What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[the big e]

Adobe Creative Suite, only available for Windows or Mac. As long as I want to code in Flash I need Windows.

[ex_isp]

fragment your drive.

ROFLOL Best statement here!!!

[SaintDanBert]

Alternate DVD and HDD from Ultra-base(tm) dock.

When I run my Lenovo Thinkpad X61 Tablet-PC under win-XP, it will gladly un-mount the removable DVD drive from its "ultra-bay", let me install a HDD into the now vacant bay, use the HDD, and unwind the process so that I have the DVD back at work. NO REBOOT REQUIRED.

Under Linux, the DVD hardware does not exist until there is media available. Any "un-mount" simply removes the media, not the DVD drive.
If I want to swap DVD for HDD (or reverse) Linux forces me to shutdown and reboot.

[Jim_in_Omaha]

A lot of people in this thread need to read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_panic

Forget "Linux doesn't crash"...

Yes, it is generally more stable. But that doesn't mean you are bsod-proof. It's just that it is black instead of blue (Unless you have a custom bashrc, hah.) There, that's one thing Linux can do that Windows can't. Change the colour of it's error messages OOTB. Though, I could swear I saw a program for changing its colour in Win95...

I crashed it the other day with Pitivi video editor. Locked up solid. It didn't like my 1.5gig video which I thought was a crock since I loaded it up with Kdenlive and it had no problem (and in the past it was crash happy but would not destabilize the entire system) and then it worked perfect in Virtualdub (Wine) using the Deshaker and ran without a hickup.

But a simply hard reboot and all was good.

[weasel fierce]

If the topic is what Windows can do, that Linux cannot, rather than "what can you do with an application that the developer chose to write for windows only".... beats me.

[TNT1]

As long as I want to code in Flash.

Why on earth would you want to?

[jp351]

as far as what i use my system for... the only things that windows can do that linux (namely 9.10 ubuntu as my current distro) can't..... run yahoo msnger properly, run Last Chaos anymore since the implement of their patch about a week ago now... and MOB my computer for all it's resources! :)

[dE_logics]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?

1) Install monopolistic Microsoft(c)(R)(TM) API(c)(R)(TM) software.
2) The Windows kernel is more responsive for desktops.

[erbeesr]

it won't run Lotus Approach

[x-shaney-x]

Doesn't it matter more what you WANT it to do?
Windows may be able to do netflix and photoshop etc but they are things I will never use so makes no difference.

For me personally, there's nothing windows can do that linux can't but there are things that windows (7) can do BETTER and there are things that linux can do better.

[carlito_h]

Windows can be used at school. Linux cannot (at least for me anyway). Many courses require Windows due to the use of programs like MS Office and Visual Studio. If we lived in a less crazy world, OpenOffice and Code::Blocks would be just fine... but that's not how it is. arg!

[snip3r8]

1) Install monopolistic Microsoft(c)(R)(TM) API(c)(R)(TM) software.
2) The Windows kernel is more responsive for desktops.

what do you mean by more responsive?

[hey_joe]

If I wanted to catch a mouse I would buy a mousetrap.
If I wanted to catch a cold I would go to the doctor's surgery.
If I wanted my computer to catch a virus I would install windows.:wink:



Maybe it's best that Linux stays in the background to Windows, keep improving it by all means but my fear is one day it gets so popular that it ends up being targeted by virus creators as much as Windows is now.
;)

[volvo14]

no need for drvers install :KS:KS:KS

[x-shaney-x]

no need for drvers install :KS:KS:KS

For which?

In Windows 7 I don't need to install any drivers for my hardware, it auto finds everything.
Some people probably have to install drivers for some of their hardware.

In linux I don't need to install drivers but some people may need to install proprietary nvidia/ati drivers.
Some people may need to install windows drivers via ndiswrapper for the wifi etc.

No difference, it depends just as much on your hardware as to which OS you are using.

[snip3r8]

For which?

In Windows 7 I don't need to install any drivers for my hardware, it auto finds everything.
Some people probably have to install drivers for some of their hardware.

In linux I don't need to install drivers but some people may need to install proprietary nvidia/ati drivers.
Some people may need to install windows drivers via ndiswrapper for the wifi etc.

No difference, it depends just as much on your hardware as to which OS you are using.

the thing is that windows only recently (in windows 7) has been able to do this ,linux beat them to it

[x-shaney-x]

the thing is that windows only recently (in windows 7) has been able to do this ,linux beat them to it

Like I said, that depends on your hardware.
I didn't need to install any drivers on vista either.
Currently most hardware will work in linux but if you go back to the vista or xp era you would probably have a harder time with some hardware.

I have had hardware in the past that would not work on linux without either kernel recompilations or hunting for workarounds to force the hardware to work (my old adsl modem and a couple of webcams spring to mind).
To be honest, in such cases it was way easier to stick a driver cd in the drive or even download them from the manufacturer's website in windows than it was to get them working in linux and if they did work it was not as reliable as using the proper drivers in windows.

fortunately, drivers in both os's are becoming less of an issue these days.

[donc786]

I can't use any of the Autodesk stuff in Ubuntu, so I must keep a Windows install just for Autocad and Inventor. I can't over clock my GPU and CPU in Ubuntu as well as I can in Windows.

[cgroza]

Maybe it's best that Linux stays in the background to Windows, keep improving it by all means but my fear is one day it gets so popular that it ends up being targeted by virus creators as much as Windows is now.
;)

Its already a big target. Not on desktops but on servers.

[murderslastcrow]

I'd say Linux is a larger target for viruses and malware, as it dominates the server industry, and that's where the important data and real meat of attacks are attempted.

As I'm aware of what makes Linux so secure, and the fact that everyone's taking their individual package's security extremely seriously, I know that issues won't escalate as Linux comes to the forefront, just as it hasn't with OS X (which is less secure, as it doesn't have signed repositories or trusted sources for much of its software).

The thing I'm really worried about is installer packages asking to give you Firefox toolbars and whatnot. As people should be able to find what they need from the Software Center (I assume paid applications means we can also have freeware applications, as Skype and Flash are already in there), this shouldn't be an issue. But still, that's one thing Windows can do that I don't want escaping Windows to our platform.

Most NetGuard MMOs don't work in Wine yet. But something tells me this post isn't about what programs Windows can run that Linux can't. I think it's asking what, outside of applications, Windows can do that Linux can't, as a basic desktop and its primary utilities, not specific applications.

And in that case, I'd have to say there's simply nothing Windows does better at the moment. Other than Adobe, Autodesk, and videogames, the only things Windows can do are such extreme niches that they're hardly worth mentioning.

And well, if you're talking about features, not programs, Linux has all the features of Autodesk and Adobe applications, except when it comes to video editing.

[firewalker22]

what can windows do that linux can't?

Blue screen of death

[pwnst*r]

what can windows do that linux can't?

Blue screen of death

Your second post is a hilarious one (but not really)

[x-shaney-x]

I have only ever seen 2 BSoD's.
One was on Windows ME the other on XP and both were over 4 years ago.

Linux has it's own BSoD. It's just a different colour.

[aytech]

Nothing. Both OS do what the other can do too, in different manner. Win has apps written for it, Linux too. Its just a matter of what you're used to/required to use (at work, school, etc)

[tomasz74]

I have only ever seen 2 BSoD's.
One was on Windows ME the other on XP and both were over 4 years ago.

Linux has it's own BSoD. It's just a different colour.

Oh well you very lucky. I bought my Dell Inspiron in December, of course with W7 It was going blue once per day. I tried to resolve the problem with Dell for half year as I couldn't work on my laptop, Dell ... (I suppose can not swear here)

Now I use linux, I use software what I need like Maple, R, and Octave, Scilab on top of it. I've got XP on virtual machine only to get quotes from MetaTreader, and I don't experience any problems like before.

The problem is, that Windows can go very wrong without easy possibility to fix it. Linux can go too, but I think it is more chance to have it back

[mr_luksom]

what can windows do that linux can't?

Blue screen of death

Brings me back to Windows 95. It is pretty much the only thing I can remember from it. Although, I have not had one since (2000, xp, vista, 7)

[grnorris]

As people have mentioned Games and such that were written specifically for Windows won't always word in Linux but, there's also a few other key points. Hardware compatibility there's plenty of people who want to use Linux but can't because there's no drivers for them. Another big point that people miss is that Windows is more stable in the sense of backward compatibility. For instance when I upgraded to Ubuntu 10.04 I temporarily lost my Wireless. The only reason I got it back is because my friend let me use his computer as a go between for our schools wireless routers (I have only ever used my LAN port a few times ever) and someone had already made a compatible version of the driver for Ubuntu.

Of course the main question can also be reversed as to what Linux has that Windows doesn't and the answer to that is a whole lot. Since Linux is open source There are actually a lot more Linux programs out there (Almost all free) then there are Windows programs. Linux is generally superior at programming, hacking, and even tech support.

[grnorris]

A lot of people in this thread need to read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_panic

Forget "Linux doesn't crash"...

Yes, it is generally more stable. But that doesn't mean you are bsod-proof. It's just that it is black instead of blue (Unless you have a custom bashrc, hah.) There, that's one thing Linux can do that Windows can't. Change the colour of it's error messages OOTB. Though, I could swear I saw a program for changing its colour in Win95...

I believe I read somewhere how to do that with new Windows versions, also there are some programs it's just not that commonly known. As for the stability thing Linux is actually far less stable in my system than Windows because of driver support (My processor and wireless card seem to hate Linux).

[Dragynn]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?

Repair an Ubuntu meltdown, caused by a simple hardware change, so profound that not only did it fry Ubuntu completely but also left the computer completely un-bootable. In such a state that not even other linux rescue CD's could fix it. All over a hardware change that Windows didn't even sneeze at, accepted happily and quickly as a matter of fact on the same exact machine. Solution: pop in Windows CD and let it purr, answer yes when it asks you to fix the mess Ubuntu left behind. Result: working computer again.

This isn't a flame or an addy fer Winders bubba.

Just a very recent true story. Do a search on these forums for "random freezes" or other such terms and watch all the hits that come up for 10.04.

Something is rotten in the state of Ubuntu currently. Other versions of Linux are also working fine on this computer now that i've erased all traces of Ubuntu. Do the search, i'm not alone on this. Multiple bugs with no fixes in sight.

[HeadHunter00]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?

Repair an Ubuntu meltdown, caused by a simple hardware change, so profound that not only did it fry Ubuntu completely but also left the computer completely un-bootable. In such a state that not even other linux rescue CD's could fix it. All over a hardware change that Windows didn't even sneeze at, accepted happily and quickly as a matter of fact on the same exact machine. Solution: pop in Windows CD and let it purr, answer yes when it asks you to fix the mess Ubuntu left behind. Result: working computer again.

This isn't a flame or an addy fer Winders bubba.

Just a very recent true story. Do a search on these forums for "random freezes" or other such terms and watch all the hits that come up for 10.04.

Something is rotten in the state of Ubuntu currently. Other versions of Linux are also working fine on this computer now that i've erased all traces of Ubuntu. Do the search, i'm not alone on this. Multiple bugs with no fixes in sight.
yes yes, i know what u mean man. but windows does the same thing with hardware change though. currently only lucid lynx and those based off lucid lynx have this problem. i haven't had it in karmic, nor any rpms, or minimalistics like gentoo. but that means it can be fixed, unlike windows.also, different motherboards have different effects and i noticed that ubuntu only gets this problem with 2.6.32 kernels. once i compiled 2.6.35 kernel, i didnt get this problem anymore. which means, the developers somehow messed up the kernel package that comes with ubuntu by default or it may be an initrd image problem. thanks for reminding me bout it ma man, imma research and try to find a fix for it.

[Dragynn]

yes yes, i know what u mean man. but windows does the same thing with hardware change though. currently only lucid lynx and those based off lucid lynx have this problem. i haven't had it in karmic, nor any rpms, or minimalistics like gentoo. but that means it can be fixed, unlike windows.also, different motherboards have different effects and i noticed that ubuntu only gets this problem with 2.6.32 kernels. once i compiled 2.6.35 kernel, i didnt get this problem anymore. which means, the developers somehow messed up the kernel package that comes with ubuntu by default or it may be an initrd image problem. thanks for reminding me bout it ma man, imma research and try to find a fix for it.

Cool, so you've had good luck with Karmic? Have had a CD sitting around since it first came out, only played with it live for a bit, was waiting for Lucid because of LTS, might have to try Karmic and see if it likes my hardware. Have had really no trouble with other distros as well on this box, don't know why Lucid flipped out, had run fine for a few weeks, then I swapped in a dual-core AMD in place of my old single-core (both socket 939), windows booted it right up, saw the hardware, installed it, no problems and runs faster than ever, Lucid booted alright, then froze 5 minutes later. After about 20 reboots I became convinced it wasn't going away, tried all the fixes yada yada...kernel upgrade didn't help either.

~sigh~

[beew]

Since Linux is open source There are actually a lot more Linux programs out there (Almost all free) then there are Windows programs.

While there may be more hacking and programming tools in Linux, it is not true that there are more end user programs for Linux. Almost all successful open sourced programs have windows versions but not vice versa.

There are gaps in Linux for simple things like a good pdf viewers and editors (I just read a whole thread on it) and people still need wine even if they don't use MS office or play games because there are many small free apps for windows that take care of little things that just don't exist in Linux, for example there are many small audio editing tools in windows that do simple things and they don't exist in Linux. You can get the same functionality in Linux but chances are you may have to use much more advanced tools which would be an overkill, and to use these successfully you would have to be a programmer or a sound engineer.

There are many open source programs but many of them are just buggy or plain crappy. Some are projects for hobbiests rather than something that take usability seriously. I just checked out Zathura in the Maverick repo. This is, get this, a command line PDF viewer. Well unless you are die hard key board fanatic why would you want such a thing? It has the same limited functionalities as all Linux pdf viewers and it is not particularly fast, but you do have to remember a bunch of obscure key moves to do simple things like turning pages and zooming in and out or rotating pages,--it is also ugly.

[macem29]

itunes, and there is no real substitute in the linux world yet

[beew]

itunes is crap though. Unless you have a ipod there are tons of alternatives that manage your music and are much better.

[macem29]

itunes is crap though. Unless you have a ipod there are tons of alternatives that manage your music and are much better.

why on earth would anyone install itunes if they don't have an ipod? :confused:

[beew]

Then don't buy an ipod. You can't expect Ubuntu to work on a piece of propietary hardware that intentionally force you to use Apple software to manage it. You can only make fair comparison about functionalities and being compatible with the ipod is not a legitimate one in this context.

[irishbreakfast]

We have at least 3 iPods in the family, and the children often borrow their friends ones, and no iTunes. Since removing iTunes the children have not had any problems (they always complained about synching with iTunes). Plus, they know have an awareness of free/libre software and video/audio formats.

My current response to the original question, based on recent experience:
Windows can train the masses that rebooting is how you fix problems with a computer.

[aytech]

While there may be more hacking and programming tools in Linux, it is not true that there are more end user programs for Linux. Almost all successful open sourced programs have windows versions but not vice versa.

There are gaps in Linux for simple things like a good pdf viewers and editors

Acrobat Reader is available for Ubuntu. As for editing, pdfedit can be used, although its probly not as good as Acrobat Pro. And there's an option to convert doc files into pdf in OpenOffice.

[beew]

Adobe reader is crap, it is bloated and slow and I don't use it even in windows. I was thinking of light and feature rich PDF readers like Foxit and pdf-xchange viewer(It seems that all Linux people compare their viewers only to Adobe, no wonder they think their readers are fast as long as they don't freeze your pc, and no wonder they don't seem to even notice there is a problem with speed)

Foxit has a Linux version. It is fast but it is very lacking in features comparing to the Windows version, also they just dropped it and there will be no further devlopment. OOO is not an option if you do serious pdf editing,--which I don't, but just telling you what others say,--and I can see why. I was reading the other thread, it is sad that after 5 or 6 pages of back and forth the conclusion was that the best option for viewing pdf was to use pdf-xchange viewer in wine.

[macem29]

didn't know this thread was a trap to lure in people that still have a use for Windows so they can be belittled,
ubuntu is awesome on my netbook, XP is needed on my desktop for a few reasons, what's wrong with
using both? and if I like itunes and love my itouch, who is being forced to do anything?

oh, another one for the list: netflix streaming...

lemme guess, netflix is crap too right?
I'm outta this thread

[aytech]

Adobe reader is crap, it is bloated and slow and I don't use it even in windows. I was thinking of light and feature rich PDF readers like Foxit and pdf-xchange viewer(It seems that all Linux people compare their viewers only to Adobe, no wonder they think their readers are fast as long as they don't freeze your pc, and no wonder they don't seem to even notice there is a problem with speed)

Foxit has a Linux version. It is fast but it is very lacking in features comparing to the Windows version, also they just dropped it and there will be no further devlopment. OOO is not an option if you do serious pdf editing,--which I don't, but just telling you what others say,--and I can see why. I was reading the other thread, it is sad that after 5 or 6 pages of back and forth the conclusion was that the best option for viewing pdf was to use pdf-xchange viewer in wine.

I never got to edit a pdf file, for my needs the default viewer in Ubuntu (dunno the name for it) was enough, I later had to install Acrobat as i needed to fill in the form created in pdf, and this viewer couldnt save it with the filled info.
Lots of proprietary SW dont have a decent equivalent in Linux, and vise versa, one just have to realize what he needs from his PC and decide for him/herself which OS is better

[beew]

Yeah you got it, netflix is definitely crap. Why do you want to turn the computer into an idiot box while you can just lie on a couch and watch TV (with all the commercial extras too)? :)

[slackthumbz]

y'all be postin' in a troll thread.

[beew]

I never got to edit a pdf file, for my needs the default viewer in Ubuntu (dunno the name for it) was enough, I later had to install Acrobat as i needed to fill in the form created in pdf, and this viewer couldnt save it with the filled info.
Lots of proprietary SW dont have a decent equivalent in Linux, and vise versa, one just have to realize what he needs from his PC and decide for him/herself which OS is better

The name for the document viewer is evince. It is very slow and renders poorly in Lucid, but has some really amazing improvements in Maverick (still slow comparing to Foxit but has gotten a lot faster) so I will give it another try ( I have snatched it from the Maverick repo and installed it on my Lucid box. :))

To fill forms you can probably use xournal, just get it from the repo. No one should have to put up with Acrobat.

Luckily for my main purpose (scientific computing and learning to program) there are actually more advanced options in Linux than in Windows, it is the common end user tasks that I find a bit annoying sometimes because the apps are not available.

[Calash]

Yeah you got it, netflix is definitely crap. Why do you want to turn the computer into an idiot box while you can just lie on a couch and watch TV (with all the commercial extras too)? :)

Don't ask that in the Mythbuntu forum :)

[aytech]

To fill forms you can probably use xournal, just get it from the repo. No one should have to put up with Acrobat.

Thanks for the tip, will give it a try ;)

[ceaualbi]

In the last three years with kubuntu i'd found some problems, bugs or things that linnux cannot do as windows does:
- scanning
(specially using my hp scanjet G2410) It did until kubuntu 8.10

- [B]wireless (specially using usb sticks)

- some games can't
(but I play Starcraft, Diablo II or warcraft under wine)
(would like to learn how to install starcraft II)

- usb devices in general
(until kubuntu 9.04 transferring photos was a tricky one)
(don't tell about mp3's, ipods and other, even cameras)

- audio and video drivers, they are not linux native they are translated so linux can deal with them (am I right?)

- sometimes I miss publisher 2000
(I read some people telling that they installed it under wine, I don't know how to do it) Scribus to me is a replacement of InDesign not of publisher

- but my new cloud is what will happen to linux with oracle around, I don't know, I hope they still have the spirit to do what sun did or even more.

[chili555]

- wireless (specially using usb sticks)Linux certainly does wireless and USB sticks. I've helped many hundreds of users get theirs going. Does it do wireless out of the box, without a separate driver disc (in fact, better than Windows)? Yes, frequently. Does Linux do wireless sometimes with a bit of fiddling? Yes, frequently.
- usb devices in general
(until kubuntu 9.04 transferring photos was a tricky one)
(don't tell about mp3's, ipods and other, even cameras)I simply, effortlessly and easily drag and drop, even from my Nikon DSLR and even to my phone. Is Windows somehow easier than that?

[unknownPoster]

Linux certainly does wireless and USB sticks. I've helped many hundreds of users get theirs going. Does it do wireless out of the box, without a separate driver disc (in fact, better than Windows)? Yes, frequently. Does Linux do wireless sometimes with a bit of fiddling? Yes, frequently.I simply, effortlessly and easily drag and drop, even from my Nikon DSLR and even to my phone. Is Windows somehow easier than that?


Just because it works for you doesn't mean that it works for everyone else.

[oldsoundguy]

Just because it works for you doesn't mean that it works for everyone else.

and conversely .. if it doesn't work for you, it does not make it uniformly defective.

[chili555]

and conversely .. if it doesn't work for you, it does not make it uniformly defective.Indeed.

No operating system absolutely does everything without fail for all users everywhere. None.

[KeithBCDN]

Well, after working on a Ubuntu installation for a couple of weeks now I'll tell you what Windows can do that Linux can't...
install without having to constantly go back a solve problems!!!
I really do want to use Ubuntu but I am getting tired of the constant " Oh, here is another thing that isn't working right" like network file sharing, network printing and just this morning, I discovered that the images in posts on web board postings in Firefox don't show up. I have used up yet another hour trying to find a fix. (none found)
There is a lot of help in the Linux community and I do appreciate it but I have used up MANY hours just trying to get Ubuntu working to my satisfaction.
I have to admit that even on an old box, Ubuntu's speed blows my newer XP box off the table.
I like the "coffee", want to drink the "coffee" and am trying to enjoy the "coffee" but end up looking out the "Window" most of the time.

[aytech]

To me it seemed that Ubuntu is extremely easy to install unless you want to mess with manual partitioning..
I believe its typical for a new user to suffer some things he used to in Win, I've been through this too, and came back to Win couple times. But after I gave Ubuntu another chance and was more patient I've found out that it CAN do a lot of things better than Win (Network file sharing and printing included), it just does it differently, so I had to get used to it. Now when I boot into Win occasionally, I miss some features of Ubuntu, but dont miss anything when I work in Ubuntu ;)

[KeithBCDN]

I'm getting there...

[23dornot23d]

Well, after working on a Ubuntu installation for a couple of weeks now I'll tell you what Windows can do that Linux can't...
install without having to constantly go back a solve problems!!!Well, after working on a Ubuntu installation for a couple of weeks now I'll tell you what Windows can do that Linux can't...
install without having to constantly go back a solve problems!!!
That's interesting ....

Constant problems hey , give me the ones that you have had in your 2 weeks assesment and are still constantly trying to solve on one Linux system ?

Seems odd .... as I have 13 different versions of Linux and once a problems solved thats it the system works great for me.
( but I do like comparing them - there are things that dont work .... but you only solve them once and do it properly )

The only problems that are constantly there are when working on the development version as things are constantly changing ..... so I hope that you have not installed the development version on a production system.

I would like to see some examples to back up your claim

Within two weeks you are probably ...... still sorting drivers out ...... don't you do that with Windows anymore ......... drivers that are often written by the manufacturer specially for one system ...... but there are still problems .....
I seem to still read reports on the web where people are having problems with windows - maybe they are not ..... and its all a dream ....

with LINUX stable versions ..... what are these constant problems then ...... that you are having ......

( and to people that get problems - don't keep doing upgrades once its working 100% ....... what do you expect to gain ....... this is one of the biggest things I come across and the problem lies with the users thinking they are going to get some special system afterwards ...... if its running ok leave it running ok ..... like tinkering with a car and I know many wanna be mechanics that do that too .... and their cars never run right again .....)

I am absolutely sure that there are no problems at all with Windows , after installing !!!!

Now why did I change and only use Linux now ....... oh yep .... because I like constant problems ........ lols ......

What was the last virus that slowed down my windows ...... how many people were ringing me to go sort out there windows boxes ......

I made a job out of fixing Windows Systems .... once I set Linux up I rarely have to go back ..... and I have never constantly had to deal with virus problems like on one system that has no problems ...... now what was it again ...... !!!

Can never remember its name ...... such a long time ago since I last used it ....... and the music played on ..... :guitar::guitar:

3 problems I see in your two weeks ..... part solved !!!

1. Connecting to windows XP on a Network ..... you seem to have not got a full solution here ... yet ....
( But you have one computer working .... will see what else I can find on this .... Networks - I have not dealt with them for a while )

2. Printer not working across a Network .... HP1018 seems windows has problems with this printer too (http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=HP+Laserjet+1018+windows+problem&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) now there's a surprize
( But I have found a couple of solutions on Linux .... I hope that they work for you .... )

3. Banshee Radio - If you check this now ..... you will find the answer you have been waiting for ......

[KeithBCDN]

I would like to see some examples to back up your claim
I think not.
I have spent way too much time fussing around with this and other Linux installs and I'm not going to spend even more of my time justifying my experiences to you.

[macem29]

I think not.
I have spent way too much time fussing around with this and other Linux installs and I'm not going to spend even more of my time justifying my experiences to you.

took me a few posts to figure it out, this is not a thread for exchange of information,
it's a trap for ubuntu gansters to jump your chit, don't waste your time here dude

[Dragynn]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?

Well LINUX in general can do pretty much anything, so moot point.

The current version of Ubuntu on the other hand, is an entirely different story.....

[Artyom7]

windows can print to Ricoh Aficio printers. Linux can't. This is mostly due to he fact the this printer was designed to work only with windows. However, if you spend the time ( took me 3 months ) you can find a work-around. But its very complicated. But what the hell, you get to learn new things!

I have not used windows in almost 2 years now, and i don't miss it one bit.

[penguinman007]

Well I tried ubuntu 5 years ago and grew tired of SUDU editing config files.

So, I try it again 5 years later and I cant browse web pages. Even though I have network access.

So what's the solution ?,

sudu edit some config settings file.
I refuse to sudu edit obscure scripts just to get my new install of Ubuntu to browse web pages. So, how about you let me know when ubuntu can browse web pages.
I installed puppy linux, that can browse web pages, Windows 95, that can, XP ? no problem. There are mobile phones that can browse web pages also.
But not ubuntu.
That can't.

[irv]

Well I tried ubuntu 5 years ago and grew tired of SUDU editing config files.

So, I try it again 5 years later and I cant browse web pages. Even though I have network access.

So what's the solution ?,

sudu edit some config settings file.
I refuse to sudu edit obscure scripts just to get my new install of Ubuntu to browse web pages. So, how about you let me know when ubuntu can browse web pages.
I installed puppy linux, that can browse web pages, Windows 95, that can, XP ? no problem. There are mobile phones that can browse web pages also.
But not ubuntu.
That can't.
Well I tried ubuntu about 5 years ago and used sudo and could browse web pages.
And I am still using it. I quit using Windows because I was being force to install virus protection software that slowed down my PC.
The botton line: I would rather use sudo (for secureity reason) and not install software that slows my PC down.
By the way, I needed to install drivers in Windows for my network card, and that is why I needed to sudo install driver for my network card in Linux.
With the later releases of Ubuntu you can do it through System>Administration>Addisional Driver. You can make all the excusess in the world, but Ubuntu is much better then Windows, and I have been using computer since the 70's and I draw my conclutions from using them for all that time.

[chili555]

So, how about you let me know when ubuntu can browse web pages.I installed Linux in 2001 and moved to Ubuntu in 2005. I have been able to browse web pages perfectly well without ever editing conf files since 2001.

By the way, one of the great strengths of Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular is the ability to edit conf files; to make the operating system do what you want it to do, not necessarily what some programmer in Redmond wants it to do, even if it doesn't meet your needs.

Would you care to move your issue here: http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=336

We'll be glad to get you going. PM me if I can help.

[richf]

The most important thing that Win 7 does for me is display the charts from www.freestockcharts.com and www.investors.com using Silverlight. Never site works on Ubuntu. I dual-boot with Win 7 to use these sites and some minor things like syncing Zune mp3, etc.

But the lack of these sites are a deal breaker. Otherwise, Ubuntu would be my first choice.

[beew]

The most important thing that Win 7 does for me is display the charts from www.freestockcharts.com (http://www.freestockcharts.com) and www.investors.com (http://www.investors.com) using Silverlight. Never site works on Ubuntu. I dual-boot with Win 7 to use these sites and some minor things like syncing Zune mp3, etc.

But the lack of these sites are a deal breaker. Otherwise, Ubuntu would be my first choice.

It is really MS and those sites' problem and not Ubuntu's. Silverlight is a MS technology and if it decides that it doesn't want to port it to Linux then there is nothing Ubuntu can do. If a site decides to host its contents with an obscure MS technology (very few sites use silverlight) then I will just treat it like the IE only sites and stay away, --but then I don't care for stock or investing.

BTW, you can view some silverlight sites if you install the moonlight pluggin to FF, though not those particular ones, I just tried. I almost feel dirty to have installed that but I was curious :P

[bshosey]

Simple Answer: nothing.
Advanced Answer: Potentially nothing, just need developers to develop same category of software.

Seriously who cares. if it does what you need then that is the only thing that is important. I think a better question is. Out of the same things that both do what does better!

[jago25_98]

I've heard admins find an equivalent of ActiveDirectory lacking.

It's more a case of them being not versed enough in linux perhaps but that's the way it is

[Seankn]

I just been wondering what other users have found that windows is able to do that linux (more specifically ubuntu) cant do...

so far the only thing i have found that i cant do anymore is gaming and a few online videos dont work sometimes

also, add anything to the list that makes one better or worse than the other, such as linux being practically virus free


Well Some Games do work under Ubuntu using a Program Called Wine i know it can play CnC3 its pretty nice.

[nukkel]

those videos you should copy the addresses for them and use mplayer at the command prompt, it's more likely to tell you what the problem is, more than not a missing dll or problematic codec.



I don't think gaming is that important to most people, only the very loud and the early adopters. once we're past this phase you'll find most new users don't play games or find the games available in Linux to be superior in the types of games they play (puzzle games etc)

Welp, sorry to say, I have been using Ubuntu on my desktop and server with no windows since Feisty. BUT NOW there is this thing called Starcraft 2. I had a severe addiction to the first one, and just bought a new laptop so as to have a wondoze license so i can play. I am back tot he forum to figure out how to dual boot so I don't use wondows except while I am playing the game.

[weasel fierce]

I have more games than I know what to do with.
Most people buy a console anyways for gaming.

[hotshot247]

when i installed winxp, i had it on for the first 10 or 15 mins before i got a chance to install a good firewall and antivirus and i got spyware and viruses so bad that windows froze and when i did a hard reboot, it wouldn't boot up. that's when i decided to check ubuntu out and been happy ever since because with ubuntu, i don't need a firewall or antivirus. the security is great!! plus with a little tweaking, wine works with the majority of windows games anyways and using playonlinux. so that's what windows can do, get viruses.

[jago25_98]

sftp via a proxy

(can't believe there isn't anything out there that supports it. haven't to resort to filezilla via wine)

[sohlinux]

would be nice to be able to run need for speed world, cant get it working in virtual box or wine

[neslot]

Blue screen of death?

[Lucradia]

Blue screen of death?

Install XScreensaver Extras and/or the error screen. Change it so only the Windows NT screens / blue screens come up.

Now you have the BSoD.

[cblnchat]

Blue screen of death?

:lolflag:

I really havent found anything yet! Ubuntu is so much better!!!

[Lucradia]

:lolflag:

I really havent found anything yet! Ubuntu is so much better!!!

Linux has something called Kernel Panic. I've gotten it three times in the times I've used linux. Twice was my fault, once was not (Torrent was being distributed with hashfails.)

Xorg has a blue screen of death though, however, an image to show you what it looks like evades me. But here's basically what it is:


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX X-SERVER HAS FAILED TO START XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX <<< Information Here >>> XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

Blue background, white/silver box with black text above on top of it (Xs are around the white/silver box, also colored white/silver). Kernel panic is usually black background with white text (ala MS-DOS fail.)

[drifter254]

the main think that UBUNTU cant do that windows can and might make me switch to linux mint is you cant play alot of video and songs based on codecs and sure you can update however how can you get the codecs via the cyber? if it was windows and you know windows media player is limited you just download something like winamp and install it quick and easy from you're flash disk.
MAN, if i dont get to fix this in a few days i might dual boot windows and ubuntu, ubuntu and linux mint or simply linux mint, i cant live like this!!!

[Lucradia]

the main think that UBUNTU cant do that windows can and might make me switch to linux mint is you cant play alot of video and songs based on codecs and sure you can update however how can you get the codecs via the cyber? if it was windows and you know windows media player is limited you just download something like winamp and install it quick and easy from you're flash disk.
MAN, if i dont get to fix this in a few days i might dual boot windows and ubuntu, ubuntu and linux mint or simply linux mint, i cant live like this!!!

Codecs you need are installable via medibuntu: http://medibuntu.org/repository.php

After you add the repo, install these packages:

w32codecs (for 32-bit systems ONLY)
w64codecs (for 64-bit systems ONLY)
libdvdcss2
gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg
gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly (If not installed)
gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad (if not installed)
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good (if not installed)
ffmpeg
flashplugin-nonfree (If you haven't installed it already) << Use HTML5 on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/html5) if it has glitchy sounds with youtube.
non-free-codecs
freepats
totem-mozilla (If not installed)

There used to be a topic somewhere that outlined how to do this for ubuntu with just a couple commands, it was a huge thread, but I can't remember where it is. You will use totem once you do this.

[squid636]

I have used Linux off and on for about three years now and it has come a long way since I started using it. With that being said it has a long way to go still. I like to tweak my computers and mess around on them but I feel that most people don't want to do that. They want to log in and surf the net, check email, or play their media and while you can do all of those things on Ubuntu and other Linux systems they still are not as polished as what you find in Windows. Now hold off on the hate mail since this is my opinion. Photoshop has no replacement in Linux yet. I know that there is Gimp but a lot of people dont like Gimp. My biggest grip is a comprehensive media program for playing my music. I used iTunes a couple of times on Windows until I found MediaMonkey. This is the kind of end product that programmers for Linux should be trying to achieve. None of the media players in Linux come close to what you can do in MediaMonkey or how easily you can do it. I have tried them all so I am just letting you know my opinion. I hope that one day Linux will be on par with what Windows offers but until it is I have to dual boot my computer...

[Lucradia]

I have used Linux off and on for about three years now and it has come a long way since I started using it. With that being said it has a long way to go still. I like to tweak my computers and mess around on them but I feel that most people don't want to do that. They want to log in and surf the net, check email, or play their media and while you can do all of those things on Ubuntu and other Linux systems they still are not as polished as what you find in Windows. Now hold off on the hate mail since this is my opinion. Photoshop has no replacement in Linux yet. I know that there is Gimp but a lot of people dont like Gimp. My biggest grip is a comprehensive media program for playing my music. I used iTunes a couple of times on Windows until I found MediaMonkey. This is the kind of end product that programmers for Linux should be trying to achieve. None of the media players in Linux come close to what you can do in MediaMonkey or how easily you can do it. I have tried them all so I am just letting you know my opinion. I hope that one day Linux will be on par with what Windows offers but until it is I have to dual boot my computer...

People don't like GIMP because it reminds them of the days of Photoshop 4, and because anyone can edit the source, etc.

[chili555]

I know that there is Gimp but a lot of people dont like Gimp.I use GIMP just about every day. I understand that people compare GIMP to Photoshop and OpenOffice to Word. However, almost every comparison I read involves some convoluted double-reverse whammy macro that not one person in a hundred can understand or figure out how to use. The absence of that capability shouldn't stop the other ninety-nine users.

In my opinion, GIMP and OpenOffice do everything that 90% of users want. If you have to use the convoluted double-reverse whammy macro, then your decision is clear; you must use Windows.

I've used Linux for eleven years and I'm still not an absolutist. If you need Photoshop, then install Windows. But, do you really need Photoshop to crop, lighten, slightly increase contrast, eliminate red-eye, sharpen and scale for posting on Flickr? Not likely.

[x-shaney-x]

Blue screen of death?

I haven't seen a Blue Screen of Death on windows since Windows XP, bout 7 years ago :|
I see Black Screens of Death on linux quite frequently though.

I can't believe this thread is still going but in answer to the question:

What can windows do that linux can't?

Get a trouble free google earth installation?

[Lucradia]

Get a trouble free google earth installation?

I've gotten that on a few linux distributions.

[tgm4883]

I haven't seen a Blue Screen of Death on windows since Windows XP, bout 7 years ago :|
I see Black Screens of Death on linux quite frequently though.

I can't believe this thread is still going but in answer to the question:

What can windows do that linux can't?

Get a trouble free google earth installation?

In my job I've seen BSOD on Win 7, so it does still happen.

[x-shaney-x]

I've gotten that on a few linux distributions.

So have I on occasion but more often than not, it is something that usually involves manual steps to get it working or looking properly.
The latest one involved manually linking some QT files which I don't consider trouble-free.

I don't use windows unless I have to because I just don't like it but when I install google earth on it, it just installs and runs perfectly.

[Lucradia]

So have I on occasion but more often than not, it is something that usually involves manual steps to get it working or looking properly.
The latest one involved manually linking some QT files which I don't consider trouble-free.

I don't use windows unless I have to because I just don't like it but when I install google earth on it, it just installs and runs perfectly.

I just use gdebi, and it works immediately. Since, if I recall, there is a DEB package for it.

[x-shaney-x]

I just use gdebi, and it works immediately. Since, if I recall, there is a DEB package for it.

Yes there is a deb for it and it was trying to install that that prompted me to comment here:

Installs but doesn't. Appears to install but nothing actually installed properly and nothing there to run.
Installing manually results in complaints of missing bits of files and so on.
Only way to install it was to use make-googleearth-package which installs and runs but looks all wrong because of qt library thing.

On Windows I downloaded from the site, ran the installer, ran google earth and that's it.

[rg4w]

In my opinion, GIMP and OpenOffice do everything that 90% of users want. If you have to use the convoluted double-reverse whammy macro, then your decision is clear; you must use Windows.
Unless you need that scripting in GIMP. One of the many great sessions I attended at SCaLE 9x (http://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale9x/) was on GIMP scripting - total mindblower for me. I had no idea all that power was so readily available.

Does OOo/Libre Office provide scripting?

[Lucradia]

Does OOo/Libre Office provide scripting?

Yes.

[michaelayland]

Linux cannot run Dymo Software or at least I cannot. We use Dymo's own label software on Mac and Windows but time and time I have tried to operate it in Ubuntu using Wine without success. If anyone has acieved this please please post the answer.

[Lucradia]

Linux cannot run Dymo Software or at least I cannot. We use Dymo's own label software on Mac and Windows but time and time I have tried to operate it in Ubuntu using Wine without success. If anyone has acieved this please please post the answer.

http://sites.dymo.com/Pages/home.aspx?locale=enUS

That?

Even my post office doesn't run Windows to use their own stamps for packages. (It's a specific operating system that isn't available for consumer use.)

Label makers shouldn't have an OS anyway. It should be straight-forward and on-die. (Property of Bart Simpson!)

[YigalB]

Ever tried to install and use PHP debugger on Linux?
With windows it's easy to set up.
With Linux it's a complicated procedure.

[Lucradia]

With Linux it's a complicated procedure.

Linux distros are a webserver already.

[YigalB]

Linux distros are a webserver already.
Yes - and it's working perfect.
But no debugger.

[Lucradia]

Yes - and it's working perfect.
But no debugger.

Why do you need a debugger? Usually the PHP Error gives you a rough line number as to where it is.

[YigalB]

Why do you need a debugger? Usually the PHP Error gives you a rough line number as to where it is.
You are talking about compilation - that's OK.

Debugger is required in order to trace the value of the variables, to allow single stepping, to inspect the conditional statements, etc.

With a debugger it's much easier to debug code, especially complex or big designs.
Other alternative is to place many echo statements, but this is not as easy or as comfortable.
Any way, there are ways to have debug plugins, but they are complicated to install and set up, unlike Windows.

The subject is " What can Windows do that Linux can't?" - and this is one of the things. I wish it wasn't, but unfortunately I need to debug, so I had to switch to Windows.

[oldsoundguy]

I seldom use Windows any more except for running Adobe programs (which I get as payment for services rendered) .. so have an xp machine that does only that.

BUT.. have found one thing that Linux should be doing that windows does NOW .. 32 bit or 64 bit hyperthreaded or dual processor .. Windows can utilize the GPU of some NVidia cards for added computing power on number crunching.

[beew]

I seldom use Windows any more except for running Adobe programs (which I get as payment for services rendered) .. so have an xp machine that does only that.

BUT.. have found one thing that Linux should be doing that windows does NOW .. 32 bit or 64 bit hyperthreaded or dual processor .. Windows can utilize the GPU of some NVidia cards for added computing power on number crunching.


Do you mean GPGPU? Linux is already doing it .
http://developer.nvidia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4848 (http://developer.nvidia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4848)
Based on the very small sample size above Linux is actually a more preferred platform than Windows.
(http://developer.nvidia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4848)

[MarcusW]

You are talking about compilation - that's OK.

Debugger is required in order to trace the value of the variables, to allow single stepping, to inspect the conditional statements, etc.

With a debugger it's much easier to debug code, especially complex or big designs.
Other alternative is to place many echo statements, but this is not as easy or as comfortable.
Any way, there are ways to have debug plugins, but they are complicated to install and set up, unlike Windows.

The subject is " What can Windows do that Linux can't?" - and this is one of the things. I wish it wasn't, but unfortunately I need to debug, so I had to switch to Windows.

A quick aptitude search gave me "php5-dbg" and "php5-xdebug". I don't know if that's what you're looking for though.

[irv]

I use the Libronix digital library system and I have about 2 thousand dollars worth of book in this system and it only runs under Windows. I would love if they had a Linux version of this but they don't. So I keep Windows so I can run it. I tried running it under wine but had too many problems.

[Objekt]

:lolflag:

I really havent found anything yet! Ubuntu is so much better!!!

Well, there is the occasional "mysterious, hard-core lockup of death."

I had one last night. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. I started getting them at Ubuntu 9.10.

I suppose the infrequency and difficulty of duplicating these freezups is why the Ubuntu devs haven't been able to get rid of them.

[oldsoundguy]

Well, there is the occasional "mysterious, hard-core lockup of death."

I had one last night. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. I started getting them at Ubuntu 9.10.

I suppose the infrequency and difficulty of duplicating these freezups is why the Ubuntu devs haven't been able to get rid of them.

Don't blame the OS for every hiccup. Most of my issues with any form of lockup have been when browsing or on line .. and Facebook usually has been in a tab or open when it happened. Especially when trying to upload an image.

[YigalB]

A quick aptitude search gave me "php5-dbg" and "php5-xdebug". I don't know if that's what you're looking for though.
These two packages are perfect examples why the debug solution in Ubuntu is impossible to use. The name has "PHP" and "DBG" but these doesn;t mean we have a PHP debugger here.

"php5-dbg" is a package that you can install, but thats it. No clear explanation or document, user guide. So I installed it. Now what??
Like a write only memory......

php5-debug is an extension few people use. I challenge you to install it as add on to Geany or Eclipse, or whatever.
The guide is complicated, too long. If you go to forums, people will do the easy thing: do a quick google search and send you a link to this guide. Simple questions are never answered. My conclusion is that only few made it through.

I guess that sometimes, when the niche is small enough, the Linux model is just not good enough, and the majority of tools are developed to the windows world, because it takes effort and resources.

[Dlambert]

Anything above Directx 9 at the current time.

[lucazade]

Ever tried to install and use PHP debugger on Linux?
With windows it's easy to set up.
With Linux it's a complicated procedure.

like this? this is stock gedit with some plugins.

[YigalB]

like this? this is stock gedit with some plugins.
This looks like an editor, not debugger.
I use Geany as an editor - works well for me.

But again - there is no good and easy debugger!

[alexandari]

Don't we have enough of these ****** threads...

[lucazade]

This looks like an editor, not debugger.
I use Geany as an editor - works well for me.

But again - there is no good and easy debugger!

gedit and geany are editor, this is clear.
i was referring to bottom pane with php check syntax, is this not enough?

or use an Ide like Aptana..

[lucazade]

Don't we have enough of these ****** threads...

yes we have enough, for sure.

[georgegerm]

hpsplit
there are videos that are cut into parts by such windblows free programs but are quite popular ...
the only linux way to join is to use a console, non gui prog. one claimed to have an after install gui to it but i could not get it to work with it.
so a pack. to rejoin or split vids woud be usefill and maybe there is one with gui i do not know of......
ubu and minto 4ever :KS

[Copper Bezel]

Don't blame the OS for every hiccup. Most of my issues with any form of lockup have been when browsing or on line .. and Facebook usually has been in a tab or open when it happened. Especially when trying to upload an image.

Pedantic moment: I'm as biased for Ubuntu and against Windows as anyone can be, but if X (or the Windows WM) locks up because of something displaying in a web browser, that is the OS's fault. That's especially true on Linux, where these things are supposed to be (and almost always are) effectively sandboxed.

[johntaylor1887]

to rejoin or split vids woud be usefill and maybe there is one with gui i do not know of......
ubu and minto 4ever :KS

There are video editors (GUI) in linux ya know.

[jerenept]

There are video editors (GUI) in linux ya know.

One is even included on the LiveCD, and I use it to split and join videos!!!!

[TwoStep]

gaming is not the most important for me:)
i only need is world of goo or its demo and the linux default games

[MarcusW]

These two packages are perfect examples why the debug solution in Ubuntu is impossible to use. The name has "PHP" and "DBG" but these doesn;t mean we have a PHP debugger here.

"php5-dbg" is a package that you can install, but thats it. No clear explanation or document, user guide. So I installed it. Now what??
Like a write only memory......

php5-debug is an extension few people use. I challenge you to install it as add on to Geany or Eclipse, or whatever.
The guide is complicated, too long. If you go to forums, people will do the easy thing: do a quick google search and send you a link to this guide. Simple questions are never answered. My conclusion is that only few made it through.

I guess that sometimes, when the niche is small enough, the Linux model is just not good enough, and the majority of tools are developed to the windows world, because it takes effort and resources.

What about php5-xdebug? "aptitude show php5-xdebug" indicates it is a package for debugging php scripts.

[alexan]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?
Blackmail hardware manufacturer for develop the stuff the latest version/update need (driver, source codes, standards and etc)


have decent PHP Debugger
I don't remember any php debugger that come with windows; if this is about proprietary software there's Wine, VirtualBox, Cloud Computing (the next generation of software will be through web browser).
Basically you lose a bit of CPU performance, but you don't need antivirus and other things that suck performance away: it's everything sand-boxed.

[Dragonbite]

Unfortunately as we tried getting my son online to play Toontown with a friend of his, found out it required Windows.

Plus Turbo-Tax and MS Publisher (only publisher can open .pub files). And no, Publisher is not the same as Word and et al.

[Shining Arcanine]

I just been wondering what other users have found that windows is able to do that linux (more specifically ubuntu) cant do...

so far the only thing i have found that i cant do anymore is gaming and a few online videos dont work sometimes

also, add anything to the list that makes one better or worse than the other, such as linux being practically virus free

Windows can give Microsoft the ability to sue people who did not pay for it, which Linux cannot do.

[Lucradia]

Use the same amount of processor / RAM for an HTML5 video (IE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVnj7SuJaMw) as if it were flash in Internet Explorer 9.

[MobiusJedi]

What Windows has that Linux doesn't:

Lightscribe
Full functionality of the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card
Fruity Loops Studio (lmms doesn't quite measure up)
Sidebar
A use for the windows key on my keyboard
Organizable file transfer to my MTP device
Media Center Extender - file share with Xbox360

[dargaardms]

I dual boot win7 and Ubuntu I use win7 as a gaming platform only. So other then games what I'm missing in Linux is voice recognition and Tax software, however I have WindowsXP running in a virtual machine and can use both (voice and taxes) on the virtual XP box just fine under a Linux host.

I forgot, in windows I can reconnect network shares on LOGIN rather then boot up. (I have a shell scrip that does this on my login under Linux but will not work for my wife, but thats another thread)

[tgm4883]

What Windows has that Linux doesn't:

Lightscribe
Full functionality of the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card
Fruity Loops Studio (lmms doesn't quite measure up)
Sidebar
A use for the windows key on my keyboard
Organizable file transfer to my MTP device
Media Center Extender - file share with Xbox360

I've printed Lightscribe disks in Ubuntu (or maybe it was Fedora). It was like 5 years ago so I don't recall the details other than it used native Linux software.

[lucubrate]

I get security software with Royal Bank of Scotland if I have Windows running. They won't give you duck all if you have Ubuntu, which means if you get done and your bank account emptied its down to you.

[Lucradia]

What Windows has that Linux doesn't:

Lightscribe
Full functionality of the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card
Fruity Loops Studio (lmms doesn't quite measure up)
Sidebar
A use for the windows key on my keyboard
Organizable file transfer to my MTP device
Media Center Extender - file share with Xbox360

ubuntu can do light-scribe; otherwise people wouldn't be making lightscribe templates for ubuntu disks :V

What brand is Turtle Beach Santa Cruz? I've never heard of it. All I know is Realtek, VIA and SoundBlaster.

Sidebar? Google Gadgets you mean? Try gdesklets.

Windows Key can be used to open the GNOME Menu: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubuntu/use-the-windows-key-for-the-start-menu-in-ubuntu-linux/

Which MTP Device? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTP#Computing_and_Networking

Media Center Extender? Try this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xbox360Media


I get security software with Royal Bank of Scotland if I have Windows running. They won't give you duck all if you have Ubuntu, which means if you get done and your bank account emptied its down to you.

Too bad for you, a lot of people don't like Rapport; if they still use it: http://www.computing.net/answers/security/rapport-security-software-avoid-using-it/28295.html

Also might want to skim this: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&biw=1920&bih=951&q=Royal+Bank+of+Scotland+security+ubuntu&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&fp=339cfbf587bafa7

[Dlambert]

I get security software with Royal Bank of Scotland if I have Windows running. They won't give you duck all if you have Ubuntu, which means if you get done and your bank account emptied its down to you.

Firewall, encrypt your home folder?

[sports fan Matt]

operate Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11. there is absolutely no way I have found that it could run in Ubuntu. That is the only reason why I keep Windows around.

[MobiusJedi]

ubuntu can do light-scribe; otherwise people wouldn't be making lightscribe templates for ubuntu disks :V

Well why can't I find it!? I searched for a light-scribe solution in both 8.10 and Lucid without luck... It's a refurbished HP, and it took me a year of trying different orders of firmware and driver installs and upgrades to get it to do light-scribe... Couldn't get it to finish a disk properly in Intrepid either (99% recorded pseudo-frisbees)


What brand is Turtle Beach Santa Cruz? I've never heard of it. All I know is Realtek, VIA and SoundBlaster.

http://www.turtlebeach.com/
Post-Intrepid, Santa Cruz's chipset (something or other crystal) became unsupported. Apparently, Turtle Beach doesn't support the card anymore either... Now that I have Lucid running, though, I should probably try again to get the drivers to run through wine. It's a 5.1 with 2-inputs and worked well enough for music production, but I couldn't get it to work properly for more than 2 channels and 1 input... Miss my master EQ too.


Sidebar? Google Gadgets you mean? Try gdesklets.

Cool. I meant the sidebar in Windows 7 (on my buddy's laptop) but I did kinda like google gadgets better.


Windows Key can be used to open the GNOME Menu: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubuntu/use-the-windows-key-for-the-start-menu-in-ubuntu-linux/

Oh, good.


Which MTP Device? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTP#Computing_and_Networking

Didn't realize it was such a popular acronym! Media Transfer Protocol. The only media jukebox program I could find that even put files on the mp3 player (Sandisk Sansa e280) wouldn't put playlists on it, and just dumped the tracks to its root with no artist/album paths. The other program I found that was made to transfer files to an MTP mp3 player didn't ever connect to the device. I didn't even get so far as to find a way to put videos on the thing in Ubuntu.


Media Center Extender? Try this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xbox360Media

Ok, that's exciting. I might actually have Ubuntu hooked up to our xBox before I get my0 roommate's Win7 media center to communicate with it. (I tried, Microsoft was unhelpful.)

[Lucradia]

Ok, that's exciting. I might actually have Ubuntu hooked up to our xBox before I get my0 roommate's Win7 media center to communicate with it. (I tried, Microsoft was unhelpful.)

Really? With PlayStation 3, all you need to do is use an installer on Windows; and you're ready to go. I can't remember the name of the program; but it's vastly easier to use than Windows Media Server, which is built in.

[walt.smith1960]

Linux cannot run Dymo Software or at least I cannot. We use Dymo's own label software on Mac and Windows but time and time I have tried to operate it in Ubuntu using Wine without success. If anyone has acieved this please please post the answer.

Brother has label printers that have Linux support.

[oldsoundguy]

Re: the Turtle Beach sound cards.
They are really very nice and they are a MUSICIANS card similar to the really nice stuff that Yamaha had out for a while. The MIDI is KILLER! Nothing like the afterthought MIDI on some other cards.
As to Realtech .. the only stuff I have run into of theirs has been on laptops and the sound quality is akin to tin cans on a string, IMO.

I have Turtle Beach cards Windows and Mac. Not tried on Linux, but the company hosts a Linux forum on their servers. Asking the proper questions should get you all the help you need.

[ozone702]

Opus printer support
Single install for every Linux distro supported
Simple Active Directory authentication
Media Center connectivity to XBox
Netflix
Zune

To name a few...

[georgegerm]

One is even included on the LiveCD, and I use it to split and join videos!!!!

i hear now twice there are some but no names are given ...

[Lucradia]

Opus printer support

Most linux users will say, and have been saying for years that HP is the best for printers. If you still haven't gotten this into your head; maybe it's time to start complaining to Opus? Linux isn't at fault for not having drivers. Just like how Lexmark won't open source their drivers.


Single install for every Linux distro supported

I'm guessing you have Terabytes and Terabytes of hard media to store all of that information? No? Then that's why. Oh, and the bandwidth required to host all of it for the entire world.


Simple Active Directory authentication

What active directories do you use? There is home directory encryption, which is choosable at the start of any linux distribution nowadays.


Media Center connectivity to XBox

I already told another person, a few posts before that it's possible.


Netflix

Get Netflix by mail then.


Zune

You need to feed it directly through virtual box. As Microsoft has encrypted the firmware, and has it so that a secret passkey is needed to access zune (using the zune software is the only way to access a zune in this sense.) In short, Either r everse sync it to windows, and copy all your audio data over, use vbox, or just go on your happy, DRM-golden brick road.

[oldsoundguy]

Really getting tired of the clueless and their "My piece of crap 5 buck at a yard sale printer won't work and it's all the fault of Linux!"

Hammer it into your head that printer manufacturers write the drivers for their products. WINDOWS does NOT write the drivers and relies on the fact that if the printer manufacture wants to sell their product, it had best damn well work in Windows and lets it go with that.

And you really want the CODE WRITERS of Linux to waste their time on that instead of working on more pressing issues? (In actuality .. Linux print drivers come out of CUPS .. and that comes out of APPLE .. need better print drivers .. talk to Steve Jobs or whoever is sitting in his chair today.)

Get a life and get a real printer (HP SUPPORTS Linux .. can't get much more real than that.)

Hardware is hardware, if the manufacturers want to market it to several million Linux users, they had best- at least - co-operate. Took Broadcom a LONG time to realize that.

[peyre]

One thing Ubuntu can't seem to do, judging from how it's worked on the half dozen or so Ubuntu installs I've done so far, is consistently mount removable media without trouble. All my Ubuntu machines have had mounting issues with CDs/DVDs. Floppies are basically unusable, though that's less of an issue. Zip disks and flash drives work well (though I wish I could tell my system to mount them synchronously so they'd write to them immediately). But my system often doesn't mount a CD or DVD I've just inserted. Ubuntu does so many things so well; I just hate to see it fail on something so basic. What gives?

[Lucradia]

One thing Ubuntu can't seem to do, judging from how it's worked on the half dozen or so Ubuntu installs I've done so far, is consistently mount removable media without trouble. All my Ubuntu machines have had mounting issues with CDs/DVDs. Floppies are basically unusable, though that's less of an issue. Zip disks and flash drives work well (though I wish I could tell my system to mount them synchronously so they'd write to them immediately). But my system often doesn't mount a CD or DVD I've just inserted. Ubuntu does so many things so well; I just hate to see it fail on something so basic. What gives?

Did you try to get support with your CD/DVD Drive, by posting the model in your support thread? Also, are you trying to put a CD-ROM drive on a netbook? If so, you might have problems with that. (The Ubuntu Installer can't un/mount itself from such a drive, depending. Even with your netbook plugged in, and with the drive with both USB connections in for supplement power.)

[peyre]

Did you try to get support with your CD/DVD Drive, by posting the model in your support thread? Also, are you trying to put a CD-ROM drive on a netbook? If so, you might have problems with that. (The Ubuntu Installer can't un/mount itself from such a drive, depending. Even with your netbook plugged in, and with the drive with both USB connections in for supplement power.)

I posted about my mounting issues once, but didn't get much help with it. (Not that I expected much for what's really a secondary, intermittent issue.) Also I've experienced mounting issues on several different computers, both desktops and laptops. And no netbooks were involved. ;)

FWIW, the drive on my main system (the one where the mounting issues really matter) is an LG super multi. Gnome Device Manager identifies it as a "DVD-RAM GH22NP20".

[Lucradia]

FWIW, the drive on my main system (the one where the mounting issues really matter) is an LG super multi. Gnome Device Manager identifies it as a "DVD-RAM GH22NP20".

Never had problems with LG, strangely.

[deconstrained]

It can be really expensive.

[peyre]

I posted about my mounting issues once, but didn't get much help with it. (Not that I expected much for what's really a secondary, intermittent issue.) Also I've experienced mounting issues on several different computers, both desktops and laptops. And no netbooks were involved. ;)

FWIW, the drive on my main system (the one where the mounting issues really matter) is an LG super multi. Gnome Device Manager identifies it as a "DVD-RAM GH22NP20".

Come to think of it, it might help if I add some details about the software. I'm running Xubuntu, so my main file manager is Thunar. One of my issues (doesn't rise to the level of a "problem", but it's irritating) is that Thunar is often unable to eject/unmount a CD (sometimes also flash drives or zip disks). I have to open Nautilus and have it dismount/eject the disk. :confused:

[Lucradia]

Come to think of it, it might help if I add some details about the software. I'm running Xubuntu, so my main file manager is Thunar. One of my issues (doesn't rise to the level of a "problem", but it's irritating) is that Thunar is often unable to eject/unmount a CD (sometimes also flash drives or zip disks). I have to open Nautilus and have it dismount/eject the disk. :confused:

Do you have usbmount / pmount installed on your Xubuntu? That will rectify, usually, the flash drive problem. But it won't help on zip or CD Mount issues.

[peyre]

Do you have usbmount / pmount installed on your Xubuntu? That will rectify, usually, the flash drive problem. But it won't help on zip or CD Mount issues.

Ooh! No, I didn't have either installed. I've installed them both now; I'll have to see how much difference that makes.

[gshenold]

Windows can sell poo to consumers, just because its what they are used to. I mean seriously, the first time I installed ubuntu two years ago, I wanted no part of it, and immediately retreated back to my version of Win XP Pro.

However, now i'm running 10.10. Plug and Play has come so far. Which shocked the hell out of me. So I was like ok lets make it dual boot.

So the first three days, I was cursing Ubuntu up and down, and having windows withdrawals worse than a crack fiend. Trying to cope with my Iphone not wanting to play nice with the fuzzy little meerkat, and I was about to give in.

The fourth day, I woke up and things were clicking, downgraded my Ios to 4.1 and bam, I could manage my music and photos off my Iphone. Gave me hope. I also took the time to open every program in each menu, and thumb threw each tab.

The fifth day, I had my bearings about me, and arose a more prominent Ubuntu user and carved out the cancerous windows xp off my system and never looked back.

It's been three weeks now, and I have converted my brother, father, and mother to Ubuntu users. I strongly feel that Ubuntu, has a shot at taking Linux further as a household operating system than any other current distro of linux.

[sammiev]

Are you on crack? :confused:


Windows can sell poo to consumers, just because its what they are used to. I mean seriously, the first time I installed ubuntu two years ago, I wanted no part of it, and immediately retreated back to my version of Win XP Pro.

However, now i'm running 10.10. Plug and Play has come so far. Which shocked the hell out of me. So I was like ok lets make it dual boot.

So the first three days, I was cursing Ubuntu up and down, and having windows withdrawals worse than a crack fiend. Trying to cope with my Iphone not wanting to play nice with the fuzzy little meerkat, and I was about to give in.

The fourth day, I woke up and things were clicking, downgraded my Ios to 4.1 and bam, I could manage my music and photos off my Iphone. Gave me hope. I also took the time to open every program in each menu, and thumb threw each tab.

The fifth day, I had my bearings about me, and arose a more prominent Ubuntu user and carved out the cancerous windows xp off my system and never looked back.

It's been three weeks now, and I have converted my brother, father, and mother to Ubuntu users. I strongly feel that Ubuntu, has a shot at taking Linux further as a household operating system than any other current distro of linux.

[wizard10000]

I live in Linux but work in Windows - so far there are only two things I haven't been able to do in Linux:

- read DoD smartcard-encrypted mail in Outlook Web Access (this is a Firefox problem, not a Linux problem).

- Read and write MS Visio drawings in their native format.

Other than that there's no part of my job that requires Windows.

[peyre]

Ooh! No, I didn't have either installed. I've installed them both now; I'll have to see how much difference that makes.

Nope! I still get the same issues. In particular, when I try to dismount a drive, Thunar tells me "Failed to unmount __________. The volume __________ was probably mounted manually on the command line." (which it wasn't).

[handy]

Run heaps of great games, & run Sibelius.

[3Miro]

Come to think of it, it might help if I add some details about the software. I'm running Xubuntu, so my main file manager is Thunar. One of my issues (doesn't rise to the level of a "problem", but it's irritating) is that Thunar is often unable to eject/unmount a CD (sometimes also flash drives or zip disks). I have to open Nautilus and have it dismount/eject the disk. :confused:

This is a problem with Xubuntu not XFCE. On Arch + XFCE, Gentoo + XFCE and even Fedora + XFCE, things eject normally.

[Lucradia]

This is a problem with Xubuntu not XFCE. On Arch + XFCE, Gentoo + XFCE and even Fedora + XFCE, things eject normally.

Debian also has that mount problem too.

Also, Fedora can't eject the CD-ROM unless you eject it from Fedora. (Fedora will lock the CD-ROM Drive until you reboot into Fedora, or reboot hard when in the BIOS.) This is a feature of Fedora. I know this because I reported it as a bug, and they quickly (within an hour) dismissed it as won'tfix.

[peyre]

This is a problem with Xubuntu not XFCE. On Arch + XFCE, Gentoo + XFCE and even Fedora + XFCE, things eject normally.

Well, that's something. Too bad--I love the look and feel of Xubuntu!

Maybe they'll correct it in an upcoming version...

[wog]

The only things I've found Windows will do that Linux won't is...

Well, wait a second. I got that really old Wacom pad to work eventually, and my current Wacom pad works just fine. I have LMMS to create music in, and Focuswriter to write stories in. VLC continues to play all video files I come in contact with, and OO is still a good replacement for Office.

Granted, I wish Wine were just a little better at running some of the buggy games I like to play, although admittedly, Minecraft runs just fine without resorting to wine. I do have to ask what's the point of owning an iPod if there's no iTunes to go with it, but that's an issue with Apple and not Linux.

Okay, I guess there isn't anything. Sorry to take up your time. :)

[Lucradia]

I know what windows can do that firefox linux can't :V

http://i.imgur.com/ossqf.png

This did happen actually. While modifying my about:config; I noticed a sudden slowdown in firefox. I closed it after I finished, then popped open taskmgr, because firefox wouldn't open, and this is what I saw.

[esprit53]

Anyone can use it straight out of the box. Knowing the terminal and its language is not needed when the Help link is used or a change is needed. It only offers updates for its system; all other programs offer their own separate updates so you know what is really needed.

Its language is clear enough for all users to understand (no cutesy names for common programs). I'm trying to learn Linux (and I will) but it sure is a challenge.


:popcorn:

[Lucradia]

Anyone can use it straight out of the box. Knowing the terminal and its language is not needed when the Help link is used or a change is needed. It only offers updates for its system; all other programs offer their own separate updates so you know what is really needed.

Its language is clear enough for all users to understand (no cutesy names for common programs). I'm trying to learn Linux (and I will) but it sure is a challenge.


:popcorn:

If you only use an OS to edit text files, surf the web, play flash games, and watch youtube. Linus is usable out of the box.

[rg4w]

If you only use an OS to edit text files, surf the web, play flash games, and watch youtube. Linus is usable out of the box.
...but the moment you want to play a DVD movie you begin to have a very different experience.

I love Ubuntu, but not providing a prompt to download the restricted extras and instead requiring people to hopefully find their way here to ask that frequent question and then open Terminal to execute the commands manually is, if we are to be fair, a bit less than user friendly.

[cyb3r_sn4k3]

Beside crashing and catching viruses alot :P mostly gaming and graphics designing stuff. I use wine for photshop :D

[Dragonbite]

My biggest reason for keeping / using Windows is compatibility; software, hardware and plugins. In some cases the software is more efficient on Windows than in Linux and some software (like Office 2010) is supoerior to the open source competitor (OpenOffice).

Doesn't mean Linux and open source alternatives are not getting better and better, though.

[jimstolz76]

I can't get away from proprietary software written on Windows. I use programming software for work - RTI, URC, LiteTouch, and Control4 (which is Linux based, so I have zero idea why the programming software is Windows only....)

Other than those I use MS Visio Professional a lot, which I doubt there is a decent open source alternative to.

Oh, and the learning curve of Windows is about 1% of what Linux is - regardless of what people who are already proficient in Linux say. There are probably hundreds of thousands of Linux how-to's on the internet, but almost all of them are written as if you already know how to fix the problem. Every time I search for help on something I have to go back and search for help on how to do the thing they told me to do in the first how-to, then I have to go back and search again for something they told me to do in THAT how-to, etc. It's like a never ending cycle. :P

I can't wait for the day when it's a true, supported option for all the software I have to use. Unfortunately it will never happen. And running that stuff in a VM or in Wine is no good since half the time it BARELY works right in Windows - which it was designed for. :)

Oh, and my Windows machines don't revert to 100Mbps on a 1000Mbps NIC after a reboot, and don't randomly revert to 640x480 resolution, either. LOL

[Lucradia]

...but the moment you want to play a DVD movie you begin to have a very different experience.

I love Ubuntu, but not providing a prompt to download the restricted extras and instead requiring people to hopefully find there way here to ask that frequent question and then open Terminal to execute the commands manually is, if we are to be fair, a bit less than user friendly.

I always make sure to install medibuntu from CLI as soon as I install ubuntu on any device, no matter if I have a DVD Drive, or plan to play a DVD.

[chili555]

Stuxnet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet

[Julian Luna]

Air Rivals... ubuntu sucks for it

[johntaylor1887]

If you only use an OS to edit text files, surf the web, play flash games, and watch youtube. Linus is usable out of the box.

What can you do after a fresh install of windows? Basically nothing. Nice try.

What can windows do that linux can't? Get viruses.

[Dragonbite]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.

[tgm4883]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.

I can do that just fine in Linux.

[irv]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.
I have update software without upgrade my OS. Or are you talking about the software that is part of the OS?

[Lucradia]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.

I've done this in linux as well.

[johntaylor1887]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.

C'mon Dragon, I thought you were a bit more knowledgeable on linux matters. ;) There are backports and PPA's for that. Or compile your own.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_727OBkoI4tw/R8hUS05EDnI/AAAAAAAAEAg/L6Mr3VTmimM/s400/Wake+Up+%26+Smell....jpg

[peyre]

Update to newer versions of software without having to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.

I'm doing just that on my laptop. It didn't like 10.10, so I'm running 10.04 on it--but I still get software updates on it.

[upptown]

...but the moment you want to play a DVD movie you begin to have a very different experience.

I love Ubuntu, but not providing a prompt to download the restricted extras and instead requiring people to hopefully find their way here to ask that frequent question and then open Terminal to execute the commands manually is, if we are to be fair, a bit less than user friendly.

I seem to remember having just that sort of prompt/option for my last install and I watched a DVD as soon as install was complete

[Dragonbite]

C'mon Dragon, I thought you were a bit more knowledgeable on linux matters. ;) There are backports and PPA's for that. Or compile your own.

I was thinking, without having to go "off the beaten path" with PPAs and definitely without compiling your own (though that is a LOT easier than trying to get the source to compile non-FOSS for Windows ;) ).


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_727OBkoI4tw/R8hUS05EDnI/AAAAAAAAEAg/L6Mr3VTmimM/s400/Wake+Up+%26+Smell....jpg

Thanks for the pic, I love it! Yeah, there are some times I really need someone to swat me upside the head with this statement.

Maybe instead of coffee, I should try shutting up and trying something radical.. like going to bed :)

[peyre]

I was thinking, without having to go "off the beaten path" with PPAs and definitely without compiling your own (though that is a LOT easier than trying to get the source to compile non-FOSS for Windows ;) ).

I agree, Dragonbite. Setup is definitely an issue with Linux. The problem isn't that there aren't excellent workarounds for the traditional problem that software had to be compiled by the end user--it's that the resulting system is all over the place, and while sometimes installations are simple and easy, other times they're impossible for a beginner.

To run it down: if what you want is in your distribution's repository, it's a piece of cake--easier than Windows, in fact. But if you've found something online and want to install it, it gets more complicated. If you find an installation file for--again--your distribution (.deb, in our case), it's on a par with Windows: download the file and double-click on it. If it's for another distribution (say, .rpm) and you know about alien, you can (usually) convert it to your package manager format and then install.

But if you're using a more obscure distro, or if you want to try an open-source program that only has source code available (or if it's available only in an obscure package manager format), you're back to installing from source again. I'm not exactly a n00b, but there's only one program I've ever managed to compile successfully from source (Race Into Space), and that was with help from the developers.

[georgegerm]

it may be clear to many but not to me. i heard once here there is a n console option for a program like hjsplit. (the one to join and split videos for windows for free.) i know it can be done with the console but there is not one with a simple gui for deb.????
please do not refer to one you know without naming the pack. name.
is disturbing to say i know of one and not to mention its name.
thanks if anyone knows.:)


i must be blind there is a hjsplit linux version disregard... take all my beans away

[Dragonbite]

To run it down: if what you want is in your distribution's repository, it's a piece of cake--easier than Windows, in fact. But if you've found something online and want to install it, it gets more complicated. If you find an installation file for--again--your distribution (.deb, in our case), it's on a par with Windows: download the file and double-click on it. If it's for another distribution (say, .rpm) and you know about alien, you can (usually) convert it to your package manager format and then install.

Yeah, that seems to be a better summary than what I came up with.

Also, once you start sliding down that slope of manually installing via .deb/.rpm then you start looking the advantages of Linux's repositories.

I'm running 10.04 on my family desktop and I've had to use a PPA (iirc) to upgrade the Shotwell, and now if I want Firefox 4 I think I need to do that too.

I also run Fedora on my laptop and I've noticed that Ubuntu has far more programs available than Fedora unless I am willing to compile them myself

Although openSUSE seems to be doing some experimenting with an alternative via Tumbleweed (http://en.opensuse.org/Tumbleweed)
The Tumbleweed project aims to provide a rolling updates version of openSUSE containing the latest stable versions instead of relying on rigid periodic release cycles. The project does this for users that want the newest, but stable software.

[georgegerm]

whats with skype it should work out of box in ubu and its bad child mint. on my mint 9 is a no go.
this one bothers me. somewhere i read use the deb version and not the ubu version of skype on mint ..
any ideas??

[Copper Bezel]

A question like this will normally get more feedback in the support forums. Just find the forum that applies to your question.

WebUpD8 actually just posted an item (http://www.webupd8.org/) on installing the latest Skype build in Ubuntu. There's a three-page discussion here in the Café.

You're better off using GMail Chat, though (which can call real telephones and take incoming calls for free in addition to running on every platform ever.)

On topic: I might have said "Aero Peek," but I just noticed Opacify in DockBarX. = D

[oldsoundguy]

Skype is closed source. From the people at Skype. It may be "free" but it is not "free". If you have an issue with the reliability and stability of the program .. do not blame the operating system. I have it working on about 1/2 of the computers in the place and it is dead in the water on the other half. Same OS, same build of Skype on most machines (except for a pair of Windows XP machines) but different hardware specifications.

[peyre]

whats with skype it should work out of box in ubu and its bad child mint. on my mint 9 is a no go.
this one bothers me. somewhere i read use the deb version and not the ubu version of skype on mint ..
any ideas??

Can't blame them for leaving it out of the default setup, or even the repository, seeing as it's closed-source.

I'm using it on Xubuntu. Sure I have to go download it from their site, but it installs and runs just fine on my system.

[manzdagratiano]

I agree, Dragonbite. Setup is definitely an issue with Linux. The problem isn't that there aren't excellent workarounds for the traditional problem that software had to be compiled by the end user--it's that the resulting system is all over the place, and while sometimes installations are simple and easy, other times they're impossible for a beginner.

To run it down: if what you want is in your distribution's repository, it's a piece of cake--easier than Windows, in fact. But if you've found something online and want to install it, it gets more complicated. If you find an installation file for--again--your distribution (.deb, in our case), it's on a par with Windows: download the file and double-click on it. If it's for another distribution (say, .rpm) and you know about alien, you can (usually) convert it to your package manager format and then install.

But if you're using a more obscure distro, or if you want to try an open-source program that only has source code available (or if it's available only in an obscure package manager format), you're back to installing from source again. I'm not exactly a n00b, but there's only one program I've ever managed to compile successfully from source (Race Into Space), and that was with help from the developers.

This happens not in Linux alone, but also in Winblows. Ever tries to install WinTeX in Winblows? Five years ago when I last tried that, it would not let me, stating that "Microsoft Script Debugger" was not installed.. and what do you need to install the Debugger? Well, "Microsoft Script" of course... and then you are off to a wild goose chase on their website, and you are lucky if you can find what you are looking for.

Or try this - a hard drive is not recognized because "Error code 10: The device cannot start". What is error code 10? Go to microsoft.com blah blah... scroll down and you see:
Error code 10: This error is flagged when a device cannot start.
Excellent tools to help users get their stuff running I must say!

And, what other OS aside from GNU/Linux will let me install it through an existing Linux, via a chroot?!!! I set up a chroot; I download a few files, and I have Debian Sid up and running! Or Slackware!! Or Gentoo!!! Sure, you need to know what a chroot is and how to do it, but I was not born knowing Linux, and I never even had a computer until college! And when I did, I believed all this hubbub about Linux was overrated and Winblows was good enough... Look at me now... Linux user for eight years, and Winblows free since the last four!

[Dragonbite]

This happens not in Linux alone, but also in Winblows. Ever tries to install WinTeX in Winblows? Five years ago when I last tried that, it would not let me, ...

A lot has changed with both systems in the past 5 years, though. Dapper Drake (6.06) wasn't even released 5 years ago, but I understand what you are trying to illustrate.

Thankfully, systems have gotten to the point that dll/dependency hell is more rare than before.

[esprit53]

Or try this - a hard drive is not recognized because "Error code 10: The device cannot start". What is error code 10? Go to microsoft.com blah blah... scroll down and you see:
Error code 10: This error is flagged when a device cannot start.
Excellent tools to help users get their stuff running I must say!



:D I got the very same pop up the other day on my lucid, except it had letters instead of numbers. It didn't have the handy dandy semi explanation link though. No hints.

[georgegerm]

Skype is closed source. From the people at Skype. It may be "free" but it is not "free". If you have an issue with the reliability and stability of the program .. do not blame the operating system. I have it working on about 1/2 of the computers in the place and it is dead in the water on the other half. Same OS, same build of Skype on most machines (except for a pair of Windows XP machines) but different hardware specifications.


yes i have too agree with all the comments on skype. but sadly many of my friends use only skype. so i will have to just wait till skype reacts. if at all. thanks great be on linux and its users.

[Zorgoth]

Blue-screen!

[graceangela9]

Well there are lots of reason to prove that windows is better than Linux.First reason is that Linux is not reliable for games,it does not provide hardware vendor support and also software support.

[disabledaccount]

whats with skype it should work out of box in ubu and its bad child mint. on my mint 9 is a no go.
this one bothers me. somewhere i read use the deb version and not the ubu version of skype on mint ..
any ideas??Ekiga is good alternative for Skype - and of course You can talk to Skype using it - plus, it has open source ofc.
http://ekiga.org/

[deconstrained]

Blue-screen!
Sorry.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick/xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod

[Lucradia]

Sorry.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick/xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod

They're going to have to update that soon with Windows 8's Black Screen, lol.

[matthew.ball]

Well there are lots of reason to prove that windows is better than Linux.First reason is that Linux is not reliable for games,it does not provide hardware vendor support and also software support.
Oh really?

[irv]

Well there are lots of reason to prove that windows is better than Linux.First reason is that Linux is not reliable for games,it does not provide hardware vendor support and also software support.

From the first line of your post it sound like you are a avid fan of Windows. If my assumption is right then I have one question.
What are you doing on a Ubuntu Linux forum?

[Dragonbite]

Ekiga is good alternative for Skype - and of course You can talk to Skype using it - plus, it has open source ofc.
http://ekiga.org/

Do you have a link for the Skype interoperability? All I've found so far is that Ekiga does not work with Skype, Google Talk and MSN.

I wonder if that is something that can change since Skype open sourced their client, so maybe Ekiga can use the same calls/APIs?

[disabledaccount]

...All I've found so far is that Ekiga does not work with Skype, Google Talk and MSN.

I wonder if that is something that can change since Skype open sourced their client, so maybe Ekiga can use the same calls/APIs?Ekiga (but in fact any other software) can connect to another trough normal paid connections. But don't panic - those 'paid' connections are cheaper than energy used by Your PC while You're talking, and You can call to friends even if they are not at home.
...
I recommend switching to Ekiga (or similar) even on Windows (there is Ekiga version for windows) - because Skype is insecure and the company cooperates with "bad" governments providing ability to spy users and censoring conversations. It's not a joke - just one example: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10056127-83.html. Who belives that this is only single case?

[kwacka]

Well there are lots of reason to prove that windows is better than Linux.First reason is that Linux is not reliable for games,it does not provide hardware vendor support and also software support.

1. developers do not produce games for Linux.

2. try phoning Microsoft support because your HP printer doesn't work in Windows 7. MS Doesn't provide support for any software/hardware but their own.

[Wampyra]

I think gaming is the most important for a lot of people. Also a lot of professionals miss Photoshop.

And all Adobe Collections there is...

Mind you, but it's really impossible to do serious design without Adobe... UNFORTUNATELY!

Until something changes I'll just keep dual boot on beastly PC and Ubuntu on my lil Lappy :)
:popcorn:

[peyre]

Well there are lots of reason to prove that windows is better than Linux.First reason is that Linux is not reliable for games,it does not provide hardware vendor support and also software support.

Uh...no. Linux isn't reliable for games that are written for Windows. Sure that's most of the big names, but they're written for Windows, not Linux, and it's remarkable that Linux is able to run Windows software at all. Would you complain that a Russian has trouble reading stuff written in Spanish?

While we're on the subject, how many programs written for Linux are able to run in Windows?

Also, you have it backward, re. support. Hardware and software vendors provide support for the operating system, not the other way around. When they don't provide support, Linux developers will often try to find a workaround (e.g., Wine, the Linmodem project, etc.) to get it to work. But it's the primary responsibility of the hardware/software vendor to provide support, not the operating system's.

The things you're complaining about aren't evidence that Linux is faulty---they're a factor of it being a minority operating system. Secondary groups in any system or society always have to make more adjustments than members of the majority do; that's just the way it is.

[Dragonbite]

While we're on the subject, how many programs written for Linux are able to run in Windows?

You mean like Eclipse, Banshee, Gimp, Open/Libre-Office, Pidgin, NetBeans, Apache, MySQL, Inkscape, Kompozer, UbuntuOne, etc.?

Plus there are many open source programs that weren't so much written FOR Linux, but was actually released cross-platform like Firefox, Thunderbird and Chromium.

[BlacqWolf]

You mean like Eclipse, Banshee, Gimp, Open/Libre-Office, Pidgin, NetBeans, Apache, MySQL, Inkscape, Kompozer, UbuntuOne, etc.?

Plus there are many open source programs that weren't so much written FOR Linux, but was actually released cross-platform like Firefox, Thunderbird and Chromium.

Those are applications written in a Linux edition as well as a windows edition. In Linux, there are a few ways to get applications written just for windows, but no way that I know of to get an actual Linux application, written for Linux in linux code, to run on windows. The only reason Linux isn't "reliable" for games is because most games are made for windows only. Unless you actually have software written for the platform you use, then you're not gonna get it running.

Have you ever tried a game or app written just for Linux on a Linux distribution such as ubuntu? I have, and it greatly surpasses "reliable."

[RJQ]

What can Windows do that Linux can't?
Take away lots of money from my pockets, time from my leisure, infest my computer with viruses, annoying me with its slowness, making me part of its corrupted business, etc...

Has anybody complaining for Linux pay/donate any cent for it?? I doubted.

As for the applications, the example of Graphic Design pop ups very often, all I can say is that a true Graphic Designer can find its way with Open Source software and in a much better form, photoshop?? been there, and for the money you pay for it I can hardly say is good enough.... cheers!!:popcorn:

[Lucradia]

Those are applications written in a Linux edition as well as a windows edition. In Linux, there are a few ways to get applications written just for windows, but no way that I know of to get an actual Linux application, written for Linux in linux code, to run on windows. The only reason Linux isn't "reliable" for games is because most games are made for windows only. Unless you actually have software written for the platform you use, then you're not gonna get it running.

Have you ever tried a game or app written just for Linux on a Linux distribution such as ubuntu? I have, and it greatly surpasses "reliable."

Ever try to run a linux program in windows then? Sounds like you haven't, because you can run linux programs that don't have ports. All you need to do is build your environment first (IE: Cygwin for gnome.)

[topgun446]

Windows dominates hardware and developers support because of the sheer numbers of their OS running. Also, Linux comes from a family of OS which was originally not meant for a desktop user. The concept of desktop came much after the concept of Unix based systems which were made for enterprise or collaborative environment...

If we have even 60% of all the desktop users running linux, we would not have had this thread around! :popcorn:

[scott-ian]

I think it's mostly that people don't know how superior Linux is. One disadvantage... I don't believe any Linux software is as good as Sony Vegas.

[mrcollinz]

It functions, that is all lol.

[rvchari]

my observations and experience (on a lighter mood!)
Windows openly and frequently invites viruses and trojans and what not... Linux doesnt !!! ;)

[Angretlam]

Well,

Windows has a leg up on gaming and anything that uses Microsoft Silverlight. Since I don't game anymore and I rarely use my computer to watch Netflix that doesn't bother me hence my final and complete move from Windows into the world of Linux (been back and forth for 3 years now). I'm glad to be in full control of my OS now, the only problem is my lack of knowledge in linux (to be fixed).

On another note, I have installed CS4 on my HP Pavillion DV2000 on Ubuntu with the help of Wine and PlayonLinux. I haven't noticed any problems with it so far. For those who are curious. (http://www.webupd8.org/2011/01/how-to-install-photoshop-cs4-in-ubuntu.html)

[Derxst]

I know this thread is a bit older, but it is odd to me that such a question is asked.

"What can Windows do that Linux can't?"

All modern operating systems can "do" the same things.

Given the need and desire, any program that is written for Windows can be written for Linux. Linux for Windows. Linux for Mac OS. Mac OS for Windows. Mac OS for Linux.

The real questions should be does "X" work, or is "Y" compatible. etc.

They are all capable. Photoshop always seems to be an example in discussions like this. If Adobe saw a large enough profittable market, they would create a native version of Photoshop.

If Photoshop is the app that is keeping you from fully committing to an operating system, you are not a Windows user, or a Mac user or a Linux user. You are a Photoshop user.

Replace "Photoshop" with any application for your case. For me, it used to be Dreamweaver until I started coding by hand and using WordPress more.

[Derxst]

1. developers do not produce games for Linux.

2. try phoning Microsoft support because your HP printer doesn't work in Windows 7. MS Doesn't provide support for any software/hardware but their own.

1. I disagree. There are a few fine games produced for Linux. Introversion Software from the UK produced several of my favorites: Darwinia, DEFCON, Uplink, Subversion.

2. Try calling HP for Ubuntu support. Try calling Apple for Adobe support. Don't make Microsoft seem like the bad guys because they do not offer Tech Support for products they do not even produce. Why should Microsoft be expected to provide support for any software/hardware other than there own?

[chili555]

Try calling HP for Ubuntu support.Not Ubuntu specifically, but HP is a strong supporter of Linux.

http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/cache/309906-0-0-0-121.html

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/familyhome.do?familyId=118&admit=109447626+1303231194995+28353475

[Dragonbite]

2. Try calling HP for Ubuntu support. Try calling Apple for Adobe support. Don't make Microsoft seem like the bad guys because they do not offer Tech Support for products they do not even produce. Why should Microsoft be expected to provide support for any software/hardware other than there own?

The only place I've seen vendors supporting other vendors' works is Novell offering to support Red Hat systems while migrating them to SUSE. Smart move on their part because it breaks down the barrier of not wanting to pay for 2 support contracts at the same time!

[weezyrider]

Run software that is only developed for windows. Try home sewing machine embroidery, ala Babylock, Brother, Pfaff, etc.

There is no Linux equivalent.

[rvchari]

if the title of this thread was reversed (WHAT CAN LINUX DO THAT WINDOWS CANNOT?) i would ve replied...
linux is able to execute some of windows programs (if not many) but windos? can it execute a linux program ?

[irv]

I am getting ready to install the next release of Ubuntu at the end of the month. 11.04. I bought a new hard drive and I am going to install Win7 and Ubuntu on it. I installed Win7 64 bit, and it finds my wifi card with out no setup on my part. This is not the case in Ubuntu, 10.04, 10.10, 11.04 beta. I need to load the driver with additional hardware. I don't blame Ubuntu Linux for this, it is the fault of the hardware manufacture for not supplying drivers for Linux. By the way I couldn't even get the driver to work with 11.04 beta so I am hoping it works with the finial release.

[jrothwell97]

if the title of this thread was reversed (WHAT CAN LINUX DO THAT WINDOWS CANNOT?) i would ve replied...
linux is able to execute some of windows programs (if not many)
Yes, with an appropriate compatibility layer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_(software)).

but windos? can it execute a linux program ?
Yes, with an appropriate comaptibility (http://www.cygwin.com/) layer (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb496506.aspx).

[irv]

I am getting ready to install the next release of Ubuntu at the end of the month. 11.04. I bought a new hard drive and I am going to install Win7 and Ubuntu on it. I installed Win7 64 bit, and it finds my wifi card with out no setup on my part. This is not the case in Ubuntu, 10.04, 10.10, 11.04 beta. I need to load the driver with additional hardware. I don't blame Ubuntu Linux for this, it is the fault of the hardware manufacture for not supplying drivers for Linux. By the way I couldn't even get the driver to work with 11.04 beta so I am hoping it works with the finial release.

To add a note to the above post, I just downloaded Fedora with Gnome 3 and booted it off a USB flash drive, and it found my wireless card and I got right out on the Internet. Now my question is, why can't Ubuntu do this? I plan on trying OpenSuse with Gnome 3 to see if it finds my wifi.

[coolbrook]

Windows can play all of my DVDs on the same hardware. Linux never got it right.

[Dragonbite]

To add a note to the above post, I just downloaded Fedora with Gnome 3 and booted it off a USB flash drive, and it found my wireless card and I got right out on the Internet. Now my question is, why can't Ubuntu do this? I plan on trying OpenSuse with Gnome 3 to see if it finds my wifi.

For me, Fedora finds my wifi card while Ubuntu and openSUSE (and everybody else) doesn't. It's a Broadcom card.

Fedora is the only one I know of that uses OpenFWWF drivers which, if what I've read right, is what allows my wireless card to work out-of-the-box since about Fedora 12.

[irv]

For me, Fedora finds my wifi card while Ubuntu and openSUSE (and everybody else) doesn't. It's a Broadcom card.

Fedora is the only one I know of that uses OpenFWWF drivers which, if what I've read right, is what allows my wireless card to work out-of-the-box since about Fedora 12.
I really hope that the developers of Ubuntu see this and go with OpenFWWF drivers, I am also using a Broadcom card. I remember back; and I am not sure of the version of Ubuntu, but it worked with my wireless. But again, I am not sure I was using a Broadcom card?
Would be nice if this version of Ubuntu would just play nice with our wifi.

[sammiev]

Tried Fedora beta and it didn't find my wireless as ubuntu did. So I guess it's a hit or miss. I also see the download for Fedora was 3.4gb. GL :)

[Lucradia]

Windows can play all of my DVDs on the same hardware. Linux never got it right.

I can play DVDs perfectly on Ubuntu, IN TOTEM. :V With Menus, subtitles, etc. (Obviously, libdvdcss2 is required, and some other things from medibuntu.org, debian has a similar repo called debian-multimedia.)

[irv]

Tried Fedora beta and it didn't find my wireless as ubuntu did. So I guess it's a hit or miss. I also see the download for Fedora was 3.4gb. GL :)

I just downloaded Debian amd64-DVD and it comes in at 4.4gig.

[irv]

Windows can play all of my DVDs on the same hardware. Linux never got it right.

I never had any problems with running media in Ubuntu, but I always used VLC media player. But you need to have the Ubuntu-restricted-codecs installed.

[SuperFreak]

I was able to make DVD labels in Open Office on Ubuntu. Now that I have upgraded to Libre Office the templates that worked with O.O are now sized incorrectly (too big) for Libre. I will continue to look online for a DVD label template

[Jim_in_Omaha]

I just have to say it. Three people I know with Windows Xp and 7 have complained of malware/virus alerts in the last week. And this is with Microsoft Security Essentials and Nortons....

[Lucradia]

Wireless WAN

lol, redundancy.

[Dragonbite]

Tried Fedora beta and it didn't find my wireless as ubuntu did. So I guess it's a hit or miss. I also see the download for Fedora was 3.4gb. GL :)

It's very hit-or-miss, plus there are some other issues about the connection with some systems which is why I suspect Ubuntu and other distros are not using it more than Fedora.

Even with graphic cards, Fedora has worked for me while it flat-out refuses to work with somebody else with a similar, if not exact, Intel video card.

Sometimes I wonder if there is a difference, even with supposedly identical systems, between regions of the world. Seems more "art" and "magic" than "science".

[irv]

There is one issue I can not get around that I need Windows for. I download college lectures and they are setup for itunes. I have tried Rhythmbox and Banshee and they will not work.
After I download the files with itunes and can play them in Banshee but I can't connect to there website and do it from within Ubuntu. I tried using Wine but that doesn't work. Here is the link to the webpage I need to do this on.
http://itunes.apple.com/institution/emmaus-bible-college/id392281187#ls=1 (http://itunes.apple.com/institution/emmaus-bible-college/id392281187#ls=1)
When you go to this page it ask what program you want to use if you pick Rhythmbox or Banshee neither will open.
So it back to Windows to do this one thing.

[houseworkshy]

Video in Skype on my machine. Have tried many fixes posted in the forums and to no avail.

[sammiev]

Video in Skype on my machine. Have tried many fixes posted in the forums and to no avail.

That is one program I have never had problems with Linux. Never had to change settings or anything, it just worked.

[chili555]

That is one program I have never had problems with Linux. Never had to change settings or anything, it just worked.Likewise on two Ubuntu machines here.

[Dragonbite]

Video in Skype on my machine. Have tried many fixes posted in the forums and to no avail.

It was working alright for me for the most part finally, and then I updated to the latest Skype :(

[tgm4883]

lol, redundancy.

Why is Wireless WAN redundant? WAN stands for Wide Area Network, which doesn't have to be wireless.

[Mannimarco]

The only reason why I use Windows is games. I have a lot of problems trying to start games on Linux.
But there is one important thing -- I won't use both Linux and Windows, switching between OS's(operating systems) is lame.
I am new to Linux, I hope I'll find way how to play on Linux.

[irv]

The only reason why I use Windows is games. I have a lot of problems trying to start games on Linux.
But there is one important thing -- I won't use both Linux and Windows, switching between OS's(operating systems) is lame.
I am new to Linux, I hope I'll find way how to play on Linux.

We need to make choices in life, and I see you have one of three choices to make here.
1. Just use Windows.
2. Just use Linux. (much better choice)
3. Switch between Windows and Linux. (Much much better choice)

Number 3 you have the best of both worlds. I have been doing this for years now, and I have it where my computer boot in about a minute. I am in Ubuntu Linux about 98 % of the time and only 2 % in Windows. But because of the 2% I keep Windows on a small partition of my hard drive all by it's self.
190817

[benpack101]

I have a lenovo X201 tablet (for school) and what I really would love would be a good alternative to Onenote. I have xournal but I like the organization abilities in onenote (notebooks and sections).

[g30rg3]

Well as for me, games are a big issue, because that is the only reason I still have Windows installed on my Dell Studio. I love Assassin's Creed series and the GTA series and there is no way Wine is going to support all of it.

[Dragonbite]

I have a lenovo X201 tablet (for school) and what I really would love would be a good alternative to Onenote. I have xournal but I like the organization abilities in onenote (notebooks and sections).
Closest I've found is basKet, but that's a KDE app.

Also, Windows 7's handwriting recognition is pretty good from what I've heard (and seen in my 1-minute demonstration)

[bezgoan]

I would probably need Nokia pc suite facilities to sync my Nokia 5800 with laptop. Miss that feature from Windows. Wammu is little disappointing...

[dsonck]

Violate it's filename rules.
Somehow my dad managed to create a file with the forbidden characters (\,/,*, ...). When I tried to erase it, windows 'kindly' showed "cannot remove file, the file doesn't exist". I started Ubuntu, renamed the file and all was OK.

Stop executing it executables (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555067)
Today my dad told me that he couldn't start programs, windows wanted to open its executables with an executable (:confused: firefox.exe -> open with... -> firefox.exe ??? ). I still don't know the cause, I just ran a 'this program fixes it!' and executables worked again.

[Reduced_Oxygen]

I think gaming is the most important for a lot of people. Also a lot of professionals miss Photoshop.
Steam is coming to Linux therefore allowing us to run games a full speed

Adobe creative suite WILL eventually make it to us if we keep annoying them about it

[tgm4883]

Steam is coming to Linux therefore allowing us to run games a full speed

Adobe creative suite WILL eventually make it to us if we keep annoying them about it

*Citation needed

[robertmbowes]

The following doesn't work in Ubuntu, but will in Windows (mostly drm):
Printing coupons
Watch videos on Netflix
Download or play audiobooks from Audible.com
iTunes
tile windows without a program like x-tile
logmein.com
reliably synchronize a palm device
adobe photoshop
and of course, many games.

[Lucradia]

Steam is coming to Linux therefore allowing us to run games a full speed

Adobe creative suite WILL eventually make it to us if we keep annoying them about it

*Citation Needed as well as below:

Steam is mainly a shooter community, and therefore does not benefit me. I already bought my SBCG4AP via Best Buy, and my BTTF Game via Telltale itself, so I have no need for Steam.

Call me when Grandia II for PC works flawlessly (no lag) on Wine.

Also call me when Wine testers stop submitting platinum for games that cannot be higher than Gold (BTTF: The Game, which needs DirectX DLLs to run at all, and thus has a max of gold, not platinum.)

[benpack101]

Closest I've found is basKet, but that's a KDE app.

Also, Windows 7's handwriting recognition is pretty good from what I've heard (and seen in my 1-minute demonstration)
yes, what I really need is a mix of Xournal and basket.

Yes, Windows 7 has great handwriting recognition, its nowhere near perfect but rather good indeed. For now pen and paper will have to do, or boot into windows (but then have to wait 5 minutes to see the login screen, then another 5 minutes for the desktop, not to mention everything will crash once or twice, then be reminded about the updates that I need to reboot for).

[Ambushed]

I can't even get my sound to work on my newley installed 11.04 Ubuntu ex 10.6 OSX


Any help appreciated

[demilord]

I can't even get my sound to work on my newley installed 11.04 Ubuntu ex 10.6 OSX


Any help appreciated
Get 10.10, 11.04 is still buggy.. and not worth the headache, or get 10.04.2 which is a lts release..

[demilord]

The following doesn't work in Ubuntu, but will in Windows (mostly drm):
Printing coupons
Watch videos on Netflix
Download or play audiobooks from Audible.com
iTunes
tile windows without a program like x-tile
logmein.com
reliably synchronize a palm device
adobe photoshop
and of course, many games.
those have all open source alternatives.. in rhythmbox you got ubuntu one music store and amazon musicstore, you can watch videos on all sites, of you got mplayer installed with the mozilla plugin.. you can print fine with cups printer driver.. and you got palmsync too in the repositories

[demilord]

Video in Skype on my machine. Have tried many fixes posted in the forums and to no avail.
New Skype version just works good..

[demilord]

Windows can play all of my DVDs on the same hardware. Linux never got it right.

RTFM , read the fine manual

[aeronutt]

Windows 7 on my new laptop can do the following (which 10.04, 10.10, or 11.04 cannot in any way, or cannot w/o major changes):
- boot
- change touchpad settings
- use the discrete AMD graphics chip
- seamlessly switch between integrated and discrete graphics
- turn off the discrete graphics and save battery power
- use the fingerprint reader
- recognize the integrated cam properly and record at a high res
- remember the screen brightness settings

Of course, there are things I can do in Ubuntu that I can't do in W7, but the above is a pretty critical or reasonable list of things needed in any OS, IMO.

[just-work-ffs]

1. use the microphone on an x-fi card.
2. install drivers for a 58xx or 68xx (64 bit) card without error.

[miz0ooo0]

i am new in ubuntu ,i tried it nearly about 2 months ,i faced two problems prevent me for logging in ,the first during booting when starting installation i got out of range problem (because during installation the screen resolution is too large )
the second problem ,is instability of ubuntu ,after installing ubuntu and using it ,the power cutoff suddenly then i restarted the computer ,in grub menu when i choosed ubuntu i got error screen ends with (initramfs error)
and now i returned to windows ,but i liked ubuntu more

[Lucradia]

Get 10.10, 11.04 is still buggy.. and not worth the headache, or get 10.04.2 which is a lts release..

Unless you have a netbook or something. Then your 10.04 will probably not work.


1. use the microphone on an x-fi card.

Is it integrated? (IE: Via E-ATX Motherboards) Or its own PCI Slot?


2. install drivers for a 58xx or 68xx (64 bit) card without error.

Official Driver from the AMD Site? Or is it from Envy (Depreciated)? or Jockey (Hardware Drivers Dialog)?


- turn off the discrete graphics and save battery power

Why does Windows do this? Windows should not be able to "turn off" hardware itself. Only the BIOS should be able to do this to be honest.

[pavak]

I think gaming is the most important for a lot of people. Also a lot of professionals miss Photoshop.

Ubuntu already has Gimp. its complete replacement for Adobe PS.