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

[#1]

@Champnet 

"thoses figures seem to be slighty bias towards Linux"

What are you basing that assertion on?

Have you conducted your own survey and would care to share it with us?

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[#2]

@Mr_Paul  I've worked on hundreds of IT systems so my assertions are based on experience and observations.

[#3]

@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.

[#4]

@Champnet 

IT systems - so presumably all in a business environment?

Yes, Windows is undoubtedly the dominant OS for businesses - in fact, whilst there have been quite a few bodies, (mainly public institutions eg local authorities), have moved their systems to Linux, I will agree that they are the exceptions.

It was why you were suggesting that the figures were biased towards Linux that they were querying.

The article that I linked to above has various figures, depending upon which survey you look at.

Let's be generous and take one of the higher Linux figures: 4%

When I used to work, it was in a team of approx 10 people. Out of them, two of us used Linux almost exclusively, whilst a third person used it intermittently with Windows.

So in that environment, the Linux usage was approx 25%

Lies, damned lies and statistics - as they say! 😉

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[#5]

@jab1 

"I still have and use a W7 machine for a couple of program that Linux doesn't appear to have an equivalent for"

Which Windows programs specifically, and have you tried running the Windows version under Wine in Linux?

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[#6]

@Mr_Paul  When I look at survey results I try to figure who's paid for the survey and what they are expecting to see.

A tobacco company is not going to commision a report on the health benefits of smoking.

Yes, all my experience is with small & large & even larger Companies. I've never seen Linux used as a desktop OS but will admit there are niche setups. I've seen a few Unix basedf back office systems but they are usually accessed by terminal emulation software or in a couple of occasons VT52 & VT100 dumb terminals..........

[#7]

@Mr_Paul The two are a CD to MP3 conversion program and one used to transfer those MP3's to my iPad, I know there is are a number of Linux program for the MP3 conversion, but as yet, I have been unable to find one which will easily tranfer them to the iPad. The only suggestions I have found for that function is to use iTunes, and I'm sorry, that is the only Apple program I refuse to install on the laptop.

As I fortunately only need to do any conversion/transfer maybe three or four times a year, getting the W7 machine out is no big deal.

Maybe next time I need to do this, I will try the Wine route.

[#8]

@jab1 

I had a bad experience many years ago with connecting an iPod to a PC running Linux:

I had taken my car to a garage for servicing, and to pass an hour or two I took a stroll to the retail park opposite. Whilst wandering around PC World, I came across their bargains section and saw an ex-display iPod Nano 8GB for about £30 - a small fraction of their normal selling price at the time, (over £200?). The only "problem" was that it was pink. Not an issue - I could just get a rubber sleeve case from eBay.

I was thinking about buying an MP3 player at the time, but had considered an iPod to be out of my price range. I couldn't resist a bargain, so I bought it.

Now for those that aren't aware, you can't just transfer files from a PC to an iPod, (probably any Apple product?), with a simple file manager, like you can with most MP3 players and Android phones etc.

At the time, although I had ditched Windows completely by then, I was relatively new to Linux. I found  a Linux app, (I forget its name), and installed it on my PC. The first stage of the app setup was to choose from a drop down list, which model of iPod you had. There were a lot to choose from, each iPod generation, memory size and even colour had a selectable option. This was my first problem: the options didn't include a pink 8GB - so I selected what I thought was likely to be the closest match.

I then plugged my iPod in to the PC - nothing happened, and the iPod appeared to be dead, (it had booted up when I first got it).

After investigating, I discovered that the entire OS of the iPod had been wiped - in fact I think that its drive had been re-formatted!

I had to borrow a Windows PC, install iTunes on it, and re-install the iPod's OS.

I sold the iPod soon after that, (to Cash Converters I think), and IIRC I got more for it than I had paid - so every cloud etc  😀

Moral: be very wary connecting Apple products to Linux computers. (Which if you think about it, is quite ironic)!

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[#9]

@Mr_Paul That must have been quite a while back. As I said, I'm a recent Linux (ZorinOS to be specific) convert, but in that time, I connected iPhones and iPads - various versions - to my machine, to recharge them mainly, but also to save photos from them to other storage options, and I've never had an issue.

[#10]

@jab1 

For CD ripping to MP3, have you tried XCFA? It is in the Mint repositories - I don't know about ZorinOS.

I mainly use XCFA for MP3 to AAC conversion and compression, but I think that it can also do CD > MP3. It is very versatile, paticularly if you add in all of the optional packages.

I don't think that it has been update for a long time, (probably no longer maintained), but I've never had any trouble with it.

v5.0.2 appears to be the "latest".

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[#11]

I haven't, but if I can't get my preferred option to work under WINE, I'll give it consideration. Not a priority at the moment though - I'm up-to-date with what I need at the moment, and have various other things on the go - not PC connected, though.

[#12]

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@Mr_Paul wrote:

I mainly use XCFA for MP3 to AAC conversion and compression, but I think that it can also do CD > MP3. It is very versatile, paticularly if you add in all of the optional packages.

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No pun intended, but converting from one lossy format to another sounds like a recipe for poor quality results; If I was wanting AAC I think I'd start with a lossless format file (e.g. FLAC).

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@jab1 wrote:

... if I can't get my preferred option to work under WINE, 

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I don't use Linux but apparently that good old Windows stalwart foobar2000 (which I do use amongst others) runs in Linux under Wine.

It does most things.

Quote: "foobar2000 is an advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform."

https://www.foobar2000.org/

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=412199

[#13]

Cheers, @RobPN - I know it works - used it before I found my current program, but I try to use native Linux programs if I can - reduces any possible conflicts.

[#14]

@RobPN 

"converting from one lossy format to another sounds like a recipe for poor quality results; If I was wanting AAC I think I'd start with a lossless format file (e.g. FLAC)"

Oh yes, I agree. If the audio I want is available as FLAC, (or WAV), then that will always be my first choice. If neither are available, then the highest bit rate MP3 I can find is the next best option.

I was using MP3 in my previous post as a generic term for digital audio files. So called "MP3 Players" could often play a range of other formats - but whoever heard of a "Portable AAC Player" for example?

Of course, the downside of lossless audio is the file size, so even with a large microSD card in my phone, compression is essential,(128k Variable Bit Rate AAC is my preference).

On the subject of lossy compressed audio, I think that is down to individuals perception and tolerance of artefacts. I spent many years when I was growing up listening to shortwave radio, so got used to mentally filtering out the unwanted interference and focusing on the actual wanted signal - I probably don't even realise that I'm doing it.

Another forum that I am a member of regularly has posts about how "terrible" the audio quality on DAB radio is - yet I don't hear it, DAB sounds fine to me!

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[#15]

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@shutter wrote:

Linux and MAC have not been affected. 

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*cough* https://www.neowin.net/news/crowdstrike-broke-debian-and-rocky-linux-months-ago-but-no-one-noticed/ *cough*