Dear Windows...It's Over

[freebird73717]

I found this here at the Ubuntu Forums.

Dear Windows Professional Service Pack 2:

I didn't want to tell you this in person, because I thought it might be too complicated, and might take too long. After all, we've been together for a long time, almost five years and running now. I know, i know. I know you so well; your control panel, your installation procedures, even when you get mad and go all blue screen on me; what can I say, you kinda grew on me.

But to be honest, things have been going downhill for a long time now. What happened to that lean, fast OS that i first installed? You know, the one that ran Civ 4, Vice City, and even True Crimes without a problem? The one that burned DVD's, CD's, the one that shared music with my xbox without a problem? I don't know. It seems like you've let go of yourself, to be honest. You take over 20 minutes to boot up, you run Civ4 slowly, heck, you even freeze up on me now when i try to watch video. What happened windows? Did you get so confortable that you thought I'd just deal with it?

Well, i've been cheating. See, back in tenth grade, i messed around a bit with this chick, her name was Red Hat Linux. We met in school in my networking 5 class, and i got to know her pretty well. I was all up in her terminal, if you know what i mean :P. Well, I took her home, and we had a really rough one night stand. I decided she wsn't for me, and i went back to you, because i knew what i was missing. Well, Red Hat has a south african cousin, and her name's Ubuntu...she's kinda hot, too. SHe's got three cousins, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, and Kubuntu, too, and their all sexy.

Well, I guess this letter is to let you know that it's over. I'm not going back, either. You can tempt me with your games, and all the software, but it's alright. I can get to know ubuntu, i can learn to work her terminals. Her freeware. Her internet support. After all, what can i say...she's sexy, fast, and free. ANd you're expensive, bloated, and well, always sick with viruses. I'm done.

I know, i know. I freaked out and formatted you off my hard drive, and then i called you begging and pleading to take me back, and we had angry make up sex. But what was i thinking? I remembered all the bad times we had, and i called Ubuntu up and she understood me just fine. Before I knew it, we were hitting it off again. She installed really quickly, and didn't even need any drivers or anything. Worked beautifully. And did i remind you she's free? :P

So Windows Professional Service Pack 2, i'm leaving you for Ubuntu know. It's over, we had a good run, but all expensive, virus laden, bloated software relationships must come to an end, right? I guess that's just how it has to be.

Thanks for all the good times though! NOthing like a BSOD when i'm trying to watch a live debate on MSN or CNN, or crashign on me int he middle of civ4.


But i have to go now. It's time to get down and dirty with ubuntu, and if i ever really miss you again, i'll just drink it away with some WINE.

I'm not a windows basher but I do love linux and I just thought that was freakin funny!

[CBC]

"20 minutes to boot up"?

Sounds like someone doesn't know how to properly set up a Windows PC.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Goodbye then. You won't be missed.

[freebird73717]

Guys to me it was just tounge in cheek satire. I still use windows for certain tasks. And no that wasn't my post I was quoting. I just thought it was funny and thought I would share it.

[Supreme2k]

It's they're, not "their", liquidjellos.

Sex with your OS? Eeeeeeew!

[freebird73717]

Yeah I noticed more than one spelling and grammar mistake.

[Midzuki]

Supreme2k wrote:

Sex with your OS? Eeeeeeew!

What's the problem? Many (if not most) women are not worth screwing,
to begin with.

[GMaq]

Good one freebird!

I'm with you, I'm not a basher (still a dual booter), What's almost as funny as your actual quoted Ubuntu post is the humourless first responses....Geez guys lighten up!

[FulciLives]

Thanks for sharing ... I found it funny

For the record I'm using the sexy "cousin" Ubuntu doesn't like to talk about ... the one by the name of Mint. She comes all dolled up from the get go!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[DKruskie]

I found it funny also

[tekkieman]

So if you use VirtualBox to have them both going at the same time, is that like a kinky threesome?

[freebird73717]

So if you use VirtualBox to have them both going at the same time, is that like a kinky threesome?

[greymalkin]

"because I thought it might be too complicated, and might take too long"

this sounds like installing and configuring a linux box .

I think ubuntu is the most user friendly of the linux versions I've tried so far and it's got great potential for joe user if all they ever want to do is use exactly what's already loaded on the OS. Great progress has been made in the areas of the package repositories and attempting to make installing new programs easier, but you still have to write scripts and go through 10 hoops sometimes just to get something done. This could be touted as a "feature" I suppose but it's also the reason most people still stay away.

Throughout the years I have installed many versions of Linux and each time it ran slower on my computer than the windows of the day. I'm sure if I created a 12 page script and modified 37 configuration files I could get it smokin fast but again therein lies the issue.

Now lightweights like puppy linux are smokin but of course don't have nearly the apps/features the average user would want/need.

That being said..i downloaded the latest stable release of ubuntu 64 bit and will be trying it out this weekend :P.

[freebird73717]

That being said..i downloaded the latest stable release of ubuntu 64 bit and will be trying it out this weekend :P.

Enjoy! I think you will be supprised how much ubuntu has progressed. For the video enthusiast I would suggest Mint like Fulci Lives said. It is basically just Ubuntu with all of the media stuff already loaded.

[FulciLives]

Linux Mint ---> http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

You want to download the "Main Edition" listed under "Linux Mint 4.0 Daryna"

Burn it (slowly) to a CD-R and boot from it. It is a LiveCD with a HDD install option built-in. Has all of the multi-media stuff pre-installed that Ubuntu does not pre-install. It is based on the 32-bit version of Ubuntu.

Oh it also has something called "Envy" which helps to set up Nvidia and ATI graphics cards. It's pretty much an auto thing. Makes life easy

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[greymalkin]

thanks i'll check mint out as well. good thing i have a spare raptor lying around :P.

[Ego_Shredder]

I think ubuntu is the most user friendly of the linux versions I've tried so far and it's got great potential for joe user if all they ever want to do is use exactly what's already loaded on the OS.

Throughout the years I have installed many versions of Linux and each time it ran slower on my computer than the windows of the day. I'm sure if I created a 12 page script and modified 37 configuration files I could get it smokin fast but again therein lies the issue.

That being said..i downloaded the latest stable release of ubuntu 64 bit and will be trying it out this weekend :P.

Ubuntu Studio v7.04 Feisty Fawn 32bit is running fast as hell on my ancient Intel Celeron 1.2GHz machine. Infact in some instances it runs as well or better than my Intel Pentium 4 640 3.2GHz WinXP SP2 machine. A good example would be when viewing pdf files, particularly those scanned magazines. In WinXP SP2 on the old machine, those pdf mags scroll and navigate soooooo slowly and jerky that pulling my own teeth would be more comfortable and less stressful. In Ubuntu on my ancient machine, those pdf files glide smoothly and effortlessly across my monitor via the integral pdf viewing app. It does not stop there either as pretty much everything runs faster and smoother, such as the multi client messenger GAIM (or Pidgin as it is now known), Firefox web browsing, Thunderbird email, the built-in Office apps and so on.

I'm still a Linux n00b but I know for sure that I have made the initial steps over to Linux for good. I still have to get to grips with installing replacement WinXP applications and using WINE, plus the Linux versions of Nero, WinRAR etc. I also need to find support for my Pocket PC and Microsoft ActiveSync, although I think there are people working on an alternative app. Luckily I don't really bother with games anymore so that is one less headache. I am a musician though and getting that side of things working as well as WinXP is a real challenge. I am aware of one distro called Studio to Go! by Fervent Software and that will soon be made available as Freeware. Apparently this is pretty good for Pro music stuff and I hope it will be too when I get to install it.

The only hardware I cannot get working is my EMU 0404 PCI soundcard and my old Visioneer 4400 USB scanner, so I welcome any good suggestions for a Linux compatible USB2 replacement. Haven't tried my old webcam but I am not bothered about that.

Hibernation seems to work fine for me with Ubuntu but I could never get it working with WinXP SP1 or SP2, it never manages to come out of hibernation without locking up and requiring a reboot.

So far so good with Ubuntu and Linux in general!

[dphirschler]

Ubuntu Linux is my new favorite OS. Windows Vista ran me off. I still have to keep a WinXP box, but every new PC I build has Linux on it. And every new piece of hardware I buy, I check beforehand that it has Linux drivers available. This is where I think Linux needs the most improvement. But it's really up to the hardware makers to make sure drivers happen.

Looking forward to trying Ubuntu 8.04 this weekend. Has anybody here tried Ubuntu Studio?


Darryl

[Ego_Shredder]

I've only tried Ubuntu Studio v7.04 but I have v8.04 waiting to be installed at some point. Talking of Vista I have a Linux version of that called Vixta which should be fun to try.

[Seeker47]

I think you will be supprised how much ubuntu has progressed. For the video enthusiast I would suggest Mint like Fulci Lives said. It is basically just Ubuntu with all of the media stuff already loaded.

sorta like what eLive was trying to do . . . ?

also has something called "Envy"

hopefully better than the Envy they had in gOS 2.0. (The original, un-modded version had a serious boot problem with Award Bioses, also.)

I will check out Mint, just as I've taken a look at several others. The merits of the OS aside, I think the killer question remains: How accessible is it to the non-Linux-initiated ? How soon / how easily can you begin finding your way around, able to do anything productive ? In that regard -- so far -- I'm still waiting for one of these to hit even a ground rule double. (Anyone heard any mention of Lindows recently ?)

[freebird73717]

The merits of the OS aside, I think the killer question remains: How accessible is it to the non-Linux-initiated ? How soon / how easily can you begin finding your way around, able to do anything productive ? In that regard -- so far -- I'm still waiting for one of these to hit even a ground rule double. (Anyone heard any mention of Lindows recently ?)

I think for most of the members of videohelp.com finding your way around any ubuntu variant should be pretty easy. It didn't take me long at all. For those that need help ubuntu has a very good public forum where you can get most issues resolved.

Will linux ever really give microsoft real competition? Honestly probably not. Most of the computing public who just uses their computer to surf the net and check email has probably not even heard of linux. This is where microsoft has linux beat. If you ask most people they will say they have either heard of microsoft windows or used it. One of the greatest strengths of linux is also it's greatest hinderance. There are just to many distros to choose from. Couple that with lack of advertising and you can understand why linux isn't gaining on microsoft like it could. This could start to change though with the popularity of a few distros and with more hardware manufactuters offering linux as an os preinstalled. I think what you will see though is an increasing number of dual boot computers allowing people to use multiple operating systems in one computer.

Honestly I love linux and will continue to support it and spread the word about it. Have you noticed the increasing number of linux posts in the videohelp forums lately? It's a good sign. Makes me very optimistic about the future of linux.

[DKruskie]

The only reason I keep xp installed is for games and my wife. Otherwise I'm using Ubuntu more and more. I heard some people were having problems with 8.04, but for me its working better than 7.10 did.

[freebird73717]

The only reason I keep xp installed is for games and my wife.

I got my wife to try ubuntu and now she wont even boot into windows at all!

[DKruskie]

My wife wont even touch it, I've tried so many times and get the same answer... So I figure if she wants to she will.

btw how did you get your linux and ubuntu user # ?

[freebird73717]

Linux Counter page

Ubuntu Counter page

[DKruskie]

Thanks

[Ego_Shredder]

Anyone heard any mention of Lindows recently ?)

This was the first ever distro I tried and that was back in 2003. I never got back to downloading it again. It did impress me just how lightning fast it installed and that was on an old AMD K6-2 500MHz based PC (it took a mere 10mins!).

[RickA]

Thanks guys. Per your good words on Mint I have downloaded and and am trying it out - typing this on Linux right now. I'm very impressed and looking forward to exploring Linux more.

Now if it can run my fav game WoW and my video / audio / photo programs I think I could easily make the switch over to this full time. Will keep the dual boot mode for a while I'm sure. Nice to have options. Yet again this forum turns me on to something good.

Cheers,
Rick

[FulciLives]

Thanks guys. Per your good words on Mint I have downloaded and and am trying it out - typing this on Linux right now. I'm very impressed and looking forward to exploring Linux more.

Now if it can run my fav game WoW and my video / audio / photo programs I think I could easily make the switch over to this full time. Will keep the dual boot mode for a while I'm sure. Nice to have options. Yet again this forum turns me on to something good.

Cheers,
Rick

I've never played WOW ... mostly because I'm afraid it would suck me away forever (although that didn't stop me from getting OBLIVION for the PS3 and that sure sucks the "free" time out of you).

Anyways you might be interested in the following link: CLICK HERE

That link has some info on how to set up WOW under Linux using WINE.

You might also want to check out CEDEGA which is payware but it is ... as I understand it ... an "enhanced" version of WINE that makes it really easy to play various MS Windows games on Linux. I have to admit I haven't tried it myself. If you ask me it is easier to just dual book into WinXP if you really need MS Windows games support *shrugs*

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[bevills1]

The biggest problem with Linux is that so many apps are written for Windows, especially for games and for business. In addition it's much too difficult to do the simplest things in Linux. I tried Mandrake 7 as well as Mandrake 10 a few years later, and I had difficulty installing any new apps after the initial install. I have no time nor any desire to spend a lot of time on things that should be so simple. Linux will likely remain just a curiosity and not find wide spread acceptance unless these 2 big obstacles are eliminated. I'd like to switch to Linux if that day ever comes, but for now it's simply infeasible.