QOTD: Have You Replaced Windows with Linux?
Like many here that read Tom's Hardware, we've all been using Windows for a long, long time. Myself, I have been using Windows since version 2.
Windows has gone through incredible changes since the early days. It's now capable of so much more than it could have done a decade ago. Remember Windows 95? That was one of the biggest operating system launches in history. I remember flying into Toronto and seeing a huge, long banner draped from the top of the CN Tower down to the street advertising Windows 95. Those were the days.
Times changes a lot of things, and it definitely changes the computing landscape. These days, there are so many good choices to use--particularly in the Linux space. One of the most popular distros is Ubuntu, and many are using that in a dual boot configuration accompanied by a Windows side-install. Despite some of its shortcomings, Windows has a nearly untouchable advantage with its hardware and application support--yes, this includes games.
There are many users out there however, who feel that they belong on a Linux installation. Whether it's for the sheer aspect of "power-using" a PC with a Linux-OS' comparability or just to try something new, Linux operating systems are definitely gaining ground. Many MIDs and netbooks are shipping with Linux operating systems.
The question of the day is: Have you replaced Windows with a Linux distro?
I mean, completely. Are you one of those who are running on pure Linux? Do you miss your Windows days? What made you switch?
With Windows 7 on the horizon, would you consider switching back?
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Dax corrin I have not used Linux, nor do I plan to. I'm mostly a gamer with some research on the internet as a side hobby. Windows does everything I need and I have no problems with it. I plan on staying with Microsoft products for the forseeable future.Reply -
KyleSTL I've played around with a couple Ubuntu distros, but I've never used them for any significant amount of time. When I rebuild I might consider doing a dual boot with Vista/7.Reply -
kyeana I use both, but i could never give up windows completely. Something about gaming and ease of useReply -
yingwuzhao Yes, I did it about a year ago, and couldn't be happier. I used to have dual boot of win and linux, mainly for gaming under windows. Then I simply stop gaming, and delete the windows partition.Reply
Now I am a happy linux user, I know exactly how the system work, and it work exactly according to what I want. System take much better advantage of the system recourses. Everything I need to do with computer, can be done under linux, and in fact even done better than under windows. Now I simply can't stand the "bloatness" of windows!
Further, linux is generally much more secure, and never need to worry about virus. And it's under active development everyday. You will never stop being surprised by linux!
By the way, I started linux with Ubuntu, than Debian, than finally rest on Arch. -
I switched cold turkey (Or is it turnkey?) four years ago. I've never been as consistently happy with my computer since. By the way, it's the same computer I built in 2003. I have used only Linux since I installed it. I have since used other people's computers loaded with XP or Vista and I have to say, since I've been a Linux user I've developed a very short fuse for Windows. Especially Vista.Reply
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dman3k I switch to Ubuntu for a while and went back to Windows because I'm not going to write drivers to make things work the way I want it! Windows does that for me and all I have to do is change a few settings. Not to mention, many internet plugins (like flash) didn't work back in the day.Reply
Why limit myself? -
beneukel I have switched to a Ubuntu-only environment at home - except on the HTPC because of Netflix. I switched the server to Ubuntu after I was comfortable with Linux administration. I am able to play any game I want to play, I haven't run into any driver issues in a long time, and any issue I've ever had was easily solved by a Google search - just like Windows...Reply
I have been running Windows 7 in a VM. It seemed good enough to use, but was not better than Ubuntu. It would be fine for my wife's computer, though. -
Greatwalrus I have been using solely Linux for at least 2 months now, meaning I do not have Windows installed anymore. Before the 2 months, I had Windows Vista installed alongside Linux and would use Windows for things like word processing or other programs that didn't work with Wine at the time. Now MS Office and other programs I needed work fine with Wine, and since I had some disk problems and had to erase the drive 2 months ago, I decided not to reinstall Windows. That doesn't mean reinstalling it is out of question in the future though. Right now I am loving Linux - Arch Linux to be specific.Reply
I started using Linux just in March of 2008.