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

[magomago]

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!)

[YourSurrogateGod]

Games and a project I have to do in .NET.
Didn't we have a similar thread before?

[Arktis]

To answer your question, magomago, absolutely nothing. I've been windows free for almost a year now. And I know that the issues like the ones you raised won't really be fully absent until enough people make a complete switch away from windows. That's all the more reason to just bear with the difficulties and continue to seek for and push for good solutions, and say goodbye to windows. Or else you and others like you won't ever really be free from it, and the people that follow will continue to have a hard time getting away.

If anyone has suggestions, I encourage you to post them. =)

[magomago]

Games and a project I have to do in .NET.
Didn't we have a similar thread before?
Look how many posts I have ;) If there was a similar thread I have no idea :razz:

[mstlyevil]

MSN will never port it's messenger to Linux for obvious reasons. You can always send those files to your friends using bit torrent, E-Mail or another p2p software. I still have a windows partition because I like Sim City 4 and I already paid for Windows XP and am going to use it. Also some times certain multimedia software in Linux is still a little buggy and gets annoying to deal with. Other wise Ubuntu could easily be my only partition.

[YourSurrogateGod]

Look how many posts I have ;) If there was a similar thread I have no idea :razz:
Well, it was more of a general question and not particularly aimed at you.

[Omnios]

Two or three free online games and the fact I can not listen to launchcast plus in linux as it comes free with my ******.Yahoo low end broad band 336kbs isp service. And apperently now AP: Top Stories (Video) does not want to work now because they tink its a Goo Ide to us Win Media. Dam if I had dial up I probably woulnt care lol. Anyways short of someone handing me Vista in the future I will not have that so when XP is unsupported and dead I will definalty be win free. Need a defrag lol..........or less coffee.

[poofyhairguy]

ePSXe (won't run in Breezy), to install firmware updates, and for CS Source.

[John.Michael.Kane]

nothing proventing me i have no windows partition. linux has all the programs i need.. i only wish i would have found gnu/linux sooner......

[Goober]

I have b*tched about this before, but the only reason that my WinXP Hardrive (yes, I have XP on its own HD) doesn't have a Linux Distro on it is because I need XP for M$ office, for a College course, and I still like playing Games on the computer during my lack of spare time, and that is not easy to do in Linux. I can't get WINE working, and I lack a credit card, access to a credit card, and the time to fiddle with Cedega.

If it weren't for those 2 things, I would be completely using Linux. As it is, I use Linux 99.99% of the time anyway, since I get all M$ Office stuff that I need to do at school anyway, and I waste my spare time posting in forums like these . . .

[vayu]

One big reason for me is that I can't find a program that will let me upload/download web files to a Frontpage Extension enabled server.

[benplaut]

when i gert my next computer, i will dual-boot for games. For now, WINE does the job...

No Windows for You!

[davidknibb]

I have a Minolta Scan Dual 2 film/slide SCSI scanner and there seems to get it working under Linux.
Also I have not found ways of doing certain things in Gimp that I want - and can do with Photoshop. But I guess that this is something to do with me, not Gimp.
So if I can get my scanner to work then I can move completely.

David

[davidknibb]

Sorry for the type in my previous msg.

It should have read

I have a Minolta Scan Dual 2 film/slide SCSI scanner and there seems no way to get it working under Linux.
Also I have not found ways of doing certain things in Gimp that I want - and can do with Photoshop. But I guess that this is something to do with me, not Gimp.
So if I can get my scanner to work then I can move completely.

David

[darkmatter]

I'm 99.9% Windows free.

What does that mean? I do not have Window's installed, except for brief periods when someone needs help with a Windows specific problem.

But in my daily computing, I have no need/want of Windows.

[jatos]

Well there nothing stopping me deleting my windows partition on my desktop, its just so happens that deleting the windows partition on my desktop is something I did earlier this morning (I needed some more room for breezy on my pathetically small HD).

I would kill my windows partition on my laptop if I could sure that I could it todo everything I wanted at the speed I wanted. BTW my laptop is 100mhz; 32mb RAM running 98.

[PatrickMay16]

Ubuntu does a lot of stuff I need very well, and I've barely used Windows in the last 5 days. But I keep Windows because...

1. Believe it or not, I LIKE windows. It's actually nice. I didn't come to Ubuntu to escape, I came for the adventure of it... Trying new things.

2. One or two games I need run in Windows.

3. Microsoft Sam. I like that voice very much.

4. Some tools for text2speech that I have in windows. I couldn't get them working in wine, which is a shame.

[twowheeler]

Because once in a while there is no substitute. The only time I have booted windows in the last 6 months was when I was on the phone with tech support for my Epson printer, and they instructed me to do certain things in their windows driver. I didn't want them to say, sorry linux is not supported we can't help you. So I did a quick reboot. Other than that it is not used much.

[matthewv]

Don't really know why I keep windows

I suppose I'm just scared to make the big jump as I cant go back, and very occasionally someone wants to borrow my comp and want windows...

I haven't used windows for close to a month now though...:)

[SilentCacophony]

For me, the only reason to keep Windows around is the lack of commercial support for linux, in general. Some games I like I just can't get to run at a decent speed in linux (or at all,) and sometimes I'll need to access something like Yahoo Messenger to do some some task that clients like gaim don't fully support yet.

I suppose that as time goes on, I'll find ways around such problems, and if not, I hope to one day contribute to solutions to such problems.

Having been an avid Amiga user until 2000, I find gnu/linux much more familiar and comfortable than Windows, and do bear some grudge toward M$ for the part they played in keeping other OSes and computer systems from competing. As it is, I can barely stand using Windows 98 infrequently. I simply refuse to subject myself to the license agreement of Windows XP. I presume Vista's license agreement will be equally deplorable, should they ever finish it.

[SKLP]

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!)
Maybe you can run MSN Messenger in wine... see:
http://wiki.winehq.org/MSN_Messenger_webcam_support
http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?versionId=3179
Also, Linux is really good, you can't really blame a kernel for Gaim's lacking features... :cool:

[kayas80]

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've ditched WinXP 4 months ago. I now only use Windows at University, as there is no alternative.

[Adrian]

I only have one reason for keeping windows: music software. There are a couple of VST plugins I really need, and I haven't really liked any of the Linux sequencers I've tried.

[jatos]

For me, the only reason to keep Windows around is the lack of commercial support for linux, in general. Some games I like I just can't get to run at a decent speed in linux (or at all,) and sometimes I'll need to access something like Yahoo Messenger to do some some task that clients like gaim don't fully support yet

Yahoo Messenger is available from Yahoo for Linux.

[snowjunkie]

Me too.
I can't do without Visual Studio 6.0 and Visual Studio .NET.

[brt]

> ... what is PREVENTING you from deleting your Windows Partition?

* as a webdeveloper i use it for testing websites in IE on my notebook which was only sold together with XPhome.

IE testing is the only thing i need windows at all, usally i use ubuntu (dual boot) on my notebook too, on my workstation is ubtuntu only :D ...

[earobinson]

Nothing havent used windos in ages
(this post was made from windows at work :()

[bhursey]

Me too.
I can't do without Visual Studio 6.0 and Visual Studio .NET.
Ever herd of mono? http://www.mono-project.com ;)

> ... what is PREVENTING you from deleting your Windows Partition?
* as a webdeveloper i use it for testing websites in IE on my notebook which was only sold together with XPhome.
IE testing is the only thing i need windows at all, usally i use ubuntu (dual boot) on my notebook too, on my workstation is ubtuntu only :D ...

Im a web application developer. The best way to develop sites is by developing them for firefox then get them to work in IE by using IE in cross over office.

[poofyhairguy]

IE testing is the only thing i need windows at all, usally i use ubuntu (dual boot) on my notebook too, on my workstation is ubtuntu only :D ...

I use IE in Linux all the time:

http://patrick.spacesurfer.com/ie_wine_install.html

[Stormy Eyes]

I have a Windows partition? That's strange...

[blastus]

What is PREVENTING you from deleting your Windows Partition?

I don't want a chair thrown at me. :)

[aysiu]

Mainly, I've already paid for it, and I like to keep my options open. For example, I'm not too heavily into gaming, but my cousin got me a copy of some LucasArts video game. I could have tried to run it through Wine, but it's not worth the trouble if I don't even know if I like the game (as I said before, I'm not heavily into gaming).

It's nice to just be able to pick another option at Grub and be able to test out whatever crazy .exe someone gives me. For example, if someone says, "Hey, have you tried out Google Earth?" I'd rather be able to download it and try it than say, "Well, let me see if I can run that in Wine." Turns out Google Earth isn't really for me, and Ubuntu suits all my computing needs, but I don't see any reason to delete my Windows partition. I almost never use it, but it doesn't bar me from using Linux 98% of the time.

[Ibuntu_52]

I only have one reason for keeping windows: music software. There are a couple of VST plugins I really need, and I haven't really liked any of the Linux sequencers I've tried.

I agree I miss acid and soundforge.Audacity is growing on me but I prefer acid.

I have no windows partition.I built my computer from the main board up.I used to have a copy of windows that I installed from his dell oem disc.I bought the windows xp sp2 upgrade thinking it was actually windows.

I tried to install that when my xp was to fried with viruses.I found out it was just a upgrade disc.Then I just installed ubuntu to my whole drive.

I probally wouldn't install windows if I had a disc laying around.I definately wouldn't spend the $300 to buy a copy of windows xp home, lol.

[thecrimsonking]

Games.

100% of all other computing is done in linux.

[Declan]

I don't use Windows at all, really.

I had removed the Windows partition when I installed Hoary first.
Then, however, after a while my DVD player stopped working.
The question was whether the problem was with the DVD player itself, or my hardware, or was it with my installation.
Since I'm not clever enough to figure such things out for myself, I reinstalled Windows, and decided to keep it as a computer hardware testing installation. If X,Y, or Z doesn't work for me, I boot into windows to see if it works there.

That's the only function that my Windows installation has.
Still, I'd be glad to be rid of it.

Declan

[mrtaber]

Two reasons for me...

1) Games...well, Civilization III (and now, soon, Civilization IV!), and
2) As a database administrator, I have some tools that my job lets me use at home. To do this, I had to sign an agreement as to my environment, antivirus and firewall software, etc. It's ironic, because I mainly just use the VPN and VNC, both of which are available in Linux. But...I'll do what I have to do to be able NOT to have to come to the office at 2am when the servers "phone home" that there is a problem. :)

Mark

[ubuntumaneh]

MSN will never port it's messenger to Linux for obvious reasons. You can always send those files to your friends using bit torrent, E-Mail or another p2p software. I still have a windows partition because I like Sim City 4 and I already paid for Windows XP and am going to use it. Also some times certain multimedia software in Linux is still a little buggy and gets annoying to deal with. Other wise Ubuntu could easily be my only partition.

Well, there is amsn 0.95b. It is still beta version, but some fancy features are there (nudge, webcam support, file transfer). There still gaim and gnomemeeting. Anyway, I hope all these IM's be federated some day, like email.
Sticking to the original question. I use three computers regularly. At work, Ubuntu rules (Before, there was Debian. Computer life is breezy with .deb). My Laptop, an old fellow friend, is Ubuntu only. Now, there is family computer. Its dual boot. As long as people here is learning linux, more space Ubuntu conquers. But in the end I doubt windows will be complete erased here for the next years: so many interests, like gaming, different word processing skills and habits.

cheers

[canadianwriterman]

I was a Windows user for years and, when Linux came along, I tried different distros until settling on Ubuntu. I set myself a challenge to replace everything I do in Windows. It took time to get the right programs and get them working right. Here's where I am.

Transferred completely to Ubuntu:


All Internet browser activity, including online banking (Firefox)
All e-mail activity (Thunderbird)
All office document work (OpenOffice suite)
All Web design (BlueFish and NVU)
All FTP needs (gFTP, although it closes unexpectly)
All media viewing and listening (Ubuntu defaults)
All low-level game playing
Home bookkeeping (GNUCash)
Page design (Scribus)
Graphic design (The GIMP)


Still need Windows for:


Transferring music CDs into a library on my hard drive (Have tried,unsuccessfully to get amaroK, Beep, XMMS, etc. to work properly)
Doing my annual income tax return with QuickTax
Playing high-level games (FreeCiv is okay, but pretty primitive when compared to the Windows versions of the commercial Civilization series)

I haven't been able to afford a Windows/Linux crossover program yet, but I will when the final release of Breeze is out and installed on my computer, which may help my games quandry. I'm not sure that software will allow me to install QuickTax, but I'll try it.

Overall, I'm about 90 percent off of Windows.

[kingsidy]

basically some software for school that i get a hard time getting to work in linux. otherwise everything else i do in linux.

[snarkout]

I do not use, and have not used windows outside of work for at least six years. Mac and Linux, yes, Windows, no.

[xequence]

Unreal Tournament (Original) and a whole slew of other programs. I dont want to go through the hassle of cedega when I know it will work in windows for sure.

[TripleMoon]

I use Linux mainly for emails and surfing the net. The only reason I'm keeping Windows is because I play EverQuest. I could play it on Linux, but I'm not paying an additional monthly subscription to Transgaming so that I can use Cedega. The monthly fee to play EverQuest for two accounts is spendy enough.

Another reason is that I love my music. I've never been able to get my sound to work (no matter what articles I read and follow on here, it just doesn't work) in Linux.

If it weren't for those two things, Windows would of been gone months ago.

[adamb10]

The fact that I love Windows font rendering. It's so clear and everything.

[Mr_J_]

Nothing really!
I am going to delete my windows partition any day now.
Just need to make sure I don't loose anything I want to keep in the transfer.
Finallt got my MSI PC54G2 to work in Breezy by just following the wiki on these cards.
So Windows is now useless.
I got more games in ubuntu than in windows, and I really never use IM apps.
Ocasionally i go to IRC, but that is already possible in Ubuntu.
Sound is up, and as far as I care my box is ready to go!

[Curlydave]

Games, DUH! (compatibility, performance and IQ. Nvidia card users should not suffer from the performance and IQ issues ATI users will)

[era86]

It's all about school. I still use alot of Xilinx software for my Electrical Engineering courses. Also, I'm a Linux convert therefore I just can't seem to let go of my Windows just yet.

Also, I do alot of Windows networking where I work, and I'm always helping my computer illiterate friends on their Windows boxes and tops. So it's just a convenience to have it on my machine. I mean, if most everyone uses it, it's nice to have around when you're around most everyone!

[blastus]

The fact that I love Windows font rendering. It's so clear and everything.

Just install the msttcorefonts package and turn off anti-aliasing or set font rendering to "monochrome" in Ubuntu. And read this thread; Linux fonts (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=60120). If you have a flat panel and want to use ClearType then take a look at this thread; HOWTO: Hoary ClearType-like fonts (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=20976)

I guarantee you that the way Windows renders fonts is in no way superior to the way Linux renders fonts. The same font looks identical on both systems.

[bored2k]

My brothers use Windows. I happen to like some Windows native software like the Rosetta Stone.

[cmh_ubuntu]

DVD Shrink
DVD Decryptor
Craxtion
Excellent RDP support for Windows
Adobe Premiere

[adamb10]

Just install the msttcorefonts package and turn off anti-aliasing or set font rendering to "monochrome" in Ubuntu. And read this thread; Linux fonts (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=60120). If you have a flat panel and want to use ClearType then take a look at this thread; HOWTO: Hoary ClearType-like fonts (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=20976)
I guarantee you that the way Windows renders fonts is in no way superior to the way Linux renders fonts. The same font looks identical on both systems.
Saweet! Now my desktop fonts have that lcd look instead of a that CRT look

Thanx!

[PsyberOneZero]

Now that I got VMware running smoothly in Breezy I don't need the partiton anymore. I only really use XP for VS .NET 2003 (my school is M$-centric). and DVD Decrypter/AutoGK

But now I've got a 25GB(sda1) and 38GB(sda6) partition that I don't know what to do with?

Good problem to have I guess;)

[massy]

I would delete it however one major problem being is other members of the household. It took me years training them to use Windows, I'm not going to bother training them to use a similar but ultimately different system. Heck, they still use Outlook Express and IE 5 - I'm too scared to update it as I'll be accused of "fiddling with things" again!

There not aware Ubuntu exists nevermind what an OS is!

[Ampersand]

I've got a 30Gb Windows XP partition on this computer that I can't boot into, I'm still undecided as to whether I should try and get it working, or just format it for something else.

I've also got a 6Gb XP partition on my laptop (came installed when I bought it second hand). The main reason I keep it is because the s-video out doesn't seem to be supported under Linux (it's an ATI card which doesn't work with frglx).

[bhursey]

Now that I got VMware running smoothly in Breezy I don't need the partiton anymore. I only really use XP for VS .NET 2003 (my school is M$-centric). and DVD Decrypter/AutoGK

But now I've got a 25GB(sda1) and 38GB(sda6) partition that I don't know what to do with?

Good problem to have I guess;)

Have you tryed mono yet. I was able to do my C# projects in it for school.

[mcduck]

My reason for windows partition is Reason. Audio programs for linux just aren't there yet. :(

And then there's 3DS MAX, and Photoshop.

After installing Ubuntu my work has suffered a lot, as I find it harder and harder to boot into Windows ;)

[~J~]

At the moment the 2 things preventing me are as follows...

Games (simple as that) I'm no where near confident to start trying to install games in Ubuntu yet, all this Point2Play and Cedega scares the hell out of me.

Point 2, my lack of understanding for Linux yet.

I have a PST file from Outlook that is about 500Mb. Contains about 5 years of emails that I'd be so so very scared in either losing or damaging if/when I migrated totally to Linux. I'm VERY impressed with Evolution but like I said, just not confident to convert.

If I knew how to backup things like my emails, music, documents, photos, bookmarks, feeds, work, in fact everything that is "me" within Linux, then I'd probably make the transition. Until then, I'll be dual-booting.

[william_nbg]

As of last week I am 100% Windows free.

I installed Ubuntu 6 months ago on my old ide drive and had XP on my sata drive. Last week I wanted to test drive Breezy, but didn't want to risk my Hoary install because of my work (have to much customer data stored and need a running system) I hadn't booted into Windows for over three months, so I said, "What the hell - goodbye Bill!". Still use Hoary for my working system but will move over to Breezy when it's a little more stable.

Why??

Innovation mainly, and partly philosophy - and it's more fun. Development is just pouring into Linux at the moment, while XP is over 5 years old. How long can users keep booting into XP ... 6 years, 8 years ... 10!!

Is anyone interested in Vista? From what I've read it doesn't sound like a very appealing atmosphere to work or play in.

Viva La Ubuntu!!!

[minio]

I don't have one. So i cannot delete it :)

[Pekkalainen]

For almost 100% MSN compability: http://mercury.to (supports webcam, filetransfers, custom smileys, nudges and so on...)

I use my windows partition for banking and sending encrypted e-mails. I will soon switch to a bank that is GNU/Linux compatible and when I switch to breezy I will use evolution for encrypted e-mails.

[Cirkus]

I do 3d modelling with Poser, Daz3d and Bryce; and there are no equivalents (blender3d is to those what ed is to microsoft word) in Linux; so until their are, I'm going to have to dual boot.

[openmind]

Nothing, it's already gone. I t vanished on the Breezy update a couple of weeks ago.

[Pablo_Escobar]

I'll be an original one - games :D

But having in mind that I keep playing less and less than It'll not be so long till XP will be off my back for good :D

[blastus]

I have a PST file from Outlook that is about 500Mb. Contains about 5 years of emails that I'd be so so very scared in either losing or damaging if/when I migrated totally to Linux. I'm VERY impressed with Evolution but like I said, just not confident to convert.

If I knew how to backup things like my emails, music, documents, photos, bookmarks, feeds, work, in fact everything that is "me" within Linux, then I'd probably make the transition. Until then, I'll be dual-booting.

I would be more scared of losing or damaging my data if I left it in Outlook. Like most Microsoft products, Outlook uses a proprietary binary file format to lock consumers into it (and ultimately Windows) and make it near impossible to use an alternative. I haven't used Outlook but have used Outlook Express (that product also stores email in a proprietary binary file format.) However, 3 or 4 years ago I dumped Outlook Express and made a clean break to Pegasus mail (which stores email in a text format.)

Then in the summer of 2003 I dumped Pegasus and switched to Thunderbird (again making a clean break.) Thunderbird uses the mbox mail format, which is an open format that I can read in a text editor, so I have no concerns about losing anything. And when I switched to Linux a couple of months ago, it was easy for me to transfer all of my emails from Thunderbird on Windows to Thunderbird on Linux. And if you use Firefox on Windows, all you have to do is copy the bookmarks.bak and bookmarks.html files from your Windows profile, over into your profile for Firefox on Linux and you have all your bookmarks!

The sooner you can break free from using programs that store markup-type data in a proprietary file format, the easier it will be and the more comfortable you will be in choosing an alternative. It took me some time to gain the confidence I needed that all my data is safe in Linux and open formats.

[sbooth]

I'm a complete newbie with linux... I haven't booted Windows for a couple of weeks but will do so for Photoshop. In time I might learn how to use the GIMP for everything I do in Photoshop - but I've learned loads about editing digital photos in Photoshop and it's a fairly big hobby. I've got most other stuff sorted - internet, email (though yet to find a way to get all my Outlook data from its .pst file into my Ubuntu setup), music, open office is okay but I prefer Office 2003 (gather I can get something to make Office run in Linux - but not Office 2003?).

So, if I could use Photoshop in Linux... and Office 2003... there'd be no reason for me to keep WinXP!

Sarah

[~J~]

I would be more scared of losing or damaging my data if I left it in Outlook. Like most Microsoft products, Outlook uses a proprietary binary file format to lock consumers into it (and ultimately Windows) and make it near impossible to use an alternative. I haven't used Outlook but have used Outlook Express (that product also stores email in a proprietary binary file format.) However, 3 or 4 years ago I dumped Outlook Express and made a clean break to Pegasus mail (which stores email in a text format.)

Then in the summer of 2003 I dumped Pegasus and switched to Thunderbird (again making a clean break.) Thunderbird uses the mbox mail format, which is an open format that I can read in a text editor, so I have no concerns about losing anything. And when I switched to Linux a couple of months ago, it was easy for me to transfer all of my emails from Thunderbird on Windows to Thunderbird on Linux. And if you use Firefox on Windows, all you have to do is copy the bookmarks.bak and bookmarks.html files from your Windows profile, over into your profile for Firefox on Linux and you have all your bookmarks!

The sooner you can break free from using programs that store markup-type data in a proprietary file format, the easier it will be and the more comfortable you will be in choosing an alternative. It took me some time to gain the confidence I needed that all my data is safe in Linux and open formats.


Fair point, actually it's a damn good point!

[jrib]

I really like Ubuntu... it's great. The one thing that is keeping XP on my hard drive though is Ubuntu's inability to play certain media files. Specifically: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=71164. If I could get that to work I would probably delete XP since I never use it for anything else anyway.

[greenwom]

It's either a work or school thing for me. I have to run a evaluation program for work (I bring it home sometimes) and at school some of the classes have really lame education software. Other that that I'm in Linux!!

The only thing I'd like to keep from XP is DreamWeaver I spent alot of time with that and I can't (or I should say haven't tried) writing a web page straight from a text editor. I like dreamweaver even if it produces a drag and drop bloated web page.

The hardest thing I think for a newbe is wireless, I've gottten all of my laptops and my desktop up and running but it was a big bump to overcome for me. If Ubuntu is going to continue to move forward getting converts we need to
make this an area with better HowTo's and guides.

The only other thing is media and sound I've found that I can get most internet media playing except when it's embedded in some player and there isn't a media file extension I can find in the page's source. I know this where the legal crap comes into play but it is a serious area for many who want to make the switch. I love streaming video and audio but some site I just can't get up and running on ubuntu (yet).

I'm now running:
Dual boot: Hoary/Fedora on a HP 503n (fun box)
Dual boot: Hoary/ XP on a Sony Vaio laptop (work box)
Hoary on a Dell Latitude LS (coffie shop box)
XP on a Dell Inspiron 2500 (for my wife but she's starting to cross over to the "dark side")

[23meg]

max/msp (http://www.cycling74.com/products/maxmsp.html)
vvvv (http://vvvv.meso.net)
eyesweb (http://www.eyesweb.org)

[Rob2687]

Stuff for school depends on some IE things which even crossover office or wine won't do right.

[Some_Bored_Dude]

I've been playing with Ubuntu since the release of Hoary. Only over the past week I've setup a 3rd Harddrive in my system for Ubuntu. I've been playing with linux since redhat 6, just on computers I have laying around. Latley, I've been playing with Fedora, Gentoo, Debian, and Ubuntu. I've gotton into ubuntu so much, that my Gentoo file server, has now been replaced with Ubuntu. The servers we have at work are all Debian Woody/Sarge Based, so SSHing into these systems is now becomming more and more familiar as I play with my own system at home.

Ubuntu is stored on a newly purchased 80Gb harddrive, while Windows XP is on a 40Gb harddrive. I have a 120Gb harddrive also, which was were all my files are stored when I'm in Windows. It is still NTFS, but with the help of wine, I've been able to play the games on that harddrive with minimum issues. I hope to have the system running fault free by the end of october so i can show off ubuntu at my next lan party :) - Covert some more people.

[basketcase]

Stuff for school depends on some IE things which even crossover office or wine won't do right.


I dual booted back in the day, and rarely went into my windows partition. But the major reason for keeping windows was school website did not view properly in FF, so IE it was.

Also, Studio MX 2004, couldn't give that up.

Once 64-bit support is better, and the software is there, I'll probably throw my big box back over, but I've got TONS of movies in WMA format so it'd be a pain to switch over.

Some day.

[bam]

mainly, easy video conversion for my zaurus, I NEED this.

[mustang]

Games when I'm at home and lanning it up with my brother and this program called ImageGrabber that uses DX9 libraries (which wine won't play with)

[PsyberOneZero]

Have you tryed mono yet. I was able to do my C# projects in it for school.
I've played around with mono, Up until next week, all of the projects were VB.NET, but I have to admit I do like the form maker in VS.NET, that's the one real sticking point, I'm very visual and I like to see the form, the other code isn't a problem.

[forbes]

No support for my ATI all-in-wonder 9600 TV card. I think my card will burn out long before GATOS delivers :confused:. So I'll stick with my Windows FOSS MediaPortal (http://mediaportal.sourceforge.net/) for now.

If someone can come up with descent AIW support in Linux I would jump ship tomorrow. However I don't think that's coming anytime soon. ATI suck.


P.S. Also, WEP/WPA still needs better configuration tools and support. Neither NetworkManager nor WiFi radar "just work".

[JimmyJazz]

Since I work for a web development comapany as the head Flash developer I obviously can't live without Flash.
Also I record alot of music so I have to have quality sound editing tools, at this point linux is lacking these but there seems to be a push towards making better tools avaliable.
Also I found the GAIM problem with transfering files as well but, I usally just VNC into my MAC to fix that.

[Lord Illidan]

My sisters often use my machine for their homework. So I have to leave it there, or there will be hell to pay. Funnily enough, although they seemed to master the concept of playing Stones under Ubuntu, they can't figure out how to use Open Office.
As for games, well, I am not playing as much games as I used to do. And I like Ut2004 quite well on Linux. I also like chromium.

Yes, and I need Pascal with a graph unit, for my post-secondary computing project. I can't do it under linux, damn it.

[jnoreiko]

Having to go into a root terminal just to start up my ADSL internet connection, like in this thread. (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=45677)

Oh, and games of course.
Freeciv is ugly.

[GeneralZod]

Having to go into a root terminal just to start up my ADSL internet connection, like in this thread. (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=45677)

Oh, and games of course.
Freeciv is ugly.

Just a theory, but I suspect that the inclusion of "sudo" in your start-up script prevented in from running. sudo waits for a password, remember!

I'm fairly sure that scripts started in this manner run with root priviledges anyway, making sudo superfluous, but take this with a pinch of salt! :)

[kahping]

games. that's what's preventing me from deleting my windows partition. i hope that someday, Linux versions of games will be as common place as Windows games now, so that i won't have to keep Windows on my machine anymore ;)

kahping

[fredricsolstad]

Nothing is keeping me from deleting Windows.. Oh.. wait.. I already deleted it ;)

I might have to fiddle some to get apps to work that I have to use for school, but it's worth it. As a student I can't afford to buy and subscribe to antiwirus, firewall, windows tools, MS office and whatnots.. and apart from that.. Ubuntu gives me everything I need, and then some.

[meborc]

deleted my windows partition 2 days ago... by accident... have no regrets :D

[agger]

I've never succeeded in getting the Citrix client for Linux
to work, and I need to use Citrix to connect to my employer's
internal network using a Secure Access Portal. Until that's
resolved I will need my Windows partition - but once I get
the Citrix client to work, my Windows partition is history ...

[mrmcctt]

I've never succeeded in getting the Citrix client for Linux
to work, and I need to use Citrix to connect to my employer's
internal network using a Secure Access Portal. Until that's
resolved I will need my Windows partition - but once I get
the Citrix client to work, my Windows partition is history ...

Same here. And I have to put in my hours at work in a format that doesn't work in Firefox.

Other than these two things, I would dump Windows in a heartbeat. Working on getting Wine and IE up now. That should fix my timecard problem (I hope).

The Citrix client is a new monster. Trying to get my employers to put out a Linux version for us to use (save me the hassle of setting it up!). Not sure if they'll do it because their database is on a Win2k server run by another company.

[asimon]

Well, I have a valid Windows license and there is still enough free space on my hard discs so that I don't need to make room. Although I haven't booted into Windows for months there is simply no reason to delete it. ;-)

[girionis]

I am playing several games that are not available for Linux, that's why I have kept Windows 2000. Unfortunatelly gaming is the last frontier before Linux can be widely accepted for home computing.

[Mr_J_]

Deleted both my windows partitions yesterday!
No more need for it anyway!

[canadianwriterman]

The reason I'm scared to delete Windows? Several weeks' worth of work researching on the Web and trying numerous suggestions after a lot of postings in the Ubuntu forums to do two simple things:


mount my floppy drive
make Evolution's SMTP settings work with Sympatico DSL

[cowlip]

webcam support (see breezy crash) and pitch detection software

[WishMaster]

1) IM. Nothing beats MSN. There is no Linux alternative which supports webcam AND voice AND personal messages AND... (it hasn't have to be msn-compatible, just a Linuxclient that can do all those things).

2) I like DreamWeaver for its 'split'view. NVU doesn't work (crashes on switching to layoutview).
Flash.

The main reason I boot in Windows, is for msn (as sadly as that sounds...). Ik want to see personal messages, I want to log them, I want to see which songs my contact are playing, I want to voicechat with them (gnomemeetimg, skype, gizmo don't work... probably esd-alsa problem), I want to use my cam with them,...

[qalimas]

What Windows partition? :confused:

My computer is Linux only ;)

[jyank]

games and games only, in fact i'm logged into my windows partition right now because I know when I get back from my early class i'm going to want to play a game.

Cedega only works with one of the games I regularly play, and with a performance drop, so until that gets better, I'll keep this partition up.

[JurB]

Being a professional photographer i can't live without Photoshop and Nikon Capture/view.
I have taken several Photoshop courses and read books to get a descent hang of it, and i can't invest that time again to learn an alternative.....
Btw i don't think there is an alternative, Gimp is nice but it lacks loads of features that photoshop has... Colormanagement and 16 bit manipulation being the best examples.

Nikon Capture is a program to edit and convert my raw files, that is specially designed to work with nikon Nef files. Altough there are raw editors and convertors availeble for linux, non of them are especially desgned for Nef and have the features i need.
Nikon View is an image (nef) viewer (duh), wich does not exist for linux,or at least not that i know of. It also has some features i can't miss.

Oh yeah, America's army: a version exists for linux, but it's an old one with less maps and crappy servers.

If only Adobe and Nikon would here my calls and produce versions for Linux!!! I would be free of that dreaded Windows!!!

I installed Breezy a few days ago, and i'm loving it! If Ubuntu continues this path, it can become a big player in the OS world

Also, i preffer dualbooting to Wine/crossover/vmware because i want to keep my Ubuntu clean and the progs i need don't work in wine /crossover office.

[jvictor]

Well , my online banking sites are a no-no for linux .. :confused: .. so cant live without it. Moral of story MS is a necessary evil ;)

[alper_tr]

I have installed Breezy last night(I was really happy with Hoary as well). Well, I can say i had a nice install once more just like Hoary. However, I am not totally satisfied, honestly I was expecting better wireless support out of box. I still can't use WPA-PSK out of box, and there is a problem with turkish keyboard layout, it doesnt works(seems like a bug, there so many others as i ve read having trouble with international keyboard layouts.)

I can't use internet, cause my table is far away from the phoneline where my wifi adsl is connected to. Please don't mention about the other wpa threads. I have checked them all, however all requires to compile source,which i can't do myself.. and i am sure joe users like i am can't do that easly :(

But overall, I love Ubuntu and its getting better and better everyday, Keep up the great work guys!!!

[Turtle.net]

I only use Windows for Messenger...not because I like Windows Messenger, but that's the sole software my sister accept to use for videoconferencing....

[Drakx]

100% Linux here every thing but very few things i did in win98 i do in Linux with ease, no windows here

[jobezone]

I've heard amsn does videoconferencing in the msn network.

[thebigfatgeek]

Webcam
PocketPC Phone
Scanner
Adaptec Videoh USB
Nikon D70
Panasanic Firewire Video Camera

Only hardware- software is fine!

[neuschnee]

Most stuff works 100% fine and usually better for me in Linux. I only really play Warcraft III and it runs great off cedega.... actually in some ways it's better (I think because of how Linux handles memory and disk caching).

But there are some things...

Applications I just run in VMware off Linux:
- Tag&Rename for renaming/tagging/sorting MP3's (far superior to Easytag in functionality and interface... but I think Easytag has possibly the worst interface ever made in any application so maybe that isn't saying much).
- Adobe CS2 stuff (photoshop/indesign mostly). Photoshop 7 runs in WINE, but it doesn't actually work in WINE (many little annoying issues that cripple it). GIMP, while pretty functional, has again a terrible interface that I never could stomach. I've been using Photoshop since v2 or something so I love it and its interface.
- MSN Messenger 7.5. I love gaim and when I want to use webcam I use AMSN, but sometimes I'll still load real MSN. No 3rd party app fully supports it (not even Trillian) and it'll probably always be that way. Most of the time I don't care, though.

Applications I boot into Windows for:
- Subtitles. I use BSplayer for this and it's much better at displaying/reading/config'ing subtitles than Totem, mplayer, VLC or xine. For example you can set the color and size easily, or adjust drop shadow or anti-aliased outline. It can also polygonize bitmap subtitles from DVD's (.SUB) so it looks clearer and resizes well at different resolutions. It probably doesn't matter to most people, but I watch a lot of foreign films.

One more thing.. overall I prefer Winamp, but XMMS gets the job done pretty well anyway with how I have it setup. It's a shame nobody has made a good GTK2 XMMS (I don't really like bmp =/). Oh well, I'll live, heh.

[brockjudkins]

1. I already payed for Office/Win XP, so I'm not going to delete it. In fact, I'm only allowed to install them so many times until it says, "sorry, you dont really own the software you payed for, we just liscensed it to you to install a couple of times..." .. @&#!

2. iTunes, especially the Music Store. There are plenty of ways to get around the DRM (sure, try to take down DVD Jon, but I can always just burn a CD and import it as mp3!)

3. ProTools LE, needed to use my Mbox, a USB recording device (my search for Linux support for the Mbox has been in vain).


So, in summary, if I had a desktop mac (my wife uses an iBook), windows would be going out the window. :-D OK... dumb joke...

[jeremy]

I absolutely can not delete my windows partition!

Because I don't have one :rolleyes:

[Pablo_Escobar]

Only games support - I love Football Managers and RPG games :)
But the time I have for games is shortening by the month so I'll in the end my XP partition will be erased :)

[Segovia]

INSANT MESSAGE. I can never send a file right...maybe 10% of the time it works~ the other 90% it never does! This is not just a problem in GNU/Linux, it's a problem in Windows too. A friend and I exchange files *very* frequently by IM client, and we have experimented quite a lot. The bottom line is that if you're both using the same client, it will almost always work. Both using Trillian, it works. Both using gaim, it works, etc. But when you mix them up, it rarely works. Trillian/MSN, no go. Miranda/Trillian, nope. etc. It's really quite frustrating, I agree.

Back to the original question: I keep a 30 GB (out of a 300 GB HDD) partition for Wintendo.

[gabhla]

I keep Windows for the same reason most of us do...but, I'm somewhat new to Linux, and just can't bring myself to simply get rid of it. Basically, I'm converted already; but, there's just one application I use in Windows that I haven't yet been able to configure Ubuntu to simulate, that being day trading stocks. Oh, I'm sure it could be done, but I'm just too darn new, (lazy?).:razz:

I have to add, I'm very pleased with Ubuntu and pleasently surprised how easy it is to customize almost everything. This started as a curiosity/adventure, and became a conversion - I'm a believer.

[blueturtl]

Nothing anymore. Just finished HL2 the previous night. I'm going to borrow an external USB hard-disk from a buddy of mine, then I'm going to wipe the NTFS partition and do a nice fresh install of Breezy Badger while listening to the Badger Badger Badger flash. :D

[Cyfr]

Prolly been said (I can't be bothered reading 11pages just yet, maybe tomorrow :p)

But... webcam on msn really
I know there is software like amsn that allows webcam on linux, but I consider even the hugly bloated msn messenger for windows to be better than amsn.. the interface and stuff is awful..

Gaim rocks.. but no webcam support (yet..! *cross fingers*)

[Curlydave]

Nothing anymore. Just finished HL2 the previous night. I'm going to borrow an external USB hard-disk from a buddy of mine, then I'm going to wipe the NTFS partition and do a nice fresh install of Breezy Badger while listening to the Badger Badger Badger flash. :D

How on earth did you get Steam to work in Linux? I've been following that linux-gamers tutorial, but it doesn't work right.

[joshuai]

How on earth did you get Steam to work in Linux? I've been following that linux-gamers tutorial, but it doesn't work right.

I don't think he did. I read it as he just finished the game (on Windows) and now has now reason to keep Windows around.

As for me, it's just a few games, VB6 (for school), and Studio MX. None of the programs I've tried on Linux get close to the Macromedia ones. As it is, I can barely cope with Photoshop when I have to use it at school anymore. I'm so used to Fireworks...GIMP is way too much for me right now. :)

[blueturtl]

I don't think he did. I read it as he just finished the game (on Windows) and now has now reason to keep Windows around.

I did in fact get Steam to work in Linux also, but the performance of the game under Cedega was not acceptable (and the quality of graphics was reduced) so I decided I would finish the game under Windows, then do a nice fresh install of Breezy.

Uhh.. as to how I got it to work... well. It just did. Cedega magic I guess. I'm not sure if it's as foolproof under vanilla WINE.

[Malphas]

The applications still tying me to Windows XP are:


A decent DVD backup tool that allows use of a third party encoder (DVD Rebuilder (http://dvd-rb.dvd2go.org/)) and a decent MPEG-2 encoder.

A good, customisable music player such as Foobar2000 (http://www.foobar2000.org/). There have been discussions at Hydrogenaudio on creating a Linux port (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4941) but the application core remains closed source, it's thought to be heavily tied to the Win32 API, and the author hasn't expressed any interest in a port.

Epson Print CD

Various video tools: AviSynth, VirtualDub, DGIndex. AviSynth 3.0 is currently in development and is being coded in Python and should be cross-platform; the author of VirtualDub has expressed an interest in porting to Linux (http://www.virtualdub.org/blog/pivot/entry.php?id=39) but hasn't attempted to due to a lack of expertise.; and an attempt was sort of made to port DGIndex to Linux (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=98036) but failed for whatever reason, probably because the author, while happy to answer questions, had no real interest in seeing a port.

Occasionally I'll play a game, but not often enough to justify subscribing to Cedega.

Other than that I'm happy to use native Linux applications. Often I prefer them to the Windows alternative.

[bete]

Games mostly...
And the hard/boring learning curve of linux.

[paddyg]

Games (just because of my kids...)

[derrick1985]

My Girlfriend

[Smirf]

The reasons why I keep my Windows partion is:

-Some programs, Photoshop etc

-Games

-A refuge when I get too frustrated with problems that arise in Linux.

[Joh_]

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!)
Don't know if someone's said this before, cause I didn't read the whole thread. Too many posts. x.x Anyways, you might wanna take a look at Mercury (http://www.mercury.to). They support webcam chatting, file sending (through both server and direct connection), custom emoticons, winks, nudges, display pictures (duh!), custom font settings, hand written messages, etc. Only thing they really lack is UPnP support, so you'll have to open ports yourself, but that will be added in the next beta, cause I asked for it yesterday (that only says how fast their response is :D).

Anyways, what's keeping me from removing the windows partition (actually, partitions), are actually for 2 reasons. 1) GuildWars stopped working in Cedega since the last patch. 2) To defrag my 2nd fat partition where I store stuff. :p

[chimera]

Wut meenz windoez?:-|

No really,I deleted the NTFS partiton like a month after I first installed ubuntu.

[anarchoal]

Audio programs have been mentioned a lot.

To clarify on that, for just pure audio, linux is pretty great- audacity is good as a sort of audio notepad, and ardour does the heavy-duty stuff. There are fewer audio-processing plugins available than on windows or mac however.

The killer for me is MIDI. Linux just doesn't have a MIDI sequencer of comparable quality to those on other platforms (my favourite is Cubase), although Ardour are planning MIDI support.

No VST support is a big big problem, VST is the most popular format for effects and softsynths. Apparently it's possible to get VSTs working in WINE and put an LDSAP wrapper around them so you can use them in linux, but it looked heinously complicated.

[Vlammetje]

Well it is not so much the audio programs that have a way of ruining the otherwise breezy experience... it's the %^$*&*%#$* PAIN of getting surround sound... of ghetting soound at all for starters.

I now have stereo, after various tweaks and a desperate reinstall followed by another series of tweaks... I'm still stumped on how to get 5.1 surround... it's a friggin pain... and at the end of the day... my live concert DVD's really want surround sound.... so until I've fixed it (or somebody shows me the way) Windows isn't going anywhere.

[geoffDeGeoffGeoff]

the built in memory stick reader in my sony vaio.
also some poker software - one day I will take a look at WINE for that though...

[bluebyt]

I am a new linux user since 3 weeks only, I just need to find some applications after that I will use only Ubuntu:

What I need to find:
1.An application to merge avi,mpeg
2.Image web grabber (I tried downthemall doesn like it)
3.A good newsreader program (tried Pan and klibido not as good as newsbin)
4.I missed konfabulator (Gdesklet doesn't work very well)
5. I missing the backport in Breeze to have the non-free unrar (support for winrar 3.0)

That it!

[shade11]

There is no real reason as to why I am trying to keep it. For now it is because I cant get music to play on it. Once I finally get it to run.. My PC is going to get it's Windows wiped. Belive it or not. I am running Windows 98 :razz: .

[poofyhairguy]

4.I missed konfabulator (Gdesklet doesn't work very well)


What you want is called superkaramba.

http://netdragon.sourceforge.net/ssuperkaramba.html

[shade11]

Another reason is because Windows has Winamp. And I need Windows to get my songs to my iPod. (I cant seem to find the Linux version of Winamp.)

[Brunellus]

Another reason is because Windows has Winamp. And I need Windows to get my songs to my iPod. (I cant seem to find the Linux version of Winamp.)
it's called gtkpod.

and linux has XMMS, BeepMediaPlayer, AmaroK, and Rythmbox (among others). Perhaps all you need is a clever script (http://www.acid-code.ch/~jonas/mkihpplaylist/) for turning forward slashes to backslashes in playlist files to make them winamp-compatible ?

XMMS is the most Winamp 2.x-like option out there. Rbox and AmaroK like to be like iTunes.

[shade11]

it s just that the taballs wont extract all of the time. Not even on another OS. So I cant get them.

[Brunellus]

last I checked gtkpod was in the universe repos.

[majikstreet]

last I checked gtkpod was in the universe repos.
you.are.right.

[Soilman]

I have a Sony VGN-T350 notebook. The alps touchpad is still not configured correctly causing the cursor to jump to locations with palm touches:Arg. Until I have the time to figure this out (turning of taps), I cannot do any real work in Ubuntu. Also, the notebook is bios free, so I need the windows utilities to configure the notebook.

[manicka]

the rest of my family

[damaged]

Nothing anymore!!!

Just deleted it. Ubuntu only from here on in.

[ultra.nj]

because i still can't print anything on ubuntu

[Parkaboy]

Now I am using Ubuntu and testing GNU/Hurd,I also want to test other uncommon operating systems so I deleted Windows. However I can not use my modem without windows

[Brunellus]

Now I am using Ubuntu and testing GNU/Hurd,I also want to test other uncommon operating systems so I deleted Windows. However I can not use my modem without windows
you're the first person I have ever heard of using GNU/HURD. how do you find it thus far?

[Greyhair]

:-k ............what's a Windows Partition ?

[missmoondog]

Well, I have switched 3 of my 4 machines over to strictly Ubuntu 5.04. Would switch the other one, but it's my wifes! Tried making it a dual boot machine yesterday, but couldn't figure outhow to create the swap file. It just wasn't showing up after creating it, or something.

[graigsmith]

World of warcraft.

[Wolveen]

1) Games
2) Printer/Scanner

All 3rd party related unfortunately.

[ubuntu27]

ok, I have
Windows XP Home with SP2
And Ubuntu Breezy B. 5.10
in the same computer.

I still cannot get rid of Win XP for the following reasons:

First, somehow I can only get access to internet with Win XP if I lost the internet before.
Example, three days ago, the light went off, so naturally the moden went off, but since I have battery saver or whatever it is called, my computer didn't went off.
THe thing is that after the electricity came back again, I run Linux, and I am with no Internet even though the MODEM is ON. I can only have access to internet in Linux AFTER I log on to Windows and it gets me the IP and blah blah...

Second: Linux or Should I say Ubuntu dosn't support Foregian language such as Japanese (I'm a translator) completely.

And third, Still no Webcam support. :D

[etc]

For a while it was the fact something went wrong and I couldn't use my system, I'd always have Windows to fall back on. After a while I hadn't used Windows for months, and I needed the space, so I deleted the partition and gave the whole disk to Ubuntu.

[psyguy92]

Need to synch / install proprietary software on my palm pilot.

[Gadgetsrme]

I'd delete a Windows partition in a heartbeat, but this machine has never had MS and it is never going to catch that disease.

[heftigrat]

...issues like the ones you raised won't really be fully absent until enough people make a complete switch away from windows. That's all the more reason to just bear with the difficulties and continue to seek for and push for good solutions, and say goodbye to windows. Or else you and others like you won't ever really be free from it, and the people that follow will continue to have a hard time getting away.

Very well said. I really only keep W2K around b/c it seems like the rest of the world is still a Microshaft Winblows world. The formatting (mostly spacing) of ".doc" files changes just enough between MS Office & OpenOffice.org that I don't trust that Win users will be able to view important docs (e.g. my resume) the way I intend. Although, you could just say that I should learn to install Wine, and you would be right. If it were up to me, MS products would be banned - yes, I said BANNED - worldwide. I think we would see much more rapid development and contribution to OO projects. Not that they're suffering now or anything, but think of how many more ppl would actually use *NIX/NUX to begin with w/out Win, and how many more ppl would be willing to donate $ since they wouldn't be shelling out hundreds of dollars to Micropoly.

But I digress. In short, I will always have to use Win for some things until a fresher crowd (i.e. Linnies) starts working its way into admissions and recruiting positions. Otherwise I'm Win free.

[heftigrat]

Games and a project I have to do in .NET.
Didn't we have a similar thread before?

I believe this thread I posted in is similar:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=481478#post481478

Meh, either way though, I like to see what ppl have to say about making the Win to Lin switch.

[Ubnuut]

I used only Ubuntu on my system since the beginning of the year, but had to install Windows again 2 months ago, to do serious video editing. As soon as (if ever) Avid port their software for Linux it would be totally hasta la vista windows for me. Working in Windows is very frustrating once you got used to Ubuntu. Ubuntu is just so much better!! :D I only boot to Windows for video editing, nothing else.

[Rykhaard Damian]

I only have one reason for keeping windows: music software. There are a couple of VST plugins I really need, and I haven't really liked any of the Linux sequencers I've tried.

Yup. Me too. The ONLY reason that I'm keeping an XP partition (decided, this past Sunday), is for running Propellerhead's Reason, for writing music with.

But - as of this past June, I'm back to designing / building modular synthesizers (minor part of reason originally, for looking at Linux again :) ) for making music with. ;) If and once I DO find the hardware keyboards that I'm looking for, I may not need, Reason any more. (After 4 1/2 years of having worked with Reason - moving to it FROM, modular synths.)

The Linux return reason - I'd like to return to programming music software, but down at the 'text only' type of interface, for hopefully - maximum power availability, as opposed to GUI overhead / etc. (As I'd have with Windoze. :p )
As of about an hour ago - I'm now searching for a nice'n'simple / but swell, programming language, to work with in Ubuntu. :) Python looks really neat so far. And so the search continues ...... :eek:

Ryk

[Burgundavia]

I am contractualy obliged to have windows on my laptop. Part of the price of getting the laptop for nothing as for the Laptop Testing Team. I am counting the days until windows buys it...

Corey

[darrenrxm]

Video games.

[cedjo]

Nothing, for the games I prefer my playstation :)

[Ubuntist]

1. Sometimes I bring work home and need MS Office apps, especially Excel. I know OpenOffice can read and write Excel spreadsheets, but so far it doesn't seem to me that OO is completely compatible with Visual Basic macros.

2. The amazing freeware space sim, Orbiter.

[Folken]

My UMAX 4700 scanner and brother's games :p

[ironwoodcarver]

hello to all

I have a question I have run windows xp pro and was unsatisfied by all the crap you have to go through to protect yourself from viruses and spyware, etc so I don't understand why some users would want both on there system seems like your asking for problems most windows based programs like msword can be converted to use linux so again why ? seems like a lot of hassle to me:confused:

[xequence]

Word cant be used on linux unless you have crossover office or another compatability layer.

I have windows 2000 datacenter server on the other partition because:

1. Unreal Tournament
2. Quake III Arena
3. Visual Basic
4. Other programs like audiograbber.

[etc]

Because Ubuntu isn't Windows minus the spyware and viruses.
Some programs can't be used in wine, and some people want Windows just incase they mess up Ubuntu.

[skyboy]

i would say, some people want linux in case they mess up windows :) !!
I have NOT started a windows boot for about 2,5 years :) i can do everything i need to do but of course, I don't do games so it is easy for me :)
But virus and spyware are another world for me now ;)

[aysiu]

I'm merging you with the ongoing "Why dual boot?" thread.

[Curlydave]

Seriously though, until my games work and work right in Linux, restarting my compy alot to dual-boot just isn't worth the effort. Windows does all I need and runs games, Linux does all I need but run games. I really don't want to restart my computer so much, so Windows it is. Maybe if I had an Nvidia card and there was a free cedega, things would be different.

[BRODEL]

I'm still learning linux so it will be a while before I can even think of getting rid of windows. I don't think I ever will be able to though because I haven't seen anything to take the place of activesync for my pocket PC and I have grown quite attached to it in the short time that I've had it.

[Pi rules]

I'm also just starting to learn about Linux. I use Windows for the drivers (I am unable to print with any Linux distro, I might ask about it later), programs (I purchased many of them, so I don't want to waste that money), the experience (I like to learn about computers), etc.

[xbaez]

I agree with you except one thing

I am found of a gaming site called www.SoccerAccess.com

I NEED to play PES 5. I've been able to play Fifa 2003, Fifa 2004, NFS Underground (1&2)... in Point2Play (cedega) but I just can't run Pro Evolution Soccer 4/5, Oedit (3D gaming editor), and I like Google Earth

But Linux has improved a lot I don't miss WinXP except when I need a soccer game.

[chajuram]

Hi Everyone,

I use ubuntu for almost all I do. I have a scanner that is not supported by linux, not that I use it much. After seeing this post I am seriously thinking about whether i should let windows go (from my disk) for good. But my wife protests, she says that I have paid for it, I should use it. I wonder why I was using a paid for thing when there is such a great free alternative.

Chajuram.

[chajuram]

hello to all

I have a question I have run windows xp pro and was unsatisfied by all the crap you have to go through to protect yourself from viruses and spyware, etc so I don't understand why some users would want both on there system seems like your asking for problems most windows based programs like msword can be converted to use linux so again why ? seems like a lot of hassle to me:confused:

Not sure if I can answer your question (assuming I have understood it correctly).

1. It is often useful to have the option of using windows, when the need might arise. Like I have a scanner that is not supported under linux. Gamers find it hard to play all their games.

2. Even though most MS softwares have equivalents in the linux world, they are not always totally compatible. Not all word files can be succesfully displayed by OO. It is a different matter that not all word files can be displayed by word either ;)

3. Having a partition with windows (one you are not using) does not in any way endanger the security of your system (virus, etc).

Having said all that I have not used windoze in three months and perhaps never will.

Chajuram.

[marksi]

I use Linux for everything but my trusty old Canon printer only works on Windows so I have a dual boot machine

[thezerogroup]

After installing VMware. . . I have no more need for a seperate win partition

[megamania]

I recently removed Windows XP from my hard disk and I'm very happy. :)

At the moment I'm doing ok with my daily needs, but there are still things to try (burning cd's, converting music cd's to mp3, etc.)...

I decided to wipe Win because this way I'm forced to find a way to do things in Linux rather than booting Windows every time I have a (small) problem.

[towsonu2003]

have license to use it...

multimedia playing (yep, dvds)

gaming (paid money to fifa)

need SPSS for thesis (win xp)

PSPP has no gui in linux, and under development...

[PS. did fresh win xp (no SP) install and did not update it at all]

[deNoobius]

A few things. One, I can't get my laser printer to work in Ubuntu (see my numerous posts in the beginner's forum). Second, I have to have Internet Explorer to access my work email--access is not permitted with another browser (I tried anyway, no luck). Third, some of my graphics software, like Bryce, may have a Linux version but I bet it would have a huge learning curve, and I'm not really up for it (if anyone can point me to something like it, I'm willing to give it a try!). Fourth, I like a good chess game, and there are some really nice ones for Windows. Gnu chess is kinda unsatisfactory, IMHO (again, if anyone knows of a better--but that's all I could find).

Bu the main reason is so I can print. The computer is also the gateway to the printer for my entire home network.

[towsonu2003]

Second, I have to have Internet Explorer to access my work email--access is not permitted with another browser (I tried anyway, no luck).

Did you try the user agent switcher extension of firefox? When you choose "internet explorer", it "lies" to servers you connect to and tell them you're on ie6 on xp.

[bonzodog]

windows....thats an Operating system right? hrmm...I believe I used to have something with that name waaaay back when I was younger....but linux user for a good few years now, I only know linux. It's all my 64 bit computer is capable of running. Someone did whisper in my earhole that it's possible but VERY difficult to use, a real challenge to someone used to having everything just working on install.

[deNoobius]

Did you try the user agent switcher extension of firefox? When you choose "internet explorer", it "lies" to servers you connect to and tell them you're on ie6 on xp.

No, but I'll look into it--thanks for the tip.

[brugca]

ratDVD principally :(...

¡Please! ¡Port ratDVD to linux!.. the source code is in the webpage :rolleyes:

;)

[prizrak]

The only Windows I got are in my walls!!!! There are a few things I can't do in Linux but they are not critical so I don't care :)

[jsmidt]

Nothing, just don't want to take the time. Too many files to back up.

[wrtrdood]

What Windows partition?

[rajaiskandarshah]

still needs windows for:
1. Accounting software (for servicing my previous clients). I actually already have Quasar accounting for my business use running on Ubuntu.
2. Backing up my HP iPAQ PDA which runs MS Pocket PC 2003 Pro (the MS apps are lousy - had to search and install other 3rd party apps). The PDA was a gift by the way - should have got a Palm.
3. Some LCD projectors dont work with my Ubuntu on Acer Travelmate 2301 (great value notebook for people with limited money).
4. got an OEM license for windows

ubuntu better than windows coz:
1. performance is generally better
2. synaptic ! installing and updating software has never been this good !!
3. free software, free software, free software, .....

[rpaller]

I may have responded to this thread, but here is another reason or two why I am unable to separate entirely from Windows on my laptop:

Expensable is the method required by my employer for me to submit expenses.

This year I am considering submitting my taxes online instead of buying TurboTax for Windows.

If I posted before I probably mentioned ER/Win for database modeling (mostly Teradata) and Visio for occasional diagramming.

[xbaez]

I think that Linux is great but there are some basic things
1) hardware support in general, allthough Ubuntu is the best distro here, some hardware still needs better support
2) Software doesn't runs, Gaming and Office software, allthough wine is improving.
3) difficult
For instance you have to read a whole forum to enable alsa to mix sounds, in windows it works right out of the box

I honestly use both operating system, each one is good in some things, Windows I use it for gaming basically
I have OfficeXP, Macromedia Dreamweaver and even WindowsXP (under VMware) in Linux so I don't need it as much, but for gaming there is no other option

[xbaez]

My UMAX 4700 scanner and brother's games :p
Did you tried to search for that scanner in saned?

My scanner Genius ColorPage-Vivid 4 was supported only after I did some reading and copyied the firware of the scanner, just scanned a document yesterday

[lowlymarine]

Games, mostly. And I have 2GB of music in iTunes .m4u format, and I don't know of anything for Linux that can read that.

But mostly games. HL2, FEAR, BF2, Painkiller, etc.

Overall I love Linux though, and I keep making my XP partition smaller and smaller...

[Terrycymru]

1. There is nothing as good as Quicken for finance management.

2. Office.org spreadsheet is nowhere near as good as Lotus 1-2-3.

3. My favourite browser, Opera, does not perform as well on Ubuntu.

4. I can't get Realplayer to work on the BBC News site.

5. Ubuntu takes too long to boot and shutdown (WinME is so fast!)

6. Evolution is buggy so there is no substitute for Lotus Organizer.

On the positive side Ubuntu is a stable OS and the following run very well:
Firefox, Thunderbird, Pan and Liferea. Ultimately, it depends on what you use your PC for and whether suitable apps are available to run on Ubuntu.

[Gustav]

Lazyness, I guess.

I haven't booted Windows for maybe half a year.

[mrpixels0]

my wifes copy of THE Sims 2 /w expansions :(, i hope that wine will eventually be able to run that idiot never ending game of hers. :)

as a side note you would think that a Simulation like the sims would have a native version for Linux seeing as they seem to be a natural match. well in my Opinon you would :).

[mikeymouse]

I need skype and /or googletalk, without one of these I cannot give up win2000.
I am surprised that version 5.10 doesnt have one of these programs, or at least have skype in the repository..
Outside of that I do have a few games like Bejewelled2 that i would hate to leave behind.
Therefore i dual boot until I have at least skype..
thanks mikeymouse

[lost.sync]

My reason for windows partition is Reason. Audio programs for linux just aren't there yet. :(

And then there's 3DS MAX, and Photoshop.

After installing Ubuntu my work has suffered a lot, as I find it harder and harder to boot into Windows ;)

same problem. i've written approximately 0 songs since installing ubuntu, essentially because i've grown to loathe windows so much since really seeing what a good OS is like.

if a really nice sequencer/software synth/drum machine a la fruityloops or reason were in the repos, i could and would [probably] completely ditch windows (the only windows apps i have installed are opera, reason, fruityloops, cubase, live, and wavelab). or if ardour would do midi/etc. even better - simple sequencer that can wrap windows VST/VSTi dlls. i really can't find a single music making app (recording apps are there - but not composition) that i like for linux, which is a shame, because it seems like it's a terriffic platform for those types of tasks.

oooooh yeah, all of that and plus that for some reason i can't get fglrx to work with my radeon, so my s-video output is busted and i won't be playing many games without some real OpenGL support. almost forgot since it's been so long since i used those things...

[cybercookie72]

Greetings ALL

I still use windows because I use my computer as a PVR and do some video editing...linux doesnt like my ATI AiW 9700 pro and is for the most part REALLY slow at getting new hardware up and running....I can get the drivers to work for the few games linux has but the TV card just wont work :( but linux is fun to mess with as a hobby....right now...I just cant get any real work done on it :( ...maybe in the future, until then Ill just play around in mandriva and ubuntu :D

[eMuNiX]

I still have to use Windows for CAD software and my webcam otherwise I use Kubuntu for all my computing needs, even my scanner is okay with Linux.

[redactech]

Skype works perfectly in linux, I'm using it often

That said I would love to have gaim doing voice for yahoo/msn



I need skype and /or googletalk, without one of these I cannot give up win2000.
I am surprised that version 5.10 doesnt have one of these programs, or at least have skype in the repository..
Outside of that I do have a few games like Bejewelled2 that i would hate to leave behind.
Therefore i dual boot until I have at least skype..
thanks mikeymouse

[PenguinZdravko]

The thing that's preventing me from deleting the Win partition? My sister. She don't use Linux, and she was interested in Linux only because of the f*****' amaroK player.

[DJ Wings]

Meh... idk. Probably all the k3w1 stuff on there. Windows gets iTunes, Quicktime plugins, Ableton Live, Melody Assistant (I'm a music junkie, obviously), and too much other stuff. Audacity doesn't come with a synth, does it? Dang, software incompatibility is anoying.

[GoA]

Last week I actually witched back to windows. Ubuntu is still my testing system and it's the best linux distro I have seen. I used ubuntu as my only system for about 3 months. However, here's a list for the reasons which switch me back to windows:

1. It's faster on my computer
2. It looks better
3. Multimedia support just is better
4. No command line. I can do everything grahphically
5. Easy to set up gamma, brighteness, overclocking and so on options on display properties
6. It's as stable as ubuntu

And the things I miss from ubuntu:
-There's no need for antivirus program
-No restart after updates/some program installs

I will still continue using ubuntu. But only to learn more about linux. Now I will say one thing for you which will shock some of you. :D Linux is made by geeks for geeks.

[elglas]

I agree I miss acid and soundforge.Audacity is growing on me but I prefer acid.

I have no windows partition.I built my computer from the main board up.I used to have a copy of windows that I installed from his dell oem disc.I bought the windows xp sp2 upgrade thinking it was actually windows.

I tried to install that when my xp was to fried with viruses.I found out it was just a upgrade disc.Then I just installed ubuntu to my whole drive.

I probally wouldn't install windows if I had a disc laying around.I definately wouldn't spend the $300 to buy a copy of windows xp home, lol.

sure I miss cubase, but there is something to be said with ardour, and it's easy install on ubnutu, and no one's knocking on my door arresting me for software piracy! try it you some time, with universe packages, install qjackctl and ardour , maybe jamin too so you can get a feel for plugins in Jack. support for hardware has been out of the box for my m-audio delta 1010 too

[strawman]

Today i upgraded the firmware for my linksys wrt54g wireless router. The firmware file is in an .exe format. How can one do upgrades such as this and for the bios without an Windows partition to handle .exe file format? Can it be done in linux?

I use linux 95%; 5% windows for certain games, tax prep, bios and firmware upgrades

[corvax]

the firmware shouldnt be in an exe format at all. They DO make an idiotproof firmware installer in .exe format for people who dont know how to access their router via the browser. The firware comes in a zip file you just unzip it and theres the bin.

[Big Venus]

I have been trying out other distros and have found that ubuntu is the best of all of them for me... I am keeping windows for now, because I want a good solid platform for me to play my games on. But I in about a month's time, I want to be able to say that, "I cut the dependency to 'Windows XP'"; "Don't you start using 'Linux OS'"...

These quotes are from this site... That has Mac OSX wallpaper on it...
Its called "Ninja" (http://homepage.mac.com/m_hiroshi/index02.html)

[corvax]

Most of the reasons ive read are just nit picking. Im glad that shows how far linux has come in the last few years. For those who say their scanner doesnt work make sure it isnt on the sane list fisrt... If it is try sudo xsane if it finds one in the scan its a driver or config problem and that can be fixed . If not there is commercial linux software that may help http://www.hamrick.com/

And for Printers Check the listing for cups etc and see of your printer is listed if it is then some of the folks here can help you get it going in linux. If it isnt then another commercial linux product for that can be found here http://www.turboprint.de/english.html

Many times people just dont know that a solution exists and dont know where or how to look for one.

[Big Venus]

Most of the reasons ive read are just nit picking. Im glad that shows how far linux has come in the last few years. For those who say their scanner doesnt work make sure it isnt on the sane list fisrt... If it is try sudo xsane if it finds one in the scan its a driver or config problem and that can be fixed . If not there is commercial linux software that may help http://www.hamrick.com/

And for Printers Check the listing for cups etc and see of your printer is listed if it is then some of the folks here can help you get it going in linux. If it isnt then another commercial linux product for that can be found here http://www.turboprint.de/english.html

Many times people just dont know that a solution exists and dont know where or how to look for one.
Agreed that linux has came a long way,

I have a scanner of my own that I haven't used since 'Windows ME' was the brand new OS on the block from MS. and in Windows XP it doesn't work and it doesn't work in Linux. Go figure...

[corvax]

Check for supported scanners here http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html
Check for supported printers here
http://www.linuxprinting.org/

[ScreemingBlue]

To answer your question, magomago, absolutely nothing. I've been windows free for almost a year now. And I know that the issues like the ones you raised won't really be fully absent until enough people make a complete switch away from windows. That's all the more reason to just bear with the difficulties and continue to seek for and push for good solutions, and say goodbye to windows. Or else you and others like you won't ever really be free from it, and the people that follow will continue to have a hard time getting away.

If anyone has suggestions, I encourage you to post them. =)

I've been Windows free for 3 months now. Don't see any reason to switch back. I get everything and more running UBUNTU. If you want to play games get an XBOX or PS. :p

[TICK66]

I just deleted windows. Hope to get wine to work though for some software my wife uses. Wine just will not install for me on breezy amd64.

[xyz]

Hi-
I'm far from being capable of relying only on Ubuntu but I will be sooner or later because I like the "philosophy" and I love learning new stuff.
I need to be "computer-operational" and I have many a time spent several weeks without access to Linux OS because I didn't know how to fix it.Windows has therefore allowed me to connect to Linux forums to learn little by little.I've also had to bother friends with "could I come by your house...nothing works anymore" and that can be a hassle,too.
Also, as a musician,I've got progs that won't work with Linux and being a real beginner,I don't know if Wine would help!Things can be very confusing.

One last question:Windows is exclusive (to use a 'nice' word).Why would Linux users do it like they do it...totally refuting another OS?

[Vlammetje]

In one word: photoshop. A fabulous toy that I am not prepared to let go of. Even though I've tried GIMP.... it is just not the same, I cannot do everything I can with PS.

Although rebooting just for image manipulation is a bit of a pain..... but I have not yet succeeded in running PS via Wine, it keeps crashing (not terribly surprising of course)

And for this reason alone my Windows partition is looking at a long life :(

[Brunellus]

everybody keeps banging on about things that they can only do in photoshop.

I'm not a hard-core photo manipulator, so obviously I don't use GIMP to its full potential, but I'm just curious as to what featuers are missing in the GIMP? Or is it a question of user interface?

[yaaarrrgg]

couldn't get my lexmark x1150 all-in-one printer to work completely. i can print, just not scan. When I bought it, I didn't plan on using Linux. Next time I upgrade my hardware, I will eliminate Windows :)

[siorai]

The only reason I have a Windows install now is my PSP. I have yet to find a way to encode videos in an AVC mpeg4 format for the Playstation Portable. Once I figure that one out, I think I'll actually be able to say "buh-bye" to Windows.

[slypie]

Games

[SteelValor]

Games

I too am waiting for the Gaming Geko Ubuntu release :D

[Ultimo Aliento]

Guild wars, warcraft 3 and a lot of old games...

[veloct]

In my case is my spouse, she's not willing to let go off windows for anything. I've tried going to Macs and she had to have a PC. Hopefully I'll be able to get her a laptop soon and the desktop will be free of windows for good. :)

[colly3]

after 7 years working on a windows desktop, it isn't easy to give it up.
but with user friendly distributions like ubuntu, i may overcome this. :)

[gamerchick02]

Whew. There are lots of posts in this thread!

I have a dual-boot system: Breezy Badger and WinXP Home. I keep XP around so I can play my games: The Sims and SimCity 4. Sometimes I play Diablo 2, or IceWind Dale or Baulder's Gate 2. I also have Trillian Pro 3.1 (paid for it!) and I think I should use it.

Anyway, I have everything I ususally use in Windows working in Ubuntu. I haven't played with Codega or Wine yet to see if I can get Smartgames or Civ2 working under Ubuntu.

I really like Ubuntu. It is much easier to use than Windows. I don't have to keep downloading antivirus software or firewalls to keep my machine "safe" from all the bad things out there.

Really, the only time I use Windows is when I'm using my roommate's laptop (like right now) for broadband access to the internet or when one of my friends needs to use the computer. I did get one of my brother's friends to use Firefox under Ubuntu to check his email. He has a problem with spyware and stuff on his home PC. I didn't worry about him messing up my Ubuntu.

Amy

[jmh]

I have yet to, but just might, dual boot my remaining Windows PC. All I use the PC for currently is photo work (not PS and can easily convert what I do to whatever), Dreamweaver (am looking at nvu), and a program called Paperport that cost me money to buy and which I use often (all my Windows s/w is on an academic licence that says we can use it at home [for work purposes] as well as work, so cost me nowt).

Paperport may well work under Wine, not yet checked. I scan a lot - ought to be able to do that in Ubuntu, just never tried.

The kids used to play Need for Speed III on their PC but that is now running Ubuntu and they have not moaned about the lack of the game yet!

Thus I will probably go dual-boot just for Paperport (and maybe Dreamweaver) and probably use that boot once a week. That said if I try hard enough I can probably do all Paperport can in other ways, just not got the time to experiment. Argh...

[jjkrueger]

2 things have been preventing me from blasting windows for the past several years.

Visio and Nortel's Contivity VPN client.

Dia, well, there's no way that'll stand up to Visio. Kivio is much closer, but still a bit off. I could probably make due with it if I looked a little deeper into its output or export formats.

As for the VPN client, well, the Contivity really doesn't play well with anything else - no FreeS/WAN, vpnc, openvpn. None of 'em work. Nortel will provide a Linux version of the client, but, well, I'm not willing to shell out the cash for something that I can't make work (at least, not in Ubuntu/Kubuntu). And the last thing I want to do is use FC3 just for a VPN client. Perhaps if I understood more aobut compiling software, it might be a bit easier to make work, but, well, make errors are just Greek to me :???:

[SweetDreams]

I'm trying to get Windows reinstalled since I miss Half-Life 2.

[dtfinch]

My Windows XP Pro desktop is headless. I access it through remote desktop whenever I need it. It'll probably be running Windows until the hardware fails. It wasn't exactly Linux compatible the couple times I tried it anyways. And even recently I've used it for some programming and testing.

[marxamuel]

I am running Breezy Kubuntu on an old gx100 (celeron 600)wtih a WD7200rpm hard drive and it is sweet - I am in very happy with it. I also have Hoary running on an ancient Toshiba 4020 with good results. I would love to make the switch but I have a few issues before I make the switch on the main machine.


For me it is microsoft money and my pocket pc which I have yet to get good results with Raki sync.

Also the wife uses canon software and ulead to work on her photos and I don't think she is game for a learning curve.

[jmh]

As for the VPN client, well, the Contivity really doesn't play well with anything else - no FreeS/WAN, vpnc, openvpn. None of 'em work.
I don't know your setup so may not apply but my ADSL router supports VPN directly so I can program that to do the VPN stuf and not use a client on the PC.

[Robocoastie]

media, although that will be remedied soon when I recieve my nvidia chip based tv card. This asus one refuses to work within Linux. And a BIG problem is my darn printer. I really don't want to buy an expensive printer at this time so I'm still stuck with PSC1210xi which refuses to let my winXP laptop access it because HP really doesn't want them networkable. I tried going Linux only on the laptop but the lack of power management was too much of a hassle. Short answer: its very hard to go 100% linux due to hardware companies STILL refusing to fully support anything other than MSFT.

[JAwuku]

The only thing that is keeping me from deleting my WinXP partition is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, and many assorted add-ons.

[kalosaurusrex]

I know everyone has read this before. But here's my two cents.

I still have windows (i'm dual booting) because I haven't been able to get wine or cedega to work with any games that I like to play. Empire Earth, SFC3, and lots of others. So I keep windows for gaming.

I've played with wine, but it doesn't support directx and I couldn't find any info on how to make it work, even then there are no promises that any games will work, I paid for cedega and the one game I wanted to play, Empire Earth, wont work. But WoW and others supposedly do, so I don't understand what the differences are. But I'm not a programmer. If there was a tool that would run games more consistantly I would delete my windows partition forever.

Aaron

[aysiu]

I actually made a very big step the other day. Previously, I had a Windows XP partition, a huge FAT32 partition for shared files, and several Ext3 partitions to play around with various Linux distros.

Now, I have my hard drive formatted with a Windows partition, a huge Ext3 /home partition with all the non-shared files on it, a semi-decent-sized / partition, and a small experimental partition.

A big step in two ways:

1. I no longer feel the need to share files between Windows and Linux. I find myself almost never booting into Windows now, so why share?

2. I used to triple-boot or even quadruple-boot, trying out various Linux distros alongside XP. Now, I've pretty much settled on Ubuntu.

The "test" partition is my junk Ubuntu installation, where I can experiment and try stuff out (mainly for things like installing software in order to help people who are having trouble installing--I don't want to screw up my "regular" Ubuntu installation... so I have a test one).

So I'm pretty much Ubuntu all the way. I'm keeping my XP partition just in case. For example, it came in handy when my workplace gave me software for a VPN connection. Officially Cisco had a VPN client for Linux, but the tech department (for some strange reason) had trouble downloading it from the Cisco website (I'm not kidding).

I realize there are all sorts of backflips and tweaks to get vpnc to work under the Cisco protocol, but when you have to get working immediately, you don't have time to figure things out, and it's good to be able to fall back on the "Windows way" of doing things when you're in a rush... not enough time to learn.

If I've already paid for Windows, I don't see a need to delete it. My hard drive's certainly big enough to keep it around!

[prizrak]

I realize there are all sorts of backflips and tweaks to get vpnc to work under the Cisco protocol, but when you have to get working immediately, you don't have time to figure things out, and it's good to be able to fall back on the "Windows way" of doing things when you're in a rush... not enough time to learn.

Cisco's Linux client hated my guts, it took me forever to get it to compile then it compiled but couldn't create some fairly random file and then I didn't need VPN anymore :)

[Mudbream]

I'm making the switch this weekend to Ubuntu (but with KDE cause I didn't download kubuntu) and then I'll be free from Windows (at home) forever!
Wish me luck!

[equal]

Nothing, Windows pissed me off for the last time. I formatted, installed Breezy, and I'm staying this way.

[Howitzer]

Oddly enough I choose to program under windows. I'm still learning C++, so perhaps when I become good enough I'll program under Linux. I also have a few games that don't work under Linux... and thats about it.

I do everything else under Ubuntu :). Blender, Gimp, and webrowsing. I love the stability.

[ninotob]

What prevents me from deleting my windows partition?

Well, mostly the fact that I don't have one on any of my computers.

[Jordan Meeter]

For the people who have trouble sending files with Ubuntu, you guys should really check out http://yousendit.com/.

[txm0523]

I'll give you my reasons. First of all, I did totally delete Win XP from my laptop and installed several different Linux OS distros over a 3 month period. I fianlly settled on Ubuntu 5.04. At first I played around with GNOME, but then went to KDE, mostly because of the Win XP look and feel to it. I also liked Open Office, KDE Office and many other programs.

I am into family history ( genealogy ) and discovered that Ubuntu had a package called Gramps. That installed okay, but I was unable to upgrade that package due to issues with Python. I have been to Gramps' website and forums, but just could not get it to upgrade, even with all the help and suggestions. So, out of frustration, I reloaded Win XP back on and installed a free version of genealogy program called PAF. Yes, it's really free. I use it alot and it is a much better program than GRAMPS. Also, PAF does not work well at all with Wine on Linux. That's a joke right there.

I want to install Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Badger ( I ordered Ubuntu 5.10 CD's and have them in my possession ) and have a dual boot on my laptop, but I am reluctant to do so because I have been looking through the forums here on Ubuntu and noticed so many problems people are having with the 5.10 release, especially about not being able to install any Universe or Multiverse applications. And also, many people have problems with dual boot with Grub. So, I am perplexed. Do I take a chance and try to install Ubuntu 5.10 or stick with 5.04, which I know works very well on my laptop ? I don't know if Ubuntu 5.04 will install on my Windows D: partition and then have it dual boot on startup. I did post on this forum about that and I got lots of different answers. So, still I am confused.

Anyway, for now, I guess I will stick with Win XP on my laptop until good genealogy programs are developed for Linux. I would even pay for a good genealogy program, if any Linux developer would make one ( PAF or Family Tree Maker are the best examples ) . When that happens, it's goodbye forever Mr. Bi_ _ Ga_ _ _ and his Win OS.

So, that's why I won't truly convert over to Linux yet.

[sapnho]

These great programs:
- Mindjet's MindManager 6
- JR Media Center
- Star Money
- Nikon Coolscan Software
- Google Picasa
- NetRemote/Girder
- Some telco hardware specific software

I have ordered some hardware to put together an Ubuntu test computer. If Vmware runs all these programs, XP is gone.

[mosestruong]

The thing that keeps me using Windows are
* I have a Canon printer which Canon refuse to provide a driver for
* Voice communications over Yahoo, MSN etc.

[dalmeida]

My wife and a few games that won't run in Linux (I haven't installed vmware yet)

[The Hedgehog]

I can't delete my Windows-Partition because I need some Windows-only Software for my Job.

[LoclynGrey]

For me it's videoediting using windows + pinnacle studio.
I've downloaded Cinelerra and Kino plus but still need to get them working, having trouble with Ubuntu and firewire connetivity (of which i'm yet to find out how to sort etc)
Once i get it sorted i'll be dropping windows, i'm using ubuntu for everything else I do. (email, web browsing, webdesign and ftp stuff)

[hussam]

AutoCAD 2005 and SAP2000, H2OMAP. These probably will never get ported to Linux.

It's not that I like windows, non of us do. It's not like I use windows for games because I don't play video games in the first place, but there are certain programs that are made for windows like H2OMAP and these will probably never get ported because Linux users won't pay for a piece of software like H2OMap that costs 13 thousand dollars (http://www.mwhsoft.com/page/p_price/matrix.asp?model=&platform=alone).

[ATAQ]

I have battlefield 2 running on my Linux, only problem is I cant play on ranked servers...... damn punkbuster!! but I still dont have windows installed at home.
I play mainly all Linux games, other than that, Cedega NEARLY always does the trick for me!

[jaggerlink]

All that is preventing me is a copy of Cedega, working fglrx, and my brother

[Cuppa-Chino]

the reason I do not delete it --- simply because ubuntu is still not stable on my system and I sometimes urgently need to get to my emails and then I have to go via Windof$ - frustrating but true....

always grateful for any useful help...

[saphil]

Goober,

I feel your pain. There is one client who sends graphic updates to me in MS Publisher, and I have spent so much frickin money for all these windoze programs over the years.

I still do a lot of my development on w2k machine but now since Sun has released Enterprise Studio 8 for w32, Linux and Solaris free to developers, I am in the process of moving my dev work to Solaris 10 for x86. Our file-server is already Breezy and all new desktops are going to be Ubuntu or Fedora Core. I even got my CEO to agree to a dual boot w2k/Breezy set-up when their box got the sony rootkit (killed productivity and lost access to CDRom)

By this time next year.. ALL UBUNTU!!

[Lin-X]

Two things prevent me from giving Windows the old heave ho: an application that accurately plots the positions of stars and planets, and the occurance of certain celestial events and produces awesome reports, etc. (Sorry, Celestia and Kstars don't even come close to this very professional level ap.) And, #2, I guess I have the only printer in the world which simply will not respond to Linux, no matter what distro I try. (The Linux sees and correctly identifies my HP1000 Laserjet usb printer; it offers a driver, or, in some cases I load the appropriate add on; it tells me the printer is configured and I look for it in the usual places and there it is, smiling back at me. Linux inquires politely if I would like to print a test page. I would and click the little button. Linux tells me the page is being printed, and in a minute or so it informs me that the page has been printed. But it hasn't. Through it all, my printer just sits there and does absolutely nothing. Fortunately, I don't use my printer very often. (It is a pet complaint of mine that now that people have computers and cheap printers, they endlessly print everything they can think of, usually things that no one cares about or wants to read --- thus wasting resources and filling the world with more garbage.)

[Doodler]

I'm taking a liberty participating in this thread, as I'm not an Ubuntu lover, but the reasons I will stick with windows for now:

The installation process installs video codecs and the other things that everybody needs
The installation process can correctly recognise multiple sound cards
Drivers available for everything
Networking is installed as standard
screen resolution stays the way you set it
windows 98se is quicker than ubuntu on my pc
the help text is (usually) meaningful
I don't need to learn command line syntax
i don't need to edit configuration files by hand to make things work
i can concentrate on using my pc rather than fixing problems

so the only thing that linux has over windows is it's free, and that's not important enough for me

[thezerogroup]

I was apposed to deleting my windows partition, as I am a heavy user of Photoshop, and flash MX. I installed Vmware, and now use Winblows in Linux. . . but only for those two apps.

[mistic]

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

I've been windows-free for 3 years now! AND I LOVE IT :D

do have a mac though :-)

I even converted my whole family, 8 PC's in this house, and NONE of them has windows... not even dualboot :-D

Almost every week I 'create' a new lnx-user...

At my job, over at Toyota Europe Headquarters, I've implemented a lnx-webserver on a PIV that is blowing away the networkguys with its awsome performance :-D (I'm using Gentoo for that one though, blindingly fast that thing, no gui, pure power :-D )

[erikpiper]

Windows is an exelent product- they are the best out there for gaming. :P

For everything else- and some other games- Linux.

[mfarquhar]

GAMES
plain and simple
games
i mean it's not like we can expect Microsoft to WANT to port "age of empires" or other microsft games to linux now can we
it's bad for business

[gradavies]

Nothing - put windows ME on new computer in April 2005 as a safety/comfort thing before installing Ubuntu 5.04 for AMD 64. Had only used Linux live CD's before this. Really pleased with Ubuntu but frustrated with lack of 64 bit support. Decide to do a fresh install of Ubuntu for i386 about a month later and got rid of windows ME - been windows free for 7 months and no problems. Ubuntu does everything I want - Firefox, Thunderbird, gThumb, Grisbi, OpenOffice, Totem, etc.

Use windows at work but it's always good to get home and feel in control of my computer. Started using open source software several years ago due to it being free - i.e. no cost, but have come to appreciate the true benefits and sense of community of open souce.

Dapper Drake will hopefully include other user-friendly features to encourage more windows to try/switch to Ubuntu. Getting restricted formats, etc. is still a bit scary at first for windows-only users.

Keep up the brilliant work!

[SpEcIeS]

Windows? What is... wiinnn.. dddoooozzzzeee.... :confused:

Are you trying to tell me there are other OS's aside from linux? :confused:


:D :razz:

[mattmcl]

I have just a couple of things I still use XP for.

-Quicken. Can't find a decent home finances app that has budgeting features. Gnucash is promising it though.
-IM. No Linux drivers for my webcam. I know, just buy a new webcam...

[chemwizzrd]

The only thing keeping windoze on my machine is my GPS mapping software. Once I find a Linux/Ubuntu workaround....bye bye Bill!

[Aesop Fable]

1 thing:

Second Life does not work under Cedega. T_T

I make a good ammount of money off of SL, and I wouldn't drop it for the world.

However, I also own a Mac because, sadly, there aren't any great Linux programs for video editing.

[rajaiskandarshah]

1. accounting software: peachtree accounting. did use quasar which is really good for small business but still lacks in the reporting features. also i am still selling and supporting peachtree accounting.

2. openoffice.org 2.0: yes, you read it right! oo.o 1.9.129 often crashes when dealing with ms-office word and powerpoint users. i will be updating to 2.0 right away after this - wished the repositories had the updated oo.o 2.0 immediately.

3. fonts: stupid stupid users who use ms office fonts that are not available anywhere else such as bookman oldstyle (not even in ms-win)

[sav2005]

Macromedia Studio (Dreamweaver/Flash/Fireworks/Freehand), Photoshop (sorry, GIMP users), Adobe Illustrator and my employer's reporting system! The MikTeX/LaTex system in Windows works better than Tetex/LaTeX in Linux (its updating and package management system works like Synaptic).

I love using Ubuntu and use it for 80% of my work.