seriously. Does Windows even have a LiveCD yet, so you can test it with your hardware?
I only keep Windoze in my Netbook these days. Every other computer on my network is running Linux. When I last installed Windows it was much longer and more difficult to get the system running properly. That may have changed with the new version though, so I can’t comment on that.
Windows has what they call a PE environment. It can be ( I think it usually is) a LiveCD.
I don’t know about Flash, but in most of the Debian based distros (like Xandros, Ubuntu, Mint, etc), you can install Firefox 3.5 along side of the default 2.0 version. You should be able to find it in your package manager.
Then, it’s just a matter of changing the default browser on the system and changing whatever shortcuts you’ve created to use the 3.5 and you’re good to go. Shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
Interesting. Good to know. Looks like a bit more of a headache to use than your standard *nix iso that just works as a LiveCD though.
Most Windoze installs go OK but the endless updates and "fun" with drivers is annoying on a good day.
The first time I installed SuSE linux a few years back, it was the quickest and most painless installation of any OS I have ever dealt with. It gave zero trouble apart from not working with a Linksys wireless card, there wasn't a compatible driver. Even under Windoze, the card wasn't that great either so I ran a cable.
Well, I don’t think it’s meant to be used as an actual OS. It’s more of a prep utility for the disks before you install Windows.
I’m a Linux Admin. While i think Linux is the best choice for Enterprise app and web servers, its still nowhere ready for the average user. While i haven’t tried Mint, i have loaded up the latest Ubuntu 9x version, and its getting better. But Linux just isn’t quite there yet. I’ll give Mint a try and let you know what i think. Not that you care. But from one geek to another.
thats why i run Ubuntu on my laptop, when I need a winblows program (rarely anymore) I have Virtual Box with XP Pro installed. Yes Linux is top notch nowadays. and it always works, unlike winblows. there is still however a steep learning curve for newbies.
I love linux live discs, they have saved the day for me quite a few times over the years when people bring me their crashed windoze boxes and need data lifted. I have a flaked out Vista box to tend to this evening for Friday night fun. I hate Vista. It doesn’t run here.
Why do you say that? Details?
Apple has it right by having its core based on unix/linix. MSFT should have done the same LONG ago.
Apple’s OS based on *nix works excellent. I do not, at all, understand the comment about linix not being ready. I am a unix admin from many, many, many years ago and it has been ready for ages.
I’m a Linux admin as well. I’ve worked with Linux web servers for going on 10 years now. :)
I didn’t use Linux at home until about a year and a half ago, when I switched to Ubuntu 8x. It was good, but not perfect. I switched to Mint this year. Mint is as close to perfect as I could ask for. It looks good, sets up easy, and it’s an offshoot of Ubuntu, so info found on their forums is 99% relevant to Mint.
There’s only one thing I really would like to see from Linux that just isn’t there: better support for multiple monitors. My 3 monitor setup is a little buggy with X. Nothing that’s a dealbreaker, but annoying sometimes.
The distributions just aren’t ‘user-friendly’ enough for installing some apps. Its just a hell of a lot easier to install software, not to mention, the availability of software. Remember, i am only referring to desktop users.
Isn’t there a problem with System 7? I read where during an install the PC keeps booting over and over and there’s no way to get back to Vista ...
Know anything about easy peasy?
Is that just a stripped down version of Ubuntu?
http://www.geteasypeasy.com/?menu=download
From Wikipedia:
Xandros Desktop is a Linux distribution.
Re: GNU Linux
I was just going by what the EeePC website says.
I think there is a problem with the 64 bit version....which is what I run...mint seems to have fixed it though...not sure how.
Timing is everything. Novell tried a similar transition. Remember them?
Ahh, yeah that can be problematic.
That’s why I ditched x64 and went with a PAE kernel on 32 bit. I was tired of reading about software that looked really cool but wasn’t out for x64 yet or had bugs (Flash and the Google toolbar for a while). I’m sure it’s better now, but I figured I’d give it some more time for 64 bit to become more of the norm.
I haven’t come across a 32 but app that doesn’t work, provided the proper libraries are installed. ldd + yum provides + yum install has worked for everything so far.
And this is on Fedora, which IMO has now caught up with windows (that is NOT a compliment).
Agree.
It will be tough since MS has so many manufactures bundling their software, to the exclusion of others, on new PC’s sold.
So it's easier than opening a menu, and clicking once, then apply?
Pretty nifty.
I’ve never found one either.
I never used Fedora. Something never sat right with me about the way they split RedHat into RHEL and made the home version of Fedora the testing ground/bastard stepchild. Probably an overreaction on my part, but that’s the way I always felt about it.
This is hogwash. Windows 7 works just fine. Linux is fine for those with a lot of time on their hands. Most people don’t.
Linux: It's the purple slice.
You still working with an old image of Linux in your head?
OK that’s for the desktops....now how about the server marketplace.?
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