What can Windows do that Linux can't?

[billgoldberg]

Linux and full screen flash player doesn't work?

Strange, I thought I just watched the new Richard Dawkins show "The genius of Charles Darwin" on youtube, full screen for around an hour.

Must have been my imagination.

--

On topic:

What can Windows do that linux cant?

Hmmmm.

Use veoh tv.

[kaligus]

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

Some of these are taken care of using virtualbox, others are unique to windows.

1) Talk to my CPAP (medical device == manufacturer issues as previously discussed)

2) Easily create a video file anyone with an out of the box Windows 95 or newer system can view without installing anything (probably my issues, but I got tired of trying to get mencoder to do the job)

3) Have (1) one single application which can get URLs from the in-focus browser, tab, etc. no matter its breed, flavor, version, name, or proclivities. Put those bookmarked URLs into one file which can be moved on jump-drive to another machine, and used there. Sent via email to someone else using the same software, who adds their own, edits, and sends the file back to be incorporated into a master list.

4) Make me curse the first four comdex shows where I hung out with another Bill (I am Will/William/Bill).

5) Make me curse WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage)

6) Use all 3 of my sound cards AT THE SAME TIME without learning 3 new languages, including curse words and spending hours at a command prompt working on the solution. (I do prefer using audacity to slice and dice on Ubuntu however) which I have not yet found.
** edit because I fell stupid here

7) Actually let me change my mouse buttons easily (I dont mind editing files etc. from the command line "left=[double-click] right=[left]" etc. but figuring out what event driver needs to be persuaded to do what, and hoping that some piece of software doesn't override the defaults (firefox in my experience uses the buttons it wants to use no matter what I set up)), then figuring out which number needs to be exchanged with which other number to get started, oh and let me define those mouse clicks as a string of keys, or mouse clicks.
**edit because I fell stupid here

8) Autoscroll ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, with one button press.


**** what linux does better than Windows for me.

1) Run Forte Agent, as long as some visual issues are ok... much faster, much more responsive.

2) Run virtualbox. Windows with Ubuntu vbox was a right pain, the other way is quite nice once I figured out how to do networking.

3) Run the gimp with the plugins I want to run (mostly some python stuff). Same goes for Blender, Wings, and others. I do miss beaing able to exchange (CAD) drawings with my father-in-law but virtualbox again saves the day.

4) manage my mp3 collection my way. I only miss one feature of ID3Tagit over easytag, but easytag has like 5 that I have decided I can't live without.

5) let me define how I want to use my gamepad (joy2key) though not my cyborg command unit (the shift/mode function seems to break Ubuntu).

6) Work. MY web development is much easier and faster on Ubuntu. Not much difference in freepascal. Mysql is much nicer on Ubuntu, etc.

7) Take notes. I used to use keynote because it thinks mostly like I do, I have fallen in-love with treeline.

8) Simple audio editing, mixing, slicing, dicing, and otherwise mauled. I do miss some plugins and effects, but I have a virtualbox when those are needed and audacity runs much nicer on Ubuntu. (**edit: except that I can only use the sound card Ubuntu chooses)

9) Think like I think. Windows always had to be customized using expensive, often caveat ladened things like window-blinds.

... all done for now Now I go back to reading this thread and trying to ignore the off topic arguments about gamers versus mums playing mahjong (page 20 and counting)

[shadow09]

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

you do know that if you install wine you can use photoshop...

[RWells]

And what does your opinion matter in this situation? We're talking about numbers. And I didn't pull those numbers out of nowhere. They're from real studies.

The key phrase here is the people I know that do play games. Most people don't play the kinds of games you're talking about.

I'm sorry but what's the point of that link? You're listing the top selling PC games. So what? How does that compare to the number of console games? How does that compare to the number of people playing Solitaire or Tetris?

I'm comparing PC gaming to console gaming and silly built-in games. You're comparing PC games to other PC games. What does that prove?

I am starting to think mabey there is a flaw/flaws in the studies you are quoting.

Most people I know play some type of online game,every one I have
told about Ubuntu has asked about the ability to play games and mentioned a fps/simulator game in particular.

My Wife is one of the card game/puzzle type people and she uses Ubuntu for all of her email, internet word procesor stuff and then boots into windows or gets on my gameing machine to play solitaire.

All Of the people I know that play online games /fps/simulators
dont participate in polls or studies.

Wait... I dont think I have ever met a person that has participated in a poll or study of any kind.

I have 5 important programs on my computer.

1 Thunderbird
2 Firefox
3 BobCad (windows only)
4 Realflight G3.5 (Windows only)
5 Nascar 2003 (windows only I think)

Ok I just did a quick poll in my household.

50% played card games and 50% played online simulators.

[sujoy]

ummm, windows can run microsoft encarta encyclopedia 2008

[tsikis]

Well i am using Linux before Ubuntu came out, i changed to Ubuntu and am proud of my choice every day since , but changing to Linux(currenlty have dual boot with winxp and i vmware my winxp when i need running win) had me everyday thinking of the 2 things i miss mostly of windows which are 1) Gaming, Yes you can play most games,yes not all people play this kind of games that Linux dont-doesnt (not sure which is correct) Support,yes yes yes but there is the other side too guys which is people that like to play this games (most of them are school boys or student at universities) but there are those people too, and 2) and the most important because is the reason that i cant make my friends changing to Ubuntu too is the messenger every friend i have and their friends and so on use msn Messenger (most of them have other email and use msn one only for messaging).
So this are the 2 i have in my mind , of course there are more and of course there are things that windows will never be able to use that Linux do easily.
And for the people always talking about the games not so important or small number of people playing that kind of games, Guys please stop this is not Linux thinking and more not Ubuntu thinking Games is a fun part of Computers and should be available (Linux are not responsible to give credits but the companies making the Game are but still ...)
Now it is going to sound a bit offending but this aint my goal i want to talk to "aysiu" my fellow Linux user i dont think that this way of thinking suits to a guy with 29 thousand posts (meaning the use of numbers and text and this kind of proof ) i believe when Linus Torvalds started he was not thinking of text and number (i can never be sure) people even if we are talking about like 1 million only (which are far more that 1m) have the right to choose Linux and being able to use Linux while playing their 100$ Game which needs a 500$ Graphics card to be played I am not trying to offend you but i just dont thing this is the way of Linux or else if we were talking about numbers Linux shouldnt exist.

Anyway as everything in life is choice here too you choose

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Produce not just catastrophic (package management) failures, but OLYMPIC failures!
It's a pretty impressive act. Takes major presence and big market share to achieve such a thing.

[hairshirt]

Bsod

[lumix700i]

e-SPT. This is a software for paying bussines an commercial taxes, created and published by the goverment in my country.. But that is no problem at all, because in here commercial software (windows etc) were rented.. In a VERY CHEAP price..

[erl3nd]

Ya, with the mplayer-mozilla plugin and flash-mozilla plugin you should be able to stream all videos on any page.

Can sombody please tell me how to download a codec wich makes it possible for me to watch these videos? http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/ol/spill/verdi/68119

Please answer quickly before the link gets broken.