Do you like Windows?

[estimablesir]

Personally, I like Windows. I have a lot of OSX buddies that bother me because I use it and insist windows will slowly disappear as Macs gain market share. What is your opinion?

[Kinlaadare]

Can't say I like Macs... But on the other side, can't either say I love Windows. I have 2 rigs with Windows on it (the laptop is my work comp, Win XP pro), Vista and x64 XP pro on my big rig... I use it mainly because I'm a player and my clients are usualy using windows.
My last rigs has a Fed Core on it, more reliable (file server, apache/mysql server)

Basicaly, I use what I need.

[Reef]

I like Windows too. Especially in the summer, when I can open them

[Jito463]

I've used practically every MS OS starting from DOS 6.22 on up (prior to that I was running a Commodore Amiga 2000). I definitely like Windows, although it's primarily because I'm a gamer on my home PC. People go on about how Linux is superior because it's more secure, but the fact is that if you know what you're doing, Windows can be just as secure as any Linux distribution. I know, because in all the years I've been doing this, I've never once got a virus, spyware or any other form of malware on my machine. Windows isn't perfect, mind you. I've done my fair share of format/reloads because something got borked in my install. But overall, I like Windows, and with each progressive generation they make it better. Vista is no exception, even though I haven't made the switch just yet.

You'll find that most people who rail on MS and Windows usually just do it out of blind hatred because other people told them it was cool to do. Those who use it on a daily basis, usually know and understand the quirks and are comfortable working around them. Just as Mac users and Linux users know and understand the quirks of their respective OS's, and are willing and able to work around them as well.

*Addendum*
Mac's will never gain a significant share of the market. Why? Because of enthusiasts. Enthusiasts make up a fair chunk of the market for PC's. When you build a PC, what OS choices do you have? Windows, Linux, and....Oh, that's right. You can't use MacOS on a custom built PC (at least, not out of the box and not legally, other methods may apply potentially). Apple shot themselves in the foot when they decided to manufacture their own computers, and no one else was allowed to. As long as they stick to that mentality, they'll never gain more than a tiny fraction of the computer market.

[AnalCobra]

I also like windows but i like Linux too.
I agree with Jito when he says that if you know what your are doing than windows can also be safe.
I also didnt have much problems with viruses etc.
The last week i used SuSE Linux 10.1 very much. I installed it half a year ago and till last week I nearly never used it but i think i regret that. It needs some time to change from Windows to Linux but KDE is much 'Windows like' so it was not very difficult.
My result of the last week is that i would clearly use Linux for much things but there are some essential programs and stuff which only exists for Windows. So i think i'll stuck on Windows but i will use Linux much more than before.

[Kinlaadare]

I do agree that, if you know what you do, windows can be safe... but lot of people don't even know that. That's why, when one of my customers want a new computer to surf the internet, I offer the linux' choice... At least they cannot do big holes in their systems.

[EricP]

Do you like Windows?

I love it!

[blackwood]

Gamer

I'm kinda in a similar Boat as Jito, as a Gamer there is not really much choice.

Don't get my wrong I love windows, and quickly made the switch to Vista Ultimate x64.

But i'd probably be happier knowing I could spend even more money on Games rather than my operating software.

Every so often I even make a small switch to Linux, realising ooh all my blizzard games can run.... but then a new game comes out for windows and well I'm a slave for new games.

[kendrick]

Jito463 is just more comfortable in windows. Ive been around since the 386 days, playing doom on the 1 486 sx 33 was just HOT. Ive been in the IT field for nearly as long as I have used pc's.

I have a great deal of distaste for windows and that is what i am certified and work on every day. I got so tird of things just breaking for no good reason one day I installed linux and boot to windows for specific client needs and to possibly install a game that wont work with wine. I often copy it over to a linux partition after install and play from there. I have similer clames as Jito463 does about every ms os. I even had multiboot of about 20 os's so that I could support about any thing neccessary. Hopefully soon some one will either finish work on the hardware vm or vm drivers to allow windows to be fully accelerated as a guest.

[LocutusofBorg]

Good things and bad things can be told about ANY OS - this includes Linux as well as Mac's OS and of course Windows, too. I'm in computing for a not so short era,
starting with a PET 2001, coded first ASM on 6502, later on 68ker (AtariST/Amiga1000) and so on - one thing I'm pretty sure about: in my opinion, it is doubtfull that games
or most other VERY complex applications were as advantaged as they are nowadays thanks to OS-based reign of Microsoft. This is because you need alot of good frame-
works, something indeed reliable - short: a consent. Most programmers from that old times will for sure agree - it was a nightmare. For every system you invented the wheel
more or less again, even the simplest things on e.g. Amiga, thx to its special-chips (blitter, e.g.) could be nightmare on different system. This was on one hand of course
because of hardware - but there was also no system-cross-functionality.

Windows also makes life of rapid development much easier, thx to great support in many areas. Of course this is also true today for most OS's - but Windows was one (not
THE) of the companys that understood that its important to invite OTHERS to place a big range of different high-quality products in the pipeline. Jito's opinion about Apples
wrong way (the hardware-bundle) is imho true. This way, they can never break Microsofts dominance. On the other hand they can be sure that no cheap shit is bundled
with their OS and that the fingers point to them because someone smelled the big money and produced "elektronik scrap" - like it often happens to Microsoft, when in fact
they are not to blame.

Of course there is really alot of things that Microsoft did in the past that many consider as problematic, to write it polite.. some of that accusations are imho indeed true,
some not.

Microsofts most dangerous competition is imho not Apple - it is clearly Linux, which gets better and better each year - now they need to work all together on the one
big vision. It is their disunity that holded them down for so long, and of course this is one of the disadvantages that you will not find in a commercial company.

To make a long story short: IMHO - only Microsoft can kill Microsoft; as long as they do polite business, stop to work against others and do their FAIR business, I doubt
that many want to see them die. But I assume the future will take some good marketshare away from them in all that business that is better done by fast, unpolitical,
small, fast and independent companys, open-source-scene and more to come. I do NOT think that another big player will hurt them big times. Compared to Microsoft most
are anyway dwarfs (especially at home-user desktops).

Most people who do not have big knowledge of computersystems in general do not understand how complex an OS is - to develop such you need resources and an over-
whelming knowledge. And exactly THAT people are mostly the one's who rant against Windows (to rant against Microsoft is something totally different, but to rant against
their OS is fruitless IMHO). Windows is not perfect for sure - but then, most software isnt. Windows is very complex but still easy to manage, although it is capable
to adapt to most modern and even ancient hardwarebase. And it improves with every version. They do not invent - they very often assimilate, clone or simple buy-off
others to improve their own product. Thats why I clearly distinguish between Microsoft and their product.

Its obvious that Linux more and more follow some paradigms that Windows has set in the past - and this is for sure not bad, especially when it comes to usability. This is
for sure the best way to success and to interest more and more people in an open system and a great community.

PS: For my private machines, I use Linux and Windows - I suggest everyone to take a look to the other side, its worth it, dual-boot isnt a big deal and virtual machines
more and more mature and can be used not only by computer-nerds but also beginners.

So I agree to Kinlaadare here: basically, I use what I need.

[Stoobication]

Personally I've grown attached to the MS era, It's mainly been through common knowledge of the system and the software basics, but it has grown in fancy since I decided on a hatred towards Apple's iSeries of software/hardware.

I used to believe Apple/Apple MAC sounded O.K. but had a few terms I didn't understand about their computing systems and the fact that they weren't commonly used or given in the basic tutoring schemes back in the "ol' School Days".

As of Recent news on the subject I have decided that I much prefer MS Win XP as it takes less space, effort and knowledge to work with, which is good for when you get home from a hard days work. Where as Vista is a bit too flash and graphical, it lacks the basics that kept Window what it was. It may look better, but it takes up more space, and I have noticed that a few things included in Vista (i.e. Scrolling) kind of ruined it all for me.

All in all, I believe it depends on how into computers a person is and which type of computing they enjoy working with, For example, if they enjoy a simple life and want half the stuff done for them, They would pick something like MS Win, And so forth.. I don't have much experience with anything but any of the MS Products.. (This includes Mobiles, as my Mobile runs on MS Win) - And I have No intentions of changing to another company like (Apple), This is due to the overload of Apple and their iServices, The whole "i" is disconcerting and drives me to believe that there will be a iWar in the Personal Computing Industries. Causing a lot of complicating problems between Apple and MS Programmers/Users.

I also believe it will increase chances of rushed projects as the two companies will be competing against each other to produce the best hard/software, and increase their customer's experiences, Yet causing more technical issues.

But Meh, What would I know, I'm just a customer, Right? =]

- Stu
A MS Customer.