This post could go on for volumes. What is on my mind right now is the lack of software that a consumer receives when purchasing windows. I thought I would start a list of things that I take for granted in Linux/BSD distributions that are missing in Windows.
Development utilities - Compiler, Debugger, Profiler.....
Servers - You name it, it costs extra if you get it from M$.
Office Applications - Costs a lot extra.
A decent, secure web browser
A choice of desktops - with M$ WYSIWYG.
Multiple desktops.
Burner utilities.
Archiving applications.
A decent calculator - Can't even do an arctan with their POS. GNU Octave typically comes with Linux/BSD.
A decent text editor. Try getting syntax highliting in notepad! How about just changind the colors? Compare this to Vim and Emacs, not even a comparison.
A shell. The DOS prompt is the most sorry POS that I have ever typed in. Bash, Tcsh both very nice. Even Ksh is a world above a DOS prompt.
Documentation - Every time I use the help utilities in windows I get pissed. It just can't compare to >man -k foo | grep -v stuff_i_dont_want | less......
Anti-virus software - You would think that with as many problems as they have had with this, they would at least be decent enough in supporting their users to go buy a virus software vendor and give the applications away as a supplement.
I just wish I could understand why some tech. folks defend this OS. With its lack of applications out of the box, I can't think of a single place in the working world where it fits. Certainly not in engineering.
Total cost of ownership less than Linux/BSD? Are they adding in all of the extra shit that people have to buy? I don't think so.
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IBM talks about supporting Linux a lot. But try to buy a thinkpad with Linux installed on it. Can't do it.
A post from my blog a few months back:
This post could go on for volumes. What is on my mind right now is the lack of software that a consumer receives when purchasing windows. I thought I would start a list of things that I take for granted in Linux/BSD distributions that are missing in Windows.
I just wish I could understand why some tech. folks defend this OS. With its lack of applications out of the box, I can't think of a single place in the working world where it fits. Certainly not in engineering. Total cost of ownership less than Linux/BSD? Are they adding in all of the extra shit that people have to buy? I don't think so.