[kwlug-disc] Win VS. Lin install-wise

[Raul Suarez]

>----- Original Message ----
>From: Charles M <chaslinux at gmail.com>
> Not to turn this into a Windows vs. Linux thing

Well, let's change the thread and now we can gather some stats. 

Not to self indulge, but as objective examples when talking to people that are on the fence regarding installing Linux.

> I decided to install both on my system again. 
> [For windows]Six hours later, no joke, I had all the updates, the tools my Lenovo 3000
> C100 notebook came with, and a few open source tools (Gimp, Pidgin,
> and a few others) so Windows would match my typical Linux install.
>
>In just under 45 minutes I had my Ubuntu install done with all
>updates, a few extra packages like Skype, gcc, build-essentials, mc,
>filezilla, etc.

 
Coincidentally this week I went through the same experience. Not by choice. I was helping my dad who replaced Mobo and CPU. He lives in Mexico so I had to do it remotely over the phone. Here I'm considering the time I spent explaining him each step of the installation where he had questions (there were less questions in Linux than Windows). This is a decent computer (Quad core, 1 TB SATA, 4 GB Ram)

Windows: 
- 3 hours basic install including installing the drivers, antivirus. 
- About 20 minutes installing and configuring the Windows Update
- Not sure how long the update took as I wasn't on the phone with him while this happened. What I know is that he had to repeat the process 3 or four times, each time with a system reboot in between. That was only for the recommended updates, he will still need to run it for the additional updates.
- 2 hours installing basic applications such as Firefox, OO.org suite, Adobe reader, Flash, MSN Messenger. 
- All I know is that we are still not done. We will still need to install drivers for his additional peripherals  ~ 2 hours and a lot of CD searching and swapping.

Linux: 
- 1 hour for the basic install that included the equivalent basic applications listed above. 
- No need to configure the update manager, it just worked.
- Again, not sure about this one. All I know is that it requires only one pass and one reboot.
- We will still need to configure compiz and ensure that all the peripherals work. 1 hours as I don't remember having any issues when we installed them in the original computer.

In total, without considering the  update download times:
~ 8 hours for Windows
~ 2  hours for Linux

Additional notes: 

When he bought the original computer from a cousin, it came with a bootlegged version of Windows. When he came to Canada, he bought a full license.
- This means that while Linux is 99% in Spanish (or whatever language he would have chosen), 
- Windows is 100% in English and he has no other option unless he buys another license.

- We'll install a virtual instance of Linux under Windows so he can work on both simultaneously. 
- To have Windows in a virtual under Linux, he would need to buy an additional license of Windows.

- When there is another LTS version of his distribution, he'll just execute a command and it will upgrade.
- If he wants to upgrade to Windows 7, he'll have to buy another license and do an installation from scratch.

- When he has the need for another application in Linux (Video/audio editing, Sky gazing, games, etc) he'll have them readily available in the repos
- To do the same in Windows, he'll have to go to websites, find the download page, figure out what version and install.

On the other hand:
- All his peripherals work under Windows
- Genius Scanner does not work under Linux. He's planning on replacing it.

- He can get Windows support from anyone over there. Paid support of course.
- He relies on me for Linux support. I wish he had the option to pay for support when he has an immediate need.

Raul Suarez

Technology consultant
Software, Hardware and Practices
_________________
http://rarsa.blogspot.com/ 
An eclectic collection of random thoughts


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