Linux!

[Wynd]

I use it a lot more than Windows in my room. Here at school all the computers are either 2000 pro or XP pro, and they are decently fast, but I just don't like the Windows interface and how you can't customize everything. I installed Slackware 9 and everything worked except my NIC and video card (both nVidia, so I got the drivers off their website which worked fine). So now that's what I use unless I wanna play some Shockwava games :D

[loveletslive]

mac osx all teh way!!! ^^

[Hilde]

A temperamental windows vista.

[mcts]

[quote name='loveletslive' date='01 February 2010 - 04:55 PM' timestamp='1265061303' post='2049110']
mac osx all teh way!!! ^^
[/quote]

Agreed.






I'd kind of like to partition my hard drive and run linux as well. I'm not sure, though.

[Ed Normile]

I use linux all the time, its a free system, open and available to change or modify as you choose under the GNU license, which basically just states that if you do change something give credit to the original in your program. I know its a learning process, but nothing any person with a few functioning brain cells left, like myself, can not pick up in a few hours. Plus there is so much online content and documentation as well as help sites there is nothing you can not figure out. Of course if you want out of the box functionality and an unlimited supply of resonably priced software Windows is the way to go. On the other hand if you are gullible and want to feel as if you are in some elite group, and also are willing to pay excessive prices for a very limited supply of software then the Apple O.S. is for you! This is ensured as Apple has only been able to con a 7.8% share of the worldwide computer user market, compared to linux which has a very respectable 18% , the majority of the remaining market is Windows boxes wich is why, according to market rules, they have an enormous amount of software and all of it is reasonably priced, compared with Apple software. Of course Linux software is free, free to use, to distribute, and to modify, the only drawback is as there is no profit involved, the drivers come slowly as they are written by users for free. The advent of out of the box linux systems with the software installed on your new computer ready to run everything including windows apps may make a difference among the effete who are scared of trying a new O.S., plus it shaves hundreds off the price of any system. Apple has started to wise up some, they have their own windows emulator now to broaden the horizons of the sheeple they have conned into thinking they are in a special group of elite software users, I wonder what they think now that Apple is admitting they need to be able to run windows apps?

Someone here mentioned W.I.N.E , its the windows emulator mainly used for playing games, but also will run any other app for windows, there are dozens of sites online that will walk you through installation and setup of this program and its works great!

My favorite Linux apps, Firefox web browser, faster than anything offered by windows, G.I.M.P. an image and photo manipulation program that is better, in my opinion, than Photoshop, totally free, supports unlimited layers and has all the neat things you would expect, EMACS text editor, a powerful text editing and formatting software, totally w.y.s.i.w.y.g. and of course there are any fonts you want use, complete windows copies as well as actual windows fonts capablilities it also has a file manager and can be used as a browser and really a complete O.S., Open Office a full featured office suite that rivals windows office, is totally compatiblewith Windows Office, you can open and modify word docs, spreadsheets, math and also run and open presentations created under the windows app. , and of course free to use and modify, there are many free and open programming IDES such as Anjuta, and Codeblocks, that create and run Ruby, Ruby on rails , C, C++, Python, C#, Ada, Java, Javascript, J, J++ any way you get the idea, these are full featured IDEs that have syntax highlighting, compilers, error checkers abd debuggers, and of course totally free! Not to forget Totem an open source Windows media player rival with as much features as windows, there are dozens of like free apps along these lines but this is my favorite one.

Give it a try, you can either partition your hard drive to install it, takes only a fraction of the space of a windows setup, which is why it starts faster and crashes less, or you can burn a live disk with the O.S. on it, this way when you boot your system the boot menu reads the boot disk and bypasses Windows or Apple O.S.'s and boots up the linux variety you want to try, you can also boot any of the popular linux systems this way, Mandrake, Redhat, Ubuntu etc. all with no worry about changing your harddrive.

Another thing I thought I read here, someone said it was easy to hack, this is completely untrue, there are no viruses around that affect linux distros! It is the most secure O.S. available as this was the intent when created, under windows anyone can take control of your computer taking advantage of openings in either your software or browser or even as simple as opening an email, linux is setup with a root administrator password system, along with many other redundant measures that leave no opening for hacks, that is why you never hear of a linux system being compromised by viruses.

Edit, Oh Yeah, I am using Redhat 10 on this laptop with the Mozilla Firefox 3.0.15 right now, really exculsively. Jump on the freedom train! Check out a linux O.S. for FREE !!

ed

Edited February 2, 2010 by Ed Normile

[mcts]

If I was to use linux, which version would you suggest? I run OS X right now.

[Ed Normile]

[quote name='mcts' date='02 February 2010 - 03:30 PM' timestamp='1265142625' post='2049855']
If I was to use linux, which version would you suggest? I run OS X right now.
[/quote]

If I were to offer you a choice of linux varieties, judging simply by your age and assuming you are in school I would suggest Ubuntu. Its the most education enhanced version, it has all the apps you will ever need and they have a program online where in the spirit of free use they will actually send you a pre formatted disk with evreything on it, including the live option that you can try it without having to install it to disk !, and if you like it then install it. They do this to promote the free model in software, allowing any to have a complete solution without the need to be bound to a propietary O.S. They provide the free disks for those who have financial constraints, you could also give a small donation if you are able. Any of the others varieties you will have to download and burn to a disk, you can get Ubuntu this way too.

[url="http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu"]Ubun[/url] <-- anyhow, that is the link, I missed the tu at the end!

ed

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='mcts' date='02 February 2010 - 03:30 PM' timestamp='1265142625' post='2049855']
If I was to use linux, which version would you suggest? I run OS X right now.
[/quote]

I use Ubuntu myself, and while I think that it is a fine distribution to start with, I would recommend a LiveCD version of Linux before even that. A LiveCD is a version of Linux that runs off a CD or DVD. This means that you can try Linux without worrying about wiping or partitioning your hard drive.

My favorite LiveCD distribution is Knoppix: www.knoppix.net
Most Ubuntu install CDs also double as Live CD's, though they aren't as full featured.
Ubuntu also offers a version of itself that runs under Windows, which would be another way to easily try it: http://wubi-installer.org

[ReinnieR]

[quote name='Ed Normile' date='02 February 2010 - 03:40 PM' timestamp='1265139603' post='2049822']
I use linux all the time, its a free system, open and available to change or modify as you choose under the GNU license, which basically just states that if you do change something give credit to the original in your program. I know its a learning process, but nothing any person with a few functioning brain cells left, like myself, can not pick up in a few hours. Plus there is so much online content and documentation as well as help sites there is nothing you can not figure out. Of course if you want out of the box functionality and an unlimited supply of resonably priced software Windows is the way to go. On the other hand if you are gullible and want to feel as if you are in some elite group, and also are willing to pay excessive prices for a very limited supply of software then the Apple O.S. is for you! This is ensured as Apple has only been able to con a 7.8% share of the worldwide computer user market, compared to linux which has a very respectable 18% , the majority of the remaining market is Windows boxes wich is why, according to market rules, they have an enormous amount of software and all of it is reasonably priced, compared with Apple software. Of course Linux software is free, free to use, to distribute, and to modify, the only drawback is as there is no profit involved, the drivers come slowly as they are written by users for free. The advent of out of the box linux systems with the software installed on your new computer ready to run everything including windows apps may make a difference among the effete who are scared of trying a new O.S., plus it shaves hundreds off the price of any system. Apple has started to wise up some, they have their own windows emulator now to broaden the horizons of the sheeple they have conned into thinking they are in a special group of elite software users, I wonder what they think now that Apple is admitting they need to be able to run windows apps?

Someone here mentioned W.I.N.E , its the windows emulator mainly used for playing games, but also will run any other app for windows, there are dozens of sites online that will walk you through installation and setup of this program and its works great!

My favorite Linux apps, Firefox web browser, faster than anything offered by windows, G.I.M.P. an image and photo manipulation program that is better, in my opinion, than Photoshop, totally free, supports unlimited layers and has all the neat things you would expect, EMACS text editor, a powerful text editing and formatting software, totally w.y.s.i.w.y.g. and of course there are any fonts you want use, complete windows copies as well as actual windows fonts capablilities it also has a file manager and can be used as a browser and really a complete O.S., Open Office a full featured office suite that rivals windows office, is totally compatiblewith Windows Office, you can open and modify word docs, spreadsheets, math and also run and open presentations created under the windows app. , and of course free to use and modify, there are many free and open programming IDES such as Anjuta, and Codeblocks, that create and run Ruby, Ruby on rails , C, C++, Python, C#, Ada, Java, Javascript, J, J++ any way you get the idea, these are full featured IDEs that have syntax highlighting, compilers, error checkers abd debuggers, and of course totally free! Not to forget Totem an open source Windows media player rival with as much features as windows, there are dozens of like free apps along these lines but this is my favorite one.

Give it a try, you can either partition your hard drive to install it, takes only a fraction of the space of a windows setup, which is why it starts faster and crashes less, or you can burn a live disk with the O.S. on it, this way when you boot your system the boot menu reads the boot disk and bypasses Windows or Apple O.S.'s and boots up the linux variety you want to try, you can also boot any of the popular linux systems this way, Mandrake, Redhat, Ubuntu etc. all with no worry about changing your harddrive.

Another thing I thought I read here, someone said it was easy to hack, this is completely untrue, there are no viruses around that affect linux distros! It is the most secure O.S. available as this was the intent when created, under windows anyone can take control of your computer taking advantage of openings in either your software or browser or even as simple as opening an email, linux is setup with a root administrator password system, along with many other redundant measures that leave no opening for hacks, that is why you never hear of a linux system being compromised by viruses.

Edit, Oh Yeah, I am using Redhat 10 on this laptop with the Mozilla Firefox 3.0.15 right now, really exculsively. Jump on the freedom train! Check out a linux O.S. for FREE !!

ed
[/quote]
I don't think i'm gonna read all that. Linux is great. but you're sounding like a mac cultist only trying to sell linux. i think Linux is great i think mac os x is great i also think windows 7 is great. I'll tell you one thing though: nobody can drag me in to any of these cult mac pc or linux. i'll stick to dual booting linux and windows. and i can't afford to own a mac so just those 2 for now.

[Lounge Daddy]

[quote name='mommas_boy' date='02 February 2010 - 06:18 PM' timestamp='1265152689' post='2050003']
I use Ubuntu myself, and while I think that it is a fine distribution to start with ...[/quote]

Yes!

[ReinnieR]

[quote name='mcts' date='02 February 2010 - 04:30 PM' timestamp='1265142625' post='2049855']
If I was to use linux, which version would you suggest? I run OS X right now.
[/quote]
Ubuntu or any of it's variants depending on which DE(Desktop Environment) you like.

Ubuntu comes with the GNOME DE
Kubuntue = KDE
Xubuntu = xfce
Lubuntu = LXDE
there's even Fluxbuntu but Fluxbox is only a window manager

Gnome and KDE are the 2 big ones. xfce and LXDE are not that big but they are light weight so if you're installing it on a really old computer the 2 latter would be the one for you.

[jeffpugh]

Lawl. I am disk-booting xfce Ubuntu and FINALLY they fixed my speakers from playing when i have headphones plugged in... trying to get a version of finale notepad that works on here and I'll migrate over to the awesomeness of linux... also, hopefully my country won't pass that ridiculous copyright bill because it will make linux pretty hard to use while being "legal".

[goldenchild17]

I loved ubuntu when I had it, or at least I loved the idea of it. I never did getting it working properly with my little computer so I just went back to xp, which for all the complaints people have about it has never given me any major problems. I would like to get a Mac at some point, but its rather expensive for me right now.

[1337 k4th0l1x0r]

I am using Linux right now as I can't boot my XP partition right now. I'm using OpenSUSE because it is one of the few that runs on my hardware configuration, but I would recommend Ubuntu if you want to just try Linux out.

There are some distros aimed at the more adventurous. Way back in the day (read as late 90s) I was using slackware a lot. It is by no means meant for the casual user, but can be fun if you're in to messing around with your computer.

[nleyetn]

For those who haven't heard... [url="http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=valve_steam_announcement&num=1"]Steam is being ported to Linux[/url].