What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[irv]

The netflix thing is the biggest bummer for me. Aside from that, I haven't had any issues with not running Windows (although I've been using Ubuntu less than a week)

[How To] Watch Netflix on Ubuntu

[whtemple1959]

As a person struggling to understand Ubuntu for the past year there are a few things windows does better.
1) installing software...I understand that terminal software and gui software are installed in different places... why?
2) I wanted to upgrade an application and the instructions stated install to opt but when I looked in opt the original application is not there so does that mean I will have 2 different installations?
3 At least Programs files gives the illusion that you know where your stuff is installed.
Now I will admit that windows does have me a little spoiled but at least when I install an app it shows up in my menu and I do not have to hunt for it or open a terminal to start it.
I also understand that Linux devotees have your own language but unless widen the ease of use no version of Linux will be widely accepted.
Having said all that I know Linux is better at most things than windows so I continue to attempt to understand it.

[Galfonz]

Windows Vista can fight to survive and reinstall itself even when you try to reformat the hard drive it is on to kill it. I found I needed to power it off during it's attempted post-format resurrection to eradicate it completely from one computer. I've never seen Linux resist uninstallation like that.

I have also never seen Linux shut itself down because it had all by itself found a web update that someone else thought required a mandatory immediate reboot.

Windows can ask its user if it is a genuine purchased copy of itself, so it can help them denounce someone for piracy.

Windows can hide some of its settings from its users in the special secret version of its registry.

Windows can deny access to some of its features based on how much they have paid for its version bits.

[LuciferRex]

[How To] Watch Netflix on Ubuntu

Although i appreciate the link, I did that exact process, and it was unwatchable....far too slow.

[frank cox]

Can be done in linux. Far from straightforward, but quite possible. Take a look at the ArchLinux wiki and scour the doom9 forums for advice.

It is funny that the people who defend windows never bother to mention the ONLY reason that it can be difficult to perform certain actions such as this is because MS pressures hardware companies to deliberatly restrict fair use rights such as playing restricted or foreign source films on Blu_Ray!

Here is some more info on a work around.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...BluRayAndHDDVD

[UssjTrunks]

The only reason I use Windows on my desktop is because of software comparability. Some of the software I use regularly like Photoshop, Traktor, and Steam (and other games) don't work on Linux. That's not a knock on the OS though, but the actual developers of that software.

[Sunon]

Run windows programs But seriously you can find an analog for almost everything

[irv]

Today I was doing some trouble shooting on a wireless router. To try to elimanate the router itself, I ran down to the Internet provider's shop and picked up another router to test if it was doing the say as the old router. In order to setup the new router I needed to run a windows setup program off the CD. If I didn't have a windows pc in the house I would have not been able to set it up. Turns out the new router was doing the same thing the old one was so it wasn't a router problem.
That is one of the problem you run into if you don't have a windows pc around. A lot of new hardware comes with windows setup programs so you are out of luck if all you have is Linux. Printers, routers, scanners etc.

[frank cox]

Today I was doing some trouble shooting on a wireless router. To try to elimanate the router itself, I ran down to the Internet provider's shop and picked up another router to test if it was doing the say as the old router. In order to setup the new router I needed to run a windows setup program off the CD. If I didn't have a windows pc in the house I would have not been able to set it up. Turns out the new router was doing the same thing the old one was so it wasn't a router problem.
That is one of the problem you run into if you don't have a windows pc around. A lot of new hardware comes with windows setup programs so you are out of luck if all you have is Linux. Printers, routers, scanners etc.

Lol , sorry but that disk is better used as a beanie copter, even in windows.
Throw the disk in the trash! There is an ip address on the router such as 192-168.0.1. . Type that in your browser and set up the router.
I don;t know of any routers that don't run Linux internally . NetGear , Linksys etc. all use Linux to run the router itself and all work fine under any Linux operating system.It is not worth the trouble to provide a Linux setup disk because the browser works better anyway .

Most scanners will work with one of the generic scanner programs , printers you need to check for compatibility before you buy . A new Epson Artisan 700 can be had for 70.00 and the after market cartridges work great and cost only 10.00 for all 6! Epsons print better in Linux .
Most Hp's and Brothers are compatible as well.

A virus puts you out of business for a while and takes a few hours to recover from even with good backups. Linux does not get viruses and if it does go down all I do is reboot into a cc of my os and am up and running in about 2 minutes. I never used those silly setup disks for routers with windows. Just because they give you software does not mean you need it. Windows has everything you need to get online but most windows users think they have to have an America Online or some such nonsense disk to access the net.

[millerthegorilla]

FLASHDEVELOP!!!!!!!!!! (and adobe creative suite)

also games. Latest, greatest, eyecandy, opengl optimised games!!!!

(although I now switched completely to linux (ubuntu studio) with an openbox install of windows 7 for some stuff)