What are the Main Reasons You Use Windows Instead of Linux?

Title says it all. Now multiple-choice. Mine would be lack of latest hardware support, no game support, and I know how to use and fix Windows.

 

linux doesn't run the multitrack recording software i use

 

Mine is mainly latest hardware support (including my gaming laptop). PC games aren't actually a high priority (bought the laptop for high-end performance), and the Linux community isn't too diverse if you stick to the popular distros. None of the other reasons apply.

 

i voted for games and software.

in short, anything i can do in Linux i can do in Windows.
it does not work the other way around for me.

and i have very little patience to babysit one OS, never mind two or more. lol

 

Wait what, so you created a new one!

 

Yes, people wanted multi-choice, so I gave the people what they wanted

 

Gave the people what they want ?? Apparently you don't work for MS.

Reasons for staying with Windows, poll options 1,4, and to a small degree 7.
For me linux feels like I'm starting completely over on everything from the syntax to the file system. The command line has been especially irritating, requiring me to break a lot of old habits picked up from using DOS for many years. On Windows I use a lot of batch files. When I try to duplicate some of them on linux, it's wrong case, wrong slash, wrong syntax from DOS habits getting in the way. It would have been easier if I'd never learned DOS.

It isn't just a matter of learning a new OS. It's learning all the apps you have to replace. There's so many different apps that can potentially replace each Windows app, but few ways to determine which one actually fits your needs. The names of the apps often tell you nothing of value.

One that really irritates me is the lack of a firewall that can make rules for specific applications. The linux community doesn't appear to think it's necessary. I feel that it is. Just shutting off the auto-updating and calling home requires you to learn the OS. Even that varies from version to version.

 

Probably the biggest reasons more people don't switch include the:
- lack of micro-managing (babying) makes it easy to get into trouble
- lack of support documents for open-source software alternatives*
- overall bugginess of the platform, which is more readily noticeable

*Sifting through and reading posts on community forums is not a suitable replacement for tech-user manuals. It's been an uphill battle to get my father to fully embrace Linux. He like Ubuntu, but complains about learning to use some of the software. I'm not sure this would be an issue for me, but not much I can do here.

Other reasons and concerns, that are occasionally reaffirmed:
- concerns over software/driver support. Has improved, but people still encounter issues finding printer drivers, etc. Actually experienced this myself with one of our HP Printers. Found a fix, but it wasn't easy to find as it was actually buried on the HP site. Average Joe would have bought another printer or given up on Linux.

- concern about learning and adjusting to a new operating system. It's not so much that the system isn't intuitive at a basic level. But I still lack adequate familiarity to say I feel comfortable. It still feels like an alien land and I'm wondering if going cold turkey off windows would help.

 

Three important choices are missing from your list:
1 - Windows has a much wider selection of useful software to run on it.
2 - I do use Linux.
3 - I use them both via virtualization.

I cannot use your choices as they do not apply to me or my situation.

I have been using & tracking Linux via many distros for around a decade.

Now that XP is getting old & Linux has matured so very well I use both

When I am finally propelled by unavoidable necessity I will eventually go 100% Linux with XP in a VM.

This is how I use them now - but when this XP box quits on me I'll shift to the Linux box 100% with XP in a VM.

 

Linux community is too diverse/has too many distros/lacks focus and it doesn't support the latest hardware well enough.

 

Sorry for this somewhat lazy answer ,but for me the answer is easy.
It was the OS installed when i first bought my laptop.

When the large buying public purchase a new computer system its windows which is pre-installed and not linux.

Microsoft have a large monopoly on this and other operating systems dont get a look in.

Its the 1st OS most people come across and so dont look elsewhere.

 

I ticked almost everything. I try various popular distros regularly, especially Ubuntu distros and they always suck. For crying out loud, if OS can not even remember a simple brightness settings like in Ubuntu, how can I expect than other things would work? Hardware support is virtually nonexistent, unless you count a low end hardware, for which linux was originally created. I can get my Creative soundcard working, but it sounds, well imagine a horror movie sound, no surround, no 3D sounds and it lags. As for GPU, it is the same, I can not even get a simple card game running without lagging. I think, that mentioning a vital undervolting in notebooks is definitely out of question.

But it looks, that SteamOS might save a day and finally increase linux usage percentage from 1% to at least 2% after 20 years. http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom

 

You can't really say anything about hardware support by generalizing with your own system. I wonder how an OS can boot with "virtually nonexistent" hardware support.

Linux doesn't even need saving if people bothered to look beyond desktops (hint: servers, mobile, embedded, supercomputers, etc.)

 

What do you mean my own system? I tried linux on dozens of computers, notebooks, results were always pathetic. Linux is great for servers, but for common users is useless.

Do not take me wrong, I would love to use linux, that is why I keep trying it out, but until it matures to a workable state, it will take another 20 years and by that time it will on the level of usability like XP (it is like Win95 now), while there will be Windows 20, which you will be able to control with thoughts and eyes, a work already in progress.

 

I use Windows because it's THE mainstream OS of the PC\laptop world (which is what I'm interested in) As you can see by my sig I also use Linux distros, but I certainly wouldn't ditch Windows (well at least not until after 2020!)

I must be reading the Poll question the wrong way as I had no idea what option to vote for!

 

Strange, I think you focus too much on every little thing working when the hardware is built for Windows. I rarely ever see Linux not working, although unnecessary imperfections are common.

What do you want it to work on? I can guarantee something like the MintBox and open-source hardware won't have such issues.

 

Mostly games.
Mrk

 

1. Games.
2. I am a windows software developer, so I need Windows in my line of work

 

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=2282004&postcount=19

Plus, too many distros.

Plus, I don't like penguins. They need to change the logo.

 

Ill try to keep it simple.
-Learning new OS. I've tried like 3 distros and im so used to Windows that its a PITA to tinker with settings, install software etc.
-Games, games, games

I could've mentioned 1 or 2 more but im thinking those problems are related to my lack of linux know how.
While im not an expert, i've learned how to use CMD on Windows.
There are lots of things in Linux that requires you to use Terminal and im a mess with it, thast the biggest problem for me, without Terminal its hard to install software/tinker with Linux.

 

Software and games, nothing else, though SteamOS may change that.

 

I don't like windows; I like doors.

Microsoft needs to change the logo--and the name--of its Windows OS if they ever want me to buy their product.

 

Slide doors or the conventional doors?

It seems that, while there are hypes for Ubuntu, it sounds kind of broken based on people's experiences I've read.

 

No time to waste in learning new OS. Windows works great. No need for change. Would only give hassles.

 

Many reasons.

I get extraordinary amounts of productive work done with Windows. Windows gives me the tools I need with a style I can live with. Windows has the software I want, both gaming and non-gaming alike. And I know how to fix Windows when it breaks. Additionally I know many tricks and shortcuts and even unorthodox ways of accomplishing a variety of tasks.

The number one reason, though, is variety of software.