Beware of upcoming Windows 8

[W8JX]

Off the shelf software is great, but Windows is not open source and, therefore, many of us have to rely on Microsoft for expensive upgrades and/or fixes.  The limits to open source code are nonexistent, and the speed at which Linux runs is flat out faster than any Windows install running on the same hardware.  Since Windows tries to be all things to all people, its bloated resource needs simply cannot compete with a Linux install where the user gets to pick and choose the applications and the options he or she desires.  The virus issues Microsoft has to deal with are a real problem, one which Linux users seldom see because the virus writers concentrate on the low hanging Microsoft fruit and never take the time or make the effort to hack Linux.  Even if they did, there is an army of open source Linux devotees out there who would correct the problem in a matter of minutes versus the hours or days that it takes Microsoft to fix.  Sorry to disagree, but I have used Windows for years (DOS before that) and I truly believe the best OS is Linux..the price is great (FREE) and the Linux community is incredibly supportive.  Just try it and you will be pleasantly surprised.  Ubuntu 11.10 is free for downloading over the net.  Get it and burn yourself an image copy.  You won't be disappointed.

You will be disappointed as soon as you find out what does not work with it. As far as expensive upgrades and fixes. For what? Vista 64 bit will be viable fore many years yet and Win7 even longer. As far as speed if Linux runs a lot faster on your box it is because you lack resources (CPU and ram) to run Windows 64 bit proper. There is not "magic" about Linux needing less resources because GUI supports much less and is far more limited and lacks extensive PnP support that takes code and hardware too. Claiming Linux is a better choice it just like buying a car with fancier paint of tires from hype without actually driving it. Open source is good and bad here because it supports the lack of a universal and well defined GUI to write programs for. Too many flavors of Linux out there. If you really want to play with linux just get a nice quad core system with 6 to 8 gig of ram and 64 bit Vista or Win7 and Virtual PC. This will let to run a play with Linux (or XP even Win98) in a virtual machine and not screw up bread and butter Windows box

[KD8QDL]

I recently installed Linux Ubuntu 11.10 on an older laptop running Vista.  Vista was incredibly slow and cumbersome.  Now this machine runs rings around the old one.  I also put Ubuntu 64 bit Linux on a quad core machine with 6 gigs of ram after that Win 7 hard drive bit the dust.  It runs exponentially better (faster with no crashes or hangups).  The GUI (Graphical User Interface) is just as productive as that of Win 7 and is entirely customized for the end user's needs.  I also did not need to pay for Word, Excel, PowerPoint or any other Microsoft products as Libre Office is included in the install of the OS.  That program is a version of Sun Microsystems Open Office (very popular with college students) which truly and completely replaces the expensive Microsoft Suite at absolutely no cost. The economics are there and when you look under the hood, Linux runs a smaller block engine that can be tuned to the horsepower needs of the user.  It is not some big block gas hog that decides what the user needs and it never tries to stuff things down the throat of the user or the installer.  In short..Linux is the light, quick, efficient sports car and Windows, 7 or otherwise, is my father's Buick Electra 225...big, fat, and slow. I have already installed Fldigi and Flarc to my Linux OS (both were free of charge) and I look forward to running both programs on my DX rig.  Inexpensive and incredibly powerful OS...try it before you condemn it.  It works great for me and for all the friends that I have converted.  Windows messing with BIOS on Win 8.  I will never have to worry about what big brother decides is best for me.  I like to make those decisions myself and Linux lets me do just that.  Give Linux a shot and get back to me...and remember the GUI is just as good as Bill Gate's.

[W8JX]

If Vista is slow it is because you lack hardware to run it proper (CPU and RAM) Yes could is fater but that is because of complex GUI and program code support. Linux lacks this and has limited GUI and very immature on PnP too. I am not beating MS's drum but I do not want to do back in times and loose features. Linux is great for business were you run very few apps but for home it can really suck at times.