Who no longer uses Windows?

[whm1974]

Back in late 2014 I finally ditched and completely quit using Windows due to Steam, Chrome/ and developers hard efforts to improve Linux. For me the Year of The Linux Desktop begin then. I can watch my movies and shows, and play my games without having to boot Windows. My games on my other SSD replacing Windows.

I don't miss Windows at all. I even removed it from the Thinkpad T430 notebook I brought last year. So who else doesn't use Windows anymore?

[Moem]

Me. I made the switch more than two years ago, keeping Win7 as a dual boot option; then after two years had passed, I found that I had not booted Windows at all after the first two weeks. So I ditched it completely when I upgraded from 17.3 to 18.2. And all was well with the world.

[majpooper]

I took a linux course in 2010 at the local community college and was introduced to SuSe but kept Windows 7 on my PC and dual booted with SuSE but I didn't really like the inconvenience. An IT guy friend of the family told me about Ubuntu and free version VM so I went that route with Windows on a VM - I still didn't like it. And I wasn't a fan of Win 7 either (well I hated it to be honest). When a network security guy I met at a wedding reception ~2012/13 told me about Mint I made the decision to go 100% linux and after I did wondered why I didn't do it when I first started with linux. I won't touch Windows now for fear I might catch something.

[BigEasy]

Me at home. At work it is not possible - all software only for Windows 7.

[whm1974]

I took a linux course in 2010 at the local community college and was introduced to SuSe but kept Windows 7 on my PC and dual booted with SuSE but I didn't really like the inconvenience. An IT guy friend of the family told me about Ubuntu and free version VM so I went that route with Windows on a VM - I still didn't like it. And I wasn't a fan of Win 7 either (well I hated it to be honest). When a network security guy I met at a wedding reception ~2012/13 told me about Mint I made the decision to go 100% linux and after I did wondered why I didn't do it when I first started with linux. I won't touch Windows now for fear I might catch something.

While in my case I needed Windows to watch Netflix before Chrome made it possible do so on Linux without hassle. As far as Games go, I will only buy Games that run on Linux, or older titles using Wine.

[Fred Barclay]

Me at home. At work it is not possible - all software only for Windows.

Same here. I do keep a bunch of Linux virtual machines at work though.

[DAMIEN1307]

hi, im DAMIEN and i am a recovering windows user...lol...ok trust me im fully recovered...all it took was a win 10 cumulative update (along with previous ones) that either required 2 hours to download (internet connection speed of 63 mps) 1.5 hours to install with constant reboots during)...removing and deleting previously removed/deleted "features and add ons...think "candy crush" as well as others...add another couple of hours to reconfigure the OS to the way i use it verses microsoft insistence of they thinking they own my computer and not me and having to re-do such things as re-enabling things i had purposely disabled like telemetry etc. with the added "bonus" and "privilege" of having to repeat this each and every month and "viola"...in a fit of rage on Oct.5th 2016, i did a DBAN of microcrap windbloes 10 and then, by installing at that time LM 18.0 cinnamon i was now a newly converted, cold turkey, linux convert, never looking back or wondering what could have been, because i had seen the future (of using win 10) and it indeed reminded me of "The Day After" movie of many years ago of a post nuclear apocalyptic world...i have now entered the earthly "paradise" world of linux freedom and true ownership of my OS and how it works without all of the regular maintenance like ccleaner and defragging, and constant system monitoring against viruses and malware having to use anti-virus/anti-malware software...i can now just use my computers, now the master, no longer the slave of the machine...DAMIEN

[jimallyn]

Me, me, ME! The last computer I had with Windows on it came with Win98SE. I set it up to dual boot with Xandros. I don't remember the last time I used Windows. None of the computers I currently use have any Windows on them. The one that had Win98 on it I installed antiX on it a while ago, wiping both Win and Xandros. I have another computer that has Xandros on it. It might have Win98 in Win4LIn, I don't remember for sure. One of these days I will probably put antiX or something else light weight on it. Or,maybe I'll just recycle it . Anyway, I no longer use Windows, and I don't miss it a bit. I go to the computer club at the local Senior Center to listen to them grumble about Windows, and encourage them to go to Linux.

[AndyMH]

I'm doing it in stages, when I switched to mint about two years ago I was dual booting with win7, replaced my laptop spring 2017 and went for mint with win7 running as a VM in Virtualbox. Like others stuck with win7 for some things because of work.

[Moem]

Using Windows for work is using Windows. If I were using Windows for work, I would not have posted in this topic because I would have felt that I should not be counted as someone who doesn't use Windows.
After all, the questions was not posted as 'Who only uses Windows for work?'

Hmm, maybe I should post a poll!

[Pjotr]

Since 2006, I only use Windows for updating my TomTom navigation device. In recent years, in a virtual machine.

[whm1974]

I'm considering going back to school part time, and I'm afraid I'll be forced to use Windows depending on which classes I take.

[MintBean]

Have to use it at work but I don't mind that. It's up to someone else to keep the system operational and if MS is spying, that's my employer's problem.

[Artim]

Windows free for about 4 years now I think. At school they insist on school assignments in "Microsoft format," but that is easily done in LibreOffice! A few times I needed to "borrow" a Windows machine to do silly things like format a thumb drive, until I found MintStick and I was like, "HA! Why doesn't every distro have a simple practical tool like this instead of some complicated scary thing like GParted just for formatting a USB stick?!" Other wonderful Minty things like the Updater that has helped me avoid some harmful updates that come from "up stream," including some Beta software! Who puts Beta stuff in a distro intended for novices anyway? Yikes!

I don't expect to ever go back to Windows. Not at home anyway.

[Pierre]

well, used to be Windows Free, but do maintain Windows machines,, for other folk

but, now have two PCs that have Windows on them:
- one is my "new" machine that is 64bit, that dual_ boots with Ultimate Edition,, & after years of using only 32bit PCs.
- one is my "new" Notebook, with win-10 on it, & mainly to enable me to be familiar with that version.
this Laptop is a Tri-boot, Linux Only Machine, & it's my main machine.

[Jim Hauser]

I keep XP in Virtual Box but rarely use it anymore. Give me another year and I will probably wipe it out completely...

[michael louwe]

In early 2016, M$'s forced GWX KB3035583 updates, forced monthly Patch Rollups(started in April 2016) and forced Telemetry & Data collection(eg KB2952664 updates) forced me to move from Win 7 to Linux Mint 17. I still keep Win 7 as a backup OS, eg to burn Live LM DVD/USB.
... Linux is not perfect but is a good alternative for average computer users.

Because of Windows decades-old market monopoly(= since the 1990s), many companies, professionals and gamers are stuck in the constricting Windows.
... Win 7 is the last good Windows from M$.

M$-Win 10's forced auto-updates, upgrades and Telemetry & Data collection will force me to perpetually stay away from Windows.

In comparison, Apple's high gouging prices kept me away from MacOS.

[ArtGirl]

I too view being MS-free as paradise. It's incredible to have pressure sensitivity for art and that the Krita appimage runs so well, plus I love mdm's display/resize images and folders etc. Extras, such as Playonlinux, inc some larger games, and to find GOG too, were things I had no idea of on May 19th last year, and I feel very lucky to be able to work and, unexpectedly, play. The stability and privacy literally does health good, and watching the updates quickly and easily happen is amazing.

[Hoser Rob]

I haven't had any Windows partitions for a few years but for a few years before that I had one but never used it.

It's not ideological, and Windows 7 wasn't that bad, but I just like Linux better.

I don't suggest all Linux users get rid of Windows because, yes, some will need Windows. But I don't.

[Pepi]

Still Photoshop but not a lot lately. Beginning to use GIMP more and more. I also find (not often) that Firefox, Chrome won't work for some things I'm doing. I have to use ... Internet Explorer. I've also experienced printing issues (not often) with Linux and Windows will print