Why do people use microsoft?

Taffy

New Member
Thinking about it, Microsoft products aren't generally that good, for example Windows.

I guess it stems from the early days when microsoft just meshed other peoples programs together and tried to get them to fit together. Didn't really work, yet t has probably the biggest monopoly in the Capitalist world.

Bizarre really, so why don't people start using other systems?
 

T-Bone

In Cryo Sleep
Because there is a lack of a realistic alternative. The only two real alternatives to Microsoft are Mac OS and Unix based open sourced OS's such a linux.

Mac OS is full of security holes and IMO looks ugly and the Mac keyboards are laid out differently. With Unix, your average computer user isn't going to be able to use it. I can hardly use it. It takes months to learn whereas windows is a lot more 'pick up and play' so to speak.
 

BiG D

Administrator
Staff member
Because there simply isn't any other options for the average person.

And you can't just go calling windows bad. It does a lot of things, and it does a lot of things very very well. Considering the scope of an operating system, that's an accomplishment.
 

Nanor

Well-Known Member
Window is the is really, the only OS that supports games. Excluding a few others obv.
 

MoTo^

In Cryo Sleep
i really dont know what so many people have against microsoft and windows. Win XP SP2 does me just fine. if you have a decent AV and firewall, keep your hard disk clean, defrag from time to time and clean out your registry now and again windows shouldnt have any problems, hasnt had for me.
Mac OS looks ugly, Linux is not practical enough, and neither of them support as many programmes as Windows does at the moment.
 

Haven

Administrator
Staff member
For the average home user people use microsoft because its what they know, its easier to use what you know than to learn something new. Schools teach microsoft (for the most part), libraries use microsoft, the office where they work uses microsoft. And unless you are prepared to build your own computer it is very difficult to buy a pre-built one without microsoft bundled with it. I'm running linux on several systems that came with microsoft by default i.e. laptops.

For the business; Businesses use microsoft because other businesses use microsoft and so you can maintain compatibility, and also sadly enough for bragging rights. CEO's are often heavily influenced by other CEO's bragging about their new latest technology from microsoft and so they ask their IT department to provide it also (sad but true). If you are producing documentation or software products then you want your deliverables to be compatible with the greatest number of people. And the greatest number of people use microsoft formats or systems so to maximise your available market you also use microsoft.

This is the way of the monopoly, it eventually forces dependance as it will cost too much to migrate away. So people/companies follow the path of least resistance.

I'm not going to touch on TCO as its a messy subject with little or no impartial data to support claims.

I should probably note that I write this from linux and I sometimes play games (UT2004, NWN, GW's) from linux so in my opinion there are alternatives, if you are prepared to try them and learn something new (but lets debate this in another thread please).
 

thatbloke

Junior Administrator
Its not that Windows is the only OS that supports games, its more the fact that games only support windows (and DirectX)...
 
S

social_outcast

Guest
Windows is hardly the worst system in the world: true, it doesnt allow you complete control of everything you do,but it keeps things simple (or as simple as a large piece of commercial software can be).

I have enough trouble teaching my parents the basics of windows, how do you think theyd fare if it where unix on there plates.

Also, compatibility is everything these days, which generally is another way of putting "stick with the mean".
Still, that doesnt mean you have to embrace everything microsoft puts on your plate. A lot of the open-source movement has spilled onto XP, and if you cant be bothered shelling out 300 odd pounds for MS Office (only for it to tell you how your going to hell) the alternatives like Open Office will do the same things with none of the annoying blue/orange graphics
 

Carth

In Cryo Sleep
Taffy said:
Thinking about it, Microsoft products aren't generally that good, for example Windows.
I don't think that's fair tbh. Microsoft products are good. They have a bad reputation and public image for a number of reasons.

Firstly because Bill Gates is so rich, people are jealous. Secondly, Microsoft products are so widespread that everyone (including luddites and the large proportion of idiots in the world) use it. So many of the problems people have are user error. I've been using Microsoft products for over 10 years. Barely any problems. Certainly no major ones. I crash sometimes, but it's usually hardware related or a non-Microsoft product.

My mum/dad seem to have 5 new problems every time I visit them. My sister manages to break the computer within 5 mins of using it. My teachers were the same. But myself - no problems.

I bet if you put everyone who currently uses Windows onto Linux, they would be crying their eyes out a lot more than they do over Microsoft. These are people who have trouble with Windows!

Complaints and bad reputation start from users of another operating system who feel that everyone should use the same OS as them, why wouldn't they? These people know a lot more about computers than most people, and see that their OS is better. The truth is, for the average user, Windows is fine. I'm trying to think of a good analogy, but my brain is tired.

Why do people use Microsoft programs? Because they are widespread, well known, and the majority of software (including most games) is designed for it. Someone new to computers buys a computer, it will come pre-installed with Microsoft products. They might then become au fait with their new computer and its software, are they then going to reformat, download Linux, get it installed, and start using that?

Btw, I'm not a Microsoft fanboy, I hate them. I'm just trying to say it like it is :)
 
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