To those who still have Windows, when can you get rid of it?

[DrTaylor]

I'm shocked. No one's mentioned watching TV On Demand - it usually requires that you be running Windows.

Also, Spore is not installing horribly well in Wine. Which sucks.

[meepster]

I'm still somewhat new to Ubuntu, so I hope to eventually resolve some of these problems, but for now I use Windows for the following:

1. Java applets in Firefox. My work requires me to use a Java applet, and I have not yet been able to get Java running in Ubuntu.

2. MIDI keyboard interface. I do have Rosegarden and I've been trying to get it to work, but my MIDI keyboard has a USB interface and Rosegarden doesn't recognize it.

Also, I'm noticing that the sound quality on Skype is much worse in Linux than in Windows. My microphone is getting input, but it's barely audible.

-meepster

P.S. I am in law school, and graduate next year - and I also notice that there are very few law-specific applications in Linux. The Windows applications I used this summer at my law firm internship were slow and buggy and unpleasant, and I really wish the open-source community would do something in that direction.

[BLTicklemonster]

I'm shocked. No one's mentioned watching TV On Demand - it usually requires that you be running Windows.

Also, Spore is not installing horribly well in Wine. Which sucks.

I keep xp on the laptop so I can watch netflix on the 50 inch upstairs. Hate it, but that's easier than dragging the wife's box (ooh errr) in from the back room and hooking it up.

[Jeenyus]

Full Tilt Poker is pretty much the only thing keeping me from going 100% ubuntu. I haven't tried running it under WINE, I've heard mixed results and I'd rather be 10000% certain about the stability when my money is involved.

[jaqie]

The answer to this question is both simple and complex.

Ive come full circle with my OS of choice on IBM compatible computers (I started before there was such a thing, with the TRS-80 and such).
I started with DOS, hated 9x, tried and experimented with *nix, became infatuated with FreeBSD and ran it for about a year, then windows NT 5.0 and 5.1 (commonly known as 2000 and xp).
Over this full circle I have realized one basic thing: I know how to install, manage, and maintain OSes that are extremely hands on like BSD... but in this day and age there is *ZERO* reason you should ever have to get that deep into an operating system if you do not want to. Most end users want a PC that operates as easily as a toaster, and you know what? despite being an X pc technician and power user, I do too. I want it to "just bleeding work(tm)". That is what NT 5.x on good hardware with good drivers does. Thats what any end user targetted OS should do.

Once there is a linux distribution (or other OS) that "just bleeding works(tm)", is as configureable and compatible as NT 5.x via a cohesive set of GUI only controls, and runs what I want to run without trouble when I want it to run without tinkering and fidgeting (especially in consoles), I will switch entirely, even if the linux distribution (or other OS) is not entirely free.
So far, the closest thing I have seen seems like it will be ReactOS.

[Sub101]

For me its once i start university and can be sure I won't have any compatibility issues. Im not really expecting any but the last thing I want to do is format windows and find i need it. (I have no disc)

[rockface]

I'm shocked. No one's mentioned watching TV On Demand - it usually requires that you be running Windows.

Also, Spore is not installing horribly well in Wine. Which sucks.

'...it usually requires that you be running Windows.'

This is not a Linux problem, but a DRM problem. Microsoft (and Apple) has touted it's own DRM solutions and many of the 'TV On Demand' brigade bought into the hype and paranoia. This is a barrier to any of the *BSDs becoming a mainstream consumer OS also.

'...Spore is not installing horribly well in Wine...'

This is a relatively new game, give Wine a chance. World of Warcraft was just the same and now works adequately under Wine (correct me if I'm wrong).

Having said all that, why do you think many of even the most die-hard anti-Microsoft types still keep a Windows partition around?

[jaqie]

World of Warcraft was just the same and now works adequately under Wine (correct me if I'm wrong).
You aren't. WoW with plugins works quite well in linux with wine once configured for it, not just adequately.

[bsell]

'...it usually requires that you be running Windows.'

This is not a Linux problem, but a DRM problem. Microsoft (and Apple) has touted it's own DRM solutions and many of the 'TV On Demand' brigade bought into the hype and paranoia. This is a barrier to any of the *BSDs becoming a mainstream consumer OS also.
Pure Linux zealot FUD. Preventing illegal copying of anything had nothing to do with Microsoft or Apple becoming mainstream. UbuntuGeek uses a watermark on his digital photos in his tutorials (does he use GIMP or Photoshop to do this? It's drop-dead easy in Photoshop :)). That's a form of DRM. '...Spore is not installing horribly well in Wine...'

This is a relatively new game, give Wine a chance. World of Warcraft was just the same and now works adequately under Wine (correct me if I'm wrong). There are thousands of games WINE won't run that have been out for a loooooong time. Sims, Sims2, Syberia, Horsez, Syberia2, the list goes on and on and on...don't hold your breath on getting anything to work.
Having said all that, why do you think many of even the most die-hard anti-Microsoft types still keep a Windows partition around?Because deep down inside, freetards know they can't go it alone without Windows. Even they need to be productive and entertained. Have you tried Google Chrome yet? It's fast and efficient and only available on Windows.

[rockface]

Pure Linux zealot FUD. Preventing illegal copying of anything had nothing to do with Microsoft or Apple becoming mainstream. UbuntuGeek uses a watermark on his digital photos in his tutorials (does he use GIMP or Photoshop to do this? It's drop-dead easy in Photoshop :)). That's a form of DRM. There are thousands of games WINE won't run that have been out for a loooooong time. Sims, Sims2, Syberia, Horsez, Syberia2, the list goes on and on and on...don't hold your breath on getting anything to work. Because deep down inside, freetards know they can't go it alone without Windows. Even they need to be productive and entertained. Have you tried Google Chrome yet? It's fast and efficient and only available on Windows.

Keep drinking the Microsoft Kool-Aid bsell, I sure do hope that Redmond propaganda quenches your thirst.

Your comments and responses could come straight from Ballmer's own lips (as I'm sure I've said in the past). And people wonder why I love to hate 'Microsofties'. :lolflag:

[bsell]

Keep drinking the Microsoft Kool-Aid bsell, I sure do hope that Redmond propaganda quenches your thirst.

Your comments and responses could come straight from Ballmer's own lips (as I'm sure I've said in the past). And people wonder why I love to hate 'Microsofties'. :lolflag:

Try countering with substantive arguments. Get the facts. Learn some critical thinking skills so you can differentiate ad hominem from red herring. You might win an argument someday.

[rockface]

Try countering with substantive arguments. Get the facts. Learn some critical thinking skills so you can differentiate ad hominem from red herring. You might win an argument someday.

'Learn some critical thinking skills so you can differentiate ad hominem from red herring.'

This coming from an individual that defines Linux and FOSS users as 'Freetards'. Did I hear pot, kettle and black.

I can 'differentiate' between a legitimate comment and a troll, back under the bridge with you.

'Get the facts.'

Wonder where I have heard that before...do you have a non-Microsoft sanctioned statement in your entire body? :-k

[Oldsoldier2003]

Try countering with substantive arguments. Get the facts. Learn some critical thinking skills so you can differentiate ad hominem from red herring. You might win an argument someday.

'Learn some critical thinking skills so you can differentiate ad hominem from red herring.'

This coming from an individual that defines Linux and FOSS users as 'Freetards'. Did I hear pot, kettle and black.

I can 'differentiate' between a legitimate comment and a troll, back under the bridge with you.

'Get the facts.'

Wonder where I have heard that before...do you have a non-Microsoft sanctioned statement in your entire body? :-k

Both of you: Knock it off

[rockface]

Both of you: Knock it off

We bow to our Ubuntu Forum Staff Overlords, we are not worthy etc...

[Lilithd]

Windows??? What's that??? :lolflag:

Got rid of it about two years ago when I found out I could log on to the school's wifi without it. If I HAVE to use MSorfice, I use wine. :-$

[Canis familiaris]

Had to get rid of Windows Today. Not because it is bad or something but I needed to install PC-BSD and Windows was the only OS on a primary partition which I could have afforded to remove.

We bow to our Ubuntu Forum Staff Overlords, we are not worthy etc...
Or to the CoC?

[fiddledd]

Had to get rid of Windows Today. Not because it is bad or something but I needed to install PC-BSD and Windows was the only OS on a primary partition which I could have afforded to remove.

Off Topic:
Did it recognise all of your hardware?

[Canis familiaris]

Off Topic:
Did it recognise all of your hardware?

Yes It Did. Video, Sound, Internet all worked. Though I don't think 3d acceleration will work since ATi doesn't support BSD yet. But 2D is fine.
I am yet to test my printer, but I'm sure it'll work since it's HP.
The great thing about PC-BSD was out of box multimedia and good KDE 3.5.x. It is rather nice.

[mtcycler]

The only reason I still have windows (only on VMware though) is my stupid MP3 player only syncs with Windows Media Player, I may have found a workaround for it though. I boot to Windows very rarely, once or twice a month.
Just to let the other AutoCAD users out there know, there is a alternative, Bricscad. I have used Bricscad for the 30 day trial and, as far as I can tell, works just like AutoCAD 2004. The 3d orbit is a bit different but aside from that it works great.
Unfortunately it only supports .dwgs up to 2004, at the moment.

[Tiler]

I'll probably never get rid of it completely until I'm 100% independent from work. I still see the Vista upgrade happening on my Win partition at home but now I don't have to spend a lot of time configuring it to get it the way I like it. I can just use it out of the box for work stuffs and then reboot into the Hardy Goodness that makes me all warm inside.

[Another Monkey]

Who says I want to ditch it? It does some things really well; Media Centre being one example.

Converting all my recorded TV and then messing around to try and create a *nix media server is something I don't want to try just now.

I can't even get Ubuntu and Windows to play nicely on the network...grr.....

[majorhabib]

:) It was a happy day that one i got rid of my Windows partition. That was a long time ago since Ubuntu 5.04, but it was a great event.
Currently i am developing bluetooth applications which would be 10000 times harder and inefficient if it were done in Windows. Thank God that i am only using Linux now. ;-)

[CarlosNYB]

I'm still playing around seeing if I can get comfortable enough with Rosegarden and Ardour... it's promising. Using the real-time kernel from Ubuntu Studio. As I return to old Cakewalk Sonar projects, I'll be exporting midi and audio and working with it in Ubuntu. Lots of old projects to convert. So far I'm finding that what I did in Windows can be done in Linux, and done well. I have no other need for Windows except those non-converted audio/midi projects. There was some stuff in vst synths, but it wasn't a lot, and my computer is too low spec to really work much with vst synths anyhow, so that's not an issue for me (besides, on Linux, things like Beast and ZynAddSubFX software Synths trump anything I was working with software synth wize in Windows, and they seem to work more efficiently, too.

I haven't logged into Windows in a month or so. I will when I need to export MIDI from Sonar/Cakewalk to work on old songs.

I have found that I could have done everything I'm doing without the CLI if I wanted to. I want to understand the CLI, personally. I don't find Windows GUI tools any more intuitive than Gnome or XFCE's. As for configuration options, it's all there somewhere in GUI tools.

As for hardware and some software, yeah some manufacturers don't support Linux. Windows doesnt' support them, their manufacturers just support Windows, that's all.

[Another Monkey]

Oh - here's a good reason for keeping Windows.

No client for CheckPoint VPN. That's a linux killer for me. While this remains the case, I cannot ditch Windows.

Is there any way to connect an Ubuntu client to a CheckPoint VPN? I have looked, the answer appears to be "no" (not with a serious amount of hacking that i do not wish to get into).

[MKdon]

Money, Money, Money, makes the world go round.:guitar:

[CarlosNYB]

ya need what ya need, yr comfortbl w/ whatyr comftrble w/

no crime in dualboot

[Benarden]

Probably when Firefox is as robust in Ubuntu as it is in Win XP

In Hardy,Firefox is very volatile if

1:) you are using upwards of 100 MB for firefox
2:) you are using streaming audio and have rapidly
updating web sites ( www.drudge.com, www.wonkette.com, www.aol.com. )

they try a tab with streaming audio.

try logging into AOL if you have several similar ly named accounts.

Symptom is the screen turns Grey. Task appears sleeping in system monitor.
crash directory is empty

Using hardy, Compize

Hardware Profile:

Intel Pentium 4 2.3 gig
160 Gig hard drive
1 gig memory
ATI 256 Meg video card

High speed connection


Most other apps are OK

Thanks

Ben

[mkkohls]

Ok so here it goes:
When all the programs I use windows for either have a linux version, or a version that you must be a corporation to get, or
when there are workable alternatives that do not make me compromise.

These would be:
Altera's Quartus II. It has a linux version but
you need to be a company working with their products to get it. I'm an engineering student so that's not an option, and when it is I won't need it on my home Ubuntu system anyway.

Pspice from Orcad/Cadence:
It's the one taught to in my engineering classes and all of the
labs\ homework that require that form of circuit analysis are based of the specific software, so I can't just go use a linux version.

Other than that i've found replacements for virtually everything
so until I'm out of the classroom and into the workplace its dual booting Ubuntu and XP for me.

[debiant]

:guitar:

That's me playing rock'n'roll above,

So I have to use XP and get expensive programs that run on Windows. We are working on alternatives and I will look into WINE and vmware (?) but while I need Cakewalk Sonar, FL Studio and Garriton Personal Orchestra I will have to dual boot into XP.
Sorting out my fairly average soundcard nearly saw me off from Ubuntu altogether, but for some good community advice here.
Hardware-It is very difficult to use Ubuntu with any kind of soundcard you'd buy for decent recording.
On my music drive I don't have internet/firewall or any other programs, like most colleges/studios. So, bizarrely; I used to dual-boot XP with XP anyway! The last bit was the audio issue fixed yesterday. All my e-mail office work and normal internet stuff has been Ubuntu for weeks. I went on a friend's PC a few days ago and now Windows feels all "different" and "not what I'm used to"!!!

:lolflag:

[burneverything]

The machine I had windows on died a physical an hour after I finished installing ubuntu
:D
so I didn't even have to think about it.

[debiant]

Well that certainly leaves you committed!!!

I don't think my music drive really counts because half of XPs not actually there anyway-no internet etc. I deleted my XP setup and cloned the music one onto it ready for the inevitable...GRUB pauses for a couple of seconds only before taking me straight to Ubuntu...

So officially for me-its today! =D>

And tonight I've been playing records (age-I mean CDs of course!)stuffed a couple in my iPod, watched the news, checked my bank ballance, read my e-mails, came back here for a quick look and now I'm off to buy a pizza! None of which has needed Windows...

:biggrin:

[CarlosNYB]

I don't know Fruity Loops and LMMS (Linux alternative) well enough to know how well they compare, and I'm still getting used to working with MIDI/Audio in Linux with Rosegarden (not up to Ardour yet)... but my bet is that after the learning curve and the time it takes to transition old projects, Linux will be acceptable for pro-audio for me. Right now the learning curve is interfering with my flow, but that's bound to happen when trying any new sophisticated multimedia apps.

[debiant]

Hi Carlos,
I've been told to have a look at rosegarden too, and I'll definitely check out LMMS. These programs are always going to take some learning, anyway.
I'm was just happy to run everything else on Ubuntu, but since I told people it was music stuff that made me keep a windows drive, I'm getting advice that seems to make me wonder if that's really true!
FL is a great midi program but thanks for the hint. As soon as I've got my night shifts out of the way I'll be having a go at that.
Best wishes,
Mike
:)

[trav08]

I can't use iTunes to manage my 3G iPhone and F5 Firepass VPN activeX controls won't load properly on Ubuntu... Other fl4vors of Linux do support the F5 activex though... Red Hat and Suse do..

[Jaxco]

I can quit using windows when .net is supported in linux, when the ATI fails to resume issue is actually fixed, when wifi for more than one or two chipsets is actually functional, when I can actually choose the programs I want installed initially, not have to remove them manually later, when those interested in gaming distros actually decide on one API so that game manufacturers actually want to take the time to port their games over to run on linux, when the speed actually beats Win XP, when the stability actually beats WinXP...

All the above being said, dont take me as a Linux basher, I am not at all, many things linux does better but because of so many derivatives, no one project has yet made it ready for 'prime time'. As a business owner, I am not going to switch over to linux and confuse my employees... I am going to take advantage of their years of using windows or Mac at home and on other jobs.

Maybe, Linux will be the future but someone really needs to take the bull by the horns and steer it in a definite direction to truly take it to the masses!

[Patto77]

Maybe, Linux will be the future but someone really needs to take the bull by the horns and steer it in a definite direction to truly take it to the masses!

At the moment, with all the different distro's etc, The Linux 'movement' as a whole is like a rudderless ship where every sailor on board is pretending to be the Captain.

The downside is that a definitive, stable platform is still some time away. The upside is that we are spoilt for choice. To spoilt sometimes....

[skyviannes]

:lolflag: <- just wanted to put that cuz i like it...but anyways, i'm days away if not less from deleting my windows partition and going full ubuntu ^_^ i've loved it since the first time i tried it, been working off and on with it for over a year now learning all i can, and i'm finally confident enough to survive without windows.

[Miles111]

I don't use Windows anymore - usually. I keep it for the occasional times when my X server updates to one that borks my graphics and can't get Network Manager to let go off my network interfaces. All programs I need for my computer have Linux alternatives, so that's kept me going.

[Luna.jp]

Steam for Counter-Strike.
And the fact that nVidia takes a while to release drivers.

[boyofford]

I usually only use windows at work, but i do like poking at things and quite often bugger up my ubuntu installation, so have to go back to vista, at least in short term.
In windows you have to pay loads for stuff that you can't alter, in Ubuntu/Linux you pay nothing for stuff that you can alter (or at least someone else with similar preferences can alter, so if you search hard enough and wait patiently,.,)

[boyofford]

At the risk of being unpopular! I hope linux doesn't become to mainstream, at least for now it has the hippy feal about it, once people start showing a real intersest other people will find a way to capitalise on it!

[amitai]

I use a web site for work that only works on IE7 :(

[davidw89]

Not until Utorrent works properly (and so far doesn't work properly under Wine, won't open in Firefox(tried workaround no work), some functions like the speed test don't work and when i open a torrent it says it can't find the directory.)

But i seriously recommend keeping a dual boot with Ubuntu as the first priority if you ever need Windows apps, esp newer Games.

Or triple boot.

[rasmus91]

Well, i've just got a computer from my School (called technical gymnasium) (directly translated from Danish)

Anyway, we got some programs on these laptops, which i think we gotta use, and btw, i don't own this laptop before the education is done, which would mean 3 years... but when that time comes, i'm gonna give Vista the kick, First of all: VISTA SUCKS. second, i don't mind fighting those small troubles which sometimes comes along with running Linux, cos those errors are fixable, when those which comes in Vista has no real explanation...

I can just say, everytime you solve a problem in Linux, you learn a little bit more, and in the end you'll (almost) be able to solve anything on your own hand... :D

[silve]

i can`t get rid of vista (windows) because i consider it more ergonomic, and let`s be onnest, i didn`t had any bsod from xp sp2 :) anyway i use both

Ubuntu (http://www.linux-archive.org/ubuntu-user/)

[Raccoon1400]

I will never be able to completely get rid of windows, because I use specialized recording sofware, and an external sound card which does not work in linux. I need these since I am a musicain.
And there are always small tasks I need windows for, like web pages that don't work in linux.

[TekNullOG]

When sound and multiple sound cards are easier to manage!

This is a really important thing. Yet apparently, even with 8.10, most problems will remain. It's sad really. There are already posts explaining how to fix the sound in 8.10 and it hasn't even been released yet. (hopefully, they make the corrections quickly)

Music editing, recording and broadcasting (streaming) are just not there yet. This is the only reason for still using windows.

It should be plug and play out of the box.

[ablinkin]

The only installation of Windows I use is in VMware. So if I really have to use Windows for a special website or for MS Project etc. I fire up VMWare......
Long live NIX and all those who refuse to dual boot that nasty little virus called Windows

[Wicca]

MS Flightsimulator is the only reason I regularly boot into Windows. I am too addicted to this wannabee-pilot-life to ditch Windows definitely.

[dyous87]

When Adobe releases Photoshop, Fireworks, Flash, Illustrator and Director for Linux I will be able to finally get rid of my Windows partition. With my work I cannot afford not to use those programs as I need them for my web design and graphics design.

There are absolutely no Linux programs available that cover my need for those programs. GIMP, as great as it is does not come close to Photoshop and Fireworks, Inkscape is ok but no where near as good as illustrator and there is nothing comprable to Flash/ Director for Linux.

Sad world I hate booting into Windows for these programs since I use Ubuntu for everything else. :(

[andras artois]

Support for webcams in Pidgin and better support for mp3 players and Ubuntu will be perfect.

Some simpler/easier to use DVD ripping software and a small windows paint like program would be nice or just a direct port of it.

[geekygirl]

Get rid of Windows?

When large corporations and organisations do, until then I will need Windows for my day to day work activities (I don't work in IT and the nature of my job requires the entire network to be the same specced end user machines)

And when games are multi-platform capable and not released as 'Windows Only' games...and when DX10 can run with Linux...lol

I am not so Linux 'one eyed' that I won't play a good game because it doesnt run under Wine either!

:D

[sparvik]

S-Video, If someone could help me figure out this S-Video out on my 2003 laptop I would probably never boot into XP again, except to back-up before removing it.

On a side note anyone know the post for opinions about getting the average user on Linux?

[A1len]

Right now I'm using a virtualbox. I just switched so I need Windows to fall back on. But I'm already planning for a more Windows-independent technological future. I'm considering eventually building my own machine and running Ubuntu on it. It's either gonna be that, or at least an installation of another disk so I can dual-boot Linux without the use of Windows at all, and if I do that I have a feeling that the Windows disk will eventually become storage.

Point being that I really like Ubuntu. I'll be faced with problems (already have), but overcoming them just makes you the more computer savvy. Plus the free-ness of everything usurps the afore mentioned problems IMO.

[Sin@Sin-Sacrifice]

I, personally, would never use windows again if it wasn't for being a gamer. I love the games that come with and are ported to linux but I can not honestly say I've gotten all of my favorite games to work with Cedega, wine, or playonlinux. If there was a way to get all of them working as well as they do on XP then I wouldn't even have that virus nest wasting the hard drive space. I love open source and linux but I also love my gaming. Lets get them onto linux people so I can rid myself of Microsoft forever...

[Interpreter]

Add me to the long list of
"I boot into XP on the weekends to shoot friends and relatives, in their virtual faces."

[ubuddah]

I'm trying to get rid of 'Windows' altogether, but someone on my Ubuntu Yahoo Group Forum noticed on one of my queries that my download copy of Ubuntu is the 'default Windows Version!' and I'm not even running Windows, no partition, since Ubuntu 'ate the Windows partition' when I downloaded and ran it... It's been really harsh for a month, running really jerky and slow and graying out when scrolling online... Can I download a copy that won't see my e-machine that came with the-v-word installed as a 'Windows Version' for any Linux download??? ALL SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!

sincerely in ooo-boon-tu, new ubuddah

[oygle]

Two problems with getting rid of Windows XP completely, for me ..

1. Scanners under Ubuntu - using Xsane and everything installed correctly, the scanning has no where near as many features/options as Windows (Epson scanner), and the OCR under Unbuntu is very poor, and also the actual scanning quality is poor.

So I have to keep XP, just to scan. :(

2. There are no decent email clients under Ubuntu. Tried Evolution, Thunderbird and Kmail, none of them come any where near Pegasus Mail. Have had to run Pegasus under WINE on Ubuntu, but it 'exits' every time I send an email. Several posts on this forum about this problem (a WINE one I believe), but no replies.

In summary, driver support needs to be better under Ubuntu, and the WINE developers need to frequent this forum.

[ezramorris]

1.) Visuals.

I need stable, smooth visuals that can be played at a live event seamlessly and that can play any file someone gives me.

When/if Screen Monkey (http://www.screenmonkey.co.uk/) gets ported to Linux, I might be one step closer, but I also need things like OpenSong and OpenOffice.org Impress to actually have smooth (non jerky) transitions.

2.) Specialist applications.

There's not many of these any more, but a couple of things for uni, as well as the driver/program for my calculator.

3.) DVDs. Usually, I would watch them in Ubuntu, but with friends I use Windows because the quality is better, and they are smoother.

[bashveank]

Nothing, I use Ubuntu on a few PCs, but I have Windows on one as well and I'm perfectly happy with it.

[maheshjr2000]

The point is that we dont have to get rid of windows. I mean it has the majority for a reason. Its just that we should try to use linux because of its security and fantastic speed on a day to day basis. Im probably going to load up XP(or maybe 2000) on my external as soon as I figure out how to do it without trashing the MBR on my laptop. Windows XP is an excellent stable OS for gaming and gaming ONLY for my purposes. My mother has an XP pc and its constantly getting viruses. All she does is SURF. Shes not torrenting shes not using P2P programs. She VPNs into work when she has to but that shouldnt be relevant. Her primary use for that PC is surfing. Thats why I dont think windows should be a primary partition. I LOVE windows XP for its gaming and ease of use when related to gaming but I would NEVER use it on a day to day basis again.

[kernelhaxor]

I wouldn't get rid of it. Microsoft Office, Photoshop and apps like that make me have a copy of Windows on either my desktop or laptop.

[dusted]

I have Windows on my laptop strictly for gaming, Crysis, Rainbow Six: Vegas 1 & 2, and syncing my iPod. As for Linux, Open Office rocks, Amarok for music, MPlayer for movies and DVD's, Firefox and Thunderbird, Wine for WoW, Warcraft 3 and Starcraft, Virtualbox with Windows XP and AutoCAD 2007 Electrical and support for my Lexmark X7350 printer (no linux support for that one yet) along with a copy of Open Office for printing, All-in-all, I laugh at my friends with Vista laptops who pay for Office and LiveOne Care, hahaha, suckers. Other than that, Linux has compiz, way better development environment and easy install methods.

[cynoclast]

When I get the following:


Good support for a Razer Diamondback - despite ~20 hours of tinkering I cannot get a sensitivity setting as good as I have it in windows (slow at low speeds for high precision text manipulation, faster when I move the mouse fast) due to the way acceleration is coupled to sensitivity instead of being independent
A terminal server client that doesn't treat my entire dual monitor desktop as one screen. (so the client window ends up being 3360 pixels wide (both monitors)
A Winsplit Revolution equivalent - I have a python knock-off, but like the terminal server client it treats both screens as one, and I can't install the compiz plugin, grid from work

[billgoldberg]

Here is a slightly different question.

My Internet is covered with Firefox (Which i use in windows also).
My email client is Thunderbird.
Crossover drives my office2000 copy (I'll consider OOO once it gets better.
Its a very good suite right now that deserves lauding, but its still behind Office).
When I want to game I got Cedega CVS curteosy of Linux Gamers.
When I need numerical cruching, mathworks provides a Linux version of MATLAB (thank god for cheap software being a college student!)
BMP provides my MP3 playing capabilities and other things
K3b provides my burning (I know, I know!!! Its KDE, but I can't find a nicer program ;) Although I heard there is a Nero Linux and since i'm used to Nero on windows I may take a peek
SCIM provides me with foreign language input for my language classes

But you know what keeps my windows activity on?

INSANT MESSAGE. I can never send a file right...maybe 10% of the time it works~ the other 90% it never does! Also, MSN support is REALLLY weak. I can kind of understand the fact I don't get winks or I can't "nudge" someone...but I can't even use "non standard" emoticons!
If sending a file via AIM or MSN could be fixed...and get MSN support up to par, then I would wonder why Windows is on my HardDrive. But until then I find myself booting up over and over in windows because I want to send a file to a friend, or because a friend is using many different emoticons that Iwant to see.
Linux isn't absolutely perfect...I know that. But its dissapointing to see how long the New MSN has been out with no real progress in that (and just file sending in general!)

I only use Windows to game (counterstrike source and C&C Red Alert 2) and to play online poker (Everest).

And that only happens on Sundays.

So on Sunday, my destkop is in Windows mode (I play CSS with friends for most of the day then).

[linlux]

When I can get my wireless card to work. Either that or I run an ethernet cable through my attic!

I used to use Caldera Openlinux years ago which worked well, but ubuntu is turning out to be a challenge.

[brawd]

I have two machines running side by side, one is Ubuntu 8.something and one xp (notice I've given up caps for xp). The xp is so that my missus can use facebook to stay in touch with our son in Aussie - and her friends. I have no use for it otherwise.
Unfortunately all the computer teaching that goes on around here in South Wales, UK, is microsoft stuff - internet explorer, msoffice etc...

But today, (at a little computer room where I have a group of beginners on a Wednesday evening), I installed Ubuntu alongside xp. I feel that if I'm any sort of computer instructor then I have to demonstrate to my group that I think Ubuntu is an excellent OS for them to use.

Fool that I was I didn't realize how much money they could have saved between them by not forking out for commercial programs. Say 25 people have come through my class over the last 3 years, everyone of them had xp, office, ie. How much does that come to I wonder.

People don't pay for Ubuntu. People don't pay for my classes. That's compatibility as far as I am concerned.

regards,

[brawd]

Ummmm, I just thought.

Is it OK to install Ubuntu and show people what I know about it?
Is it legal or have I blundered?

brawd.

[kimda]

I used to run both Windows and Ubuntu on two seperate harddrives. But after I got Civilization to run on Wine absolutely perfectly, I decided to format my Windows drive and add it as extra space to Ubuntu.

Now I have a Windows XP virtual machine running with virtualbox on Ubuntu, and use it now and then for certain programs. For my uses everything is covered by Ubuntu :)

[ezramorris]

The xp is so that my missus can use facebook to stay in touch with our son in Aussie - and her friends. I have no use for it otherwise.

Hang on, you only keep Windows so your missus can go on Facebook? I use Facebook, and it works perfectly fine in Firefox on Ubuntu. :)

Ummmm, I just thought.

Is it OK to install Ubuntu and show people what I know about it?
Is it legal or have I blundered?

Why would it be illegal?

It's Free Open Source Software, you can (almost) do what you want with it. :)

I would be very surprised indeed if there was anything wrong with that, unless, of course, you have signed something to say you will only teach Windows XP.

[astrawinski]

When can I get rid of it completely? That's a good question, because I've been trying for the last 10 years. ;-)

When something that can open and edit Visio diagrams is available.

When Cisco's CRS editor works.
When Cisco Unified Personal Communicator works.
When Cisco IP Communicator works.
When the Cisco Agent Desktop works.
When the Cisco Supervisor Desktop works.
When the Cisco Historical Reporting client works.
When the Cisco (you get the idea...)

When half of the sites I hit up every month to pay bills don't require IE.
When the CRM app I use at work doesn't require IE. ie4Linux technically works, but just leaving my CRM page up (idle) eventually consumes all 2GB of RAM on my laptop, and the 2GB swapfile. It takes about an hour, and the machine becomes (as one might imagine) unusable. It locks.

When something even half as good as Windows Media Services 9 on Win2k3 server *with* a good broadcaster/encoder on the client side (ala Windows Media Encoder) is available. Apple's Darwin shows some promise on the server side (works under Linux), but there isn't a decent broadcast/encoding front-end on the client-side for Linux. VLC is so terrible in this role, it's embarrassing.

For 8+ hours a day 5 days a week, I'm using XP in a virtual machine. I have no choice, or I can't do my job. After work when I do broadcasts, I'm still in a virtual machine, because Windows Media Encoder (client) and Windows Media Services (server) are waaaaaaay ahead of anything Open Source at present. It's not even close. I also use an XP virtual machine anytime I need to use IE, which is...pretty often. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

[stevenyu]

When my Bible software have linux engine!!! :-(

[kimda]

When my Bible software have linux engine!!! :-(

There are several Bible software under Ubuntu, like BibleMemorizer, bibletime, bibleedit,GnomeSword2 (for studying the bible). Maybe these are an good alternative?

[stevenyu]

Not after two year of spending more than 2000USD on the study software!!!

[occams_beard]

When I can drag a window across the screen or watch full screen video without massive tearing.

When fonts look half way decent. (Please don't tell me to install msttcorefonts, or read yet another howto. I've been futzing with Linux fonts since ~1999. They don't look much better now then they did back then, and I find that incredibly sad)

When people stop calling it "GNU/Linux."

So, I guess I'll always have my Windows partition...

[redactech]

When fonts look half way decent. (Please don't tell me to install msttcorefonts, or read yet another howto. I've been futzing with Linux fonts since ~1999. They don't look much better now then they did back then, and I find that incredibly sad)

The whole font issue is a non issue, and it's driving me crazy ... who cares about how pretty they look like, aren't we supposed to just read 'em?

[bekind2thenoob]

add me to the long list of
"i boot into xp on the weekends to shoot friends and relatives, in their virtual faces."

+1

[hatchetf1sh]

When PAN has some decent documentation and when my Ubuntu stops freezing up for no good reason

[musicmatt]

I will never get rid of windows because I like having options. however, I will use it a lot less when finale starts working in wine, and I find an online music store that's as comprehensive as itunes. I'm not saying I like the system, but I haven't found anything that comes close in terms of having a massive catalog at a consistant (albeit DRMed) quality, wherefrom I know the artists are getting at least some of their due.

[occams_beard]

The whole font issue is a non issue, and it's driving me crazy ... who cares about how pretty they look like, aren't we supposed to just read 'em?

It's not a non-issue for those of us with poor eye sight. Linux fonts are just not rendered as clearly and are MUCH more difficult to read than fonts on Windows.

Little things like typography matter a lot. I feel much less fatigued after day of using Windows than I do after a day of using Linux.

[karellen]

When I can drag a window across the screen or watch full screen video without massive tearing.

When fonts look half way decent. (Please don't tell me to install msttcorefonts, or read yet another howto. I've been futzing with Linux fonts since ~1999. They don't look much better now then they did back then, and I find that incredibly sad)

When people stop calling it "GNU/Linux."

So, I guess I'll always have my Windows partition...

count me in with that. sadly to say, fonts do really look better in Windows. I see this with my own eyes, every day

[dardack]

I will never get rid of windows because I like having options. however, I will use it a lot less when finale starts working in wine, and I find an online music store that's as comprehensive as itunes. I'm not saying I like the system, but I haven't found anything that comes close in terms of having a massive catalog at a consistant (albeit DRMed) quality, wherefrom I know the artists are getting at least some of their due.

I personally like Amazon mp3 store. No DRM and decent catalog. As far as options, options are always nice. I only have 1 windows box in the house though for my Sykpe Phone.

[Wittac]

When linux is able to support Solidworks i may get rid of my windows partition.

Also emulators like Wine have poor performance and do not appear to be useful for many of the programs that only run on windows, most new games for example.

Other than that Ubuntu is far and away a better operating system than windows.

-Faster!
-Free!
-No virus!
-More convenient!
-More stable!
-More user friendly!
-Software installation through synaptic has never been easier on any operating system!...just search download and install! done!

[Wittac]

Horizontal tearing is also a problem. Although the new Nvidia drivers available in intrepid ibex are much better.

If the horizontal tearing was fixed then Ubuntu would be much more useful for HTPCs and i would used a linux only computer for that

[mamamia88]

i have windows 7 and ubuntu in a dualboot and am pretty sure when the windows beta expires i won't reinstall vista unless absolutely nescessary.

[Aroll605]

I don't have a windows partition :(

[conryf]

I write software for ArcMap, which is only avail able in windows, so I won't be able to get rid of it till I quit my job...

[Izek]

"To those who still have Windows, when can you get rid of it?"

When I get sick of MMORPGs or when wine becomes more stable and easier to use, or when reactos becomes stable (with USB support.)

When OpenOffice supports MDB Files.

[djdarrin91]

Well i was windows free for awhile,then i bought a magicjack to save money on my phone bill and the MJ has no linux support that i can find. so i'm kinda stuck with windows for that since its my sole phone service. Other than that nothing really,Ubuntu has everything else i need:)

[PuddingKnife]

As soon as a noob like me can type a line or 3 of code in the terminal and have WoW work like magic. As it is, Ive had zero success with WINE and so I keep a small partition for WoW to exist on.

WinXP = gaming console
Linux = everything else

[betterhands]

only machine i have at home is Linux--the day after i registered in this forum.

and i've found a good way to spread ubuntu...all those friends and family that beg for tech support on their windows systems now have another thing coming!

from now on, when they have big system problems that need a rebuild or any other shenanigans due to a windows virus, i'll offer to install/support ubuntu for them, or they can look elsewhere for windows help. i'm ruthless :twisted:

[Rrasyrogenees]

as you can see by my signature below... and i had WoW playing great until my video card died and i bought a new one... it is supported but either WoW or wine is not picking up on that. be a few but i will be back on WoW again and lovin' being windows free.

[Fishhooker]

I'll make a complete switch when...

- Support for the Creative X-Fi Expresscard is around,
- There is either a port of or a WORTHY competitor to the notation program Finale (Lilypond just doesn't cut it.)
- Making the fingerprint reader work isn't an exercise in rage on 64 bit
- There's more pro-quality audio software around, and pro audio hardware support.

That's about it. :)

[bthodla]

I have already crossed over. My Dell XPS 140 now only has Ubuntu. I was mucking around with WINE, Virtual Box, etc., so that I can use Quicken but it was too painful and just didn't work. My wife's laptop is on WinXP and I get to Quicken from my Ubuntu machine through VNC. I recently installed KDE 4.2 and am pretty pleased with the whole thing.

[dnguyen1963]

I can't get rid of Windows because many online educational software still requires Internet Explorer to operate.

[Bonsanto]

When My Ubuntu stop crashing.
Oh yes MY ubuntu crashes :)

[Saija]

when can you get rid of it?

Right now! i'm free i just formated as ext3 my old windows xp partition and used the free(hehehe) space as container for my vdi file from virtualbox, and let me tell you i only do that because my brothers needs some applications(ms office and some musical software), right now i'm almos 90% free and enjoying! :P

[bakedbeans4life]

As much as I dislike Microsoft and Windows (Office is another matter), I do like to tinker, experiment and explore.

It seems as though I am the only person that runs Linux as his/her main operating system that has not tried the beta of Windows 7 yet.

The fact that I would find it significantly more difficult to "get rid of" Linux than Windows means a threshold has been crossed.

The question should be, do you want to get rid of Windows?

Unfortunately the answer is a unanimous "WHAT'S WINDOWS?, I just see this big blue E type thing, what was the question again?"

[agarzon]

MSOffice, OOO is good but not there yet.
Hardware limitations (like webcams) I had a webcam that used to work on 7.10 with skype, and now it doesn't on 8.10
CAD and engineering design software (Rhino, CATIA, ProE)


I work with 6 machines: 1 cluster (SUSE) 2 Workstations (Debian64 and Ubuntu 8.10 64 both also running windows/vmware), 1 PC (Windows), 2 laptops: Ubuntu7.10, macOSX+(windows and debian on parallesls)

If I could switch my home machine to Linux I would, but I am not the only one using that box.

I simply cannot get rid of Microsoft. At least not yet.

[DougieFresh4U]

I stopped using Windows about 3 years ago. Have been using Ubuntu for daily needs.
I just had a better machine put together and decided to try dual boot with "Windows 7 Ultimate" and Intrepid. All is good and will enjoy playing with Windows 7 for a while, Ubuntu will be my OS of choice for my daily use.