"Back in my university days, when Netscape was the latest web browser on the scene and the Pentium MMX was the power user's processor of choice, UNIX was part of my everyday life. Since graduating, my chosen desktop operating system has been Windows of some variety. This is partly because it was the most readily available consumer desktop operating system and also because it served me well for the most part." More here. In other Ubuntu news, Automatix2 for Feisty is released.
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Member since:2007-03-09
True, but a useless argument as well.This doesn't help a bit in evaluating whether Windows or Linux (or whatever), and with what applications, works better for you.
Well, the Original Poster made an argument from a very narrow perspective (people *he* knows). I made the *same* from my perspective and *also* from a wider perspective.
Therefore, my argument is just as valid as OP's, if not more.
You don't *need* a computer at all, therefore, of course, you don't need any specific applications either.
Now that is a truly useless argument (at least in *this* discussion). It's also quite untrue. Many people *do need* computers if they are going to be part of a modern society.
This doesn't help a bit in evaluating whether Windows or Linux (or whatever), and with what applications, works better for you.
Like I already said, I feel that my argument is at least just as valid as OP's.
Member since:2005-07-06
The problem is the list is one of the worst I have ever seen for arguing that for general use Linux is not viable. 95% of the people the original poster knows would have to be windows developers.
-Adobe's suite Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks
-- Linux has Flash. Very few people have to design it.
-Turbotax
-- Ok. Not for me (I have an accountant) but I can see the need for many. I would not classify it as a "must have" though.
-MS Publisher
-- 95% of the people the OP knows needs Publisher? (Scribus is better in my opinion but I know many would disagree.)
-Juno
-- As in Juno Internet Service? Any internet provider who is Windows only does not deserve to be in business. Sure they ay not support alt OSes, but require it?
-Visual Studio for Visual Basic and ASP.NET programming in .NET 2.0
-- Congratulations, if you work in a MS shop for web/app development you need Windows. The vast majority of the world do not work as programmers in a MS shop.
-MS SQL Server 2005
-- I will spare the debate on MS SQL Server, but I would not use it even on Windows. Opinion varies though.
-the church management software my church relies on from the only software company in the segment of the industry
-- oh yeah, almost everyone I know needs this. Sub in Photoshop next time, at least it has some validity. A specialist market says little about general desktop use. What is the software by the way?
-the Age of Empires series from Microsoft
-- If you are a serious gamer you need Windows. I do not dispute this, but many do not game. You can game on linux but it is more challenging to get things working. From an end user prospective the steps needed to get Windows games working on Linux puts it out of the realm of reasonable.
Member since:2007-03-23
Re:-Adobe's suite Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks
On Linux I use: Nvu,?,Gimpshop
Re: Turbotax
Turbotax now has an online version that works just as well.
This got me to thinking though about money management software. I guess it would be something more along the lines of MS Money, but I use a program called moneydance - http://www.moneydance.com
It runs on Linux, OS X & Windows. I love this program.
I have no affiliation with the company other than I have been a VERY happy user of their software for a couple of years now. If you are looking for that type of software I highly recommend it!
Member since:
2005-12-31
> 99.9% of users I know *don't need* any of these applications. I would
> also dare to say that this true for 95% of *all* computer users.
True, but a useless argument as well. You don't *need* a computer at all, therefore, of course, you don't need any specific applications either. This doesn't help a bit in evaluating whether Windows or Linux (or whatever), and with what applications, works better for you.
Edited 2007-04-10 11:34