Dzzo
Chieftain
Whoah.... linux.... um is that like an OS or what?
Linux?
- Thread starter Arlborn
- Start date
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Umm, Yeah
. There are three Major OSes that are discussed around these parts.Windows
Mac OSX
Linux
I know
. It's the one used at work and that's also the reason (among other) that finally made me take the step. But as you say it will me learn more. I have used Unix a lot in work so I'm already familiar with it from a user perspective. Gotta admit though, sometimes I get a bit tired of all the googling
. But that's kind of the point in my case, it just means I'm reading and learning a lot about Linux.I'm doing a dual boot on a laptop with XP as the other OS. For those trying the same I have 2 recommendations:
1) write down the registry key for Windows before you start. On some laptops the key you have on the fancy MS sticker is invalid so extract it from the registry. There are free tools on the Internet with this specific purpose.
2) make a FAT32 partition for files that should be used in both partitions, eg music, documents, bookmark file etc.
Pentium
Digital Matter
Linux reads and writes NTFS quite well.
Depending on the newness of your distro, *writing* ntfs can still be somewhat problematic. The tools *are* there, however.
vbraun
Raytracing
GrandAdmiral
Deity
I have been using Fedora and Ubuntu. There are a lot of things on Linux that are not as easy as Linux users like to tell everyone. For example getting Nvidia graphics acceleration working. I've broken more installs because of Nvidia driver issues then anything. Well who knows if they were broken but it was faster for me to just reinstall. Installing Beryl or Compiz can be a pain on some setups as well and if you do something wrong and you get booted from your gui,,,, that sucks for a noob.
Another thing you hear a lot from Linux users is that you never have to restart your machine. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but when Ubuntu installs updates it always asks me to restart.
For people who don't know much about computers and just have stuff they want to work on, well they are going to learn how to read documentation and how to do some command line work. Linux has multiple guis but you always end up running commands and sometimes its for things that we would never use them for on OSX or Windows.
Another thing you hear a lot from Linux users is that you never have to restart your machine. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but when Ubuntu installs updates it always asks me to restart.
For people who don't know much about computers and just have stuff they want to work on, well they are going to learn how to read documentation and how to do some command line work. Linux has multiple guis but you always end up running commands and sometimes its for things that we would never use them for on OSX or Windows.
Ubuntu is notorious for making new users go to the command line to do things. And the Nvidia troubles are Nvidia's fault - their drivers are closed-source, and they insist on having a "hook" inoto the OS kernel to work. So if you want to get the best performance form your fancy new card, you have to jump through a few hoops. Will that scare off the noobs? Yeah, probably. OTOH, if you havea an older card, the open-source drivers available on the CD are great. I have an ATI 9000Pro128, and the open drivers work better than the ATI ones....
As for restarts, I think Ubuntu is doing something wrong, there, too. The only time you should have to reboot your system is when you change the actual kernel. (Of course, to instalkl the Nvidia drivers, you have to patch the kernel, so....) For that matter, you only need to reboot in order to *use* the new kernel. If you don't reboot, the old one works fine, just without whatever changes are in the new one.
I run PCLinuxOS, and I haven't had to drop into the command line for months. I can do everything via GUI. :shrug:
As for restarts, I think Ubuntu is doing something wrong, there, too. The only time you should have to reboot your system is when you change the actual kernel. (Of course, to instalkl the Nvidia drivers, you have to patch the kernel, so....) For that matter, you only need to reboot in order to *use* the new kernel. If you don't reboot, the old one works fine, just without whatever changes are in the new one.
I run PCLinuxOS, and I haven't had to drop into the command line for months. I can do everything via GUI. :shrug:
1) Which distro isn't?
2) Ubuntu has Synaptic which installs a lot of stuff without the command line
3) The Ubuntu forums have a lot of solutions for installing if it isn't in Synaptic. Yes, often command line but from there it is copy/paste most cases.
4) What is the problem with the command line?
Agree, the latest and greatest in videodriver land is a few months behind Windoze release but will be there eventually.
I keep a rythm of applying Ubuntu updates about once a week and they run very very smooth. I only recall having to reboot just in the exact cases you describe (maybe 3 times in about 8 months) so I think nothing is wrong with Ubuntu but something with a specific install.
That's cool but doesn't this also depend how active you are with installing apps that aren't specific for your distribution? I've installed many packages that aren't specific for Ubuntu but for say Red Hat or Suse or are KDE based (I use Gnome) and imo it is a copy/paste mostly if you take some time and learn from other users.
1) Most force command line usage to at least some degree. For a "newbie distro", Ubuntu just requires more of it than some.
2) PCLinuxOS also uses Synaptic as the front end.
3) Installing things not found in your distro's repositories is a good way to screw up your system. Unless you know what you're doing. Most Linux newbies don't.
4) I have no problem with the CL. I am very comfortable with it. For some things I even prefer it. But most Windows refugees give you a blank look when you try to talk command line stuff. A distro targeted at them shouldn't rely too much on it.
I agree with you, actually. It's probably the specific install.
I highlighted the important bit.
Jerrymander
Epistemologist
Don't be afraid of the command line.
"man" was my often used command for the first few months.
Ubuntu, however, didn't seem to force the command line on to me that bad. If you get stuck, Ubuntu has a very helpful online forum, with one-time command line fixes.
But it sucked with Java games, because Nautilus failed to properly initiate them, so I was constantly typing "Java -setmemory 512 -r", and similar commands.
"man" was my often used command for the first few months.
Ubuntu, however, didn't seem to force the command line on to me that bad. If you get stuck, Ubuntu has a very helpful online forum, with one-time command line fixes.
But it sucked with Java games, because Nautilus failed to properly initiate them, so I was constantly typing "Java -setmemory 512 -r", and similar commands.
You can get Linux on your PS3 (if you can afford one 799). This is such a shot at MS(after MS started planning the "Zephyr" 
)as this is basically Sony attacking Windows. (There is a lot of free Linux distros out there and I don't think MS want ppl to know of a free OS compared to 400 Vista 
)as this is basically Sony attacking Windows. (There is a lot of free Linux distros out there and I don't think MS want ppl to know of a free OS compared to 400 Vista
Pentium
Digital Matter
Why exactly would you want to get Linux on PS3 other than just to show you can?You can get Linux on your PS3 (if you can afford one 799). This is such a shot at MS(after MS started planning the "Zephyr"
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Just to show how much free time you have on your hands.
Why exactly would you want a PS3 (or any other console) first place. OT in this thread but it shows major companies are committing to Linux. Just read the wiki about the PS3 and learned that Sony uses a lot of GPL (GNU Public License) in the PS3.
Why install it on a PS3? I could tell you for sure if you gave me your PS3 for a while but a very good reason is it is much easier to keep the seem OS on multiple HW.
Why install it on a PS3? I could tell you for sure if you gave me your PS3 for a while but a very good reason is it is much easier to keep the seem OS on multiple HW.
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