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Everything about Windows 8 seems designed to benefit Microsoft by herding consumers into their new walled garden. Steve Jobs would be so proud of MS if he were

Everything about Windows 8 seems designed to benefit Microsoft by herding consumers into their new walled garden. Steve Jobs would be so proud of MS if he were around to see this (aside from the fact that the UI is a disaster). That's the main reason I'm now shopping for a computer with Linux pre-installed, and I really hope more people are doing the same. I have almost zero familiarity with Linux and dread the prospect of having to learn a new OS on my everyday computer, but Windows 8 is just THAT repulsive.

bitwize 14y ago
Steve Jobs would be so proud of MS if he were around to see this (aside from the fact that the UI is a disaster). If he were around to see this, he'd consider it a stolen business model and start lawyering up.
takluyver 14y ago
Good luck. Depending on where you live, there are now some good options for computers with Linux installed.
qdog 14y ago
Depending on what you need you could buy a Chromebook for $200-250. I was considering getting one, and then installing linux on an SD card (assuming this works on the Samsung Chromebook, have only vaguely looked into it). If you are into games and are looking to run Steam, I suppose you want more horsepower. I usually buy stuff off of Newegg and build my own if it's not a laptop.
- Irregardless 14y ago
  True, I hadn't considered a Chromebook. It could probably do everything I need with EC2 or Linode, but I'm afraid that might up the learning curve a little too much since I'd be completely new to all of those environments.
keithpeter 14y ago
Well, I have used Linux at home since about 2006 or so (Ubuntu 6.06 being the first release where I decided not to dual boot with XP). I would not say that there is a lot to learn especially except for some of the plumbing (networks for instance) that works differently.
- Irregardless 14y ago
  Good to know, I've been mainly looking at System76 and I think they only install Ubuntu.
jasonkostempski 14y ago
I love Linux but I wouldn't suggest a hard switch like that. You'll just end up unjustly annoyed at Linux and begrudgingly back on Windows, then you'll just feel totally sad about the state of the modern desktop computer. That happened to me several times. Try Linux, it's free and most distributions are as easy to install as any desktop application. Ubuntu + Wubi is exactly like installing a Windows app, it's how I transitioned my home machines. But if you 'dread the prospect of having to learn', you won't like it, you won't like anything that isn't whatever you're already using. That also happened to me several times, so I'd just boot into Windows for a while until I felt more interested in learning. Not switching anything is another option. The walled garden is not new. If you need Office for even 1 thing, have to do work on just 1 IE only website, can't live without even 1 DirectX powered game or do any MS specific dev (.NET, SQL Server, etc) you're already stuck on Windows for at least 1 machine. If switching between OSes is too painful, as it is for most, then you're stuck on all machines. Dependents inherit all dependencies. Dependencies are like a helpful drug with bad side effects, only what is necessary should be accepted. And like with drugs, there are distributors, consumers, pushers and addicts. Which labels apply just depends on everyone's intentions.

bitwize 14y ago

Steve Jobs would be so proud of MS if he were around to see this (aside from the fact that the UI is a disaster). If he were around to see this, he'd consider it a stolen business model and start lawyering up.

takluyver 14y ago

Good luck. Depending on where you live, there are now some good options for computers with Linux installed.

qdog 14y ago

Depending on what you need you could buy a Chromebook for $200-250. I was considering getting one, and then installing linux on an SD card (assuming this works on the Samsung Chromebook, have only vaguely looked into it). If you are into games and are looking to run Steam, I suppose you want more horsepower. I usually buy stuff off of Newegg and build my own if it's not a laptop.

Irregardless 14y ago
True, I hadn't considered a Chromebook. It could probably do everything I need with EC2 or Linode, but I'm afraid that might up the learning curve a little too much since I'd be completely new to all of those environments.

keithpeter 14y ago

Well, I have used Linux at home since about 2006 or so (Ubuntu 6.06 being the first release where I decided not to dual boot with XP). I would not say that there is a lot to learn especially except for some of the plumbing (networks for instance) that works differently.

Irregardless 14y ago
Good to know, I've been mainly looking at System76 and I think they only install Ubuntu.

jasonkostempski 14y ago

I love Linux but I wouldn't suggest a hard switch like that. You'll just end up unjustly annoyed at Linux and begrudgingly back on Windows, then you'll just feel totally sad about the state of the modern desktop computer. That happened to me several times. Try Linux, it's free and most distributions are as easy to install as any desktop application. Ubuntu + Wubi is exactly like installing a Windows app, it's how I transitioned my home machines. But if you 'dread the prospect of having to learn', you won't like it, you won't like anything that isn't whatever you're already using. That also happened to me several times, so I'd just boot into Windows for a while until I felt more interested in learning. Not switching anything is another option. The walled garden is not new. If you need Office for even 1 thing, have to do work on just 1 IE only website, can't live without even 1 DirectX powered game or do any MS specific dev (.NET, SQL Server, etc) you're already stuck on Windows for at least 1 machine. If switching between OSes is too painful, as it is for most, then you're stuck on all machines. Dependents inherit all dependencies. Dependencies are like a helpful drug with bad side effects, only what is necessary should be accepted. And like with drugs, there are distributors, consumers, pushers and addicts. Which labels apply just depends on everyone's intentions.