One difference I've noticed between Windows and Linux...
* in Linux, plug in a USB key, or hard drive, or other USB device, and if you have the appropriate driver, "it just works". One USB "mass storage device" driver works for all USB keys and hard drives
* in Windows...
--- plug in a brand X USB key the first time, and Windws goes off onto the internet and installs a special driver
--- plug in a brand Y USB key the first time, and Windws goes off onto the internet and installs a special driver
--- plug in a brand Z USB key the first time, and Windws goes off onto the internet and installs a special driver
Come on guys, a USB key is a USB key, is a USB key. If it has some esoteric functionality, OK, otherwise don't clog up the registry and the hard drive with drivers for every USB key model that has ever been inserted into the machine..
I have a USRobotics USR5637 http://www.usr.com/en/products... USB CDC "56K" dialup modem for backup on the rare occasions my broadband goes down. It's a hardware modem that works in Windows, Mac, Linux, DOS, etc. Once I set up the kernel options in linux "it just works", without constantly downloading updates. WTF is Windows always updating?