Why is Windows better than Linux-Desktop for 70-year-olds?

[GammaGlobulin]

Dear Lunus's Friends,

 

About 25 years ago, I don't know how many years, I was completely besotted with the idea of exclusively using Linux for my desktop.

 

I still agree that a Unix/Linux system is better.

 

But, for whatever reason, the world is NOT what I had hoped it might be.

 

And, Window won out.

 

This just means that so many commercial apps do not run on a Linux system.

 

Am I still so sad about this?

 

Yes, I am.

 

For example, I use ADOBE products, and ADOBE Pro does not run on Linux systems, natively.

 

HOW SORRY am I that I must now use the complete crappola provided by Windows, and I mean the Operating System?

 

I HATE Windows.

I LOVE Linux

 

But, these days, I have no choice.

 

Back in the day, there was this question, which has now been answered, whether or not Linux might dominate 60 percent of the desktop user base.

 

This never happened.

 

And so, during the following years, the succeeding years, since 2010, I have been in a funk about this.

 

I am talking about the DESKTOP market, and not the server market.

 

And, Folks, I am still extremely depressed that Linux never took hold as I had wished it would, during the past twenty years.

 

Still, SHT happens.

And, Windows is an example of the SHT that happens in life.

 

All I can say is that I feel very sorry for the entire world that Linux did not, finally, rule the DeskTop world.

 

Probably you do not know just how much I also love Nicholas Negroponte, another love of my life...

 

 

Years ago, I had hoped to see the opensource movement take over desktop computing.

 

IF it had, then this would have been such an amazingly good thing for Mankind.

 

But....this never happened.

 

Obviously, Linux could have been completely good for the desktop.

 

Too many things were against it.

 

I just feel so disheartened and downright depressed that Linux was not able to take over the desktops of the world.

 

 

I know that you are so solly, too.

 

Gamma

 

 

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

 

 

Yes....

 

He speaks in PARAGRAPHS...sometimes.!

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

RMS!

Forever!

[Lemsta69]

Windows beats Linux because even though it sucks, Linux sucks worse for the average user. And yes, I have used Linsux many times and not just as a casual user.

 

I'm not going to provide any examples because the last time I did you came up with a flippant response along the lines of "Linux is easily customisable" when is is in fact not, unless you are a computer programmer.

 

Hint: it was about how after hours of searching I couldn't come up with a simple Linux equivalent of Core Temp.

 

You failed to provide a solution other than "Linux is good, mmmkay?".

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

45 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

Windows beats Linux because even though it sucks, Linux sucks worse for the average user. And yes, I have used Linsux many times and not just as a casual user.

 

I'm not going to provide any examples because the last time I did you came up with a flippant response along the lines of "Linux is easily customisable" when is is in fact not, unless you are a computer programmer.

 

Hint: it was about how after hours of searching I couldn't come up with a simple Linux equivalent of Core Temp.

 

You failed to provide a solution other than "Linux is good, mmmkay?".

 

 

 

YES.

I recall this short discussion of ours.

 

BUT.

 

Getting sensors to work is NOT difficult, although a bit tricky.

 

One thing you should understand is that some things, using Linux, no matter what the distro....are.... just a bit tricky, at times.

 

IF you cannot handle this..,.then...just use Windows....

 

Or, maybe you cannot handle the truth about Linux for the Desktop?

 

 

 

IF you are not willing to use your brain to find the answers to fairly easy questions....

 

Then, just be BRAINLESS, and use WinDoze....

 

Some guys, I would say, just cannot handle the truth.

 

======================

 

I would PREFER to still use Linux, for everything....

IF only I did not need to use my PC for some specific purpose, working with the Chinese young people.

 

================

 

Linux is fantastic.

And, always has been...and...

Everybody knows this.

 

Just ask Torvalds.

 

 

[save the frogs]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

 

Yes....

 

He speaks in PARAGRAPHS...sometimes.!

 

 

 

Haha, Linux founder is too sexy for his shirt.

That's why it didn't work out. 

Computers isn't about sexy.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Linux founder

 

NOT

[BigStar]

6 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

Hint: it was about how after hours of searching I couldn't come up with a simple Linux equivalent of Core Temp.

 

Plasma widget:

 

 

https://youtu.be/ehKwuDm4gXM?t=253

 

Conky:

 

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1014263/is-there-any-widget-that-can-show-my-cpu-and-other-performances-live

 

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

Plasma widget:

 

 

https://youtu.be/ehKwuDm4gXM?t=253

 

Conky:

 

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1014263/is-there-any-widget-that-can-show-my-cpu-and-other-performances-live

 

Core temps were available .....

Many years ago.

 

But, if you really want to measure your core....

 

Then take a thermometer and put it where the sun don't shine....

 

Simpler than simply Googling it, I guess.

 

 

[connda]

Simple:

Run Linux as your primary OS and run whatever version of Windows that you wish in a VirtualBox virtual machine (or some other VM although Ubuntu-based systems have VirtualBox as part of its software repositories and runs well in Linux).  Easy breezy.  The best of both worlds.  MS Windows is poorly designed and is a resource hog.  The best place to run it is in a virtual machine where it can do the least amount of harm.  I don't recommend utilizing a 'dual-boot' model as Windows hijacks your hard-drive.  KISS (Keep it simple Somchai). 

[topt]

8 minutes ago, connda said:

I don't recommend utilizing a 'dual-boot' model as Windows hijacks your hard-drive.

I hadn't noticed this on a dual boot set up - which to be fair I do not use much any more - how does it hijack it?

 

A question if I may for you and @BigStar With a windows host and virtual box with Linux Mint as the guest I am confused about "backing up". I have a snapshot in VB but I have also used Timeshift for the Linux install as I tweaked quite a few of the settings - not so much bothered about files.  

I have read the VB information but it is not clear to me. Do I still need the Linux Timeshift to maintain those settings in the event of an issue?

[impulse]

Linux is great if you know how to root the flubus when things go haywire.  Because that's the advice you'll get on the Linux blogs.  They seem to assume all the users are wizzes already.  Windows blogs and help resources are usually geared toward luddites.

 

I stick with Windows because it supports the software I've been using for over 30 years.  I've got tens of thousands of hours into the learning curve on programs like Excel, CorelDraw, etc.  That's more valuable to me than saving a few $$ on the OS and freeware versions (like GIMP) that are probably just as good, but have their own learning curve.  As much as I missed Mac OS when my company switched to Windows in the '90s, I won't go back to Mac just because of the learning curve.  Even if it is a better OS, and I'm no longer hogtied to Windows by a job.

 

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, topt said:

I hadn't noticed this on a dual boot set up - which to be fair I do not use much any more - how does it hijack it?

 

Happens sometimes, not often (even less with modern UEFI and later versions of Windows), notably when you install both on the same disk. Windows may overwrite the Linux grub bootloader. That can be fixed, of course, but it's annoying. Best that they have separate disks. Not a big deal as SSDs are so cheap nowadays, and a Linux OS doesn't need much capacity. Never had an issue w/ that config. Linux is the primary OS and boot Windows from the grub menu.

 

Install Windows first, then Linux in any case.

 

1 hour ago, topt said:

Do I still need the Linux Timeshift to maintain those settings in the event of an issue?

 

Exit VB and just mirror the folder that contains your virtual machines, with their .vbox and .vdi files.

 

 

[BigStar]

32 minutes ago, impulse said:

Linux is great if you know how to root the flubus when things go haywire.  Because that's the advice you'll get on the Linux blogs.  They seem to assume all the users are wizzes already. 

 

Modern LTS (long-term support) flavors of Linux are quite stable and have user-friendly interfaces. Linux Mint, for example. The issue before changing over would be to check if all your hardware and peripherals are supported. Most are.

 

35 minutes ago, impulse said:

I stick with Windows because it supports the software I've been using for over 30 years.  I've got tens of thousands of hours into the learning curve on programs like Excel, CorelDraw, etc. 

 

Perfectly understandable.

 

Yet one of the perks of aging is that I never really need all those programs anymore. LibreOffice, for example, is quite enough as an office suite and I don't even use that very often. Two workarounds: use a Windows virtual machine; use the Wine emulator. Wine will run quite a lot of older versions of Windows software.

 

I mainly use Windows also because I'm lazy. I seem never to get around to installing Steam on my OpenSUSE, which I really like, for playing games, or setting up a number of utilities for which I've already installed working Windows versions. I know I can happily change over if I wish, and just yesterday I did so wish when Windows insisted on a reboot to finish an update.  

 

 

[connda]

32 minutes ago, topt said:

I hadn't noticed this on a dual boot set up - which to be fair I do not use much any more - how does it hijack it?

I was running a dual-booted system until a few years ago.  I had a problem with Windows that affected booting Linux along with other issues related to Windows. Windows over-wrote the HDD partition during an upgrade.  I worked with Microsoft support for a couple of weeks and got nowhere (no surprise). I had a MCP/MCSE prior to retiring and Window-based servers were my expertise, so I'm not unfamiliar with Microsoft or Windows.  I ended up buying a new SSD drive and upgraded the memory and then loaded an Ubuntu-flavor of Linux.  I run Windows in a virtual machine (VM) on my Linux system now.  It's a good solution.

There are a few pluses here.  Windows is effectively sandboxed in a VM.  Once you get Windows configured, then you just clone the VM and archive it.  Clone the VM monthly (or more often) and if WIndows misbehaves or gets hacked/viruses, you roll back to your clone.  Also, with Windows running in a VM, Linux is still running, so essentially you are running Linux and Windows concurrently.  Like I said, its the best of both worlds.  Dual booting creates at least 4 Windows partitions on your hard-drive as well as you Linux partition(s) (system/data is a good configuration).

Is this a good solution for gaming systems?  Nope. For gaming systems I'd buy a dedicated gaming computer running Windows.  But for those of us who don't care about gaming systems (I've never had any interest), running Linux as the only OS on an EXT4 partition and then running Windows in a VM is an excellent solution.  I can run Windows apps while still working on my Linux system. 

"It's too much work!"

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, connda said:

I don't recommend utilizing a 'dual-boot' model as Windows hijacks your hard-drive. 

 

IMHO, Windows does not "hijack" your HD.

 

The problem is:

 

IF you use Dual Boot, then, it's very difficult to return to a system without BOTH Linux and Windows, upon startup.

 

If, in the future, you wish to get rid of Linux, then, as far as I know, you would need to do a fresh/clean install of Windows.

 

In fact, this is my problem.

 

I would like to use only Windows on one of the computers I used for Dual Boot.  But, I think this might be impossible without a fresh install.

 

I have always used OPENSUSE, and, once OpenSuse reconfigures your HD, using Dual Boot, then .... Very difficult to return to the original state.

 

I am talking about GRUB, of course.

 

But, anyway:

 

Here is the solution....

 

These days, I don't have enough time on my hands to fool around with Linux-Desktop.

 

Instead, I save my precious time for posting about Aliens on TV.....which is....

Much more important to me.

 

 

 

 

 

[topt]

22 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Exit VB and just mirror the folder that contains your virtual machines, with their .vbox and .vdi files.

By mirror I take it you just mean copy. Presumably therefore  I can copy it to my normal Windows back up drive with whatever Windows format that happens to be in?

Furthermore, unless I have misunderstood, I don't need a separate drive formatted in ext4 to save Timeshifts?

[BigStar]

4 minutes ago, topt said:

By mirror I take it you just mean copy. Presumably therefore  I can copy it to my normal Windows back up drive with whatever Windows format that happens to be in?

 

Yes. Your VM folder is a Windows folder and the files are in NTFS format.

 

6 minutes ago, topt said:

Furthermore, unless I have misunderstood, I don't need a separate drive formatted in ext4 to save Timeshifts?

 

No. But just use Virtualbox snapshots instead of Timeshift. Quick rollback if needed. You can also use something like Macrium Reflect to create both full and incremental backups of your VM folder and later restore either the full backup or whichever incremental you choose.

 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, BigStar said:

Yet one of the perks of aging is that I never really need all those programs anymore. LibreOffice, for example, is quite enough as an office suite and I don't even use that very often. Two workarounds: use a Windows virtual machine; use the Wine emulator. Wine will run quite a lot of older versions of Windows software.

 

While I agree with that, I've opened .xlsx spreadsheets and .docx documents with the freeware and the formatting can take a looong time to fix.  It may seem petty stuff, but I just don't want to spend an hour fixing the formatting.  It's especially bad when I open a document from someone else who uses strange formatting like adding line breaks when they really didn't need to.  That's what margins are for...  In fairness, my conventions may be just as bad, but I know what they were.

 

 

[norbra]

At 80 years + and having played around with Mint for 3 months,decided the learning curve is beyond my enthusiasm,so ditched Mint and installed Win 11 on a non compliant Dell desktop, I like it so far,no dramas.

[metisdead]

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[nobodysfriend]

On 3/21/2024 at 6:11 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

Getting sensors to work is NOT difficult, although a bit tricky.

 A right click on the panel ... add to panel ...

[GammaGlobulin]

31 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 A right click on the panel ... add to panel ...

 

The problem with idiots (just joking, of course) using Linux is that some are just not capable of using Google when needed.

 

Also, there are PLENTY of Linux forums where everything is discussed in minute detail.

 

Also, the Linux Community is Super Strong and willing to help anyone using Linux.

 

There is NO EXCUSE for being incapable of using Linux to a VERY HIGH LEVEL.....none!

 

But, maybe the only reason I believe this is that I am a....

GENIUS?  (not joking, of course)

 

 

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

 

But, maybe the only reason I believe this is that I am a....

GENIUS?

 

 

 

https://www.quora.com/What-do-I-do-if-I-truly-believe-I-am-a-genius

 

..."

 

 

It's great to have confidence in yourself and your abilities, but it's important to also be humble and realistic. Here are some things you can do if you believe you are a genius:

1. Seek validation from others: If you truly believe you are a genius, seek validation from people who are knowledgeable and experienced in your field. This will help you get a better understanding of your abilities and where you stand in comparison to others.
2. Keep learning: No matter how smart you are, there is always more to learn. Keep pushing yourself to learn more and improve your skills. This will help you stay on top of your game and continue to grow as a person.
3. Avoid arrogance: It's important to avoid becoming arrogant or condescending towards others. Remember that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that you can learn something from everyone you meet.
4. Use your talents to help others: If you truly are a genius, use your talents to help others. Whether it's volunteering your time, teaching others, or working on projects that benefit society, use your abilities to make a positive impact on the world.
5. Keep an open mind: It's important to keep an open mind and be willing to consider different perspectives and ideas. This will help you continue to learn and grow, and will also help you avoid becoming stagnant or complacent in your thinking. ..."

[GammaGlobulin]

7 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

https://www.quora.com/What-do-I-do-if-I-truly-believe-I-am-a-genius

 

..."

 

 

It's great to have confidence in yourself and your abilities, but it's important to also be humble and realistic. Here are some things you can do if you believe you are a genius:

1. Seek validation from others: If you truly believe you are a genius, seek validation from people who are knowledgeable and experienced in your field. This will help you get a better understanding of your abilities and where you stand in comparison to others.
2. Keep learning: No matter how smart you are, there is always more to learn. Keep pushing yourself to learn more and improve your skills. This will help you stay on top of your game and continue to grow as a person.
3. Avoid arrogance: It's important to avoid becoming arrogant or condescending towards others. Remember that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that you can learn something from everyone you meet.
4. Use your talents to help others: If you truly are a genius, use your talents to help others. Whether it's volunteering your time, teaching others, or working on projects that benefit society, use your abilities to make a positive impact on the world.
5. Keep an open mind: It's important to keep an open mind and be willing to consider different perspectives and ideas. This will help you continue to learn and grow, and will also help you avoid becoming stagnant or complacent in your thinking. ..."

 

Your post sounds a bit like other statements from ChatGPT and Bard, the one with the new name....

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

You should go and look up all the other famous individuals who are considered ‘geniuses’ by the rest of the world.

You will eventually realize that ‘genius’ is simply a label. It can be applied to many different types of people for many different reasons.

But through it all, all ‘geniuses’ seem to have one thing in common:

They are known for what they DID. Not simply for what they can do, or what they think they can do.

So really, what should you do?

You should go on out and focus on doing.

If you are truly a genius in some respect or another, you should definitely do something with those traits that make you so remarkable.

Leave your mark on the rest of the world.

[GammaGlobulin]

10 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

You should go and look up all the other famous individuals who are considered ‘geniuses’ by the rest of the world.

You will eventually realize that ‘genius’ is simply a label. It can be applied to many different types of people for many different reasons.

But through it all, all ‘geniuses’ seem to have one thing in common:

They are known for what they DID. Not simply for what they can do, or what they think they can do.

So really, what should you do?

You should go on out and focus on doing.

If you are truly a genius in some respect or another, you should definitely do something with those traits that make you so remarkable.

Leave your mark on the rest of the world.

 

Some geniuses, such as I, are just too FING full of lethargy.

Maybe we are just too smart to get involved, at this late date.

 

 

[terryofcrete]

On 3/21/2024 at 4:36 AM, BigStar said:

 

Plasma widget:

 

 

https://youtu.be/ehKwuDm4gXM?t=253

 

Conky:

 

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1014263/is-there-any-widget-that-can-show-my-cpu-and-other-performances-live

 

I have windows in my house.

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

You should go and look up all the other famous individuals who are considered ‘geniuses’ by the rest of the world.

You will eventually realize that ‘genius’ is simply a label. It can be applied to many different types of people for many different reasons.

But through it all, all ‘geniuses’ seem to have one thing in common:

They are known for what they DID. Not simply for what they can do, or what they think they can do.

So really, what should you do?

You should go on out and focus on doing.

If you are truly a genius in some respect or another, you should definitely do something with those traits that make you so remarkable.

Leave your mark on the rest of the world.

 

You're being wound up by one of the major trolls on the forum. Best not waste your time.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

26 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

You're being wound up by one of the major trolls on the forum. Best not waste your time.

 

 

As both I, and many others, have already stated.

I am NOT a troll.

If you can't tell the difference...then....

Heaven Help you when you encounter a REAL Troll.

 

Take care man.....

I care about you, too!