Windows Users....

[kircher]

I know most of you have probably heard all of this before, but this is my experience with the ignorance of some windows users and how Microsoft has locked them in.

I have been using Ubuntu (and Linux) now for a little over a month, and I have found it a very good experience. It is my main operating system (I use Windows at Uni when I have to) and I do everything with it I used to do with Windows XP. it's great. I love it.

Two days ago I was talking to one of my friends on the MSN network, and I had just been helping her with some windows problems a day or two prior, I stepped her through formatting the hard drive, installing Windows, and driver installation etc. She was then having trouble again with windows after the format. (I assume she didn't put up a firewall and got a virus right away, as happens in windows). I was then in disbelief, and she couldn't understand that formatting your hard drive and reinstalling windows is like getting a brand new computer. It runs the way it should, so obviously she either didn't install a driver properly or something was wrong. I eventually said "I can't help you, I don't know what the problem is". I was also quite sick of helping her, because I don't use Windows anymore. I then proceeded to say "Windows sucks anyway" and she agreed with me, but then said something along the lines of "But don't try to convert me to linux, I like things to be customizable and pretty" I then was almost ready to explode, but I replied with "Pretty!! Customizable!! tell me what exactly you know about Linux if anything" she then replied with "Oh I don't know anything, I imagined it to be something like DOS".

Now I don't know when she last used Linux or saw it (I assume she has never seen it or used it), but times change. I have no knowledge or experience with anything other than Ubuntu 6.06, but that was a stupid thing to say. Customizable???? How is Windows at all comparable to Linux in the ability to customise it? Pretty?? I have my desktop looking so much better than I did with windows, and with Xgl/compiz on the way...

Anyway, I sent her some screenshots and she was too lazy to open them, so the pretty/customizable comment was basically just an excuse to say "I am a lazy stubborn person and don't care whether or not Linux is better, I am going to stick with Microsoft and forever be their slave"

That is a classic example of a Windows user locked into Windows forever. Good for her, she can spend however much it costs to buy Windows Vista when XP is no longer supported. Me? I'll stick with GNU/Linux.

[croak77]

This is not Microsoft's fault. She happens to like Windows. I'm sure she is use to it and would like to continue using her favorite programs. GNU/Linux is not for everyone.

On a side note, you should not compare Windows users to slaves. I think that kind of belittles the experience of actual slaves.

[majesticturkey]

All my internet friends use StyleXP. They decided to show off their desktops. I had just finished designing my new desktop which used some logos from my favorite things (our website logo, the Buckeyes Block O, etc) and made things much more functionally available for me. I showed it off, and they all went "Wow, you win. How'd you do that?"

"I use Linux. The Ubuntu distribution."

Now someone redid his desktop, and posted it. With the disclaimer that "Maje's desktop owns all of ours, I know." All I did was install some themes and icon packs, and GIMPify a few things.

[raffytaffy]

slaves is a tad harsh.....zombies might suit this better :P

[kircher]

This is not Microsoft's fault. She happens to like Windows. I'm sure she is use to it and would like to continue using her favorite programs. GNU/Linux is not for everyone.

On a side note, you should not compare Windows users to slaves. I think that kind of belittles the experience of actual slaves.

Yeah, well as far as her liking windows she knows no better. I used to 'like' windows, but I was ignorant and knew no better. It was actually the thought of Vista and DRM that prompted me to try something new, and boy did it open my eyes. She's a good friend of mine but the fact that she knows nothing about Linux yet is still able to comment is why I initially posted. She likes windows because it's all she knows. On another note I actually told her I wouldn't reccomend her Linux. She would expect it to be the same as Windows.

As far as comparing windows users to slaves, I see your point, I didn't think of it that way. But... Microsoft is a criminal corporation, and people need to understand this.

[Fac51]

people are both lazy and ignorant, if they're too lazy to learn it, F'em. i see it this way. "they" didn't want to hear me from the beggining, "they" were too lazy to begin with, and when "they" decide on their own to switch, i'm not giving any clues, i'd rather charge "geek squad" prices than try to teach anyone who doesn't care enough to learn on their own how to use linux. call me evil, but that's the way i feel. the only time i ever ask for help is after i have exhausted all of my resources, which is rare, so for the most part, i get help from no one... sorta. i get help from google and forum archives... every bit as good as a book, but with situations least expected. so, all in all, i am the one who does the hard work to know what i know. let them have their windows. when and if they get sick of it, a new branch of the computer market will be born. commercial linux support. sounds stupid seeing as how there are terabytes of docs available online... but that leads us back to lazy people who want everything done for them. so be it. i fully intend to bank on peoples ignorance. after all, isn't that what morons are for anyway?

[Reshin]

Ever heard of the term "elitism"?

[panzer21st]

Well so far I can do much more in Linux, than Windows. But, I see her point, with mentioning DOS. I've only been using Ubuntu for a couple of weeks, and it's easier for me to use the terminal, than trying to do everything in Gnome. (Even if I could...)

However, I've been doing basic tech support, for awhile, and the people I deal with have so many issues, just trying to do basic things in Windows. It's a lot less user friendly, than I ever thought it was. I make a change, to a major file in Linux, and a backup is made, so I can go to the terminal, and fix it simply, if the changes don't work.

People have a comfort zone. New computer users, often don't want to have to think about what they are doing, just point and click. That's why there are tons of zombies out there for DNS attacks. People won't take the time to keep their systems safe. Lock your front door, but not your computer? :???:

[.t.]

As far as using the terminal is concerned, when I now go to using a Windows machine, I open up the terminal and try to use ipconfig in the same manner as ifconfig. It's just not the same; it is truly crippled, and without a terminal I am lost. A command line is so much more versatile: why have a program decide for me what options to give a CLI back-end, when I know I can do better, except in really complicated exceptions. Even then, I can learn and adapt to what is going on, and I have the power again!

[Lord Illidan]

As far as using the terminal is concerned, when I now go to using a Windows machine, I open up the terminal and try to use ipconfig in the same manner as ifconfig. It's just not the same; it is truly crippled, and without a terminal I am lost. A command line is so much more versatile: why have a program decide for me what options to give a CLI back-end, when I know I can do better, except in really complicated exceptions. Even then, I can learn and adapt to what is going on, and I have the power again!

I agree with you. Ever since I installed yakuake (it enables you to pop down your terminal from the top, a la` Quake), I am using the terminal more than ever.

It is fast, very functional, versatile, flexible...and looks very geekish...I love it!

[ComplexNumber]

kircher
maybe she just wants to stick with what she knows because she doesn't like the thought of change. there are many many people like that. changing operating systems can be just like changing jobs or moving house. they may well not be satisfied or happy with their current house or job, its just that they dislike change and feel safe in the routine.

[kircher]

maybe she just wants to stick with what she knows because she doesn't like the thought of change. there are many many people like that. changing operating systems can be just like changing jobs or moving house. they may well not be satisfied or happy with their current house or job, its just that they dislike change and feel safe in the routine.

Yeah, I realise that. I didn't metion it in the OP but I said to her that I wouldn't recommend linux to her because she would expect it to be too much like windows. My main frustration was that she said "I like my computer to be pretty and customizable". Plus she always complains about having problems with windows. Always getting viruses, yet puts up with the computer being disabled. A lot of people do that, their computer gets viruses or adaware or other things that decrease performance and they just keep using it with problems and blame it on the 'computer being old', or just complain. I know of people who just put up with the MS blaster worm when they got it before their AV programs patched it. They would just allow their computer to just restart every time they connected to the net and just complain. In command a simple line of 'shutdown -a' would abort the shutdown, but windows does not have a shortcut to that by default. That is my problem with windows. Windows is NOT user friendly like everyone thinks. It does not come by default with antivirus, it does not come by default with a good firewall (perhaps it does with XP sp2, I haven't used it), it does not come with a good web browser by default, nor do they recommend you change browsers. In fact I do not know what Microsoft recommend you do as far as securing your system. I don't remember any direct recomendation from MS while I used Windows.

I am not saying everyone should change, I would just like it if people would appreciate that computer != Windows. There are other even better solutions in my opinion, and Microsoft are abusing their monopoly status in a criminal way.

[kircher]

I'm just sick of people complaining about Windows that's all. If you don't like it, do something about it.

[SoundMachine]

I'm just sick of people complaining about Windows that's all. If you don't like it, do something about it.

It's worse when people complain about Windows users on a LINUX forum.

[kircher]

It's worse when people complain about Windows users on a LINUX forum.

Yeah, you are entitled to your opinion so I'm not going to argue against that. This is the Cafe section of the forum though.

[hoagie]

kircher
maybe she just wants to stick with what she knows because she doesn't like the thought of change. there are many many people like that. changing operating systems can be just like changing jobs or moving house. they may well not be satisfied or happy with their current house or job, its just that they dislike change and feel safe in the routine.

Yeah that's how most people feel. They don't like to change even if their current life sucks.:-\" But one day everyone will make a big step forward and ditch windows and microsoft off.

[argie]

Windows is NOT user friendly like everyone thinks. It does not come by default with antivirus, it does not come by default with a good firewall (perhaps it does with XP sp2, I haven't used it)
A funny tale:
Every WindowsXP computer on the LAN that I was on had a "SharedDocs" or "Shared Documents" folder. This was enabled by default apparently to be shared on the network with Full write access. Funny.

[Fac51]

Ever heard of the term "elitism"?

ever heard the phrase "time is money"?

[divgradcurl]

This isnt a testimonial, its just another pointless rant against Microsoft. Grow up!

[Fac51]

This isnt a testimonial, its just another pointless rant against Microsoft. Grow up!

when you're the one paying my 6 figure salary, then i'll take commands from you.