What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[McRat]

I buy a new PC every couple of years anyway.

Regarding compatibility, I used XP Pro x64 since 2005 and had virtually no problems with it at home (though had some issues at work because Novell never released a 64-bit Netware client for XP).

I ran into it again for Win7Pro yesterday. A Konica Color Laser Printer would instantly come alive with OS X and Linux, but not Win7-64. I got it to work, but an average user probably would not have. But our network 11x17 laser printer will never be able to run Win7, nor will OS X. Linux is working.

And it doesn't run our CAD software. It crashes at random with no explanation. It's extremely stable under XP and Linux + Wine.

[prodigy_]

A Konica Color Laser Printer would instantly come alive with OS X and Linux, but not Win7-64.

From my experience, printing issues aren't exclusive to the 64-bit version. For example, I couldn't find a 32-bit Win7 driver that would reliably work with Xerox WC 4118.

Win7 supports alot of older hardware surprisingly well, but printers are an unfortunate exception. I don't really know why. Most probably manufacturers just don't care. They want to sell new models.

[murderslastcrow]

Windows can give people a false sense of security since it's 'what everyone else uses'.

[sailor420]

Bluray backups. Yes, I know there are tools like DumpHD and MakeMKV, but there are FAR more, and far better supported tools for Windows.

I still use Linux to do most of my Bluray backups (particularly the transcodes--x264 rocks), but I've got a backup Windows VM that I have to use for the stubborn discs.

[irv]

The Hardware Magicjack, but this is on their website:

We expect to offer Linux support the first quarter of 2010.

[Shining Arcanine]

propose and update to a working driver and break it. hasn't happened to me yet in linux but windows update broke my wireless in windows 7.

That is not surprising, because Linux driver support is to Windows driver support what BSD development is to a Linux distribution.

With Linux, almost all drivers are developed in the kernel tree, while Windows has driver development done independently of its kernel, much like the BSD versus Linux situation with regard to userland.

[egwest]

Bluescreen of Death!

(I do not know if anyone else posted that, I did not read through the 100+ pages, but I just thought I would throw that in there.)

[TempleNav]

I think gaming is the most important for a lot of people. Also a lot of professionals miss Photoshop.

Also if you have need to write .NET programs, you cant write them under Linux... SOFTWARE AVAILABILITY is the number one conflict that I have with someone when they say that they want to move completly over to Linux also Windows can run Blu Ray movies and Linux OSs cannot. There has been no Blu Ray player available for the Linux OS as of yet...I wish they would and I do not care if it isnt open source, becuase to be honest I am not going to be tampering with it. Its a codec, it works.

[TempleNav]

Gaming is def a big issue. The people at wine and crossover make some of the larger titles and older games available, but its by no means a reasonable alternative... yet.


The only thing i've found to date is my modem. Winmodems simply wont work with linux, end of story. Some people have had limited success with linuxants drivers but they didnt work for me.

Penny Stocks

exactly I have not payed to see how well thier ports of games work but, I know for a fact that games like TF2 and most of the Valve games are reasons alone why I dont have a REAL Linux gaming rig. That and since the new Lucid Lynx released, I have been having issues getting a lot of software that worked before to work in the newest version. I mean even Amazon's MP3 downloader doesnt work castrating my ability to buy music for my Linux computer. I dont care for the new Ubuntu One music store because its selection is seriously lacking compared to itunes and Amazon.com...

[chemrajib]

I think ubuntu rather linux is little behind in case of photoshop. I know that GIMP is there but it is not equivalent to photoshop.