Windows 7 PC Sales Ended on Friday 31 October 2014

[Night Hawk]

I can view files from an upload prompt as well as view pic files and photos with a click on view or preview something from a prompt which can't actually be done so easily in the smaller distros. One of the main advantages still to be seen with Windows besides the need to learn Bash commands as you would have once had to learn dos you end up with a far more simplified OS for the novice user! Linux despite improvements to make things a bit easier still receives the "Geek's OS" nickname often.

Backup tools have also been progressive in Windows as compared to the floating OS you have to install fresh all over at times without 3rd party help since you have not only restore points but every edition of 7 for example offers the system image backup feature. In many distros time for Acronis!

 

[groze]

It sounds like some people would like puppy linux, there are at least 3 current versions. They are only updated once a year. No root or sudo needed. Puppy does now have a ubuntu flavor, it can use apt-get without sudo or root, even though sudo in puppy is not required, some apps may require it. No password needed. I think the Pae-version is for the 64 bit and includes palemoon, the non-pae version may include Firefox or Seamonkey.

I can view files from an upload prompt as well as view pic files and photos with a click on view or preview something from a prompt which can't actually be done so easily in the smaller distros. One of the main advantages still to be seen with Windows besides the need to learn Bash commands as you would have once had to learn dos you end up with a far more simplified OS for the novice user! Linux despite improvements to make things a bit easier still receives the "Geek's OS" nickname often.

Backup tools have also been progressive in Windows as compared to the floating OS you have to install fresh all over at times without 3rd party help since you have not only restore points but every edition of 7 for example offers the system image backup feature. In many distros time for Acronis!

I use free Macrium image for backing up my system. I do an image file back up to usb hard drive. It backups and restores windows 7, linux partitions without any issues.

 

[Night Hawk]

I had preferred a cross between ubuntu and Debian. The closest to that is still Debian based, Debian compatible being Linux Mint Debian which is likely the best suited with some 200 installation options for a large variety of apps including the Linux form of media player. But if the automatic installer fails trying to download all the packages and perform a manual install can be a bit tricky for most!

My reference to Acronis wasn't intended to specify one program or another but simply indicate that while Windows will feature recovery options like full system image backups Linux lacks heavily in those areas.As far as program installs the one thing Linux Mint Debian does is become a little more like Windows including all those options for programs rather then having to manually hunt every one down. Knoppix being the other live debian release is run live off of a dvd only without any option for direct installation exept following certain guides on how to manually unpack the packages on the drive to run with a virtual dvd ram type drive. ubuntu replaced that oldie easily however.