Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99!

[psxphill]

Latest Linux Mint, latest Ubuntu, latest Fedora. take your pick.

Which one is best?
 

I can't stand lacking multiple desktops at windows 7 at work, but other's wouldn't care, because they never got used to that feature f.x. Ditto for whatever is your particular favourite thing.

I tried it back in the 9x years when Norton (?) included it in one of their packages. I never got on with it, but there are multiple add on's that allow you to do it.
 
Microsoft even has one of their own that has been recently updated (I assume for windows . http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx
 
or an open source one that appears to still be going http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/

[Colani1200]

The more Ubuntu takes off the worse canonical will become. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/canonical_now_solicits_donations_when_downloading_ubuntu_says_dont_freak_out
 
I like this comment: "I guess if the current users didn't leave after Unity, nothing is really going to shock them."

Pretty stupid comment indeed. If you don't like the Unity desktop, just run "sudo tasksel" and pick something different. Or choose a different installation medium right from the beginning (e.g. the Xubuntu or Lubuntu ISO). Unlike other OSes, you're not limited to that one and only desktop environment, you know?

[Iggy]

Speaking of not liking something (and I know this isn't Win8 related, but let's face it, you guys are way off that topic anyway)'m really hating reinstallation of WinXP.

I have two copies of WinXP Media Center 2005 Edition. That's not that old, but in order to get it to update properly (after installation) I had to manually install SP3. Then it installed 117 service patches, restarted and installed two more.

Freakin' ridiculous.

[psxphill]

Pretty stupid comment indeed. If you don't like the Unity desktop, just run "sudo tasksel" and pick something different. Or choose a different installation medium right from the beginning (e.g. the Xubuntu or Lubuntu ISO). Unlike other OSes, you're not limited to that one and only desktop environment, you know?

It seems very user unfriendly to have to run a command to change desktop. Isn't their a configuration screen?
 
Will Steam be supporting the other distros?
 
You say you're not limited to one and only desktop environment as if that is a good thing. You must have loved it when Bluray and HD-DVD were getting exclusive movies so you had to buy two players, so much choice. Its a pity that everyone grew up and spoiled it for you.

[persia]

As I said the most annoying thing is the the old Windows 7 desktop, minus the Windows "start" ball, keeps popping up.  It's just jarring as hell, couldn't they just make a way to turn it off?

[TheBilgeRat]

http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+is+free+as+long+as+your+time+has+no+value

ermagerd.

Which one is best?

None of them are "best".  An operating system is "best" when it does exactly what you want.  If you like customizing to your hearts content and like that if you are curious what is in your code, then linux or BSD may be a good fit.  universal pendrive linux + 4G thumbdrive or a blank CD/DVD and you can test run any to your hearts content without nuking your drive for it.  Throw one in a VM.  If windows 7 or 8 or XP or hell even 3.11 works for you, then stick with it.  I have a strong opinion about free software and linux/BSD specifically, but there is a difference between correcting misinformation and prosletyzing.

And yes, Steam will be on all linuxes, they just chose Ubuntu as it is the flavor most people use.

[runequester]

 
You say you're not limited to one and only desktop environment as if that is a good thing. You must have loved it when Bluray and HD-DVD were getting exclusive movies so you had to buy two players, so much choice. Its a pity that everyone grew up and spoiled it for you.

The desktop environment won't really affect what apps will run. Worst case, an app may look a bit like it doesn't fit in, if it's written for say KDE, but running on Gnome instead. Kinda like running some old windows apps in a newer version.

[persia]

Noting coud be as jarring as running old windows programs, they don't fit at all in the tiled world interface....

The desktop environment won't really affect what apps will run. Worst case, an app may look a bit like it doesn't fit in, if it's written for say KDE, but running on Gnome instead. Kinda like running some old windows apps in a newer version.

[Colani1200]

You say you're not limited to one and only desktop environment as if that is a good thing. You must have loved it when Bluray and HD-DVD were getting exclusive movies so you had to buy two players, so much choice. Its a pity that everyone grew up and spoiled it for you.

I don't care about that tbh, I have neither of them. What I do know though is, that if one system survives and the other one is killed, it is not neccessarily the best one which stays. VHS and Betamax is a common example, maybe the Amiga aswell. SO, having the freedom of choice is a good thing indeed. Just pick whatever suits your needs best.

[PanterHZ]

To me it seems like Windows 8 will turn out to be the new Windows ME, and because of this upgrade offer, I belive Microsoft have their doubts as well.

The Win9x start menu was one of the things Microsoft really did a good job with, but of course they had to mess it up with the later versions of Windows. Launching applications from a small menu by using only two mouse-clicks was of course way too easy, so they had to find ways to make this more ackward for the user.

Guess I will be sticking with Vista for as long as I can, since it's the last Windows version where it's still possible to get the classic start menu, and I will not upgrade to Win8 even if I got payed to do so.

Mark my words, Windows 8 will fail considerably on the desktop market, so Microsoft will be forced to either make an update which brings back the start menu, or they will rush out the next Windows version where it will be re-implemented there instead.
Everybody I have talked to are sceptical to Windows 8, and even my father have heard rumors about 8 being no good.

PS! Sorry about being on-topic folks :-)

[TheBilgeRat]

To me it seems like Windows 8 will turn out to be the new Windows ME, and because of this upgrade offer, I belive Microsoft have their doubts as well.

The Win9x start menu was one of the things Microsoft really did a good job with, but of course they had to mess it up with the later versions of Windows. Launching applications from a small menu by using only two mouse-clicks was of course way too easy, so they had to find ways to make this more ackward for the user.

Guess I will be sticking with Vista for as long as I can, since it's the last Windows version where it's still possible to get the classic start menu, and I will not upgrade to Win8 even if I got payed to do so.

Mark my words, Windows 8 will fail considerably on the desktop market, so Microsoft will be forced to either make an update which brings back the start menu, or they will rush out the next Windows version where it will be re-implemented there instead.
Everybody I have talked to are sceptical to Windows 8, and even my father have heard rumors about 8 being no good.

PS! Sorry about being on-topic folks :-)

I predict Surface and Win 8 along with whatever new Xbox they deploy will be the nail in Sony and Apples coffin.  Mark my words.

[partycentralpartygirl]

Which one is best?
 

Red Star OS is best OS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

[partycentralpartygirl]

I predict Surface and Win 8 along with whatever new Xbox they deploy will be the nail in Sony and Apples coffin.  Mark my words.

Sony is in big trouble in the console world. Plus their controllers suck compared to perfection of the 360. If MS changes the controller I will rage harder than when Honey Boo Boo runs out of Redbull.:furious:

Apple will probably eventually be #3 in the phone and #2 in the tablet world after a few years. The amount of apps that will be in the Windows App store compared to the competition will be astounding due to the much much greater installed user base.

[runequester]

Sony is in big trouble in the console world. Plus their controllers suck compared to perfection of the 360. If MS changes the controller I will rage harder than when Honey Boo Boo runs out of Redbull.:furious:

Apple will probably eventually be #3 in the phone and #2 in the tablet world after a few years. The amount of apps that will be in the Windows App store compared to the competition will be astounding due to the much much greater installed user base.

It's hard to believe how badly Sony bungled the console market after the domination of the PS2.

As far as Apple and phones, I don't know. So far, they seem to hold on to it pretty tight. Not sure I'd get hopes up for windows mobile though. I work for one of the major US carriers and I don't remember ever hearing a call where a customer asked for a windows phone. It's android or apple, nothing else.

In the tablet market though, things might get interesting over the next few years, which would be good.

[partycentralpartygirl]

It's hard to believe how badly Sony bungled the console market after the domination of the PS2.

As far as Apple and phones, I don't know. So far, they seem to hold on to it pretty tight. Not sure I'd get hopes up for windows mobile though. I work for one of the major US carriers and I don't remember ever hearing a call where a customer asked for a windows phone. It's android or apple, nothing else.

In the tablet market though, things might get interesting over the next few years, which would be good.

It will be some time for mobile, I bet windows takes the bargain market. It runs on less powerful hardware fine compared to android.

[Lurch]

I have two copies of WinXP Media Center 2005 Edition. That's not that old, but in order to get it to update properly (after installation) I had to manually install SP3. Then it installed 117 service patches, restarted and installed two more.

Freakin' ridiculous.

2005, that's ancient. That's nearly 8 years ago. 117+ patches for 8 years, that's not really a large number at all.

Let's say 120 patches, divide that by 8 that's 15 patches a year.

If you really have an aversion with Microsoft releasing and supporting patches for an 8+ year old OS then you can slipstream the updates into a custom XP.

Google nlite some good resources there.

As for Windows 8 being the next ME that's just insanity. ME was junk, blue screens and crashing etc. Windows 8 is stable, quicker than my Windows 7 install and the new start screen is step in the right direction.

Times are changing. The start menu has been around for along time. There will be the usual complaints and arguments just like when Windows 95 hit the scene but after a year or so it will calm down.