Has Vista gotten any better?

[khyrox]

Vista for me has been nothing but stable, post SP1 + all the latest updates. But I find it does need that the PC have enough oomph to run it well. I've got the OS running on various configurations (see my sig) and I don't have any major complaints. It runs the apps I need it to run, plays the games I want it to play, and that's about it. In both work and play, I use many different OS's and I try to pick the environment best suited for the job.

[Abras]

I can't say I hate Vista, but I'm not exactly a huge fan. That kind of mentality is probably what got me to install Ubuntu last October. It was a dual-boot configuration so I could always go back to Windows if I was unimpressed, but that never happened. My dad, my sister, and I have been using Ubuntu ever since with very few hiccups. None of us are what you would call "computer experts" or "nerds" so we don't really fit into the mold of stereotypical Linux users. And when I started to visit the Ubuntu forums I realized that we were definitely not alone in that regard.

I've had only very limited experience with Macs, but I was genuinely surprised that they weren't as user-friendly as some people have lead me to believe. Using Ubuntu (the standard Gnome version) for the first time was a breeze compared to my fumbling just to find the Macs' basic functions.

So yeah, Linux doesn't have to be scary and difficult. I'm not saying it won't be for anyone else who tries it, of course. I'm not what you would call a zealot or fanboy, so I realize that your mileage may vary. Still, I think Linux (especially the Ubuntu distro) is worth a look from anyone who is fed up with Windows or just wants to try something new. You may be surprised. (The key word being may of course )

[MrPopo]

The big problem I have with Linux (aside from the game thing) is that I always feel like I'm underutilizing it. At work we all use Linux for our developer desktops, and a few of my buddies are really big Linux guys. They can do some amazing stuff with a shell and a keyboard, and it makes me feel like a novice when I watch them. But since my computer is mostly used for games, internet, music, and video, I don't feel that need to even consider a different OS.

[lordofduct]

The big problem I have with Linux (aside from the game thing) is that I always feel like I'm underutilizing it. At work we all use Linux for our developer desktops, and a few of my buddies are really big Linux guys. They can do some amazing stuff with a shell and a keyboard, and it makes me feel like a novice when I watch them. But since my computer is mostly used for games, internet, music, and video, I don't feel that need to even consider a different OS.

I know what you mean, the first time I used it I knew I was underutilizing it.

Now that I've migrated completely and have learned a thing or two and do all kinds of stuff with it, I still feel like I use maybe 1% of what it can do.

But shit, it does it well. And I've been fooling with Wine and VMware, I was getting 60fps out of Left4Dead, so it ain't all that bad for games.

[Lanfear]

I'm grew up on Windows. 3.1 onward (My age only allowed me to start there)
Power user for sure.
Programming in high school
Knew my way around DOS

I decided to buy a Macbook for college. I was tempted by its shininess. I still have a fairly nice gaming rig that I also run with WIndows XP.

I would die if I had to go back to Windows.

I however, see the point that you are giving up a little bit of freedom when you sign up to be part of the apple cult. You definitely have to drink the kool-aid. It's just the best damn kool-aid you've ever tasted.

One huge bonus of the OSX is the freeware designed by the macfanboys. They spend hours making these littles things and then release them for free. The freeware scene on Windows is overloaded with... junk.

[lordofduct]

speaking of all these different OS's, I went on Wikipedia to look at some of the known malware/virii for Linux and found this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(virus)

It's an older virus (like 97 or something), but it has an uninstaller that comes with it... you just have to say please!

[Niode]

The best thing about Linux is the fact that if somebody hacks your system, it's your fault. Learning to use proper system privileges and not using your root account unless you really need to (and that should be once, to make a seperate admin account anyway). Just by doing this you are guarded from most threats. iptables is easy to configure and much more versatile than your garden variety firewall. Once you have iptables set up, user privileges sorted you shouldn't see any security related problems anyway.

I love the list of malware for linux. It's so funny that it's a list. Windows viri/malware needs a sodding database to store all the information about the millions of viruses on that system.

The only things you have to be wary about on Linux are hackers. Distros like ubuntu are trying to make it so that there's very little security setup required by most users but it only takes a weak root password and a hacker has access to your system no matter how well you set up the aforementioned security measures.

[elvis]

Long term Linux user here (12 years this December). I left Windows at Win2K because I found it disappointing. I don't think I need to say out loud what I think of Vista.

I consider Windows in general a uni-purpose OS. For better or worse I consider it "XBox-OS", to turn a standard useful workstation into a gaming rig.

My home servers, workstations, HTPC and multiple MAME cabinets all run Linux. WindowsXP is loaded on a single machine for doujin games (almost exclusively shooters and fighters) that run under Windows only, many of which aren't 100% compatible with WINE.

Although with that said WINE is updating so fast now (Google threw two full-time coders at the project back at the beginning of the year) that it's usually temporary. By the sounds of it Street Fighter 4 will be getting a PC/Windows release (rumour has it through Steam, although not confirmed) which will be another addition to my one Windows machine (as I don't own either an XBox 360 nor a PS3).