50 Open Source Replacements for Windows XP

[Iceweasel]

Download portals tend to force their stupid installers upon the users. Luckily, I neither use adobe reader nor cnet.
Something like a download center is not the task of the provider of an OS but can only be realized in cooperation with various software developers. And since Windows 8, there is something like that: The App Store. I don´t use such apps. Such a download center is useful as long it is not the only source of applications.
SourceForge is a nice portal for example.

Are you still here babbling on about Linux? You couldn't even install it and that makes you some kind of expert? Who said a download center was the job of an OS provider? If a program is useful and it works it's added into a repository. I used the distro repository on every distro I've installed, what do you mean it isn't useful as long as there are other sources? Go find a windows fluffer forum will ya. You don't even belong in this thread.

 

[Iceweasel]

For business usage, internet browsing, multimedia, email and a host of other activities Ubuntu has been great and entirely problem-free. I've been using it for some 5 years in an international business environment without issue. Thankfully I don't play games because as mentioned it doesn't have a lot to offer in that department.

.

For business and governments, including NASA. Guess they didn't get the Linux sucks memo.

Linux Is Everywhere. We Show You Exactly Where

 

[Bleipriester]

Download portals tend to force their stupid installers upon the users. Luckily, I neither use adobe reader nor cnet.
Something like a download center is not the task of the provider of an OS but can only be realized in cooperation with various software developers. And since Windows 8, there is something like that: The App Store. I don´t use such apps. Such a download center is useful as long it is not the only source of applications.
SourceForge is a nice portal for example.

Are you still here babbling on about Linux? You couldn't even install it and that makes you some kind of expert? Who said a download center was the job of an OS provider? If a program is useful and it works it's added into a repository. I used the distro repository on every distro I've installed, what do you mean it isn't useful as long as there are other sources? Go find a windows fluffer forum will ya. You don't even belong in this thread.

Grow a brain before you start conversation with me. It won´t be meaningful to explain to you what everybody can easily understand. So just one thing: It´s very easy to install Linux. A bloody noob can do it and there is nothing professional about it. Just like it is not professional to use it as it is noob friendly and fool proof. Just the right OS for you, I guess. Maybe you feel one or more levels higher by using Linux than Windows users but the truth is that you are just a sucker who boats of something everybody can have even for free. So have fun with Noobuntu and feel superior but you should know that you sound quite laughable.

 

[Iceweasel]

Grow a brain before you start conversation with me. It won´t be meaningful to explain to you what everybody can easily understand.

He's back, polishing his 2 inch microsoft pecker trying to look big. This isn't about what you like. This isn't about you.

So just one thing: It´s very easy to install Linux. A bloody noob can do it and there is nothing professional about it. Just like it is not professional to use it as it is noob friendly and fool proof. Just the right OS for you, I guess. Maybe you feel one or more levels higher by using Linux than Windows users but the truth is that you are just a sucker who boats of something everybody can have even for free. So have fun with Noobuntu and feel superior but you should know that you sound quite laughable.

Yeah, slick. I boat about something people can have for free. You've taken this personally, I don't care what others choose. The fact is that many, including businesses, professionals and governments are leaving the windows world for alternatives. These days there are alternatives and that's what the thread is about. If it rubs you the wrong way, so be it.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Bloatware is a real problem for new computers. First thing to do is to download an iso directly from Microsoft and re-install the computer using that image. For Win7, it is easy. On Windows 8 PCs the Key is deposited in the Bios and can be gathered with Aida for example. You also need the Key to download the iso. Not my problem as my Windows 8 images don´t require a Key.
Booting Windows 8 is quite quick. I also disable User Account Control and all that stuff. System runs fast and stable. I don´t have any reason to switch to Linux because I would have to use two systems for all the tasks I would have been able to do with one before.

Not to mention previously trusted "download sites" (such as CNET) today are nothing more than malware central. Download Adobe Reader from these guys - and your browser now acts like a crazy uncle...with a mind of it's own.
Not to sound like a broken record, but again why I like Linux. The built in software managers and source management is fantastic. Something Microsoft can't or will ever do. Not in their best interest.
Imagine your Windows computer with a "download center" where only trusted and verifiable applications with ZERO malware can appear. That would be awesome. Something Linux has done for years.

Download portals tend to force their stupid installers upon the users. Luckily, I neither use adobe reader nor cnet.
Something like a download center is not the task of the provider of an OS but can only be realized in cooperation with various software developers. And since Windows 8, there is something like that: The App Store. I don´t use such apps. Such a download center is useful as long it is not the only source of applications.
SourceForge is a nice portal for example.

I don't think the software manager in Linux forces anything, it is simply a place where 1000's of apps (all rated by users) is there for you to try, you like it - cool - you don't - try something else. But at least there is no worry of embedded bullsh**t.
It used to exist for windows, I use to love Tucows. Back in the 90's when I was in IT we used it all the time. It still exist today, but honestly I do not know if it is as good as it used to be. I never-ever got any nasty surprises from Tucows in the past. And back then there was some truly great freeware on the Windows side. To this day I still use WSFTP (95) - yep. Since it is a self contained executable it still works 19 years later. I use to looove Eudora email from Qualcomm. To this day, there is no email client that is as good as it was. God I miss it. For no other reason than the ability to delete attachments globally without deleting the message...frickin asinine you can't do this anymore. And the ability to search within a search - unbelievable you can;t do this anymore. Ugh.
Not sure how old you are, did you know there was some truly powerful email server software, firewall systems...network setup utils etc. that were all free back then. All ran on windows.
I have no problem paying for software if it works well. I do however, have a problem paying through the nose for software that forces you to "upgrade" when you have zero reason to upgrade.

 

[Decus]

Despite having access to the best support for the Microsoft systems we ran I got tired of the freezing, lost data, malware and viruses, lagging, compatibility issues and on and on. The amount of money spent on tech support, anti-virus programs, utility software to improve performance, just wasn't justified. Microsoft is perhaps the only company in the world that remained successful by selling a defective product and then trying to fix the bugs by sending out "service packs" at a later date. Any other company operating in a similar manner would have been put out of business long ago - Microsoft was successful because: 1. it locked hardware producers into agreements where Microsoft was the hardware's OS, 2. Microsoft had no competition given that Apple would not sell their OS independent of their computers.

Times have changed and options in operating systems are now available. Microsoft on the other hand is still putting out the same crap. Versions 7 & 8 have both been terrible and recognizing this Microsoft will not release a version 9 - instead they have said that their new system will be called 10 so that people will know that this next version is breaking with the piss poor performance of past versions - too friggin funny.

I will admit that I liked 95, but that it started to go downhill from there. At this point I wouldn't go back to Microsoft even if they gave it away for free.........which they are now in fact contemplating

.

 

[Bleipriester]

Grow a brain before you start conversation with me. It won´t be meaningful to explain to you what everybody can easily understand.

He's back, polishing his 2 inch microsoft pecker trying to look big. This isn't about what you like. This isn't about you.

So just one thing: It´s very easy to install Linux. A bloody noob can do it and there is nothing professional about it. Just like it is not professional to use it as it is noob friendly and fool proof. Just the right OS for you, I guess. Maybe you feel one or more levels higher by using Linux than Windows users but the truth is that you are just a sucker who boats of something everybody can have even for free. So have fun with Noobuntu and feel superior but you should know that you sound quite laughable.

Yeah, slick. I boat about something people can have for free. You've taken this personally, I don't care what others choose. The fact is that many, including businesses, professionals and governments are leaving the windows world for alternatives. These days there are alternatives and that's what the thread is about. If it rubs you the wrong way, so be it.

No, I have not taken this personally. How could I take the nonsense of a low level discussion flamer take serious?
For you, it isn´t about alternatives to Windows, but you want simply flame around.

 

[Bleipriester]

Bloatware is a real problem for new computers. First thing to do is to download an iso directly from Microsoft and re-install the computer using that image. For Win7, it is easy. On Windows 8 PCs the Key is deposited in the Bios and can be gathered with Aida for example. You also need the Key to download the iso. Not my problem as my Windows 8 images don´t require a Key.
Booting Windows 8 is quite quick. I also disable User Account Control and all that stuff. System runs fast and stable. I don´t have any reason to switch to Linux because I would have to use two systems for all the tasks I would have been able to do with one before.

Not to mention previously trusted "download sites" (such as CNET) today are nothing more than malware central. Download Adobe Reader from these guys - and your browser now acts like a crazy uncle...with a mind of it's own.
Not to sound like a broken record, but again why I like Linux. The built in software managers and source management is fantastic. Something Microsoft can't or will ever do. Not in their best interest.
Imagine your Windows computer with a "download center" where only trusted and verifiable applications with ZERO malware can appear. That would be awesome. Something Linux has done for years.

Download portals tend to force their stupid installers upon the users. Luckily, I neither use adobe reader nor cnet.
Something like a download center is not the task of the provider of an OS but can only be realized in cooperation with various software developers. And since Windows 8, there is something like that: The App Store. I don´t use such apps. Such a download center is useful as long it is not the only source of applications.
SourceForge is a nice portal for example.

I don't think the software manager in Linux forces anything, it is simply a place where 1000's of apps (all rated by users) is there for you to try, you like it - cool - you don't - try something else. But at least there is no worry of embedded bullsh**t.
It used to exist for windows, I use to love Tucows. Back in the 90's when I was in IT we used it all the time. It still exist today, but honestly I do not know if it is as good as it used to be. I never-ever got any nasty surprises from Tucows in the past. And back then there was some truly great freeware on the Windows side. To this day I still use WSFTP (95) - yep. Since it is a self contained executable it still works 19 years later. I use to looove Eudora email from Qualcomm. To this day, there is no email client that is as good as it was. God I miss it. For no other reason than the ability to delete attachments globally without deleting the message...frickin asinine you can't do this anymore. And the ability to search within a search - unbelievable you can;t do this anymore. Ugh.
Not sure how old you are, did you know there was some truly powerful email server software, firewall systems...network setup utils etc. that were all free back then. All ran on windows.
I have no problem paying for software if it works well. I do however, have a problem paying through the nose for software that forces you to "upgrade" when you have zero reason to upgrade.

I didn´t say that it forces anything but I don´t like a single source of applications that is even controlled and babysat. So it is fine, if there are free alternatives. Otherwise its like an iPhone whose only source of data is Apple.

 

[Bleipriester]

Despite having access to the best support for the Microsoft systems we ran I got tired of the freezing, lost data, malware and viruses, lagging, compatibility issues and on and on. The amount of money spent on tech support, anti-virus programs, utility software to improve performance, just wasn't justified. Microsoft is perhaps the only company in the world that remained successful by selling a defective product and then trying to fix the bugs by sending out "service packs" at a later date. Any other company operating in a similar manner would have been put out of business long ago - Microsoft was successful because: 1. it locked hardware producers into agreements where Microsoft was the hardware's OS, 2. Microsoft had no competition given that Apple would not sell their OS independent of their computers.

Times have changed and options in operating systems are now available. Microsoft on the other hand is still putting out the same crap. Versions 7 & 8 have both been terrible and recognizing this Microsoft will not release a version 9 - instead they have said that their new system will be called 10 so that people will know that this next version is breaking with the piss poor performance of past versions - too friggin funny.

I will admit that I liked 95, but that it started to go downhill from there. At this point I wouldn't go back to Microsoft even if they gave it away for free.........which they are now in fact contemplating

.

That´s nonsense. Windows 7 is very popular and updates are necessary due to the free nature of Windows. You are talking about malware, but if Linux would have over 90 % of the market share, Linux would also be the main target of malware. As Linux scrapes a shadow existence, malware makes ignore it largely.

 

[Decus]

Despite having access to the best support for the Microsoft systems we ran I got tired of the freezing, lost data, malware and viruses, lagging, compatibility issues and on and on. The amount of money spent on tech support, anti-virus programs, utility software to improve performance, just wasn't justified. Microsoft is perhaps the only company in the world that remained successful by selling a defective product and then trying to fix the bugs by sending out "service packs" at a later date. Any other company operating in a similar manner would have been put out of business long ago - Microsoft was successful because: 1. it locked hardware producers into agreements where Microsoft was the hardware's OS, 2. Microsoft had no competition given that Apple would not sell their OS independent of their computers.

Times have changed and options in operating systems are now available. Microsoft on the other hand is still putting out the same crap. Versions 7 & 8 have both been terrible and recognizing this Microsoft will not release a version 9 - instead they have said that their new system will be called 10 so that people will know that this next version is breaking with the piss poor performance of past versions - too friggin funny.

I will admit that I liked 95, but that it started to go downhill from there. At this point I wouldn't go back to Microsoft even if they gave it away for free.........which they are now in fact contemplating

.

That´s nonsense. Windows 7 is very popular and updates are necessary due to the free nature of Windows. You are talking about malware, but if Linux would have over 90 % of the market share, Linux would also be the main target of malware. As Linux scrapes a shadow existence, malware makes ignore it largely.

I really hope that you work for Microsoft and are understandably trying to defend your livelihood. That Windows 8 is significantly worse than 7 is a small victory.

Microsoft = ship it then fix it. And you love it. Too funny.

.

 

[Iceweasel]

No, I have not taken this personally. How could I take the nonsense of a low level discussion flamer take serious?
For you, it isn´t about alternatives to Windows, but you want simply flame around.

No, I want to call someone a jerk when they tell me what's better for me. What works and what's inferior when my experience differs. You've added nothing besides Linux sucks in a thread about Linux to people who know better and you think I'm the one flaming?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

That´s nonsense. Windows 7 is very popular and updates are necessary due to the free nature of Windows. You are talking about malware, but if Linux would have over 90 % of the market share, Linux would also be the main target of malware. As Linux scrapes a shadow existence, malware makes ignore it largely.

Windows 7 is just fine. But staying with the loooong MS tradition...every other release is good, separated by true garbage for a host of unfortunate people.
Win7 - good. Solid, much more secure than XP.
Win 8 - garbage. What a clusterf*ck
Win 10 (where's 9?) - early reviews look good. Basically it is Win 7 with a small handful of what was good in Win 8 mixed in...but fixed...like mercifully killing the "modern UI" where applications takeover the screen. What a dumbass idea that was.

 

[Ringel05]

Are you seriously making a "joke" out of the looming slaughter of thousands of people, Old School? This isn't funny stuff! This is horrendous stuff that Barack Obama is letting happen because he won't get off his skinny ass and wage war.

Oh? No other leaders are "letting" it happen?

The Kurds are there fighting against tanks and artillery with small arms. Barack Obama once again allowed ISIS to move those weapons across open desert to attack yet another city after declaring that ISIS would be attacked with US air power. It's obvious at this point that an Obama promise has about as much staying power as a weak fart in a strong wind!

The US-led anti-terror coalition is about to beat ISIS with three years of pinpricks. The Syrian army will have to do the whole job.

Hmmm we can supply Isis with an I phone for each member, within a month they will all be walking around like zombies..... then someone can walk up and hit them with a club while they are busy texting.

Or Maybe Obama should send in the A10 Warthog tank killing aircraft

Reading through this thread - damn - lot of touchy folks here.
Here is my 2 cents....which will inspire flame posts for sure.
You cannot fairly compare Windows to Linux concerning an average user.
Every Windows PC comes pre-installed, on hardware that is specifically designed to run on it.
If every Linux PC came pre-installed, such as those on ZaReason, then it would be a fair comparison.
I have installed Mint and Ubuntu for numerous folks...they love it. In all honesty, absolutely no one has ever called me wanting to go back to Windows. However, I have received calls from them when they need a new computer and want to know which one will work with Linux best.
When people use Linux where someone else installed everything for them, like every Windows PC, they like it. A lot.
The vast majority of people have never even heard of Linux, just like 10 years ago they never tried anything other than I.E....but in a few more years Internet Explorer will be below 50% marketshare - which is HUGE considering it comes pre-installed on 91% of all computers!
The thread is about replacements for Windows. IMO, because of compatibility and availability of vast software downloads built-in - LinuxMint is the best. It is so fast and easy to use. And best of all, no spyware and no antivirus behemoth to buy or constantly be annoyed by that doesn't really work anyway.
It is blazing fast, faaarrr easier than Windows 8 - and just works.

For those folks it doesn´t really make a difference if they click the Iceweasel or the Firefox desktop shortcut.
For pre-installed Linux-PCs, there must be a market. Linux gets little support from the paid software developers due to the open-source nature of this environment.

When people try Linux - everyone of them ask the same question - "why isn't everyone using this?"
I always say for the same reason we are still using internal combustion engines in our cars. We should have long - looonnng ago built a better power train than a gasoline engine. But there are too many industries that depend on that motor - so nothing changes.
Same with the PC market.
If/when Windows is ever beat, I think it will be something like Chromebook. I bought my wife one, it is infinitely better than a surface for people like my wife who only use a computer to look up recipes, youtube, face book and browse the internet. They are sooooo much faster than Windows...and should be since all it is is a browser.

Windows is not a retarded system. Just like combustion engines, it is highly developed and still lacks of serious alternatives. Electric cars for example. Back then in 1900, electric cars were the big majority. Now, electric cars have neither the range nor the power of a normal car.
Linux, whereas, is a freeware based system whose users only use freeware. Once one figured out the differences between a freeware office and Microsoft Office, that one knows why people pay so much for it.
Few Linux programs are paid. Of course. Its just like to offer your paid program for 50 bucks at the pirate bay. Although it is not the same, the result is.
I don´t believe that the world domination of Windows will be broken. And it is good that we have a single OS with that one can do all the things available. Linux users are often also Linux prophets who ignore the limitations the OS is shipped with due to a lack of support of 3rd party developers. And there is not a single serious Linux user who has not a Windows version in his dual boot system for exactly that reason.

However, when I seriously tried Ubuntu, it was a mess with lots of malfunctions and errors. You can read it here, but would have to translate it. It became a funny discussion however:
Habe aus Neugier Ubuntu 10.10 installiert...

Well most of us don't speak German, mine's too rusty to follow the conversation with any competency.
Correct me if I'm wrong, we had a discussion a while back about your Ubuntu experience. Didn't you say you loaded it on an older machine that was running XP?

 

[Bleipriester]

Despite having access to the best support for the Microsoft systems we ran I got tired of the freezing, lost data, malware and viruses, lagging, compatibility issues and on and on. The amount of money spent on tech support, anti-virus programs, utility software to improve performance, just wasn't justified. Microsoft is perhaps the only company in the world that remained successful by selling a defective product and then trying to fix the bugs by sending out "service packs" at a later date. Any other company operating in a similar manner would have been put out of business long ago - Microsoft was successful because: 1. it locked hardware producers into agreements where Microsoft was the hardware's OS, 2. Microsoft had no competition given that Apple would not sell their OS independent of their computers.

Times have changed and options in operating systems are now available. Microsoft on the other hand is still putting out the same crap. Versions 7 & 8 have both been terrible and recognizing this Microsoft will not release a version 9 - instead they have said that their new system will be called 10 so that people will know that this next version is breaking with the piss poor performance of past versions - too friggin funny.

I will admit that I liked 95, but that it started to go downhill from there. At this point I wouldn't go back to Microsoft even if they gave it away for free.........which they are now in fact contemplating

.

That´s nonsense. Windows 7 is very popular and updates are necessary due to the free nature of Windows. You are talking about malware, but if Linux would have over 90 % of the market share, Linux would also be the main target of malware. As Linux scrapes a shadow existence, malware makes ignore it largely.

I really hope that you work for Microsoft and are understandably trying to defend your livelihood. That Windows 8 is significantly worse than 7 is a small victory.

Microsoft = ship it then fix it. And you love it. Too funny.

.

More nonsense. Windows 7 and 8 are good systems. Windows 8 has its usability issues but I offered a bunch of tools to fix that and make it a nice OS.

 

[Bleipriester]

No, I have not taken this personally. How could I take the nonsense of a low level discussion flamer take serious?
For you, it isn´t about alternatives to Windows, but you want simply flame around.

No, I want to call someone a jerk when they tell me what's better for me. What works and what's inferior when my experience differs. You've added nothing besides Linux sucks in a thread about Linux to people who know better and you think I'm the one flaming?

Where did I say that Linux sucks? It just sucks when it fathers fanatics who flame around.

 

[Bleipriester]

That´s nonsense. Windows 7 is very popular and updates are necessary due to the free nature of Windows. You are talking about malware, but if Linux would have over 90 % of the market share, Linux would also be the main target of malware. As Linux scrapes a shadow existence, malware makes ignore it largely.

Windows 7 is just fine. But staying with the loooong MS tradition...every other release is good, separated by true garbage for a host of unfortunate people.
Win7 - good. Solid, much more secure than XP.
Win 8 - garbage. What a clusterf*ck
Win 10 (where's 9?) - early reviews look good. Basically it is Win 7 with a small handful of what was good in Win 8 mixed in...but fixed...like mercifully killing the "modern UI" where applications takeover the screen. What a dumbass idea that was.

The Win8 start screen was very annoying. MS learned that and offers a start menu once again. But they still forcer their ugly Win8 theme onto Win10 users. That´s not good. That doesn´t change that Windows 8 is a reliably good OS.

 

[Bleipriester]

Oh? No other leaders are "letting" it happen?

The Kurds are there fighting against tanks and artillery with small arms. Barack Obama once again allowed ISIS to move those weapons across open desert to attack yet another city after declaring that ISIS would be attacked with US air power. It's obvious at this point that an Obama promise has about as much staying power as a weak fart in a strong wind!

The US-led anti-terror coalition is about to beat ISIS with three years of pinpricks. The Syrian army will have to do the whole job.

Hmmm we can supply Isis with an I phone for each member, within a month they will all be walking around like zombies..... then someone can walk up and hit them with a club while they are busy texting.

Or Maybe Obama should send in the A10 Warthog tank killing aircraft

Reading through this thread - damn - lot of touchy folks here.
Here is my 2 cents....which will inspire flame posts for sure.
You cannot fairly compare Windows to Linux concerning an average user.
Every Windows PC comes pre-installed, on hardware that is specifically designed to run on it.
If every Linux PC came pre-installed, such as those on ZaReason, then it would be a fair comparison.
I have installed Mint and Ubuntu for numerous folks...they love it. In all honesty, absolutely no one has ever called me wanting to go back to Windows. However, I have received calls from them when they need a new computer and want to know which one will work with Linux best.
When people use Linux where someone else installed everything for them, like every Windows PC, they like it. A lot.
The vast majority of people have never even heard of Linux, just like 10 years ago they never tried anything other than I.E....but in a few more years Internet Explorer will be below 50% marketshare - which is HUGE considering it comes pre-installed on 91% of all computers!
The thread is about replacements for Windows. IMO, because of compatibility and availability of vast software downloads built-in - LinuxMint is the best. It is so fast and easy to use. And best of all, no spyware and no antivirus behemoth to buy or constantly be annoyed by that doesn't really work anyway.
It is blazing fast, faaarrr easier than Windows 8 - and just works.

For those folks it doesn´t really make a difference if they click the Iceweasel or the Firefox desktop shortcut.
For pre-installed Linux-PCs, there must be a market. Linux gets little support from the paid software developers due to the open-source nature of this environment.

When people try Linux - everyone of them ask the same question - "why isn't everyone using this?"
I always say for the same reason we are still using internal combustion engines in our cars. We should have long - looonnng ago built a better power train than a gasoline engine. But there are too many industries that depend on that motor - so nothing changes.
Same with the PC market.
If/when Windows is ever beat, I think it will be something like Chromebook. I bought my wife one, it is infinitely better than a surface for people like my wife who only use a computer to look up recipes, youtube, face book and browse the internet. They are sooooo much faster than Windows...and should be since all it is is a browser.

Windows is not a retarded system. Just like combustion engines, it is highly developed and still lacks of serious alternatives. Electric cars for example. Back then in 1900, electric cars were the big majority. Now, electric cars have neither the range nor the power of a normal car.
Linux, whereas, is a freeware based system whose users only use freeware. Once one figured out the differences between a freeware office and Microsoft Office, that one knows why people pay so much for it.
Few Linux programs are paid. Of course. Its just like to offer your paid program for 50 bucks at the pirate bay. Although it is not the same, the result is.
I don´t believe that the world domination of Windows will be broken. And it is good that we have a single OS with that one can do all the things available. Linux users are often also Linux prophets who ignore the limitations the OS is shipped with due to a lack of support of 3rd party developers. And there is not a single serious Linux user who has not a Windows version in his dual boot system for exactly that reason.

However, when I seriously tried Ubuntu, it was a mess with lots of malfunctions and errors. You can read it here, but would have to translate it. It became a funny discussion however:
Habe aus Neugier Ubuntu 10.10 installiert...

Well most of us don't speak German, mine's too rusty to follow the conversation with any competency.
Correct me if I'm wrong, we had a discussion a while back about your Ubuntu experience. Didn't you say you loaded it on an older machine that was running XP?

It was an Asus M2R32-MVP with an AMD Athlon 6000+ X2 and a HD 4870 and 2 GB of DDR 2 800 RAM.

 

[Ringel05]

The Kurds are there fighting against tanks and artillery with small arms. Barack Obama once again allowed ISIS to move those weapons across open desert to attack yet another city after declaring that ISIS would be attacked with US air power. It's obvious at this point that an Obama promise has about as much staying power as a weak fart in a strong wind!

The US-led anti-terror coalition is about to beat ISIS with three years of pinpricks. The Syrian army will have to do the whole job.

Hmmm we can supply Isis with an I phone for each member, within a month they will all be walking around like zombies..... then someone can walk up and hit them with a club while they are busy texting.

Or Maybe Obama should send in the A10 Warthog tank killing aircraft

Reading through this thread - damn - lot of touchy folks here.
Here is my 2 cents....which will inspire flame posts for sure.
You cannot fairly compare Windows to Linux concerning an average user.
Every Windows PC comes pre-installed, on hardware that is specifically designed to run on it.
If every Linux PC came pre-installed, such as those on ZaReason, then it would be a fair comparison.
I have installed Mint and Ubuntu for numerous folks...they love it. In all honesty, absolutely no one has ever called me wanting to go back to Windows. However, I have received calls from them when they need a new computer and want to know which one will work with Linux best.
When people use Linux where someone else installed everything for them, like every Windows PC, they like it. A lot.
The vast majority of people have never even heard of Linux, just like 10 years ago they never tried anything other than I.E....but in a few more years Internet Explorer will be below 50% marketshare - which is HUGE considering it comes pre-installed on 91% of all computers!
The thread is about replacements for Windows. IMO, because of compatibility and availability of vast software downloads built-in - LinuxMint is the best. It is so fast and easy to use. And best of all, no spyware and no antivirus behemoth to buy or constantly be annoyed by that doesn't really work anyway.
It is blazing fast, faaarrr easier than Windows 8 - and just works.

For those folks it doesn´t really make a difference if they click the Iceweasel or the Firefox desktop shortcut.
For pre-installed Linux-PCs, there must be a market. Linux gets little support from the paid software developers due to the open-source nature of this environment.

When people try Linux - everyone of them ask the same question - "why isn't everyone using this?"
I always say for the same reason we are still using internal combustion engines in our cars. We should have long - looonnng ago built a better power train than a gasoline engine. But there are too many industries that depend on that motor - so nothing changes.
Same with the PC market.
If/when Windows is ever beat, I think it will be something like Chromebook. I bought my wife one, it is infinitely better than a surface for people like my wife who only use a computer to look up recipes, youtube, face book and browse the internet. They are sooooo much faster than Windows...and should be since all it is is a browser.

Windows is not a retarded system. Just like combustion engines, it is highly developed and still lacks of serious alternatives. Electric cars for example. Back then in 1900, electric cars were the big majority. Now, electric cars have neither the range nor the power of a normal car.
Linux, whereas, is a freeware based system whose users only use freeware. Once one figured out the differences between a freeware office and Microsoft Office, that one knows why people pay so much for it.
Few Linux programs are paid. Of course. Its just like to offer your paid program for 50 bucks at the pirate bay. Although it is not the same, the result is.
I don´t believe that the world domination of Windows will be broken. And it is good that we have a single OS with that one can do all the things available. Linux users are often also Linux prophets who ignore the limitations the OS is shipped with due to a lack of support of 3rd party developers. And there is not a single serious Linux user who has not a Windows version in his dual boot system for exactly that reason.

However, when I seriously tried Ubuntu, it was a mess with lots of malfunctions and errors. You can read it here, but would have to translate it. It became a funny discussion however:
Habe aus Neugier Ubuntu 10.10 installiert...

Well most of us don't speak German, mine's too rusty to follow the conversation with any competency.
Correct me if I'm wrong, we had a discussion a while back about your Ubuntu experience. Didn't you say you loaded it on an older machine that was running XP?

It was an Asus M2R32-MVP with an AMD Athlon 6000+ X2 and a HD 4870 and 2 GB of DDR 2 800 RAM.

Okay, couple of more questions, what version of Ubuntu did you try, was it one of the stable versions or was it still in beta? Will that setup run Vista, 7 or 8 with no problems?
See where I'm going? I'm questioning your testing parameters and source sample to determine if it was a fair test/comparison.

 

[Bleipriester]

The US-led anti-terror coalition is about to beat ISIS with three years of pinpricks. The Syrian army will have to do the whole job.

Hmmm we can supply Isis with an I phone for each member, within a month they will all be walking around like zombies..... then someone can walk up and hit them with a club while they are busy texting.

Or Maybe Obama should send in the A10 Warthog tank killing aircraft

For those folks it doesn´t really make a difference if they click the Iceweasel or the Firefox desktop shortcut.
For pre-installed Linux-PCs, there must be a market. Linux gets little support from the paid software developers due to the open-source nature of this environment.

When people try Linux - everyone of them ask the same question - "why isn't everyone using this?"
I always say for the same reason we are still using internal combustion engines in our cars. We should have long - looonnng ago built a better power train than a gasoline engine. But there are too many industries that depend on that motor - so nothing changes.
Same with the PC market.
If/when Windows is ever beat, I think it will be something like Chromebook. I bought my wife one, it is infinitely better than a surface for people like my wife who only use a computer to look up recipes, youtube, face book and browse the internet. They are sooooo much faster than Windows...and should be since all it is is a browser.

Windows is not a retarded system. Just like combustion engines, it is highly developed and still lacks of serious alternatives. Electric cars for example. Back then in 1900, electric cars were the big majority. Now, electric cars have neither the range nor the power of a normal car.
Linux, whereas, is a freeware based system whose users only use freeware. Once one figured out the differences between a freeware office and Microsoft Office, that one knows why people pay so much for it.
Few Linux programs are paid. Of course. Its just like to offer your paid program for 50 bucks at the pirate bay. Although it is not the same, the result is.
I don´t believe that the world domination of Windows will be broken. And it is good that we have a single OS with that one can do all the things available. Linux users are often also Linux prophets who ignore the limitations the OS is shipped with due to a lack of support of 3rd party developers. And there is not a single serious Linux user who has not a Windows version in his dual boot system for exactly that reason.

However, when I seriously tried Ubuntu, it was a mess with lots of malfunctions and errors. You can read it here, but would have to translate it. It became a funny discussion however:
Habe aus Neugier Ubuntu 10.10 installiert...

Well most of us don't speak German, mine's too rusty to follow the conversation with any competency.
Correct me if I'm wrong, we had a discussion a while back about your Ubuntu experience. Didn't you say you loaded it on an older machine that was running XP?

It was an Asus M2R32-MVP with an AMD Athlon 6000+ X2 and a HD 4870 and 2 GB of DDR 2 800 RAM.

Okay, couple of more questions, what version of Ubuntu did you try, was it one of the stable versions or was it still in beta? Will that setup run Vista, 7 or 8 with no problems?
See where I'm going? I'm questioning your testing parameters and source sample to determine if it was a fair test/comparison.

The MB was especially designed for Windows XP and requires a Bios udpate to run Vista (and above) properly though it is a 2006 Board. I tried Ubuntu 10.10 and only after several failures after the installation it booted but gave me no sound. After the installation was completed, the syetem did not boot but displayed only error messages. After pressing reset, it still didn´t boot. Reset didn´t help anymore and only after turning the system off and on again it booted.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The Win8 start screen was very annoying. MS learned that and offers a start menu once again. But they still forcer their ugly Win8 theme onto Win10 users. That´s not good. That doesn´t change that Windows 8 is a reliably good OS.

Here is where you run into trouble. And why you are accused of being a Windows fanboy.
Windows 8 is a terrible OS for the simple fact it is incredibly annoying to use. Usability should rank really high on what makes a good OS - should it not???
No one cares if under the hood the mechanics are good. If the car is ugly and hard to drive - IT IS A LOUSY AUTOMOBILE!!!
When my son got his new laptop when he started college - it was Windows 8. It was basically unusable, because he needed to g from word to excel to a browser to the media player to see videos to an image viewer back to the campus board back to Word....THIS IS HOW PEOPLE USE A COMPUTER. And Windows 8 made going from program to program a freaking nightmare. How in the hell is that " a good OS"??
That is laughable.
And as far as your opinion on Linux?? Also laughable.
Installing Linux is about as hard as making toast. And you make it sound like it is akin to climbing mount Everest. You point out dozens of things that are - oh so terrible - that really aren't - and gloss over Windows 8's glaring-in your face- problems.
And what does that make you? It starts with an H.