As the title says, why do you still use Windows? What ties you to that operating system?
For me there are probably a couple of answers:
- Games
- Ease-of-use
There are some games that just won't run on Linux or could potentially be a pain to get running (like under Wine for example). Although I've taken to playing a lot of cross-platform open source games like some of those found here, I do still like some commercial games, as does my family. Trying to get those games running on Linux just wouldn't fly, especially for family members.
As for ease-of-use, say what you like about Microsoft, and Windows, but it is an easy operating system to use. It kinda of irks me when Linux CLI snobs say that Windows is for idiots and that everything should be done on the command line. Oh really? But I don't want to have to remember 5 dozen command line switches, and take the time to get the syntax exactly right or my command will fail. Just like, I expect to get into my car, turn the key and it starts every morning. I don't expect to have to pop the hood every day and start tinkering just to get to work in the mornings. I don't think that makes me a bad person, and I'm certainly not stupid. The fact remains for me that although Linux has come a long way in terms of user-friendliness some things are just a PITA to get working, and I don't want to waste hours of my life R'ingTFM, essentially trying to guess if I'm doing something right.
As for other alternatives, I just don't like the Mac. I'm used to doing things in Windows and I find that I'm constantly tripping over myself on Mac OS X just to do the simplest things. I can't for the life of me understand why when you close a window, the app doesn't close. I guess it's just a different way of thinking but I find it irritating. In addition, that is to say nothing of my loathing of Apple; and people talk about Microsoft abusing their position of power?
Anyway... this is starting to sound like a rant and in danger of becoming a TLDR thread. 
There are reasons why I still use Windows and don't plan on stopping any time soon. What are yours?
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Windows Media Center is about the easiest, most affordable DVR there is (provided you already have a Win7 PC). Firefox Portable and Media Center account for more than 95% of my computer use; Firefox will run on anything, but Media Center only runs on Windows.
And if you use Netflix like I do then you're $cr3wed with Silverlight on Linux I believe, otherwise I'd run Mythbuntu or something like that.
Out of curiousity have you looked at MediaPortal?
for silverlight, there is an alternative called moonlight
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
but for .Net there is Mono, and does that work 100% for all .Net apps?
I could be under the wrong impression, but it's my understanding that Moonlight doesn't work with Netflix. If I'm misinformed then by all means tell me, as it means it's one less thing that ties me to Windows.
i am a linux user and i cant do hulu. what a waste of my money T___T.
Also when your internet connection goes down most ISP's tech support departments in the US perticularly AT&T (also known as AS&S) verizon (can you not hear me now) TimeWarner, comcast (co%kmast) and supprisingly AOL will refuse to help you if you do not have a windows based computer. some have a specialised APPLE department but thats not useful if you dont have MacOS running.
Also they keep making linux prettier but that is breaking a lot of functinality. it is annoying.
I do remember looking at the MediaPortal web site last spring when I was reviewing PVR options, but early difficulties have put me off PVR freeware completely.
I won't go so far as to implicate the entire genre of freeware PVR apps based on my one bad experience. I can really only comment on Media Center.
SONGBIRD
I HATE SONGBIRD. every mediaplayer should have a now playing list that can be modded but is not perminent. Songbird doesnt. it is hard and difficult to manuver around and make a NOW PLAYING LIST that isnt a perminent M3U as my tastes change day by day hour by hour.
On top of that it doesnt like my Tags. all my tracks that work fine in WMP WAMP and foobar and amarok are all FSCKED up in songbird (note i should state amarok 1.4 as 2.2 sucks)
more ranting later
Another app that has me tied to Windows is Microsoft Money.
I've been using MSMoney and KMyMoney (in a VirtualBox) side-by-side for well over a year, but IMO MS Money is much better. I'd be reluctant to give it up (even considering it's been discontinued).
It just works.
It is also something I have come to understand and to me using Ubuntu is a would of problems.
Load the App and Play :evil:
For me Windows is the best of both worlds - it can be as simple to use as you wish, and as technical as you need. I'd also guess that Windows-based software is most popular - eg. there's a great quantity of software available. Plus there's tons of documentation. I've never used MacOS so I can't say anything about it, but I did at one time try to install Ubuntu, just out of curiosity - and I couldn't. Something with my video card, after not finding any decent documentation for a couple of days I just gave up. My impression of it was that it's pretty much a guessing-game, which by the way Windows 7 seems be to also be. I loved XP, but Win7 is just flashier
I have to disagree with you there, I think Windows 7 is great! It needed to be too, after the travesty that was Vista. I think Windows 7 is the most stable version of Windows I've ever used, period.
One of the major gripes I have against Ubuntu is that it tries to make out that it's all superior to Windows in performance but to be quite honest I find it as much of a resource hog as Windows, if not more so. To be fair this is not strictly the fault of the OS itself but the desktop manager. I quite like Lubuntu as a lightweight distribution but it's not without problems as it's not been active very long. Until those problems get ironed out, it's not worth having as your primary desktop OS.
I'm still waiting for ReactOS, but I suspect we'll have people living on the moon before that is ready and Windows will probably be long dead by then.
You sir, have not heard of the 233 line patch
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/71328.html
That kind of implies that the patch is mostly useful for those with systems under heavy load. Loading and using GEdit shouldn't put your system under heavy load. I don't think all of Ubuntu's problems are tied to a single line patch.
Don't get me wrong, I like Ubuntu and it does make great strides into bringing that Windows novice user comfort to the Linux world, but it's a bit like Firefox; I don't think it's as amazing as some people make it out to be. People tend to jump on the bandwagon just because.
I agree about Win 7 being fantastic. I feel like it's a prettier, not-crippled version of Vista. I've had maybe two system errors of any kind since getting 7 a year ago.
I'm very familiar with Windows, and I can do pretty much anything I need from the GUI or command-line. I also like the range of software that's supported on Windows. I use Linux when I work on the computers at my university, and it doesn't feel the same to me.
Windows 7 fixed most of the problems I had with XP and Vista, and I don't see any reason to switch right now.
SWAG
I was given a laptop as a gift and was told that I wasn't allowed to install linux, even in dual boot >_>
Strangely enough though, after two years I've ended up liking vista better than 7.
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
my deepest sympathies.
You are a deeply disturbed individual. I wish you well.
Sort of reminds me of the time I had a Sony laptop with Win ME on it. At the time, everyone was hating on ME but I actually thought it was okay. Ultimately though, it was a cleverly disguised 98, desperately trying to be a Win 2K, but not quite getting there.
We had an ME computer in our house too for a while, despite the fact it was slightly buggy we never had any of these crashes or data loss problems that everyone else was talking about. Also, it was amazing at running old games, far superior to XP.
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
For all of that free software. There is far more windows software available.
I had to switch my EEE PC to dual boot because some of the familiar tools were not available in linux form.
For one thing, it is easy to use, and it's what I grew up on.
I do have my computer dual-booting on Windows and Linux. While I do use Linux sometimes, Windows is much easier for me to use.
For another thing, Macs are expensive. Even if I do get a Mac, Windows is still my primary operating system.
I agree with dwebb5 and real_decimic.
Windows has a wealth of free software, always has and probably always will. Even if it's not open source, there are still very many quality freeware applications out there.
One thing I struggled with when I first came to the Mac was finding equivalents for all my Windows software. I think the situation has improved a little now, however I find that Apple doesn't like to hang on to operating systems very long. I have OS X 1.04 (Tiger) and it seems like it's absolute border line these days for software. I'm sure it won't be long before 10.5 is the minimum and then I'll be scre..---SNIP---
I think I've made the point before, that Linux may be super-uber-configurable by editing forty-twelve* different configuration files but for the average user this just isn't useful at all. Linux has its uses but it's not for everybody. Even for an advanced user like me, sometimes Windows just works and that is what I want. Just like my car, I get in it and drive; I don't have to tune the engine and perform some delicate mechanics just to get it driveable.
*approximately
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
Like the article says, I need a car, not Legos. In terms of ROI, the payoff of becoming trained in Linux are insufficient to counter the productivity, train-ability, hardware compatibility and level of technical support of my current setup.
That article was the best thing I've ever read in anything related to Linux, thanks for sharing it
I stopped reading when I got to "Linux/motorbikes don't have viruses/doors". That basically says that Linux is inexploitable which is patently false. Every operating system ever made, and that will ever be made is exploitable. The question is why someone would want to do it. Windows exploits get the most coverage and media/public attention and that is what virus programmers want. Arguably it also has the highest number of novice users so it's much easier to exploit the user-base itself.
I really like Linux and as I've said repeatedly, it definitely has it's place but making false statements like the above is irritating and unproductive.
I think for games is a great operator system. Plus also is a bit cheaper compare to the competition LOL.
I love Windows
Jack O
this must be a typo :|
It's only cheaper if you're comparing it to Apple. The other competition is Linux, in which most distros are free.
The weird thing is that a computer with Linux preinstalled usually costs more than one with windows. The vendors install a lot of trial crapware on a Windows box to bring the cost down. If you buy a new computer from a store, you're sure to spend some time removing garbage from your system.
I only use windows as a means of destroying computers. Take that any way you want.
Lead, Follow, or get out of the way.
Such as throwing the computer out of one?
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
My use of Google indicates that I am insane.
because so far it did work most time somehow ok.
I use linux too, but when I see what the latest update of ubuntu made of it, well back to windows again. New distros of linux have a GUI which would belong rather to a smart phone then anything else, build in advertizing engines and so on. No thanks, not for me this way.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I grew up using windows and prefer to use XP, my brother has the same with mac, I installed ubuntu over dreamlinux for my sis after dreamlinux was a buggy replacement for vista basic which was a small laptop resource hog for nothing.
I find using a mac counter intuitive, because Im used to windows, although it makes mac no less a valid OS I just hate to use it or apple hardware.
Aside from that the availability of free, easy install and use, software and help articles for windows is another factor, although with improvements in usability for ubuntu bringing more users on board and having a very responsive community, the disparity here is slowly decreasing.
I do find that ubuntu and fedora have some software that cannot be easily (read cheaply) found for windows like electronics dev environments, that mean I run them virtually on my XP box sometimes, while neither of them could run photoshop at present, so here it really is a case for different tools for different jobs.
(Yes I know theres GIMP, but again with the "used-to-using" problem, GIMP sooo does not cut it for me!)
there's another one good reason why most people still use Windows: it's cheaper
sure Linux is offered for free but then again the problem is: Ease of Use?
hard to believe that back then, the Mac would cost cheaper than a PC but now it's the opposite. Mac is still good but not for those on a budget and only use a computer for basic uses, Windows would be your best choice.
not to mention you can even get it more cheaper and even for free when you get pirated copies (not endorsing piracy here)
when one is building their own computer it cost 300+ dollars just to buy a legit copy of windows. easier? maybe. cheaper F%*k no.
Ease of use. ha that makes me giggle. i cane from the Mac world to the Windows world and now i am in the linux realm. they all have their plusses and minuses. there is a learning curve for every os and i am always learning new information on every os i use now. you want simplicity in an Operating System? that doesnt exist. sure the Android looks simple and so doed the iOS but those hide stuff and features that would be useful to power users.
Why should i pirate windows? if i get caught i will either owe M$ money of have a gimped dead system. its not worth the risk.
If you already have a Mac (yeah, I know, a problem), OS X isn't that expensive. Both 10.6 Snow Leopard and 10.7 Lion (future) are only US$29.
So, the computer is expensive, but the OS itself isn't. And as far as I can tell, this thread is primarily about operating systems.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
My use of Google indicates that I am insane.