Microsoft attack Linux at the retail level.

[vbx]

A guy who works at best buy receives training to so he can tell consumers why Win7 is better than Linux. LOL

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http://quaoar.ww7.be/ms_fud_of_the_year/569458-microsoft-attack-linux-retail-level-probably.html

So I work at Best Buy (insert boos and hisses) and I was doing some Microsoft ExpertZone training.

Well, the new one for Windows 7 allows me to get a $10 retail copy of Windows 7 after completing the courses. So I figured I'd get it and sell it for a quick buck. Now, during my training modules, a "Linux vs Windows 7" module appeared.

Here are screenshots of the lies Microsoft is portraying.

More pics here;

http://quaoar.ww7.be/ms_fud_of_the_year/569458-microsoft-attack-linux-retail-level-probably.html

 

[timta2]

If I wasn't a gamer I would be using Linux. I've been really impressed by just about every distro I have tried. I can really understand why Microsoft feels threatened by an OS that is free and could (potentially) do everything their $200 OS does.

 

[joinmeindeath417]

They forgot the question that matters the most?

Why chose linux over windows

It has a very large community and its FREE

save that 200$ go spend it better -_-

 

[mrw1986]

I forgot about ExpertZone...completing all the quizzes and getting my $10 copy.

 

[vbx]

I don't really see why M$ is afraid of Linux really. I mean, cmon, M$ owns at least 90% of the market.

 

[AsRock]

IF DX was supported better on Linux they would have a problem as i know if my games worked on Linux windows would not be installed now.

Be even better if game company's supported OpenGL more

 

[Mussels]

Here are screenshots of the lies Microsoft is portraying.

lies? i actually agree with everything in that chart.

sure, there are alternative programs for MSN and media playback in linux - but they sucked arse compared to windows media player, let alone other free windows players like foobar or winamp.

i've upgraded a few atom based netbooks (MSI winds, EEEPC's) to windows 7 over their default linux - the users always complaind they couldnt watch movies, music was hard without a player with library functions, and MSN/yahoo support was nonexistent (yay you get text chat - you dont get webcam, audio, or offline messages)

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I think Microsoft launched that site to counter, specifically, Google Chrome OS. Google Chrome OS is Linux based and targeted at netbooks.

 

[Mussels]

I think Microsoft launched that site to counter, specifically, Google Chrome OS. Google Chrome OS is Linux based and targeted at netbooks.

I'd agree - they made windows 7 lighter so it would place nice with the netbooks (and a cleaner, smaller interface with touchscreen support), and they're aggresively defending that market share against competitors.

Its true however, that 90% of PC users cbf learning everying all over again for linux - it needs to be perfect for 100% of their uses, not "works fine" for 90% of what 90% of people use.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Yup, the threat of something not working, no matter how slim, is the reason why I am still on XP.

 

[Odin Eidolon]

lies? i actually agree with everything in that chart.

sure, there are alternative programs for MSN and media playback in linux - but they sucked arse compared to windows media player, let alone other free windows players like foobar or winamp.

i've upgraded a few atom based netbooks (MSI winds, EEEPC's) to windows 7 over their default linux - the users always complaind they couldnt watch movies, music was hard without a player with library functions, and MSN/yahoo support was nonexistent (yay you get text chat - you dont get webcam, audio, or offline messages)

ehm... linux can do whatever windows does about music, videos and such, and does it better. VLc is still the best for videos even on Windows, and if you dont like the interface, there are plenty of other great programs. Rockbox/Amarok/Banshee (the are all based on library functions) work as well as WMP. Pidgin and other messaging clients work the same as Windows live with no banners, and add lots of plugins.

not to be hard, but inform yourself

PS: and WOW is fully emulable with WINE, with no ptroblems at all. runs as smoothly as with windows.

 

[Mussels]

ehm... linux can do whatever windows does about music, videos and such, and does it better. VLc is still the best for videos even on Windows, and if you dont like the interface, there are plenty of other great programs. Rockbox/Amarok/Banshee (the are all based on library functions) work as well as WMP. Pidgin and other messaging clients work the same as Windows live with no banners, and add lots of plugins.

not to be hard, but inform yourself

PS: and WOW is fully emulable with WINE, with no ptroblems at all. runs as smoothly as with windows.

VLC is a crap player. high CPU usage on H264 files, and no SPDIF digital audio support. it hasnt worked in years, and the dev team said on the forums it never will, since none of them use it.

does their linux PC come preinstalled with these apps? does WINE work out of the box, so that they just stick the game disk in and hit install, followed by hitting play?

No, it doesnt. its a lot more work for the average user, and most of them are incapable of following the random, half completed guides around the internet.

 

[Frick]

+1 one tp pretty much everything Mussels say. Of course, you can get most things to work with Linux, but it requires time and an earnest interest to learn things. I loved doing that when I used linux fulltime, but it's not for the broad mass.

The distros and apps are getting better though.

 

[Odin Eidolon]

VLC is a crap player. high CPU usage on H264 files, and no SPDIF digital audio support. it hasnt worked in years, and the dev team said on the forums it never will, since none of them use it.

does their linux PC come preinstalled with these apps? does WINE work out of the box, so that they just stick the game disk in and hit install, followed by hitting play?

No, it doesnt. its a lot more work for the average user, and most of them are incapable of following the random, half completed guides around the internet.

VLC plays everything well, while WMP, in my experience, cant play well lots of formats. but that was on vista, dunno about 7.

The point isnt how much work you have to put in it, its which works better (excluding the moral argument which is in clear favour of Linux, could be an important thing for some). If you work a bit on it (having fun too), it works as well as Windows if not faster (every time i enter in windows i am always surprized by how long it takes to load Firefox, as opposed to a simple Ubuntu installation), with less problems (no annoying banners/dangerous program updates/buy-this-product-now kind of stuff). My linux crashed 2 times in 2 years i've been using it, and thats with a lot of tweaking, and a heavily overclocked machine. Windows crashed once i week when i used it. Just recovered my uncle dead windows installation through a linux quick install.

however:

Camera, iPod, MP3 compatibility: just plug and play for 99,9% of medias. Ipods are total crap, so you shouldnt care, but there are programs that work faster than iTunes

Printers and Scanners compatibility: plug and play works always in my experience

Software compatibility: everything you'll need is there, for the normal user. WINE works out of the box with most simple programs. As Cedega does. I understand that if you do lots of Photoshop or image tweaking GIMP wont be enough tho.

Windows Live Essentials: use other programs issue-free, no banners.

Games: WINE for some, most will need Windows tho. so this is the only true sentence there.

Authorized support: what???? Microsoft support? dunno about USA, but not anywhere else. linux support is given by users to users, users that are part of a huge community. hust google your issue and you'll solve it.

Video chat on all major IM networks: pfft, you want video, many programs can do that. just use skype...

and dont forget the MONEY argument... the most important one.

 

[Frick]

Software compatibility: everything you'll need is there, for the normal user. WINE works out of the box with most simple programs. As Cedega does. I understand that if you do lots of Photoshop or image tweaking GIMP wont be enough tho.

Bah, most programs I wanted to use with Wine didn't work at all, even when I messed around with dll's and config files and drivers and whatnot.

Also, I think you're a user with alot of knowledge, so I don't think this applies to you. These guys are here to talk to mere mortals, and I wouldn't recommend linux to them.

 

[Mussels]

none of what you're saying changes what i've said.

camera, ipod, MP3 (player) compatibility: webcams, well, none of mine ever worked in ubuntu.

MP3 players and such: if its not "USB mass storage" it aint working. thats what i had. windows? windows update has 99% of all my drivers - in vista and 7 i only ever had to download E-sata drivers manually for my Jmicron controllers. everything else was automated. Linux? hunting on a website for every last one, and often coming up short.

Printers and scanners: same crap. very hard to find drivers, if they existed at all. very difficult to setup with most shared ones over networks too, be they NAS style or shared from a windows machine.

Software compatibility: everything is not there. you get loose compatibility, with half the features not working. who gives a damn about chatting to MSN users if you dont get the basics like the ability to receive offline messages.

Windows live essentials: sure, crap. i only use MSN from this lot (or live messenger as they renamed it) but there is not a single alternative in any OS with all the features working.

authorised support? odd name for it, but hows this: if they have problems, who do they call? what can be done to fix their software issue on their expensive netbook, other than format and reinstall? there is no one to help these people other than end users, who are often clueless and dont even know where to go to ask for help

video chat: again, why use skype? why do they need a third party program, when on windows their original programs did it all.

money argument is the only valid one. its cheaper - but you pay with your time, to make things work that work flawlessly out of the box in windows.

 

[Odin Eidolon]

none of what you're saying changes what i've said.

camera, ipod, MP3 (player) compatibility: webcams, well, none of mine ever worked in ubuntu.

MP3 players and such: if its not "USB mass storage" it aint working. thats what i had. windows? windows update has 99% of all my drivers - in vista and 7 i only ever had to download E-sata drivers manually for my Jmicron controllers. everything else was automated. Linux? hunting on a website for every last one, and often coming up short.

Printers and scanners: same crap. very hard to find drivers, if they existed at all. very difficult to setup with most shared ones over networks too, be they NAS style or shared from a windows machine.

Software compatibility: everything is not there. you get loose compatibility, with half the features not working. who gives a damn about chatting to MSN users if you dont get the basics like the ability to receive offline messages.

Windows live essentials: sure, crap. i only use MSN from this lot (or live messenger as they renamed it) but there is not a single alternative in any OS with all the features working.

authorised support? odd name for it, but hows this: if they have problems, who do they call? what can be done to fix their software issue on their expensive netbook, other than format and reinstall? there is no one to help these people other than end users, who are often clueless and dont even know where to go to ask for help

video chat: again, why use skype? why do they need a third party program, when on windows their original programs did it all.

money argument is the only valid one. its cheaper - but you pay with your time, to make things work that work flawlessly out of the box in windows.

yeah, i see we have very different points of view here, dont want to start a war. Its sad you had such a bad experience with linux, mine has been great, and all the divices i used worked properly, without the need to install strange drivers. My Ubuntu installation updates everything perfectly automatically, i only have to update pakage list or packages once a month (as easy as writing sudo apt-get update in terminal).
I repeat, i dont know about USA, but if an operative system is corrupted here, most people will ask for repairers to solve their problems. 90% will say: just format and lose all your data. A linux Live CD costs 0$ and would save all the data. Really, in USA if you have problems with a PC, you call a Microsoft technician? I may have misunderstood that? (my english needs more training)

 

[Mussels]

disagreeing with each other and stating points of views is not arguing or flaming

we're stating our sides, and viewers get to pick which one they agree with.

i'm not in the USA, but if you take a windows PC to a store, they'll back your data up for you and various other things.

when it comes to linux, no ones trained how to do squat with it - so their only option is to format and reinstall, and thats a great help if all you wanted to do was get your ipod working.

 

[Frick]

<rant>
The thing I miss from Linux is that it really felt it was MY computer. In windows pretty much everything is the same regardless if you're at work or is on a cruise in the Carribean. But when I compiled things it became MINE and MY system and it became MY computer, and I knew it like my own pockets. That feeling was really awesome.
</rant>

 

[kylew]

none of what you're saying changes what i've said.

camera, ipod, MP3 (player) compatibility: webcams, well, none of mine ever worked in ubuntu.

MP3 players and such: if its not "USB mass storage" it aint working. thats what i had. windows? windows update has 99% of all my drivers - in vista and 7 i only ever had to download E-sata drivers manually for my Jmicron controllers. everything else was automated. Linux? hunting on a website for every last one, and often coming up short.

Printers and scanners: same crap. very hard to find drivers, if they existed at all. very difficult to setup with most shared ones over networks too, be they NAS style or shared from a windows machine.

Software compatibility: everything is not there. you get loose compatibility, with half the features not working. who gives a damn about chatting to MSN users if you dont get the basics like the ability to receive offline messages.

Windows live essentials: sure, crap. i only use MSN from this lot (or live messenger as they renamed it) but there is not a single alternative in any OS with all the features working.

authorised support? odd name for it, but hows this: if they have problems, who do they call? what can be done to fix their software issue on their expensive netbook, other than format and reinstall? there is no one to help these people other than end users, who are often clueless and dont even know where to go to ask for help

video chat: again, why use skype? why do they need a third party program, when on windows their original programs did it all.

money argument is the only valid one. its cheaper - but you pay with your time, to make things work that work flawlessly out of the box in windows.

I hugely agree with this, for the most part linux is only for power uses used to linux or for people to mess about on to try and become power users.

 

[kylew]

<rant>
The thing I miss from Linux is that it really felt it was MY computer. In windows pretty much everything is the same regardless if you're at work or is on a cruise in the Carribean. But when I compiled things it became MINE and MY system and it became MY computer, and I knew it like my own pockets. That feeling was really awesome.
</rant>

That's funny, as all my PCs feel like they're mine, even though they're running windows.

They're all different, as well as work PCs and PCs that belong to friends/family.

They all don't feel like 'mine' unless they are mine.

 

[Disparia]

I'm so glad I passed "user" status a long time ago.

 

[Odin Eidolon]

disagreeing with each other and stating points of views is not arguing or flaming

we're stating our sides, and viewers get to pick which one they agree with.

i'm not in the USA, but if you take a windows PC to a store, they'll back your data up for you and various other things.

when it comes to linux, no ones trained how to do squat with it - so their only option is to format and reinstall, and thats a great help if all you wanted to do was get your ipod working.

I meant that the linux VS windows argument has been expressed many times, resulting often in flaming, but i'm happy to see this is not the case. i agree that most users will prefer windows, its simplier to use, as its easier to drive a 50hp car as opposed to a 600hp ferrari. (lol yeah this was a bit extreme )
the quoted microsoft sentences MAY be true for the low end user, but are they for the power user? if they arent true for everyone, they arent true at all IMHO. apart from gaming, benching, photo editing, Linux is better than Windows for the power-user, in my opinion. And distros are becoming easier and easier to use, its inevitable that in the future linux will be as supported as windows, and more people will join the community.

 

[angelkiller]

Meh. I'm not gonna go into the Linux vs Windows debate. I don't think they're really comparable... The biggest reason most things work in Windows is because you have a huge software company behind it which has much more resources than the developers of Linux. It's hard for such a small community to compete with a huge corporation.

That said, I love Linux. I believe that Linux is 10x better designed then Windows. I can't really explain it.. just the fundemental concept and design are amazing. Package managers are godsent.

To get back on topic, I don't really understand why MS would even need to address Linux at this point. Linux poses no serious threat to MS right now. I mean yeah, MS needs to be aware of Linux, if it turns popular, I believe it can overtake MS, but that hasn't happened yet. Most people haven't even heard of Linux.

 

[Mussels]

I meant that the linux VS windows argument has been expressed many times, resulting often in flaming, but i'm happy to see this is not the case. i agree that most users will prefer windows, its simplier to use, as its easier to drive a 50hp car as opposed to a 600hp ferrari. (lol yeah this was a bit extreme )
the quoted microsoft sentences MAY be true for the low end user, but are they for the power user? if they arent true for everyone, they arent true at all IMHO. apart from gaming, benching, photo editing, Linux is better than Windows for the power-user, in my opinion. And distros are becoming easier and easier to use, its inevitable that in the future linux will be as supported as windows, and more people will join the community.

what the hell kind of power user buys a PC from best buy, or takes it there when it breaks??

this entire conversation from post 1, was about average joe