Windows 8??

[Marc]

I won't be upgrading to Windows 8, at least not for a very long time. I have 7 and am very happy with it - also a big fan of XP Pro.

I did have Vista for a short time - after the first service pack came out it really wasn't all that bad (but I turned off all the fancy stuff so my machine would run quicker).

Windows 2000 Pro was also a very good operating system.

Yeah. For me, lack of money and a teeming desire to try new technologies never works out well.

Get yourself a Technet subscription which as some-one in the IT industry would make a good investment

You'll have to sink about $500 on the initial purchase (which you'd then claim on your tax) but it would be money well spent.

It wouldn't just give you the option to learn Windows Desktop but also delve into the server side.

 

[JoeZhang]

or if you are connected with an academic or educational organisation (even as a student), you can generally get pretty much any piece of microsoft software for buttons - I think office cost me £8 and windows 7 was about £9.

 

[Samurai8472]

I hope my college still offers "Ultimate" for 10 dollars

 

[Santaman]

For everyone who doesn't like Win7's desktop.
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

I run this on Win7 64, looks very much like the Win2K desktop which I like the most of all M$ desktops...

 

[BrotherBenny]

I use Windows because I have no choice at the moment. My computer at my old workplace and my wife's computer run on XP. two of my three laptops run on XP and one runs on Vista, and none of the laptops work properly. They all have software or hardware issues. I'm thinking of selling all three and then getting a new one with Linux or a Mac Book, but it depends on when I get a job that pays enough so I can afford to do so.

But I hate Windows.

 

[Count Zero]

You don't need to buy a new computer to install Linux on it. Most Linux distributions (especially the beginner friendly ones) can be downloaded and burned to a CD that you can boot from. The OS will live inside your computer's RAM until you choose to install it. It's an excellent way to find out whether your hardware is supported. I'd recommend chosing a distribution with a large community because that makes problem solving a lot easier.

 

[JarodRussell]

I installed Linux (Ubuntu, "most popular" and "most user friendly") once and had so many problem with it I switched back to Windows after a month. So many compatibility problems with just every shit you can think of. And the community consists mostly of arrogant pricks where the (only) reply mostly is "Just why would you want to do that? Laugh, laugh, laugh."

My experience.

 

[Count Zero]

Needless to say, my experience was the opposite (also with Ubuntu). But as I implied, hardware support can be a problem, that's why I suggested trying it out with a live CD beforehand. However, I don't want to derail this thread, I just wanted to point out that with any luck there's no need to buy a new computer to try it out which is what BrotherBenny seemed to think.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

And the community consists mostly of arrogant pricks where the (only) reply mostly is "Just why would you want to do that? Laugh, laugh, laugh."

Haven't dealt much with the Ubuntu community (although they appeared clueless when I sought their advice), but when I'm confronted by a question seeking to do something I consider harmful, I ask why and strongly advice against it. Under some circumstances I don't answer it (e.g. if it involves promoting something I don't want to promote).

This might make me seem arrogant at times and it might chase people away back to communities that do this less often, but have in mind that arrogance and self-righteousness are not the only reasons you might get such answer.

In the last ten years I haven't seen a serious online community to laugh off somebody who has asked a good and informed question though.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Count Zero, the only reason I mentioned getting a new computer is because of the two laptops I had, one had a motherboard that was on its way out and the other one was seven years old and just about ready to give up the ghost. I have since sold both and will be sharing my wife's computer for the foreseeable future.

If and when I do get a machine, I will decide what OS to go for at the time. I might even go with an Apple or something.