What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[Dragonbite]

oh i just thought of a new one. give the user a brand new interface that nobody asked for. oh wait.

Hey, Unity isn't that bad! Even Gnome-shell is growing on me..

[LiamOS]

oh i just thought of a new one. give the user a brand new interface that nobody asked for. oh wait.

Ubuntu sent me running when Unity came out, and now I spend my days sitting in front of two terminals in xmonad watching gcc output.
I'm completely happy with that, but I don't think I should be.

[cbanakis]

Not a fan of Unity either.
(Started using Cairo-Dock instead)

The only thing I still use Windows for now, is for my HTPC's (Theater, Living Room, Bedroom)

I have found a lot of comparable linux options, but they are always missing something.
(Usually live TV support)

Unfortunately, there is no alternative to Windows Media Center, when it comes to my needs.

Also, Windows has more professional software available. (Adobe)

[doktorOblivion]

Yes, I would say there are a few good apps that still have no analog on Linux; therein lies the reason I still use Win7 for some things like Photoshop. I find Gimp laudable but more difficult to use, even though I believe it contains all the same funtions.
Aside from that I prefer XUbuntu.

[Scabby_al]

Yes, I would say there are a few good apps that still have no analog on Linux; therein lies the reason I still use Win7 for some things like Photoshop. I find Gimp laudable but more difficult to use, even though I believe it contains all the same funtions.
Aside from that I prefer XUbuntu.

This is my struggle as well. All my business apps are Windows only so I either have to find a work around in Linux (like email) to having to run a VM on top of Linux. I can't wait for the day I can just run Linux and be done with Windows.

[krishna.988]

This is my struggle as well. All my business apps are Windows only so I either have to find a work around in Linux (like email) to having to run a VM on top of Linux. I can't wait for the day I can just run Linux and be done with Windows.

Running VM gives access to Windows Applications..but for that you need a Windows license.. So what is the point in running Ubuntu then on top of that Windows VM..instead if you have a license one can run windows directly..

[Jakin]

Running VM gives access to Windows Applications..but for that you need a Windows license.. So what is the point in running Ubuntu then on top of that Windows VM..instead if you have a license one can run windows directly..

With VM you don't need to fiddle around and allocate a partition for one. Removing it is as easy as deleting a file.

[Scabby_al]

With VM you don't need to fiddle around and allocate a partition for one. Removing it is as easy as deleting a file.

You can also sandbox Windows and easily revert back to an earlier state if something breaks. I do it because I can use the features I like in Linux with the apps I use in Windows. I like having desktop notification, Gnome-Sushi and other file management tools, etc.

[bwallum]

Linux has problems running HDMI audio through some nVidia cards, the geforce 210 is one I'm having trouble with at the moment. This affects running multimedia through TVs, an increasingly popular choice. Nouveau (the default open source driver) runs the video but not sound and so the proprietory nVidia driver is needed. However this does not always work as well in non Windows systems, nVidia linux drivers lag behind somewhat and easily break when updated.

When will Nouveau handle HDMI sound?

[irv]

I have read in some of the post on this thread about windows working well with hardware where Linux doesn't. Here is my take on this.
Hardware manufactures have always worked with MS to make sure there hardware works with windows OS' because it is the bulk of the market. Now that Linux is in it growing stage of life it is getting better not so much because of the hardware manufactures supporting Linux it is those in the Linux community that are working to get the non supported hardware to work with Linux.

One more fact that comes into account is we have not only have different flavors of Linux but we also have so many different Desktop Environments to deal with. All these factors come into play when dealing with hardware and support. (This is why we need more testers who use different hardware.)

I have learned that if you want to run Linux make sure your hardware will work with it. This is why we need more computer manufactures offering Linux preinstalled on their products.

With that said I would like to add, that I have found older hardware at used stores and thrift sales that works very well with Linux. When new stuff comes out it sometimes take awhile to get it to work well with Linux because the manufacture designed it to work with Windows. (But it can work with Linux if software drivers are so design to make it work.)