What is it about Windows that everybody likes? (A rant)

[Skaendo]

My opinions are based on Windows 98 thru 7 & Debian Linux 'testing' w/KDE. This is all from experience, I will only use the computers that I own in this comparison.

Computer's I'm using for comparison:
Dell Inspiron 1520 Laptop, 2GHz Intel T5750, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, Debian 'testing'
HP p6130y Desktop, 2.4GHz AMD PhenomX4 9750, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD, Windows 7 (no network, no updates, K-Lite/MPC-HC use only)
Dell Inspiron 1520 Laptop, 2GHz Intel T5750, 2GB RAM, No HDD, Tails Linux 1.1.2 (that's right, no HDD)
Dell Dimension E521 Desktop, 2GHz AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 4GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Windows 7

I used to use Windows, since Windows 98. Then I found Debian, v2.2 "Potato".
I've had most versions of Windows; 98, 98SE, ME, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1.
And all types & brands of computers since the days of Apple ]['s and C=64's.

I just don't get it. So I began to question it.


How is the installation?
Windows, Pretty GUI with plenty of self promotion. (superiority complex)

Debian, I do a No GUI install, but there is a GUI install option. (I've never installed Debian with a GUI)

Minimum recommended system requirements?
Windows 7, 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 20GB HDD (64bit), DirectX 9 graphics device.

Debian 7.6 (wheezy), 1GHz processor, 128MB RAM, 5GB HDD (amd64)

Install time?
Windows 7, ON AVERAGE takes 2 to 3 hours. I've heard that it can take MUCH, MUCH longer.

Debian takes about 2 hours.

No arguments here, pretty comparable.
Oh wait, then you have to update Windows.

Updates?
Windows, if your installing a brand new version you can hope to get away with only wasting a half hour or so. Otherwise, you might as well start the update process and then go find something to do, like mow yours and your neighbors (on both sides) lawn. Then once the first updates are installed, and your computer has restarted a half dozen times, you need to update again, restart, update again, restart and on and on. Then there is the automatic updates that steals your bandwidth, resources & HDD space whenever it feels like.

Debian, well if you set up a network connection during installation you are done. Everything is already up to date. After that, most of the desktop environments have auto update features that check for updates periodically and informs you that you have updates ready to download and install.

OS hard drive footprint?
Windows 7 fully updated with Office 2013 has gone from about 15-20GB to a whopping 40+ GB.

Debian installed with KDE & LibreOffice 4 is at about 11.5GB

Start-up time?
About the same, I wont count the seconds it takes my computer to start up. Both Windows (with no anti-virus) and Debian seem to take a minute or so, and thats enough for me. You can argue all day, mine takes x seconds, but that all depends on hardware and start-up programs (for Windows anyways), and everyones computer is different.

Programs?
Anything Windows can do, I can do better. (Sorry, I had to do it.)

Windows, outside the OS you have a billions of options of programs to install that do everything and anything under the sun that you can imagine. With all those options it is so easy to choose (sarcasm). And of course this app has something that that one doesn't and vise-versa.

Debian has a 'set' of apps that can do all the same things, we just tend to make our apps better, not make a new one to do something that can be better off built into a app that does similar things, all wrapped up in a package management system. Even if there is a Windows program that Linux cant do, we have a program called Wine that translates them.

Performance?
Windows, a lot of things affect performance. Hardware, size of operating system, fragmentation, so on, and is greatly affected after time and bloating.

Debian it has been said something to the effect of, 'You can leave Linux on and running for 5 years and you will not notice any performance change and fragmentation will be at about 1.1%.'

OS Options?
Windows, there is none. You get Windows. Thats it. This is how we make it and if you don't like it, tough.

Debian, Never mind the different 'flavours', like straight up Debian, Unbuntu, Mint, on and on, there is the desktop environment, such as the popular Gnome Desktop, the classic KDE Desktop, or the super-light XFCE Desktop. Not to mention the ultralight window managers. All super configurable to meet each and every individual need.

Security?
Windows, security update after security update, holes and vulnerabilities often fixed periodically only after everyone has been infected and millions of peoples credit card data has been stolen. (Home Depot, Target, need I say more?)

Linux, security holes, virus', & malware all exist for linux, but lets face it, how many times have you actually heard of it? An excerpt from Wikipedia: There has not yet been a single widespread Linux virus/malware infection of the type that is common on Microsoft Windows; this is attributable generally to the malware's lack of root access and fast updates to most Linux vulnerabilities.

Hardware?
Windows is compatible with probably all hardware, since Windows have driven hardware manufacturers to software controlled hardware. This uses additional CPU, RAM, and Northbridge resources.

Linux users were happy with hardware controlled by the hardware itself. This frees up resources for faster computing. Still, Linux is compatible with 99% of the hardware out there, and if it isnt, you can bet that someone is working on it.

Now for a really weird Windows phenomenon,
I recently uninstalled 2 .NET apps (listed as about 150MB in Programs & Features) from my HP Desktop, after 2 restarts the amount of used hard drive space actually INCREASED by over 4GB. WTF? I didn't do anything else, I just uninstalled these 2 .NET apps.
Ran Disk Cleanup & Disk Cleanup System Files to no avail, still the added 4GB of data.
This computer is NOT connected to the internet, therefore it cannot download updates and such. Where did this data come from?

In Conclusion,
Currently, Windows controls about 92% of computers while Linux controls 1.64%. Mac OS X (Unix based) has 4%.

I'm not mad about the numbers, I'll take my free (as in freedom) operating system that is safer over having to pay to be hacked any day. And as long as computers keep using Windows at these numbers the more likely that Linux will remain the safer, free option.

These are my opinions why Linux is better than Windows and I would just like to hear opinions about why most people think Windows is better than Linux. Not bashing or flaming.

Just remember 2 things;
There is a time and a place for everything. Including Windows. &
Opinions are like a**holes, everybody has one, and some of them stink.

 

[Cerb]

Minimum recommended system requirements?
Windows 7, 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 20GB HDD (64bit), DirectX 9 graphics device.

Debian 7.6 (wheezy), 1GHz processor, 128MB RAM, 5GB HDD (amd64)

For a virtual hosted web server, those Debian requirements might do. Realistically, neither OS will run well as a desktop today w/o >=1GB.

Install time?
Windows 7, ON AVERAGE takes 2 to 3 hours. I've heard that it can take MUCH, MUCH longer.

Debian takes about 2 hours.

No arguments here, pretty comparable.
Oh wait, then you have to update Windows.

Nope. Windows takes no more than a half an hour to install, using a DVD, installing to an HDD. I did it just this morning. The updates are what make for the 2-3 hours.

But, your Debian time is also way off, unless you're on rural DSL. Including updates, it shouldn't even take an hour w/ decent broadband and a HDD, and maybe 10-20 minutes w/ decent broadband and an SSD, installed from a USB stick. SSDs are nice for Windows, but they are Heaven-sent for Linux.

Updates?
Windows, if your installing a brand new version you can hope to get away with only wasting a half hour or so.

With an HDD, even 8.1 is already well beyond that, sadly.

OS hard drive footprint?
Windows 7 fully updated with Office 2013 has gone from about 15-20GB to a whopping 40+ GB.

Depending on update backups and whatnot, W7 takes no more than 15GB. 40GB+ means you did a default install and bought plenty of RAM, which Debian will not hit you up for unless asked (the page file and hibernate file are what's taking up so much room, and you can turn both off, or make the page file smaller). I don't recall what Debian does by default, if anything, for swap, TBH.

Start-up time?
About the same, I wont count the seconds it takes my computer to start up. Both Windows (with no anti-virus) and Debian seem to take a minute or so, and thats enough for me. You can argue all day, mine takes x seconds, but that all depends on hardware and start-up programs (for Windows anyways), and everyones computer is different.

Somebody needs some NAND love. Sandisk's Ultra Plus, at 128 and 256GB, have been going on sale a lot, lately...

My monitor is several years old, so it takes long enough to sync that I sometimes don't even see the W7 boot animation. If I do, it only ever finishes, and pulses, on a reboot after rather major updates. Last I timed it, it wasn't even 20s from power on to login, then another ~5s for startup programs, before it was usable.

Programs?

Most games on Steam, most games on GoG, and Visio, at least for me (then few other programs I really like work well enough in WINE, like FB2K, that I us them on Linux, too).

Performance?
Windows, a lot of things affect performance. Hardware, size of operating system, fragmentation, so on, and is greatly affected after time and bloating.

Debian it has been said something to the effect of, 'You can leave Linux on and running for 5 years and you will not notice any performance change and fragmentation will be at about 1.1%.'

Except that's all a bunch of crap, at least for a desktop. Fragmentation is similar, but in Windows you can do something about it more easily (but also, almost nobody really needs to). Desktop software is sufficiently buggy that reboots end up being needed at regular intervals, even if not explicitly required. Peripherals often fail to work right if the kernel is updated and no reboot is done, too.

Both bog down if left running, due to cache and swap issues, too.

OS Options?
Windows, there is none. You get Windows. Thats it. This is how we make it and if you don't like it, tough.

There's Home, Pro, misc. embedded/commercial editions, Starter still gets made, and there are many server varieties. Oh, and don't forget your CALs!

Now for a really weird Windows phenomenon,
I recently uninstalled 2 .NET apps (listed as about 150MB in Programs & Features) from my HP Desktop, after 2 restarts the amount of used hard drive space actually INCREASED by over 4GB. WTF? I didn't do anything else, I just uninstalled these 2 .NET apps.
Ran Disk Cleanup & Disk Cleanup System Files to no avail, still the added 4GB of data.
This computer is NOT connected to the internet, therefore it cannot download updates and such. Where did this data come from?

Did you verify your free space? WinSXS can make it look like the above happened.

 

[BD2003]

Because it's widely supported, familiar, stable and functional.

 

[MustISO]

If you want to run just about any program that works on a PC, you run Windows. Simple as that. Did an install of Windows 10 tonight on an SSD and it took about 15 minutes to install and then maybe 3 minutes for the various updates.

 

[StinkyPinky]

The install time for Windows 8 on a SSD is extremely fast. 10 minutes at most.

 

[Skaendo]

Nope. Windows takes no more than a half an hour to install, using a DVD, installing to an HDD. I did it just this morning. The updates are what make for the 2-3 hours.

But, your Debian time is also way off, unless you're on rural DSL. Including updates, it shouldn't even take an hour w/ decent broadband and a HDD, and maybe 10-20 minutes w/ decent broadband and an SSD, installed from a USB stick. SSDs are nice for Windows, but they are Heaven-sent for Linux.

I've done Windows 7 & Debian 7.6 installs recently, less than 2 weeks ago, both from DVD to HDD. No special commands for either. Just started it up and let it go.

Win7 on 2GHz, 250GB SATA 3.5" 7200RPM HDD, 4GB RAM. 2+ hours. Not including updates.
Debian & KDE w/LibreOffice on 2GHz 350GB SATA 2.5" 7200RPM HDD 4GB RAM. About 2 hours with network on.

Updated files only took 5-6 min to download for Debian and was finished before install was done gathering files from DVD.

Just a side note:

I dont use Windows 8 or 8.1. When I tried on a laptop, it stopped the fan from working and nearly fried the system. Learned that it was in fact Windows 8 that caused it. Reverted to Win 7, problem solved.

Tried Windows 8 & 8.1 on a HP laptop of a friend of mine, had same issue and more. Reverted to Win 7, problem solved.

Quote: There's Home, Pro, misc. embedded/commercial editions, Starter still gets made, and there are many server varieties. Oh, and don't forget your CALs!

Sure, but that isn't really a desktop option is it? It's still the Windows desktop. Just different administrative privileges, apps etc. For the average user they do the same thing and the differences are rarely if never seen by the end user.

I am looking forward to purchasing SSDs. Unfortunately not everyone else is and is happy with their HDDs. I do quite a lot of maintenance for people around me, and they dont care about 'the latest thing' for their PCs. Me, I don't fix it till it's broke. Otherwise you'll fix it till it's broke. But I do plan on getting my hands on some sooner or later.

 

[sandorski]

Others have already stated why. It Works, is far easier to ADD/Remove Hardware/Software, doesn't require learning Command lines, far better selection of Software.

 

[Skaendo]

Others have already stated why. It Works, is far easier to ADD/Remove Hardware/Software, doesn't require learning Command lines, far better selection of Software.

Debian has an add/remove programs feature. Its called Synaptic.

For every Windows app there is the Linux equivalent.

 

[BD2003]

Debian has an add/remove programs feature. Its called Synaptic.

For every Windows app there is the Linux equivalent.

And the linux equivalent is frequently inferior.

Although to be fair, I really dig ChromeOS, if that counts.

 

[Skaendo]

And the linux equivalent is frequently inferior.

Not necessarily true. By using testing repositories you can get the latest programs and features as in Windows apps.

Chrome OS is based on the linux kernel. Right On!
I'm just not a big fan of Google and their monitoring/reporting of everything that you do. Let alone reporting it all to the NSA.

 

[MongGrel]

Everything that others wrote more or less after reading the thread.

 

[BD2003]

Well, that pretty much captures my experience with Linux....it's like being a perpetual beta tester.

 

[Skaendo]

Not everything in testing repositories is testing. It starts with a snapshot of stable and adds from there. Even Windows programs get released with bugs, they just don't get tested as vigorously. Or else there would be no such things as virus', malware, worms, etc. Or Windows 8.

 

[BD2003]

Not everything in testing repositories is testing. It starts with a snapshot of stable and adds from there. Even Windows programs get released with bugs, they just don't get tested as vigorously. Or else there would be no such things as virus', malware, worms, etc. Or Windows 8.

You're not really interested in why people like windows, are you?

 

[kmmatney]

As much as I want to like Linux, I try it every few years, dabble a little, and then end deleting it. Whenever I use it feels a bit sluggish, and as soon as I try to do anything beyond the initial install (install drivers or new programs) I always run into trouble, and didn't have much luck finding help. I wouldn't say I like Microsoft, and I've had a huge amount of stupid issues with Windows over the years, but I've always been able to figure them out. I started out in computers for version 5 of DOS, so I guess I'm just more familiar with DOS/Windows. There are plenty of problems, but for the most part things run smoothly. I'm also a VB programmer, and write a lot of commercial and personal programs, and just feel comfortable in Windows.

 

[waxbytes]

Windows for compatibility with a wide range of software.

 

[kmmatney]

"Install time?
Windows 7, ON AVERAGE takes 2 to 3 hours. I've heard that it can take MUCH, MUCH longer."

Installs usually take 15-20 minutes for me. It's only 2-3 hours maybe if you include all the updates and have to install service packs ands .Net framework.

I'm typing this from a Windows 10 test computer- the install took less than 15 minutes. Of course there are no patches yet...

And all "Metro" apps still suck. It's nicer that they are now in a window, but there is still no reason to use them in a desktop environment.

For the original question:
"These are my opinions why Linux is better than Windows and I would just like to hear opinions about why most people think Windows is better than Linux. Not bashing or flaming."

I think Windows is better as I find it a lot easier to install apps and I know what I'm doing. In general I don't do things exactly that "proper" way according to Microsoft, but I can get away with it. In Linux, things seem more rigid to me, and I can't (or don't know how) to make it work like I want it to.

 

[kiriki]

The simplest reason why I keep using windows is because I don't have a compelling reason to switch. Win7 is just fine for me and the Linux learning curve is still sufficiently steep that I would have to have a very compelling reason to fully switch.

 

[Skaendo]

You're not really interested in why people like windows, are you?

I can tell you WHY more people USE Windows, I just don't understand why people don't prefer a more secure, faster, less bloating option.

I can take any Windows user put them in front of a Linux box and they will have no problems.

I use Linux and Windows both. My only Windows box is Windows because it is still under warranty, never connected to the internet, and I only use it for media like DVD's and recorded TV shows.

I only know Windows because people come to me and ask for help. Like what to do once Windows has consumed all their free space after updating, after they have been to a bad porn site and contracted all kind of virus' and such. It doesn't stop there. I'd continue the list but I'm afraid I would run out of internet space.

So the question remains. Why do people prefer Windows?

think Windows is better as I find it a lot easier to install apps and I know what I'm doing. In general I don't do things exactly that "proper" way according to Microsoft, but I can get away with it. In Linux, things seem more rigid to me, and I can't (or don't know how) to make it work like I want it to.

Thank you kmmatney, very nice explanation. If you weren't doing things the way Microsoft intended, they wouldn't work. And I think a lot of it is like you said, you know what your doing on it, because it is somewhat easier. Linux does want things done 'the right way' because it makes less security and stability issues.

The simplest reason why I keep using windows is because I don't have a compelling reason to switch. Win7 is just fine for me and the Linux learning curve is still sufficiently steep that I would have to have a very compelling reason to fully switch.

Security is a compelling enough reason for me. It was hard to switch, years ago, but I have found that things have progressed to where the learning curve is not as great as it once was. Unbuntu has got to be the easiest to switch to from what I've heard, do to the similarities. I do not know for fact as I have never used it.

 

[sandorski]

I can tell you WHY more people use Windows, I just don't understand why people don't prefer a more secure, faster, less bloating option.

I can take any Windows user put them in front of a Linux box and they will have no problems.

I use Linux and Windows both. My only Windows box is Windows because it is still under warranty, never connected to the internet, and I only use it for media like DVD's and recorded TV shows.

I only know Windows because people come to me and ask for help. Like what to do once Windows has consumed all their free space after updating, after they have been to a bad porn site and contracted all kind of virus' and such. It doesn't stop there. I'd continue the list but I'm afraid I would run out of internet space.

So the question remains. Why do people prefer Windows?

Until they want to change Software/Hardware. I have tried Linux 3 times over the past 15ish years, each time I ran into a headache with something. I just don't want to dick around with something that should just Work as a Base for Hardware/Software and not require my ability to input Commands to make it work.

That's why I and most others prefer Windows over Linux.

 

[BD2003]

I can tell you WHY more people USE Windows, I just don't understand why people don't prefer a more secure, faster, less bloating option.

I can take any Windows user put them in front of a Linux box and they will have no problems.

I use Linux and Windows both. My only Windows box is Windows because it is still under warranty, never connected to the internet, and I only use it for media like DVD's and recorded TV shows.

I only know Windows because people come to me and ask for help. Like what to do once Windows has consumed all their free space after updating, after they have been to a bad porn site and contracted all kind of virus' and such. It doesn't stop there. I'd continue the list but I'm afraid I would run out of internet space.

So the question remains. Why do people prefer Windows?

People are telling you and you're not listening, because you've already decided that they're wrong.

 

[kiriki]

a more secure, faster, less bloating option.

I'd say the current iterations of windows on current hardware is sufficient in all 3 areas even if Linux is better in all 3. There is such a thing as "Good Enough". Also the bloat issue had a lot more to do with OEMs putting a dozen programs that all load on startup.

I can take any Windows user put them in front of a Linux box and they will have no problems.

.... until said user has to do something more complex than surf the web or play a video. Also, that only holds true as long as nothing goes wrong.

Like what to do once Windows has consumed all their free space after updating

I haven't run into any updates in the terabyte range..... maybe the people that ask you for help should really be replacing their hardware?

after they have been to a bad porn site and contracted all kind of virus' and such. It doesn't stop there. I'd continue the list but I'm afraid I would run out of internet space.

That's a user issue and not a windows issue.

So the question remains. Why do people prefer Windows?

Momentum.

 

[BD2003]

As much as I want to like Linux, I try it every few years, dabble a little, and then end deleting it. Whenever I use it feels a bit sluggish, and as soon as I try to do anything beyond the initial install (install drivers or new programs) I always run into trouble, and didn't have much luck finding help. I wouldn't say I like Microsoft, and I've had a huge amount of stupid issues with Windows over the years, but I've always been able to figure them out. I started out in computers for version 5 of DOS, so I guess I'm just more familiar with DOS/Windows. There are plenty of problems, but for the most part things run smoothly. I'm also a VB programmer, and write a lot of commercial and personal programs, and just feel comfortable in Windows.

Pretty much. I recall trying to figure out some really basic stuff, like setting up video card settings and such. Couldn't figure it out because it wasn't obvious to my windows-based brain, and I googled for help. Next thing I know I was in the command line and editing config files, and even though I managed to figure it out, I just don't want to interact with my computer like that in 2014.

This feels like the equivalent of some windows phone advocate trying desperately to convince iPhone users that win phone is just as good. On the surface it seems like it might be, but then as soon as you start going a little deeper you see it for the facade that it is. And even if it could legitimately match iOS or android on every level, that's still not a good enough reason to consider it. It has to be so much better that you feel like you can't live without it. Otherwise, why bother changing what already works for you?

 

[Eric1987]

If linux had the gaming support I'd like it more.

 

[GrumpyMan]

What I like the best about Windows is that when I look outside through one, I see a pretty October day with a cool front coming this weekend. I tried looking through a door but saw nothing and uninstalled that immediately.