View Full Version : What is the main reason?
I was just wondering what the main reason that you all are running Linux instead of Windows? I've been thinking of changing os myself because of Windows being so unstable and the fact that Microsoft is getting on my nerves.
These are a couple reason's I made the switch. You can also find almost any type of program you need for it. Most times they are all free can't beat that.
Stability
Ease of use
Price
Functionality
To do things outside of the box
I think of it this way why go buy winXP for 99, or in my dual's case 199 when I can mandrake 8.0, or 8.1 retail for something in the neighborhood of 60$ for the complete package with documentation.
Just my two cent's
J
Stability, has less errors in it, its free and the whole world is turning Linux, so I thought why not?
I'm sure people can think of many more reasons. :)
Supporting the underdog is always fun.... but Linux IS more stable, and that alone is enough for me to try, amoung the million other things Linux can do better than Windows.
I just like the way it _IS_ and the way it _WORKS_ better than Windows. Even Windows NT.
Preferably if everything were compatible with either Linux or Windows the majority would be using Linux..
You mean hardware compatible, or software compatible?
Price, stability, and security. It is also a lot more flexible. Plus, I am not going to use Windows XP. I dual boot with 98 SE just now, but I don't like the idea of product activation. My hardware changes more often than the Scottish Weather! I'd be constantly on the phone to reactivate it!
M$ is trying to hard to get rid of piracy (or at least that's their scapegoat) that I'm getting a little worried about having their products (legally)
However, the choice for linux:
- I dual boot linux and xp, stability isn't really a problem
- price is good
- Customization, I can change anything I want/do anything I want to my linux and it won't complain, Windows gives me access denied errors when i'm an ADMINISTRATOR ...errrrr
- I'm into networking, and *nix is a very helpful thing to know in the networking field
Ugh... dualbooting with 98SE? If you are going to dualboot, at least pick out something better than that!
chaim79
11-03-01, 06:34 PM
There are a few reasons why I like to use Linux:
Stability (restarting win98 every day got old, fast)
Customization (anything you want to change, there is a way to change it)
Likeness to Unix (as a networker it's good to know)
It is non-microsoft (no explanation needed here)
It is FREE, Need I say more?
Now, I still use Windows, why?
Outlook Express (parents are so used to this, I'm not sure I can change them)
Dial-On-Demand Internet Sharing (I'm still looking for it's equivilant for Linux... it's only a matter of time)
And Games (Don't have the money to support Loki, yet... someday)
and.... um..... well..... Not much else.... it's just way to much of a headache for me... my hardware situation is never stable (I've never put the cover back on my case... and it has nothing to do with cooling) and MS junk really doesn't like it... I've had to re-install the OS about 5 times THIS YEAR! The only reason I've had to re-install Linux is because I screwed something up and I didn't know how to fix it yet. I'm still learning about Linux, and loving every second of it!
I was wondering what the difference to Linux-mandrake and Linux-redhat is? Also are they both free or just mandrake?
nerd4life
11-03-01, 10:00 PM
think most distributions of linux are free, as long as you stick with the standard versions.
ive got the standard version of mandrake 8.0, and simply burned it from a friends cd.
not sure about the major differences between red hat and mandrake. i just switched from red hat to mandrake. personally i like mandrake better, it just seems a bit more user friendly, and a bit more fun.
just me maybe:)
Outlook Express (parents are so used to this, I'm not sure I can change them)
If you must use something similar to a Microsoft solution, maybe you should try Evolution (http://www.ximian.com/evolution)
Dial-On-Demand Internet Sharing (I'm still looking for it's equivilant for Linux... it's only a matter of time)
Its there, somewhere. Been years since I've had to put up with doing dialup in a non-networked situation, though.
And Games (Don't have the money to support Loki, yet... someday)
I guess this means you pirate your Windows games? I mean, if you can afford the Windows games, then you can afford to just up and buy the Linux ports instead.
I was wondering what the difference to Linux-mandrake and Linux-redhat is? Also are they both free or just mandrake?
Originally, Mandrake was pretty much a straight copy of Redhat, except everything was compiled for i586 rather than i386 in Redhat. There were a few other differences, but they were very minor.
This was up until the Redhat/Mandrake 6.x series.
Then, Mandrake put out their 7.x series which represented a big fork from Redhat. They had killer hardware detection stuff, and lots of friendly GUI tools for administration.
They are still sort of compatible, in that Mandrake uses Redhat's RPM format for distributing packages.
think most distributions of linux are free, as long as you stick with the standard versions.
All distributions are legally bound to be available for free, somewhere.
Once you make a derivative of GPL software and start distributing binaries to the public, you are legally bound to also offer the source, and the binaries, for free. Since every distro is a derivative work, they follow this.
The only person to break from it was Caldera, they have some sort of seat licencing system going for their corp customers. I don't know whats happenning with them right now, other than that they are hurting financially.
Originally posted by XWRed1
Ugh... dualbooting with 98SE? If you are going to dualboot, at least pick out something better than that!
cant afford XP, don't like Me.
Plus, I have Windows98SE because..it..erm..was...a..gift. Yes, of course, a gift.
I might 'get' Windows 2000 soon, don't know.
I would never use anything less than an NT-based OS for Windows stuff, and I've followed that rule for several years.
DoomProph3t
11-04-01, 02:46 PM
I have a custom linux distro and win98se... the win98 is the playground, format every 3 weeks (when the blue screen gets constant hehe) and only have games in it (and some ssh clients to log into my linux-only box, an old P-133)
the main reason i got linux was to experiment, than... its impossible to turn back.
I started using Irix, on a SGI machine
the main advantage of linux, despite stability, (for me the "stability" is bull****... linux have some flaws in it too... not as much as windows, but it does have some.... for example, its millenar file system), where i was... ok, besides stability i love the way linux deal with networks and multitreads (heres a odd thing, tecnicaly, win NT is a multitread system but linux is not ! and yet, it deal with multitasking better)
with linux you can do much more than with windows... with windows you will be only a user forever, no matter how well you can deal with it.
theres no point you spending 2 months switching jumpers to get the maximun of your overclocked and water cooled hardware if you'r going to use a poor software that dont let you choose where you want to put all that power... for example, i use heavy 3D and video editing software... if i ever use Win Xp, i will have a down in performance just to load that shinny futile interface... with linux i dont even need a interface... i can load only the program i'm going to use and have almost 100% of the CPU power over it... and if i want, in the middle of the cpu consuming process i just open another virtual enviroment and load my interface to read some mail... and then close it to give back the resources...
with windows you will have to wait the hourglass to stop spining..
chaim79
11-05-01, 01:49 PM
Originally posted by XWRed1
[B]
If you must use something similar to a Microsoft solution, maybe you should try Evolution (http://www.ximian.com/evolution)
Thanks for the info, I'll look it up
I guess this means you pirate your Windows games? I mean, if you can afford the Windows games, then you can afford to just up and buy the Linux ports instead.
The last game I purchased was Deus Ex, and that was before I heard about LOKI. The other games that I have? Wing Commander 3, C&C (Dos ver) Tiberium Sun, Star Craft, Midtown Madness, Star Trek Armada (gift from parents) That's it. How many games do you have? :P
My game buying power was never very much, and since I started college it has disapeared. I only have 1 game burned... and it's one I never play. (MS junk.....)
ok. Well, the default implication I got from the game argument was that you were keeping Windows around to play *new* games.
Loki is working on Deus Ex, btw, but they are hung up waiting for some tool they need from Ion Storm.
The Linux games I own and have installed:
Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire
Descent 3
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Half-life (running in Wine, not a Linux game, but I play it there)
Heretic II
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns
Mindrover
Myth II
Postal
Quake 3 Arena and Team Arena
Rune
Shogo: MAD
Soldier of Fortune
Simcity 3000 Unlimited
Tribes 2
Unreal Tournament
Wolfenstein MPTest (MPtest, obviously, but I will get the full version)
mcrites
11-07-01, 06:04 AM
Originally posted by chaim79
[
Dial-On-Demand Internet Sharing (I'm still looking for it's equivilant for Linux... it's only a matter of time)
I believe you can set pppd to do that sort of thing, but configuring it, thats the fun part.
Originally posted by DoomProph3t
(for me the "stability" is bull****... linux have some flaws in it too... not as much as windows, but it does have some.... for example, its millenar file system),
what file system?
I have used: ext2 (not very good), ReiserFS(good, but seems slower than ext2) and now I am using JFS from IBM. Its very fast and I like it.
Is millenar even a word? I've never heard it before.
DoomProph3t
01-05-02, 01:41 PM
hehe... about the millenar... I tought it was a cognate... english is not my 1st language... was trying to say that ext2 damn old :)
about Reiser being slow... if you dont want to try ext3 (pretty unstable) try disabling the journaling in reiser... you will hate yourself if you lost something in you HD since without journaling its hard to recover data... but the speedy issue will be solved :)
seriously, on a desktop theres not much need for journaling
Originally posted by DoomProph3t
seriously, on a desktop theres not much need for journaling
Do you like to sit through a 20min ext2 filesystem check when your little brother wonders what the little button labled 'reset' does....?
PhoenixMDM
01-06-02, 11:50 AM
Originally posted by penguinfreak
Do you like to sit through a 20min ext2 filesystem check when your little brother wonders what the little button labled 'reset' does....?
Or when your cat rips the power cord out of the wall? lol, i'm very happy with reiser's speed too, ext2 isn't much faster for me... Saves a millisecond or two:p
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