Windows -> Linux
This needs two icons really.
I don't know if this is the right place, but I'd like to see an El Reg article on real-world experience of migrating from Windows to Linux. I can't be the only one, now that Microsoft has gone over to the "dark side" with Win 10.
At the risk of a thousand downvotes my experience of Linux is roughly as follows...
Whenever I've tried it, I've been impressed at the progress made by the more polished distos towards a user-friendly experience. My benchmark is Win 7 and when I tried Mint it was pretty good experience; better than Win 7 in some respects.
BUT, the big BUT, is that I've never been really happy with the Linux software. Overall I find it less polished and in some important cases significantly harder to use (Gimp for example). The office suites are fine if a little dated in feel and appearance, but more importantly I sometimes have problems exchanging files between Linux and Windows office software. No doubt this is down to some undisclosed jiggery-pokery by MS in the file format, but when work is at stake it has to be right.
Like a lot of hands on users I find that I need to recourse to small programs/utilities from time to time and there are usually dozens to choose from in the Windows universe, but the choice tails off very quickly with Linux stuff. I know one of the primary advantages claimed for Linux software is the oversight by a vast community and while this might be true for the half dozen most popular programs I have come across less common programs that might be useful, if finished, but which have apparently had only one or two comments on the originating web site. Hardly an oversight by thousands.
Apologies for griping but if I'm going to make the switch I want to know what I'm diving into. And, yes, I know there are dozens of sites that will give me a view, but El Reg is where I come for informed comment.
Thanks in advance.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
