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Comparing Windows and Ubuntu On Netbooks
Barence writes "With the arrival last month of Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition, PC Pro has revisited a familiar question: which operating system is best for a netbook?. The magazine has run a series of benchmarks on a Asus Eee PC 1008HA running Windows XP Home, two versions of Windows 7 (with and without Aero switched on) and Ubuntu Netbook Edition. The operating systems are tested for start-up performance, Flash handling and video, among other tests. The results are closer than you might think."
Wow, still not the year of Linux on the Netbook. Maybe next year.
Look, if I want a fucked-up filesystem, binary registry, EULAs and proprietary code then I'll choose Windows, even if it is slower than Ubuntu on the same hardware.
>>>You could always install your own if you really want it.
Which can cause it's own annoying problems. Anybody know how I can re-install WinXP on my Ubuntu laptop? It appears all the NTFS partitions were erased when I installed linux, so every time I try to run the Compaq XP Recover CD, it gives me an error: "Not enough free space."
A bit annoying because I'd like to restore windows prior to selling the laptop on ebay (it will get higher bids). I guess I could advertise the laptop as "comes with Windows!" and just throw the CDs in the box to leave the Buyer to figure it out, but I'd rather restore it myself prior to sale.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
The problem with your explanation is it is a classic "is ought" in that you are saying "Linux will work fine if everyone will give them their specs" when the reality is that will happen when RMS can ice skate in Hades.I deal with home users and SMBs all day, and you know what? They don't give a wet fart about WHY something don't work, they just know it don't work and I damned well better fix it if I want to get paid!
Which is why I have given up on Linux for the desktop. I have found that Ubuntu, and really just about EVERY distro, have a REALLY hard time doing an in place upgrade without drivers shitting themselves and dying. Now this wouldn't be a problem is they had 10 year support cycles like Windows, but even LTS is only three years, so you pretty much HAVE to get on the upgrade treadmill. And home users will NOT do a wipe and reinstall. Not happening. And Lord help you if the machine is a laptop, with all the proprietary shit loaded in them mothers, as every upgrade will often break more than they fix IMHO.
Now is that the fault of the FSF, RMS, or Linus just having a bad day? Nope, but as I said the customer don't care WHY it don't work, they just care that it DON'T WORK, and since you are NOT gonna get home users to buy extended support that means I either do the work for free or get a bad rep and lose business. So in the end it is far cheaper for me, the guy who asked about the modem, hell even the OEMs, to simply stick with Windows than it is to go Linux. I can send a link to just about ANY device like that to a customer, or they can walk into ANY B&M and buy devices, and they will "just work" period. When the day comes that I can slap Ubuntu or some other distro on a machine and know its good for 10 years and that the customer can just "look for the happy penguin" on the box at Staples and buy devices? Then I'll be happy to jump on board. But right now Linux just has too many unknowns for me to deal with, sorry.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.