Are You Windows Illiterate?

[MacBook-Gal]

How many of you are really good at working with operating systems other than the Mac OS X? Lately I have had a number of Windows people (who know that I spend a lot of time working with Macs) ask me to talk them through their Windows problems. I know enough about Windows that I can figure something out if I have the computer in front of me, but not enough to be able to talk someone through complex situations without being able to see it myself. One of my friends called me "PC illiterate" the other day because I couldn't remember exactly what a particular folder was called in Windows.................The NERVE of them!!!!!! It got me to wondering about how many Mac users there are who keep up with both Mac and other operating systems. So, I thought that it would be very interesting to have a poll to see.


Be honest now!..................... how Windows literate are you??????

 

[CalBoy]

With work environments so Windows heavy, it's hard to not be Windows literate.

Nonetheless, I know nothing about Vista as I haven't used it yet.

 

[foidulus]

Yeah

not illiterate with other OSs(I prefer Linux on the server side in fact), but when it comes to ANYTHING advanced with Windows at all. This is actually a problem because I have to bind a couple windows machines to my OD domain(imagine the horror, trying to get a really buggy non-standards complaint OS to talk to a server system thats almost as buggy). I want to evaluate the logs but have about 0 idea about what windows logs and where it logs. Alas no dmesg or tail -f /var/log/messages

And windows command line sucks, and I cannot even stand to look at their GUI let alone use it

And registry= teh scary

Edit: You need to add an option for people proficient with "real" OSs that aren't OS X, ie Linux, BSD etc. but don't know Windows

 

[yg17]

I do support for Windows at work, so yeah, I'm good with Windows. Except Vista. Fortunately, we're not installing that piece of crap on campus and probably won't be.

 

[OllyW]

I sorted an endless update on my friends Vista laptop on Monday, transferred the old stuff and set up XP on the new computer for a friend yesterday and I'm currently sorting out the mess on my Dad's XP box.

So that would be yes

 

[iToaster]

Since the switch to Mac, I have forgotten a lot of my Windows knowledge, but I'm not clueless when I use it. I know more or less what I'm doing, and maybe a few tricks. But seeing as I use OSX 99% of the time, I don't know as much as I used to about windows.

 

[MattG]

I've been using Windows since long before I ever got a Mac, back in the 3.1 days. I work in a primarily Windows environment, so I have no choice but to use it every day.

 

[ChrisN]

I am so bad with windows I couldn't even figure out how to rename a file, (I tried to press enter on it and clicked it) the only thing I do know that I recently learned is taht if you do windows u u then it shuts off.
Basically I am really bad with windows.
ChrisN

 

[rockthecasbah]

I only have a Windows PC right now and my school is solely Windows based so I don't really have much choice... I'm good with computers generally so i said i was very knowledgable

 

[QCassidy352]

I installed XP on my macbook and am learning it little by little so that I am prepared when I have to use it full time for work next year.

 

[Galapp]

my first computer was a windows... most of my life I worked with Windows...

 

[Schnebar]

I never used a PC until High School.

All of my previous schools were all macs and so was my family.

I am in a multimedia arts academy so I have to use the PCs for photoshop, flash, and premier while in school.

The hardest thing I know how to do on a PC is maybe connect to the server. But even that is hard for me.

 

[skunk]

What is "Windows"?

 

[Abstract]

With work environments so Windows heavy, it's hard to not be Windows literate.

Nonetheless, I know nothing about Vista as I haven't used it yet.

Same answer. I've seen Vista once, but that's it.

 

[amanda kathryn]

my job involves a lot of troubleshooting, and since probably 90% of the world is using windows, i have to know it. plus my dad is anti-mac, so four out of the five computers in the house are using windows.

currently, i know PCs more than macs, but i'm noticing now at work on my PC i've started attempting mac commands, it's becoming more natural. when i got the mac i kept going for F5 to refresh the page, it took a while to get used to command+R, but now at work i find myself going for the wrong keys.

 

[Sijmen]

I've only been on Mac since september 2005, and have still been using Windows alongside, since. Oh, and I was really into Linux a few times (turned back to Windows each time). I was expecting Linux-like software compatibility issues and such when switching to Mac, so you might understand how easy the transition actually was. Much better than I could hope for. To me OS X is a bit like Unix done right for the 21st century.

 

[Mr.Noisy]

I use Dell workstations + vista when i can be bothered going into work, It's just the little things like who got it right, who decided where the '@' key goes?
i do spend a lot of time bitching about the dell workstations, perhaps i have anger issues at work, but yeah i can use windows, but..............i'm usually just glad to get home and use a more efficient os

 

[twoodcc]

yeah i'm pretty good with windows. at least xp. i grew up on a pc. but i guess i'm not as good as i was, since i've on a mac for the last 3 years

 

[ghall]

I'm pretty good with Windows, but my girlfriend thinks otherwise. I had to show her that I at least knew how to open a program.

 

[Koodauw]

used to know a good amount, now I find myself increasing perplexed by simple questions. I mean it has been over 5 years since I've had to use windows...

 

[kainjow]

What is "Windows"?

Those transparent walls in your house


I used to do Verizon DSL tech support over the phone which was 99% Windows based. I learned Windows troubleshooting very quickly on that job. I've done my fair share of Windows programming which helps you learn more about the OS as well. And of course I'm always helping friends and family fix problems on their Windows-running PCs which helps keep me sharp.

(By the way, it is amazing how many fewer calls I get for help since most of my friends and family have switched to Mac.)

 

[dsnort]

Since the switch to Mac, I have forgotten a lot of my Windows knowledge, but I'm not clueless when I use it. I know more or less what I'm doing, and maybe a few tricks. But seeing as I use OSX 99% of the time, I don't know as much as I used to about windows.

used to know a good amount, now I find myself increasing perplexed by simple questions. I mean it has been over 5 years since I've had to use windows...

Just switched a couple of years ago after years on Windows. Still have a few Windows machines I have to deal with. Takes me a few minutes to remember how to do stuff, but comes back quickly, not that I was ever an expert.

Since the switch I find I have much less patience for dealing with Windows idiosyncrasies.

 

[SuperCompu2]

I'm very good with windows, having used XP for 4 years as my primary OS before OS X. Anytime i get calls for help I can usually imagine the windows in my head and exactly what text is within them. Useful skill if you can't be in front of a computer all the time.

I'm about equal with OS X now too. I can't answer a single question for Vista users as I have excommunicated Vista from my mind. Never will that horrid excuse for an OS plague my home.

(I'd rather use OS 9 than Vista )

 

[Chaszmyr]

There was a time when I was as knowledgeable about Windows as OSX, but it's like a foreign language: if you dont use it you forget it. After Panther came out, I stopped using Windows all together, and now I hardly remember anything about the OS.

 

[John.B]

I'm not really a genius with them all but I have lots of experience with several. Oddly enough, the one I'm still the least "well versed" with is OS X...