I use Linux and MS Windows XP and Vista here in the shack with a KVM switch. I have never used Windoze, but I see some hams claim they know about it.
Linux can be fairly easy to reload, but that is only if it supports your equipment. For many years this was not possible for my computers/monitor until Ubuntu/Kubuntu 9.04, which I consider to be an OK OS. Maybe not as good as Vista, which has been the overall best OS that I have used over a 20+ year period, but rating on OS depends upon your requirements and what you value. Linux has some features that I favor over MS (probably more secure, much lighter and responsive on older machines, etc.). But realistically, what is most importantly for most of us is that MS OS's natively run the programs that most of us want to use and Linux can not do that as well, sometimes not at all. The one program I mainly run on the Linux computer is the PSKmail_server which can only run on Linux. If I did not use that, then it would be difficult to justify having multiple OS's since it greatly complicates things. (Other than the hobby aspect, which I feel is legitimate, even if not that practical). Since an increasing number of programs are cross platform and run well on either OS, there is less of a compelling reason to move to Linux. One exception might be the netbooks. No matter what MS claims, even with Windows 7, lightweight Linux variants will run much better on those low powered computers. If fact I have read that MS would like to characterize netbooks as low powered computers rather than netbooks because they know their OS's can not be tailored as well for that environment. I have reloaded Vista several times due to playing around with Linux and damaging the MBR (and not knowing much about fixing it, HI), and it is much easier and surprisingly fast compared with previous MS reloads. And by the way, I always reload any MS product after a BSOD. Of course, I have actually never seen a BSOD for years and years even though some claim they have this happen regularly, HI. If the seller of the PC did not include full back ups of the OS, my solution to your concern about reloading is to be sure to make a backup disk with the necessary drivers. I agree that it can be very difficult to get the right drivers, but once you do, I have found future reloads are relatively simple. Good luck with your computing. 73, Rick, KV9U Toby Burnett wrote: > > > I also would be interested as to booting windoze from a memory stick > like a live cd of Linux. > > It takes so long for me to re install everything should I have a > system wide crash. Just to get back back onto win XP pro I have to > load XP home first and then all of XP Pro. With that and all the > driver disks etc and whatever else you loose in the process it can > take a good day at least just to get back to a blank windoze system > with everything working. My Laptop which I just got (Vista) gave the > option to make a recovery disk set (4 DVD's!!!!!) which took the best > part of 4 - 5 hours to create. That's a lot of data even for a memory > stick and I dread the day I have to use them. > > > > > > > >
