Why I quit using linux
By sudoaptget
@sudoaptget (30)
United States
November 18, 2008 10:40am CST
I have been using Linux for two years until recently I became so fed up with it I went back to windows XP. Why did I go back to the dark side? Its simple because of hardware. I used Ubuntu and Linux mint just because I liked them no other reason. Now before I start hearing about how Linux supports more hardware out of the box then windows does let me go ahead and say I know that. But the fact of the matter is it didn't support my network card without tweaking. Didn't support my Broadcom card without hell. Now granted I did eventually get them to work but after a few hours on each. While in windows all I had to do was search for a driver install it and voila they work in 5 minutes. This is the main reason Linux will never be the top dog in the O.S. world. These weren't the reasons I quit though I quit because I bought an old junker computer which normally Linux works great on and it did except of course the network card and the CD Writer. At first I thought the writer was broken it would only write a disk half way then have an error and make me a lovely coaster. Finnaly I decided to install XP on a separate partition and low and behold everything worked right out of the box. Now don't take this as me dogging on Linux because I wish i could continue using it but it seems like in the two years I used Linux all I ever did was fix little things here and there and it never just worked. Maybe someday Linux will be worth using as a desktop o.s. but for the average user it is just to cumbersome. I'm still going to play with Linux on occasion but its just nice being able to use my computers now and not be worried the next update is going to make my computer unusable again.
1 person likes this
7 responses
@marianoag (68)
• Argentina
18 Nov 08
well i've been trying linux several times but i quit first because it xwindows was awful (before Gnome and KDE), then for problems with the vga card (that time i got a winmodem to work), then because i had dial up so installing programs.
When i got broadband and a ethernet modem i had trouble with my sata drive they were very new.
I tried a year ago, again but it was before the new AMD graphic driver, now the only thing that keeps from staying in linux is that i'm waiting to buy a new computer so i can run xp (if i need to) in a virtual machine, so i don't have to boot.
This time i got to burn DVDs at 8x with windows i can only burn coaster at more than 4x, and installing programs thank to broadband and repositories was a breeze. I had only one problem besides my ATI card drivers (that now is solved), i couldn't get my TV tuner to work, but i didn't really try because of the problems with the Graphic card.
@sudoaptget (30)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I just hope that eventually more manufacturers will support Linux. That's the major downfall right now
1 person likes this
@marianoag (68)
• Argentina
18 Nov 08
exactly i never could install all my drivers out of the box with windows but now with linux i could, with windows i have to install video,sound and network.
The problem are the manufacturers i hope the netbooks help them notice linux so they make drivers, after all we pay for the hardware, it's the least they could do.
1 person likes this
@sudoaptget (30)
• United States
18 Nov 08
That's true I'm liking the whole netbook thing. In fact I have been thinking about ordering the Dell E. Maybe its the push needed to help Linux because so far not much else has helped
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I have a simular type issue like me not being able to turn my bluetooth off it is on all the time and well it is really annoying to have it on all the time. I can make it so that no one can see it but I still would like to be able to actually have it off instead of it using my battery all the time I would say that your issues that you where having if I was having them I would most likely switch back to Windows.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
20 Nov 08
For me it isn't a big issue cause I use Ubuntu and they do have alot of propertary drivers sence Dell has joined them in making open source drivers for Ubuntu. My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 6000.
@sudoaptget (30)
• United States
18 Nov 08
See that's the problem with Linux. People in my own opinion want a computer that works, That they don't have to spend hours researching to get one component work right.
@henry140468 (323)
• India
9 Dec 08
All of the major manufacturers of hardware do support Linux.I hope people don't buy hardware which is not populer.I have never had a problem with using my Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.
@rummygus (32)
• United States
26 Nov 08
Agreed.
I've used Ubuntu for a couple years and tinkered with other distributions. Incompatibility issues, both hardware and software, are maddening.
I'm at a point in my life when I no longer want to tinker with my computers. A computer is a tool and I need to get things done with it. Not constantly tinkering to get something I need to work for me. Life is too short to waste on man pages.
Yes, Linux has definitely come a long way but it still has a long way to go. When Linux finally becomes user friendly for non-techies then it will really take off.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
@h8739182 (448)
• India
21 Nov 08
When Linux was created , it was created by all the Geeks in the world who basically wanted something different.
Today all the major ISP prefer Linux for its servers because of its well known stability
Its been just 3 or 4 years now that linux distributions have stepped in the Desktop Market.
I personally feel in these 4 years Linux has come a long way in desktop level.
When we talk about Windows or MAc, Both of them are great desktop operating systems without a single doubt. It took them almost 20 years to reach where they are now currently.
I feel as time would pass same will happen to Linux distributions.
I hope you understand what i am trying to say here.
