Thread: Linux vs The World - Which do you prefer?

So I'm a linux user, but I do notice most of the OS user base here is Windows, and sometimes mac.

I'm curious as to how many people here are linux users and for what purpose do you use linux? (or Unix)

I've been using Ubuntu for about 2 years now, and I have to say I haven't gone back to windows, except for the occasional game that can't be played in wine.
As a programmer, Linux is by far superior in this aspect ranging from command line tools to full blown software that just works. Not to mention about security.
Lastly, you are free to manipulate any aspect of your OS without being tied to proprietary software or monopolizing companies.

Just my reasons, what about you?

Hah, if you think all that stuff is good in Ubuntu, wait till you try a real distro!

I used Win7 right now, but sometimes i switch to Ubuntu for whatever reason. It gives you a GREAT deal of control over your system. Which is why it isn't good for the majority.

Control? Over something so important? That's disaster.... Especially getting support for the OS; the majority aren't smart enough to find it... But if you can find it you are set!

Originally Posted by TomBill

Hah, if you think all that stuff is good in Ubuntu, wait till you try a real distro!

I used Win7 right now, but sometimes i switch to Ubuntu for whatever reason. It gives you a GREAT deal of control over your system. Which is why it isn't good for the majority.

Control? Over something so important? That's disaster.... Especially getting support for the OS; the majority aren't smart enough to find it... But if you can find it you are set!

Well heres the thing, I'm a certified Windows Server systems administrator. I've tested distros from RedHat to Win7.

While I do agree with you that linux isn't for everyone. I disagree that control over your OS is the reason you shouldn't try it out. Hell, that's actually a reason you should use to boot up a free copy of any linux distro.

Second, yes, control over something important, it's superior. For example, you get a windows virus, any good virus will lock you out of your own box. Hell, I can pull out the Sony rootkits that have backdoored peoples' computers Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So where's the ability to remove these kinds of things from your own computer, assuming you know it's there.

Lastly, ubuntu has the biggest support compared to the other linux distros. Not only is your support free, but it comes from people that are willing to find out what the problem is, instead of reading off a cue card. They understand the problems, since it's such a deeply rooted community.

So while I feel not everyone will be willing to change, what's the price to try it, a cd?

-Anon123

I use both...I have a Win7 (gaming) box and my debian (torrent / fileserver) box...and to be honest I love both...

I use Windows, Linux and Mac. They all have there strengths.
Linux is a really great for programming, but I did not fully switch to Linux for that. My Mac also does a pretty decent job, maybe because OS X is based on Unix :P
I never tried using Linux for everyday stuff. I am too lazy to search for all the applications which fit my needs and I currently don't see the advantage that Linux would give me.

Here are my 5 cents :)

I use Windows on all my notebooks. Currently, it is WinXP. It simply works. I got internet, MS office, movie player, folding@home client :D. I will have the same thing with ubuntu, but why bother? Plus I have ONE work related program that works only under windows. So, Windows it is :)

My next notebook will be definitely a tablet. With handwriting recognition, multi-touch :) Win7 got it all under control for me (including support for my native language). What about ubuntu? I am not sure :). Even if it does, it would simply offer the same functionality, nothing more :)

As far as viruses go... I never used paid for subscription. All my notebooks run free versions of anti virus software. Works for me :)

I have nothing against linux. As a matter of fact, I use it for my dedicated server. It works great! Lately, I decided to build a storage computer to hold all my downloads. I turned to linux and was disappointed by lack of ZFS support. Now, I have to try FreeBSD for it :) The thing is, linux and bsd variants are good for taking care of specific problems. Like storage application, LAMP setup. But as a desktop (client) software it has only one benefit over Windows - price! Since I have not bought desktop PC in years, I get Windows "for free" on my laptops :) So here goes the last benefit :)

I made Linux my main OS a few years ago. It's definitely superior to windows in every way. The only advantage windows has is that some software will only run on a windows platform, and even that you can mitigate with Wine or a virtual machine. Every type of software you might need is only a repo's click away. It's all legally free. There's lots of support online now, and that support is for the most part distro non-specific. What I mean to say is that it doesn't matter what distro you use, cause you can still go to Umbutu's forum and get answers. It's all the same thing with different branding.

If you want to try a good windows like introductory distro, with a kick ass repo, that is very stable, try PCLinuxOS. I still use it to this day for my desktop. The nice thing about PCLOS is that it comes on a liveCD for either a test drive or a full install, and you can install it without losing your current windows environment (I keep a partition with XP around just for games). As of this writing the PCLOS repo is frozen, due to a new release that's coming soon. You can still get it and install it, and it will work awesome. Just keep in mind that at some point in the near future a new version will come out (KDE4), and you'll probably want to reinstall that one.

I've always wanted to check out linux and atm I have XP installed on a spare HDD that I never use, I wouldn't mind checking out PCLinuxOX but I'm an absolute linux nub.

What one should I download out of these:
Get PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS is available featuring various desktop interfaces depending on your needs.

KDE Desktop
KDE MiniME Desktop
Gnome Desktop
Gnome ZenMini Desktop
LXDE Desktop
XFCE Desktop
E-17 Desktop

Originally Posted by Dan

I've always wanted to check out linux and atm I have XP installed on a spare HDD that I never use, I wouldn't mind checking out PCLinuxOX but I'm an absolute linux nub.

What one should I download out of these:
Get PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS is available featuring various desktop interfaces depending on your needs.

KDE Desktop
KDE MiniME Desktop
Gnome Desktop
Gnome ZenMini Desktop
LXDE Desktop
XFCE Desktop
E-17 Desktop

Use the first one, KDE. It's a very full featured DE (desktop environment). I guess you can say that it sort of feels like windows. Probably the most out of all the DE's in that list. It's the one I use.

Download the image, burn it (fits on a CD), then boot from it. It will NOT install automatically. What you get is Linux running off of your DVD drive and from RAM. You're probably going to want to get access to your hard drive where you have media files and shit you want to play with. When you get to that point, if it's not obvious, let me know and I can walk you through it.

When you're ready to install you have to make some decisions about where you want to put it depending on how many drives and or partitions you have. But you can play with it before installing anything. After you install it you can go to the repo (repository) and download all kinds of useful software and get updates of course. And remember PCLOS 2010 is going to be coming out at some point in the next little while.