Operating systems

Thread Starter

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
I guess we're just a bunch of jaded pessimists. BTW this is my first post using my new Linux machine from Dell running Ubuntu 9.04. So far it appears to be an incredible value for $800.00 with a 24" Flat Panel Monitor. It has an Intel Quad Core and is runnning faster than a scalded duck.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
I guess we're just a bunch of jaded pessimists. BTW this is my first post using my new Linux machine from Dell running Ubuntu 9.04. So far it appears to be an incredible value for $800.00 with a 24" Flat Panel Monitor. It has an Intel Quad Core and is runnning faster than a scalded duck.
How you liking Unbuntu from WIN? I was thinking about going linux for a while but I worry about software compatibility and peripherals working.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
Pardon me for moving things, but nothing had much to do with the original thread, and the O/S topic seemed worthwhile to pursue.

I want Win7 about as badly as a root canal. I have been put off of Linux because of the lower-level-than-DOS commands and why would I ever want to have to explicitly mount my hard drive? In a timeshare setup with 24 CDC tape drives, maybe.

So how does Linux with a GUI work out these days? We all have to do something by 2014.
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
If Windows Vista is any indication of what Windows 7 will be like, I would prefer multiple root canals over Win7. The wife has Vista on her laptop, and I enjoy using it about as much as I'd enjoy chewing on razor blades.

I have WinXP Pro on my system, and it works just fine - but my next OS is probably going to be some flavor of Unix.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
I've used Win 7 on a couple clients machines and from what I've gathered so far its actually not bad. Granted you just don't know till you install it on your home machine but I'm probably gonna give it a whirl. I want to wait a couple more months before I switch though.
 

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
Windows 7, Windows NT - Windows is still Windows.

As with each incarnation some older redundant capabilities have been removed you can no longer backup to tape drive and some new modern ones have been added - you can back up to hard drive and some capabilities that you required third party software for have been added - you can now backup Windows itself.

Also support for optical drives has been strengthened again, perhaps Roxio will eventually be out of this business by version 12.

Bad things are the continued poor recovery options of Vista - you still can't do a repair install any more and the command line cammands have been culled so you can no longer list the services loaded (listsvc has been removed).

The European Union forced Microsoft to remove Outlook Express so you no longer have a viable Email client program included - this is causing much customer aggro. But that to be expected when you get engineering design by beaurocrats.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
To Loosewire - Windows drops support for XP in 2014.

I have a moderately muscular Gateway dual core that fails the Win7 readiness test. That Aeroglass horse pucky does very little to help run apps.

I have heard no opinions and seen fewer about Win7.
 

Nanophotonics

Joined Apr 2, 2009
383
I've used XP for a long time and still use it sometimes, Vista for 2 years and Win7 for a month, and after which I went back to Vista. I honestly think XP is better. But unfortunately, we're already seeing XP products being phased out. Win7 is no better than Vista in my opinion.

I've tried Ubuntu 9.04 for a month and it seemed more stable and faster. A friend of mine has recommended me Mac OS X.
 
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Paulo540

Joined Nov 23, 2009
191
Yeah, MS has their flaws, but I really don't like Linux. And I've been farting around with Unix and Linux for years but never abandoned windows.

XP works 99% of the time and I never have to emulate or, as beenthere points out, unnecessarily go to root to do some rather basic things.

I can't name one thing that I need to do, that XP won't. Not saying there aren't advantages to -ix based systems but I don't run a server.

As far as Vista and its relabled counterpart, I want no involvement. Again, there's nothing I need to do that XP won't.

Considering the world will end in less than 3 years, I think Gates is quite generous to extend XP support two years beyond that.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
M/S mania to change what works may give some other OS's their chance. I rarely buy new hardware nowdays, there isn't a need.
 

Thread Starter

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
I don't know about mounting a hard drive. I just turned on the switch, setup the inital account with a username and password and ended up with a desktop, Open Office, Firefox and a good deal more. I had to work a bit to get the driver for my Canon MF4270 as it was not on the US website, but on the Australia/Aisa Website.

I've already upgraded from Ubuntu 9.04(preinstalled) to Ubuntu 9.10. I'm here to testify that for $800.00 you can have your cake and eat it too. I urge you all to try it before 2014 rolls around.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=ddcwrw1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
 
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Thread Starter

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
WARNING The upgrade to "karmic" (Ubuntu 9.10) killed the sound card. After a couple of hours tying to fix it I gave up and went back to the factory install.
 

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
I can't name one thing that I need to do, that XP won't.
Although I have yet to see any evidence of inability to flush memory in XP, W7 is the first frontline OS to conform to the new international standard and include support for so called 'solid state memory' with the trim command.

IBM microdrives have been superceeded by these and portable pcs are beginning to be issued with them instead of mechanical drives.
 

Paulo540

Joined Nov 23, 2009
191
I bought the first of the Asus EePC versions for work. It only had 4gb but I was able to run XP (thanks to nLite) and Matlab with over 2g left over. If only it had a serial port....
 

retched

Joined Dec 5, 2009
5,207
I went from MSVista to Windows7. I stayed with 7 for 30days. Now I am all UBUNTU. Im having no problems. The GUI is smarter than windows, and uses 80% less memory. If you want to see how fast your computer was meant to be, take an hour and download Ubuntu. It will set up a dual boot on your pc. So, nothing to loose. You don't have to format anything. You will love how they incorporate a software search engine into the OS. If you need something, you click Applications/ Add software. A search engine appears and you are ready to go.

If there are windows programs you cannot live without, (I have yet to find any) you can use WINE (a windows emulator) to run the progs. Or, just dual boot.

It is amazing how much you get out of your machine.

I really like the screen saver option too. It fades slowly to black instead of just blanking out. Touch a key or the mouse and your back to full brightness.
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

I am only using windows on my work.
Some sytems over there also have Red Hat.
There is also a server running CentOS, a Red Hat clone.
At home I use OpenSuse.

Greetings,
Bertus
 
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