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2012 - year of Linux!

A.Nonymous said:
How do you not have choices on Windows?
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I'm using XP on laptop. Since 98 I have NOT been able to get rid of IE. I don't run any windows stuff except the OS so I don't need or want it. I also can't get rid of OE, and a few other POS that I can't, don't and won't use. I have a tech do the service updates. Windows Security is turned off. I have other security software that I much prefer.

If the EU could have a choice, so could I.

The desktop is a 2 separate hard drive dual boot. Neither drive will slave to the other.

With the new MS ads about being everything to everyone - Bye MS.

I'll just keep my Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign and Designers Gallery software on OFFLINE boxes. I don't need to upgrade either.

Also, a lot of stuff for Windows wants to call home all the time. My HP laserjet complained all the time since it couldn't connect on the Adobe box.
I finally found that bit and deleted it. No more complaints from HP. So did one of the Photosmarts.

I just think the OS should stay in the background and run what YOU want instead of what most think you need.

I got totally miffed when banks insisted on IE6. I used Netscape and Opera. Now some of the banking idiots know nothing about any Linux distros.

I've also seen it recommended to do your banking on Linux from a CD.

Apparently there's a new virus/trojan that can cause real problems.

 
@ 9 to 5

MS did include an Office type suite with the OS years ago. It was called Works. Only problem was that it didn't cross with Office. Had its own file formats.
 
zuben el genub said:
If the EU could have a choice, so could I.
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That didn't actually get rid of IE. It popped up a list of alternative browser choices that one could download and make default. Which is something that anyone can do anyway.


zuben el genub said:
I got totally miffed when banks insisted on IE6. I used Netscape and Opera. Now some of the banking idiots know nothing about any Linux distros.
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There should be no banks insisting on IE6 these days, they should work just fine with IE7 or later, they should also be supporting at least Firefox and Chrome as well. If I did find a financial institution insisting on IE6, it certainly wouldn't get my custom or money.
 
robomo said:
It's apparent Android is becoming the dominant player in the mobile market, and this next year will see a strong attack on the tablet and even netbook markets.
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In Asia the netbook market is very small now, and has been so since I think middle of last year. Nearly all tablets and full-sized laptops now. In fact if one goes to the tech markets of HK and Shenzhen, one will see very few netbooks on sale now. I'm sure they won't go away completely though, they'll still be people like me that need a small PC that can do certain things better than a tablet.
 
zuben el genub said:
I'm using XP on laptop. Since 98 I have NOT been able to get rid of IE. I don't run any windows stuff except the OS so I don't need or want it. I also can't get rid of OE, and a few other POS that I can't, don't and won't use. I have a tech do the service updates. Windows Security is turned off. I have other security software that I much prefer.
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If you don't use IE, it doesn't harm your computer at all. Doesn't slow it down. Poses no security risk. Doesn't take up needed space on the HDD. Has no effect at all.

As for the other stuff, you'd rather manually do everything than have it automated?
 
IE is easy enough to get rid of, but as mentioned above its pointless. Plus since all the internet is made with IE compatability foremost, its good to keep as a backup incase something just doesnt work as it should in your browser of choice
 
SUroot said:
IE is easy enough to get rid of, but as mentioned above its pointless. Plus since all the internet is made with IE compatability foremost, its good to keep as a backup incase something just doesnt work as it should in your browser of choice
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That is the one reason I'd have IE on my computer even if I had the choice to uninstall it completely. I love FF. I love Chrome. There are some sites though that only work on IE.
 
zuben el genub said:
@ 9 to 5

MS did include an Office type suite with the OS years ago. It was called Works. Only problem was that it didn't cross with Office. Had its own file formats.
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True, but Works wasn't an Office replacement... and I believe it didn't have the ability to create powerpoint presentations, only view them. At least, mine came with Works Presentation Viewer instead of anything to create with... iirc.
 
regarding the need to use IE instead of proper browsers,
I had a big wtf moment a few weeks ago.
I was told I needed IE to use some feature on my school's website.
this is a tech school...
 
A.Nonymous said:
You have no idea. I come across sites all the time that barely work in IE if at all. Put them in IE and they work just fine.
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Are you talking about anything high profile that many people will be using or some small company or school sites? I've come across quite a few sites that only show properly in IE myself, but they're nearly always in China, because of where I live and the nature of my work.
 
Yes, I prefer to do stuff manually. I bought the components, I bought the software. If I'm not pirating the software or doing something else illegal with it, the company that sold it should have no say in the matter.
If I've paid full price and am not using some parts, the company got their money.

MS updates have been known to be disruptive. One took out scanners, etc, another deleted some files (I think AV) that it shouldn't have. MS also managed to stick some addons into FF automatically. No one wanted them. As soon as MS bought Skype, that put an addon into FF. And we are supposed to trust them blindly?

Some software will give you custom install. The Adobe stuff I run does.

The new trend is for web-only subscriptions. I read that MS would do that with Office, and Adobe is going to do it. No thanks.

MS is updating all computers it can get to just to get rid of IE6. Some corporations do have special software geared to it and it can be a hassle to upgrade that. The banks still insist on IE and Firefox. Chrome and Opera are not supported by many. The service depts also want you to use a PC or a Mac. Heaven forbid if you use any form of Linux.

I've found that most retail sites will allow you to use any combination of OS and browser. Since I am not in a position where IE is required, I don't have to deal with it.
If a site wants IE only - I won't use the site, or I will do business by snail mail.

The problem is getting what you want. If I wanted to upgrade to the new windows OS, I would have to get the professional copy since I would need the ability to run some XP only programs. Only problem is there is probably quite a bit of stuff in the Pro copy that I don't need or want. Far cheaper to leave the XP software on its own system and take said system offline.

The desktop is now Ubuntu, the laptop will also be switched pretty soon. Adobe/Babylock have their own hard drives and boxes and are OFFLINE, so no security problem.

The one rule I've found:
The more you add to something, the more it costs and the harder it is to fix.

Years ago, if you wanted to test HTML for web sites, you used Opera. It was the most consortium compliant browser at the time. MS wasn't compliant. Did things its own way.
 
You are one of the few people in the world who wants to do everything manually. It's much, nicer and much easier to do everything automatically. I manage several networks. I want all of those computers updating automatically. I do not want to go to 40-50 different computers and manually update all of them. IE6 needs to die. Companies that still use it need to move to software that doesn't require it. I've told all my clients this.

I've yet to run into a program that will run in XP, but not in Win7. That's just me though. If you have a program that must run in XP for a business, then you want Pro anyway for the networking and domain features.

No one uses Opera. That's why it's not supported in most places. It's a niche browser with almost no market share.
 
A.Nonymous said:
Also true. There might be more WP7 users than Opera users.
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I've yet to see a single WP7 device, not seen any so far. Rather like the Zune, didn't see any of them either. May change though now that Nokia is supposed to be doing WP7. I do use Opera Mini on my Android phone sometimes though as an alternative to the default browser.
 
I have seen a handful of WP7 phones in the wild. I could probably count them off on one hand though. There certainly aren't many. I'm racking my brain trying to remember crossing paths with someone who used Opera though. Most of my clients are average to below average in the tech savvy area. I think Opera appeals to nerds TBH and has little appeal to the vast majority of people. I don't think I've ever used it in my life now that I think of it. I have no reason to. Chrome and FF work just fine for me. If I find a site that doesn't work for one of those, I fall back to IE.
 
There's quite a few Opera users on DSLReports. I've used it since you paid for it.
For a while it was one of the few browsers that would turn off images on the fly. If you remember "blinkies" then you would understand. I don't care for it on the phone, usually use the native browser to get around some small hitches.

The software I run could be used for a business, but I'm not in business. It has been updated to run on 7 I think, but trying to get it to run on Vista was a joke.
Since the programs cannot add much more for my convenience, I can see no reason to upgrade either the software or Windows. These computers are offline so have no need for security. The ethernet cable is not plugged in, and neither box has wifi.

The extra money I save by not upgrading what doesn't need it can be better spent on something else.

The computers that do use online services have or will be changed to Ubuntu.
 
Maybe I missed something but you said "this year will be the year of the linux desktop", and then you cited statistics about mobile devices. That's a BIG difference.

Even if we take Android into account it's hardly Linux in any meaningful (useful) way. Android is just a linux kernel that runs java apps.

I love Linux to bits and pieces, but I would need to see stats showing adoption on laptops and desktops to believe that there is a trend.

In any case I hope you're right. But even if you're not I take a strange kind of cynical pleasure in the fact that I use a free, elegant, powerful, opensource, secure, highly customizeable OS that is untouched by the pitfalls and troubles of being a large OS.

Imagine if Linux had even 30% usage of home desktops. Viruses would be rampant, and companies would find a way to take our lovely opensource gem and turn it into something riddled with ads and crapware. Before you know it it would be not much better than Windows.

I sometimes don't want Linux to be popular. It's our little secret. SHHHH!
 
SUroot said:
Totally agree. I dont want to share. Im like that with music too.
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That kinda makes you an elitist hipster lol Me too I guess. Linux is the new Mac in that sense. Now that everyone has iphones and macbooks it's the linux nerds who are into the cool thing before it was cool.

But I still wish everyone listened to music as good as mine. There's no harm in that.
 
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