I'm sick of windows & microsoft in general, I want to try Linux but have a few questions..?
1. Which is the best version of Linux & why? (links appreciated)?
2. I only have one PC so I would want to try it installed to a separate partition, alongside windows XP using multiple boot options – I assume this would work?
3. The main reason I want to dump microsoft (& kick bill gates in the nads) is that every time I get a faster processor or more memory, billy gates’s bloatware slows it right back down again (most things seemed to happen faster when I was using a 386SX). IN GENERAL [app dependent], would linux be an improvement in this area?
4. When I remove windows completely, will I still be able to communicate with MSN messenger buddies?
5. How would you describe the learning curve for someone who’s used to windows?
6. In your opinion, Is Linux likely to increase it’s share of the domestic market, and therefore pursuade more software developers to port their products to Linux?
ADDENDUM: I’d also like to know how system stability compares to windows, ditto for overall security – I think my current AV (AVG) is available for Linux but I haven’t checked to be sure.
Tagged with: 386sx • amp • avg • bill gates • billy gates • bloatware • boot options • buddies • ditto • learning curve • Linux • memory • Microsoft • nads • partition • software developers • system stability • windows xp
Filed under: Microsoft
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There are a lot of good answers already.
1. For someone new to Linux I would suggest OpenSuse, you can download it here:
http://download.opensuse.org/
make sure you get the addon cd as well, it has the closed source drivers & programmes you they can’t ship because of licensing restrictions. OpenSuse probably has the best hardware detection and a really easy set of config tools. The documentation is good as well. It may also be worth registering with this forum: http://www.suseforums.net/index.php? it’s very usefull for problems if they arise.
2. Dual booting is no problem for OpenSuse, all you need to do is download, burn the iso images to disk, make sure your machine boots from the CD/DVD drive first, you may need to alter the boot order in the bios, put in the disk and reboot, the installation is easy & fairly self explanatory, Suse will create a partition on your hard drive & install to that, really it’s just a case of choosing some options & if in doubt accept the defaults.
3. Linux will not use up the sort of resources that windows does, even the 3D desktop is nowhere near as hungry a Vista. Linux also doesn’t get slowed up with malware and there’s never any need to defrag so that doesn’t slow the machine down.
4. Yes, there are programmes in linux to replace most of the programmes that you would normally us in Widows, only gaming isn’t so well covered.
5. You most likely won’t have any real trouble learning to use linux, Linux works differently under the bonnet but the gui in most cases is similar to Windows. the commad line can take a little getting used to but you don’t need that very often if you don’t want to, installing programmes from the suse disk is really easy. The file system is different and all devices are treated as files, again once you’re used to this it’s much easier. I use nothing but OpenSuse and to be honest once I’d got used to it I found it easier than Windows, I find if I do use windows now it’s a right pain.
6. Linux is much more popular than it used to be and slowly seems to becoming so, there are a lot of windows programmes that can be run on linux machines using wine or crossover office (check out the codeweavers site). Opensuse comes with about 1800 programmes and there are a lot more available from other sources, so there is plenty to choose from & many cross platform prorammes.
You also don’t really need to run any antivirus software, the are some programmes available but this is mostly to protect windows machines you may be forwarding email to.
Email me if you want any more info or help.
1. Different Linuxes are better for different tasks. Ubuntu ( http://www.ubuntu.com/ ) is a good starting point. Its very easy to get going, and you can try it from the CD.
2. Yes
3. Yes. You can run lightweight applications and window managers (or you can run things with fancy effects if you want to use the processor power for eye candy)
4. Yes, there are several MSN compatible clients. I like Gaim (recently renamed to Pidgin)
5. Not very difficult (especially these days). Pretty much all software comes in prebuilt binary form, and almost everything you need can be downloaded from the distribution’s servers using the package management tools that come with the system. You don’t usually need to go near source code.
6. Yes.
Linux was designed as a networked multiuser system from the ground up, so it has a sensible security model (unlike Windows where networking and multiuser support were added to the design later on). As a side effect of this, you don’t really need to worry about viruses, most anti-virus software for Linux is to protect Windows clients.
1. Hard to say but I am looking ahead to your other questions. so I am going with http://www.opensuse.org
2. Yes it will work
3. Yes a BIG ONE!
4. Yes via gaim
5.It depends it is a learning curve but some catch on faster then others. But an idiot can use linux.
6. Slowly it seems with vista people are jumping the microsoft ship and really dont care where they land because it cant be bad as Micro$oft.
RJ
http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php
will give you loadsa live distros. these can run from the ram only on cd and not touch the hdd.
you will be able to get a flavour- i like knoppix personally as a live cd- normally for trouble shooting on other pc.s
wrt the learning curve- it all depends on what you want to do. if just the normal stuff then you will find it very intuitive. if you want to run a server then you will need to spend more time
1) So many flavors out there, you’re going to get so many different answers.
2) Sure enough will.
3) Now there’s a newsflash ….. NOT!!
4) Why would you want to??? They’re still using Windoze. Once you’re off it, you shouldn’t be allowed to communicate with a Windoze user.
5) I think depending on the flavor and frequency of Linux you use, could be tough. I’m having a bit of a rough time with Unbuntu Linux but a lot of that is because I don’t have time every day to use it. Sometimes it’s a week or more before I have the time to play with it. I also didn’t know you had to compile programs to get them to install. WTF is that all about?
6) With the Vista issues …. Linux market share will increase (not dramatically though as people on XP will stall moving to Vista, instead of dumping Windows all together.. Not sure if the market increase will be enough to push some developers to include Linux. I’d say 15% chance …. strictly a guess.
You’ve gotten a lot of good answer so far, so I’ll just add one piece of information that may be helpful. A few months ago a journalist wrote an article in detail about his experience in switching from Windows to Ubuntu Linux. He includes both pros and cons, things he liked and things that caused him problems, as well as details about what software he installed and liked. The article includes screenshots and a video and may help give you an idea of what you’ll be getting into if you decide to do this. The article is at http://consumer.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTI5OCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=