Microsoft Windows' utility is tied to its stranglehold on the market.
December 17, 2024

Microsoft Windows' utility is tied to its stranglehold on the market.

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Windows 10 Pro

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft Windows

We use Microsoft Windows on our desktop machines, development workstations and servers. The software we sell requires windows 10 minimum, as well as Microsoft SQL Server. All of our productivity applications are microsoft-based, and run on windows, including office, our trouble ticketing system, our accounting and sales tracking suites and the many small apps we use for development and testing.

Pros

  • It is very easy to use, can be picked up by a novice in minutes.
  • It is aesthetically pleasing, and appears clean and modern.
  • Most programs that people use in their day to day run on windows natively.

Cons

  • Resource usage is ridiculous, sitting at idle routinely half of my ram is consumed just by Windows and it's services.
  • Windows runs slowly, mostly because of it's overuse of resources.
  • Windows crashes more frequently than Linux or Mac OS.
  • Mostly because of its ubiquity, it is a big wide open target for hackers, scammers and malware writers.
  • As a a windows-based app, with a windows-using customer base, working in the environment is extremely helpful.
  • Relatively easy to develop on, there is documentation and support widely available.
  • VERY wide hardware compatibility, any replacement parts we need for our machines are easy to use.
  • Windows updates frequently fail requiring our MSP or more often one of our customer support staff to intervene to get them running again.
  • Poor performance and inefficient resource utilization requires frequent upgrades.
  • Windows 10's service ending next year has required company-wide hardware upgrades due to the Windows 11's excessive requirements.
It is very usable, and easy to learn. Most of what you do can be done with just a mouse. Mac OS and Linux are far more challenging and have a much steeper learning curve.
Windows runs literally every piece of software I need to work. Installations are usually quick and uncomplicated, and configuration is usually quite simple, rarely requiring finding config files and editing them manually.

I chose Windows only because I had no other choice, given the requirements of my job. Because I am experienced in Linux and am not afraid to dig deep for troubleshooting and configuration, Linux is preferable to me in general. Windows requires frequent updates that also require frequent reboots, and the longer you use it the more bloated it gets.

If I were able to convinec my superiors to allow it, I would be running Windows 11 as a VM inside of Linux Mint or Debian.

Do you think Microsoft Windows delivers good value for the price?

No

Are you happy with Microsoft Windows's feature set?

Yes

Did Microsoft Windows live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Microsoft Windows go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Microsoft Windows again?

No

Microsoft SQL Server, Google Chrome, Microsoft 365, RingCentral Contact Center, SAP Crystal, Notepad++, GIMP, WinRAR, CutePDF, Bitdefender Network Traffic Security Analytics (discontinued), OBS Studio
The vast majority of business applications require it. There are some equivalents available on Linux for most applications, for example Gimp as an alternative for Photoshop, or thunderbird for Outlook, but some very specific apps require it to run correctly. Wine is difficult to configure and use, and can create instability. As a result, it is pretty much always recommended.

Comments

More Reviews of Microsoft Windows

  1. Home
  2. Operating Systems
  3. Microsoft Windows Reviews
  4. User Review of Microsoft Windows