LINUX?.. so tell me...

[Nick]

What is so good about Linux?

Is it as easy to use as XP?

Is it easy to network?

Will it network with Windows machines?

What will run on it, games and apps wise?

I'm asking cos I have no idea! I've never used anything other than Windows for an OS, and after reading another thread about which version of XP to get, someone suggested Linux.

Rather than hijack the thread and as I'd like to know the pros and cons of such an OS, I started this thread.

So, Linux... spill the beans!

[Moby-Dick]

I like linux , but I'd personally not use it as a desktop OS ( though I do realise it is perfectly capable of being so )

You Can get linux to talk to windows machine , in fact you can use software called SAMBA to act as a windows file server etc.

As far as apps go, there is the usuall office type suite ( open office is one of the more popular ones )

Its not fantastic for gaming ( apart from running dedicated servers )

Personally I think linux is best for dedicated server application boxes , such as smoothwall, clark connect, censornet etc.

[joshwa]

What is so good about Linux?

It's kind of fun. It's a new challenge. It's something to learn how to use. It's free. It's different. It's built around security from the start - rather than bolting on security afterwards (like MS did with windows). You can use it without installing it by using a Live CD like Mepis / Knoppix. (Then install it later when you decide you like it). OpenOffice comes with a free PDF maker

Is it as easy to use as XP?

Probably depends what version of Linux you try. Depends how stuck in a Windows groove you are are how easily you adapt to change Also successful installation can depend a lot on what hardware you've got (if it's not the latest gear, then you should have no problems installing / running it). Although - like Moby - I'm not sure I could use it full time as a desktop OS - as I'm fairly used to the way I work with Windows... (And the specific apps on Windows)

Is it easy to network?

Yes, should be.

Will it network with Windows machines?

Yes, they normally have SMB / SAMBA built in. Mepis has a network browser built in which is very easy to use. I added a shared printer (shared on a windows PC) to my PC running Mepis very easily.

What will run on it, games and apps wise?

Games - nowhere near as many top titles as the PC. But for apps linux is pretty good. Office / HTML stuff (bluefish) / Realplayer / Mozilla (including flash players etc) / GIMP (art) etc pretty much everything is covered in the way of apps.

more info on linux:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3436289.stm

[BlueBot]

Linux... I like Linux. Infact I love Linux...

Honestly, for games and general non-sense XP is fine, I use it for my games machine. However my file server (when it's EVENTUALLY built) will run on Linux Debian.

Why?

Debian is a stable and fairly user friendly Linux based OS. Debian allows the end user to update all software in one easy mouse click (well almost). Basically the people behind Debian test out lots and lots of patches and updates, make sure they aren't buggy and are actually required (Windows updates we're looking at you!) and then allow us to download them. So basically you're getting a solid OS which can be updated very easily and customised for pretty much any task. It can be made to look very similar in it's GUI to XP, which is great for new users.

I need it because it's free, has amazing support, and I need a file server OS that can run smoothly 24/7/365.

Yes there are some products that won't work with Linux, I think some network cards and adsl routers can be a pain, but generally there is amazing support.

Plus Virus on Linux? Never heard of one...

Steve

ps Please fele free to criticise everything I have written here as I'm pretty new to Linux and am starting to push my knowledge further than it wants to go :-)

[directhex]

not sure i could call Debian on its own user-friendly, it's pretty nightmarish to install (and Woody being based on the antique 2.2 kernel doesn't help)

but my user-friendly distro of choice, MEPIS, is based on Debian...

[BlueBot]

my user-friendly distro of choice, MEPIS, is based on Debian...

oh, not heard of MEPIS, is it good? Have to have a look into it...

Thanks

Steve

[Steve]

oh, not heard of MEPIS, is it good? Have to have a look into it...

Thanks

Steve

Don't ask directhex about MEPIS - he'll be here for hours talking about how good it is!

I run a linux based router - very nice. I have linux (Fedora) on my desktop computer, but it's not quite there with the desktop environment yet. However don't be fooled - it is still quite usable. In some respects it's on a par with XP, but with respect to some of the configuration, it could be better likened to win95.

[SilentDeath]

GUI's in linux just feel wrong. comparing the CLI to dos though, its about 1000000x more powerfull, although about the many times more confusing.

[MrFlibble]

I like linux , but I'd personally not use it as a desktop OS ( though I do realise it is perfectly capable of being so )

You Can get linux to talk to windows machine , in fact you can use software called SAMBA to act as a windows file server etc.

As far as apps go, there is the usuall office type suite ( open office is one of the more popular ones )

Its not fantastic for gaming ( apart from running dedicated servers )

Personally I think linux is best for dedicated server application boxes , such as smoothwall, clark connect, censornet etc.

That pretty much sums up my opinion too. It's a superb, efficient sever OS but for normal work (word processing, web surfing, gaming) Windows is fine and to be honest is more user friendly. If you like a challenge, and like tinkering with the technical stuff under the hood, then its fun to work with as a server.

[joshwa]

oh, not heard of MEPIS, is it good? Have to have a look into it...

Thanks

Steve

i've written a mini-review of mepis on my site: http://joshwaller.tk - i think mepis is the best linux i've used yet!

[directhex]

hey, just noticed your little look made the front of mepis,org, josh

[BlueBot]

Thanx Josh, just read your review, interesting, guess I've got some thinking to do. Do you know if MEPIS has the same encypting software on it as Debian, apparently the Debian software is pretty rock....

Steve

[directhex]

it's all debian.

any software available on the debian apt repositories is available on MEPIS.

just use "apt-get install coolapplication" & you're sorted

[Kezzer]

If you're not out there to play games, get linux, free free free! ;D

[BlueBot]

it's all debian.

any software available on the debian apt repositories is available on MEPIS.

just use "apt-get install coolapplication" & you're sorted

Great thanx, I'll hvae to have a proper look into it. Will let you know how the build and installation goes.

Steve

[dgr]

if you want to learn how linux works (and believe me, it would make it easier to use in the long term) then i recommend gentoo.

gentoo also has an incredible package management system - you thuoght debian was good? try gentoo!

$ emerge program-name

thats it!

dgr