OP Install Linux but not Ubuntu pick something you'll learn something from. With sparce resources pay close attention to what desktop environment you pick.
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End date for Windows XP
- Thread starter Rchawks
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Desktop Linux is a shocking, buggy, nasty, creaky, messy, hotchpotch, nerdtastic behemoth. I strongly suggest non-tinkerers to stay away.
What's wrong with Windows 7?
If you insist, but installing something that just requires clicks doesn't teach anything and that was the point I was making.
You're talking of Gentoo here. Ubuntu versions are more polished.
What's wrong with Win 7? Nothing, except it requires a pretty strong machine (=expensive) to begin with. What ran Win XP fine before isn't strong enough for any modern Windows OS, and that leaves only Linux flavors to choose from.
On the contrary, I've found that some machines that ran poorly on XP run BETTER on Win 7.
I tried many, many, many Linux distros, and I have yet to see one that can even show a boot splash properly, let alone some "polish". The two ones that are somewhat above the pack are Mint and Sabayon, but even these aren't suggestible for casual users.
It seems to me that the community sees desktop Linux as a feed-fan toy and doesn't care about the end user at all.
True, I've had my fair share of drivers issues with Linux versions. It boils down to hardware compatibility, which can be surprisingly reduced. I won't enter the hardware openness vs. lack of effort from Linux community since it's obvious that without properly-specified hardware one can't write proper drivers, but on a compatible machine, everything works fine from the start. I installed Ubuntu on many of them, and given the right combination, no additional configuration would be required to get it running. But you're correct the casual user should never have to tinker with the OS to get it working right (also valid for Windows users!)
I know many people using Windows XP (for online stuff) connected 24/7.
1. NOt updated since 2010 and using service pack 2 and not the latest, so for them it's like microsoft stopped support in 2010
2. Antivirus off (for performance reasons) and only scanned for viruses once a year - no viruses found anyway
3. Not a single problem in the last 5 years
Everytime I read news like : omg Windows will not be supported anymore, I wonder what support ? Support for what ? Why are support patches necessary since these people have un-updated machines with no viruses and no problems ?
1. NOt updated since 2010 and using service pack 2 and not the latest, so for them it's like microsoft stopped support in 2010
2. Antivirus off (for performance reasons) and only scanned for viruses once a year - no viruses found anyway
3. Not a single problem in the last 5 years
Everytime I read news like : omg Windows will not be supported anymore, I wonder what support ? Support for what ? Why are support patches necessary since these people have un-updated machines with no viruses and no problems ?
Maybe a lead to an answer
While it may not seem much for end-users, many large corporations still rely upon Windows XP machines internally. For example, the immense majority of bank ATMs and inside machines still run XP as these companies can't/don't want to upgrade to a more recent Windows, let alone switching systems. They are currently rushing to conclude individual maintenance contracts with Microsoft.
Fixed it.
Serious sys admins (in the general sense) never used OS X server for their main systems, simply due to the bad enterprise support from Apple (hence why their server products are now non-existent)...
Not a bad product, it was just hard for companies to justify the costs for a lack of support.
Would be nice if Apple get back into it... but I think those days are long gone.
I like your point, but bad comparison. Most ATMs use a stripped down version of embedded XP which has, all along, used a completely separate set of patches. The XP ATMs run is completely different than desktop XP.
Admittedly Apple enterprise support is pretty non-existent, and they probably assume there are enough Apple-licensed and trained sysadmin not needing to provide any support themselves. True, their server can be managed with only minimal knowledge, but I can easily understand why enterprises would like to have a backup plan in case their in-house tech wouldn't be able to solve an issue.Fixed it.
Serious sys admins (in the general sense) never used OS X server for their main systems, simply due to the bad enterprise support from Apple (hence why their server products are now non-existent)...
Not a bad product, it was just hard for companies to justify the costs for a lack of support.
Would be nice if Apple get back into it... but I think those days are long gone.
I like your point, but bad comparison. Most ATMs use a stripped down version of embedded XP which has, all along, used a completely separate set of patches. The XP ATMs run is completely different than desktop XP.
I don't know what an Embedded Win XP "looks like" when it can't start its main application, but I know public transit card reload stations regularly bug down every first of the month, either with a BSoD, or just looking like a classical-look Windows XP desktop, with a start menu, sometimes an icon, and a clock. Once I saw an ATM displaying an almost-identical screen.
I'm shocked there are still people using ancient light bulbs, why can't we all use sci fi laser and LED lighting in homes ?
And why shocked for using XP ? Everything works and it worked for a long time, I can play my latest games with my powerful computer, the interface is adjusted and customized (since it's more adjustable than the latest UI). Again everything works. Why shocked ?
XP worked well, and coincided with the time that computers got powerful enough that the average person doesn't have to upgrade hardware regularly if they don't want to. So with that combined with the fact that Vista was bad it doesn't surprise me that you still have a lot of people with it. Plus businesses liked XP and are slow to upgrade to newer software.
(raises hand)
I'm one of those still using XP at home; it's on my iMac, running via BootCamp. I use it for one purpose only: running Cakewalk Sonar 5, which doesn't run reliably or at all under later versions of Windows. I have too much money invested in Cakewalk-- about $700 counting all the upgrades-- to abandon it at this point.
(If I come across a little bit of pocket change, though, I may try my hand at Logic Pro so I won't have to reboot-- but doing so will require me to upgrade my iMac to Mavericks first.)
You might consider putting that HP laptop on eBay and looking at a MacBook Air or Retina MacBook Pro.
Working on that. It's promised to a nephew on graduation, and I'm waiting out the month of June to see what's new with the IPad air. Barring that oct or nov for the MacBook Pro w/r.
The problem is PCs are worth nothing from the moment you start using them. Much like a car, I am ready to believe they lose 50% of their value the moment you take them out of the box.