Why do you use Windows?

I know i'm walking on a very fine line when I ask people why they use the operating system they use but I hope the people here at NBR Forums are mature enough so that the thread won't have to be closed and we can have a good discussion. I use Linux in one way or another (whether it be Ubuntu or Arch Linux) and I recently tested out Haiku OS which has great potential. I haven't used FreeBSD because the Linux philosophy fits me much better, and I don't have the money to buy a Mac and don't agree with their philosophy. What OS's have you tried, what interests you, and what makes windows a better fit for you than another OS? I'll appreciate any educated responses!

 

I game.

Also, enjoy this filler sentence so I can get the requisite 10 characters for this post.

 

The interface is much more comfortable on Windows than OS X for me. I find it much harder to navigate, quickly jump around all over my computer, and tune it up precisely how I want it. I've heard anything you can do on a PC, you can do on a Mac, but that just isn't true. Some things I could do, but others things were much more difficult to find out how to do than on Windows.

Then there's also the massive number of apps Windows only that are nice, and I can pick my own computer

Oh, and MS Office and Visual studio are much better than Office: Mac and Cocoa.

 

gaming for i too.

i have osx and ubuntu as well, but only use them for photo work =)

 

What kinds of games do you play? Linux has stuff like WINE and Virtual Box so that if you're ever interested you can still play many windows games while still using a different OS.

 

Ha! I know exactly what you mean. OSX was so confusing for me. When you say Office do you mean Open Office or the Office app that comes with OSX?

 

I use mostly Linux now, but I use Windows for gaming (better integration and performance than Linux) and for doing Windows hacking and messing around, just for that sort of *mode* when I'm playing DOS games and using all sorts of free Windows apps. I do prefer Linux for productivity and customization, but I have fondness and nostalgia for Windows.

And Corel WordPerfect rules. OpenOffice, MS Word, whatever else just pales in comparison. So even in Linux... I do run virtual machines.

 

I mean the Microsoft Office for Mac. I never was too fond of Open Office, and we all know how much of a joke iLife and iWork are

 

Well, SUSE Linux - was a doual boot on our first computer (laptop) and a dual boot on my old laptop.
Never quite worked for me.

I just got so used to versions of Windows that I stayed.

And then - Photoshop, Office...

 

*shudder* Yuck, SUSE sucked, not only that but it's so old they changed the name like 2 times already. You might wanna give Ubuntu 9.04 or if you can wait a month or so 9.10. It might just make you geek out.

 

Well I had a vitual machine with Ubuntu (yes, you told me on MSN its slow) - that was because of PHP - but it never quite caught on.

I think this one of these cases were I've created a learning resistance and stick with Windows.

 

Oh yeah, I do remember helping you with Ubuntu in your vm. At least you tried, that's good to hear.

 

I am on Windows and have been since I can remember. However, somewhere in the middle I did play around with dual booting with Ubuntu, but that was shortlived - had to mess around too much to get things on my laptop working. Was very distracting. This was about 2 years ago. Maybe the situtation has changed.

But the core reason for going with Windows (even though I know it is expensive) is because I need to use Office. Sure, I have tried Open Office, but, I found myself more comfortable with MS Office. Then there were compatibility issues with some softwares (and needless to say, with some games) at stake.

Lastly, I think Windows is a stable (as far as it can be) environment. It just allows me to do my thing without bothering too about about getting things to work etc.

I did consider the Apple platform - but that was a brief infatuation, which I did nothing about. Changing over to a completely new platform would have been too time consuming.

Now with Win7 and Office 2010, I think I will be able to satisfy my need to merge offline and online work. Again, here I was seriously considering Chrome and the Google platform. But as things stand today, personally, I think Chrome and Google Apps need to get to a much higher level for me to consider using them for the kind of stuff that I do.

And finally, the environment in which I work actively supports Windows. So, if there are problems which I cannot handle, then they take care of it. I would not have this support system if I was on Linux or on Apple.

So, yeah, its Windows.

Edit: I forgot to mention that like Davepermen mentioned below, my mobile device is also Windows-based, which makes life that much easier. Though, if I upgrade to another phone in the near future (will not be an iPhone though) - will either be a Samsung (in which case I get the Windows Mobile OS and nothing really changes) or a Nokia (where I will have to work with Symbian, which I had problems with when I was using the E61i)

 

You have a good reason for not being able to use Ubuntu, but if you're the geeky type then you'll wanna try out the cool stuff Ubuntu is coming out with in 9.10.

 

i use Windows for everything! (gaming, documents, pic editing etc etc)

did play around with Apples, but i personally like the taskbar. its much easier to multitask with it because of the window previews and names. (i open more than 15 windows)

 

This hardly qualifies as a point. I have no desire to jump through hoops to play games.

I use Windows because it's what I am familiar with, it's what I am paid to know, it's not bad, and it does everything I want to do. No hoops.

 

it works, is rockstable, very fast, allows me to do all kinds of stuff from programming, music production, live acting, gaming.. have deployed it over quite large networks, the servers of windows are awesome to work with.

i get it for free on any machine i buy anyways, and is simple to use for any task.


so while, yeah, i could use wine for the apps that i need and go linux, there would be no gain except for "i'm a linux".

even my phone has windows


i wouldn't dare to bash any other os, as all are quite fine (each with their sometimes big quirks), but what the os is about, in the end, is, it should work with the hardware and software a user needs, and that without problems. windows so far delivered since years, so i have no need to switch, and relearn my stuff.

and besides, diving into linux till i would understand it that detailed that i understand windows now would take years. years spend on getting equal to what i have now. with (again, as stated), zero gain.

that's why..

 

It hardly qualifies as a solution either since many games will not work no matter how many hoops you jump through. WINE only works with a handful of the most popular, older games and I don't believe VirtualBox even has DX 9.0c support.

I use Windows because I want to play Aion Online today, not a year from now, if ever.

 

I gotta admit there's little incentive for people who are used to and like Windows, but it's good if you're either a geek, hate windows or windows problems, or are new to computers entirely.

 

yeah, linux doesn't give me anything that windows doesn't have (except ideological things which i don't actually fully agree on, anyways), and most things in a worse quality (visual studio + c#, .net == awesome way to quickly develop full quality applications with easy deployment, capability to go to the xbox (when you want to develop games), etc.. nothing in the linux world gives me that ease way to develop. which is scary, as it's theoretically a developers dream, if it wouldn't be such a mess).

but the main thing that impresses me about windows, is that it's nowadays more modern designed than linux, which is still mainly rooted in the ideas of linus, which are a copy of the ideas of unix, which is veeery dated, from where no one believed yet much in computers.


so if i would move away from windows, then it should be an os, that is designed from the ground with todays expectations of what an os should deliver. no backwards compatibility needs, for that, i have windows (or linux, or whatever).

and for that, i love singularity hope it motivates for some massive changes of how windows works as it most likely won't get available as an own os.

 

Does this mean that if Google's OS becomes a viable reality (I am not referring to Android), you will seriously consider it? And, consider dropping Windows? Not that I am saying that Google's OS is appearing in the very near future - though Google Docs etc. have a long way to go till they catch up with their MS equivalents.

 

no, as it's just a tiny linux with a browser, and tons of google web crap, which i don't believe in (i hate the cloud, i have my own 'cloud' at home, so i have no need).

the google os is nothing new from a technical perspective, but more of a mini-ubuntu. it can't be taken serious except for the non-tech-savvy.

i won't consider dropping windows for as long as the apps i use are on it, and don't work on another os or have good replacements.

visual studio with c#, .net
ableton live
traktor 3 (for djing)
home server
media center
firefox
some music tools (mixed in key, platinum notes)
paint.net
office 2007


for me, the only software choice that would be able to replace windows right now, would be osx. i would have to drop visual studio, .net for the apple way (programming objective c, hated everywhere except for the apple lovers ), but for all my music needs, it would work.

so i will continue with windows, and continue to change my softwares. if, one day, i have another one-fits-all-os that delivers, i might consider it.

but the google os won't deliver any of my needs including privacy of my own data in my own hands (a big one for me)

 

Meh, I use Windows because I like to play games. If I didn't game, I think I'd get myself an MBP 15.

 

Too lazy to learn linux, for a start.

 

Is this what you mean by "your own cloud at home"?

"A home storage cloud can also serve as a convenient link between your local files and external cloud services. Making an online back-up of your files will be almost trivial, as the software will be responsible for keeping your home cloud and the Web-based cloud in sync. And since your home cloud is always up-to-date, the impact of server down times will be minimal. "

I got this from the web http://www.theappgap.com/home-cloud-computing.html

It sounds interesting! Was it difficult to set up? And is this best (most easily) done in a Windows environment?

 

first: get rid of the cloud term. in the end, all you need is just a stupid file share on some always on system, and a webaccess to it.

so what i use? windows home server. perfect system for full system backups, and centralized networked storage, accessible trough the internet.

calling it cloud is just moronic. it's the internet, it's a network, nothing special with cloudy things.

 

Thanks. Makes sense. But can I replace Windows Home Server with any other (preferably free) option that integrates with my laptops? The basic thing is that when I travel across countries and within them also, I want to access my files, save them, back backups etc. The only reason I am asking if replacing Wondows Home Server is possible is because I am expecting it to be expensive. And since this is for my private use, there is no corp. that will pick up the costs. Apologies if this is steadily going off topic...but it still has the word "windows" and makes reference to a server OS though...

 

Wait, give me a moment to think.... Oh yeah, how about 86% of the market! Is that reason enough?

 

Lazy to learn how to work on another platform.=x

 

well, if you build your own one (see my sig), it only costs about 90$ for the os license. so it's not expensive. other options are existing, check newegg for "home server".

but i don't know how well it fits "mainly away" situations. i'm mainly at home (means i sleep at home nearly each night). i don't think the backup will run over the internet (except if you set up something like hamachi, or some other virtual private network). at least, not till homeserver2, which will be win2008r2 based, and should allow full access from everywhere over https. at least, win2008r2 can do that, so it might be possible. but backups over the internet won't be that fast anyways

 

Wow! That looks complicated and probably way beyond my current and possibly future abilities. Moreover, I do need the ability to access my database of files over the net on demand and possibly even run them off their original location rather than downloading a copy on my local machine. The same applies the other way - files acquired locally should be optimally synched and saved at a permanent location allowing me to delete the files locally - I don't know if I am being clear here.

I also did not know that OS license costs $90 dollars...I am assuming you are referring to Win Home Server. I have to find a way out of this situation - Google is not the solution and I wonder of MS (Office) Online is a solution either. Maybe I need to start a new thread on this rather than clutter this one with these queries.

Thanks

 

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=50064 - Lame excuses you've heard not to switch to Linux

 

I guess today Linux would be a better choice for OS, it is more stable than Windows. But 15-20 yrs ago Microsoft first offered one of the best looking and attractive OS.
It's almost or is a viral software, soon developers followed MS and produced softwares on this platform. But of course time changes... soon maybe there would be better players than WIndows.... Google for example

 

its no lame excuse to be "too lazy to learn". why not? if you just want to use your computer, and allready know, how, why should you stop using your knowledge the way it worked? linux is similar on the outside, but wastly different inside. for the ordinary home user that surfs around, types some documents, transfers its videos and photos and music around, and wants to print some letters, linux doesn't give him anything. but what it does, it take away the guarantee that all works together (86% market share means most devices just have to work on windows).

it's no lame excuse if people just want to use their systems, and don't want to care about what's below. you do care, but that doesn't make you better than them. just different.

i do care, btw, too. and that's why i stay on windows.


or stated different, why should anyone dare to switch? at it's current state, at least, windows is "free" for most of the users (who really buys a licence other than the one he got with the system?), works for most users, and delivers all their needs. why should any of those go the hazzle and switch?

and btw, no matter how easy and great linux might be, switching is hazzle. more, than not doing anything.

the only real gain are idological ones, which, as i stated before, i don't agree with.

so, how about you stating why you don't use windows? other than ideologies of free software and all?

 

Ughhh, I see these threads all the time on Ars.......

GPO editor > all.

 

Windows is what I'm used to, what I can get everything done the fastest on, what what has the best compatibility.

I too have no desire to fix what isn't broken and move to/learn another platform/OS. Windows does everything I could ask for (and more), so I see little reason to care. Even the touted "virus" problem isn't really an issue if you know what you're doing.

I don't need to use Linux to feel like a geek.

As for OSX...no thanks. That would imply I'm actually buying an Apple.

 

Well I never had any problems with viruses, I'm an experienced Windows user. It was fully optimized and I spent my whole life using Windows and never paid for software. Everything "just worked" in Windows and i didn't really have much of a reason to switch in the begging. Now, reasons that top my list is the ease of use for installing software since Add/Remove actually lets you add software. Things are all around noticeably faster, everything on my machine and most other people's machines (like my cousins and a few friends) just works out of the box including printers, dual monitors, everything. The Linux communities are a lot more organized and exciting than the Windows communities. Then comes my love for having control over my system, even though people i install Ubuntu for just care about using their computer faster and not having viruses.

 

interesting, i have all that without switching to linux. but happy that it works for you.

i would have tons of hw here that wouldn't work out of the box, though

and besides, i can fully legally watch DRM content, which is actually a plus for me. i don't like DRM, but i like to be able to watch full-hd blueray on my 1080p beamer on the whole wall.

about the love to have control over my system, that's actually why i stay on windows. getting the same amount of knowledge to control linux would be quite some work that could instead be spend on useful things, like improving my existing knowledge.


still, happy that it works for you. just don't bash windows users for their reasons. they are good reasons.

 

Well I can't argue with that, I guess I was somewhat of a smidgen mean.

 

Well I use Windows the most although I also use Ubuntu and OSX pretty often. Id say I'm sticking with Windows mostly because since it is the most widespread, it has the most widespread applications list. Although Open Source applications tend to favor Linux integration so those are nifty

I don't really have that much reason to switch over, but occasions presented themselves so I could learn those 2 other OSes(got an iMac as a "present" and my friend basically installed Ubuntu on my machine) so I figured why not?

One thing I did like about Linux back in the day was the LiveCD feature lol

 

I use Windows because it works for me and does everything I need it to do without much of a hassle like unlike Linux/Mac OS.

 

Cause I understand it. And like it. And can game on it.

Etc.

 

because its useful operating system
got what i need and more

if there is another operating system i would like to use it will be mac.

 

My laptop is Vista-64, it is just plain easiest to manage my work network (combo *nix/Windows) with Windows, and it best supports my laptop. (there are a number of laptop features that just plain don't work even in Ubuntu)
That and Vista-64 is now quite stable and has become quite impressive. It will be Windows 7(64-bit) soon enough.

My Desktop is my sandbox where I test everything and is a multi-boot Ubuntu/Windows 7/XP combo. Quite frankly, its most often in Ubuntu.
The Windows 7 partition is where I game when my laptop is busy doing work stuff. (I game on the laptop more often now due simply to the laptop being more beefy than the Desktop sadly enough.)
The XP partition is going to die here shortly.

My home server is currently FreeBSD, and is quite frankly a hunk of junk with a large hard drive. I plan on killing this box sooner or later, but its always been "old-reliable" for me even when my other computers are "being restaged".

I tend to like *nix desktops better, but there are some things that are just plain annoying even in the best *nix installations. I like control, but some days its nice to just put the game in and say "yes" and play. Windows gives both whereas, IF it runs *nix takes a long series of configuring to even have a chance to play.

OSX is the other way for me... I hate convincing a computer that it "feels" like helping me today. Much like a cat, if it doesn't feel like it, it isn't going to. If it does feel like it, it does it IT'S way and not mine. I want control and the ability to change every aspect of what I am doing, not some random tangent Apple sees fit to force you down.

I see *nix as the "control" extreme, and Apple as the "controlled" extreme, with Windows in the middle. I am a dog person and not a cat person, but I don't mind easy sometimes. Thus Windows + *nix usually until I figure out a way to wrest control of OSX back from Apple.

 

and i just use windows because just reading kernalpanics post gives me headache. one os is just enough for me

(but i'm impressed some can manage to grasp trough all of them )

 

Why I use Windows: Games. It's really that simple.

However, whenever something has gone horribly wrong with either my laptop, my desktop, or someone's machine, I always count on the latest version of a Ubuntu Live CD to get me out of the mess that I [or they] more than likely helped create. It hasn't failed me yet!

 

Easy to install games and drivers... but i'm preparing to switch to linux soon or at least dual boot and windows will be a game loader/school

 

Because I feel sad that Bill Gates has to live in poverty.

 

Games, compatability.

 

First-person shooters. Not the types that would run very well on an emulator, either, especially with my limited resources. Call of Duty 4 and Team Fortress 2, for example. And TF2 is dependent on Steam, which would just add to the complications.

I've used Ubuntu before, and it was nice, but I still need my Windows, at least until game developers start releasing for Linux distros.