What's your Windows woes?

[Spr0k3t]

We are all guilty of it. The question is... to what extent is your windows installation in your life?

I only use Windows where it's required. Work computers don't offer a way for me to use Linux at all. At least I have my laptop with me most of the time.

At home on the other hand... I have to debug my wife's windows pc from time to time.

[jbrouhard]

Gaming.

Cedega doesn't work with everything, and sometimes I get crappy performance out of it. So Windows for games, QUickbooks and when needed, Photoshop.

I'm slowly but surely moving away from Photoshop to Xara, Gimp and Inkscape.

[ts51]

Well, I had Feisty, and Dapper, and after a recent issue just windows. But, I'm adding Gusty once it comes out (not beta). So, when I have Linux, I use MS for iTunes, Office, and Games. I do boot into Linux sometimes. I wish the k-12 schools would start realizing the Linux would be a better alternative for them. They have XP with a plain background and classic theme. They only want us to use Office and the internet. It would probably be better if they used the Dell's with Ubuntu.

[erimar77]

I've got Wdindows at home for Money 2007, Battlefield 2, and Trackmania Nations.. Everything else including at the office is Ubuntu.

[yabbadabbadont]

I only use it for video editing and the occasional gaming session.

[speedingbullet]

Normally I just use a mac book for things I cant as well on a linux. Im talking about Microsoft Office and Imovie.


I'm guessing its not as bad if you use a mac, right?

[Penguinista]

My job requires the use of Windows XP. I have used Linux and Windows together for several years, but I am finally getting to the point where I can ditch Windows altogether. As a professional genealogist, most of the tools I have used for family history research have been Windows based, and as a result, I have several years of source documents and research results locked up in proprietary binary formats. I have begun the massive task of moving twenty years of research into Linux and open formats, which I hope to complete by January 1st. Once that happens, the only time I will see a Windows machine is when I need to fix my wife's computers (she is a militant Windows user) or access an IE-only website.

[yabbadabbadont]

My job requires the use of Windows XP. I have used Linux and Windows together for several years, but I am finally getting to the point where I can ditch Windows altogether. As a professional genealogist, most of the tools I have used for family history research have been Windows based, and as a result, I have several years of source documents and research results locked up in proprietary binary formats. I have begun the massive task of moving twenty years of research into Linux and open formats, which I hope to complete by January 1st. Once that happens, the only time I will see a Windows machine is when I need to fix my wife's computers (she is a militant Windows user) or access an IE-only website.

Since it sounds like you aren't into PC gaming, perhaps running windows inside of vmware or virtualbox would cover your windows needs?

[Penguinista]

I considered that, but I think the benefits of moving my research into open formats will greatly outweigh the work to convert them. Genealogy is a discipline that is never finished; research can expand over decades, and even generations. It is important to get it in a format that is useful today and readable tomorrow. Work will always be Windows-only, and that doesn't really bother me. I'm going to have to upgrade my wife's machine to Vista at some point (hopefully FAR in the future), but I don't see a reason to pay the tax on myself when I can do everything on Linux for much less. It does require more work on the front end, but once I'm converted, I think I will actually be more efficient in the long run. Besides, the conversion has its own reward -- I am refamiliarizing myself with old research, and have already discovered new connections and avenues for exploration.

Finally, I think it is important to run my "personal life" on Linux because I believe that the best way to lead is by example. If I can't manage to meet my needs on this platform, how can I credibly assure someone else that they can do it?

[nilihanth]

Gaming. That's it. Anything else is unforseen. I am of firm belief that Linux is perfectly suited for games, but greed stops high-budget games to be made for it since the userbase is much smaller than M$ has.

I also believe that if mainstream games would work on Linux just as well as Windows, there would be a TON more conversions to the light side. Most of the gamers I know have said they dont bother with Linux because they can't play their games on it. AND, even though Cedega has done great things, it seems the majority don't want to have to mess with it sadly.