Living with Microsoft Windows 7 for the next several years

**KiwiNZ** · July 15th, 2012

Originally Posted by Welly Wu

I'm not sure where you are taking this discussion, but I will let you know that I suspend to RAM when I am not using my computer.

I am not breaking any forum rules here so let me be.

This is a Forum, all members( except those who are banned ) are free to participate and reply.

My earlier point was, as soon as you connect a PC to a power source and hit the on off switch there are security issues.

**forrestcupp** · July 15th, 2012

Originally Posted by Welly Wu

I can install Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus 32 bit Service Pack 1 using Codeweavers' CrossOver for Linux 64 bit 11.2.0. It has a Silver medal rating. Codeweavers stated that they plan to upgrade Microsoft Office 2010 and Intuit Quicken Deluxe 2011 to Gold medal rating sometime by the end of this summer with a future updated version.

I don't know about CrossOver, but I can tell you from experience that MS Office 2007 and 2010 work perfectly with Wine, which is free of charge. You can even install them easily using PlayOnLinux. The only bugs I've ever run into are not show stoppers, and they're either things that you can easily get around or you won't even notice them at all.

I'm not telling you to not use Office in Windows 7. I was saying that you should install it in Ubuntu, also, so you can have perfect compatibility between Ubuntu and Windows, rather than using LibreOffice when you're in Ubuntu, which isn't very compatible.

As for QuickBooks, you're right. There is no way to use it in Ubuntu other than with Windows in a VM.

**KiwiNZ** · July 15th, 2012

My advice to clients etc has been, if you have to mess around with using Windows in VM, and use such poor alternatives as Wine etc to use Apps you need then Ubuntu/Linux is not for you. Use Windows.

**Welly Wu** · July 15th, 2012

I installed Zinio Reader 4 for Windows, Amazon Kindle for PC, and Valve Corporation's Steam client for Windows using Codeweavers' CrossOver for Linux 64 bit 11.2.0. Zinio Reader 4 is an Adobe AIR app so it does not require CrossOver for Linux or WINE as Adobe still provides an older version of Adobe AIR for Linux. As for the rest of my Windows software applications, I installed it in Microsoft Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 within an Oracle VM Virtualbox guest virtual machine.

One thing that I have found out about CrossOver for Linux is that brand new Windows software applications are often not in their Compatibility Center database and it takes them time to add new titles. They almost always start with a Bronze medal rank which means that there are a significant number of known bugs. I have found that CrossOver for Linux offers limited features and capabilities, but I purchased it before I purchased Microsoft Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 to resolve these compatibility issues. So, my most critical Windows software is installed within Windows 7 64 bit. CrossOver for Linux is better suited for people that can not afford to purchase Microsoft Windows or who are vehemently against Microsoft Corporation, but they still need to run specific Windows software applications in GNU/Linux.

As for the future, I seldom use Windows 7 64 bit anymore. I run the guest virtual machine on Sundays to perform updates and maintenance. That is just about the extent to which I need it.

I have found Ubuntu to be a much more robust and secure operating system. It meets all of my general purpose computing needs at a price that I can live with for a long time. Ubuntu is a lot more interesting and it is much more fun to use. A fully hardened Ubuntu is much safer and much more secure than a hardened Windows 7. Ubuntu consumes far fewer PC resources and it is much faster especially on midrange and high end PC hardware. Finally, Ubuntu does not require frequent interruptions to a user's workflow which makes me much more productive and efficient. I get a lot more work done in Ubuntu than in Windows 7. Windows 7 requires high maintenance and it requires industry standard security best practices to protect users and their data. For example, I spend three to four hours every Sunday just to keep Windows 7 64 bit running in optimal condition and to ensure that it is up to date. Ubuntu imposes none of these demands on my time. Finally, Microsoft Windows requires that users re-install or restore a known good disk image at least once every six months to maintain a fresh installation. This is laborious hard work and oftentimes mistakes are made during the process. The longer that I keep Windows 7 turned off, the better it is for me.

**forrestcupp** · July 15th, 2012

Originally Posted by KiwiNZ

My advice to clients etc has been, if you have to mess around with using Windows in VM, and use such poor alternatives as Wine etc to use Apps you need then Ubuntu/Linux is not for you. Use Windows.

That's probably the case 9 times out of 10, but not always. Some people love everything about Ubuntu/Linux, but there are those one or two Windows apps they just can't live without. If it's possible to use those apps without having to reboot to Windows or giving up the OS you love, it's worth it.

**cbennett926** · July 16th, 2012

Originally Posted by forrestcupp

That's probably the case 9 times out of 10, but not always. Some people love everything about Ubuntu/Linux, but there are those one or two Windows apps they just can't live without. If it's possible to use those apps without having to reboot to Windows or giving up the OS you love, it's worth it.

See, I tried using alternatives, and those apps I needed for school, and then I got a second harddrive to switch out, best 50 dollar investment I made, now I have a killer gaming rig, and a smokin' fast Ubuntu set-up

**CarpKing** · July 16th, 2012

I don't know the particulars of the "security check" software the school requires you to run, but if it's the kind of thing you run once to sign onto the network, it might just give your MAC address/whatever the all-clear, after which you'd still have access even if you signed on with Ubuntu.

**Copper Bezel** · July 16th, 2012

forrestcupp, this is either a damning counterargument to your point or a major opportunity for me. The only thing that makes MS Office unusable for me under Wine is that the font smoothing doesn't work, which makes text unreadable at an ordinary zoom level and uncomfortable otherwise. Is there a fix for this? Because if there isn't, then no, MS office certainly does not run perfectly well under Wine. If there is, I need it, now, so I can finally stop bitching about LibreOffice. = P

**Frogs Hair** · July 16th, 2012

In the end, I have to use the tools provided by the collage I attend. Compliance with instructor preferences is also required and the moment that doesn't include Linux. If solutions like Cross Over, Wine , or Virtual Box work for the OP that's great. I find dual booting works fine here and don't really want to devote a lot of energy into a Linux work around when I have an OS that already runs the application.