No more Microsoft Windows; it's GNU/Linux for me

[Merc1138]

Hardware made within the past few years that's supported on linux but not windows? Like what? Even older hardware that might not be supported on a recent version of windows still had support in an older version. I'm also not sure what these "forced upgrades" from Microsoft are either, as I have never at any point in time had Microsoft force me to upgrade a single computer with the exception of switching to a 64bit OS, and canning support for older products like windows NT(what, you run 14 year old linux distros or something?).

[Nose Nuggets]

Hardware made within the past few years that's supported on linux but not windows? Like what? Even older hardware that might not be supported on a recent version of windows still had support in an older version. I'm also not sure what these "forced upgrades" from Microsoft are either, as I have never at any point in time had Microsoft force me to upgrade a single computer with the exception of switching to a 64bit OS, and canning support for older products like windows NT(what, you run 14 year old linux distros or something?).

MS has been really good to the consumer and gone out of its way to extend support for XP how many times? 3? we are what, 6 years outside the normal life cycle?

hell i wasn't even "forced" to move to x64, i did because there is an innate 32 bit restriction to memory. i don't think that has anything to do with MS, does it?

i guess windows server 2008 R2 has forced us to x64 architecture. you've got me there.

[Merc1138]

MS has been really good to the consumer and gone out of its way to extend support for XP how many times? 3? we are what, 6 years outside the normal life cycle?

hell i wasn't even "forced" to move to x64, i did because there is an innate 32 bit restriction to memory. i don't think that has anything to do with MS, does it?

i guess windows server 2008 R2 has forced us to x64 architecture. you've got me there.

The memory restriction isn't MS specific. Any 32bit OS would have that same problem(with the exception of some sort of memory management utility.. emm386? lol).

2008 R2 did indeed force the transition to 64bit, but the CPU compatibility has been there since 2005. Unless someone is desperate to install 2008 r2 on some old pentium pro 133 machine... I don't think MS cares(and even then, they could still use an older windows server version that's still supported anyway).

I'm still curious what this hardware is that's incompatible with windows but has fully functional linux/unix driver support. With the exception of possibly some extremely specialized equipment, I'm not aware of anything that someone is going to order off of cdw that will turn out to be incompatible with windows(maybe some apple stuff? but the older mac only hardware is probably going to have compatibility issues anyway due to the old ppc architecture they used for so long).

[thomascrowe]

Mint for me, I got everyone at work to convert to it.

Only use Windows for games...that's it.

[the86d]

I used linux for ~10 years and finally made the switch: back to Windoze! Why?
- Everything "just works." Ok, there is the initial tweaking period with a new computer and new install, but after that there's virtually nothing to do.
- Peripherals are supported. Even with my Vista64 I got my old printer and scanner to work. Not a prayer of doing so under Linux. Printing in particular

My scanner had no drivers available for Windows 7, so I started scanning with Slackware OOTB, so to speak. Not a chance of getting new scanner drivers for a scanner that was made for Win98 & Win2000.

I have yet to make thew switch, although I do have a dedicated Slackware box (Ubuntu is an African work meaning: Slackware is too hard for me). Win 7 is still so buggy, and [DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THE WORD FILTER] that I might make the switch. If Win8 ignores the user like Win7 does: when I have the OS/GUI to do something and it stares at me, or is inherently inconsistent, I wish to move on.

I actually chose Android (also Linux based) as it is not OSuX based, and do many different task at the same time that need to continue to run after I start them, unlike iPhone most users.

Glad you made a change for the better!

[Nose Nuggets]

The memory restriction isn't MS specific. Any 32bit OS would have that same problem(with the exception of some sort of memory management utility.. emm386? lol).

2008 R2 did indeed force the transition to 64bit, but the CPU compatibility has been there since 2005. Unless someone is desperate to install 2008 r2 on some old pentium pro 133 machine... I don't think MS cares(and even then, they could still use an older windows server version that's still supported anyway).

I'm still curious what this hardware is that's incompatible with windows but has fully functional linux/unix driver support. With the exception of possibly some extremely specialized equipment, I'm not aware of anything that someone is going to order off of cdw that will turn out to be incompatible with windows(maybe some apple stuff? but the older mac only hardware is probably going to have compatibility issues anyway due to the old ppc architecture they used for so long).

yup, you and i are on the same page.

[speedrrracer]

Welcome! Nice to get something truly free, isn't it?

[the86d]

...
I'm still curious what this hardware is that's incompatible with windows but has fully functional linux/unix driver support. With the exception of possibly some extremely specialized equipment, I'm not aware of anything that someone is going to order off of cdw that will turn out to be incompatible with windows(maybe some apple stuff? but the older mac only hardware is probably going to have compatibility issues anyway due to the old ppc architecture they used for so long).

IBM power series?:

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/IBM-USED-POWER-6-550-4CORE-4.2G-PROC/2643392.aspx

You can run REL (Redhat Enterprise Linux), AIX, and maybe Gentoo (for PPC Versions)?

[Dr Rockso]

Ubuntu 12.04 added a very useful in-menu search feature that MacOS has had for a long time, but nobody else copied. If Solidworks hadn't become a big part of my job that would be my main environment for sure.

[JDay]

Hardware made within the past few years that's supported on linux but not windows? Like what? Even older hardware that might not be supported on a recent version of windows still had support in an older version.

And if it doesn't work under Windows 7 it still works under XP Mode, which is a free add-on.

[JDay]

hell i wasn't even "forced" to move to x64, i did because there is an innate 32 bit restriction to memory. i don't think that has anything to do with MS, does it?

Actually it does. There are 32-bit versions of Windows Server that support more than 4GB of RAM. Both Server 2003 Enterprise/Datacenter and Server 2008 Enterprise/Datacenter 32-bit support 64GB of RAM.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx#memory_limits

[Merc1138]

IBM power series?:

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/IBM-USED-POWER-6-550-4CORE-4.2G-PROC/2643392.aspx

You can run REL (Redhat Enterprise Linux), AIX, and maybe Gentoo (for PPC Versions)?

Your point? Re-read the second and last sentences of the portion of my post that you quoted. Plus that's not exactly the same as a missing driver(the issue would be the kernel support). I could also claim that I can't find a version of windows that runs on a commodore 64 but some kid in a basement compiled a linux kernel for it, still doesn't make my statement that you quoted incorrect. Funny thing those kernels and CPU architectures(and how it was already mentioned Not exactly the same thing as an old scanner that the manufacturer abandoned support for years ago)

[Nose Nuggets]

Actually it does. There are 32-bit versions of Windows Server that support more than 4GB of RAM. Both Server 2003 Enterprise/Datacenter and Server 2008 Enterprise/Datacenter 32-bit support 64GB of RAM.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...#memory_limits

Oh right, PAE. But that requires a CPU that supports it. forgot about good ol PAE.

[Merc1138]

Actually it does. There are 32-bit versions of Windows Server that support more than 4GB of RAM. Both Server 2003 Enterprise/Datacenter and Server 2008 Enterprise/Datacenter 32-bit support 64GB of RAM.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...#memory_limits

Yes, but only with a very crappy memory manager that still limits processes to 4GB

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366796%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

[POLICESTATE]

Eve? You play eve? What is your primary source of in-game income?

just depends on your needs, really. Linux works fine for a lot of people.

let me know when you have Skyrim, EVE, and DCS A10-C working and I'll meet you over in Linux land.