Should I replace Windows 8.1 with Ubuntu?

[nxwing]

I know that Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu are great operating systems and I have both on my laptop with Windows as the main OS. I just want to know if its worth deleting the Windows 8.1 Partition and expanding Ubuntu. I usually use Windows 8.1 for student work, MS Office and emulation but I know that Ubuntu has Wine that allows you use Windows Applications and has very great compatibility. Windows 8.1 really takes a lot of CPU Usage on laptop, it goes as high as 97% and frequently overheats while in Ubuntu it doesn't overheat as much.

Here are my main concerns

• Can I install printer drivers and software on Ubuntu? My printer is a Canon Pixma P200 to be exact.
• Can I install MS Office on Ubuntu? 2010 or 2013 will do
• Can I install a new LTS version of Ubuntu without losing any data after support for my version of LTS has ended?
• Is CPU performance better with Ubuntu?
• Can I install Windows applications that need to be installed on the drive with Wine? (e.g. SD Formatter)
• Can I run indie games from GameJolt with Wine?

And finally, I want to hear your opinion/s on both OSs and which one you think is betrer.

 

[RevPokemon]

1) from what I've read that series doesn't work on Ubuntu

2) yes in a way
Check.http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/07/run-microsoft-office-web-apps-ubuntu-desktop

3)not sure

4)yes it is over windows although other factors can apply

5)guessing yes but not sure

6) with wine you can run the file although not all games may work


Hope I helped

 

[blinkzane]

Your best bet is to dual boot and test your grounds, I love ubuntu and all but I'm not comfortable using it as a standalone operating system. you should look into the windows 10 tech preview if youre interested in new OS

 

[nxwing]

I got the gutenprint driver and I am currently testing it out. Does anybody know scanner applications for Ubuntu?

 

[CuriousTommy]

I know that Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu are great operating systems and I have both on my laptop with Windows as the main OS. I just want to know if its worth deleting the Windows 8.1 Partition and expanding Ubuntu. I usually use Windows 8.1 for student work, MS Office and emulation but I know that Ubuntu has Wine that allows you use Windows Applications and has very great compatibility. Windows 8.1 really takes a lot of CPU Usage on laptop, it goes as high as 97% and frequently overheats while in Ubuntu it doesn't overheat as much.

Here are my main concerns

• Can I install printer drivers and software on Ubuntu? My printer is a Canon Pixma P200 to be exact.
• Can I install MS Office on Ubuntu? 2010 or 2013 will do
• Can I install a new LTS version of Ubuntu without losing any data after support for my version of LTS has ended?
• Is CPU performance better with Ubuntu?
• Can I install Windows applications that need to be installed on the drive with Wine? (e.g. SD Formatter)
• Can I run indie games from GameJolt with Wine?

And finally, I want to hear your opinion/s on both OSs and which one you think is betrer.

While I can't answer all of your questions, I can answer some of it. (It has been a while since I used Ubuntu)

• For the MS Office, I can tell you by hand that I personally had a horrible time setting up MS Office on wine. It never works... That being said, there alternatives depending on what you need. Google Drive (www.drive.google.com), iWork online (www.icloud.com), and Office Online (www.office.live.com). If you need to write a formal essay, these services can get the job done. You can use Pages (from iCloud) to make your paper look less bland.
• Personally, when I use to use Ubuntu, it always seems to use a good amount of the CPU. However using a other distro like Gnome Ubuntu, it does not use as much CPU power.
• Now do realize when using wine, not everything will work. I also believe that anything that involves partitioning or using the USB (I heard there were exception to this) will not work at all. But I could be wrong... Best to check the application database (https://appdb.winehq.org/)!
• On a side note, you can use the Disk application or download gparted to repartiton your SD card.

I don't use Ubuntu anymore even though I love the interface. The forked gnome apps that Ubuntu uses feel somewhat broken to me (that might of changed though). I also don't like how it uses more resources in comparison to other desktop environments on Linux. But despite these downsides, I still think Ubuntu is a nice OS for beginners. However if something goes really wrong with your install, have fun researching online for solution and banging your head against the keyboard (thankfully I rarely have to deal with those issues).​

​

I also don't think think Windows itself is a bad OS. It is a very easy OS to use and most apps are developed with a gui in mind. Something I wish that Linux would prioritize at times...​

I personally think Linux is better because of partitions like btfrs that try to protect your data from rotting.

To sum it all up, It up to you. I recommend you keep the window partition for emergencies if you go the Linux path.

Also is your Windows partition filled with bloatware? Maybe the bloatware is using up your resources.
Here is a good video that could help you if that is the case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=95&v=FMGX6UnCASE

P.S. Sorry if this is unreadable to you. I was rushing when I made this. Feel free asking me to clarify on anything you did not understand!

 

[loco365]

Windows 8 shouldn't be using 97% of your CPU. If it is, under the Service Host, sometimes Universal PnP will go up through the roof in CPU usage. You can kill it without worrying.

As for CPU performance between the two, I find that Ubuntu uses my CPU a tad more than Windows 8 under identical conditions on my laptop. I do have Wine installed though, it's nice to have. As well, if you want to, try the Windows 10 preview and see how it goes. You're getting a free upgrade for it from 8 anyways, so perhaps seeing how it runs on your computer might be able to allow you to still use all the old applications and drivers that you're currently using on 8 anyways.

 

[enarky]

As a long time Linux afficionado: do not replace Windows with any Linux, especially if the questions from your post are your concern. It's far too early for you for a replacement, this will just end in frustration. It's 2015, you don't have to replace or even dual boot anymore to try out another OS, just get VirtualBox, install Ubuntu and test the waters. If you like what you see and you tried everything that concerned you after a while you can still make the switch to dual boot.

 

[Retr0Capez]

If you dual boot, be careful. Windows 8 is unstable with Linux distros sometimes. When I installed ubuntu on my 8 and then 8.1 came out, I thought it was a patch. Turned out to be a whole remade OS. HDD got corrupted and had to wipe it.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Don't use Linux to do Windows work, it won't be a good idea.
If you want to use specifically Microsoft Office, stay on Windows.
If you must use many windows programs for your student work, stay on Windows.
If you want to play Windows games, for the sake of god stay on Windows.

Now, if you can use Libreoffice, LyX, LaTeX, whatever for your student work you can use Linux (I would write a scientific paper in LaTeX any say before using that PoS named Microsoft Word and its horrible slow and just horrible way of writing formula and making reference, it should burn in hell... for scientific documents).
If you will play Linux native games (steam/emulators/whatever), you can use Linux.
Using Windows software on Linux (specially games) is looking for problems.
Also, Linux is not particularly faster nor uses the CPU particularly better than Windows (and actually Ubuntu is a resource whore, I prefer going Debian or Mint).
Something is definitively wrong with your Windows 8, mine has the CPU in 1~5% most of the time, unless I run some CPU intensive task (e.g. Dolphin).