Any one using anything other than Windows?

[cummins2k]

I am currently running Ubuntu 9.04 on my system along side Windows XP (i own Vista but absolutely hated it). I have to say Ubuntu 9.04 really impressed me, it was easier to setup than Windows XP and imported all my documents, music, and videos without a hitch not to mention the fact it was free. However I have always been a huge supporter of open source software and don't mind working past a few bugs. So whats everyone else running?

[ISX]

I reverted back to XP after getting a Vista laptop. Too slow, BS controls, I hated everything about it.

[dorkweed]

I use a Mac with FireFox as the browser.

[Mopar1973Man]

Well I've ran Linux for awhile but the fact there is no compatible software dorve me nuts...Currently running Windows Vista 64 Bit and tuned WITHOUT the junk totally shaved down system. Whoops every XP machine I've got here... > The thing about vista is that everyone leaves all the junk run. If you turn it all off and tune it a pick up a few drivers from the manufacture of the device it runs so much faster than the junk MS drivers (generic) that are supplied. I've been running Vista now for 2 years and hate XP because its such a dinosaur. The fact the 64 bit software runs twice the amount of data per clock cycle. If you running 32 bit edition I can see what your whining about.I might not have a hot rod Dodge Cummins but I know I can whoop some serious tail with my Computer... LOL 5.2 GHz Dual Core AMD (Cool & Quiet Technology)4 GB P6400 DDR 2 MemoryMounted on Asus M3A Motherboard (AMD Chipset)1 TB of Hard Drives (250 GB, 250 GB, and 500 GB)NVidia 8500 VideoWindows Vista 64-Bit Edition (Ultimate)IE7 (64-Bit Edition) - Faster that legacy 32 bit broswers including Firefox...Protected by Nortons 2008 Internet Security (Plus) DSL Firewall custom tuned!

[ISX]

This thing has a Turion 64 X2 cpu and yet it was stock with 32 bit vista. I can't afford to go out buying 64bit vista. No clue as to why they didn't make it 64bit stock. It's like selling a car with a supercharger that isnt hooked up. As for the browser, I use Opera. I have used every browser out there and even deleted opera to get firefox when something was incompatible, just to find myself reinstalling opera. I love it. I just open firefox if something is incompatible with opera. My brother/sister/mom still have 32bit vista on their 64bit computers, would they be faster if they were decrapified? Or do they realllllly need to be upgraded to 64bit?

[cummins2k]

ISX while 64-bit operating systems hold the advantage of being able to access the system hardware faster and support more system memory most programs are not optimized for it. I personally think that while the day for the 64-bit operating system is certainly coming up fairly quickly, for most tasks including game play the 32-bit version of Windows is sufficient. Most people out there will not notice any major difference between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the operating system in terms of speed. Often times 32-bit operating systems win the speed race simply because software and drivers have been optimized for the 32-bit environments.I really haven't had a problem with running Windows programs on Linux. I customed tuned my WINE ("Wine is not an emulator") to execute most Windows programs natively in Linux. The ones that won't I can either restart and boot into Windows XP or just run Windows under emulation from the Linux desktop allowing me to run the program inside a virtual machine.Computer specs are: AMD Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition overclocked @ 3.0ghz on all cores 4GB of PC2-8500 BioStar T-Force TA790GX-128M Motherboard 640GB Western Digital Sata, 250GB Western Digital PATA NVidia PCI-E 8800GTS Overclocked Windows XP Professional AVG Virus and Internet Security Ubuntu 9.04 IPtables for firewall Avast! Anti-virus This system runs a little on the warm side, but not so much that it causes stability issues. I am contemplating water cooling it next.

[Mopar1973Man]

That was one of the things that never got me to switch to Mac or Linux... Is the fact 90% of the world works around MS products. So you either got to find a look-a-like that was compatible with MS products for you OS or you had to find a emulator to load a MS software. In either case there was some short comings. I know Vista has is bad comments and raps.... But hang in there here come the NEW version of Windows 7... :wow 8| http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ Now I've got to play with this on a demo machine at my dealer shop. It wasa 6.0 GHz AMD processor with only 1 GB of RAM but very powerful enironment capable of display 3 movies on 3 different monitors using 1 video card without flicker or studder. Then still have the power to still use the computer and surf the web. This thing was smokin fast and very stable!1

[dorkweed]

And as usual, I haven't a clue as to what you guys are saying when you get into the "technospeak"!!!!!! It truly is a different language!!!! One that I hope never to learn!!! :wow

[ISX]

I need to ship this dual PIII 1.4ghz computer to either of you. It wont recognize any kind of external pheripheral. Be it a hard drive, cdrom, anything! I am just saving for a different motherboard for the dualies now. :confused:

[flagmanruss]

Bought the wife a new laptop for Christmas... came with Vista Home Ed. Then everyone says that's not enough OS to do basic tasks. I'm not a techie... I just want to turn it on & have it work.My computers are running XP. Took me forever to learn then, so I'm sticking with XP until I can't run them anymore. Maybe I'll feel different when 7 arrives.Russ

[ISX]

Personally, I could live with Windows 95. All I do is go on the internet. The only reason I need a better computer is because I multitask with up to 50 internet "tabs" open. I like to read about stuff and do cross referenceing with other web sites. Um, many other websites LOL

[Mopar1973Man]

Don't go there... I just tried that stunt... I loaded up my old laptop with win98SE and it worked and could surf the web yes... But all the addons are not available any longer... I went looking for drivers and couldn't find any... Software was just as tough too... ` So I bailed back to WinXP and called it good...So the old 95 and 98 are dead for sure...

[Guest Digger15]

Mac's work well.

[cummins2k]

That was one of the things that never got me to switch to Mac or Linux... Is the fact 90% of the world works around MS products. So you either got to find a look-a-like that was compatible with MS products for you OS or you had to find a emulator to load a MS software. In either case there was some short comings. I know Vista has is bad comments and raps.... But hang in there here come the NEW version of Windows 7... :wow 8| http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ Now I've got to play with this on a demo machine at my dealer shop. It wasa 6.0 GHz AMD processor with only 1 GB of RAM but very powerful enironment capable of display 3 movies on 3 different monitors using 1 video card without flicker or studder. Then still have the power to still use the computer and surf the web. This thing was smokin fast and very stable!1

Wow thats a pretty smoking processor there. I have always been a fan of AMD, and thier new Phenom 2's are looking quite nice. I like my Phenom 9950 BE but it leaves much to be desired in terms of over clocking and the 4 cores don't help much for a lot of games. Windows 7 beta is already getting good speed reports compared to Vista already. :thumbsup

Don't go there... I just tried that stunt... I loaded up my old laptop with win98SE and it worked and could surf the web yes... But all the addons are not available any longer... I went looking for drivers and couldn't find any... Software was just as tough too... ` So I bailed back to WinXP and called it good... So the old 95 and 98 are dead for sure...

I agree here. These operating systems weren't that great compared to the Microsoft NT operating systems either. Windows NT4, 2000, XP, and Vista are all NT Kernel based operating systems so will be Windows 7. Also Windows 9x variants where not true multi-user operating systems which left them open to some major security flaws. The NT kernel is the future, and hopefully Microsoft can fix the flaws in Vista with the release of 7.

[ISX]

Well I finally got an internet that was actually worthy of using. Local ISP has this wireless thing up to 7 miles out of town. So being right at the 7 mile mark, I was able to get it. Sooooo...3mbps download AND upload! Guess its basically a large scale wireless network.. :confused: Sure as hell works for me! :thumbsup

[Mopar1973Man]

Cool... Glad you found something that works good... Myself I had a customer come in complaining about his Win XP being slow. The machine is only 5 years old. (1.3 GHz, 256 MB, 80 GB HDD). Yeah he need to upgrade big time but doesn't want to mess with Vista... Well after sitting in front of my machine (Vista 64 Ultimate) and show him some of the features Vista has compared to Win XP he's going to buy a computer soon from me... ;) Basically he just like the general public and screaming about something he's never even tried like a 3 year old... ` Win Vista isn't that bad... There is a few things to consider and look out for but all in all it a very good system compared to Win XP (32 Bit). :thumbsup

[ISX]

My sisters vista laptop has a problem with kicking her off the net all the time. As in, every other minute. Seems like they all had that problem to an extent. The router is brand new (1Gbps) and when I reverted this back to XP I noticed it never lost the connection again. Not sure what the deal is. As for that 1.3ghz computer.. I had a 500mhz celeron computer 128mb that would load XP like nobodys business. Well atleast until the internet had its way with it. LOL

[Mopar1973Man]

As for that....I've installed TuneUp Utilities 2009 and optimize the Network connection and remove un-needed services.Then installed Nortons Internet Security 2008 and turn off both the Windows firewall and windows defender. After I done that I've got a rock solid connection too. The windows secuirty features are minimal at best. So install a good anti-virus and firewall software and shut down the junk... Like the IPv6, UPNP, windows firewall, and windows defender...If you want to be really smart turn off the windows update and just wait till service pack come instead of downloading tons of junk updates for hacks and security where Nortons covers even better than Windows... ;)

[ISX]

I didn't think of all the firewalls. I will have to go do some tinkering with that! :thumbsup

Hmm, I guess this averages out to 3 LOL

[Mopar1973Man]

Better than my slow connection... `