Windows vs Linux, a few observations

[jso2897]

I can't argue on the issue of gaming. I have had great success in gaming in Linux (Serious Sam, Diablo2, older Tombraider games, etc.) but Windows is still champ for now(although that is changing).
But for ANYTHING else? I'm all Linux now. Most importantly, security on the net. I would no longer DREAM of doing my online banking or record keeping in Windows. In fact, I try not to go on the net with it too much, even in Firefox - I get so tired of cleaning up after.
Openoffice? Better.
Gimp? Can't compare it to photoshop, but it's better than Paintshop Pro, the Windows App I was using.
Faster, cleaner, lighter, thinner. Like a supermodel.
Windows, by contrast, is like the 200lb. goth chick behind the counter at McDonalds. True, she'll do anybody - but there's a reason for that.

[Hallvor]

Faster, cleaner, lighter, thinner. Like a supermodel.
Windows, by contrast, is like the 200lb. goth chick behind the counter at McDonalds. True, she'll do anybody - but there's a reason for that.

[3rdalbum]

Heat and battery life:

It's very simple, really. As programs and operating systems get more development done on them, they grow in size. When they grow in size, they use more memory and more processing power. (also referred to, unflatteringly, as "bloat")

Windows XP Professional was first released in 2001. Service Pack 2 was released in 2004, without much of an addition to the original codebase. The latest Xubuntu was released in 2007. So really, Xubuntu uses 6 years more memory and CPU power than Windows XP. If you decided to run Windows Vista instead, you would find that the bloat would be much worse than Windows XP, and most likely worse than Xubuntu.

[Happy_Man]

Dude, I'm sorry, but I absolutely cannot believe your Warcraft III gripes.

These are the steps I take to play Warcraft III on my Ubuntu install (btw, I used to have it on Windows, so I just copied the folder in Program Files over):

cd "~/.wine/drive_c/Warcraft III/"
wine "./Warcraft III.exe"

And that's it. No config, no cracking/hacking, no nothing. Two simple steps, no "-opengl" or anything. It just works...... what guide did you use to get it set up?


Other than that.... I don't know about laptops very much, having never used Linux on one. I do appreciate, though, that you didn't just leave it at the end of the "dump on Xubuntu" part. That may have just been a buttering-up move to make sure you didn't start a flamewar, but nobody can deny it works!

As a closer, though, think about this: Windows was started back in the 80's, specifically meant for desktops. We look at Vista today, and we shudderr. Compare this to Ubuntu: they took a kernel -- not even a proper OS, a kernel -- and in just three years, made into a force to reckon with that is making all the big boys scared, and is gaining users every day. Offhand, I'd say that's pretty good. So come back later, maybe for Hardy Heron or whatever's after. Trust me, you'll enjoy the experience. For free!