Microsoft to stop producing Windows versions
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I see your point but I don't think any of the "staff" here would be considered average users. I really doubt any of us have out-of-the-box installs. That's not what/who MS is addressing. Look at the pruning MS has already done with W8 and now with W10. They've thrown in touchy-feely stuff like Cortana but the browser and utility side of the OS is gutted or hidden so the average user can't mess it up. Probably why much of the software will be off the "cloud" with few options to customize. It's already started with Office 365.
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The direction MS is taking really worries me. It is important now to look at alternatives - and if it is only for peace of mind. As we say in German: "Other mothers have pretty daughters too".
The reality is a true alternative to Windows doesn't exist as of today. Mac is nothing but a big zero outside US and Canada. None of my tech savvy friends even heard about Chrome OS - that'show popular it is.While Linux is a great OS, it is still not an alternative to Windows except as a Server OS. While Linux is enough to perform basic tasks like surfing net, an average user will be surely confused by the too may choices it has. I would like to see a specific Linux distro emerging as a standard. Without a decent market share, peripheral manufacturers and software manufacturers like Adobe, Autodesk etc will continue to ignore Linux.
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The single source software precedence has already been set by Apple and Linux. Linux has a one man approval scheme for software so what's the difference if MS controls what's run on their OS?...
The difference is not all people want an OS that controls what's run on it. It's one reason why Windows has enjoyed far more popularity than Apple. Windows has a huge wealth of software to pretty much anyone's needs, no matter how odd or obscure, far more so than Apple does (with the exception of smart phones and tablets). Now M$ is heading on a path of taking away our ability to choose as freely as we want, something most users will find repugnant because it will take away something we already have.
I agree.
Carwiz,
Linux is nothing like windows.
Maybe not in the background but the desktop and start menu (or application menu) is very similar. Yes, they may have one place to download but you are still free to add unsupported and unofficial Personal Package Archives (PPAS) at your own risk. In fact, I actually have at least two third party PPAs Mozilla & Grub customizer. I also use Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox and Seamonkey browsers. Xubuntu you can add the Ubuntu software center for easier installation of software. If you are a more advanced Linux user, you can compile software to use on your system. Some distro are very hard to learn and some distro are real easy to learn. If it wasn't for my checkbook program I made and Macrium reflect, I would possibly use linux 90% of the time. I say I do 50% windows 7 and 50% Linux.
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The direction MS is taking really worries me. It is important now to look at alternatives - and if it is only for peace of mind. As we say in German: "Other mothers have pretty daughters too".
The reality is a true alternative to Windows doesn't exist as of today. Mac is nothing but a big zero outside US and Canada. None of my tech savvy friends even heard about Chrome OS - that'show popular it is.While Linux is a great OS, it is still not an alternative to Windows except as a Server OS. While Linux is enough to perform basic tasks like surfing net, an average user will be surely confused by the too may choices it has. I would like to see a specific Linux distro emerging as a standard. Without a decent market share, peripheral manufacturers and software manufacturers like Adobe, Autodesk etc will continue to ignore Linux.
I disagree. I think Ubuntu and its derivatives would be real easy for novices to learn and use. I don't think they would care about the ubuntu unity(gnome) Amazon search issue that was resolved. Some would even like it. I said above I use Xubuntu 50% of the time.
Dell has or had high end computers with Ubuntu pre-installed.
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Last edited by scr; 09 May 2015 at 15:48.
Reason: Added Link
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I agree that the amount of Linux distros is very confusing. And normal users will probably not start using Linux before it does not come standard with the PC. But that does not mean that there are no nice Linux distros with which you can do more or less anything you can do with Windows.
If you want an easy distro, get Zorin. That is all set up and very easy to use. If you want a full blown OS with a lot of possibilities, get Mint. I would not recommend Ubuntu/Unity. That's not a nice UI. But Ubuntu/Mate is a reasonable option.
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The problem with Linux is much, if not most, of my software will not run on it, including my $600 music notation software.
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I've probably tried a dozen Linux distros over the years. I had a couple of older PCs and all I wanted to do was use them to play music. Without exception, every distro would lose sound whenever ANYTHING was updated. Once it took me five hours to get the sound working again. I'll bet they still haven't fixed that problem. NO THANKS LINUX !!!!!
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Does no one here remember one PC maker's attempt to offer a Linux OS based PC only to be threatened by MS with losing their Windows contract if they did offer such a machine? It was during the XP years, IIRC.
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I try to remember most users of Windows are Joe lunch box and Mary Lue hair curler. We are talking of a billion or more. That is the market Microsoft really wants.
Lock those billion or so with a never ending Windows 10, app stores, and clouds and they will never find their way out.
In my opinion Microsoft is looking for quantity of users not the quality of users. Most of those billions of users have never been under the hood of a operating system and will never want to.
I'm not a Enterprise person so I really don't know how corporate world is going to do. I'm thinking they will stay with what they got as long as they can.
Microsoft is trying to lure all the counterfeit Windows 7 into the Windows 10 tent. Quantity not quality. They don't care as long as the get the numbers for bragging rights.
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