[r_o_c_k]

what is good about linux ?
i dont know if i should change and could i run windows and linux side by side???
if so how ?

[JohnWill]

If you have to ask that question, you probably should just stick to Windows.

[r_o_c_k]

Oh how very helpful you are (if you dont have anything useful to say dont say it !!
if anybody else will actually tell me i would be thankfull for the help

[almightybob7]

well, what's good about linux is it's security, and how it's usually free (including everything installed into it) another thing is that linux comes in tons of different types, and can be used for tons of different things. linux is also very customizable, but it takes some technological/linux know-how to change things.

Linux has a rather steep learning curve, but there are some distros that aim to make linux easy to use.

And yes, Windows and Linux can be run side by side, but if you're planning on just using linux to learn it, then I suggest you check out LiveCDs, which allow you to run the linux operating system from a CD, without installing it on your hard drive.

That said, I think that you should probably stay with Windows, unless you just want to learn how to use Linux.

[CouchMaster]

Just run a few Linux live CDs - (they are all free) And if you like one install it.

[Tapeuup]

Originally Posted by r_o_c_k

what is good about linux ?

no virus or spyware software required. For complete newbies it can be quite frustration, language is "similar" to DOS commands, in other words you can't just click on "setup" to install programs but you have to enter codes. It took me when I was a complete newbie about 6 hours to update Firefox... no joke, once you get the hang of it things run a little smoother.

[tdi_veedub]

For servers, Linux is awesome. I have a slackware 9 box running for 2 years now problem free.

If by good you mean using it as a desktop, forget about it. While certain distro's like Ubuntu have made great strides in the ease of use area, it is still not good enough for your everyday user. ... Linux does alot of things better, for cheaper. However it takes alot of work To get it there. For example, I do alot of video/capture and editing with Linux because I am not prepared to spend $1000's on software to capture my home movies. However, in order to get everything working the way I wanted, I spent 1 full day downloading, compiling, linking and installing various source, binaries, and libraries.

[lynch]

Were you were using Slackware or Ubuntu to do all that?
The desktop in Linux is no harder to learn than the windows desktop. I use it every day and have been using it for many years.

[saikee]

If one use Windows he/she can get 2 to 3 MS operatings systems in the box using Windows own boot loader.

In Linux he/she can pile all the MS systems together plus another 100 operating systems from Linux, BSd, Solaris... and boot it with one Linux boot loader.

NT Windows of Windows can't be copied and there is no facility to clone a bootable backup. Linux can clone XP and Win2k. It can do it with a LIveCD that doesn't even need to be installed in a hard disk.

XP requires activation if there is a substantial change to the hardware. The OEM verion of XP, according to the purchase agreement, is for one machine only and supposed to die with it. Linux can be moved from partition to partition, hard disk to hard disk and PC to PC.

Just three of the many powerful features Linux can offer.

If a Windows user bothers to check out Linux then he/she must get wind of there is a free but better system around. I know it is too good to be true but that is what open source have done to the world. Linux is a people's system and jointly developed by many nations. There are simply more people working on Linux and they do it for the love of it.

I got in because a 4x4 forum user casually commented that he hadn't seen anything Windows can do that Linux can't. That was two years ago..

[tdi_veedub]

Lynch,

My server is slackware. My desktop is Ubuntu. The dekstop interface itself is not inherently the problem. Getting it to a point where doing customized tasks everyday (like video capturing/editing) on a nice GUI interface(ie: Kino) as opposed to the CLI is another story. When I am doing end user type tasks on a system, I want point and click. I want a nice GUI. I'm willing to work at it to get it there. Joe Sixpack is not.

Out of the box, for everyday stuff like internet browsing, email, office, music etc. Ubuntu is great, it makes things nice and easy. Getting DVD and MP3 playback is easy enough by reading the wiki so that's not an issue, even for a normal user. But for anything else, you have to start messing with the CLI, something a normal user can't do. A normal user may be able to install a package, then install the necessary dependancies, but what happens when there is a problem with the dependancy, or there is no nice package for it, or the repositories are down?

I got in because a 4x4 forum user casually commented that he hadn't seen anything Windows can do that Linux can't. That was two years ago..

While that may be true (except for gaming), that is not the point. The point is that unless it is as easy to use, AND manage as Windows, normal useres won't bother.

[prunejuice]

Originally Posted by tdi_veedub

However, in order to get everything working the way I wanted, I spent 1 full day downloading, compiling, linking and installing various source, binaries, and libraries.

Do you want to know how much time people spend cleaning/disinfecting their Windows machines?
Spend a little time in the XP Forum and read the sad and frustrating posts of people struggling through HJT logs.

CCleaner
Spybot
HJT
Ewido....

....yeah, whatever.

[lynch]

Originally Posted by tdi_veedub

Lynch,

My server is slackware. My desktop is Ubuntu. The dekstop interface itself is not inherently the problem. Getting it to a point where doing customized tasks everyday (like video capturing/editing) on a nice GUI interface(ie: Kino) as opposed to the CLI is another story. When I am doing end user type tasks on a system, I want point and click. I want a nice GUI. I'm willing to work at it to get it there. Joe Sixpack is not.

But, you did say that only took you a day. That's pretty good, I think. It takes time to do anything well, right?
You and I are not Joe Sixpack. Is'nt there is a lot of stuff you have to do via CLI in XP, also, when you have to get down and dirty with that OS? I started out with the old Mac GUI, then Win98; when I first start using Linux I was'nt too crazy about having to use a terminal for some tasks, and I probably could have avoided it had I stuck to the mainstream distributions. They have a lot of GUI configuration utilities in Suse/Yast, Mandriva/MCC and the various individual Redhat/Fedora GUI apps. I have just grown into using the CLI for a lot of things because I find some tasks are just easier that way. But if a user wants to take the extra time to point-n-click thier way through a task, that's fine too. For example, I think the best package management systems are CLI-based.

Out of the box, for everyday stuff like internet browsing, email, office, music etc. Ubuntu is great, it makes things nice and easy. Getting DVD and MP3 playback is easy enough by reading the wiki so that's not an issue, even for a normal user. But for anything else, you have to start messing with the CLI, something a normal user can't do. A normal user may be able to install a package, then install the necessary dependancies, but what happens when there is a problem with the dependancy, or there is no nice package for it, or the repositories are down?

I think the dependency hell thing ( for the most part) comes from:
1. Not installing all the development packages during OS installation.
2. People going outside thier distribution's repositories to find programs without taking the time to do a little research, ie. tracking down a lib you may need to run the program.
This happens in windows when people install freeware that is'nt well packaged and you get those missing dll messages.
There are times when servers are down. No matter if it's a Debian repository mirror or the Windows Update server(s).
I'm not really disagreeing with you, ; I just thought I would expand on my take on it.
I hope this isnt going to scare that guy off.
lynch

[dvk01]

Originally Posted by Tapeuup

no virus or spyware software required..

Definitely NOT true

there are numerous worms & trojans that only target Linux, mainly aimed at servers but if you have a Linux box at home you get the fall out so an AV is essential and that means more expense as the windows av don't work on linux

There are several new malwares that are designed to attack both windows & linux in their attempts to spread and they are becoming more prevalent

The days of relying on a non windows op system to avoid spyware & viruses have long gone I'm afraid

At this time Linux is not really suitable for a home user as a main or primary system

It's fine to play around with and learn from and it is a steep learning curve, but every day & mission critical stuff is still far simpler to do with windows

[lynch]

Care to back that up with some facts?
BTW. There are several excellent free AV utilities for Linux/UNIX. Mainly to clean the crud out of emails sent from windows machines. I've never had a virus/worm/trojan/rootkit in the all the years I've been running Linux.
FUD.

[dvk01]

Originally Posted by lynch

Care to back that up with some facts?
BTW. There are several excellent free AV utilities for Linux/UNIX. Mainly to clean the crud out of emails sent from windows machines. I've never had a virus/worm/trojan/rootkit in the all the years I've been running Linux.
FUD.

http://www.informationweek.com/hardw...leID=186700032

The current trend we are seeing over the last couple of months are deliberate attacks on webservers ( the majority of which run linux) because they can infect linux & spread the worms faster & use the servers as botnets & get more coverage using less infected machines so making it harder for av companies to prevent as the numbers are lower so less reports to the companies