[Tfug] My experience "recovering" Windows compared to installingDebian

[johngalt1]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Glen Pfeiffer" <glen at thepfeiffers.net>
To: "Tucson Free Unix Group" <tfug at tfug.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2007 12:22 PM
Subject: [Tfug] My experience "recovering" Windows compared
to installingDebian


>I rebuilt a computer for a family member on Thursday, and
>renewed
> my dislike of Windows.

Why was it necessary to rebuild the computer? Why not fix
it?

> I am sure most of you know this, but almost all computers
> with
> Windows pre-installed come with some type of "recovery"
> media
> instead of Windows install CD's. That really irritates me.

What kind of PC is it? Mfg? Older or newer?

> One hour after starting the recovery process I had a
> supposedly
> "clean" Windows XP Home install.

Recovery, meaning what? - Wiping the drive and starting
over? I hate when OEM's do that.

> But we know it was far from
> clean. It installed 20 or so useless software packages and
> about
> 5 unnecessary services. Since there is no way to remove
> them all
> at once, I spent the next two hours removing them
> piecemeal.

Why remove them?

> Then after installing AntiVirus and AntiSpyware software,
> I began
> the "update" process. Windows Update is not able to
> perform a
> complete system upgrade in one shot like apt. It took 5
> iterations of:
>    1. Run Windows Update.
>    2. Reboot
>    3. Windows Update notifies me that there are updates
>       available.
>    4. Repeat.

Did the recovery disk include Service Pack two?

> AARRGHHH! That took about seven or eight hours!

What kind of internet connection was it? Fast or slow?

> Finally I came to the good part. Install Debian and make
> it dual
> boot.[1] A complete install with all the packages that I
> think
> they will need, took me about two hours. And that included
> the
> time I spent configuring user accounts and their gnome
> desktops.

This install was from CD or the Internet?

> Oh, and the new Debian installer .... I am amazed. The
> last time
> I installed Debian Etch it was in testing and there were
> still
> some issues with the it. But this time it recognized all
> my
> hardware flawlessly. I did not have to tell it anything
> about my
> video card or monitor.

What version of Debian Etch? You downloaded it at that time?

>
> Windows: ~10 hours
> Debian:    2 hours
>
> And now, in typical script kiddie fashion:
>
>    WINDOZE SUCKS - DEBIAN RULZ!!!  ;-)

SCript Kiddie

> Glen
>
> [1] I am trying to convert them over to Linux, but just in
> case they gripe too much, I decided it is better to have
> Windows
> setup already.

Why on earth would they ever gripe?

It's not necessary to defend the evil monopoly, because I
think they suck too. But, this thread sounds like a skewed
comparison.

Or, is this an example of "Linux Marketing" to compete with
Windows BS?