Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

[kjjjjshab]

Does anyone ever think/worry about falling behind at work because they don't know much about Windows? We'll be leaving XP soon for 7 at the office and I have spent about 15 minutes total on Vista and zero time with 7... I'm not in IT, but am unofficial technical support for both our engineering software and general Windows/networking/printing, etc. and I worry I am shortchanging myself (as far as promotions/job security, etc.) by not having any experience with 7.

To be clear, I have absolutely no interest in using Windows 7, but I think I might have to at home to learn it... blah.

I guess I'll pick enough up along the way to get by just fine in my limited support role...

Anyone else worry about not having enough experience with Windows?

[Qqmike]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

Boy, it's nice not having to worry about this anymore ... being semi-retired/retired from "that kind of work."
The guys here who are still so employed are best to advise you.

Me? If I were you, yep, afraid I'd learn 7 and keep abreast of Windows if there is any chance at all that your job, job security, or promotions/bonuses depend on it. I'd do it as a hobby of sorts, set it up at home, try to have fun learning it and playing with it, not take it any more seriously than the job requires. View the financial costs as an investment (funded by your pay check). Computer consultants/builders have to do just that, to be somewhat conversational in OSs. I took an artificial intelligence course once in grad school where my prof made us learn half a dozen programming languages, and to solve the same problem(s) in each language, to compare and to get experience and to learn to be flexible.

That kind of thing.

[bsniadajewski]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I personally am not worried about experience with Windows as I have & Home Premium installed on my computer (as an upgrade from Vista HP OEM, witch work very well, surprising to some). Since I'm the unofficial "IT guy" in my family and they work with Windows (XP or 7), it's good to stay on top of things in the Windows/Office world.

[blobfish]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I'm not in IT, but am unofficial technical support for both our engineering software and general Windows/networking/printing, etc. and I worry I am shortchanging myself (as far as promotions/job security, etc.)

Personally I got out of that mind set a long time ago. If you are doing IT support without getting paid for it, the least thing the company can do is let you learn the xp to vista/7/8 transition on their dime not yours.

[Detonate]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I would not worry about it too much. If you are totally familiar with XP you won't have a lot of learning curve with 7. Sure, lot's of things have been relocated and changed, but it only takes a minute or two to find them. And if you run into a problem, Google is your friend.

[dequire]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I have to run Windows in a VirtualBox at work for some proprietary shipping software that we have to use. I'm reminded daily of why I'm glad that, outside of that, I don't run Windows. I'm so sick if fixing friends / family / co-worker's Windows computers that now I just refuse.

Though I will install Kubuntu for them free of charge

[dibl]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

Fact: MS Windows is, by far, the most popular personal desktop operating system, and has been for 20 years or more.

Fact: Due to its long popularity in the consumer market, there are many productivity software packages that only exist as written for a Windows OS.

Whether you love those facts, hate them, or (like me) just accept them like you do the wind, rain, and ugly mood swings, you might find that you need a Windows OS to get your stuff done. For example, for serious genealogists, The Master GenealogistTM is the best software available, and it won't run in wine. Been there, tried it, got the T-shirt. It's companion website development package, Second SiteTM, is likewise only available for Windows, and you need both packages on the same platform to build an efficient development environment. Another example is when your career/job requires that you access a corporate portal that is wired for Microsoft/Internet Explorer access only. And then there's the world of CAD ...

So for these types of reasons, I have needed a clean Windows VM ever since I converted my desktop environment to a Linux OS some 5 years or so ago. I don't see it as controversial, or contradictory, or hypocritical in any way. It's just part of life -- FOSS is obviously my first choice, but there's no need to get stressed about it if you need to buy a Windows license and set up a VM to take care of business. At least you can take a little satisfaction from the fact that you won't need to buy anti-virus and malware packages, unlike the rest of 'em.

[blobfish]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I don't run Windows. I'm so sick if fixing friends / family / co-worker's Windows computers that now I just refuse. Though I will install Kubuntu for them free of charge

I am with you 100%. I have switched a few to kubuntu and a few failed, but either way I am all done spending hours reloading because of the latest virus/malware/trojan...whatever you want to call it.

And then there's the world of CAD ...

for the most part you are correct, however Unigraphics is platform neutral and is (IMHO) the most powerful, generalized cad system there is. Disclaimer: I have 10 years on the system and yes I am bias. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_(Uni..._and_platforms

Long way to go, but has momentum and I am hopeful. https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawi...itle=Main_Page
Look here for recent ppa packages. https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawi...title=Download

[de_koraco]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

Windows 7 is much easier to deal with than XP. I've never used it myself, but I did install it for my mother's company a week ago, and though I'd never used it before, it took me much less time and effort to set up networking, printing and file sharing than it did with Vista and XP. It also seems to be much less of a PITA than the previous versions, with a Control Panel that actually makes sense. So I wouldn't worry.

[sithlord48]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

windows 7' interface and set up is very similar to kde4. way to similar.

[dibl]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

Unigraphics is platform neutral and is (IMHO) the most powerful, generalized cad system there is. Disclaimer: I have 10 years on the system and yes I am bias. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_(Uni..._and_platforms

Long way to go, but has momentum and I am hopeful. https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawi...itle=Main_Page
Look here for recent ppa packages. https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawi...title=Download

That does look pretty good for architectural and mechanical design -- thanks. But, I don't see any printed circuit design capability -- that's where you're still kinda stuck with Windows, AFAIK.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

+1 Dible.
Except for work, my use of XP was because of a single dev tool I needed to write the fly-by-wire ag tractor control program. No suitable program existed on Linux.

Looking for someone who DETESTS Microsoft's ethics, actions and policies? I'm your man. Looking for someone who doesn't like the way Windows tries to be "friendly help", but ends up interfering with what you are trying to do while using Windows? I'm your man.

Other than that, and the fact that Win7 is no more secure than XP, I have no complaints about it.. Win7 seems, at the desktop level, to be a copy of the KDE 4.x desktop so, if I were still working, I wouldn't have to reconfigure my Linux desktop to look like Windows -- to make switching between them easier.

Learning curve for Win7? Doesn't exist.

[ScottyK]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

I have to run Windows in a VirtualBox at work for some proprietary shipping software that we have to use. I'm reminded daily of why I'm glad that, outside of that, I don't run Windows. I'm so sick if fixing friends / family / co-worker's Windows computers that now I just refuse.

Though I will install Kubuntu for them free of charge

I feel the same way. I keep Windows around for a few games that I can't get to work correctly in Linux.

Friends have stopped askingme because they know I run Linux and do not support Windows anymore.

However my parents (64 years old) I still support Windows for them. At their age they are not interested in learning something new, and I figure they've earned that right!

[dequire]

Re: Sometimes wish I used Windows at home...

However my parents (64 years old) I still support Windows for them. At their age they are not interested in learning something new, and I figure they've earned that right!

Can't argue with that!