Why I’m not using Windows?
I’ve been working with windows for several years, but I also have been a Linux user for many years too and like any system sometimes there are also things that are badly done on Linux …
But then why don’t you use Windows 10 ??? Why to you hate Windows 10? That is the question that everyone asks me… or rather, who doesn’t know me!!!
And the answer is simple: Because I understand that Windows sucks!
It is not the first time that I talk about it, but the thing I hate most about Windows is the automated installation of applications and games promoted by Microsoft that I never use, in addition to its wonderful update system!
I really hate that update system!!!
I have already installed Windows several times on a VM or on a physical machines, and the big problem is that even if you remove all the “crapware” that comes installed and try disable these installations, occasionally these applications miraculously reappear! Yes they miraculously reappear because of the wonderful update system of the operating system. To solve these installations you need to insert special instructions in the Windows registry … Do you think this is option for the normal user? I do not!!!
But this, dear friends, is only a small fraction of the problem, since the almost daily updates of windows that make my nerves fringe … and the worst is that they have to be installed forcibly… in 2 hours, in 4 hours… the worst part is that windows doesen’t even respects the works schedule we define nor the GPO’s (group policies). And it’s done in a Bi-annual wave… what??? Day based update system and 2 upgrades by year???
An example (fictitious for me but real for a long time but real for some of my friends): “9 O’clock in the morning… I need to start with Windows to make an invoice to this customer … “oh no … updating the system …“
Nothing, but nothing is more frustrating than a message like this and after 5 minutes … and the customer is still waiting …
And in some cases, the update fails… and a roolback is needed… more 5 or 10 minutes…
After the updates, it is almost always necessary to support someone because they either stopped printing, or stopped scanning, or became too slow, or even did not react when clicking on the icon, or did not start up and had to be restored. .. among many other problems …
I admit that I’m spoiled on linux and its software package installation system, be it YAST, dpkg, pacman, whatever it is! On Linux, I very rarely have to navigate to a website just to download an application. Instead, I use my Linux distribution’s package management system and simply tell my system what to install …
On Windows, 9 times out of 10 I have to browse to a website just to download the application I want and install it as I did 20 years ago using a “wizard”, that is, using a completely obsolete concept! Of course there is the Windows Store but it was never a good place to find software … never! Once I’ve tryied to install a small software from the store… but it refused to install… What???
The other very negative aspect of Windows is being a real incubator for malware and all security related issues … There is no other system that can have more vulnerabilities than windows… By the way this is a way to get an “enconomy” floating around windows… virus, malware, spyware, ransomware, well you know it…
The notification system is simply hideous! with that sidebar keeping about 10 or 12 notifications, many of which are completely useless! Is there any usage beyond these notifications???
It’s not possible to think you can’t access safe mode from the boot options! This is a really bad decision!!! If you can’t boot normally how can you solve boot issues without having to crash your system 3 or more times in order to gett into safe boot??? What???
Whenever I talk about the licensing costs of Windows, I keep try to keep my mouth shut… but how is it possible to pay 120 € or 130 € for a system that besides having these problems that I already talked about spies on us ?!
To be honest, I don’t use Windows and so I have no privacy concerns when using Windows, but it is clear and well documented that Microsoft spies on us, although the user can “turn off” these “features” in the settings of system … but do you believe there is still no data that is strategically sent out of your control?
Have you considered OS X yet?
Yes, I already considered OS X, but some of the Windows problems are also present in OS X … the privacy issues are not very well clarified, so I don’t have absolute confidence.
Although it is a “smaller” system either as a system itself or as an installed base, it also has some security problems, however it is less likely to be attacked than Windows but it starts to be a desirable target for attackers.
It has acquisition costs! If there is a free alternative, I prefer this alternative …
So what system do you use?
Linux!
More precisely Debian in most situations but I also use SUSE or Red Hat … depending a little on the context where the system will be inserted!
But I use Linux above all for the stability and security of the system, because for work I need to have a robust solution! I’m not afraid to turn on the computer and it starts making endless updates, I don’t worry about invasions of privacy, I’m not always spending money to update the anti-virus …
I use Linux for its open source philosophy in which we can analyze, study the code and, if necessary, adapt to our needs.
I use Linux because it gives me security!
And are there applications on Linux compatible with those used on Windows?
There are hundreds of applications on Linux that do what you need on Windows, for example, see this article on Image editors and this article on video editors.
I always recommend using a distribution that can give you some safety… If you are willing to try linux, try for example Debian… It’s for sure a stable distribution and you can’t be wrong on this!