windows 8.1 vs ubuntu 14.04

[broe23]

Only misinformation depending on perspective and user requirements.

That is exactly what I am talking about. It is like going into a Corvette forum, and talking about Mustangs vs. Corvettes. The two do not mix together.

 

[broe23]

Not everybody is a huge fan of ubuntu. I use CentOS for servers and uses to be Ubuntu for desktops, but lost all interest when Unity came out.

If I am running a desktop variant, it's usually Mint these days. 99 percent of my Linux machines are command line only.

Xubuntu is a lot faster and does not have the unity interface. Xubuntu is probably the best way to go with desktops in an office environment. Closer to the Windows Interface.

 

[whs]

This is becoming a typical Linux discussion. Everybody has their favorite distro - and that is fine. I have mine too which is Mint Mate.

But here is the weakness of Linux. The myriad of options confuse the average user and he leaves in disgust. The purists may say that many options are good. I say that this is the single most important inhibitor for a more general acceptance of Linux.

Ubuntu was trying to make some headway but screwed it up with Unity. Even Mint comes in at least 4 flavors where a single one would have sufficed. When is there ever going to be some order in this chaos.

 

[pparks1]

Never going to be order, it would violate the whole principal. Nobody will agree when you have total freedom.

Xubuntu is faster, but it is more lightweight with less features than other desktops environments. So, it's not my favorite.

 

[caperjack]

This is becoming a typical Linux discussion. Everybody has their favorite distro - and that is fine. I have mine too which is Mint Mate.

But here is the weakness of Linux. The myriad of options confuse the average user and he leaves in disgust. The purists may say that many options are good. I say that this is the single most important inhibitor for a more general acceptance of Linux.

Ubuntu was trying to make some headway but screwed it up with Unity. Even Mint comes in at least 4 flavors where a single one would have sufficed. When is there ever going to be some order in this chaos.

good post ,this is my thinking also, I have tried many different Linux for years and could never stay with it ,iam not a command line computer user ,I want auto network /internet setup, I want OS to do its best to install drivers for my devices ,when it can I will install correct ones ,by just click on a exe file .I admire ppaarks1 for being able to have 99% command line Linux base computer ,the average user cant do this ,so would even say what's a command line .

 

[whs]

Within limits, I can deal with the command line. Sometimes it is even easier than doing a job with the UI. But often it is beyond me - e.g. with Fedora which starts you really on a bare bone system.

Patrik does this as a job. No wonder he knows more than us laymen. Maybe he can teach us. But already a short summary like this shows the challenge.

 

[caperjack]

took me a year to memorise "msconfig " "ipconfig", lol

 

[CountMike]

took me a year to memorise "msconfig " "ipconfig", lol

That's what you get when you don't like making shortcuts.

 

[Dubbledoo]

just looking for a better experience & am not liking the direction windows is going

With help from here and Google, I'm now hardly aware I'm using an 8/8.1 machine. I couldn't tell you when I last used the Metro screen, but I understand your worry about the way Windows is going - all but ignoring non-hand-held device users.

8.1 is not the big update it pretended to be (all it did was take me over my download limit and cost me an extra fiver!). Classic Shell did so much more repairing 8 than Microsoft ever has.

I hope they are listening to us (has anybody actually spoken to someone whom likes 8) and it's worth sticking with Windows. I've had my dalliances with Linux and enjoyed them, but I just can't afford the time to stick with it permanently.

 

[broe23]

Never going to be order, it would violate the whole principal. Nobody will agree when you have total freedom.

Xubuntu is faster, but it is more lightweight with less features than other desktops environments. So, it's not my favorite.

Incorrect. It has all of the features that the other distros do. You can also add more if you want.

 

[TairikuOkami]

All I wanted for my mother was to have OS with a browser, I have tried various distros like Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, Mint, OpenSUSE, half of them did not even work, the rest had different problems, so in the end I just ended up installing Windows 8 again. I regularly try the newest distros, I really try to get them to work, but they always have some silly childish problems, Windows just works out of box and that is that.

 

[caperjack]

(has anybody actually spoken to someone whom likes 8).

I know you have never spoken to me ,but ,I liked win8 and now 8.1 with the update [iam using 8.1 enterprise right now ],have ever since I figured out how the hell to shut it down ,lol, like moss ,it grows on you if you let it .

 

[broe23]

All I wanted for my mother was to have OS with a browser, I have tried various distros like Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, Mint, OpenSUSE, half of them did not even work, the rest had different problems, so in the end I just ended up installing Windows 8 again. I regularly try the newest distros, I really try to get them to work, but they always have some silly childish problems, Windows just works out of box and that is that.

Does not mean that it is a distro issue. Means that either is a incompatible hardware issue, or not all of the steps were taking, and the time, to get the distro to work.

I have only had one very old machine, that gave me headaches, when it came to trying to install Linux on it.

The key is to turn off Secure boot & UEFI on newer machines. Xubuntu works better out of the box, then Ubuntu, or Mint. Mint 17 is not ready still at this time for full time use.

You have to ask questions from those like myself. That have worked with Linux for a long time. I personally found all of my headaches went away. Once I dumped Windows 8.

 

[pparks1]

Never going to be order, it would violate the whole principal. Nobody will agree when you have total freedom.

Xubuntu is faster, but it is more lightweight with less features than other desktops environments. So, it's not my favorite.

Incorrect. It has all of the features that the other distros do. You can also add more if you want.

Not incorrect. Xubuntu is xfce, a lightweight desktop environment. Other desktop environments are more feature rich. But yes, you can add in what you want. I just don't like xfce.

 

[noelbeth55]

i tried the latest mint. got it up and running, sweet. now to connect the printers. same old same old. they do not want to work. one is a brother laser the other a pixma. both only 12 months old. to much of a hassel for me. pity really, if they could fix that up it would be great. we are used to popping in a disc and loading the drivers and away we go. if anyone has an easy way please let me know.

 

[Mark Phelps]

just looking for a better experience & am not liking the direction windows is going

"better" is subjective -- and different for everyone. I use two different flavors of Linux daily, as well as different flavors of Windows -- each has stuff that makes it "better" than the others.

As to the "direction" windows is going -- when I first installed Win8, I wasted no time installing Start 8. With that and other Stardock utilities, I haven't looked at the "Start Screen" in a long time -- and like Win8.1 just fine. If you read anything about Threshold, you will see that MS is going "back" to providing the Start Menu and Desktop views by default. So, if by their "direction", you mean MS finally listening to the negative feedback on Win8 and restoring stuff from the Win7 days, I don't see that as a bad thing.

 

[broe23]

Never going to be order, it would violate the whole principal. Nobody will agree when you have total freedom.

Xubuntu is faster, but it is more lightweight with less features than other desktops environments. So, it's not my favorite.

Incorrect. It has all of the features that the other distros do. You can also add more if you want.

Not incorrect. Xubuntu is xfce, a lightweight desktop environment. Other desktop environments are more feature rich. But yes, you can add in what you want. I just don't like xfce.

Sorry, but you are incorrect. xfce is just one of the Gui's that Xubuntu uses. It also has its own gui. Maybe do your homework, then give off incorrect information pparks1.

 

[broe23]

i tried the latest mint. got it up and running, sweet. now to connect the printers. same old same old. they do not want to work. one is a brother laser the other a pixma. both only 12 months old. to much of a hassel for me. pity really, if they could fix that up it would be great. we are used to popping in a disc and loading the drivers and away we go. if anyone has an easy way please let me know.

There is no OS out there, that will make a decade old printer work on it. Maybe if you ran Windows 95 or 98. Then it may work.

Even the Linux foundation has gotten smart and started to strip out drivers for very antiquated equipment.

 

[broe23]

just looking for a better experience & am not liking the direction windows is going

"better" is subjective -- and different for everyone. I use two different flavors of Linux daily, as well as different flavors of Windows -- each has stuff that makes it "better" than the others.

As to the "direction" windows is going -- when I first installed Win8, I wasted no time installing Start 8. With that and other Stardock utilities, I haven't looked at the "Start Screen" in a long time -- and like Win8.1 just fine. If you read anything about Threshold, you will see that MS is going "back" to providing the Start Menu and Desktop views by default. So, if by their "direction", you mean MS finally listening to the negative feedback on Win8 and restoring stuff from the Win7 days, I don't see that as a bad thing.

I really do not see Microsoft listening to anything. Right now they are playing damage control. They know that they screwed up with 8, Server 2k12, Office 2k13, Surface tablets, Windows mobile OS phones.

I doubt their "Wrist Watch" is even going to salvage their sinking ship. Sales for Xbox-One have stagnated. Unless Microsoft rethinks their model. They are going to sink like the Titanic by 2015.

Windows 8 uptake sags, flirts with flop - Computerworld

 

[noelbeth55]

There is no OS out there, that will make a decade old printer work on it. Maybe if you ran Windows 95 or 98. Then it may work.

Even the Linux foundation has gotten smart and started to strip out drivers for very antiquated equipment.


broe23


how do you get decade out of 12 months old