MS isn't so bad, now that Steve Balmer is gone. Look at the changes already being made since he left. MS Office on Android? That would NEVER have happened under Steve. Windows 10 for free?

Changes are coming, there is fresh new blood that understands that MS has to adapt or die, and I think they got someone in place in time to do is.

Vista was a mess at launch, but that is largely due to launching early when the hardware and drivers weren't ready. Windows 7 is really just Vista SP3, but it wouldn't have been accepted if it were called that.

Look at Windows 8.1, it suffers from the problems that 8 had, but frankly while I tried 8 and couldn't stand it, 8.1 doesn't bother me and it is on most of my computers now. All will go to 10 when it comes out (assuming the upcoming builds are better, the current ones are rough)

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But we see with rose colored glasses, XP was rough at launch as well, SP1 helped, SP2 really deserved to be a new OS. A few interface and color changes and they could have sold SP2 as Vista and perhaps that would have helped.

Win 7 has to be the cleanest release of an OS I've ever seen, even the consumer preview was so good that I had it on two machines for months before 7 came out and frankly, it was ready to go day one. If Win 10 is simply 8.1 polished, it may do very, very well.

Free also helps a lot... :)

Fair enough, but neither of those is absolute when the term "better" is used.

Linux does have some technical things that it does better than Windows, but that doesn't make it a better OS.

TurboTax via the web does work, but I still use the software program for various reasons. If you have a complex return (my return last year was 64 pages long), having it locally is easier to deal with. For simple returns, sure, use the web.

That being said, give it a try on Linux, it doesn't work without tricking it, since it is looking for a Windows or Mac based computer.

As for a word processor, not just any will do, it has to be MS Word. That is what the business world uses, if you do anything more than type simple notes, it needs to be in Word. Google Docs is nice, OpenOffice is nice. I've used both, neither compare to Word.

No, you don't, but you don't need a computer either. :)

You also don't need Linux, OS X would be just fine as well.

The world seems very big and the people seem very small, 11 billion doesn't strike me as a problem in itself, it is the resources those 11 billion consume that strikes me as the problem.

Perhaps it would be worth promoting a different way to live that consumes fewer resources per person?

True, and in that respect, I probably should replace all the bulbs in my house with LEDs. I'll take a look at Amazon later and see what they sell for... If the pay off is as quick as you suggest, then that would be a nice Saturday afternoon project to do with the kids.

Yes, and that is sad... Nuclear never had a chance, we're still using 40 year old reactor designs. It is the same reason the Concord failed, it was never updated. We also don't fly 747-100s anymore. Heck, most airlines don't fly 747-400s anymore for the same reason, the 777-200/300 are better. (well, cheaper anyway)

I still wonder what would happen if we could replace all our current 1st and 2nd gen reactors with 4th gen. If you aren't always building new ones, then you won't ever get good at it. Imagine if airplane builders back in the days of bi-planes said, "you know what, these planes are fine, we'll wait to build anything new until the 747 is invented."

You know what? It never would have happened. You have to take it one step at a time, instead you still have reactors running today that shouldn't be.

My entire issue with solar is the cost, as it becomes cheaper, of course we'll use more of it, that only makes sense. I'm all for it.

What I DO have an issue with are people who think that solar will replace coal and solve the CO2 problem. It isn't going to do that.

Solar and wind have the chance to help reduce dependence on coal and natural gas, and that is great! But they aren't a CO2 solution. If we need a CO2 solution, then what? Nuclear? That is the only one that I can see that actually would do it.

On the desktop, and you know it...

People don't care what OS their computers run. PS4 runs whatever it has to run to play games. Their desktop computer runs Windows because that is what runs Office, TurboTax, games, etc.

Linux largely does not. And the bigger issue? Linux doesn't have anything that ONLY runs on Linux.

If Half Life 3 came out and ONLY ran on Linux, you might get a few more people interested, but that would be a pretty stupid move on Valve's part, IMHO, from a sales point of view.

With respect, I've heard that before... :) Back around 2001, the "Year of the Linux Desktop" was just around the corner.

Here we are, 14 years later...

The reasons Linux never took off on the desktop have nothing to do with technical issues, they are marketing and business issues.

Companies like Dell have tried selling computers with Linux on them, they stopped because it was more trouble than it was worth, the return rate on them was several times higher due to customers expecting to be able to run all their software on them.

Windows has such an installed base at this point, it would be very hard for anything to replace it. That installed base doesn't carry over into other markets which is why Windows Phone has gone nowhere.

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At the end of the day, perhaps the biggest problem Linux has is that even if somehow magically every game on Steam had a perfect Linux version, if MS was somehow convinced to write MS Office for Linux, etc... I STILL don't see a reason to switch.

Maybe if Windows 10 was going to cost $100 per machine to upgrade, then sure, I'd take a look. Win 10 is free, so I sure as heck don't care.

Being different isn't a reason to change, it has to offer me something I don't currently have. I skipped Vista because it was a mess at launch and XP worked fine. I moved to Windows 7 because it was time for a 64-bit OS and it had all the kinks worked out of it. I skipped 8 because it had the same problems as Vista, but frankly 8.1 fixed most of those and I run in on several machines. The only reason my main desktop doesn't run it is 10 is so close, I don't want to make that change twice, it is a waste of my time.

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TL;DR - So why should I go to Linux? What does it run that Windows doesn't? What will it do for me on my small 6 computer home network that Windows doesn't?

Changing web browsers is not remotely the same thing as changing OSes. :)

Google got a lot of people to move to Chrome simply due to offering free e-mail that didn't suck (see: Hotmail) and offering great search. Without those two, Chrome would be a foot note.

Netscape was the browser of choice, but frankly it stopped being great at version 3. 4 was bloated and slow, IE was fast.

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The mistake in thinking that the same thing will happen to Linux is that when you install Linux, your current programs no longer run. When you put a new web browser on your computer, your old one still works, your current programs still work.

This idea that Linux is a growing trend has been talked about for 20 years. Linux has about the same market share it had 10 years ago, which is to say almost none. The "Year of the Linux Desktop" has been just around the corner for a long time now.

Frankly, I don't think it is ever coming. The reasons are not technical, Linux is just fine in that dept. But being technically good isn't enough of a reason.

I bring up that point for the simple reason that I do not believe that most people actually care what OS is on their computer.

People just want to know that it works and that it runs the programs they want to run.

On my work machine, I have many programs installed that have no Linux version. It would be a PITA to try and change. I simply must have MS Office, Acrobat (full version, not reader), Photoshop, Quickbooks, etc.

Try doing your taxes on Linux. It can be done, but it is again a PITA.

https://thefearlesspenguin.wor...

^ Yes, the web based versions can be "made to work", but that is a lot of hassle for your average consumer. Why not just run Windows and then it all just works?

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TL;DR - The challenge for Linux is not technical, it has been "good enough" for a long time now. The challenge is a lack of a reason for Joe Consumer to run it or care, programs that people want to run don't come in Linux versions, it doesn't have any marketing support, etc.

Lord... that is a nerd's wet dream to be sure... 99% of the consumer market couldn't care less about that list... #16 betrays your feelings, I have found that most of the die hard Linux supports are really Windows haters who can't afford OS X.

Linux works fine, I am well aware of this, but working fine isn't enough... Get back to me when Adobe Photoshop, MS Office, TurboTax, Quickbooks, etc. have native Linux versions.

People do not buy computers and run OSes for their own sake, they do it to run their programs and actually do stuff.

Windows does this, Linux does not. GIMP and OpenOffice are not substitutes for Photoshop and MS Office, no matter how much you want them to be.

https://thefearlesspenguin.wor...

^ That is a perfect example of why Linux is a PITA for the average consumer and Windows is not.

Many people use their computer as nothing more than an Internet and e-mail machine, and in that respect, it largely doesn't matter what OS they run.

Many of these people are moving to tablets as they discover they don't really want or need a computer.

I like supporting indie developers and I buy almost every Humble Bundle for charity reasons...

The majority of those games will never be played, but the collection does grow...

Got it, so it is an "Anything but Windows" mindset...

You know, "Windows Sucks" doesn't translate into "Linux is great". The 1.5% Linux desktop marketshare would seem to indicate that is a true statement.

I suppose my interest is to simply hear why Linux on the desktop is so great, but instead I keep hearing "It isn't Windows".

Why the hate on Windows?

Yes, and that is fine, if you just want to pick from the handful of games with proper Linux ports, I'm sure they work well enough...

But if you are, then Windows it is...

Again, everyone keeps saying this stuff without providing any examples. "Linux is better, Windows sucks".

Those aren't reasons, those are opinions and personal tastes. What exactly does Windows "suck at"?

The fanboy in you is showing... I said getting stuff to run where it wasn't meant to... Get GTA to run on Linux and get back to me... THAT wasn't meant to, BS:I clearly was...

It is? Citation?

I fully get that market share doesn't always call out the better product, sometimes inferior products succeed while the better one fails... but Windows more or less owns the desktop market. Even OS X has multiple times more market share than Linux does.

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I keep hearing people say "Linux is better", but I don't see any specific reasons. The impression I get is that "Linux is better because it isn't Windows". Frankly, that is not a reason, it is an opinion, which is fine, but it is like saying Chocolate Ice Cream is better than Vanilla Ice Cream.

Fair enough... but I imagine you are aware you're in the extreme minority... perhaps these stories are popular because this is Slashdot, or perhaps techheads in general (of which I am one) like to have their "special stuff".

Why is Linux your preferred platform I guess is the question. What does Linux in 2015 do that Windows does not? Maybe it does something for you (and if so, great!).

I've played with Linux over the years, first installed it in 1994, and in later years since... but never used it as my primary desktop OS.

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Why? Because at the end of the day, I can go onto NewEgg and buy anything and it will work on Windows. Linux? I'd have to check first. Sure, lots of it will work, but will that deal on the $100 inkjet printer work? Maybe, but so many of those printers really need Windows.

Software? I can buy and download just about anything. Everything has a Windows version, I don't have to think about it.

This is the same reason I don't drive a diesel truck... Too many places don't have the fuel in the cities. If every station was required to have it, I'd probably drive one (and the auto makers would probably sell more of them).

I thought about my last reply...

I wanted to add one more thing... It seems that the primary reason for most people to run Linux is because "it isn't Windows"...

This doesn't strike me as enough of a reason for it to go anywhere. You and I post on Slashdot, so we don't count. The average person uses Windows, has for most of their computer life, and sees no reason to change.

The only other visible option is the Mac with OS X, and I think some people do look at that, until they see the price and then they run away.

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So I guess the question is... other than "It isn't Windows", what reason does John and Jane Q. Public have to even think about Linux?