[warriorscot]

Ive always seen windows as my "fun" OS its what i use for games and downloading media all that jazz, i like games love em i dont get to play as much as i used to but i still play when i can.

Linux though is now my work OS i need it for my programming as the compilers arent as good or not available for windows, i also use it for some general browsing as its quicker and malware free.

Alot of the largest companies didnt even use XP up until recently they stuck with 2000 with old hardware, a good example is BP they still used 2000 up to only last year on their systems and thats pretty much as big a company as you get and lots of other non tech companies are old windows users like them. So new hardware is a progression as alot need it anyway companies often tend to understimate the need for a decent computer so Vista on that front may not be a bad thing for the end user. The difference ive had when i went to uni from using crappy business standard dells to the Sun, apple, HP and hand built more powerful systems they have in abundance was huge they understood that more powerful PCs go hand in hand with productivity.

Now older systems are fine if you dont have a choice and linux is a good choice for systems like that especially if you dont need specialised windows software or you need specialised linux software. But its a bit of a pain in the backside at times it requires a little more training for people to actually use it and perform basic maintenance there is little left that linux cant do but its not always as easy to do as it is in windows in fact it almost never is just as easy.

Vista isnt bad at all, fancy UI is actually quite nice very clean and easier to use its not all looks its functionality is greatly improved. Speed normal use its just as fast havent tried it with games yet. Its either going to be really good or really bad. Performance is good and my system is decent but it isnt high end anymore (gig of ram, 3200+ A64 with an x800xl) and apart from the gfx card i would expect any newish system to have at least the same in terms of CPU and memory and i dont need the translucent effects(they arent all that good anyway it feels like they have been dumbed down a bit). Other features are pretty good alot of it feels little tweaks here and there, one of the biggest things vista will do is help bring x64 into the mainstream x64 in XP was a pain and its worse with linux(at least from my experience) but x64 in vista is done well.


Linux requires a bit of an investment in time and painkillers, its pretty rewarding though, but if you are joe average i dont think many would be interested i know members of my family even if i was there to walk them through it would rather spend the money and get easy to use windows.

If it scared anyone off its probably a good thing if people arent wanting to put in the time to linux then its just a pain for everyone. I love linux but im still not ready to get rid of the dual boot.

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One thing i have found linux great for is offices. People who write and surf the web all day i would highly recomend linux. I have played with Fedora Core 5, Slax, mandrake, and Ubuntu. All are highly relaible and great for surfing the web and typing a document. It is secure and hasn't caused any problems for me yet.

Linux to me is NOT for the gamer.

On my main computer i have windows. Why ? Because of the freedom it gives me. If all of a sudden i want to play a game i can go right to it. I think that if you know how to use windows right and have the right setup of software to protect you and aid you, you wont have so many problems with windows.

I think someone said one time ... " I know that when I'm on my computer i know it is perfect, when there is a error i know it is because I made it."

That may not be entirly true but it does hold some ground.

I'm a beliver in linux becoming a main OS on many peoples computers in the future. As long as it always stays open source and remains (certain flavors) free.

[Mr.Chow]

One thing i have found linux great for is offices. People who write and surf the web all day i would highly recomend linux. I have played with Fedora Core 5, Slax, mandrake, and Ubuntu. All are highly relaible and great for surfing the web and typing a document. It is secure and hasn't caused any problems for me yet.

Linux to me is NOT for the gamer.

On my main computer i have windows. Why ? Because of the freedom it gives me. If all of a sudden i want to play a game i can go right to it. I think that if you know how to use windows right and have the right setup of software to protect you and aid you, you wont have so many problems with windows.

I think someone said one time ... " I know that when I'm on my computer i know it is perfect, when there is a error i know it is because I made it."

That may not be entirly true but it does hold some ground.

I'm a beliver in linux becoming a main OS on many peoples computers in the future. As long as it always stays open source and remains (certain flavors) free.

[silverbeard]

Linux requires a bit of an investment in time and painkillers, its pretty rewarding though,

That was true of XP in 2k1 and 2k2.

but if you are joe average i don't think many would be interested i know members of my family even if i was there to walk them through it would rather spend the money and get easy to use windows.

What if you gave them a machine with Linspire or Xandros pre-loaded? Do you think they would have a problem finding the "start menu", the "Internet" sub menu and left clicking on Firefox or Konqueror? Would they be able to set up Thunderbird? Can the average Joe point and click?

If you have wireless issues try PClinuxOS. It works from CD on both my IBM thinkpad T43 and my Acer Aspire 5000 without a Ndiswrapper.

Yes Drivers are an issue. Mainly because Chip technologies are Proprietary and Linux developers don't have access to the specifics of the device so it becomes a matter of guess work, trial and error, reverse engineering or a combination there of. As the acceptance of Alternate Operating Systems and the defection of Apple from the PowerPC to the x86 platform this should change because it makes business sense not to give up 5 to 20% of potential customers.

I completely and emphatically disagree that Linux is not ready for the desktop market. All of us replying to this thread are more advanced, we love computers and find making a computer do what we want is one of the most rewarding things in our lives. But the average Joe doesn't care about how a computer works or what makes it work, he wants to surf the Internet and check his email. My twelve year old nephew could care less if the PIII box I built him runs windows or Linux as long as he can play the games on the Internet he likes and can check his email. Xandros has worked well for this and I loaded it with extra educational software he uses and KStars is so impressive I installed it on my own machine because I like to look at the stars. Everything he needs is on that machine including Microsoft Office. He doesn't need me to clean the junk that the other computers in their home that end up over here to get back up and running(they run Windows). Out of the box it "just works."

[HandiComp]

A few weeks ago I took a copy of Ubuntu over to a friends house (she's in her 80's) along with a small system and asked her to try something for me. I had her install and try out a few of the 'goodies' that get loaded from a basic install. Man, was that fun! She got started and had no difficulty with any of it. I sat there, watching, as she proceded to install a full Office Productivity installation. When it was installed, she poked around and found where everything was and launched a few things, smiling the whole time.

I have to say that this gal is not a newbie, but neither is she a techie. Windows was something she used on a regular basis and this was the first time she had used Linux. She wanted me to leave the system so she could use it! (I think I lost a computer!)

Yes, Linux can be a challenge if you try to get fancy like installing the Development stuff or the Web Server, but if you install the Personal desktop/Office Productivity stuff, there are no surprises. Setting Evolution for email is just as difficult as Outlook, Firefox works 'out of the box', OpenOffice is just as hard to learn as MS Office, so what's the big deal? All of the distros I've worked with are basically the same way.

Folks get in trouble when they try to use the command-line interface instead of the GUI (Gnome or KDE). That is to be expected. But if they keep to the GUI, once they figure out where things are and get used to the different program names (which takes a few minutes) the user can get comfortable and have a good time. (You also get some cool games that Windows doesn't have. )

Linux is NOT as hard as some folks seen to think!

[Kemasa]

The thing that I find quite interesting is that many people say that it takes quite a bit to learn Linux, which I think is not much different than Windoze, but when you consider how much you have to learn and deal with Windoze with respect to spyware, malware, viruses and the like, the time is much less. Just look at all the posts with people who are having problems with M$ products. The problem is that people don't figure that out until it is too late and then have to deal with it. It is more of an continuing cost than an upfront cost.

Yes, Linux is not good with games right now since most games are only on Windoze.

[HandiComp]

You know, the thought occurs to me that since Linux Diistros are being accepted by Server manufacturers like IBM, HP, and Sun, and the general acceptace of Linux has become more and more wide spread, the game producers are going to find more and stronger reasons to develop games for L:inux. You already find a wide variety of interesting 3D and 2D games available on the install CDs.

Edited by HandiComp, 14 October 2006 - 12:36 AM.

[warriorscot]

The problem with games on linux isnt the games themselves but the lack of adequate APIs, windows uses direct X and MS invested billions in development of Direct X they did this to help corner the gaming market and if they hadnt the games companies would have and i dont think they would have came close to putting in the levels of investment into it. Even now when they transfer games across to other platforms they dont port the game they port the APIs to mixed success.

I dont know ive never installed linux yet and been able to not have to use the command line to install the neccesary drivers maybe thats bad luck for me, as an extra point all my hardware is technically supported by every distro ive used it just doesnt work.

Office wise linux is pretty decent, but as a home desktop i dont think its quite ready myself media wise its not as good and even visuals video playback is noticably poorer in linux for me its not huge but colour reproduction isnt as accurate or sharp. Getting codecs toplay mp3 was ok but all the media players arent as good as winamp or WMP11, burning CDs isnt as easy as nero(do they do nero for linux i havent been able to find it but maybe someone has done a port). Its not so much the OS either while i dont think its quite ready its close enough for most but apps still arent quite so good but they havent had the same money and development windows apps have had.

I like linux but my dad and brother can use it once its set up but they couldnt install it, my mum can barely use windows to get the internet and there is icons everywhere for it. My hyounger siblings also want to play games and download music which they cant do on linux without me and that is a big factor "without me" is always nice.

I love ubuntu, i love using linux its great fun to tinker with i just dont think its quite there yet, well at least the GUI isnt there isnt enough of a standard and only when there is stage where you NEVER need the command line would i say its tottaly ready for everyone, and games would be nice.