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Story: How to talk to Microsoft about Linux

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Posted by: Ben Noble (Wednesday 16 June 2004, 2:24 PM)

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Since we seem to be having a Linux Vs Windows debate...
The standard Linux GUIs are awful, even the ones made up to look like a windows desktop are nasty to look at. And thats just what they look like. Actually using a program to change settings in Linux can take forever if you dont know what you're looking for. It might be fine for the professionals and those who have used Linux for a long time (lets face it you can always drop back to the command line), but Linux will never gain a large share of the desktop market whilst it is this badly laid out. Windows on the other hand looks fine (not great), and is generally very easy to use (if it was always very easy to use then I wouldnt ever have to use RegEdit or TweekXP).
And I dont care what any of you say, Windows XP is stable... My desktop was rebooted a total of 10 times in the last year and a half. A few of those occasions were from installing drivers and software (annoying that I had to reboot, but they werent crashes), and the rest I will admit were probably Windows having a stroppy moment after I've been using it to do a thousand things at once.
I used to have Linux installed as well... It was a pain in the proverbial, since drivers for half of my hardware werent available or were buggy (my screen for instance used to go blocky, my modem didnt work at all, and it was never worth the effort of switching my printer on). I'd like to think that I tried my hardest to get everything to work, and being a CompSci student who needs to know about Linux and Unix, I put all of my skills into experimenting with settings and software to fix the numerous problems I was having. Needless to say I couldnt do it, and therefore I'm back on Windows, where everything works and I dont have to make compromises...
My point is, that Windows is more user friendly, and therefore will have the larger market share in the desktop world until the Linux GUI is redesigned from scratch and hopefully not cocked up this time. In the meantim, Linux and all other open-source stuff is easier to patch, slightly more stable, and has a large support community through the internet so can continue it's dominance in the server market until Microsoft start coding their O/S better.
Until then, as a home user I will be continuing to use Windows XP, which I find to be fantasticly stable, easy to use and a nice to look at.

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Full Talkback thread

Story: How to talk to Microsoft about Linux

  1. I am sorry to have to be the one to break your bub... Michael Kingston
  2. Hey Michael Kingston! You should check your f... Another 'Linux Zealot'
  3. this is the first time ive posted here, i don... kre
  4. Well, sorry to burst your own bubble, but I'm afra... Mathias De Maré
  5. That isn't true. Windows isn't secure and it has t... Anonymous
  6. Oh, and something I forgot to mention: the fact th... Mathias De Maré
  7. i'm sorry Mike, but you need to learn and use Linu... Edward
  8. Linux is the kind of operating system that has suc... J Hill
  9. "You should very well know that not even 1 percent... paleo
  10. All these arguments about security and which OS is... Allister Jenks
  11. There is much ignorance about the issue of Linux a... Henry G
  12. Actually, its the arrogant attitude of superiority... Anonymous
  13. This article is interestingly biased towards Linux... Derek R.
  14. haha this is getting funny. Whoever posted this an... Raab
  15. This is a crazy article, so obviously biased that... John Allen
  16. I agree with John Allen. This article was poorly g... David Wright
  17. Sigh... It's a straightforward article really. Ask... Arthur B.
  18. To Anonymous USA, the network administrator. We ar... Jack Mac
  19. Don't forget to ask about the cost of CAL (client... Dan Kegel
  20. Not to mention, on the interoperability front Can... Anonymous
  21. I like the idea that one linux club came up with.... Jerry Watson
  22. Since we seem to be having a Linux Vs Windows deba... Ben Noble
  23. Oh, and to illustrate my point about the User Inte... Ben Noble
  24. I am going to introduce you all to a concept that... Anonymous
  25. After reading these messages, you see M$ shills sp... Kiko
  26. Wow Derek. Spokken like someone who chooses someth... Jeff Stone
  27. Just a response to Kiko's message.... "Newsflash:... Ben Noble
  28. Cheri
  29. Response to Ben Noble - I believe your aversion to... David Morgan
  30. Ben Noble - As for example provided... It is not a... David Morgan
  31. Mike believes that the "reason Microsoft has more... Qaz Zaq
  32. I have used Windows 95, NT, 98, NT4, 98se, Me, 200... Qaz Zaq
  33. Hmm, I use both. I've been around personal compute... jimcooncat
  34. Dear: Ben Noble I would like to thank you, I find... Samuel Warren
  35. "My point is, that Windows is more user friendly,... Ben Noble
  36. I just read this web page: http://www.microsoft.co... Ian MacGregor
  37. It's just beginning! Kikki Bona Sijabat
  38. I'd like to tell microsoft a idea i had and was th... Anonymous
  39. we have been using the internet and this sign abou... Anonymous
  40. Site - very comprehensive and meticulous from all... Phentermine

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