Windows 7 Should you install Linux alongside Windows?

[Andrea Borman]

I have been experimenting with my Netbook for a week. I have been trying out 5 different brands of Linux installed alongside my Windows 7. Ubuntu Netbook,Kubuntu Netbook,Xubuntu,Linux Mint and jolicoud. As I could not install Ubuntu,Kubuntu and Xubuntu with Wubi installer,I installed them on Virtual Clone Drive which I found out how to do from the How-To Geek website. I also installed Linux Mint this way-Virtual Clone Drive as well. But Jolicloud Express was installed on my hard disk C drive without clone drive with the Windows installer. Here is how I did.

Ubuntu-well first of all I could not connect to the Internet wireless broadband because it never detected it -same problem with Kubunt,Xubuntu and Linux Mint. Except that in Linux Mint I did in the end, but I had to plug my cable in before it found my Wifi but all the others did not find it.

Ubuntu,kubuntu, Xubuntu- I could only use wired connection because they never detected my wirless network and would not let me download the drivers.So these 3 brands of Linux were not usable.

Linux Mint-I found having to enter my password and user name most irritating every time I booted my computer and I had to enter my password every time I did some thing like install new packages or change the settings. There was no way to disable this like there is on Windows.

Jolicloud-was the only one who found my Wifi connections right away and connected me without any problems, and I did manage to disable having to enter my password. Every time I booted my computer by ticking enable automatic log in. But I still had to enter my password every time I installed packages or changed settings. And when I tried to change this in command prompt.I found I could not install software unless I logged into the root and user account settings-even more irritating and annoying.

Also in Linux you are supposed to be able to download and install software from the Internet. But I found I could not install anything. Mozilla Flock web browser would only install as a file which I had to download EVERY time I wanted to use it. I could not get it to install the way it should as a web browser like it does in Windows. Even though I installed the Linux version. In fact in Linux you can only install the web browsers and software that are in the packages, nothing else.

Also in Jolicloud a lot of the web browsers I did install from the packages did not work. Aorora browser would not let me sign into my Google account and no matter what I did I could not fix this problem. But the Windows version of Aorora browser is working normally and I can sign into Google and my other accounts. In jolicloud Midori browser crashed, other web browsers were out of date-Firefox 3.6.3 for instance should have been updated to 3.6.12 the current version. Other web browsers did not work and Dillo and Epiphany did not because they are now discontinued.

But on all of the Linux brands I tried, all of the web browsers were out of date and as I could not install anything from the Internet I could not update them. Also Jolicoud took up a lot of space on my hard drive.

So windows users who are thinking of replacing you operating system with Linux,my advice is don't.

Because I installed all of the Linux brands alongside Windows in removable installation,I was able to uninstall them all in Windows uninstall programs. But had I had been stupid enough to go for full installation and replaced Linux with Windows,then I would have been stuck. With an operating system that does not work and is not in the least bit user friendly.And installation alongside Windows is not without it's risks. As I have read that if things go wrong, Windows can be wiped from the boot system,leaving only Ubuntu or Linux on the computer. And if you only have a Netbook like I did,how do you get Windows back? Netbooks do not have a CD drive. True,you can plug a CD drive into the USB socket via extension lead and the other end to the CD drive and run it that way. But you still need to get the Windows CD if you have not backed up your Windows and files to a CD.So it is risky to install another operating system alongside windows.

Windows IS very user friendly. YOU control how you use it and how it is run. You do not have to have any log on password or any security at all unless you want it. YOU choose what software you want and it is quick and easy to install. And with over a thousand web browsers and software compatible with Windows there is plenty of choice. Some people install Jolicloud because of the different web apps. and video chat messengers,but you can get all of these on Windows.

And Windows search with it's tutorials and help guide about how to use and fix your computer,is an asset to Windows users. And Windows will troubleshoot any software that is not working and fix it by automatically.And you can download additional fix it tools from the Microsoft website and they have a security tool now that you can scan your computer with. Well,you do not get anything like that with Linux.

Windows is used by all offices and public computers,such as Internet cafes, libraries and homes. While Linux is not so well known and used. But if it were the other way round and all computers were made in Linux,nobody would use a computer. Linux is definitely not user friendly,difficult to use and you do not control your computer,it does. As you cannot do the things that you want such as remove password,install software from the Internet and other things that you can do in Windows.

Windows is user friendly especially Windows 7 but so are the other versions of Windows,Windows XP,Windows Vista,but Windows 7,the most. Windows 7 does have clear settings listed in the control panel index, making it easy for any beginner to use.

But there is NO WAY Linux can ever rival or replace Windows,unless it changes and becomes more user friendly and allows users more control in settings. Maybe linux should take a tip from windows. As Windows has deficiently got it right but Linux has got it wrong.

And I have customised my Windows 7 to make it the way I want it and I have even successfully removed Internet Explorer browser. But my advice is to stay with Windows. You are much better off. Andrea Borman.

 

[Andrea Borman]

Well,I certainly would not buy a Linux computer. Linux is just not user friendly and too difficult to use. I am not surprised your friend had difficulties with it. If you are buying a computer for the first time or even if you are not a first time user it is better to buy Windows not Linux. As there is just too many problems with this difficult to use operating system.

I find that I cannot do anything on Linux except browse the web and you can do that on Windows.

And the system of Linux using the terminal that did not even work for me and most ordinary people like myself cannot do this anyway. If you want my advice, stay with Windows,you are much better off. Andrea Borman.

 

[fjgold]

Well,I certainly would not buy a Linux computer. Linux is just not user friendly and too difficult to use. I am not surprised your friend had difficulties with it. If you are buying a computer for the first time or even if you are not a first time user it is better to buy Windows not Linux. As there is just too many problems with this difficult to use operating system.

I find that I cannot do anything on Linux except browse the web and you can do that on Windows.

And the system of Linux using the terminal that did not even work for me and most ordinary people like myself cannot do this anyway. If you want my advice, stay with Windows,you are much better off. Andrea Borman.

Nevermind *sigh*

 

[erie88]

You need to learn how to use from basic and so does in Windows or Linux.

And this why i don't understand, why would some people want easiness without trying to care/learn what exactly is happen in the background thing?

Although it's fine with wanting easiness in using OS but you shouldn't be drown in/relaxed by that easiness because if some trouble / disaster come (like crashed update) you wouldn't know what to do ("It was always easy before, why is it become difficult now?").

And so, just because you're having difficulties in using Linux (or doesn't have experience), don't just blame Linux for it. That's why there's always a warning "Use it at your own risks" when you install some software.

This thread should be titled "My experience with Linux and Windows.". That's the best, i would think as.

 

[Andrea Borman]

Well,Linux is not the same as Windows. It is not user friendly and very difficult to use. Linux is also very slow and crashes and freezes a lot. That is what I found when I used it.I have got Windows 7 and it has never crashed on me.On Windows the only crash I have had is when I installed a wrong web browser. But that does not take down the whole system unlike on Linux. That is, on Windows it is just the browser that crashed, but not Windows. But on Linux I often found the WHOLE operating system crashed or froze.

And it takes twice as long to install updates and software on Linux compared to Windows. And there is not much choice of software on Linux. And you can't just download it from the Internet like you can on Windows. So basically,if the software you want is not in the package manager,then you cannot have it. And on Linux,you have to log in with a password and enter it every time you do some thing on your own computer. But on Windows you do not have to have a password if you don't want one. So I don't. I just turn on my computer and go, and I don't have any passwords on my Windows.
On I already mentioned how slow the Linux operating system is and most brands of Linux don't even have a start menu. On Ubuntu I could not even find the settings for this reason.

On Linux Mint it is a bit easier because their start menu looks like Windows.And they also have a search bar. But it is nowhere near as good as Windows search. And did not work either. And on Linux I sat for hours on my computer trying to figure out how to use it. But I don't have these problems on Windows and neither do most people.

So the answer is to stay with Windows,because if you gave up your Windows for Linux. You will be sorry that you did. Because it is not user friendly at all. And it is not as good as Windows. Andrea Borman.