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Windows 7 good for Linux

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Windows 7 good for Linux
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By The Inquirer
Apr 6, 2009 | 11 Comments
Tags: windows | 7 | linux | ubuntu

Ubuntu's Mark Shuttleworth sees blue skies ahead for Linux.

Fresh from claiming that 2009 will be the year of the Linux desktop, Mr Ubuntu, Mark Shuttleworth, claims that Microsoft's introduction of Windows 7 will be a great day for the Penguin.

Shuttleworth said that the desktop and the applications that people are using are changing in ways that make the coming desktop battle different than it has ever been before.

Shuttleworth told InternetNews.com that the benefits to consumers and industry of having an alternative are substantial.

So if Microsoft makes a change it will give the opportunity for those who want to challenge it. He added that while Microsoft hopes that its Windows 7 will go into netbooks, Canonical's also got big plans, making netbooks a key focus.

The next version Ubuntu Linux 9.04, "Jaunty Jackalope" which comes out in April 20, will include faster boot times, a new notification system and an improved desktop user interface.

There will also be a new edition of Ubuntu Linux Remixed, a version specialised for netbooks.

Shuttleworth said that Windows 7 creates a level playing field where we'll be competing with a new version of Windows.

This means that Linux can say, "look you are going to have to buy new software, why pay for it?"

Then he starts to get a bit silly saying that the next billion PC users won't be as interested in compatibility with Microsoft Office as they are in connecting to Twitter and staying connected to their social network through the Web.

Twitter? Office? He would have been better off saying that OpenOffice now does what normal Office does, so why pay for it?

He also fails to notice that on the netbook space Linux is more likely to be competing against Android, which is also free.

 

 

theinquirer.net (c) 2009 Incisive Media
 
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11 Comments
Thoughts on this article? Add a comment below.
fliptopia
Apr 6, 2009 12:22 PM
 WHAT???? all new software? Apart from the operating system, pretty much every other bit of purchased software that is installed on Vista (and xp for that matter) will work on Windows 7.

Maybe I'm missing something here but if you have stuff like MYOB or Adobe photoshop/premier (even the elements version) why would you just throw them out because Windows 7 comes along?
A Hitman
Apr 6, 2009 2:12 PM
 lol
Jeruselem
Apr 6, 2009 3:11 PM
 LOLZ, Windows 7 is just a better Vista. Nothing is going to change.
J4pan
Apr 6, 2009 6:14 PM
 gawd dam the inquirer :|:|... refer to ^^ comments for my opinion
.:Cyb3rGlitch:.
Apr 6, 2009 8:16 PM
 You do realise that this isn't the opinion of The Inquirer. It's based on the wild dreams of Mark Shuttleworth, an Ubuntu representative.

I can't see Ubuntu getting popular as quickly as he seems to suggest.
B82R3S
Apr 7, 2009 12:19 AM
 "Then he starts to get a bit silly saying that the next billion PC users won't be as interested in compatibility with Microsoft Office as they are in connecting to Twitter and staying connected to their social network through the Web."

killed it. Summarises most Pro linux arguments :P the os being free doesnt make me feel any better when i have to run through loops to collaberate with uni friends.
libguy
Apr 8, 2009 12:23 AM
 This guy is a dreamer. Yeah, that's what I want to do with the 40 odd computers I manage at a public library. A few other librarys around the state thought they would save money by using Ubuntu or some other weird distro. Guess what? After about a month of fighting with patrons, networking problems galore, printing problems galore, and myriad other glitches, they went merrily back to Windows XP and/or Vista. I know, I know, it's a MS World but what are you gonna do?
V1RUS
Apr 8, 2009 11:41 AM
 well pretty much Windows 7 is the Xp of operting ystems new good soem bugs but will be excellent ubuntu is just a free os that you can order i mean comon we hated them that much that back in schoo we used the cd's of ubuntu as frizbies LOl windows 7 will be a great operating system like xp vista is the the bench warmer of the new os these days so like libguy said the guys is dreamin
TheSecret
Jun 29, 2009 9:25 PM
 People prefer Windows, simply because it is better for the desktop.

Now that it is cheaper, and has none of the problems associated with Vista, users will flock to it.
gameguy
Oct 19, 2009 4:24 PM
 Linux can run windows programs like adobe. Just download wine and use windows programs
DDevine
Oct 19, 2009 5:53 PM
 Ubuntu is a hacky hunk of crap. Nearly any distribution is better. The packaging for Ubuntu is what really lets it down - for example Ubuntu's Pulse Audio implementation is notoriously bad (PA works fine in almost every other distro) and Ubuntu's KDE patches break KDE so much that I refuse to help anybody who I find is running Kubuntu as the distro is just too broken to waste time on.

Try Fedora, Debian (Running Unstable repos), SuSE, PCLinuxOS or if you REALLY want Ubuntu then try out Linux Mint which is the "Fixed" version of Ubuntu.

As for Linux vs Win 7 - I'll keep my Linux thank you very much. Fedora + KDE4 is simply too good - the user experience beats Vista/Win7 and Snow Leopard easily. No convoluted UI's to deal with.

The only reason for using another OS is to play the games that don't run satisfactorily in Wine (yet). Open Source projects evolve much faster than the proprietary competitors so its likely that Linux can edge into the market, especially on the back of the new Desktop/Media oriented ARM processors on the way.
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