Windows can suck it (and not much else)

[razzor7]

YEEEHAW! My computer is computing stuff. What a f%%%ing surprise, eh? Ever since Windows 95 became "obsolete" (technically I think it's better than Vista, haven't tried 7) I've hated computers more and more each OS "upgrade." Turns out my problem is Windows, the software that couldn't operating system itself out of a brown paper bag. There are more complicated operating systems in my ass. I've got a million of these.

So basically my computer stopped downloading files successfully. After a painful 5-10 hours on the phone with Microsoft Technical Blowhards they told me my only option was to reinstall Windows. Thanks guys. So I reinstall Windows and SUPRISE! it won't boot up. Sweet! Well I backed up all my files and called Dell. This support guy was an even bigger prick. He tells me my hard drive is shot and at the end of the call is like "Did I resolve your issue?" I said "No." and it got all awkward... he was like "Well I dispatched a technician" and I was like "Then what are you asking me for?"

Being the arrogant, smarter-than-these-morons kinda guy I am I decided to prove him wrong by installing Linux. It worked. I don't have words kind enough for this software. I'm literally giddy. And no, you stupid motherf&&&ers, my hard drive is NOT broken.

any techies around here know how to reinstall windows WITHOUT letting it take over my computer gestapo style? I heard it tends to get rid of linux. sadly I need to have that POS installed so that I can use my Universities network in about a month.

[lxskllr]

It can be done, but it's a real PITA. The order for sanity, is old Windows, new Windows, then Linux. Why would you need Windows to get on the university network? Certainly some of those people are using Apple, and that's closer to Linux than to Windows.

[chadizzy1]

I use Mac, and my life has never been better since kicking Winblows.

[c.nash]

I also use Mac. I used to use Winblows and dabbled in Linux, Linux is very good but not a lot of people make applications and programs for it.

Mac is coming more mainstream with applications and programs and is actually a very smooth operating system.

I am very happy I made the switch a few years ago.

[shikitohno]

Yeah, you shouldn't really need to use windows just to get on a network. If you must have it, install Windows first on one partition, then Linux on the second partition. Windows tends to ignore any other OS in it's boot menu. Although you can edit the Windows boot menu, it's much more of a hassle than just editing your grub file to point grub towards you windows boot partition. Out of curiosity, what distro are you using? Fedora and Debian based distros work fine for every network I've ever been on. Where did you get the idea that you needed Windows to connect to a network? If you got it from your uni's tech requirement pages, then they're just talking about the OS you need to run some programs for classes. I got around that almost every time by using Linux alternatives (like OpenOffice exporting files as .doc files) or using WINE, unless it was something really processor heavy.

[danielan]

Where did you get the idea that you needed Windows to connect to a network?

Usually when people say this, IMO, they mean "join the domain".

[sgreger1]

I use Mac, and my life has never been better since kicking Winblows.

I agree.


- posted from my ipad -


Lolololol

[bottledwater]

vista sucks donkey tits. stay away from it. get windows 7, it is really, really good. its not even comparable. i dont know what MS was thinking when they made vista. i installed ubuntu on my sister's computer because vista literally broke (explorer wouldnt start up), so i have to manage her computer now. i must say i like windows 7 more than ubuntu for everyday work.

[shikitohno]

There's more of a learning curve to linux than there is to windows initially, but I think that most anyone (except gamers) who stick with it and learn how to do things properly will come to find linux easier, safer and all around better than windows. Plus, ntfs2 (the new file system used by Windows 7) is a marked improvement in speed over ntfs, but I've heard a few times it's murder on the actual drive. As in, your hard drive will fail and you'll lose your data much faster running ntfs2.

[lxskllr]

There's nothing wrong with Vista. I've used it off and on since beta2, and full time since release. Win7 isn't much more than a theme pack for Vista. They made a couple changes under the hood, but not enough to matter. I may go to Ubuntu full time on my next install, whenever that is. I've found I've been preferring it lately, and since I don't game as much as I used to, booting into Windows every so often shouldn't be such a chore.

[shikitohno]

Most every game I play is simple enough it runs under wine, so I've not had any reason to have Windows. The only reason my next laptop will have it is because I need it for school. Doing a computer science degree, I'm bound to need Windows at some point, and I'd rather have to go to the computer lab just to do Mac work rather than Mac and Windows work.

[snusgetter]

Most every game I play is simple enough it runs under wine, so I've not had any reason to have Windows. The only reason my next laptop will have it is because I need it for school. Doing a computer science degree, I'm bound to need Windows at some point, and I'd rather have to go to the computer lab just to do Mac work rather than Mac and Windows work.

Or you could use Parallels Desktop Virtualization and have the best of both worlds.

Of all the options, I like Coherence Mode, which allows me to have and use both Mac & Windows programs side-by-side. I'm no gamer but the latest version, I hear, is quite capable of gaming. (I'm still using an older, but fairly recent version of PDV -- it suits my purposes but YMMV.)

Might be worth looking into.