Quote:
Originally Posted by kacir
I ended up using Mint Linux - most things are configured to my liking "out of the box".
I am fortunate that the vast majority of things I want to do on my computer can be done on Linux with minimum of tinkering. On the other hand, if you feel like you want to tinker with something, there plenty of things you can play with.
But - operating systems are not a religion. They are tools, so you should use what works best for you.
|
Agreed. Linux Mint is much, much easier to install and maintain than is Windows. I know this for a fact because I recently upgraded seven computers from Windows XP to Windows 7. Each one took hours for all the upgrades and reboots (the initial installation via USB drive wasn't too bad but it was the subsequent updates that took forever). Linux Mint, on the other hand, takes about 20 minutes to install on my 13 year-old Latitude D400, and another 25 to 30 minutes to completely update the software (including applications and OS). When I'm done EVERYTHING for a basic system is installed, flash, java, an office suite, Firefox, Thunderbird, multimedia codecs -- everything. And with my older laptops, all volume buttons, etc., work out of box -- WiFi card works out of the box, the right video driver is loaded. (I understand this is different with cutting edge equipment, which I don't use.) Once I get a Windows system installed, get flash, java, anti-virus, anti-malware, install the Office Suite (if I'm installing one) and reboot about 20 times (altogether) I'm about fed up tinkering with Windows. And then there's the constant anti-virus updates, printer, video and other installs, plus worrying about losing your software registration keys and making sure you've backed up your installation media (usually you don't get CDs/DVDs any more). With Linux you just download the software from the repository and reinstall (without rebooting).
At any rate, for my purposes, Linux is much, much less complicated than Windows. And it doesn't have "sure to fail" (eventually) Registry file.
EDIT: I forgot to mention, another issue with Windows 7 is ensuring it doesn't upgrade to Windows 10 against your will. GWX Panel helps, but I still have to very carefully check the Update Files to see if Microsoft has -- once again -- snuck in a Windows 10 "upgrade."