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September 10, 2003
Time to ditch Microsoft?
I've been thinking for some time now about ditching Microsoft, choosing something other than Windows for my laptop OS (I already run Linux, Apple OS X, and Solaris on other desktops).
Having to patch my laptop over dial-up modem has put me over the top. All of the enraged I.T. and security people complaining about end users not keeping their machines patched should try living on dial-up for a while (like 80-90% of Internet users do), and try keeping their Microsoft software up to date with the now-weekly multiple security announcements. That would shut them up.
I've had a Mac in my office for about 6 months now. I really like it, but it's a desktop, and I live on my laptop. Same with the various Linux machines I run/use. My laptop has been Windows for two reasons: (a) it's my primary machine, and I can't afford the time to fiddle with it, especially down-time during fiddling (b) it's the machine I use to interface the most with the mostly-Microsoft outside world, so having Microsoft (and other proprietary) applications running on Windows is just the least-painful way to make sure I can get my work done quickly. Plus, laptops are more purpose-built to an operating system than desktops, so Windows is usually required to get the most out of a laptop built for Windows (ie power-saving features, sound/light management, PCMCIA cards, etc).
But the constant worry about security (and the work required to avoid being exploited) is making a less-popular (and possibly more secure, but I am mostly betting on the non-popularity aspect) OS interesting. I'd also like to run in a Unix-like environment without all of the kludges that Windows requires (yea, there's Cygwin--like I was saying, kludges).
I could get Linux running on my Sony VAIO, without losing out on much (especially with the Linux VAIO project). With Crossover Office, I can still run essential organizational applications such as Visio, and I can run Evolution or Novell's new Java GroupWise client. For the few things (such as the Verizon CDMA wireless card) that just can't live without Windows, I can run VMWare under Linux.
Ideally, though, I think I will look seriously at a 12" Powerbook for my next laptop. It's a bit heavier than my VAIO, but I think well worth it. Either that, or a laptop that has all of the important laptop features, fully supported in Linux.
Posted by pete at September 10, 2003 9:50 PM