From a long time Linux-distro user to..

[iaculallad]

I was just wondering what valid reasons would make a person who had been using Linux for the past 11+ years (If what that person really claim is true) be converted to use windows? Any ideas?

[daverich]

because their work involves using software which is windows only.

i.e. - like me :)

however,- like me said person would probably just have 2 computers.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[binbash]

I am using linux for 11 years and i have a notebook (i only use notebooks and i have around 3-4 ) windows 7 installed for games.ONLY FOR GAMES.

[chucky chuckaluck]

they might just be bored with linux.

[RichardLinx]

they might just be bored with linux.

Impossible!

[Fenris_rising]

Impossible!

+1 (Lets burn the heretic :D )

regards

Fenris

[Yashiro]

I was just wondering what valid reasons would make a person who had been using Linux for the past 11+ years (If what that person really claim is true) be converted to use windows? Any ideas?Sick of Adobe Flash bugs.
Want a smoother looking and working desktop.
Want to watch DVD's and Blu-Ray in full definition and without glitches.
Play recent high profile games.
Play World of Warcraft without crashing all the time.
Bored of tweaking config files.
Sick of using a terminal program.
Need to author high quality digital art/models/film.
Want to use iTunes store without going bald.
Trying to get away from a bunch on Linux geeks.
Increasing their chances of meeting a female (marginally)
Use GoogleEarth and Skype.
Have their mice and it's buttons work without 2 weeks of reading about .fdi files.
Run Media Center.
Join a Windows Server based network.
Use dual screen without getting a degree in the Xwindow system.

Is it one of those?!

[kelvin spratt]

I use windows now and then

[orethrius]

I think the fact that I can answer most of those - and I do so without any intent of disrespect, Yashiro - is indicative of just how far Linux has come during Ubuntu's release cycle.


Sick of Adobe Flash bugs.

Seriously? From the same people who reload their Facebook pages eighteen times in one minute to see if they have any new Friend requests? My point is that Ctrl-R isn't exactly a new concept.


Want a smoother looking and working desktop.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j24/orethrius/Boards/Screenshot-1.png (http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j24/orethrius/Boards/MyDesktop.png)

It does what I need it to do. Incidentally, the left bar auto-hides when not in use, and the Terminal - courtesy of Yakuake - is bound to F12 and stows when it loses focus. Aero isn't everything. ;)


Want to watch DVD's and Blu-Ray in full definition and without glitches.

The former is cured with libdvdread and libdecss, which are not installed by default in the U.S. largely because of the DMCA. This goes double for AACS; the more people that become aware of the political ramifications of the situation, the larger the outcry will be (witness the problems with getting Blu-Ray to talk to XP some time).


Play recent high profile games.

Cedega or WineX, and the highest profile games usually get official WINE support backported from WineX on a regular basis.


Play World of Warcraft without crashing all the time.

It has Gold status with the latest version of WINE. Running it on any distro using X.Org 5.2 probably isn't a good idea if you're using proprietary drivers.


Bored of tweaking config files.

This is why we have gconf-editor to remind us how Windows achieves the same thing.


Sick of using a terminal program.

Look, I know that the CLI is part and parcel of Linux, but if you have to drop to it on a regular basis for trivial things, then something is seriously wrong.


Need to author high quality digital art/models/film.

Blender works fine. Poser works fine (in WINE). Maya works fine. Cinelerra works fine (on a Cray supercomputer). Kino works fine, once you get used to it.


Want to use iTunes store without going bald.

I hear that. There's Crossover for $40, or no end of WINE instructions to get it running for the sake of the iTMS.


Trying to get away from a bunch on Linux geeks.

Some of us try to be lovable. :)


Increasing their chances of meeting a female (marginally)

Impossible. Everyone knows there are no females on the Internet. ;)


Use GoogleEarth and Skype.

You can do that now.


Have their mice and it's buttons work without 2 weeks of reading about .fdi files.

Odd, mine worked OTB for basic functions. Tilt and such showed up in an Ubuntu Hacks tip; once you get used to how xorg.conf passes syntax, it's really not as arcane as it first seems.


Run Media Center.

Ahem, Mythbuntu / MythTV? Does that count for nothing?


Join a Windows Server based network.

SAMBA or OpenLDAP, depending on the circumstances.


Use dual screen without getting a degree in the Xwindow system.

xorg.conf doesn't take a degree, it just needs a primer written by people with basic interrelational skills.

[uljanow]

Working for Microsoft might be one reason. Gates doesn't even allow his kids to have iphones.

[gnomeuser]

He might just like it better. It happens, especially for a long time Linux user it might have been a long time between properly trying Windows to see if it has improved. If a major nagging point has been removed then it might be, depending on circumstances, an advantage to move to Windows.

It isn't as if Free Software doesn't exist for Windows, you can still keep a stable of excellent software on Windows. If that combination works better for someone then I have no problem with them selecting that solution. I hope we will be able to fix whatever made them leave Linux and that way make the world better for everyone.

[Starlight]

Fallout 3 is one of the best reasons to use Windows at least sometimes. :)

[Giant Speck]

Maybe he switched to Windows because, *gasp* he wants to?

[Dragonbite]

Work could cause them to require Windows, or they do a lot of work developing in Windows and decides managing 2 systems is too much?

Wants something that just works; software, hardware, peripherals, etc. and decides to get an Apple instead? (my co-worker just moved from BSD to Apple)

Legal Codecs? Playing DVD or listening to DRM-ed music?

Tired of updating every 6 months to get the latest version of applications without manually having to install it and risk conflicts?

Tired of tweaks or the look of Linux? Can't get wifi or other hardware to work with Linux?

Because they want to? That's the strength of Linux; choice. That includes the option to choose not to use it.

[dspari1]

I was just wondering what valid reasons would make a person who had been using Linux for the past 11+ years (If what that person really claim is true) be converted to use windows? Any ideas?

Having the need to file my taxes with Taxcut or Turbotax does it for me every year.

[will1911a1]

Fallout 3 is one of the best reasons to use Windows at least sometimes. :)

Beat me to it. Fallout 3 is awesome.

[bakedbeans4life]

Maybe he switched to Windows because, *gasp* he wants to?

I have never heard of anybody that switches completely to Windows after over a decade using Linux, while the reverse has nearly always been true.

Having said that. He has not used Windows, at anytime ever, during this same period of time? That is something I find hard to believe.

Most Linux folks have at least one Windows installation, even if it's in a virtual machine. There is always one piece of software that you can not live without.

[chucky chuckaluck]

Impossible!


+1 (Lets burn the heretic :D )


don't burn me now, i haven't tried windows7 yet. (can't wait!)

[demosthene1]

Having the need to file my taxes with Taxcut or Turbotax does it for me every year.

I use TaxAct. Cheaper than Tubotax by more than half and it runs with wine or Crossover

[wolfen69]

Sick of Adobe Flash bugs.
Want a smoother looking and working desktop.
Want to watch DVD's and Blu-Ray in full definition and without glitches.
Play recent high profile games.
Play World of Warcraft without crashing all the time.
Bored of tweaking config files.
Sick of using a terminal program.
Need to author high quality digital art/models/film.
Want to use iTunes store without going bald.
Trying to get away from a bunch on Linux geeks.
Increasing their chances of meeting a female (marginally)
Use GoogleEarth and Skype.
Have their mice and it's buttons work without 2 weeks of reading about .fdi files.
Run Media Center.
Join a Windows Server based network.
Use dual screen without getting a degree in the Xwindow system.

Is it one of those?!

i have none of those problems. next!

[bobmatino17]

ive used linux/windows since i was i think 5, and then i only windows to play games that werent ported to linux. now i refuse to use windows except at school where all the other 7th graders (rest of school too) thinks linux sucks (except for one kid, who has DSL on his pen drive). Plus the more people who use it, more games for them!

[wolfen69]

don't burn me now, i haven't tried windows7 yet. (can't wait!)

it's basically vista, only faster.

[jimi_hendrix]

they realize that are a gamer

[dragos240]

+1 (Lets burn the heretic :D )

regards

Fenris

Wouldn't we be the heretics;)?

[chucky chuckaluck]

it's basically vista, only faster.

cool. i liked vista the one time i got to play with it.

[iaculallad]

I think the fact that I can answer most of those - and I do so without any intent of disrespect, Yashiro - is indicative of just how far Linux has come during Ubuntu's release cycle.



Seriously? From the same people who reload their Facebook pages eighteen times in one minute to see if they have any new Friend requests? My point is that Ctrl-R isn't exactly a new concept.



http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j24/orethrius/Boards/Screenshot-1.png (http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j24/orethrius/Boards/MyDesktop.png)

It does what I need it to do. Incidentally, the left bar auto-hides when not in use, and the Terminal - courtesy of Yakuake - is bound to F12 and stows when it loses focus. Aero isn't everything. ;)



The former is cured with libdvdread and libdecss, which are not installed by default in the U.S. largely because of the DMCA. This goes double for AACS; the more people that become aware of the political ramifications of the situation, the larger the outcry will be (witness the problems with getting Blu-Ray to talk to XP some time).



Cedega or WineX, and the highest profile games usually get official WINE support backported from WineX on a regular basis.



It has Gold status with the latest version of WINE. Running it on any distro using X.Org 5.2 probably isn't a good idea if you're using proprietary drivers.



This is why we have gconf-editor to remind us how Windows achieves the same thing.



Look, I know that the CLI is part and parcel of Linux, but if you have to drop to it on a regular basis for trivial things, then something is seriously wrong.



Blender works fine. Poser works fine (in WINE). Maya works fine. Cinelerra works fine (on a Cray supercomputer). Kino works fine, once you get used to it.



I hear that. There's Crossover for $40, or no end of WINE instructions to get it running for the sake of the iTMS.



Some of us try to be lovable. :)



Impossible. Everyone knows there are no females on the Internet. ;)



You can do that now.



Odd, mine worked OTB for basic functions. Tilt and such showed up in an Ubuntu Hacks tip; once you get used to how xorg.conf passes syntax, it's really not as arcane as it first seems.



Ahem, Mythbuntu / MythTV? Does that count for nothing?



SAMBA or OpenLDAP, depending on the circumstances.



xorg.conf doesn't take a degree, it just needs a primer written by people with basic interrelational skills.

+1 on all the fact-proven answers. The reason why I was held back wondering when that person who claimed to be a Linux user for 11+ plus years suddenly switched on using windows. I can't see no excuse as Linux now is not what it was 5 or 10 years ago. It had constantly evolved into a multipurpose OS that *almost* everything can be done with it.

[iaculallad]

it's basically vista, only faster.

Here's an article for reading (Additional Info): Windows 7 Gets Unmasked in Benchmark Testing (http://www.cio.com/article/462157/Windows_Gets_Unmasked_in_Benchmark_Testing)

[SuperSonic4]

Because they want to look after little viruses and spyware on their system

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/network.png (http://xkcd.com/350/)

[Giant Speck]

Here's an article for reading (Additional Info): Windows 7 Gets Unmasked in Benchmark Testing (http://www.cio.com/article/462157/Windows_Gets_Unmasked_in_Benchmark_Testing)

That article was written in November 2008, when Windows 7 was in Milestone 3 stage (build 6780). Windows is already on build 7048, so that benchmark information is far outdated.

[MikeTheC]

Working for Microsoft might be one reason. Gates doesn't even allow his kids to have iphones.

Does that also apply to the kids from overseas that he helps?

[MikeTheC]

Because they want to look after little viruses and spyware on their system

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/network.png (http://xkcd.com/350/)

God bless XKCD...

[swoll1980]

Trying to get away from a bunch on Linux geeks.
Increasing their chances of meeting a female (marginally)
!

It's hard to meet females when you spend your free time trolling forums

[iaculallad]

That article was written in November 2008, when Windows 7 was in Milestone 3 stage (build 6780). Windows is already on build 7048, so that benchmark information is far outdated.

I didn't observe the date when I read it on that site. We'll hopefully they fixed it since all comments boils in on one single point that windows 7 is virtually similar to vista.

[Giant Speck]

Does that also apply to the kids from overseas that he helps?

Bill Gates: Here's your Malaria vaccine. Now that you are properly immunized, you are now bound to a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation legal contract that states you are no longer allowed to purchase, possess, or use an Apple iPhone.

Kid: What's an iPhone?

:lolflag:

[Yashiro]

It's hard to meet females when you spend your free time trolling forums You said it.

[orethrius]

It's hard to meet females when you spend your free time trolling forums

Trolling implies a breaching experiment. I'd rather think he added those in the interest of being facetious, not malicious.

Also, +1 XKCD. :)

[mips]

I was just wondering what valid reasons would make a person who had been using Linux for the past 11+ years (If what that person really claim is true) be converted to use windows? Any ideas?


The challenge?

[Dragonbite]

It's hard to meet females when you spend your free time trolling forums

I don't have to worry... I'm married! \\:D/

[iaculallad]

The challenge?

Yeah, the challenge of hunting down viruses, malwares, trojans, and other virulent applications that had been secretly installed in the system.

[orethrius]

Yeah, the challenge of hunting down viruses, malwares, trojans, and other virulent applications that had been secretly installed in the system.

Either you're on the same page as Randall Munroe, or you're not. I haven't figured out which yet. :)

[iaculallad]

Either you're on the same page as Randall Munroe, or you're not. I haven't figured out which yet. :)

Probably on the same page :P

[JackieChan]

I'd only recommend doing it if you needed Windows only software or if you needed to register you cable modem online (I had to use Windows XP to Register my comcast). You can't really video/audio edit yet, create flash animations, and do a lot of stuff on Linux yet due to not having native programs. Hopefully Adobe will fix this problem in the future...

[Ioky]

I got a few reason.

Try to master fighting Virus FREEHAND.

TOO much computing power, and what to waste same.

Feel stupid because no need to use Mouse to unzip 2000 file.

My MOM force me to.

Try to make friend with GATEs.

got a M$ keyboard, and find out the Driver doesn't get install. and the whole point to get that keyboard is want to get the Driver install.

Linux is not "Soft"/"$" enough.

Try prove to my Girlfriend that I can do the same thing that linux can do under windows.

TOO lazy to compile PCSX2 under Linux, and yet too cheap to get a PS2 for Final fantasy X-2.

Well, there is million of reason, the list goes on.