Otherwise, until about a year or two ago, I used something even worse as a “beater box” and can can say Windows XP performed significantly better than Linux. The reports I’ve read say that Windows 7 doesn’t perform significantly worse than XP on old equipment, so I can only assume that it too would run better than Linux, at least with a GUI. If we’re talking about command line then it’s not much of a comparison at all. I’d just counter with DOS runs faster and probably has more useful software or that Windows 98 clearly has better software, has a GUI, can be extended to support newer programs, and easily runs in the resources Linux now requires as a minimum.

Try with slackware, or better with FreeBSD (the best free Unix OS)… it works!!!!!!!

By the way, if JM is, in reality, too spineless and sensitive to tolerate the attacks of the Linux users in his dorm, or if his sense of self is so weak that he would suffer acute depression and grief were he to lose their approbation, or if he simply has too great anxiety from the idea of being discovered using Windows, then really, it would be better for him in all regards to simply continue to use Linux.

Which of course is what was going to happen all along. Only someone who enjoys pointless busywork would prefer making install disks and liveCDs and changing folder names and splashscreens, to simply making an installation and ghosting it.

Nearly all of the “features” he listed in his first post are of trivial importance – except to someone whose idea of what a computer should do is also essentially trivial. (A few are actually useful but most are features for fools.) Again, if we ask the question “Why would someone who needs that foolishness, and who has an OS that will let him do that foolishness – while he, presumably, dribbles spittle on his keyboard as his gapes in openmouthed awe at the power of Linux and his skill in exploiting it – even be considering switching to another OS?”

(Incidentally, not only is JM overly dependent on the approval of his Linux dorm-mates, but if he thinks that Windows users are predominantly “office grunts” then he is also very susceptible to Apple advertising campaigns. So this kid has got some rather unfortunate psychological and intellectual deficiencies.)

Hey, kid! Have fun playing with the bootsplash graphics and bootloader colours. You have obviously taken the trouble to list all the ways in which, for you, Linux excels Windows. I am wondering, however, how many people you expect are going to be moved to even try out a Linux liveCD (not to even mention “migrate to Linux” because of the dubious “advantages” you have enumerated.) However, many adult computer-users (i.e. “grown-ups) might well consider both your “advantages”, and consider you yourself, to be a good reason to not bother with Linux in the first place.

Do you have ANYTHING to back that up? Anything at all?

“About DWM, I didn’t say that it can’t do bling.”

You said, and I quoted you, it was “less capable” and I corrected you. I note you haven’t disputed that Compiz is unstable and kills your apps if it crashes.

I’ve tried Linux and Compiz – I know what the fucking cube is, and multiple desktops are a computing paradigm of which I am aware. Instead of switching between single tasks, you switch between _sets_ of tasks. It’s still a task/application-switcher, however you slice it. Changing desktop changes from one task (or application, or set of applications, or even nothing, in which case why switch?) to another. And that’s it.

My position is that it’s largely pointless – even if you’re using multiple desktops, why all that fucking about when a simple wipe or slide effect would be quicker. Apple’s Spaces does it well – applications are assigned to Spaces, and clicking the app in the dock automatically and quickly switches to the correct Space. No holding a key or mouse button and waggling the mouse to hunt for the app on a freely moving cube with a distracting background. However, even Mac users prefer multiple monitors instead, in my experience. Spreading an MDI app over two virtual desktops is a pain in the arse, even if the app lets you do it.

A blinged out desktop is completely and utterly pointless to most users – there’s usually an application or two in the way of the desktop and they’re too busy getting work done to fuck about spinning a cube or going “oooo!” at burning windows. We’re back where we started – you might be able to spin a cube with four or more desktops on it and blingy 3D windows, but the average user is too busy with Word, Powerpoint, Excel, 3D Studio MAX, Photoshop, After Effects, AVID, AutoCAD, Sage, InDesign, Illustrator or playing games that aren’t Tux Racer or Quake 3 mods.

“I’m a student which wants a blingy desktop and doesn’t like that “ALL WORK NO FUN” mindset of the office grunts.”

Wait till you get a real job. Compiz and Linux will lose their sparkle when you lose real work for the fifth, tenth, and hundredth times when it falls on its arse again. That’s IF your future employer uses Linux, and lets you use Compiz.

“You don’t really get the reason of a built-in LiveCD mode.”

If I wanted to browse the web, I’ll just boot my normal OS (Or bring it out of sleep. Or resume it from hibernation. How’s S3 suspend doing in Linux these days?). Why fuck about with a LiveCD when I can have a fully working OS? If my OS is broken, I’ll boot from my Windows disk, fix it, (or re-apply an image if it gets that far) then boot to a working OS.

The only _real_ reason for a Linux LiveCD is to check hardware compatibility.

“The army of dull office grunts that populates the windows platform is just too annoying with their attitude.”

OUR attitude? What about the attitudes of the Linux camp? The juvenile name-calling, the elitist tossers, the holier-than-thou preaching? Being told it’s all about freedom and choice and then being derided and insulted because we use our freedom to choose something else? I personally just LOVE being called an idiot, a shill, a Wintroll, or a Wintard by kids whose parents probably hadn’t even met when I started using computers.

5-7) LogonStudio from StarDock for logon/startup/shutdown screens. Changing bootloader colours is just being finicky (:p) and MS took the fullscreen bootsplash out of Vista for a reason. Don’t load a bootsplash = quicker bootup.

9) The FSF chorus will start the usual refrains of “Anti-trust”, “Copying” and “Bloat”. And then the EU will get complaints from third-parties (and probably the FSF) and levy yet another outrageous fine. The built-in archiver and ZIP is enough for most people. If you want more, they’re easily available from third parties. Install the ones you want, then re-take a system image.

11) Who said an ideal desktop looks like Win3.1? Not me, matey. Nothing wrong with an OS looking nice. It’s just that far too much is made of the cube, multiple desktops and the Compiz effects from the Linux camp. How many times a day do you use the cube to switch tasks? That’s what it boils down to – it’s an overblown task-switcher. ALT-TAB and the taskbar can do much the same job with the minimum of fuss on ONE desktop. If we’re short of screen, us Windows types can just plug in a second monitor.

It’s funny how things have reversed; Linux was the stable one, Windows was the bling. Now it’s the other way around, except the stability has been lost from Linux, and the bling really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Compiz is a very impressive technical achievement, I do have to give it that – running a 3D-accelerated compositing system on top of X is no mean feat. However, the much-vaunted stability has completely gone for a burton, it suffers from tearing and choppy video, and most of the effects are impressive for ten minutes then the novelty wears off. How many of the effects are _useful_ to you? Honestly?

On the other hand, DWM is understated in use of 3D and visual effects, but it’s fairly solid. I personally have never managed to make it crash, or seen it crash on other people’s computers. I won’t deny it does, but it’s not that common compared to Compiz; Google “DWM crash” and “Compiz crash” to compare – 33,500 vs 200,000 results. And when DWM does go down, do all your apps die? Screen flickers, video driver is restarted, back up and running. What happens when Compiz goes and takes X with it? Even IF you can get it to recover?

As for being “less capable”, just because you don’t see DWM doing all the bling of Compiz doesn’t mean it CAN’T do all that. DWM is very much capable of wobbly windows, rotatable windows, rotatable overlays, 3D effects, etc. and can do it with excellent video performance and no tearing.

MS just haven’t put the fancy effects in; probably due to tester feedback. It’s more likely they were not included because of “distracting” rather than “unprofessional”. It probably would have been easy for MS to add any number of effects if they wanted to though; DWM is reputed to be very easy to program for. There’s a good Expose clone for Vista/7 called Switcher – the first version was (according to the developer) coded in C# in _Notepad_.

If you really want more visual bling than MS give you by default, TopDesk, DeskSpace and ObjectDesktop/WindowBlinds from StarDock are probably your best bets.

12) In the vast majority of cases, you need ONE disk to fix Windows – the Windows disk itself. Boot from CD/DVD, repair Windows. If there’s no DVD/CD drive, make a suitable USB key bootable with DiskPart (no more difficult than doing it in Linux), and copy the install disk to it on another machine, then boot from USB. There’s also BartPE. It’s third party, but it’s a LiveCD of Windows XP that can be used as a recovery tool.

Also if I can add apps/shells how do I do that (point me to a beginners tutorial, I haven’t modded a windows disc in my life, I have used windows though).

Is it because you have to re-install and reboot so often??

Also – can YOU do all that, without a packager to do it for you?

8 – Why would we _want_ Ext3, Ext4 or ReiserFS?
9 – Not exactly – an archiving program’s installer would install shell extensions for us.
10 – What’s the latest version of Windows you’ve used??
11- While you’re spinning your cube, we’re getting work done. With the best of class applications. BTW, DWM pisses all over Compiz technically, and was there first. “WinHEC 2003 Vista Wobbly Windows”