Is Something Wrong With This Linux Geek?

Posted on | December 22, 2010 | 5 Comments

I’m confused. Not only that, but I’m getting seriously razzed by those who know me. Since 1998 I have followed the Linux operating system, using it every chance I got, focusing on software that would work in that operating system and just promoting Linux every single chance I got.

In fact, my disdain for all things Microsoft is well known along with a personal boycott of all things Microsoft (unless it was work related).

For all of these years the majority of my personal computing was done on the Linux operating system and I refused to consider other options.

Last February I purchased a new laptop only to discover that Ubuntu, my favorite linux distribution was unable to boot on the system. I’ve had this happen before, and I generally wait a release or two and then out comes a version that works.

Since I needed some serious hands-on time to master Windows 7 for my computer repair work I didn’t think much about having to switch to Windows temporarily. I wasn’t impressed with what I had seen in the beta version, but it seemed like it could accomplish my basic tasks so I was unconcerned.

I expected the typical Windows slowdowns, freezes and hangups; I didn’t get them. I expected an awkward interface; I didn’t get that, either. I didn’t even get any networking problems! Day by day I found myself actually enjoying my use of Windows 7 instead of dreading it like I have with previous versions of the Windows operating system. I even found myself procrastinating when it came to checking the latest version of Ubuntu to see if it would successfully boot on this system!

Then I discovered one of the reasons for the submission issues I frequently have with my articles. Apparently something about OpenOffice and other word processing programs causes layout issues and it was recommended that writers use Microsoft Word when crafting their articles instead.

I have used OpenOffice since it was StarOffice, way back when Sun first released this software in 1999. I had never even considered an alternative in all of these years, even doing schoolwork in OpenOffice and converting it to Word when I was in school!

For some reason, perhaps because of the smooth experience I have had thus far with Windows 7, instead of meeting this recommendation with resistance I became curious: had Microsoft matured so much that I would not only like one product but two? Could indeed the problem with my layouts and formatting be from my insistence on using OpenOffice exclusively?

To give Microsoft a fair shot I invested in a copy of Office 2010. I installed it and started using it to craft my articles for submission. To my absolute surprise, not one of my submitted articles had formatting issues, and I saved hours overall getting my stuff submitted in an acceptable form.

Then I discovered that some things are just plain easier in Microsoft Office than they have ever been in OpenOffice. With a click, you can paste just text without formatting into Word Documents, saving several formatting steps that I have done from habit in OpenOffice in years.

Changing the view to web view is a simple process, and if you wish to view word count it is conveniently placed at the bottom, making it easy to see if you have met your article requirements.

The time I have spent sitting and scratching my head over formatting a particular spot has virtually been eliminated. I haven’t really used Microsoft Office In years, yet somehow I am having no difficulty in accomplishing tasks with the Ribbon that I routinely battled with in OpenOffice.

Then there is OneNote.

I am a devout premium user of Evernote. Not a day goes by that I’m not making a note of something on that service.

OneNote’s formatting abilities alone blew Evernote away. Combine it with the 25 gigabytes of free storage space you get on the Windows Live Skydrive, instruct it to sync your folders and you have a powerhouse.

Set “Print to OneNote” as your default printer and you can go crazy sending any type of file to that application! Drag a PDF to OneNote and you will discover that you can print the document directly into the program and make notes right on the document (or beside it, or whatever). Needless to say I have printed several PDF books into OneNote and vicariously enjoyed highlighting, circling, drawing arrows and making notes right on and around my books! This is one pleasure that digital books had not given me—the ability to go crazy on my note taking within the books themselves, and OneNote gave me that back in spades, along with the ability to keep them organized and search them if I desire.

My friends say I must be ill. Not only do I like one Microsoft product but TWO! For the first time in years I no longer have Linux installed on a single computer in this home—all of my systems now run Windows 7. I have the latest version of Ubuntu on a flash drive for malware removal, but that is it.

I am unsure of this change within myself. I honestly do not know what to think of this. Have I gotten older, lost touch with my inner geek or what?

Has Microsoft—gasp—improved that much?

I don’t know. I do know that I am writing this in Windows Live Writer, have another article open in Word, and have the exportation of my Evernote content on a to-do list in OneNote.

What is your opinion on the current line of Microsoft offerings? Have they really improved that much? Has Steve Ballmer pulled off a win for Microsoft?

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