OMG a 1GB Excel file? is necessary to point out how awful is that?, That file shouldn't exist is you value any of it's data or if you plan to extract any useful or reliable information, I've seen monstrosities of a < 300MB, after 10min checking it out I found about 10 errors, that where there who knows how many weeks?, months?, years? ago. Good luck auditing a spreadsheet of even 10MB.
I think that is a good reflection of Windows overall, bites more that can chew, gives a false impression of competence, Windows makes backups but are very unreliable, until Win7 it was useless, (I don't know how is nowadays); so you thought you had a backup, but you hadn't, and you realize that just after you lost your data; it has helps and manuals, but are equally useless and that has been that way since Win 3.1; it comes with a browser whose only mission is to get another browser; a text editor that is worst that any other; a media player, well... useless; the GUI is user friendly, Win8 friendly?, I don't even know how many hours I wasted showing people how to move from XP to Vista/7, and now I don't expect to find anything quickly, even when I used Windows from 3.1 to Win7. The Windows installer is appalling, is like a Linux installer from the 90'; Can't see partitions other than their own, doesn't support other filesystems, is very limited in which partition you can boot, doesn't even have configurable bootloader.
I think that compare the 2 OSs user "friendliness" is unfair; Windows users don't deal with the mess; how many of them install their own Windows?, deal with antivirus SW and install drivers, basic SW and alike? usually they have someone to do those tasks for them. Their installation get increasingly laggy as Win install always do in time and when it is unbearable they ask their closest "free handyman" to deal with the problem or they buy another PC.
Is not that an airplane is easier to use than a car, is just that with the plane other is doing the hard part for you.
The difference is how difficult is for the handyman, in my case I installed Linux to all my close family since I don't want to deal with Windows anymore, I got tired of it. With Windows I had the dreaded call every month to fix something and a yearly reinstall when everything started to fall apart. Nowadays nothing, no monthly fix call, no yearly reinstall, no antivirus, it just works as Windows users like to say.
And after 10+ years using the same WM in Linux, I've seen many improvements but what I learned a decade ago still works now, no WinXP/Vista/8 UI messy changes. I bet all of those transitions took time and everyone did it because is Windows and that's what you do; but when they try Linux, after 30s of not knowing how to do something they claim that Linux is hard, and not user friendly, and not because you have access to the engine of your car you need to be a mechanic after all.
And Linux also carry some old obsolete claims repeated through the ages, Linux is just for hackers, you have to be a SW engineer only to install it, I've even heard about how ugly and old looking Linux is, really? have they seen stock PopOS!, Gnome or Elementary this days?
About Libreoffice Calc not been on pair of Excel, I sadly agree. And also if you have macros to work with, you won't be using them in Calc either. If you need some SW locked in Windows, then you're out of luck (unless you can emulate, VM or some other workaround)
I have handled excel file size of around 2GB. I used to work at a start-up then. So, we relied on excel only during initial days.
I always keep a backup of the original file :) There are several checks you can make in excel file to make it faster, for example, disable automatic calculation once you apple formula. This way, when you edit anything, the sheet will only refresh once you hit f9. Similarly, I don't use vlookups in large sheet.. So, many optimizations are there. And of course, your laptop should be powerful enough to handle the file. But I agree there is a limitation to the file size, that's why we purchased Tableau after a couple of years for data analysis stuffs.
Windows makes backups but are very unreliable, until Win7 it was useless, (I don't know how is nowadays);
Windows has improved, very much actually. Backups work in Windows 8+ , but I don't know about Windows7. Their support groups and forums are very helpful. The admins respond. Overall the support has improved actually.
it comes with a browser whose only mission is to get another browser; a text editor that is worst that any other; a media player, well... useless;
Please try Edge browser once. I found it faster than Firefox. And VS code text editor ( by Microsoft) is Love .... But yes, its media player is a big No for me.
Agree with your point that sometimes Windows updates are uglier, cannot deny with that. But I am sticking with it for the time being because I have been using Windows for years, and my mind is addicted to windows :)
Overall I think, using any OS is based on user's choice and need. I can do web dev on windows but I will have to struggle when it comes to fixing codes. I can work on linux too but being a non-techie, I would have to learn some command lines first. I can do that easily, but I choose Windows because I don't have to learn command line to install a software in Windows. So, it is based on use case and need.
Windows is a boon for the people who come from a non-tech background. They can work on excel, watch movies, browse .. and that too with a few click.. Not by typing ..
Someday, I might uninstall Windows from my laptop once I get comfortable with programming/web dev.
Thank you so much Robert for sharing your experience with us :)
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OMG a 1GB Excel file? is necessary to point out how awful is that?, That file shouldn't exist is you value any of it's data or if you plan to extract any useful or reliable information, I've seen monstrosities of a < 300MB, after 10min checking it out I found about 10 errors, that where there who knows how many weeks?, months?, years? ago. Good luck auditing a spreadsheet of even 10MB.
I think that is a good reflection of Windows overall, bites more that can chew, gives a false impression of competence, Windows makes backups but are very unreliable, until Win7 it was useless, (I don't know how is nowadays); so you thought you had a backup, but you hadn't, and you realize that just after you lost your data; it has helps and manuals, but are equally useless and that has been that way since Win 3.1; it comes with a browser whose only mission is to get another browser; a text editor that is worst that any other; a media player, well... useless; the GUI is user friendly, Win8 friendly?, I don't even know how many hours I wasted showing people how to move from XP to Vista/7, and now I don't expect to find anything quickly, even when I used Windows from 3.1 to Win7. The Windows installer is appalling, is like a Linux installer from the 90'; Can't see partitions other than their own, doesn't support other filesystems, is very limited in which partition you can boot, doesn't even have configurable bootloader.
I think that compare the 2 OSs user "friendliness" is unfair; Windows users don't deal with the mess; how many of them install their own Windows?, deal with antivirus SW and install drivers, basic SW and alike? usually they have someone to do those tasks for them. Their installation get increasingly laggy as Win install always do in time and when it is unbearable they ask their closest "free handyman" to deal with the problem or they buy another PC.
Is not that an airplane is easier to use than a car, is just that with the plane other is doing the hard part for you.
The difference is how difficult is for the handyman, in my case I installed Linux to all my close family since I don't want to deal with Windows anymore, I got tired of it. With Windows I had the dreaded call every month to fix something and a yearly reinstall when everything started to fall apart. Nowadays nothing, no monthly fix call, no yearly reinstall, no antivirus, it just works as Windows users like to say.
And after 10+ years using the same WM in Linux, I've seen many improvements but what I learned a decade ago still works now, no WinXP/Vista/8 UI messy changes. I bet all of those transitions took time and everyone did it because is Windows and that's what you do; but when they try Linux, after 30s of not knowing how to do something they claim that Linux is hard, and not user friendly, and not because you have access to the engine of your car you need to be a mechanic after all.
And Linux also carry some old obsolete claims repeated through the ages, Linux is just for hackers, you have to be a SW engineer only to install it, I've even heard about how ugly and old looking Linux is, really? have they seen stock PopOS!, Gnome or Elementary this days?
About Libreoffice Calc not been on pair of Excel, I sadly agree. And also if you have macros to work with, you won't be using them in Calc either. If you need some SW locked in Windows, then you're out of luck (unless you can emulate, VM or some other workaround)
Hi Robert,
Thank you for your feedback on my post.
I have handled excel file size of around 2GB. I used to work at a start-up then. So, we relied on excel only during initial days.
I always keep a backup of the original file :) There are several checks you can make in excel file to make it faster, for example, disable automatic calculation once you apple formula. This way, when you edit anything, the sheet will only refresh once you hit f9. Similarly, I don't use vlookups in large sheet.. So, many optimizations are there. And of course, your laptop should be powerful enough to handle the file. But I agree there is a limitation to the file size, that's why we purchased Tableau after a couple of years for data analysis stuffs.
Windows has improved, very much actually. Backups work in Windows 8+ , but I don't know about Windows7. Their support groups and forums are very helpful. The admins respond. Overall the support has improved actually.
Please try Edge browser once. I found it faster than Firefox. And VS code text editor ( by Microsoft) is Love .... But yes, its media player is a big No for me.
Agree with your point that sometimes Windows updates are uglier, cannot deny with that. But I am sticking with it for the time being because I have been using Windows for years, and my mind is addicted to windows :)
Overall I think, using any OS is based on user's choice and need. I can do web dev on windows but I will have to struggle when it comes to fixing codes. I can work on linux too but being a non-techie, I would have to learn some command lines first. I can do that easily, but I choose Windows because I don't have to learn command line to install a software in Windows. So, it is based on use case and need.
Windows is a boon for the people who come from a non-tech background. They can work on excel, watch movies, browse .. and that too with a few click.. Not by typing ..
Someday, I might uninstall Windows from my laptop once I get comfortable with programming/web dev.
Thank you so much Robert for sharing your experience with us :)