What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[oldsoundguy]

first a reply to ZNUPI

The reason for closed or proprietary drivers for hardware is simple. IF the source was totally open, it would reveal information about the construction of the item. Some card makers want to keep that close to the vest as that is their ADVANTAGE over other card makers. Hence, the UNSUPPORTED drivers from such as NVidia.

Now, the real issue is those card makers that deny the existence of Linux .. such as Creative. I have become very SICK of their inability to even keep up with WINDOWS changes.

And .. for the children that just can't believe anyone over 40 has anything to offer in computing .. I started on an 8088 before a lot of you were even a gleam in your Daddy's eye!!

At 72, I am VERY computer active (although never got addicted to games, per se)
I REPAIR computers as an avocation .. including Windows computers. And my repairs and inoculates WORK as seldom does one come back except when it winds up in the hands of some "all knowing" kid who knows that all that protection is just "slowing him/her down" and disables same.

[RealG187]

what can windows do that linux can't?

bsod

[ebanlague]

As a more recent Windows convert, I must say I miss only two things, and they've already been stated.

Yes, there is gaming on here. Yes, it is free. However I do miss my favourite PC developers, and the handful of Windows games I was in love with, only to find out they don't quite run up to par on WINE. However, with time I may learn to love these strange 'free' games

Then there is the Adobe collection. Yes, I know there are equivalents but the CS4 collection was just plain amazing. The noticeables are Photoshop and Dreamweaver. Yes, there is the GIMP but to a beginning user of it it makes me want to throw up. I am yet to find a suitable replacement of Dreamweaver, however, I am trying out Bluefish.

[No, I am not going to run Dreamweaver on WINE. Please don't suggest it.]

[Giant Speck]

[No, I am not going to run Dreamweaver on WINE. Please don't suggest it.]

VirtualBox?

[biwright1]

Sorry dude, I haven't work at linux till now.

[xpdt]

Honestly from what i see until now linux can do whatever we want do! The advantage is, and always will be, the possibility of change linux without need to wait that others do that for us! In the end every one can make their own operative system.

[Tibuda]

Then there is the Adobe collection. Yes, I know there are equivalents but the CS4 collection was just plain amazing. The noticeables are Photoshop and Dreamweaver. Yes, there is the GIMP but to a beginning user of it it makes me want to throw up. I am yet to find a suitable replacement of Dreamweaver, however, I am trying out Bluefish.

I always thought GIMP was better for the beginner user that didn't got used to Photoshop, but for Dreamweaver have you tried HTML and CSS?

[Znupi]

As a more recent Windows convert, I must say I miss only two things, and they've already been stated.

Yes, there is gaming on here. Yes, it is free. However I do miss my favourite PC developers, and the handful of Windows games I was in love with, only to find out they don't quite run up to par on WINE. However, with time I may learn to love these strange 'free' games

Then there is the Adobe collection. Yes, I know there are equivalents but the CS4 collection was just plain amazing. The noticeables are Photoshop and Dreamweaver. Yes, there is the GIMP but to a beginning user of it it makes me want to throw up. I am yet to find a suitable replacement of Dreamweaver, however, I am trying out Bluefish.

[No, I am not going to run Dreamweaver on WINE. Please don't suggest it.]

About Dreamweaver: If you want to make web pages, gEdit is enough. Seriously.

[Lektorvis]

The major hurdle for Linux and other OS' is that the vast majority of authorities and business operators uses closed MS file-formats in their communication.
So continue the fight for open document formats.
http://http://www.oasis-open.org/who/

[Nathan.Flow]

Not quite true. Although different distributions have different packaging systems (see apt, yum, emerge, pacman, ...), that doesn't mean that a binary file (an executable, if you will) will not run on all of these distributions. If a software vendor wants to make closed-source software, they can easily do so by only distributing binaries and people will package them for the various distros. If they want to make paid software, they can work a little extra on an installer (on which they would have to work on for Windows, too) and provide that to its users. Actually, that's what a lot of companies do. Look at Skype, Opera, Adobe Flash, and so on.

What bugs me the most, though, are drivers. Why will hardware manufacturers not make their drivers open source, so that people can compile them on all architectures and use them any way they want? It's not like if you have the drivers' sources you can make your own device and sell it, or steal anything. And this would also save the manufacturer's time, as he would only need to make open source drivers for Windows, the Linux community would port them in an instant. I don't understand why hardware manufacturers are so keen on not disclosing their drivers' sources, maybe it would show some company secrets, but I don't know..

When I was speaking of versions between Linux. I should have been more forth coming, I was referring to the difference between say BSD and Linux.. No mater tho.
If a company would just release the raw binary on a .. CD let's say and system developers would create a auto package system kinda like windows installer or apt, synaptic, yum, emerge, pacman.. to gather binary and "install" (for simplicity sake) the program. That would work great... of course for the those who still like to build form scratch there's still that option.
The company can save time and resources increasing their profit margins, because the "system" is the end configuratior. This would also almost do away with the 32 bit vr 64 bit problem (meaning there's not a whole lot of push for 64 bit as long as 32 bit OS's still hang around. Also when programmers program they usually use the bitness of the system their programming on. if hey have a 32bit system they'll have 32 bit programs, they need a 64bit system to do both. ) The problem I'm referring to is that it's still hard to find 64 bit versions of 32 bit programs.. (not a big problem because of backwards compatibility..) I just don't like extra library hanging around wasting space.. Even if it's not a lot of space it's still space I want to use for something else..


As for drivers... My original comment is still valid. Marked demand and all..
"Why will hardware manufacturers not make their drivers open source, so that people can compile them on all architectures and use them any way they want? It's not like if you have the drivers' sources you can make your own device and sell it, or steal anything."

If some one wanted to they could make the device cheaper... Kinda like reverse engineering. The major cost of a product is R&D.. If you don't have that cost, then that part of the price is profit, or just less of a price passed to the consumer.

"I don't understand why hardware manufacturers are so keen on not disclosing their drivers' sources, maybe it would show some company secrets, but I don't know.."

Well in the example of NIVIDA™ they have combined the old physics card in to the new cards va software or hard ware which ever. (I remember which) if the consumer could figure this out. (which some have) then you negate some of the perks of the card that would normally cause some consumers to buy it over their competitors..

I'd also like to add some support...
http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/...wlc=1242398711