Alcides Fonseca - Windows not that bad!

Marco

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:11:31 GMT

imo it's equally easier installing LAMP or WAMP. As for other kind of applications, linux (debian based at least) is better by far. No freeware software full of spyware and crapware attached, and a rating based system where you can find any application for your needs. I mean, no need to have a CD with Nero, another with Office, etc.. No need to search for video drivers and players in the web. It's all there, just choose from the list and install. I never needed to compile anything and you have .deb packages where you just double click to install. It's really just that, no need to choose where to install, what name, etc, and they are automaticly added to the relevant menu on install. Updates are centralized in one place for all applications and OS, so you don't get any annoying messages. You don't have to restart the system in every update. Driver wise everything usually works out of the box, including sound (it's my main problem in every XP installation). No need for adware on anti-spyware or anti-virus. Another plus is you can costumize easily every bit of your OS desktop, freely and with plenty of choice (www.gnome-look.org). Of course windows XP is a relatively good OS imo and unless you really value the advantages of linux (or ubuntu), it's actually pretty decent. For me the big advantage of windows is software, especially the one from Adobe and the .NET framework. As for the rest, I really don't miss anything else.

Mario Lopes

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:06:10 GMT

The LAMP stack was only an example. Pick a software. The whole system. Everything can be updated/upgraded using apt-get/yum. Windows is not nearly close to the powerfulness of such a package manager. I didn't get your point about the Compaq/HP monitor. Of course I was talking about paying the software, I do not condone software piracy. What I was saying is that if you buy a laptop Asus (for instance) you'll get a installation CD that contains a Norton Ghost image of Windows with drivers for that particular laptop. So you can't just take that CD containing Windows and install it elsewhere (suppose your laptop dies) and have the system read out-of-the-box. As for rescuing girls friends, yes that happened a lot! Fortunately my girlfriend has a Macbook so I never had to any kind of intervention :-) Smart choice of her eheh.

Alcides Fonseca

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:54:30 GMT

Well, using Windows supposes you have money. So if you have money to buy windows, you'll have money to buy a new multi-function printer :) (I never gave any cent to MS btw). As for WAMP ( windows + apache + php + mysql + postgres + python + phpmyadmin + mysql and postgres admin software) it takes just one download and 3 clicks. Beated :) As for GIMP, I just don't use it. As for the out of the box experience, it's the same of having a compaq computer (I had one and my father another) and they come with a CD including the windows and drivers (called QuickRestore), probably HP doesn't make them anymore, nor sure. When you use then, you have your computer just like you bought it: Ready to run (just like Apple). Yes, you are paying for the OS, but when you buy a mac, your are also paying for os X... As for linux, with the lastest Ubuntu, I didn't have a out of the box experience with my desktop. There are still many hacks needed to make things work (see my post regarding it). As for antivirus and stuff, I never had a female friend asking me to format the drive due to virus problems. As for guys, you should already got the cause.

Mario Lopes

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:33:49 GMT

Everything has drivers for Windows! This is far from being true. Actually, it's partly true. There might be a driver from a certain version which doesn't mean it will work with the next one. My father, for instance, had a very Epson multi-function printer and the scanner drivers were only for Windows 98. When he upgraded to XP there were no more drivers supporting this printer. As for installing software, doing it Linux flied from one of the most painful tasks to one of the easiest ways. You can't beat apt-get/yum install apache php mysql gimp. Period. As for out of the box experience, you don't get. Format a Mac computer and install OS X. _Everything_ will be installed. Drivers and a couple of good applications. Install Windows and there's nothing. Some laptop providers give you an image but then you're buying the OS and you can only use it on that computer. That's non sense. With OS X, as long as you have the installer DVDs, you can have a true out of the box experience with any Apple hardware. Same applies to Linux, except with laptops, which is still far from being a out of the box experience (but it's getting there). Finally, regarding the virus, spyware, malware, etc.. you can't make a point using your example. Pick your parents or non tech-savvy friends and you'll see if they'll a virus or not. Moreover, I'll bet if they were using Linux or OS X they would _not_ get a virus :-)