Pardon me ? to difficult ? Beginners should start with Linux Mint 17 Cinnamon or Ubuntu...if you know a bit more about linux start with Manjaro or Arch. Even i am a beginner but setting up arch was not that hard.
+1. I also do like cloudless skies. Once WinX is released I guess there will be awesome tuts here @MDL on how to fix this sh¡t.
Users should get options but that is not what microsoft is giving us. They FORCE you to use what THEY want you to use. Thats why i am more leaning to linux these days and still thinking about wiping my device and install arch again. Windows died after windows 7
indeed the only reason why windows still mandatory for me are games and realtek 887 sound card it doesn't provide surround on linux, only stereo
Linux has drivers for mine and has surround sound (Realtek ALCxxx). What you say is true, only for games is why i am still using windows. BUT i don't game much anymore these days, i played a game on linux (linux native game) and finished it (Enemy Unknown). Worked fine but the windows version is smoother. Half life 2 and portal where as fast as the windows version. Wasteland 2 worked fine too. I tested these games in linux mint 17 cinnamon, have to try those in arch too some time
Outside of servers Linux can't compete with Windows. From social networking as in using webcams to getting latest applications from third-party developers. Windows is way ahead of Linux operating system in those areas beside games, videos, imaging, etc.
The guys who designed Office 2013 needed something to do, don't you think their white dialog boxes with white text entry fields and white buttons on a white background is absolutely the best thing in the world?
So what happens when they call you complaining that their library of Windows software won't run anymore, or they can't readily find the software they want to use for Mint?... Wouldn't want to have to explain that to a beginner as he's not apt to look too kindly on me telling him, "Oh, you won't need all of that stuff..don't worry about it"... It always amuses me that some folks talk about installing an OS as if it's the only software they'll ever run. Windows by far supports more hardware and software than any consumer-oriented distribution of Linux (more than any other OS in the world, actually), which makes it a lot more useful, imo. At least, that's the way I look at it. The only reasons to favor Windows are practical ones.
I concur. Sure for some nerds (and I'm not saying that with disrespect at all!!) Linux works fine on the desktop but lets get real here most Businesses Computer users want to run Microsoft Office (with Outlook), Quick Books (for smaller business), and a ton of other programs that just work with Windows. They want to be able to go to the store and buy software and run it. Sure you might be able to find some open source software here and there to replace most Windows based programs but the end user doesn't want to have to learn them (more than they might dislike the look of a new start menu) and they want to know why the software they just bought to do this or that isn't installing (we get this on Macs from time to time as well). They want to know why the printer driver disk isn't installing for the printer they just got or Photoshop or that $3,000 AutoCAD Software isn't installing. I do work with a lot of end users from many different types of companies from large to small and I have some that are even moving back to Windows from Mac just because of software availability. Sure you can use WINE and other things and there is more and more software for Linux but at this time it's not there and you have to do a lot more work to get those programs working.