Something only WIndows can do ! ( possibly!!!!)

[#1]

@dvorak   

 Perhaps you should take some of this.....  

                                                                      

Or   perhaps this might be more effective...... 

                                                        

As I said... Linux and MAC had not been affected.....  ( by the recent affliction) 

I did not say that Linux and MAC had NEVER been affected by the affliction.

The thread title also said.... ("possibly" )

Your linky also refers to a couple of "singular" afflictions... and, as it states.... apart from those mentioned... ".... no-one-noticed"

Hope your childish cough gets better soon. 

[#2]

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@Champnet wrote:

{...}Linux, an OS I've always associated with anti microsoft users and hobbyists......

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Much has changed since former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer described Linux as "communism" and  "a cancer" and claimed Linux infringed Microsoft's Intellectual Property, though, as Microsoft's Jim Perrin alludes to in this article on Microsoft's AzureLinux distribution the reaction from the Linux side still lingers in some quarters today.

These days, you only have to look at Microsoft's Careers page to have an idea of the number of people with Linux experience Microsoft are looking to recruit.

And with Windows 10 came Windows Subsystem for Linux; now it's possible to install one (or more) of a curated list of Linux distros within Windows

[#3]

@TheRoadCrew  I did say my comments were based on my experience and observations. I was employed as a Systems  Engineer for several years back in the early 90s. Ignoring the Mainframes most of the then popular Operating Systems are no longer in use, it now seems to be Microsoft and/or a Unix derivative. 

[#4]

@TheRoadCrew  @Champnet 

I agree with both  !... I started "messing" with Linux mint 8.. a long time ago.. although, not because I was "anti" windows... just for "something to do"... and see what other Operating Systems there were... around the same time, there was a distinct "war" going on between windows supporters and a certain member who was definitely ANTI windows !.. Probably this "piqued my interest" in Linux Mint.

I dumped WIndows when 7 stopped being supported and went totally Linux Mint.. now on 21.3.. and have been "enjoying" it ever since. 

By using WINE, I have been able to run 99% of my windows apps  ( about 45 ) on my Linux Mint.. only ONE will not work with WINE. and I use Virtuabox to run up a WIndows 7 version just for that particular one.. ( old Documents formed on Microsoft Publisher 98)  There is also an extesive "apps" or "Software Manager" installed by default, so you have a lot of stuff "ready to go" if you just look for it in the main menu. !

I am no expert on Linux, as many will attest !.. but because of help received on the forum and also because I "took the leap" and learned how to use it... I am confident in using it.

What I like most, is that I can use my 2nd laptop, to download and install a NEW version of Linux, on a HDD or SSD in that machine.. then copy across all the info I have on my "main" laptop... confirm it all, and then swap the HDD or SSD into the main machine... ..keeping the original as a backup in the 2nd laptop.. or in the drawer of the desk! . ( yup, I do know about "cloning" and have done it...but prefer my way ! )

Brings this back on topic.... or should the topic be.... "Something that windows can`t do" ! ! !

I also like that you do not need to "please wait".... while windows is updating... and then again, after reboot, wait some more, for it to "configure windows"...before you can get on with what you wanted to do.

Updates on Linux are done "bit by bit" fashion.. and it usually only takes a couple of minutes at most, and you can still carry onusing the machine... if a reboot is needed, it can wait until the end of the session, or day, and then when you re-start, there is no delay, it is ready for use.

So... not exactly "anti-windows".... just prefer Linux ! 

[#5]

@shutter  Your use comes under "hobbyists" 

To my list : Anti microsoft users and hobbyists I will add 'just messing about' users. 

[#6]

Interesting to analyse which commercial entities were most affected by this and how they recovered. It seems unlikely that domestic/hobby users were paying for the service that triggered this.

As a retired IT manager some of my thoughts are:

Don't you test every (and I mean EVERY) critical system update in a "sandbox" type environment before unleashing it?

Do you update every system at the same time, or have less-critical ones to do first?

Do you assume all your external software suppliers are infallible?

Do you have no pre-planned recovery/rollback processes?

I've also heard (but not had totally verified) that all that was needed in almost all cases was a reboot.

[#7]

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@shutter wrote:
...  By using WINE, I have been able to run 99% of my windows apps  ( about 45 ) on my Linux Mint.. only ONE will not work with WINE. and I use Virtuabox to run up a WIndows 7 version just for that particular one.. ( old Documents formed on Microsoft Publisher 98) 

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I can see advantages of using Linux by the technically savvy in domestic applications for financial reasons, and for overcoming obsolescence problems. I have to be honest in saying that if Microsoft move to a full subscription based service and/or force users to having to use their cloud based model, then I will make the move.

But wanting/needing to using third party popular Windows apps requires effectively having to emulate Windows on the Linux machine. Configuration of this, to me, demonstrates a bloody minded determination by the technically savvy to avoid using Windows, not a mainstream route to the uptake of Linux by the vast majority of domestic users.

I can see the advantages of businesses developing Linux based solutions for specific applications.

[#8]

@HPsauce  I reckon the days have passed where you could remove the live system and replace it with a test system, test whatever then put it all back as it was. The 8 hour trading day has been replaced with a 24 hour one leaving no spare down time.  The use of an identical test system may work in a closed environment but given the multitude of live links to other, sometimes worldwide, systems there will never be an emulation of a complete, test. Over the years I’ve noticed a trend to put changes and updates ‘out there’ and let the users test the system……

[#9]

@Champnet   Hmm . ( thanks for the complient ! )    ... at the time.... I really was...  " just messing about".. but then, as time progressed... I suppose, it did become something of a "hobby"..

@Baldrick1   another Hmmm ! ! !... I would not say that I am "technically savvy"..  (    ). but more as @Champnet  has described me  and my ways !... hobbyist!.. ( no.. not "hobbit" ! ! ! ) .

Oh.. and there was no "financial"  reasoning behind the change to Linux.. ( although it is FREE ! !and you do not have to buy a new computer/laptop every 5 years unless you want to ! ! ) .

My personal reasons for choosing to use windows apps with  WINE in Linux, were more for "convenience" ( knowing what they did and how they worked for me )  or a "laziness" to find the Linux alternative and re-learn how to do stuff all over again.. and in some cases, they did not do as well as the windows "similar to".... 

There was no "Bloody Minded" attitude in choosing to use Linux over windows... each to his own.

  Some people like to travel on Motorways...some people avoid them and prefer the rural routes... but I would not call either of them "Bloody Minded" about their choice... !

As for "configuration".... of WIne... it is as simple as installing any other "app"... you have to go a certain route, via the "Terminal". ( command line ) .. and it is well laid out, so it is a matter of "copy and paste"... wait for it to install, and then, unlike windows... no actual "configuration". 

Ok.. it may need a reboot, but as I said in my other post... you do not have to  "wait for windows to update".. and then wait again, on re-boot, for it to configure again...

Once booted up... you just "get on with your life, - without any delays ! .

As you say... not a mainstream route for the majority of domestic users...Just a different system to learn how to use and exploit it... ( remember how you had to learn how to use Windows????  ) 

P.S.   

Quote   I have to be honest in saying that if Microsoft move to a full subscription based service and/or force users to having to use their cloud based model, then I will make the move.

Unquote...

If you need any help, let me know ! 

[#10]

@shutter 

"As for "configuration".... of WIne... it is as simple as installing any other "app"... you have to go a certain route, via the "Terminal". ( command line ) .. and it is well laid out, so it is a matter of "copy and paste"... wait for it to install, and then, unlike windows... no actual "configuration"."

Actually, you don't even have to use Terminal to install Wine, unless you want an up-to-date version of it. An older version of Wine is in the Mint repositories. Just install "wine-installer" from Synaptic Package Manager and it will do the rest for you.

There is some configuration possible with Wine, though none is normally necessary. The only thing that I usually do is to set it as Windows11 - it normally sets itself up initially as Win10.

I'm just backing up my local drive at the moment, ready to upgrade to the new Mint 22 later this afternoon.

Hopefully it will be OK, and I won't be offline for too long!

.

[#11]

@Mr_Paul   True !..

But... if you use ZORIN you don`t even have to do that....  ! !

Just download and click on the .exe file and ZORIN will do the install  for you automatically ! !  

Also ZORIN LITE is a very LIGHT distro of Linux that is especially suitable for "OLD" machines... to work on computers as old as 15 years.     https://zorin.com/os/

[#12]

@shutter 

Maybe 'bloody minded' is a bit strong and I should have instead writted 'determined'.

I have in the past dabbled with Linux, using Mint to resurrect an old laptop that got a friend's grand-daughters through the school covid lockdown.

I also set up an old laptop of mine in a dual boot mode with Windows 10. I tried Zorin, on your recommendation on here if I remember correctly, then moved on to Mint. I played with it for a bit then got bored and removed Linux. This gave me the confidence that I could live with Linux if desperate.

I have also configured a pi-hole, which seems to me to be a classic stand alone domestic application for Linux.

The use of the Linux Terminal mode to install applications takes me back to when I started learning about configuring PCs, with DOS. Back then I felt that there was no need for the fancy new Windows GUI,  but that was nearly 40 years ago.

With regard to Windows updates, the time this takes depends on the speed of your computer and Internet connection. Personally I rarely notice it.

[#13]

I've also heard (but not had totally verified) that all that was needed in almost all cases was a reboot.

Yes, but unfortunately it required a reboot into Safe mode and the Cloudstrike kernel mode driver removing before a normal reboot and re-install of the fixed driver. I believe Microsoft came up with a 'fix' which was a script that created a bootable USB which effectively did the above and allowed non-IT personal to implement a 'fix'. Problem is that many large organisations disable USB ports on all machines, doh!

[#14]

I personally think it's a bit unfair to blame windows / microsoft for a problem that occurred via a 3rd party bit of software that is used on windows.

That's like blaming the manufacturer of your car tyres for the built in sat nav going wrong. Sure, the tyres hold and support the car on the road but the sat nav is different completely.

Translate that to this incident, Windows is the OS, the software that went wrong is nothing to do with microsoft.

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@jab1 wrote:

@Champnet I'm a 'recent' convert to Linux, merely because after W7, MS 'seemed' to make their OS more complicated and slower.

I still have and use a W7 machine for a couple of program that Linux doesn't appear to have an equivalent for - although that could be reduced to one, but as they are from the same developers, it is easier to use the two together.

Before anyone tells me I'm running an 'insecure' OS, the machine is only connected to the internet for the very short time the 'replaceable' program needs access, and it has an up-to-date AV installed.

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I still use W7 myself on both of my PCs. The small single core machine and my larger 8 core machine. Both are 64bit and so in theory could continue generating clock ticks for billions of years. Whats the point upgrading? I don't like Win8 or 10, they just seem a bit odd to me.

Win7 is nice but I'll admit i'm struggling for AV - Avast doesn't like win7 anymore so if you have any recommendations..

As for linux, most people don't use it because of the learning curve. Android is linux.. and look how many phones have been breached over the years via dodgy apps etc. No point making linux out to be squeeky clean, it can also go wrong too.

[#15]

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@7up wrote:

Win7 is nice but I'll admit i'm struggling for AV - Avast doesn't like win7 anymore so if you have any recommendations..

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@7up 

Microsoft Security Essentials?

I'm still using Win7 Ultimate 64-bit with MSE and get updates for MSE pretty much daily, even multiple updates very occasionally.