Ubuntu Linux or Windows 8?

[irv]

I have been windows free for a few years now, but things are changing. My Old Dell Laptop died just before Mother's day, and it ended up being a motherboard failure. I ended up going out and buying a new Laptop. (Asus Q500A) which came with Windows 8. My plan was to install Ubuntu 13.10 on it, but ended up going in a different direction. I found a Dell on ebay that was the same model. (Insprion 1521). I installed my 4 gig of RAM and SSD into it and install Ubuntu 12.04 on it.
To be honest with you I like them both. I have to say I am still a Linux guy, but I have to say MS did come up with a nice OS this time. I guess I have to say that because the OS really plays well with the hardware. (touch screen, etc). I played around with 13.10 on the live OS USB drive and it worked with the touch screen, but in some areas not so. (File Manager for one).
The bottom line is again I am not Windows free again. There is a thread out here, What can windows do that Linux can't, and I am finding I like the way Windows 8 does things. I am not putting Ubuntu down, I think there are things about Ubuntu I like that Windows does not do. So I have to say I have the best of both worlds.

[leecheroflife]

Like you, I have both.

The difference is, I only use Win8 for things I cant do on Linux (Some gaming and also some things for Uni) and have them both on one computer rather than having a dual boot.

At the end of the day, use what you are happy with. If it's one or the other, great. If its both, even better.

[odiseo77]

Why not dual booting for a while and wait for a new Ubuntu release that -- hopefully -- would fix the hardware issues? Probably, being a new laptop it doesn't play well with Linux yet and might require some time for some drivers to be released and improved.

[pfeiffep]

Choices make the world go 'round. I don't think there's a perfect OS - all have strong and weak points.

I have found that for some older hardware that Linux Mint 15 makes it truly functional - this same hardware is pretty sluggish with Ubuntu Unity, and pretty much function-less with Win XP (which I've totally trashed). I haven't collected 'real' data to post. Since you own Win 8 there's no real hurry to rid yourself of it. On my much more modern desktop pc I have Win 7, Ubuntu 13.04, Linux Mint 15 and a test installation of Ubuntu 13.10.

[TNFrank]

My first system was Pentium III, 350MGHz with Windows 98 and running that system for a couple years totally got me over Windows. I bought an iMac(the one that looks like a half ball) and never looked back. Then about a month ago we got a really bad storm that came through and somehow a lightning strike took it out. I had it on a surge protector but not my phone line so I think it came through the Firewire cable. Anyway, long story a bit shorter, my wife and I got a new HP Windows 8 laptop and within a week the program crashed about 8 times and she picked up a Trojan horse off of Facebook that took out a few files. I took it back for a full refund and used the money to buy TWO older, used laptops and installed Ubuntu 12.04 on both of them and I couldn't be happier.
I'm really lovin' the Linux and since I've figured out how to make a bootable USB I've "test driven" Mint 13 Xfce, Peppermint One and now I'm currently booted into a very small USB drive with Tiny CorePlus on it.
Linux is the perfect solution for someone who's on a PC budget but wants the stability, reliability and virus proof system of the higher priced Apple machines.
I'll never again even consider Windows and even though I still like Apple and Mac there's no reason to pay the higher price when I can run all manner of free Op Systems in Linux.
I say Linux hands down.

[monkeybrain2012]

Not sure why you need our opinions here. It is your computer. All I can say is, if I were you I would just wipe it clean and install Ubuntu and a few other Linux distros. Personally I can't stand WIndows and MircoSoft and all it represents, but since it is not my computer..

[EgoGratis]

This is quite normal you have been using product X for years and then tasted product Y and it felt... different. Usually it's the other way around because there is currently more Windows users and less Ubuntu users...

Bottom line you want to think and do different and use something else but too bad there are too many Windows users out there for you to be able to pull it off.

[TNFrank]

If you want a flavor of Linux that feels a lot like Windows then give Linux Mint 13 a try. It's based on Ubuntu but has the dock and stuff in the same place that Windows has it along the bottom of the screen.
I like Ubuntu 12.04 because it has more of a Mac OS X feel to it so I'm more at home when using it. Bootable USB drives are pretty easy to make once you get the hang of it, heck, make up a few USB disks to boot to so you can get a feel for a lot of different distros. Peppermint One isn't a bad little OS, it's only around 500MB so you can run it on about anything or if you want something a bit larger, say 1GB then Mint or Ubuntu just may be what you're looking for.

[irv]

I enjoyed reading all the post, and just for the record I was not looking for anyone's opinion on what I should use, I was just making a statement about Ubuntu Linux and Windows.

I was just stating that for about 3 years or so I have been Windows free on all my computers. That doesn't mean that I didn't use Windows on other computers just that I didn't use it on any of mine.

I have a server running 10.04, and Desktop running 11.10, and laptop running 12.04, another laptop running Ubuntu Studio 12.04 (my sound system), and now I have a new laptop running Windows 8.

I also have a Asus Transformer running Android, and have one more desktop I am going to setup with Linux (not sure what distro yet). Oh ya, I also have a Nook.

You might be thinking how do I use all these computers. Well I do, I am a tinkerer. Always changing hardware or software. Testing and trying different things. I am retired from an IT job so I just can't leave well enough alone. I guess it is my hobby.
I agree about the statement about new hardware. It take awhile for Linux to get in step as things keep changing. And I also agree that every OS has it strong and weak points.

I have to say that I never got into Apples or Mac's. (always thought they were over priced.) I have a friend that swears by them. One day he when out and bought a Netbook with XP and he hated it. He ask if I would install Ubuntu 12.04 on it, which I did. He keeps it on his kitchen table and he told me he is on it all the time and does not use the Mac that much anymore. He does have a Apple ipad that he has with him all the time. Yes, all these different things make the world go around. Different strokes for different folks.

[llanitedave]

Competition is good. I'd argue that one of the reasons Windows has improved over the last few years is because of Apple's rise and the ever-present threat of Linux. (You may think that Microsoft doesn't even notice Linux, as small a user base as it has, but for all that, they've sure made plenty of efforts to kill it, starting with their SCO proxy)