Some opinions wanted (at a crossroads between Windows and Linux)

[Sonadow]

I hope this helps. I'd be happy to clarify anything if I've been unclear.

You have been a huge help. Thank you very much for helping me to sort out my thoughts, I'm really grateful.

[archibald]

However every so often some doubts enter my mind about the future of Microsoft in the desktop and enterprise space so I would really, really appreciate some feedback on whether I am doing the 'right thing', so to speak. For one, it is no secret that Microsoft's dominance is limited only to the desktop and notebook space; Windows Phone, as much as I enjoy using it, is never going to break past its distant third position in the smartphone space, and Windows RT is not going to improve Redmond's tablet ambitions, at least for the forseeable future. And even now there is talk that Microsoft may very well lose its desktop / notebook pie as well...

I would take with a large pile of salt the idea that Microsoft will lose the desktop/notebook pie. Consider how huge it is, and how many business-critical applications run on it. It'll be going for a long time. As good as Linux and MacOS may be, they aren't going to be taking the majority spot for desktops/notebooks anytime soon.

By casting my lot with Microsoft, am I risking what would be why potential future career if I limit of learning of Linux only to the server and administration space and focusing on learning as much as I can in Microsoft land such as ASP, .NET, C#, SQL Server and Windows Server administration? Which do you think is more important: to use the tools one is comfortable with to produce the end result desired by the other party, regardless of operating system, or to spread myself out and learn both Windows and Linux tools?

If I were in your position I would take a look at Qt: the IDE (QtCreator) works on Windows, MacOS and Linux, and can produce code for those three, plus Android, iOS and Blackberry, so there should be no worries about tying yourself to an individual platform. Having said that, it won't play with the Microsoft languages. I wouldn't feel comfortable having my career rely on one company (hence I've just moved our company's development to QtCreator from Visual Studio.

Is the desktop really, really dead as a work tool? I really refuse to believe in that, considering how desktops with that kind of processing power are needed to do lots grunt work that the standard consumer is not likely to ever come across in his/her life.

It's not dead in the slightest. Look around your place of work: it's unlikely that anybody will give up their desktop/laptop for a tablet/other device. Typing isn't fun on a tablet. It can be done but it's a very different experience with no tactile feedback. Moving files from one place to another is intuitive with a keyboard/mouse (cut & paste or drag & drop), not so much on a non-desktop system.

My cynical side thinks that the people suggesting that it is are the ones writing apps for tablets etc. Similar to how CryTek (the company that makes Crysis and other brilliant-looking games) say that graphics are the most important part of a modern game.

Last but not least, i just have to ask; it is wrong to like Windows and Microsoft's software?

No. Not at all. Not even slightly.

As said earlier, I genuinely enjoy using Microsoft software and as such am fully willing to shell out the money for my TechNet subscription to get complimentary access to a wide range of Microsoft software products. But the vibes I'm getting from many Linux-centric forums are that it's:

a) impossible for anybody to even like using Microsoft's software products because they are inferior to open-source ones (which I wholeheartedly disagree), and
b) anybody who so much as says that he/she likes MS software is immediately deemed some kind of shill or mole out to discredit Linux.

People that say that are morons and zealots. If you like a system and it works for you then go for it. If somebody is so wrapped up in open source ideology that they can't see that their preferred system(s) aren't perfect then they are a zealot, too blinded by their ideals to see reason, so probably not the type of person from whom you should take advice.

Is it really that wrong to enjoy using a system that one personally likes, and is well-supported by hardware vendors who will always be able to supply launch-day drivers for new hardware, even if those drivers are tightly locked down? What happened to the 'if you like it and are productive with it, use it' approach to computing?

Short answer: nope.

I'm going to let you in on a 'secret': I actually quite like Windows 8. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have the old start menu back, but other than that it has worked flawlessly for me. The "if you like it..." approach is still there, but there are now more people with larger mouths.

I hope this helps. I'd be happy to clarify anything if I've been unclear.

[Sonadow]

First of all, a note: this is started with the intention that it be a sensible discussion, so flames and baits will be reported immediately.

Also, warning: This IS A LONG POST.

And now, to the meat of the issue:

As some of you have known, recently because of internship commitments I have dropped Linux completely from my notebook and desktops in favor of Windows to devote time to accquainting myself with Microsoft technologies. And generally I am a fan of Microsoft software (as in I genuinely enjoy using MS software (yes, even Windows 8!) for getting work done to the point that I have invested in a Microsoft TechNet account to get complimentary access to all of Microsoft's non-developer software in return for a yearly subscription fee). To satisfy my 'build the source code yourself' cravings Visual Studio Express generally does an a-ok job for Windows applications that are open-sourced unless it makes use of GTK or Qt libraries (in which the compilation process becomes a real pain in the nuts, but I digress).

However every so often some doubts enter my mind about the future of Microsoft in the desktop and enterprise space so I would really, really appreciate some feedback on whether I am doing the 'right thing', so to speak. For one, it is no secret that Microsoft's dominance is limited only to the desktop and notebook space; Windows Phone, as much as I enjoy using it, is never going to break past its distant third position in the smartphone space, and Windows RT is not going to improve Redmond's tablet ambitions, at least for the forseeable future. And even now there is talk that Microsoft may very well lose its desktop / notebook pie as well...

By casting my lot with Microsoft, am I risking what would be why potential future career if I limit of learning of Linux only to the server and administration space and focusing on learning as much as I can in Microsoft land such as ASP, .NET, C#, SQL Server and Windows Server administration? Which do you think is more important: to use the tools one is comfortable with to produce the end result desired by the other party, regardless of operating system, or to spread myself out and learn both Windows and Linux tools? Is the desktop really, really dead as a work tool? I really refuse to believe in that, considering how desktops with that kind of processing power are needed to do lots grunt work that the standard consumer is not likely to ever come across in his/her life.

Last but not least, i just have to ask; it is wrong to like Windows and Microsoft's software? As said earlier, I genuinely enjoy using Microsoft software and as such am fully willing to shell out the money for my TechNet subscription to get complimentary access to a wide range of Microsoft software products. But the vibes I'm getting from many Linux-centric forums are that it's:

a) impossible for anybody to even like using Microsoft's software products because they are inferior to open-source ones (which I wholeheartedly disagree), and
b) anybody who so much as says that he/she likes MS software is immediately deemed some kind of shill or mole out to discredit Linux.

Is it really that wrong to enjoy using a system that one personally likes, and is well-supported by hardware vendors who will always be able to supply launch-day drivers for new hardware, even if those drivers are tightly locked down? What happened to the 'if you like it and are productive with it, use it' approach to computing?

Thanks for listening.

** I know Im very well asking for trouble for even daring to talk about my liking of MS software in a Linux forum. But I really want the feedback and opinions.