I find that linux number hard to believe.

calebI find that linux number hard to believe.

Actually looks about right.

YukikazeActually looks about right.

Yup, Linux has been hovering around the 1% mark for the last decade or more. I don't think that this can all be blamed on Microsoft attacking it, either. Linux lacks something in terms of support and finished products and it shows in this really low takeup on the desktop. Data centres and embedded devicees are a different story, of course.

qubitYup, Linux has been hovering around the 1% mark for the last decade or more. I don't think that this can all be blamed on Microsoft attacking it, either. Linux lacks something in terms of support and finished products and it shows in this really low takeup on the desktop. Data centres and embedded devicees are a different story, of course.

You clearly haven't tried a distro like Ubunutu recently, it's a highly polished OS that can do everything windows can minus support for some games and soem programs the most of which can be fixed with play on linux and wine. When it comes to browsing, email and the majority of other every day things linux does it faster than windows, also with WUBI you can now install Ubuntu and many other distro's inside windows so you no longer need to make a partition ect.:D

[H]@RD5TUFFYou clearly haven't tried a distro like Ubunutu recently, it's a highly polished OS that can do everything windows can minus support for some games and soem programs the most of which can be fixed with play on linux and wine. When it comes to browsing, email and the majority of other every day things linux does it faster than windows, also with WUBI you can now install Ubuntu and many other distro's inside windows so you no longer need to make a partition ect.:D

I have been using Ubuntu for years now. It is still far from being "highly polished" and WINE fails very often, even when running relatively non-demanding games (like, for example, EVE - Good luck with getting sound without lockups).

[H]@RD5TUFFYou clearly haven't tried a distro like Ubunutu recently, it's a highly polished OS that can do everything windows can minus support for some games and soem programs the most of which can be fixed with play on linux and wine. When it comes to browsing, email and the majority of other every day things linux does it faster than windows, also with WUBI you can now install Ubuntu and many other distro's inside windows so you no longer need to make a partition ect.:D

When I have to stop typing sudo then linux is a real OS.

pantherx12When I have to stop typing sudo then linux is a real OS.

amen to that, average people cant use linux too hard for them to install a new printer, webcam etc. so until linux developers cater to the masses it will always be small.

YukikazeI have been using Ubuntu for years now. It is still far from being "highly polished" and WINE fails very often, even when running relatively non-demanding games (like, for example, EVE - Good luck with getting sound without lockups).

It's not perfect but it does work in the majority of instances.

pantherx12When I have to stop typing sudo then linux is a real OS.

it is a "real" OS

DigitalUKamen to that, average people cant use linux too hard for them to install a new printer, webcam etc. so until linux developers cater to the masses it will always be small.

It automaticlly detected and found drivers for my printers and my webcam.


Too much close minded hate for no reason other than hating what you don't understand.

what do you mean , i like linux . i have just about every distro of linux ,its not i dont understand. im taking about average joe taking linux over windows.

[H]@RD5TUFFYou clearly haven't tried a distro like Ubunutu recently, it's a highly polished OS that can do everything windows can minus support for some games and soem programs the most of which can be fixed with play on linux and wine. When it comes to browsing, email and the majority of other every day things linux does it faster than windows, also with WUBI you can now install Ubuntu and many other distro's inside windows so you no longer need to make a partition ect.:D

You appear to misunderstand my point.

I'm sure Linux itself is reasonably polished (but maybe not, see Yukikaze's post below) and is a great operating system, but it's the whole computing eco system that counts: software, hardware and industry support. In terms of mainstream desktop support, it's nowhere near Windows, heck even Mac OS blows it away. I reckon that does reflect on the quality of the support for the product, or it would naturally rise to the top, regardless of anything Microsoft could do. Take a look at Android smart phones for example. The iPhone was the undisputed leader, but Android overtook it in just three years or so, because it offers some compelling advantages. However, Linux on the desktop doesn't - just lack of support and headaches. In the data centre, web servers, embedded etc it appears to be a different story, as the rude health of Red Hat testifies.

Anyway, we're going off topic here, this thread is about Windows 7 v XP. If you want to discuss this further, please start a separate thread on it and put a link on here. :)

YukikazeI have been using Ubuntu for years now. It is still far from being "highly polished" and WINE fails very often, even when running relatively non-demanding games (like, for example, EVE - Good luck with getting sound without lockups).

[H]@RD5TUFFToo much close minded hate for no reason other than hating what you don't understand.

Hardly. Ubuntu is inferior to Windows 7 as a desktop OS, unless you specifically need Linux (work, studies, etc). It is much harder to fix when it breaks, it is much harder to get anything non-standard running on it and it requires far more knowledge to maintain.

I have a six machine cluster running Ubuntu and it is also my laptop's sole OS. I also ran different flavors or Ubuntu since the 7.04 releases, and I still need to google up solutions for problems that creep up because the solution is anything but obvious. But I *need* that Linux. If I didn't, I would have no reason to run it, at all.

pantherx12When I have to stop typing sudo then linux is a real OS.

try a redhat derivitive and login as root. Done. Jsut don't f anything up

DigitalUKamen to that, average people cant use linux too hard for them to install a new printer, webcam etc. so until linux developers cater to the masses it will always be small.

not to mention upgrading java to the latest release. the standard package leaves out several depencies that either have to be added manually, or you find a repository that someone has already loaded a complete package to that inlcudes those dependencies.

[H]@RD5TUFFIt's not perfect but it does work in the majority of instances. .

working is not the issue, once properly setup linux is bullet proof. The problem is lack of continuity debian vs rpm, 50 different sub varieties, 30 different mainstram programming languages that you may encounter even when doing the most basic of things.

I'm a LAMP admin and I've run every variety there is, none can compare to the end user experience of windows or mac.

for admins, sure it's a dream come true. Don't like how something's done? Write your own in a couple minutes and have it be just as stable as anything microshaft would make you pay thousands for.

[H]@RD5TUFFit is a "real" OS

That it is, it just demands more out of its users that windows or mac.

[H]@RD5TUFFIt automaticlly detected and found drivers for my printers and my webcam.


Too much close minded hate for no reason other than hating what you don't understand.

one could say the same thing about you. You seem to think you're the only one whose ever used any variant of linux. Point and simple you're wrong. I do this for a living, a good one at that, and you simply have not been in IT very long if you think any desktop package of linux is easy enough for the masses to use.

we're talking about people who have trouble remembering to power on their monitors, remmebering that you have to install a package as root, or that you can't download and install that rpm because you're on ubuntu isn't going to happen. They bork their os in the first 5 seconds or give up and stop using it completely because it was too intimidating.


remeber the graph represents desktop users. When it comes to enterprise you're a fool to pay the thousands in licensing to windows. But on the desktop end, linux simply isn't easy enough for the average joe.

yogurt_21we're talking about people who have trouble remembering to power on their monitors, remmebering that you have to install a package as root, or that you can't download and install that rpm because you're on ubuntu isn't going to happen. They bork their os in the first 5 seconds or give up and stop using it completely because it was too intimidating.


remeber the graph represents desktop users. When it comes to enterprise you're a fool to pay the thousands in licensing to windows. But on the desktop end, linux simply isn't easy enough for the average joe.

While I agree with you in general, I should state I feel the majority of people here in TPU are not the average desktop user, hence my position. I have been in IT for about 7 years, and am all too aware of the "average" knuckle drager user, I specialize in social engineering (as a hobby mainly), and how to avoid it, and no matter how many times I warn people in memos or demonstrations, or meeting, someone still finds a way to mess up.

Back on topic, I am glad XP is FINALLY on it's way out the door, let it go people it's time passed about 4 years ago!

i would only keep xp around for if stuff dont work in 7 thats it

eidairaman1i would only keep xp around for if stuff dont work in 7 thats it

That's what compatibility mode is for.

[H]@RD5TUFFThat's what compatibility mode is for.

Sometimes Compatibility mode doesnt fix everything. In my experience, Compatibility mode is more of a 50/50 affair when it comes to programs. but for games its more like 70/30 Compatibility mode does work. but it causes all sorts of crashes depending on the game.

FreedomEclipseSometimes Compatibility mode doesnt fix everything. In my experience, Compatibility mode is more of a 50/50 affair when it comes to programs. but for games its more like 70/30 Compatibility mode does work. but it causes all sorts of crashes depending on the game.

It doesn't surprise me that it's really iffy with games, since they do all sorts of fancy tricks to improve performance and visuals.

FreedomEclipseSometimes Compatibility mode doesnt fix everything. In my experience, Compatibility mode is more of a 50/50 affair when it comes to programs. but for games its more like 70/30 Compatibility mode does work. but it causes all sorts of crashes depending on the game.

Only ever had an old version of quicken not work on windows 7 with compatibility mode.

qubitIt doesn't surprise me that it's really iffy with games, since they do all sorts of fancy tricks to improve performance and visuals.

True enough.

Though. to be fair about compatibility mode.

Ive had games crash on me more times from problems reguarding EAX support (curse you shitty Asus drivers) then anything crashing in compatibility mode. but the truth is, ive rarely had to use compatibility mode in any game or program.

ive had 16bit games crash in XP, had to force certain settings n get a specific patch for the game.

Umm is the percentages that there showing is that the amount of PC's "sold" with Windows 7 over XP now, or is it how many users across the globe use 7 over XP?

WarraWarraI am sure everyone would like to move but keep in mind you have a company or school with 200+ pc's that is working perfectly with working fully functional software.
As you know they can waist a few million dollars on gimmicks instead of using it to pay their staff and hire new workers.

You are suggesting they should go and spend a few million dollars to reproduce what they have already that is working just to end up spending more money on some fake crap that needs attention in Win7 / OSX10.7 broken soft.
My systems cost me $0 and works why replace it and waist money on gimmick / Ipad's / iPhone's to end up being worse of than what I am now ?

That is business wise the stupidest thing possible, you have a good copy of adobe suite that has 10000 features and works perfect now you have to buy a newer adobe suite that has 250 features and you can not use your old Adobe suite and other hardware so you need to rebuild / reprogram everything to work with the new B*S* .
Never mind your Adobe suite was a suite now it is a suite with 10 the programs and you have to buy 6 other Adobe suites to get back to square 1 ?

Adobe / MS / Apple / crack cocaine / whatever it is just a example.

1x Imac we have will cost me USD$12k to replace the software should I get a new replacement Imac with 10.7 on it. This 12k does not include the hardware / training and 10% of the $12k software ability's I would be stuck with. So I would need to spend another $8k to buy extra software just to get back to where I am now that is costing me what $0 except for electricity.
That is what $24k to replace my current working Imac with the same thing and more bugs / problems ???

There is a few thousand other problems with the upgrade process, same goes for win7.

You can not expect too much from MS / Apple as they are not German / European and was not brought up with that values / culture / canning on the back side or the 15 recessions in the last 20 years as destructive in other country's as the 1939 USA recessions was in the USA.

So again why should anyone move to Win7 ?? for what reasons even when it is free "costing $129 per new pc free" That is why MS is giving Xbox's per new laptop just to get people to buy new hardware, see it as a Xbox bribe just to get win7 into peoples homes. :rockout:

PS> this article is based on the fact that every new pc has to have MS win7 as undemocratic as that is and then 3 days later everyone switches back to xp or linux or hackintosh. Even with a new Apple for as long as I have been a Apple fanboy I had to get a Apple then format and reinstall to get rid of the junk / bugs and other issues so the numbers is not even close to being 1% changing to win7 and staying / continually using win7.

6 year old child did this math for me: :banghead:
"then Windows 7’s share of the market has climbed to 41.64%"
So 41.64% of what 16 billions pc's on planet earth is running win7 that mean that nearly 7billion pc's has win7 on at say$129 per win7 copy that means that MS win7 is worth $903billion = $129x7billion and MS is bankrupt ?????

LMAO -> What about the 200billion copy's of MS office 2010/11 that is running on 90% of the PC's on planet earth that means that MS has another $3.2+Trillion dollars from MS office LMAO.

So MS owes the IRS USD$301Billion give or take a bit ? MS can not pay as this is not true and so the USA economy can not get the money to fix it / pay China back.

What is the IRS number they need to Audit MS ! :nutkick:
I would seriously fire the board of MS as their investors is not getting their 14+% ROI that MS claims or the board of directors is pocketing the difference from MS bankrupt to + / - $901B + $3.2T and using it as bribes in Washington ? :nutkick:

Damn so MS is still bigger than $76b Apple small fry company. ROFL.

Did you even read my post, and the comments I made about the exceptions, like older hardware, or mission critical stuff?

MelvisUmm is the percentages that there showing is that the amount of PC's "sold" with Windows 7 over XP now, or is it how many users across the globe use 7 over XP?

I know a lot of the Chinese are switching over to Win7. I went tech shopping while I was in a more impoverished area of China and they were selling Win7 discs for under $1 USD.

KantasticI know a lot of the Chinese are switching over to Win7. I went tech shopping while I was in a more impoverished area of China and they were selling Win7 discs for under $1 USD.

yup pirated software rules overseas

eidairaman1yup pirated software rules overseas

By "overseas" you mean "everything outside of the US" I take it. :p