what os would you replace windows with?

My guess is if that happens (Windows goes bye bye) it means you have pretty much given up on gaming so at that point any OS will do that can run a compatible office suite.
 
MrCrispy said:
Any modern Linux distro is just as heavy resource wise as Windows, in fact I'd say more.
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Not every Linux distro is a resource hog. It totally depends on which distro a user chooses.

And you will be spending a LOT more time configuring it, finding drivers, installing apps etc just for the pleasure of being able to run the magical 'apt-get'.
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Finding drivers? I don't think you've used Linux in at least a few years. The odds of someone having to install a driver on a *buntu system are slim to none, and even if you do have to install one, the distro tells you which one to use and how to install it. The same thing goes with other distros. I'm using Arch and guess what? I only had to install the wacom driver for my stylus to work...everything else worked out of the box on my 4+ year old laptop.

Spending more time install apps? Hardly! Ubuntu's Software Center allows users to type in the name of the program and install it with one click. In Windows, users must google for the software they want, find the right version, find the correct architecture, and if applicable, pay for it. Even if one is not so fortunate to have a "Software Center," installation of a program is usually a single command away.

It's not like the newer versions of Unity/Gnome/KDE etc have any more features either, in fact they copy Windows pretty consistently and still are not even close in features.
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???
Linux is a great option for those who want to tinker, don't want to pay for an OS (although Windows is now cheap) etc. For the majority of people who buy a pc that comes with a Win license, it simply makes no sense.
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Not all distros require tinkering. If a user installs a LTS version of Ubuntu, then there is very little maintenance that has to be done. Defrag? Nope. Disk check? Nope, automatic. Virus scan? Nope. Adware scan? Nope. The amount of maintenance I have to do for a Linux system (distro dependent) is a joke compared to Windows.

Sure, Linux isn't for everyone and a lot of people will never know what it is or care about what it does, and they will stick to using the OS that came with their PC, be it Mac or Windows.
 
Palmately said:
Not all distros require tinkering. If a user installs a LTS version of Ubuntu, then there is very little maintenance that has to be done. Defrag? Nope. Disk check? Nope, automatic. Virus scan? Nope. Adware scan? Nope. The amount of maintenance I have to do for a Linux system (distro dependent) is a joke compared to Windows.
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Windows does all of this automatically as well. Since 7 Windows does a solid job at maintaining itself. Setting up backups is about all most people would really need to do to maintain 7 or 8.
 
Palmately said:
Sure, Linux isn't for everyone and a lot of people will never know what it is or care about what it does, and they will stick to using the OS that came with their PC, be it Mac or Windows.
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Linux is a very good OS. But, it's different than Windows. It doesn't run the Windows applications that have been 90+% of the market for the past 20 years. You can't just break into that ecosystem and take over. People will use Windows because that's what they use at home and at the office. I use Windows because I like it, but I wouldn't dismiss Linux for any reason. There is nothing wrong with Linux, at all. All the complaints I hear are usually based on 5-10 year old distros. Lately, Linux 'just works'. All drivers, applications and everything are just perfect on the few systems I've tried.

There is little to argue with, though. It comes down to preference and compatibility. Both are secure, stable, low maintenance operating systems that do their job very well. I'm a huge Microsoft and Windows fan, and recommend them all the time. But, for someone that isn't afraid to take the leap - Linux is a very good alternative (personally, I prefer Debian or similar).
 
Ubuntu 13.04 (or any newer version). Just replace Unity with Cinnamon and everything is good.
 
I always think it's funny how so many people say they're switching to Linux when MS does something dumb (see: Vista), but it doesn't cause any significant number of people to switch platforms. ;)

Too bad we don't have a poll so that the results are easier to tally.
 
Why not do what I do ? ! ? answer is drum roll !!!!! Windows, and Debian :) it's called duel booting lol
Windows for games and debian for everything else
 
OS X any day.
I used to be a Ubuntu fan but Unity ruined that for me. I guess Xubuntu might do.
 
pxc said:
I always think it's funny how so many people say they're switching to Linux when MS does something dumb (see: Vista), but it doesn't cause any significant number of people to switch platforms. ;)

Too bad we don't have a poll so that the results are easier to tally.
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I enjoyed Vista more than Windows 8.
Once service pack one was installed on Vista it was excellent for me.
 
heatlesssun said:
Windows does all of this automatically as well. Since 7 Windows does a solid job at maintaining itself. Setting up backups is about all most people would really need to do to maintain 7 or 8.
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Point completely missed. In Linux you don't do any of that automatically, you just don't do it at all. You clearly know as much about Linux as MS does about selling phones. And your kidding yourself thinking the average person will get by just setting up backups. Everyone of my non "tech" relatives/friends now runs a flavor of Ubuntu on various hardware and only half of them know it. The other half could give no shits about what is running as long as they can get on facebook, read their email and play shitty cat videos on youtube. The fact they no longer bug the shit out of me to wipe out viruses, unfuck their self combusting HDD's and various other wonders of the windows world was thanks enough.

To answer the OP, my sig should give it away. My household has one last windows box in the corner that gets turned on once every 6 months or so. I really don't know why I havent replaced Win7 on it other than pure laziness. Meh. The other 6 computers in the house all run OSX or Linux of some flavor (one boy likes Fedora, the other likes openSuse, one of the girls runs Xubuntu and the other runs plain Ubuntu). To be honest no one misses a damn thing the windows world offers anymore. All the gaming gets done on consoles and 90% of their computing is done on a tablet or a phone.

I think you'd find it far easier to switch if you have an open mind contrary to a good many of the "elite" mouthbreathers who troll this place thinking they are power users because they play a couple games. Just keep in mind it's a different world than what your used to, try things till you find something you like than commit to it. The average linux distro is a sub 1gig download, most will give you a live environment to play around in and USB keys are pretty cheap if you'd rather not burn a pile of CD's. They will range from dead easy to install (ubuntu's/mint) to mind numbingly tedious (Arch/Gentoo) with lots of in between. And if it doesn't work out at least you gave it a try for yourself vs. listening to the idiots here spouting FUD from 2004 about how Linux is today.
 
Ghettobox said:
Point completely missed. In Linux you don't do any of that automatically, you just don't do it at all. You clearly know as much about Linux as MS does about selling phones. And your kidding yourself thinking the average person will get by just setting up backups. Everyone of my non "tech" relatives/friends now runs a flavor of Ubuntu on various hardware and only half of them know it. The other half could give no shits about what is running as long as they can get on facebook, read their email and play shitty cat videos on youtube. The fact they no longer bug the shit out of me to wipe out viruses, unfuck their self combusting HDD's and various other wonders of the windows world was thanks enough.

To answer the OP, my sig should give it away. My household has one last windows box in the corner that gets turned on once every 6 months or so. I really don't know why I havent replaced Win7 on it other than pure laziness. Meh. The other 6 computers in the house all run OSX or Linux of some flavor (one boy likes Fedora, the other likes openSuse, one of the girls runs Xubuntu and the other runs plain Ubuntu). To be honest no one misses a damn thing the windows world offers anymore. All the gaming gets done on consoles and 90% of their computing is done on a tablet or a phone.

I think you'd find it far easier to switch if you have an open mind contrary to a good many of the "elite" mouthbreathers who troll this place thinking they are power users because they play a couple games. Just keep in mind it's a different world than what your used to, try things till you find something you like than commit to it. The average linux distro is a sub 1gig download, most will give you a live environment to play around in and USB keys are pretty cheap if you'd rather not burn a pile of CD's. They will range from dead easy to install (ubuntu's/mint) to mind numbingly tedious (Arch/Gentoo) with lots of in between. And if it doesn't work out at least you gave it a try for yourself vs. listening to the idiots here spouting FUD from 2004 about how Linux is today.
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How I love reading statements like this and then reading the bolded/underlined part. I don't care who you are, that shit right there is down right funny.
 
Ghettobox said:
I think you'd find it far easier to switch if you have an open mind contrary to a good many of the "elite" mouthbreathers who troll this place thinking they are power users because they play a couple games. Just keep in mind it's a different world than what your used to, try things till you find something you like than commit to it. The average linux distro is a sub 1gig download, most will give you a live environment to play around in and USB keys are pretty cheap if you'd rather not burn a pile of CD's. They will range from dead easy to install (ubuntu's/mint) to mind numbingly tedious (Arch/Gentoo) with lots of in between. And if it doesn't work out at least you gave it a try for yourself vs. listening to the idiots here spouting FUD from 2004 about how Linux is today.
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A good bit of that applies to Windows 8 :rolleyes: A good many people initially thought Windows 8 was bad, tried it out and found it not so bad. then there are others that confirmed it was bad for them. A UI preference is just that, a UI preference. There is no right or wrong.

However, the OP is a semi-troll with all his fear-mongering Windows 8 threads. Not to mention, there are trolls on both sides.
 
Ghettobox said:
Point completely missed. In Linux you don't do any of that automatically, you just don't do it at all. You clearly know as much about Linux as MS does about selling phones. And your kidding yourself thinking the average person will get by just setting up backups. Everyone of my non "tech" relatives/friends now runs a flavor of Ubuntu on various hardware and only half of them know it. The other half could give no shits about what is running as long as they can get on facebook, read their email and play shitty cat videos on youtube. The fact they no longer bug the shit out of me to wipe out viruses, unfuck their self combusting HDD's and various other wonders of the windows world was thanks enough.

To answer the OP, my sig should give it away. My household has one last windows box in the corner that gets turned on once every 6 months or so. I really don't know why I havent replaced Win7 on it other than pure laziness. Meh. The other 6 computers in the house all run OSX or Linux of some flavor (one boy likes Fedora, the other likes openSuse, one of the girls runs Xubuntu and the other runs plain Ubuntu). To be honest no one misses a damn thing the windows world offers anymore. All the gaming gets done on consoles and 90% of their computing is done on a tablet or a phone.

I think you'd find it far easier to switch if you have an open mind contrary to a good many of the "elite" mouthbreathers who troll this place thinking they are power users because they play a couple games. Just keep in mind it's a different world than what your used to, try things till you find something you like than commit to it. The average linux distro is a sub 1gig download, most will give you a live environment to play around in and USB keys are pretty cheap if you'd rather not burn a pile of CD's. They will range from dead easy to install (ubuntu's/mint) to mind numbingly tedious (Arch/Gentoo) with lots of in between. And if it doesn't work out at least you gave it a try for yourself vs. listening to the idiots here spouting FUD from 2004 about how Linux is today.
Click to expand...

So Linux is totally impervious to malware and mechanical hard drives don't need to be defraged under Linux? Linux is a perfectly fine OS, we use it a lot on servers at work. As a desktop OS it's simply lacking in 3rd party support.
 
Tsumi said:
A good bit of that applies to Windows 8 :rolleyes: A good many people initially thought Windows 8 was bad, tried it out and found it not so bad. then there are others that confirmed it was bad for them. A UI preference is just that, a UI preference. There is no right or wrong.

However, the OP is a semi-troll with all his fear-mongering Windows 8 threads. Not to mention, there are trolls on both sides.
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I always find it interesting how some people will say "You don't know anything about Linux!" and then have all of this stuff to say about Windows 8 and probably never used it, almost certainly never on a tablet device, or ran it in a VM for a couple days but are somehow Windows 8 experts.
 
heatlesssun said:
So Linux is totally impervious to malware and mechanical hard drives don't need to be defraged under Linux? Linux is a perfectly fine OS, we use it a lot on servers at work. As a desktop OS it's simply lacking in 3rd party support.
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No HDD's do not need to be defragged. Why would you think they need to be? And no it's not totally impervious to malware, but on a desktop you'd actually have to intentionally install it at the least. Linux uses these things called repositories, you pull your packages from them not all over the place and then if you remember where you got it go back and hope for an update like windows. You don't patch your OS then run around looking for fixes for your browser or your FTP client, or your IDE. One command like pacman -Syu or sudo apt-get update and your entire software collection is updated at once from clean sources with Keys. Could you somehow get people to add a honeypot for a repo? I suppose it's possible. I've yet to meet anyone that dumb, or even heard of it being done but I'll admit it's possible however unlikely. I mean it really comes down to can you show me something in the wild that would affect a desktop install?

This doesn't even touch on the other levels of security in a typical linux distro, like fine grained firewall protection, apparmor, rootless systems, encrypted drives/folders, strong file permissions and hopefully a strong password using upper and lowercase letters numbers and symbols. Linux servers get owned, no doubt. Then again it's usually there job to let people in etc. Cracking a basic desktop install of say Ubuntu while not impossible is hardly what I would call easy and certainly above the paygrade of the average script kiddie.
 
Ghettobox said:
No HDD's do not need to be defragged. Why would you think they need to be?
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Because mechanical hard drives are random access based and that has nothing to do with the OS.

Ghettobox said:
And no it's not totally impervious to malware, but on a desktop you'd actually have to intentionally install it at the least. Linux uses these things called repositories, you pull your packages from them not all over the place and then if you remember where you got it go back and hope for an update like windows. You don't patch your OS then run around looking for fixes for your browser or your FTP client, or your IDE. One command like pacman -Syu or sudo apt-get update and your entire software collection is updated at once from clean sources with Keys. Could you somehow get people to add a honeypot for a repo? I suppose it's possible. I've yet to meet anyone that dumb, or even heard of it being done but I'll admit it's possible however unlikely. I mean it really comes down to can you show me something in the wild that would affect a desktop install?
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What does malware have to do with repositories? Couldn't some just install a Linux program from anywhere? Couldn't someone take advantage of a application vulnerability even from an app in a repository and exploit it?

Ghettobox said:
This doesn't even touch on the other levels of security in a typical linux distro, like fine grained firewall protection, apparmor, rootless systems, encrypted drives/folders, strong file permissions and hopefully a strong password using upper and lowercase letters numbers and symbols.
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Are you serious? You think for instance that Windows doesn't have support for encrypted drives or files?
 
I'd switch to Linux Mint and OS X. I've been using OS X since mid-2007 and find that it has all the capability I need outside of gaming, which is making quite good headway as of recent. And, honestly, I'd end up using Linux for data storage more likely than anything. Really, if Microsoft continues their march to the cliff I'll not care at this point. I'll run Windows 7 until it becomes unviable and just transition to OS X. I'll miss building my computers but I most assuredly won't miss Microsoft.
 
blitzkommando said:
I'd switch to Linux Mint and OS X. I've been using OS X since mid-2007 and find that it has all the capability I need outside of gaming, which is making quite good headway as of recent. And, honestly, I'd end up using Linux for data storage more likely than anything. Really, if Microsoft continues their march to the cliff I'll not care at this point. I'll run Windows 7 until it becomes unviable and just transition to OS X. I'll miss building my computers but I most assuredly won't miss Microsoft.
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I would switch to Linux before buying overpriced Apple products...

Linux arguably has a lot more support than Apple. Especially in gaming.
 
I'd replace it with Linux. The GUI is getting better, the games are starting to come, Steam is partially supported now, and for scripting it's much better. The Bash shell is 50x better than the DOS shell on windows. Also for general web browsing they're no different anyways.
 
heatlesssun said:
Because mechanical hard drives are random access based and that has nothing to do with the OS.
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Nothing to do with the File system and how it writes/accesses your disk. Gotcha.



What does malware have to do with repositories? Couldn't some just install a Linux program from anywhere? Couldn't someone take advantage of a application vulnerability even from an app in a repository and exploit it?



Are you serious? You think for instance that Windows doesn't have support for encrypted drives or files?
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Real security is a multilayered approach. Removing the ability to put dirty software on your computer is one step. Why is this so hard to understand or even a point of contention?

Fact is most exploits for a system are rarely targeted at the base and more on the third party garbage that gets put on like say Flash, or Java. You have lots of theoreticals (which I have acknowledged are possible) that your gloming on to with little in the way of substance. I've already agreed some of your theories are possible, however unlikely. Why you find the need to keep bringing them up is beyond me.

Since your so inclined to somehow show some weakness of the Linux model for security I'd love you to point me to a real life example of a desktop install getting owned. Enough theories and what ifs. Show me something, anything.

One can make many compelling arguments for Windows over Linux. Sadly you are beating the drum in the one area really where there is no comparison that will end favorably for you. There isn't a debate really and I'm not sure why your going down this road. Linux is and has been more secure by default in a demonstrable way and it's really not close. I'm sorry you find that ten+ year old news so distasteful.
 
Ghettobox said:
One can make many compelling arguments for Windows over Linux. Sadly you are beating the drum in the one area really where there is no comparison that will end favorably for you. There isn't a debate really and I'm not sure why your going down this road. Linux is and has been more secure by default in a demonstrable way and it's really not close. I'm sorry you find that ten+ year old news so distasteful.
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All I was trying to point out was that Windows doesn't need much in the way of end user maintenance, not since Windows 7. Does Linux need even less end user maintenance, ok sure. Linux doesn't generally need hard drive defragging (though on SSDs systems the point is moot) and yes Linux doesn't have the malware issues of Windows, but that has a probably has a lot to do with market share rather inherent technical security superiority over Windows.

You mention people judging Linux from 2004. The same can also be said of people judging Windows.
 
Tsumi said:
I would switch to Linux before buying overpriced Apple products...

Linux arguably has a lot more support than Apple. Especially in gaming.
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Apple has way more gaming titles available even on Steam compared to linux.
 
This thread is such a farce. It presumes that OSes are fungible and that changing an OS is of no more consequence than changing the brand of milk you buy.

Folks, it ain't so.

Changing your OS is like moving to a new country. Sure, the new place may have major and minor appliances that do approximately the same things as they did back home (although the locals drive on the wrong side of the street) but actually using those appliances will be a far cry from what you are used to doing. Also, there are lots and lots and lots of customs that are very different. Even if the locals speak the same language (sort of, kind of) you will often find yourself bewildered in the most routine of situations. God help you if the locals speak a "foreign" language. Or if you have to do anything out of the ordinary.

The same holds true of a different OS. You're angry with Windows 8? You think having to call up the charms bar to put your machine to sleep somehow makes you less productive? Well then sure, why not? Take a walk on the wild side. Load up a Linux distro. Buy a new Mac. Kiss your library of Windows applications and games and years of desktop habits good bye. Hey, it's all the same, right?
 
If the day came where there was full support for windows programs in Linux, I would never look back to Microsoft again. I would probably start with Ubuntu until I got the itch to try something different. Then I would just go through some other distros until I found something I loved.
 
Sorry for the dumb question, but is it possible to now run OS X on an IBM-style PC?

I mean, I've read about it being done, but is it feasable enough to realisically do?
 
DOS
because I love optimizing the startup sequence of drivers and TSRs in the lower memory address space.

Have to squeeze the last kilobyte!
 
What would I replace Windows with? I don't think I would. I'm not a Windows-only guy, so I'm not necessarily chained to the idea that I'd have to replace it with something else if it suddenly vanished.

SuperCell said:
Sorry for the dumb question, but is it possible to now run OS X on an IBM-style PC? I mean, I've read about it being done, but is it feasable enough to realisically do?
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Yes. It just depends on how much effort you wish to expend and whether your hardware will be fully supported. Personally, I don't think it's particularly useful unless you want a system configuration Apple either doesn't offer or if they charge what you'd consider excessive for the configuration you want. Nine times out of ten, I think you're better off just buying a Mac.
 
I still deal with Windows every day. I will never upgrade my wife's laptop from Windows 7. My desktop is still Windows 7 and it'll stay that way since it doesn't get much use nowadays.

My laptop I've already replaced Windows. and haven't used it in a long time. Used Ubuntu for awhile but recently switched back to Arch Linux and couldn't be happier.
 
What would I? How about what have I. OSX is my Daily. I triple boot with 10.8.3, Win7 Ultimate, and Ubuntu 13.04. I use OSX 99% of the time. When I have an itch to play a game other than CounterStrike source, I fire up Win7, and when I just wanna fart around in unfamiliar territory I jump into Ubuntu. I know there are probably a lot of Apple haters on this site ( I was one until a year ago ) but honestly, OSX the most highly polished, fast, fluent, and intuitive OS out there, period, end period.

SuperCell said:
Sorry for the dumb question, but is it possible to now run OS X on an IBM-style PC?

I mean, I've read about it being done, but is it feasable enough to realisically do?
Click to expand...

Yes, very easily with no more effort than installing win on the pc, so long as you are wise with your parts selection. Google Hackintosh.
 
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