Tag Archives: Windows

Windows 8: Big steps backwards in all categories

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At work, I’m bound to use windows machines. Windows 7 seemed to be relatively useable compared to the aged Windows XP. But now, Windows 8 will make it’s way into our offices. Wow!
Windows 8 seems to be stepping backwards in all categories for me:

  • NO Start button! WTF?!?
  • The silly “metro” apps fill the whole screen and you can’t switch between different apps via Alt-Tab. As a “bonus”, these apps can only be installed via Microsoft’s own app store.
  • OK, you can use a desktop. So, why does pressing the window tab hide my desktop and show me that ugly full-screen start menue instead?
  • The “new” UI feels so 1981 (think Motif):
  • Microsoft wants to enforce computer lockdown via “secure boot“.

NO, Microsoft, I don’t want to turn my PC into a tablet, no!

Installing Debian the easy way: Say Goodbye to Microsoft!

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You want to install Debian GNU/Linux on a machine?
You don’t have an install CD at hand (or you’re facing a netbook)?
USB booting is a nightmare?
That’s the situation I was in lately. So I remembered some clever guys had turned the debian installer into a windows executable: The Debian Installer Loader. It’s available at the well memorizable site http://goodbye-microsoft.com/ and works absolutely perfect.
It even preseeds some installation values from the Windows environment.
You also have the choice whether you turn the machine into dual-boot (takes much time for shrinking NTFS partition) or convert it as a whole.
This tool gets rated five stars by me!