If Linux was the most used system in the world…

(This article is a translation and adaptation of one text that was written in portuguese language that I found here.)

I understand problems passing from Windows to Linux which was declared by one individual. I felt I should experiment Windows too, since all of my friends are telling me all the time how great it is.

I went to the Microsoft site to download it, but it was not available. I was frustrated because I spent quite a time uselessly trying to find a download link, so I decided to ask my friend and he told me where I can buy it.

I took my car and drove myself to the mall, where I found a shop that sells software. I asked the seller for a windows OS and he asked me which version I want.
- “I want the most complete distribution”, I said proudly. 
- “599 euros please, pass to the cashier”, he said, putting the box into the bag.
I swore and left the shop swiftly.

One of my friends gave me a copy of Windows XP, but told me not to tell anyone. I thought it was a bit odd, because I copy my Linux distro all the time to give it to my friends. Whatever…
I took the CD, inserted it into my CD drive and restarted system and waited for the Live CD boot. That didn’t worked. Only thing CD asked me was to install it. I called my friend over the telephone and he told me that Windows XP cannot be booted from CD,

OK, I have decided that I will install it. I followed instructions from the screen, but I got nervous since it never asked about other operating systems installed. I know whichever Linux I install, it always asks about creating new partition or other related questions. I returned my call to the friend and he told me that Windows XP eliminates all and any operating systems that is already installed.
Well, OK, I restarted my Linux and backed-up all data before I returned to install my Windows copy.

Installation was quite simple, save the part when it asked me about serial number where I needed to type bunch of letters and numbers. My friend was now pissed off that I call him all the time and he came to my home, and typed his number inside.
He repeated that I should not say anything about this to any living soul. He went, and I restarted computer to give it a first run.

I was shocked when it let me change system configurations without asking for root access. My friend now swore when he heard my voice again over the phone. He told me that root access was given at initialization. I found how to create another user with no root access and I logged in. Then I realized that if I want to change something, instead of asking me for root password, I needed to log-off and log-in as administrator (which is name here for root). With this, I realized that there are so many people who log as administrator and I started to feel creeps.

OK, time to work. I went to Start -> Programs, to open a spreadsheet application, but I couldn’t find any. My friend told me that Windows does not have any of those applications by default and that I must download from internet.
“Oh”, I thought,” this is basic distribution of Windows”. I went to “Add/Remove programs” in control panel, just like in Linux, but there were no programs to add. It just let me remove programs. I couldn’t find a button or menu item that me allow to install applications. This is odd!
I phoned my friend again, and he told me that I need to find by myself applications that I want to install, so after Googling, I found OpenOffice.org application to download and install. Now I could finish my work with a spreadsheet.

To tell you the truth, I didn’t have fun at all. I don’t understand this technology well. Why there is drive A, and then drive C, where is drive B? This was certainly some basic distribution. It didn’t include any applications to boost my productivity and I had to waste my time to look for them. My friend told me that I need antivirus application as that does not come with distribution either.

I do not understand what computer virus is. How can dead object get an infection?!

I found using this windows distribution very difficult. It might possibly be good for some people that understand computers, but for me, no thanks. I am going back to my Linux.

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