Will you ever go back to M$ OS?

[Pathos]

I still prefer using windows for home use, its much faster. Linux is just fustratingly slow with a gui. I never have had spyware/virus and it only crashed because of nVidia Desktop wizard which I fixed by turning it off. If you know what you're doing there's plenty of free software to protect you. (AVG, ZoneAlarm/Sygate, HijackThis).

I'm getting Linux for intellectual exercise really, Win XP provides everything I need, is completely stable when I use it and is much nicer to use. It also has a more diverse range of free software available (esp games).

I can't stand MSVS (especially .NET) its too busy. I use MinGWStudio and if I have to use MS I edit code in Notepad2 and just compile it.

[MarathoN]

I wouldn't bash Windows if I didn't see a problem with it.

At the moment, it is running fine (Windows 2000 SP4).

But in the past, I have had major problems with it, it's nice to be able to switch into Linux to get the stability it provides, without being annoyed by frequent program crashes and freezing.

I have no problem with it at the moment, yes, it does what I want it to do perfectly, but so does Linux, without the annoyances that Windows gives me.

I am currently evaluating GNOME 2.6 on Slackware Linux 10.1, and so far, it is a LOT faster than both WindowMaker and Fluxbox.

As I have said previously, I am having no problem with Windows at the moment, but I know that eventually I will, and when that time comes, it is nice to have something on the side to use that is both secure & functional.

Another point to make, Linux is very good for keeping your data secure, which is something I like to be able to do from the offset, instead of spending a long time "securing" Windows just to store my files there. :thumbdwn:

[Kintaro]

How can you say "I was young" when you're 16 year old?

Earth to idiot: err... I am seventeen years old, I am 18 years old in a month.

[/font][/color]  
See, I was reading through some of the posts and was surprised reading some of the nonsense (sorry, but that

[DBX_5]

If you ever encounter this situation:
fresh install of a windows operating system. connect to the internet. with in 5 minutes you get virus's .

that's the problem.
ps- wings you're awesome. except some things.
Forums are for posting. Not writing books. IF you want to write books, go to wikibooks and complain there.

[Kintaro]

Am I insane or did the last line of your post there make no sense at all. This is a forum for discussing and debating and all those other things that come with having opinions, oh who knows maybe thats just my opinion.

[worker201]

blahblahblah

So, you use Windows because she uses Windows, and she uses Windows because they use Windows, and they use Windows because that other guy over there uses Windows, and he uses Windows because it came on his computer when he bought it.  That's a pretty shallow and shitty reason to do something.  You are basically looking at this marketplace that Microsoft created for you and saying "I guess it will have to do".  That's your choice, I guess, but personally, I think that the marketplace can and will provide better options than what Microsoft wants to spoon-feed you.

By the way, not everyone here is a kid.  I'm over 30, and I learned how to program in BASIC and Logo back when most of the forum members were zygotes.  I grew up on Win 3.1 and Apple II.  And I have since learned how to live without Microsoft by choice.

[MarathoN]

I can backup that, worker201.

I may be 16, but I grew up on an Apple Macintosh Elsie 475, I have used a variety of systems, including RISC OS, Spectrum ZX, Atari ST and Commodore.

When I was introducted to Windows 3.1 (at the age of about 6), I really liked it, but of course, until I actually noticed the problems with Windows, I enjoyed using it.

But nowadays, I am a lot sharper, and I see the problems with Windows, which is why I prefer Linux over Windows.

[Kintaro]

I have been programming in BASIC since I was 6 or 7 years old, so blow me old fart.

[MarathoN]

Looks like this 'old fart' got pwnt.

[Kintaro]

Wouldn't be the first time I was blown by an old fart either.

[WMD]

Looks like this 'old fart' got pwnt.

Either that or he was a drive-by troll.  We've gotten those before.

[dishawjp]

Ok, I gotta respond to this thread.  Although I read this forum regularly, I don't post a whole lot lately.

First of all I am an "old fart."  I'm 53.  And I've been using PC's for at least as long as Wings.  And I did start with using Microsoft software.  DOS 3.3 to be exact.

Secondly I will not go back to using Microsoft.  OK, I do still have a Win98 box at home, old and slow enough to not be worth updating to Linux.  I do use it once a year to do my taxes, and maybe once or twice a year for other reasons.  But when that thing dies, it will not be replaced with another box running Microsoft.

And I do have to eat and pay bills and do not see myself as a "revolutionary," just someone who needs good reliable software to get his work done.  My "main" home computer is a FC3/FC4 dual boot.  At work, my full time job, (Director of Facilities for a college) I will shortly be running NLD (Novell Linux Desktop).  I also have a part time job as a New York State Judge and my court has been running Fedora Core for years.

I don't do non-linear video editing or any intensive graphics work, so those particular things are not important to me.  I do need a good office suite, and OpenOffice meets my needs there perfectly.  I do like to play CD's when I'm working, and although as a practical matter, I rarely watch DVD's on my computer, I do make sure that I have the ability to do so.  

My wife prefers Linux to MSWindows, altough for quite a while that was a bit of a battle.  A couple of years ago she had to do some work at home and wasn't able to open her MSWord document on our Win98 box with MSOffice97.  Her office had upgraded to MSWord2000.  I showed her how to work with it in OpenOffice on one of my Linux boxes.  Then she found popup-free tabbed web browsing.  Pretty soon I had to build her a decent Linux box or I'd never be able to use mine :-)

My kids have managed to do pretty well for themselves without MSWindows.  My oldest daughter runs Fedora, my younger has a dual boot Slackware/FC4 PC and a G4 Mac desktop.  My oldest daughter graduated college a few years ago, never used MSWindows or MSOffice and has a great job.  My youngest daughter has a 3.8 GPA, is studying neuroscience and already has grad schools offering her full tuition, housing, and stipend scholarships and she still has another year of undergraduate work to go.  Oh, yeah, she doesn't use MSWindows or MSOffice either.

Now to respond to the troll Wings:

Now kids, let me tell you this; most pros in the fourties like me don't waste their time on forums like these.

Fair enough

People have a choice as which OS the should use? No, people don't always have a choice and that's the whole issue. The fact is that it's almost impossible to use Linux without touching any Windows software, unless you

[worker201]

Nice work, Jim!

Of course not everyone has Void Main to help them out.  Or, more to the point, not everyone realises that there are great knowledgeable helpers like Void Main out there.  Really, Linux is like having 5 or 6 personal advisors for every program on my computer!  If you get into the community and report bugs and ask questions and watch mailing lists, you'll be Linuxized in no time at all.  As I have said before, the learning curve of Linux is only a problem to the stupid and lazy.

[Jenda]

I cannot but agree with the last two posts. Nice work indeed.

[dishawjp]

Of course not everyone has Void Main to help them out. Or, more to the point, not everyone realises that there are great knowledgeable helpers like Void Main out there

That's true.  Without the help I've received from Void Main and so many other people on the various Linux forums, I probably would have not been able to completely convert.  Or, if I still had made it, it would have been a lot more difficult.

But then I don't claim to be a "network engineer" or a computer guru of any sort.  I'm a heck of a lot closer to "Aunt Tilly" or let's make that "Uncle Oscar" than this guy claims to be.

I use computers to get stuff done and really don't have any formal education in computers, operating systems, scripting, or anything else.  A lot like your typical MSWindows user.  Except I did make the effort to move to a better OS.  

I guess what I really want to say is that for *most* typical users, Linux can do everything that MSWindows can.  Also, if a Linux system weren't more reliable and easier to operate and maintain (once you've gotten past learning the basics) I might still be using MSWindows.

When some clown represents himself as a computer expert of any sort and starts bashing Linux like this Wings guy did, then I have to jump in.

Jim