Hey guys just to let you know when I purchased this Acer All in One desktop it came with Windows 10 gave it a try even wiped the drive and re-installed it and didn't it, really didn't like it when it takes over by when there's an update and it takes like 2-4 hours to do so here I am running Ubuntu 16.04 64 bit it was a toss up because I kinda like mint but been with Ubuntu for a long while.

OK.

Hi,

I keep a MS Windows on some of my Laptops so I can support clients. I have been using Slackware since PV's first release back in 1993. Prefer Slackware to a Microsoft OS but clients still need help so I get some extra dollars from that support.

Do I like Win/10? No way but it's what it is, a poor OS as compared to a current Gnu/Linux; Dated article but still a lot of good content.

Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/u...ows-users.html has some general advices for new Linux Users.
Hell, even older ones too.

I imagine most people have a mild to strong dislike for Microsoft OSs, but are usually uninterested in uprooting their entire environment in order to try something different. Linux, in particular, has a well earned reputation of demanding some degree of technical aptitude. (I disagree with the Ubuntu is easy argument. When it has an issue, you are in for a bad time.)

The main attraction, to many, is not better software. I have heard many discussions about free vs. proprietary software, and it would seem that mostly it depends on the skill of those who are working on it, more than anything else. You do however, a much larger collection of absolutely free, mostly trustworthy, and sometimes insanely useful little pieces of utility software. Some tools exist in each environment that is clearly superior to the others. That is to be expected, I suppose.

For technical users, however, it offers an absolutely stellar toolchain, some parts of which is unavailable anywhere else. After you have some familiarity with the scripting capabilities of bash, and programs like find and grep, working on another environment is honestly painful. Not to mention crucial security software like GPG that comes bundled in most distributions, AFAIK.

(Ranting below this line.)

What really baffles me, though, are the people who genuinely *like* Windows. Specifically the latest versions with all of the horrendous limitations and the crapware that is force-fed to their users. I feel it is extremely insulting. I understand simply not caring, but actively liking all of that is just odd, in my opinion.

OG users like yourself make this site much more valuable than any of the alternatives, IMO.

I have a love affair with Slackware as well.

Hi,

I use Slackware since it was the best choice for a UNIX-like Gnu/Linux and continues to fill that niche.

I agree LQ is one of the best if not the best source for help while using a Gnu/Linux. Sometimes we even assist Microsoft users to migrate to a Gnu/Linux environment.

I really do not rely on a Microsoft OS except to help my clients when they call. I keep Microsoft on a few machines for those instances when someone needs help. Gets some extra cash from supporting others who choose to use that OS. While still at the University, I had to support Microsoft user machine within our LABS since some hardware was not yet supported by Gnu/Linux. Plus we would build some of our LAB interfaces on Microsoft based machines. Later some of our UNIX based machines would be used with specialized interfaces that had to be designed and built within our LAB facilities.

Our UNIX needs were provided by University machines, some that were donated by major manufactures. AT&T provided several 3B series computers throughout the University & LABS. Nice little platforms to use since we could use UNIX locally within the LABS.

Personally, I could not see the need to purchase a UNIX license off campus even through a University license where the costs are great and available to those that had grants to purchase such. Especially when I found Slackware Gnu/Linux as a free to use UNIX-like distribution to fill my needs.

BTW, for users that are not aware that Slackware is the oldest Gnu/Linux that is still actively distributed and supported; Linux Distro TimeLine <- 'Ver. 11.10 (zoom capable) As you can see from the time line the number of forked distributions from Slackware Gnu/Linux show several current popular distributions. The timeline needs to be updated since the distributions have changed dramatically since it was generated.

Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!

I realize that GNU/Linux was originally intended to be an alternative to Unix, but that was a bit before my time. Nowadays, especially the popular distros, seem to have become a refuge for dissatisfied Windows and MacOS users.

I first installed Slackware in about 2003, after trying a number of distros with a reputation for being beginner-friendly. At that time Slackware allowed me to get much better performance out of my aging laptop. There was a quote I loved from ESR that went something like: "learning to hack on Windows is like learning to dance in a full-body cast." I only understood what he meant many years later.

I own a Windows 7 license, and currently have it installed on a laptop. Just something I needed while working through a programming book.

I have a nostalgic fondness for DOS stuff from the 90s. Windows has always been unpleasant to work with, however.

I'm pretty agnostic with the respect to which OS is better - question of objectives/needs/software ... a million things. I use both Windows 10 (at home - wife and kids' systems) & 7 (at work - have to ...) and linux (Arch) as my system of choice.

I much *prefer* Arch Linux to Windows, mostly because I can customize it exactly the way I want. But that's the type of user I am. Those who just want something that works and are uninterested in knowing how and even less interested in troubleshooting problems, will gravitate more towards MacOS and Windows. That's fine - a solution for everyone.

Cheers.

I do not vilify the big proprietary OSs. I am mostly indefferent to what happens over there unless I have to use or try to troubleshoot them (which I'm sure is the curse of being the resident technical type person).

I feel that we have enough commercial interests in Linux land. A large migration of new users might bring even more, and end up souring things for everyone, in my opinion.

I am much more interested in protecting what we have here, rather than going on a crusade against all proprietary OSs.