To celebrate my 6-month anniversary of freedom from Windows (see the original post here), here is my top ten list of things I don’t miss about Windows XP:
1. Really slow boot time
Cold booting under Windows XP was a lengthy affair. I could easily get dressed, eat an entire breakfast, and have my teeth brushed in the time it took Windows to load and become usable. With Ubuntu, not only can I leave my desktop running (since it’s still stable – even after weeks of up-time), but on the rare occasions that I do have to cold boot, it takes me 20-30 seconds instead of 5+ minutes.
2. Green start button
I don’t care what anyone else says – the green XP start button is ugly. Atrociously ugly. I much prefer the word “Applications,” which actually describes what that menu holds. (Although “Start” is an accurate way to describe the Windows menu, as clicking that button is only the start of launching a program. 12 menus and submenus later you may actually find what you need…)
3. Constantly having to consult Task Manager
It’s been strange to get used to the lack of ctrl+alt+del in Ubuntu – and at first I hated not having that key combo available. But after 6 months of living without it, I release that a good OS doesn’t require you to constantly consult the Task Manager / System Monitor. A good OS just works. A good OS doesn’t require you to constantly hunt down rogue processes and kill them manually. And, if you do have to kill a rogue program, using “Force Quit” and clicking the frozen window is a much better way to do it.
4. Slow, annoying, bloated, resource-hogging virus scanners
I’ve tried a lot of virus scanners over the years, and while some are tolerable, all are annoying. In recent years, AVG and Avast have lessened the burden of keeping personal copies of Windows virus-free, but they inevitably require more resources than they should. Under Ubuntu, I’ve tried running with no virus scanner and with Clam AV – and since Clam doesn’t require a noticeable amount of resources, I’ve left it on. Figures that the safest OS also has the most agreeable virus scanner.
5. Defragmenting
Unlike some PC users, my computer needs to be left on since I also use it as a DVR. This up-time requirement makes defragmenting a conundrum, as I don’t like rendering the computer unusable for hours at a time so it can defrag, but because I deal with a lot of large files defragmenting is a must. Well…it used to be a must, until I switched to Ubuntu. Now I never have to defragment, and my system chugs along happily regardless of how many multi-gigabyte files I save and/or delete in a day.
6. Tool-tip notifications that won’t die
I can’t for the life of me figure out why XP gets SO excited about connecting to a wireless network. Why does it want me to click on the corner notification every time the laptop connects to my home wi-fi? I know it’s connected, and I’m glad it’s connected, but I don’t need that indicator popping up EVERY @#&%$ TIME. And as for offering to clean up my desktop…grr…
7. Custom programs for every peripheral
Why do my printer, my webcam, my speakers, my video card, my sound card, and my mouse all need their own program running in the background? Why can’t they simply integrate any useful settings into the control panel, and then run their respective programs on demand as I need them? I love that Linux doesn’t require/allow every peripheral to have its own little spyware running in the background.
8. Forced reboots after critical updates
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve left my XP computer for a moment, only to return and find it restarting because of security updates. I CAN HIT THE POWER BUTTON MYSELF, MICROSOFT. I don’t mind being notified of important updates, but I do mind when XP takes over and reboots just because I didn’t click their 60-second countdown message in time.
9. Manual updates and/or program-specific update programs
I hate Adobe Acrobat (I and many others). I find it to be one of the worst programs ever written. I also hate the Acrobat updater, from the unreliable downloader to the intrusiveness of it to the way it constantly “requires my attention.” I love that Ubuntu provides me with full updates for all of my programs via one update manager. I love not having to worry that crap will get installed alongside legitimate updates (*cough* iTunes + Safari *cough*). I love knowing that all my programs are up-to-date, not just the ones I check manually.
10. The angry feeling I get when I see MS logos.
Now the only place I typically see the Windows logo is alongside my “Powered by Ubuntu” sticker, where I’ve left it for amusement’s sake. I love not seeing the Windows logo at the boot screen, or as I shut down, or on the hideous green start button. I love not seeing a lowercase blue e everywhere I turn. I love not having a spattering of MS logos all over my Programs menu (like “Windows Catalog” – does anyone actually click on that?).
And most of all, I love having the freedom to choose what does and doesn’t appear on my PC. I love that I can look at the source code of every program I run. I love that I can install and uninstall programs in 3 clicks instead of 25, and I love that each of those programs is prescreened, tested, and placed in a safe repository.
After 6 months of Ubuntu, and I can honestly say that I haven’t considered returning to XP even once.
(As a fun side note, in the last 6 months I have also seen my parents and three close friends switch to Ubuntu, and as of today every one of those individuals remains a happy convert.)
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Well put, my friend, well put!!
I did the shift nearly 3 years ago now, mind you it was part time. But it has been full time for almost 2 yrs without Windows and I honestly don’t miss a thing about XP or let alone Vista. The ironic thing is when I am at TAFE (college) doing my studies I really can’t stand using the Windows machines there. I agree totally with all of your points and I hate my menus at the bottom, maybe this is a hangup from Amiga days for me.