Linux Roll Call

[John]

Ok, so lets have it. Who among us is a Linux user, and what's your flavor?

I use Linux at home on occasion, and am (still) in the process of kicking Windows off of my desk. I also use Linux heavily at work in an engineering & support role. I prefer Sabayon (Gentoo), a few Ubuntu spins like Linux Mint and OpenGEU, and Debian, as well as some of the smaller distributions in the Damn Small Linux vein. I use Red Hat a lot, but it's not a preferred distribution for me.

So what about you?

[John]

Huh. Bunch of liars, is what I think. :p

[Houkou]

My best friend keeps urging me to use it, but I'm frightened of new technology. :p I have a LiveCD with Linux on it to try, but never got around to it yet.

One of the other things stopping me is problems with using things like Photoshop, openCanvas, and Corel Painter on it. *needs drawing programs!* I know it's possible, but with no one nearby to help in person when I have problems, I'd rather just stick with what I know for now.

[John]

Try GIMP on your Windows PC. It's native to Linux. :)

[Houkou]

Have done before, prefer my other programs. *stubborn* ;)

[MaggiePixel]

Tell me which version of Linux I can install on my 75yo mother's 8yo computer. Then please provide mum with your phone number for any tech-support questions she may have (24x7 of course).

Not willing to do that? Then don't ask me about switching to Linux. ;)

[John]

Well this thread is less about convincing people to try Linux and more about finding out who among us is running Linux. But that won't stop me from the occasional sermon on the salvation that comes from a personal relationship with Linux. ;)

[MaggiePixel]

I look forward to hearing about a version of Linux that will meet my needs. Until then I shall sit on the sidelines and shoot spitwads at you (to encourage you of course).

[John]

Tell me which version of Linux I can install on my 75yo mother's 8yo computer.

Late P3 or early P4? ZenWalk, OpenGEU, or ELive might be good options there, just to name a few. :)

I look forward to hearing about a version of Linux that will meet my needs.

What are your needs?

[MaggiePixel]

Mum has a P4 @ 1.60GHz with 256 MB @ 133MHz. Mum's biggest difficulties:
remembering to right-click
understanding WHERE her documents have been saved (IF she saved them)
not knowing she has 35 windows open already
not realizing the printer is out of ink

For me, I want something that takes as little of my time as Windows XP does. Something I can confidently recommend to non-geek family and friends (who like me run Windows software and games). One OS to rule them all, one OS to find them, one OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

[John]

Linux has come a long way in all of those areas. Yes, it's a bit of a learning experience because it's different software, but for typical users, it's not a hard learning process. It's a computer, after all, and Linux even has a number of advanced GUI options, some of which blow Windows out of the water.

You don't have to leave your Windows software behind, either. There's a way around that, too. It's not perfect, but it's functional and it works. Linux also has the benefit of a very large library of free software that is very functional and even compatible with the software that you're used to. Free does not mean crappy. As people move to Linux and take their Windows software with them, they often start to use the Linux equivalent, and find that it works as well or better.

It's not for everyone, but if you want better performance and better stability, and you aren't afraid to learn a few new things, it's a very good choice. I have fewer problems with Linux systems than with Windows systems, and when there is a problem, it's not like there's no support. Many Linux vendors offer support, and there's always the greatest handbook on the planet. It's called Google.

I think part of the problem is that people hear Linux and they envision this clunky, ultra-geeky operating system that requires programming skills and a lot of computer know-how to operate. That might have been the Linux of yesteryear, but it's not the Linux of today. It wasn't so long ago that Windows required editing of the autoexec.bat and config.sys to get any performance at all, if you recall. Likewise, tuning a Linux system isn't a lot of work, either. I mean, if it runs better than Windows to begin with, you're already ahead, right? Even installing software has become easy, since you don't even have to go anywhere to get it. You just open the appropriate tool and pick what you want off the list. Click install, and let it go. There are thousands of programs at your fingertips, and they are free.

But like I mentioned, it's not for everyone, and there's certainly nothing wrong with paying for an operating system that has no usable software at the time you install it. There's nothing wrong with paying a lot of money for an office suite that works ok as long as it's not importing viruses. There's nothing wrong with software that uses more computer resources than should be required, because after all, you can just buy a faster processor and more memory to fix that. :)

[MaggiePixel]

I have learned my new thing for today. Thanks TPTP!

I can close my mind to new ideas now.

[Falco]

I used to use Red Hat on my personal computer and was a big time MS basher until XP. I have to say that XP SP2 is really great. Now Vista can go fly a kite. If I am forced to switch from XP, it will definitely be back to some Linux distro instead of Vista.

As far as professional use goes, I'm stuck with MS since I mainly use Autocad with the Civil 3D package.

[2fingers]

I have a box that runs open bsd for some reason. I have used many flavors of lunix in my day though.

[tellthemmrekoletyoulive]

I've been thinking about Linux. I'm afraid, though.

[John]

Good thing you can try it out without making a commitment. ;)

If you have a CD or DVD burner, you can download a Live CD for free. Once it's burned, you're able to boot your computer from that disk and give Linux a try. It will be a little sluggish that way since it will be running from the optical drive, but you'll get the idea. The best part about a Live CD is that using one does not affect the data on your hard drive. Your data is completely untouched, though if you want to access it, you're able to do so from an icon that will appear on the desktop.

For a first try, you might give OpenGEU (http://opengeu.intilinux.com/Screens.html) or Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/804features/) a whirl. Both are easily available and friendly enough for a newb, and both contain a strong enough driver set that you will probably even be able to get on the internet right from the Live CD.

Ubuntu has gained a tremendous amount of popularity due to the overall friendliness of the interface and the extensive driver library. It's very mature code, and it has a huge library of software available for free. Like most Linux distributions, it automatically installs a full Microsoft Office compatible office suite, a few games, a browser or two, and a number of other things, as well.

OpenGEU is Ubuntu plus a "lighter weight" window manager, so it runs good on older computers. That also means it's faster on newer computers, and to top it off, it's also very eye catching. I often prefer OpenGEU over standard Ubuntu, no matter what hardware I'm running on.

Another popular choice is PCLinuxOS (http://www.tuxmachines.org/gallery/v/pclos2007/). The driver base is very good, and the design is very windows-like. Why go that route then? It's faster and more stable. It's available as a Live CD, and yes, it's free.

Fedora (http://fedoraproject.org/) is a great option for the new user. Since it's available in an image that is a DVD, there is more software already at your fingertips. Fedora installs a more complete operating system experience from the start. Some people prefer that option over Ubuntu variants that will install only the essentials (but still more than Windows).

Nearly every Linux distribution, if you so choose, will also install on your hard drive without messing up your Windows installation. You will be able to decide at boot time which OS you want to start. Some distributions will even adjust your drive partition to your specification, making the dual boot option much easier.

Linux by design is a smaller operating system, meaning that it uses less RAM and less hard drive space, while providing the same or better functionality. This is one case where smaller is better, right? It's more efficient and it's far less likely to be attacked by some stupid worm virus.

You'll never know until you try it. Some people even enjoy it so much that they go on a "distro hunt", where they move to the next distribution and give it a try. Then the next. Then the next. There are many distributions, and that means it's easy to find a flavor that's just right.

Want to "shop"? Try DistroWatch (http://ww.distrowatch.com).

[scotpgot]

I feel like I'm too lazy to use Linux.

Also, something tells me I feel like I'd be wondering why "copy *,*" doesn't do anything.

Plus, I kind of like buying more RAM every six months.

[John]

I feel like I'm too lazy to use Linux.

Also, something tells me I feel like I'd be wondering why "copy *,*" doesn't do anything.

Well, then maybe Linux is for you. "Copy" in Linux is "cp". It was written by a bunch of people with "lazy" in mind. ;)