Why most run Microsoft, not RedHat

[Tim]

Scott van Looy:
>>> For other issues:
>>>
>>> 1) reboot

Tim:
>> Rarely needed on Linux, even for major configuration changes.  Needed
>> all the time with Windows, repeatedly, and a major waste of time.  A few
>> seconds of reconfiguring something on Linux becomes minutes on Windows.

Scott van Looy:
> YMMV, but I don't seem to ever have this problem. Unless I'm updating the 
> system through windows update or updating my AV engine I'm rarely asked to 
> reboot anything. Windows runs fine for me, and I turn my PC off when I'm 
> not using it to save leccy so I usually don't need to reboot at all and 
> just hit "reboot later" if requested

Even XP still seems to need a reboot to handle an IP change.  Reboots to
get sense out of the display after changing a resolution or font.  I've
had Microsoft applications go tits up, and require a reboot.  Quitting
it, didn't help.  Microsoft still doesn't understand multi-tasking, or
multi-user - that they can all do things at the same time, and one
doesn't bugger up the other.

>> On Linux, undo the last thing that you did that stuffed things up.  On
>> Windows, try and undo a swag of unidentified things that stuffed you up,
>> not really knowing which one it was, and not being able to undo just one
>> thing.

> This wouldn't happen to you or me, but would to, say, a newbie, who'd then 
> post here, etc...

And what Windows newbie is going to know how to solve a Windows screw
up?  Which was part of my "bollocks" retort to your Windows is easier to
manage bulldust.  It ain't easier, it's different.  *And*, as far as I
and other Linux users are concerned, it's far worse.

>> Turns out "safe mode" isn't really as safe as the name would imply.
>> You're truly stuffed if you need to boot in safe mode, yet need to use
>> things that don't work in safe mode (e.g. your network).

> "Safe Mode With Network Support"

Sounds nice, until you find that it doesn't actually work with your bits
and pieces.  Been there, tried it.  Safe mode is "crippled mode", it's
not safe, and some things work, some don't, and neither in the way that
the system usually works.

Also note the recent story about some malware which does part of its
nasty work in safe mode.  So hapless users rebooting into safe mode to
try and fix an issue, create yet another one.

>>> 4) insert Windows CD and let it automatically find and repair windows
>>> by going through the install wizard until you reach the bit where it
>>> finds your old copy of windows and can reinstall

>> Fine, maybe, if the fault is a broken Windows file.  But not if it's a
>> driver from somewhere else.  You're in wipe out and fix up mode, since
>> it's damn near impossible to replace just one stuffed up file.

> Nah, it does a redetect of all your hardware and a reconfiguration. If 
> it's only a missing a stuffed up driver then safe mode would work and 
> you'd be able to uninstall that driver

Obviously you've never had to deal with hardware which doesn't install
itself in the way Windows expects to work.  There's still stuff which
requires you to abort the Windows hardware set up and manually install
or update their drivers.  Things that require software installation
before hardware installation.

Then there's other issues, like registry problems regarding users or
application settings that aren't going to get fixed up that way, either.

-- 
(This box runs FC6, my others run FC4 & FC5, in case that's
 important to the thread.)

Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored.
I read messages from the public lists.