Linux for Dummies

[jayyy]

How many of you cats actually use linux? is it a viable thing for computer buffs? what can you do on it that you can't on windows, and what can you do better? do you have a lot of compatibility issues? could you run an app like napster on it? lotsa driver problems with it? will anyone ever make a win compatible linux?

[striderf1]

no one really uses it as a stand alone, and its not a bad from what i hear, but since theres like no one that uses it, theres very limited software for it, and hardware compatability is a problem... wait till linux becomes more mainstream to use it

[WhiteTrashGOD]

I have to disagree with you strider, ALOT of people are using Linux. The numbers are growing larger every day. I have been using it for well over a year and I LOVE it. True, alot of applications are unavailable, but if an app is popular enough, chances are there is a Linux port of it somewhere. Jayy, to answer your question, there are SEVERAL napster clones for Linux. The one I use, and probably the most popular is gnapster. It looks and works almost identical to the windows version, and is much more stable. There are some compatibility issues of course, but most everything can be 'hacked' to work correctly with the right knowledge and the willingness to do a little research and reading. If you are interested in trying it out, I suggest Mandrake's distro as a great intro to Linux. It is very simple to set up, and can even be installed on an existing Windows partition. Give it a shot....

Linux is not for everyone, but it is my OS of choice.



------------------
-=WhiteTrashGOD=-

For unto the Trailer Park is Born a Savior...

[Battleship]

I use it to learn from, I also hate it. I am too stuck in my old ways. I love the ease of use and compatability in Windows.

Ive used diff versions of linux on an old 1.2G hard drive for over a year now. Its a learning tool right now not really an all inclusive OS for most people.


------------------
A:\ >format c:
WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK
DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with format (Y/N)?y

[jayyy]

What bothers you about it, battleship? does it just suck then or is there just no particular reason to get used to it?
I don't understand why its illegal to make a win compatible os. if a prog was written for windows, microsoft had nothing to do with it, so denying programmers the source code to let it run on their os strikes me as the kind of trust behaviour that demands a breakup. microsoft benefits for no real reason or contribution. I'd love to see competing os's.
hey WhitetrashGOD, where can I get that mandrake program? I'd like to see what linux is like.

[Battleship]

Here's a link to quite a few different distributions. If I were starting to use Linux I would use Mandrake or Corel Linux.
http://www.linux.org/dist/english.html

"Does it suck?"

Well that depends on your definition of suck. If suck means that it is a pain in the ass to get everything to work when you already have a fine OS that works with just about everything you throw at it then yeah it sucks.
For the record I dont think it sucks. Its different and for me all it is is a learning tool. Its nice to know and perhaps it'll give you more job opportunities down the road to know it.

Me and WhiteTrashGod already had a short discussion on this and he never came back to it. Here's the link to that.
http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000819.html

------------------
A:\ >format c:
WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK
DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with format (Y/N)?y

[Stef]

Linux for dummies??? No, you got it all wrong, Windows is the OS based for dummies, Linux is for powerusers http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

From being an OS that can run over a cluster of 192 Pentium 3 CPU's ( Beowulf Project (http://tux.anu.edu.au/Projects/Beowulf/) ) to being slimed down onto a floopy to be ran as one of the worlds most advanced software routers ( Linux Router Project (http://www.linuxrouter.org/) ), Linux is the king of the hill!!


But in reality, Linux is only what you can make out of it. The open-source model only provides you with the tools for developing a better OS, you have to do the rest!!

[Stu]

Jayyy:

To answer your questions.

"How many of you cats actually use linux?"

I've used it for years.

"is it a viable thing for computer buffs? "

Well, people who run linux/unix/bsd have more knowledge, in general, about how a computer operates. Not to mention, at least from a computing/business standpoint the unices are more powerful and, in most cases, more stable than Windows.

"what can you do on it that you can't on windows, and what can you do better?"

Tough question. Depending on what you intend to use your computer for (i.e., gaming, database server, word processing tool, etc.), there are many comparisons that can be made. In general, there are less constraints in terms of programming in a unix enviroment than there are in Windows. In addition, the unices handle memory management better and are more flexible in terms of operating under different processor architectures.

"do you have a lot of compatibility issues?"

Me personally, no. I buy hardware that is compatible. Some may point out that you can't run the lastest and greatest video card with it, or software modem (a.k.a winmodem). Of course, Windows isn't compatible with some things as well--like the Power PC and the Sparc processors.

"lotsa driver problems with it?"

Depends on the hardware you use with it.

"will anyone ever make a win compatible linux?"

Guess that depends on what exactly you are asking. If you mean, will there be a desktop environment that looks and feels like Windows that runs linux underneath--there already are a few out there. If you mean, will there be a linux that will run on the FAT file system--there is one. If you mean, will there be a linux that interacts and uses the same device drivers that Windows does--probably off somewhere in the future.

Now, to a question you didn't ask. Can I run Windows software in linux?

There are a few open source projects that are trying to make this 100% possible (the most well known is probably WINE). They haven't reached this goal yet. But they do a pretty good job. Also, there is a company, VMWare, that makes a product that allows both Windows and linux users to install virtual machines and run other operating systems from within their primary operating system. So, in linux I could open a window that has Windows NT running in it--or vica versa. Giving you the best of both worlds (although, VMWare says its' software runs better when installed on linux).