[PLUG] Rumors that Windows 7 will kill Linux...

[Word Wizard]

I doubt that very much. Why I switched to Linux and won't switch back 

I was a confirmed Windows user. Windows 2000 did everything I wanted in
its day. Much better than NT 4.0. After Win2K got a little behind the
curve for me I moved up to Windows XP Pro. That's when it started.  

I had a 64 bit processor but if I opted for the 64 bit XP, I would be
forced to give up most of the non-Microsoft software I had gotten
accustomed to because it  would not run on XP/64.  I settled for XP/32.
Some drivers would not install properly, forcing me to reinstall, hack,
etc. The Windows OS update model can best be described as painful, time
wasting and prone to mistakes. Windows security has always been
horrible, even with NTFS. Then the ultimate insult. After shelling out
decent money for XP Pro, I had to jump through hoops to clear the
Microsoft anti-piracy regime! Even worse, because of Windows' file
backup model and its gradual Registry degradation, I could not just load
it and forget it. I had to periodically reinstall Win XP. Going through
the same obnoxious Windows update and validation regimes over and over
again. Until I received a notice that due to the fact I had reinstalled
my copy so many times, on-line validation would no longer work and I had
to call and beg some anonymous Microsoft employee to turn on the
software I had paid for!  

In the middle of all this, I tried a copy of Ubuntu/Gutsy Gibbon. For
the first time, Linux actually installed easier than Windows. It even
found my Motorola cable modem and installed the proper driver right off
the bat, something Windows XP would not do without some work, even with
the modem CD. I could take advantage of a 64 bit system. Gutsy installed
a plethora of powerful applications for free. Getting even more,
everything from  video/audio/graphics editing to powerful text editors
to network tools was only a simple GUI away. Compared to XP, updates are
simple quick and competent. And NO jackboot validation torture! I'm on
Intrepid now an eagerly awaiting Jackalope. 

That's not to say Ubuntu is perfect. Solitaire sounds randomly quit in
the middle of a game although the sound driver continues to work
everywhere else, forcing me to close out the game and restart. KDE puts
Win Vista to shame with its GUI and application integration but that
Evolution/keyring requirement has GOT to be changed. Who decided that I
must enter a password to read my mail? KDE also needs a better selection
of screen savers (nitpicking there). KDE's faults are not important
because I usually run Gnome and can select XFCE, IceWin, Blackbox,
Fluxbox and God-knows how many other window managers right from the
login screen. Security is as tight as anyone needs, without any
extra-cost security suite. The biggest hassle I've had is getting Google
Earth to work and even that is easier than getting XP to work with that
cable modem, once you know how.

Oh yeah, did I mention that if I do run into trouble, as I did with
Google Earth, all I need do is paste the error messages into Google and
dozen or more Linux sites pop up with the fix. Think Windows Knowledge
Base squared.       

Windows 7 kill Linux? That I gotta see! 




On Mon, 2009-03-16 at 00:16 -0700, Michael Robinson wrote:

> Googling around to try and educate myself about this Windows 7 
> thing, I'm running into a lot of claims that Windows 7 will kill 
> Linux on the Desktop.  Based on what exactly?
>