Funny Story: User don’t believe Linux can run without Windows

“You are kidding arent you ?â€
Some really clever windows user, made a funny but sad post on ZDNET’s forum saying that Linux can’t run on any computer without Windows underneath it.

You can read what he says HERE at the forum.

Or you can just read below:

Are you saying that this linux can run on a computer without windows underneath it, at all ? As in, without a boot disk, without any drivers, and without any services ?

That sounds preposterous to me.

If it were true (and I doubt it), then companies would be selling computers without a windows. This clearly is not happening, so there must be some error in your calculations. I hope you realise that windows is more than just Office ? Its a whole system that runs the computer from start to finish, and that is a very difficult thing to acheive. A lot of people dont realise this.

Microsoft just spent $9 billion and many years to create Vista, so it does not sound reasonable that some new alternative could just snap into existence overnight like that. It would take billions of dollars and a massive effort to achieve. IBM tried, and spent a huge amount of money developing OS/2 but could never keep up with Windows. Apple tried to create their own system for years, but finally gave up recently and moved to Intel and Microsoft.

Its just not possible that a freeware like the Linux could be extended to the point where it runs the entire computer fron start to finish, without using some of the more critical parts of windows. Not possible.

I think you need to re-examine your assumptions.

This is one of the funniest things I’ve read in some time!

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57 Replies

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  1. 1 Dave

    I have to agree with you, that is pretty funny. Unfortunately, there are those people out there who have no clue about Linux. I’m assuming you’re a fan of Linux, if you are, check out my blog http://www.davidrware.com - its all about Linux, programming and web development.

  2. 2 QUASAR

    sad sad xD

  3. 3 Esley

    Some people really do live in a parallel world…
    He may even believe that Microsoft Office is the only office suite that exists. Had he never heard about Dell?

  4. 4 Janie Mcpherson

    I’ve been using Ubuntu ever since my boyfriend installed it on my laptop. All it cost me was a blow job.
    Janie

  5. 5 HumanMan

    It was almost to hard to read. I liked the bit about Apple failing and moving to Intel and Microsoft.

    I can not believe that this guy has a job even talking about computers.

  6. 6 brice

    my favorite part is the part about apple…
    he says they finally just gave up on developing an os and moved to intel and microsoft…
    seems to me that intel is just a processor making company now…not an os…lol
    i saw this post outside of your blog….and i just stumble’d on it today…
    i laughed for hours after i read it the first time….what a fucknut…
    the original thread was very interesting though…although for the life of me i cannot remember what it was…
    i just remember something about ubuntu packaged computers in mexico…
    and also he seems to think that the past 25 years that people have spent developing linux is “overnight” and that it snuck up on microsoft…lol

  7. 7 Virgil Alighieri

    It’s quite sad that some people make such broad generalized statements without doing the research. My friend is running Ubuntu and I’m actually quite jealous, since I’m still running Windows. His system runs smoothly, with nearly zero glitches. Windows continues to piss me off with its wonderful erratic and cryptic error messages that pop up whenever they feel like.

    And just because most computers aren’t sold with a Windows OS, what about home-built ones?

  8. 8 Matt`

    Every time I read that quote I’m convinced he’s joking and just trying to rile up the Linux supporters and/or the anti-Microsoft brigade.

    Either way, it raises the question - how deliberately stupid would a comment have to be before *everyone* realises its a windup?

    Depends on context and audience I guess.. take Youtube for example
    - the comments are thicker than pitch to start with, so you’d be able to come out with a lot of dumb and still have someone take it seriously. Somewhere with a higher average IQ.. not so much.

  9. 9 frank

    Janie if you gave me a nosh i’d install Linux and XP for you….

  10. 10 FoxOne

    well man, you made my day. i had a crappy day yesterday and was bit annoyed this morning, but when i looked at what you have posted (i have checked the link and the other comments) and it just made my day and for that i do thank you. regarding the other issue, well, i am not even going to waist too much time and effort (typing) to comment on it.

    take care.

    ///FoxOne

  11. 11 netstat

    I’d 1-up frank and offer to install GIMP and Wolfenstein on Janie’s PC. I’ll even upgrade all of the driver’s. Wait, Janie is female right?

  12. 12 Fred Garvin

    This is troll folks and an old one at that. Original source is here http://education.zdnet.com/?p=908 search page for jerryleecooper to find all posts.

  13. 13 scott

    Thank you, I love linux, so I am bias, and will admit that. However I have been trying to only use linux(Why? im broke, and loath windows for their defects). I love games and really the only alternative is Winblows. This is only true becaue, yes linux can run Winblows games, but wine and even cedega sucks major balls at running games that are’nt new and even require much configuration . I’ve spent hours trying to run games on linux.(Why? i love free software! and even tho i can d/l everything on torrent id rather have a free alternative, and i learn alot in the process). Fact of the matter is i hate windows and how they evolve in their OS’s(look at Vista compaird to XP). In order to run games you neee windows. Dopes this mean winblows is better? NO! It means developers are using windows beacause its the most viable OS to sell games with!!! It is about money and all of uyse have the power to fight that. See Erne ball’s case against MS.

  14. 14 sam

    i wonder if this little man can fathom the office suite that is openoffice.org.

  15. 15 Ferdinando

    A couple of points:

    1. Janie you rule and that’s it!! We need more women with that attitude on this planet! (oopss hopefully my wife won’t read this comment)

    2. I find Linux extremely useful - I use an hybrid network at home with a mix of Windows XP Pro, Xubuntu and Vista (sorry about this last one, it came preinstalled on my new notebook, I swear I did not want it!!).
    One thing I like about Linux is the extreme flexibility in configuring it exactly for the specific purpose. That guy saying Linux cannot run without Windows cracks me up - come on we need more comedians like him…

  16. 16 SMARTER THAN U

    Whoever wrote that stuff was obviously the dumbest guy in the computer business. That just goes to show how people always open run their mouths without knowing what the hell they’re talking about. This idiot should be a Politician because he’s far from being a computer expert. It’s just goes to show how controlled the state of American really is. To believe what this guy said is to be totally ignorant to the facts and blind to the truth.

  17. 17 linuxamp

    Janie, If you ever decide to change distros give me a call!

    But seriously this is one funny guy. Sure there are people who have never heard of Linux since it’s still rare to find Linux computers at your local computer store (Walmart and Dell excluded) but this person even believes that MacOS runs ON Windows. That’s hilarious.

    I think part of the problem is Linux marketing. Stick a “Powered by Linux” emblem on phones, routers, Tivos, kiosks, cash registers, and it’d be a lot more household. I for one have a “Powered by Linux” emblem on all my websites.

  18. 18 Jason

    You’re telling me that Windows has more to offer than Office? No way! Whoever wrote that article is a jackass.

  19. 19 fo sho

    Wrong industry buddy… real estate agent ——> [that way]

  20. 20 mohrt

    This has to be a joke.

  21. 21 Steve Parker
  22. 22 DanielAndrade

    Yes, this is just a joke!

  23. 23 Giorgis

    This guy is awesome. Do not enlighten him. He is a traveling linus advertisement.

    G

  24. 24 anon

    jerryleecooper.com

    He’s faking it. Most people can’t tell he’s joking. He’s a superb troll, and you got trolled. Hard.

  25. 25 Oliver

    i know this is funny… i know it, but it doesn’t make me laugh… it’s more like frustration =)

  26. 26 Canthus13

    This isn’t a user.. this is a troll. Jerry lee Cooper. check out jerryleecooper.com for more idiotic quotes from this guy.

  27. 27 Bahri

    lol! A troll or not, it’s so ****ing funny!

    I guessed that was a joke, because I wouldn’t expect a guy who’d say these could write a comment. :) I’d even shocked to learn he could write.

  28. 28 KB

    There’s no way Linux can run without Windows under it. Also, you cannot drink Pepsi without drinking Coke first. By the way, did you know you needed Photoshop installed to run The Gimp? Also, OpenOffice relies heavily on Microsoft Office tools.

    That dude is such a tool. :D

  29. 29 Jack

    This reminds (I’m not sure why)of a response that I normally receive when asking someone that has a computer issue a certain question.

    “What brand of computer do you have?”

    “Windows”

    I’m not sure most people even understand the difference…

  30. 30 captain obvious

    AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… HAHAHHAAAAA… HAAAAAAAA… ha.

  31. 31 mememe

    hahaha, thats hilarious, i like the part about apple and how linux was made “overnight” xD
    and janie = awesome

    also, i lost the game

  32. 32 Janie Fan

    Janie, if you’d like me to recompile your kernel please call. No commitment required, we can do it and never talk again.

  33. 33 dickwad

    It is soo obviously ’shopped that no comment is required.

  34. 34 Rebenga

    Jerry Lee Cooper is a fairly amusing troll. Provided he actually is a troll, otherwise he’s just a really, really daft Windows-fanboy.

  35. 35 Chad

    This is very true, the Linux can not run with windows underneath it. Everyone know the Linux likes it on top!

  36. 36 Rob

    LOL, Sad, or just the biggest troll since the creation of the internetz.

  37. 37 TuxTheMagicPenguin

    *cries hysterically while laughing insanely*

    It’s just as sad as it is funny…

  38. 38 chesss

    Obviously fake…
    prolly some lin-sux fanboy got bored of configuring his system..

  39. 39 Anonymous Coward

    I’m writing this under the guise of anonymity because I feel I will likely be persecuted for saying this, but the guy must be right.

    Linux couldn’t possibly work end-to-end without some kind of Windows thing beneath it. Think about it, Microsoft had to have spent over a million dollars developing Windows. You think people would build freeware of that magnitude?

    And I remember reading that article about Apple switching to Intel and Microsoft. Remember that thing called Boot Camp? That was Apple’s waiving of the white flag. Why compete with Microsoft when they could run Windows on their Macs?

    You guys should do your research before slamming this guy’s posting.

  40. 40 Sam Zhang

    I’m not persecuting you, Anonymous Coward but it’s quite possible. Linux is a operating system which has been polished for many years since 1991 when Linus Torvalds wrote the kernel for it. Since then many people who wanted a alternative to non free OSs, people that want to REALLY customize their OS have volunteered their time to look at the code and refine it. Those people did it in their own time so they were not paid for it.

    Ever heard of Novell? They are a company who packaged the Linux kernel in with lots of other stuff to make it usable for typical people. (openSUSE) Novell is a pretty big company and if there was any trace of Microsoft code in Linux then MS would see it as a threat to themselves basically Linux would be toast right now. But google “linux” and you’ll find that it’s still a vibrant community filled with tons of contributors.

    It is true and I am admitting it that MS did attempt to sue Linux but the case was not theft of intellectual property, but actually for patent infringement. They eventually withdrew the case because they realized that it was not worth it.

    Take my word or not but Linux is a operating system developed from scratch and is 100% free.

    (And I did do research)

  41. 41 Sam Zhang

    Excuse my grammatical errors. It’s basically a first draft if it were a thesis.

  42. 42 SoyncLydayabnopay

    hello it is test. WinRAR provides the full RAR and ZIP file support, can decompress CAB, GZIP, ACE and other archive formats.
    ovfzonznxqqsxfjyjryfrzheassztqvvstzhello

  43. 43 Mark Wilson

    haha that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard from a windows geek ever

  44. 44 marvin nubwaxer

    hey, i know people who can’t operate a mouse. i use linux a little, like pc linux mini. and my computer is really 2 in 1 running leopard 10.5.5 as well as xp (i’m a pc). so don’t get too smug in your superiority. linux for normal people can still be made less geeked, and as that happens we will come with your glad to be led.

  45. 45 Pie

    just…. wow

  46. 46 Luiz Augusto Prado

    Ohh my! Is it a Joke?!!!
    Which planet are this person come from?
    If everybody know about ubuntu…

  47. 47 Bum

    I think that Janie was more amusing for most of the readers with her story, no matter if both stories were fake…

  48. 48 Netana

    hey janie do you have a sister?

    But seriously Linux has been running web servers for a long time now and if stocks are anything to go by M$ is getting their a$$ handed to them by the open source movement or at least by Apple

  49. 49 Mathias

    Damn funny post, some people really are clueless.

  50. 50 crimulus

    That is fantastic!! Such beautiful logic does not befit Microsoft lol But thanks for sharing this. I had a great guffaw!

  51. 51 Larry

    I believe in this world of ours that we get one thing wrong…we believe the cream rises to the top …in actuality…the guys that make things work and keep our world turning couldn’t be the cream.

    Especially with an example like this…

  52. 52 VSP

    This is the hundredth time I’ve seen this, and every time, I imagine a pompous guy from the eighteenth century reading it.

  53. 53 Luiz Prado

    A common questions here:
    What is operating system? Are there other OS?

    Too much people don’t know that can spend less money.

    If the Linux has the same big advertisement on TV like Micro$oft…
    Can you think about it?

  54. 54 Kevin

    How did Apple move to Microsoft?

  55. 55 Jacques

    3 things here:
    First thing: Janie, your a slut. I bet your father is cringing right now.

    Second thing: It is obviously a joke and this site is reporting on it…won’t be here again.

    Third thing: Did you fart so hard you ended up in another zip code?

  56. 56 David

    Janie Mcpherson,

    If you need any help with Linux, or anything, please give me a call.
    ;)

  57. 57 ama_fi

    This story is clearly only 99.95% Troll, which makes about 3.4 Milj. people thinking this way.

    Besides Apple uses Intel now and it has windows in it’s bootcamp.

    :P

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