Re: Why downgrade from Win 8 ? Upgrade from Win 8!
Really? And Win7 recognizes them all? I just did a Google search on:
"windows 7 doesn't recognize wireless"
for ONLY the last HOUR and got seven pages of links to posts by people who can't get their Win7 to recognize their wireless. I originally searched for the last year, but there were too many listings.
So, by your standard Win7 fails as well.
What's better about Linux?
1) It is much more secure than ANY Windows installation because it has a Unix security model built in from the beginning, not tacked on as an after thought. That's why you don't see the equivalent of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet">30 million Windows zombie bot farms</a> springing up over night, created by the release of one email bearing a Trojan. Each distro has its own very secure repository from which users can download GPL software that has been vetted. Ubuntu has nearly 60,000 offerings covering every conceivable range of computer use.
2) Almost four years ago Steve Ballmer said that Linux had over 10% of the desktop market share. Then VISTA hit. The Linux desktop share has only increased since then. Win7 has, no doubt, slowed down the Linux adoption rate, but has not reversed it. Probably because people are beginning to recognize the lack of ethics demonstrated by Microsoft (and Apple). Apple's DE market share has increased as well, for the same reasons. Some estimates puts Windows DE market share at around 65%, some lower. With the release of Win8, and news like HP not supporting downgrades to Win7, the market is betting that Win8 will be another VISTA, but with LOCK-INs and LOCK-OUTs (UEFI). Because Linux runs on SO MUCH of the existing hardware, and even on hardware that was designed to lock it out using EUFI, game developers have taken notice and begun developing and releasing games for Linux. In the last 6 months I've purchased almost a dozen games that were formerly available only for Windows. HumbleIndie, Steam, etc...
3) Linux is world class. The kernel alone is being developed by over 5,000 programmers, 75% of whom work for companies which pay them to work on the kernel because of the return in license savings the companies get from using Linux in their businesses. Most of the developers have degrees in computer science. Many have advanced degrees. Most of the application projects have a team of coders working on them. Some paid, most volunteering. It is not a "hobby" to them, they work with a passion and devotion that one doesn't see from coders hired on a three month basis and then let go.
4) There are over 300 varieties of Linux desktops because Linux is about choice. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, RedHat, PCLinuxOS, Mint, Mandriva and OpenSUSE are just a few of the top rated ones. Tell me you think that choice is bad and consumers should have only one car available to them. A Yugo?
5) I can't speak about the other desktop environments, but my favorite is Kubuntu, and it is HIGHLY configurable to almost ANY look and feel that I wish. For 95+% of the hardware out there it "just works"out of the box. Kubuntu 12.04 on my Acer V3-771G it works very well. The NVIDIA GT-650M GPU gives me 170 fps in most games, and more than that in some. I plan to stay with Kubuntu 12.04 until its EOL, in 2017. Security, stability, speed and longevity, sans lock-in or lock-out. That's what most users want.
I don't feel sorry for HP. They chose to run their business according to Microsoft's business plan. How could they not see that such a course would only benefit Microsoft? Perhaps key personnel were paid well NOT to see.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
