Why Windows 7 Will NOT Affect Linux.

Windows 7 will "crush" Linux? Or wait, is it "kill" Linux? Not too long ago there was a HUGE mass of people bashing Windows Vista (I think I was one of the only few that supported it, it was WAY over-criticized and still is). I'm sure people haven't forgotten this, but what was really the issue? Yeah, it was almost entirely compatibility issues. Windows 7 does not resolve these problems. Sure it's backwards compatible with Vista, it essentially IS Vista with a face lift. But I am, of course, not attempting ot say anything bad about Windows; I think it is a fantastic OS for any user for nearly any purpose.




But the point is: Linux will not fall because of this new Windows version. Linux is CERTAINLY not the most user-friendly OS out there, but it is getting better. It is and will continue to be fueled by its community, which causes it to be a sort of collective democracy of the users' visions. The new Windows version does not replace this. Though the GUI is definitely becoming more appealing to the average user, it does not overwrite what Linux has accomplished. Linux is still the most versatile operating system out there, allowing its users to optimize it as much as they need to for their specific purpose. As all operating systems have done, they will learn from their competition and take/modify ideas from them.

Ron Barrett said in his article "Why Windows 7 will crush Linux,"

THEREFORE, to get those out of the way let’s just spell them out. Windows 7 installs easier, has simpler configuration of user settings, greater availability of software, support (you could argue that all support is awful, which is probably true) Windows support is easier to get when you need help. Gaming, MP3’s,… I could go on and on.

I have no arguments, and I suppose I agree with just about everything on there (but MP3's as an example, come on). The point against this is that everything explained there is for the more average of users. The "installs easier" comment could be very wrong, depending on how you're trying to install. I've made a recent post on WUBI which is a simple button click to install an Ubuntu OS and have it set up for dual booting with Windows. Users' settings might be "simpler" but the location of Windows settings get moved around and renamed so often that the control panel now seems so very much more confusing than it did 10 years ago. They attempt to bundle everything up into huge clusters of information semi-related to eachother.

Want to change your IP? Go to your network settings applet and avoid everything that looks like you might need to click, and instead, click the forward button three times until you find a picture of a house. Click the house and it will zoom in. Zoom in a little more until you can see the Windows PC sitting on a desk. Now push it to the side a little bit and a router will dangle off the desk. Click it.

Ok, that was an over-exaggeration, and it's a lot more simple than that once you notice where they've hid it since XP. Honestly, if it wasn't for Windows practically having a monopoly on most software, I would leave it permanently for Linux. Of course this is just my preference and I'm not saying Windows is -BAD- in any way. I know I'm not the only person that feels this way, and that's not likesly to change anytime soon.

I didn't go too in-depth anywhere. In fact, I'd say I stayed incredibly broad. Linux isn't going anywhere. It will keep growing (although slowly) for many years to come.





(As a small sidenote of fun things Linux can do and Windows can't: My car stereo is a Linux box hiding under a seat.)

And I'm sure by now everyone has seen the Macbook Wheel parody. It has been a while since I laughed so hard. (click here if you haven't)