One thing where Linux already has Windows 8 beaten: it doesn't look like it was designed by and for 5 year olds.

http://i.imgur.com/3mF7a.jpg

Actually it was designed by Aol in 1995.

That makes it even worse. Stolen from an AOL design, by and for 5 year olds.

It's not just how it looks either -- the fact you can't just open an application whilst watching another is ridiculous. Mind you, I've similar gripes with Unity. Unity does seem a lot more coherent though and is certainly cleaner looking.

I hesitate to say it, but, it looks like a nice Tablet OS.

I will not, ever, use it on a Desktop or Server, if I have any say in it.

Nah... sorry... people from windows 8 will first move to Mac and later on Linux.
Less will come to Linux than Mac.
Also, About GNOME 3. When people are new to Linux, they always get the GNOME or Unity which sucks so much :P.
They are going to hate Linux thanks to GNOME 3 and unity of ubuntu. Only if they know Linux Mint because of MATE.
:(
Hope GNOME 4 will be better. If GNOME 4 is worse. I will fight for it.

Windows has been marketed since 3.1 that I remember, Linux isn't really marketed at all. That's the issue. For people to start migrating to Linux they need either a Push and/or a Pull, Marketing is the Pull and Windows itself should be the Push. People will move to Mac, even if they don't like them, simply because Apple is in our faces on TV, Radio, Internet, out on the street, etc.

Can Ubuntu beat Windows 8 one day?
 

Can a Linux distro beat Windows 8 one day?
I think it is a little hard thing to achieve in the near future.
Even though Linux is getting accepted by more common people now a days,the percentage is low.I think ubuntu is the only linux distro which is a perfect opponent for Windows operating system.
http://www.bestlinuxdistros.com/2012...ntu-linux.html

Please add reputation if you find anything from me useful or helpful.

Windows' biggest problem with user interface is, they just can't leave it alone. That's also one reason why I stopped updating my OS/X box with Snow Leopard. I want my computer to be predictable. I don't have any understanding learning how "my phone" works, but I don't want to have to re-learn how "my computer" works, just because the marketroids thought it would be cool.

I wholeheartedly agree with this.
The change from Win2K to XP was annoying enough when they just moved things around a bit but the change to Windows 8 not-Metro-any-more was even worse. I use Windows computers to get work done (because they're what I'm paid to work with) and I am sick of having to relearn everything whenever they bring out a new piece of software.
I've been using Linux at home for between five and ten years and everything I have learned from day one is still applicable. Things I have learned playing at home on Linux have helped me when exposed to Unix and have even helped me tackle Windows admin better. The many books I practically memorised about Microsoft products are now completely useless.
Of course, this is how Microsoft like it -- they can't very well have people taking an MCSE or MOUsE once and not paying for their expensive "accredited trainers" ever again.

Member Response
 

Hi,
I personally feel that Gnu/Linux surpasses a Win/8 at this point in time. Win/8 requires some minimal relearning for Microsoft users and no real intuitive sense. A Gnu/Linux does provide the means for a user to setup things as they want while the configure ablity for Win/8 is restrictive. Sure that will depend on the chosen Gnu/Linux. *buntus' will provide better options for uninformed user but that does not mean other Gnu/Linux cannot be used by new users. It will depend on the users desires, willingness and overall experiences.
How near are you talking about?

Care to share where you are getting this information?
Personal opinion?
Not from my viewpoint or perspective. As a turnkey/hold your hand distribution then maybe but to me the configure ability allowance by any Gnu/Linux surpasses a Microsoft OS.

Good article from a Ubuntu users perspective. :)

Maybe! :)

Well, Windows XP turned out to be a fairly solid OS after a few years. Windows 7 has really done the same for me. And I think in the future, Windows 8 is going to be another ME or Vista -- where everyone says, nahhh, Ill just stick with Windows 7.

I installed W8 -- which looks like this http://cdn.iwastesomuchtime.com/5192...ows8vsaol.jpeg -- and can't help but feel that the usability is going backwards. Maybe it will be great for a tablet, but for a desktop or server you have to be kidding me.

Linux on the other hand, has hundreds of different interfaces,.. something for everybody. Don't like the system-admin look of Gnome2? Use Gnome3. Want a seriously slick, keyboard controlled DE? Use openbox. Want full blown eyecandy for a screaming system? Use KDE. And there are many, many others to choose from.

In that one aspect, Linux already has Window$ and iApple beaten. Choice.

Amen to that!

It's not about being in a race. In fact you don't even have to be in a race with Microsoft to offer something better and beat them. Just present the alternative openly in the market, market it to where you can show the similarities, make it easy and similar like Windows like Xubuntu does, support the developers who design software and bring them on board, and give people the choice without bias.

Microsoft says, "We're the best because we support games."

Apple says, "We're better than Microsoft because we have a better system design."

Here's what Linux/BSD should be saying, "We aren't better than Microsoft or Apple, but we can do the same work, play games, and surf the internet, and we can do it because our system is free to download, install, and use."

Here's my two. Yes, both are digs at Ubuntu, but I'm not really familiar with other distros ...

1. The life cycle of a user interface should be years, not months.

2. The same for software compatibility. Compare "7/XP/2000" with "only available for 12.04," which will be "12.10" very, very soon. Distros and developers need to get together on this. Not every one wants an "upgrade" every six months, and the commercial world most certainly does not.

1. is valid to a certain degre depending on your thinking. Gnome evolved just as KDE evolved and if you look at Windows XP it has evolved to. No user interface, that I have seen, has only had a lifespan of months. Yes things are added, and on the case of Linux DEs tehy change the version number but that doesn;t mean the DE has a short lifespan.

I have no problem at all with much of how the Linux community has set thigns up like that. You can easily, by backporting, update to newer versions of things like Firefox, GIMP, Banshee, VLC etc. MS doesn't call it backporting, as far as I know, but to me it is the same.