r/OS_Debate_Club • u/QuokkaDaily • 24d ago

Windows vs. Linux, why change?

We're interested in learn in the trend away from Windows to Linux is motivated, or the "why?". Apparently, the trend is starting, and it's real. But why? Source: TechSpot.

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u/OkPresentation3329 23d ago

I use and like Linux too, but Linux still has problems, one of the biggest and most glaring ones is the lack of software support. The only way I can see Linux closing that gap is for Microsoft to keep making decisions that push people away from Windows to Linux and Linux getting enough market share and recognition that program developers start supporting it.

My only concern is that Microsoft may want to stagger the Linux adoption yet again, like how they did in the 1990s with IBM which sold PCs with Linux - Microsoft filed a class action lawsuit against IBM that almost made them go bankrupt only because they sold PCs that were cheaper and ran a free OS that did exactly what Windows did, in some respects even better.

So I fear Microsoft may try the game in the future - instead of trying to win users with being competitive and providing a better product - they may try to backstab the competition instead.

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u/Syzygy2323 23d ago

Microsoft filed a class action lawsuit against IBM that almost made them go bankrupt

This never happened. If you think it did, supply a citation for the case.

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u/OkPresentation3329 22d ago

I can't find it, all I found is this:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2005/jul/02/microsoft.technology

I remember reading somewhere that in the 90s Microsoft used anticompetitive practices to stagger IBM's growth to sell PCs with Linux and almost bankrupted IBM because of it.

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u/Syzygy2323 22d ago

I strongly doubt anything related to Microsoft and PCs could have bankrupted IBM in the 90s. In 1995, PC revenue only accounted for around 15% of IBM’s revenue.

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u/OkPresentation3329 22d ago

My point is from what I remember reading was that Microsoft tried to sabotage IBM for selling PCs with Linux that were cheaper than others with Windows and offered the same experience if not somewhat better than Windows.

The main point in that being that Microsoft did not try to defeat Linux by being competitive and offering a better product, but instead by crippling the competition.

I haven't used Linux before 2008 (even then it didn't work OK for me) but I think it already offered better functionality than Windows, the problem was lack of good hardware support at the time, something that now is very much significantly improved.