Linux replaced with Windows

I’ve recently decided to remove Linux from my laptop. Everything started with kernel 2.6.30.5 two months ago because it broke support for 3D accelerated graphics on Intel based video cards. Bad things happen from time to time on all systems but fixes are usually released very quickly – not in this case. Problem still wasn’t officially fixed and I doubt it will be addressed at all. There was of course workaround: you could get it running by using recent enough version of kernel + video driver and dropping support for older Intel video cards. Thats fine for single user, but not for entire distribution (PLD Titanium in this case). Its a pity that users in these days have less and less choice. “You want to use 3D graphics? No problem, just get newest kernel and cutting edge software for it. What you say? It won’t be stable? Your one year old card will not work? Who cares! Get new video card or use old, buggy and unsecure software and stop complaining!”.

Thats pretty much how situation in Linux looks right now. Of course it is generalisation and an exaggeration of single problem. If you have enough knowledge and time you can work it out. But who has time in these days to play with things instead of just using them? Most of us want tools that are ready for use without doing anything. For home use I may spent one or more days on backporting security fixes to older software or simply keep using it “as is”. In work I just don’t have time for such things and can’t ignore bugs or security flaws.

So to keep things short: I’ve installed Windows 7 on my laptop and I’m quite happy with it. Its noticeably faster than XP and completly outperforms Vista (I mean default system configuration without any tweaks). You also don’t need to do all those things you had to do to make Vista usable. Its all preconfigured and ready for use. No need to care about drivers for your hardware too. If Windows doesn’t have them it will download them and install for you. As an administrator you have full control over almost every system feature and how it will work (however I’m using Ultimate edition so don’t know how it looks in lower editions). The only drawback I’ve found is Start Menu. I really hate its fixed size. With lots of applications installed its pretty much unusable when using mouse to navigate. You either need to use keyboard and search form or keep clicking with your mouse and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling… Too bad they removed classic Start Menu, but this issue can be fixed in seconds with free third party software. I hope that regular Windows 7 Start Menu will allow much more intense customization in the future.

How about support? Known bugs are being fixed quite quickly… and thats all. Its to early to write anything more given the fact that Windows 7 was officially released on October 22nd 2009. Overall impression is however very good. Seems like perfect system for desktop use. If Microsoft will keep listening to their users then forget about Ubuntu or other “user friendly” Linux distributions. Windows 7 will simply beat them to the ground as desktop system.

P.S. To be honest – I kept my PLD Linux on 30GB partition for developement and testing purposes I also still have it on my desktop computer as primary system.