OT: Linux

[Souljah]

Hi

Can anyone give me any information on it?
Or at least direct me to some good sites with some discussion forums where I can ask my questions.....

I just wanted to know what it has up on Windows - I've been told its ALOT more reliable which prompted my inteterest in it.....

Is it difficult to operate, and what about software compatibility?

Any help is most appreciated.....

-greg

[ZIM]

Linux is cool. I tend to think its more reliable than windows but it does take some learning to figure out its niceties. Best thing is the amount of free applications and the degree of control you have over corporations spying on your surfing, hackers trying to get in, lack of viruses that can take you out, etc.

Best is to just try out one of the many distributions and see how you like it. I like Morphix for that. (http://morphix.sourceforge.net/modules/news/) It runs from your CDROM drive and you don't have to install it if you don't want. It detected everything on my system just fine and I was able to go online right away. All free.

My preference was for the HeavyGUI version, which you can burn on any disk.. the lightGUI fits on a business card sized disk. Once you get familiar with it, you can make your own bootable versions.

[txwingchun]

This is a good sight has a decent forum.
http://www.justlinux.com/

[Jowbacca]

The good:
Reliability, no blue screens, easier to exit ghost processes, higher performance because of less "bloat", very customizeable, and cheap. Lots of windows software has been ported over. Easy to develop on.

The bad:
Somtimes software conflicts (ie. different versions of the libraries supporting the applications causing conflicts between different programs you're trying to install). An environment of people with the mentality of "if it doesn't work, fix it". Not everything as plug and play as windows. A decent amount of shell commands or customization (of the gui) is usually required. Takes a lot more time than a typical windows box, in my experience. Not many big name game titles available (though some companies are working on this). New versions almost yearly.

Don't gotta take my words as law. I've been kinda flakey over the last few years in staying on top of the Linux scene. So a lot of the things I list may have been addressed.

[Laughing Cow]

Linux is bassically open-source Unix and can be downloaded for free, but I would recommend getting some thing like Red Hat 8 Linux which cost a bit but comes with support.

Linux is lot more reliable than Windows, can run on a variety of Hardwares and uses less resources than Windows.

Some Softwares are still not available for Linux but you should be able to get an equivalent one for free.
E.g. MS Office --> Open Office

Being a Unix system it takes a bit more effort to get it setup and to run smoothly, but I think it will be about the same as getting all the bugs out of Windows XP.

My Company is ditching all the Windows OS and heading for Linux.

[Souljah]

thanks for that - so what about software that was made for windows - like say.....norton antivirus or dreamweaver - can this be run in linux?

[Laughing Cow]

Originally posted by Souljah
thanks for that - so what about software that was made for windows - like say.....norton antivirus or dreamweaver - can this be run in linux?

A lot of the specialised Software like Fireworks is not available yet for Linux, AFAIK.
Best is to contact the maker of the Software and if they don't offer let them know that you would be interested.

But more and more Software is being ported across.

Norton antivirus seems to be already available.

BTW, say goodby to IE if you go the Linux route. All other Web-browsers are supported.

Hope this helps.

[Chang Style Novice]

I like when Snoopy tries to steal his blanket, but he holds on super tight, and the two of them go careening around the underbrush and...

Why are you all looking at me like that?

[txwingchun]

Originally posted by Souljah
thanks for that - so what about software that was made for windows - like say.....norton antivirus or dreamweaver - can this be run in linux?

Mandrake and Suse have the most software packages that I know of they might be good to start with.

www.suse.com

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/

and you don't have to worry about viruses too much with linux.

[Souljah]

[QUOTE]I like when Snoopy tries to steal his blanket, but he holds on super tight, and the two of them go careening around the underbrush and...

Why are you all looking at me like that?QUOTE]



.....right

lol


LC and TXWingChun - thanks for that.

Are games really not well supported? There must be some kind of emulator to run with em' (no?)

[Laughing Cow]

Originally posted by Souljah
[QUOTE]Are games really not well supported? There must be some kind of emulator to run with em' (no?)

I am sure there are, but the last game I played on a PC was a few years back.
:D

[Becca]

Originally posted by Laughing Cow
Linux is bassically open-source Unix and can be downloaded for free, but I would recommend getting some thing like Red Hat 8 Linux which cost a bit but comes with support.


RedHat is great. I'm running version 7 on my old HP desktop. Cost me $25 for a start up kit, "Teach Yourself RedHat Linux in 24 Hours" by Samson, Byars, and Releford. Comes with a full copy and a step by step guide on how to set it up and make it do what you want it to. Another $30 for WordPerfect Office 2000 for Linux. I have noticed that I have some problems e-mailing WP documents, though. The recipient can't always read it, even if I send as a word doc. But then, I have no problem sending plain text.

[ZIM]

Are games really not well supported? There must be some kind of emulator to run with em' (no?) WINE is the usual emulator, though I don't tend to use windows programs when using Linux myself. There's an increasing number of games being ported and/or written for Linux- I don't play them, but a google search brought up:

http://linuxgaming.net/

http://www.linuxgames.com/

http://www.linuxlookup.com/html/main/gaming.html

And Mandrake [which is the most popular crossover from windows] has http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/81/gaming-edition

Additionally, the Morphix listed earlier has a gaming module for it. Hope that all helps! :)

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i share the opinion presented in these comics:

http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=19990818

http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=19990820

there's one or two before the first and one between but those two are the funniest.

[Sho]

The only game needed is Quake 2 and it's already ported for Linux. :D

All the Linux distributions these days are fairly easy to comprehend by the average PC user. The graphical installation programs are very easy to follow and to understand. Linux basically has everything needed to replace Microsoft Windows. I'd say give Morphix a go - if you find it too complex and uncomfortable, change back to Windows.

[txwingchun]

Here's a page with info on using WineX for gaming
http://frankscorner.org/

[fragbot]

Originally posted by Souljah
Or at least direct me to some good sites with some discussion forums where I can ask my questions.....


There are boatloads of sites with information on linux. Likewise, there are tons of IRC channels available as well. Easiest place for answers to questions is probably IRC.



I just wanted to know what it has up on Windows - I've been told its ALOT more reliable which prompted my inteterest in it.....


I think it used to be much more reliable than Windows. However, I think Microsoft has taken reliability to heart over the last few releases and it's not as great a leap anymore. FWIW, before the flames start, I'm way more a BSD guy than I am a linux guy and way more a linux guy than I am a Windows guy.



Is it difficult to operate, and what about software compatibility?


Hmmm. Like anything new, it requires a time investment. How difficult is it? I think it's pretty easy to take care of, but I first worked on a Unix machine in 1987. In general, it's probably more difficult than Windows but, for several reasons, more satisfying.

Software compatibility is a tough one. While more and more companies are offering linux versions of their software, there are still many apps that aren't ported. Someone mentioned WINE earlier, but I doubt that's a good solution for most people.

As an aside, there are other free Unix-clones available--NetBSD, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. They all have their niches and pretty much run the same software Linux will (they'll often run pretty much any software compiled for Linux in a compatibility mode).

FWIW, if you have enough disk space available for two OSes on the same machine, install both Windows and a Unix-clone on the same machine. If you end up needing them both (usedta be my wife and I at home; she runs Windows and me FreeBSD), buy VMware and run both Windows and a Unix at the same time.

[ewallace]

Better yet have two computers (I prefer to have linux on the less powerful machine) so you can get answers right away when you screw up your linux box. :)

[Becca]

Better yet have two computers (I prefer to have linux on the less powerful machine) so you can get answers right away when you screw up your linux box.

:D

Have to agree. I put Linux on my old HP, but not so I can get help when I screw it up.:D I put it on my old PC because it was slow, there are 3 other computers in my house, including 1 MAC, and nothing is as good, reliable or easy to use as a server than RedHat. And the non-GUI side takes up very little resources, so the lack of memory don't really matter. And I am the only one who knows how to "do that scripting stuff" so I can always get on the 'puter when I want.:p

[Jowbacca]

Set my computer up for dual boot and installed a linux partition about a year ago.

Decided to get really fancy with my password, not something easy to remember, and ended up having to write it down somewhere.

Didn't get free time to actually set up the box until recently (past few months); but can't find my password.

Now it's probably going to be another year until I get around to reinstalling. By then there'll probably be another distribution or two.

Man I feel like a loser. hehe