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- b7illsmith, on 10/12/2007, -3/+102Reviews for "I Switched to Linux - One Man's Story":
"Riveting..." -- Linus Torvalds, Linux
"...A nail biting cliff-hanger!" -- Bruce Perens, Open Source Advocate
"..." -- Eric S. Raymond, author of "The Catedral and the Bazaar"
"...gritty...non-stop rollercoaster ride." -- Randal L. Schwartz, author of "Learning Perl"
"I was on the edge of my seat 'til the very end." -- Richard M. Stallman, GNU - Rice, on 10/12/2007, -4/+66"Ptfff." ~ Steve Jobs
"That's interesting, but you're violating our intellectual property." ~ Bill Gates
"Dugg." ~ Many diggers.
"Developers! Developers! Developers!" ~ Steve Ballmer - nipuL, on 10/12/2007, -7/+34As someone who works in the PC service industry, I can assure you MOST people do not like windows. Many common users are very aware of alternatives to Windows, OS X and Linux in particular, however, tend to stick with windows because they are familiar with it or see it as a necessity.
However as much as I hate windows, if it wasn't so crappy I'd be out of a job!! - MadEnvoy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+24"Linux has gone from being for tech pro's only, to the common man" - Hell, most people I know can't understand Windows either...
- JeffH, on 10/12/2007, -6/+22"I Switched to Linux - One Man's Story That Has Been Told Thousands of Times on the Internet, Yet Continues to Garner Responses Like; "I Don't Give a *****""
- pixelmixer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18correction... the average horde still buys the average computer... which happens to come pre installed with Windows.
- 1021, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10hey, at least it's in a nice clear font. I kind of like the way it looks. I am too lazy to look in source for what font that is, is it Helvetica?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10I have a pirated version and with cracks and patches I don't deal with the genuine advantage mumbo jumbo yet still get windows updates, IE7, windows media player 11, etc... Microsoft only hurt legitimate users with WGA.
- atdigg, on 10/12/2007, -7/+16"I might be tempted to switch to linux, if and only if, they could make some distros like each other enough that i don't feel like i'm swimming in a totally different sea everytime i use a different distro."
Then use only one, that's pretty silly to ask other people to change their habits to suit your own. Having multiple distros serves a purpose -- people have different needs and preferences if that woule be false that there would not be so many distro in the first place. Pick a distro in top 10 (or even top 20) at distrowatch and stick with it. - Sidicas, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I switched FROM Debian GNU/Linux after using it for almost 3 and a half years....
I just got sick and tired of all the "regressions"...
1. A kernel update that disabled DMA on the CD-ROM drive when it detects I/O errors (switching the drive to PIO). A new feature they added somewhere in towards the end of the 2.4.18 or so releases.... After that, 90% of the disks I had wouldn't rip to OGG at ALL. Because the disks were copy-resistent with those fake checksum errors on them.. ... (It was one of those Copy-protected disks that ripped normally BEFORE the kernel update). I literally had to go in, comment out all the crap they added and then recompile the whole kernel..... I'm using iTunes on Windows XP now and never looking back. I laugh at those people who are so happy moving over to Linux... It's great for the first few years.. But after a while you realize.. All the time you spend fixing stuff is better spent doing more productive things..
2. I upgraded XFree86 (to a stable version even) one day and it TOTALLY f-ed over everything... What's worse is that it stumped EVERYBODY. It took almost 5 weeks to figure out what the problem. It detected the video card and everything, enabled DRI... No problem... But then rejected every monitor refresh value known to man. Tried 4 different monitors, no go... Apparently what had happened was that they added a feature to the ATI Radeon 7000 series of boards that fixed support for outputting to the TV.. So it added a new enumerated TV output... Well apparently they got the enumeration swapped and the default monitor output on the Video card was trying to send stuff to the TV output (thus the monitor was sucessfully polled for refresh rates, but then they were all rejected because the driver was thinking the monitor was plugged into the TV out on the board instead of the SVGA connector)... Yup, really retarded... Had to change the enumeration in the XFRee86 configuration to tell it that my Monitor was plugged into the TV Output of the board (since they had them reversed you see....)... And... They fixed it 6 months later, then I had to switch it BACK to the way it was before...
Of course, my story of a man who used Linux for 3.5 years, switching to Windows and is not looking back never got digged... Just the way the world is.. - gharding, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Thank you. Great.. you switched to Linux.. so did a bunch of other people (and they all wrote ***** stories).
- b7illsmith, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12I see the problem. Try this first:
http://polishlinux.org/choose/quiz/
Your welcome!
P.S. I believe that you wrote your post with the intention of making simple things complicated. You've taken an idiot-savant approach to installing and using Linux, and offer it up as some kind of proof that Linux isn't feasible. - regeya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7@JavertHolmes
>"You of course know that ubuntu doesn't use xfree86... it uses xserver-xorg"
>Yes, and luckily my grandmother does as well :)
Sarcasm! Brilliant. Why would you, your grandmother, or anyone need to be aware that your system uses either xfree86 or xorg? Oh, wait, that's right; YOU would have needed to know. IIRC XFree86 hasn't been on Ubuntu since Warty, which was over two years ago.
Yes, TWO YEARS AGO.
If you're going to state with authority that Linux isn't ready for the desktop based on a two-year-old proof-of-concept Ubuntu release, I'm going to review a two-year-old copy of Windows Vista and find it to be woefully inadequate. It's only fair. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I can never give up my photoshop no matter what OS I move to.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9...for games
oh wait!... - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6The hardest part of switching, for me, was moving from Adobe Photoshop to The GIMP. I'm getting there, but I still much prefer the working enviroment of Photoshop. The multi-window thing tThe GIMP uses just doesn't click with me.
- WhiskerTheMad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"Windows is a bit ahead of the game."
Only if you haven't looked for any software in the last five years. Try this:
Open your favorite Linux distro.
Open up it's software repository (Synaptic, RH update, Yum, what have you)
Now switch it around: try to find usable Windows equivalents for all that software. If you can find more than half, I'll be impressed (and by usable, I mean something you can buy and have supported right now, by a company that is currently in business). - Jaymoon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7If you know nothing about linux, but really want to try it, try out Xubuntu. Very simple, and runs on really crappy computers.
- regeya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Silly Digger-your lack of interest doesn't constitute lack of interest of the world at large. Ravenous hordes of Linux users don't really descend in a slavering mess onto Digg for the sole purpose of making your life miserable. There is no Linux Story Cabal, there is no conspiracy to post boring stories you don't give a ***** about.
In all seriousness, as a Linux user, I'm a little sick of the Linux switcher blog posts making it to the front page. Unlike you, I know the proper procedure to deal with it.
It's very simple. Instead of bitching, moaning, and posting witless sarcastic remarks, use that pull-down menu on every story. With enough negative feedback, the stories will get pulled...at least if the algorithm is working right nowadays.
Hell, if anyone wants a conspiracy theory, here's one: I remember Linux-friendly sites getting inundated with posts just like yours right after the WIndows XP launch. Back then, MS got caught using paid shills. Your post follows the exact sort of formula used by those shills. Care to comment? - kokorhekkus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Agreed. I had the fortune/misfortune to work a short stint doing telephone support for a rather local ISP (with DSL and cable). My experience: yes, a lot of people do not have a clue. A lot of people do not know about malware or viruses unless it really jumps up and bites them in the ass. Heck some people even answer wrong if you ask them "Are you connected via a telephone line (ADSL) or cable outlet where your television is (cable)". Or deny having a modem at all.
- michaelyurechko, on 10/12/2007, -8/+12I know everyone's switching to linux, but does everyone need to write something each and every time, and get dugg? I mean, I can recall at least 5 of these stories already.
- Karmalary, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I've had Ubuntu on my dual-boot home system for about a year now and I generally like it. Indeed, I would switch fully to Linux but for a few programs I use almost every day. Like 3D Studio Max, Maya, LightWave, SolidWorks, FL Studio, Cubase, Premiere, etc. Until Linux systems can provide power tools like these, I'll keep Windows around.
- regeya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@most the negative a-holes:
You'll never find my 'switch' story because it was back in college, out of necessity, and back then it was dual-boot. Nowadays? Why would I write about it? Xubuntu Just Works(TM) on my home machine. Having something Just Work makes for tediously boring copy. Just ask anyone in the newspaper business how well a newspaper would sell if the front-page above-the-fold top-story headline was 'Everything Was Fine Today'. Boooo-ring.
And, seriously, games? I'm supposed to keep a current Windows license...for games? Ever heard of a game console? The average console is around the price of a Windows license. I could, if I wanted to, buy the console, buy/rent the games, and not upgrade my PC hardware for a while. Hell, given the popularity of the XBox brand, MS wouldn't be losing all that much money from me.
Or maybe they are, which is why, 5 years after MS caught so much hell over paid astroturfers, we're inundated with a flood of the same ol' 'who gives a *****,' 'guess you don't play games much,' 'guess you don't go outside much,' 'how's my gramma supposed to use emacs' ***** y'all posted back then. Wasn't fooled then, not getting fooled now. Whatever you're paid, it's too much. - krinthekuz, on 09/16/2008, -1/+5the only thing that keeps me from "switching" by your definition, is that if i want to take my exams on my laptop, i need windows (mac users are screwed too). that's just my laptop that dual boots. my 3 other pcs all run linux, so you can hardly say i havent switched.
there is so much ***** that is so "windows only" and is purposely done like that, but it's clearly getting better, especially because of web apps. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7why?
- tranix, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4xfree86? How many years ago did you download that install cd?
- cynicist, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm sure he'll be amazed when he finds out he can still sell his soul to blizzard.
- MrTea, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm still waiting for a Mathtype replacement for *nix. Open Office Math sucks donkey balls.
Btw, I use Ubuntu as my main OS and I'm looking to go over to Gentoo once I get a firm grasp at GCC. - regeya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@JavertHolmes
>"You of course know that ubuntu doesn't use xfree86... it uses xserver-xorg"
>Yes, and luckily my grandmother does as well :)
Sarcasm! Brilliant. Why would you, your grandmother, or anyone need to be aware that your system uses either xfree86 or xorg? Oh, wait, that's right; YOU would have needed to know. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5"Linux is nice, but it's not fool proof yet."
Not as long as fools are using it. - xchino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You don't really need to know anything about gcc to use Gentoo, portage handles all the compiling for you. Basically you just type emerge program and it downloads, extracts, configures, compiles and installs in one go. In fact you really don't need to know gcc to compile 99.9% of linux packages, all you need to know is ./configure, make, and make install. I'd say if you want to try it, just jump on in to it and get your hands dirty. Keep the install docs open and join #gentoo on freenode, it's a very friendly and helpful channel.
- int19h, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3A lot have happened on the user-friendly side of Linux just in the last year. Did Ubuntu exist when you gave up Linux? Were Gnome and KDE as polished as they are today?
Granted, special hardware still requires special hassle under Linux, but at least you're never left without options.
I've been using Linux for about six years now, and I see no reason to switch.
Have a fun time being locked in in iTunes ;-) - shuffle2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Ah another ubuntu blog entry. YES!
another person satisfied with GNOME. YES!
YES YES YES! don't stop bringin the stories to rivet me in my seat! - loconet, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7You need to get out more often then.
- 7 years Linux user who knows dozens of full-time Linux users. Nice to meet you. - eliezerlp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It's Century Gothic - - > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_Gothic
- brainspout, on 10/12/2007, -12/+15About 80% of what I'm reading about Windows Vista makes me sick! I've fought it long enough, there's no denying it any longer - I AM SWITCHING TO LINUX! I mean what options do I have? Sure I could go Mac, and I'd like to, but I can't afford it right now. Linux may not be 100% ready for the masses as of yet, but I can't bring myself to do Vists, no way. So Linux here I come...
Cover me, I'm going in! - Karmalary, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yeah, implementing a ghost dongle with Wine is hell :(
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5lol, ya if I had all those cracked warez I'd stick to Windows too!! :P
- jownz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2heh, n00b ;)
Congrats on taking the plunge! - rangermatt, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Interesting article. I've been looking at getting a new laptop, and have been having the same thoughts... should I go with Linux?
Although I haven't bought my laptop yet, I think I've decided to pass on Linux for a few reasons. Although I'd like to use Linux, it just seems like overall, it's not worth it.
The biggie, is that I'm perfectly happy with XP, and my new laptop will come with a free Vista upgrade. Why switch if I have yet to run into any major problems?
The other big thing is compatibility. I really don't want to spend a lot of time installing drivers and getting everything to work right. The guy in this article spent EIGHT hours in one day trying to get his wireless Internet to work. At a conservative $10 an hour, that's $80 gone right there. I'd prefer everything to work out of the gate, which not even Ubuntu can do.
And yeah, it's great that there is a lot of Open Source software that works in Linux, but if I use Windows I can still use that software. That's what I do in XP - Firefox, Gaim, Thunderbird, etc. Why go through the trouble of switching OS's to use the same software?
I'm not trying to attack Linux - I genuinely WANT to like Linux and I WANT to see benefits for switching. I'm even OK doing command line stuff. The thing is, why would I want to go through all that trouble if I have no reason to? Please, someone convince me - I want to be convinced! - chapium, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You can install flash 9 with a .deb from the website. It installs similar to a windows prorgram using gdebi. However there are less "next" buttons and the user does not choose a directory. Fancy that.
- WhiskerTheMad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Please, someone convince me - I want to be convinced!"
Let Linux convince you. Many distros offer a "Live CD," which runs Linux straight off the CD without ever touching your hard drive. It takes a bit longer to come up and run, of course, but it's a safe way to try a bunch of different stuff without have to do a full install.
I'm using PCLinuxOS right now because the LiveCD experience was excellent. - xchino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2 If you didn't like the latest revision of the kernel, why didn't you just switch back to the last working version? You don't have to run the latest bleeding edge kernel. Windows updates have screwed me over a great deal worse than that, on many occasions, so switching back for that reason makes no sense to me.
I'll give it to you on the XFree problems, it has given me migranes more times than I can remember. The only solution I've found is use nvidia, every ATI card I've had has given me some degree of trouble under X. That being said, the fact that you were able to correct your problems goes to show the strength of Linux, given the same problems under Windows you'd be SOL, waiting for MS to release a patch, or some third party to come along with a crude hack.
At any rate, neither of the problems you described are Linux specific, bugs in updates happen all the time, as well as driver problems. Right now I can't get my Senao wireless card working under windows even with the vendor supplied drivers, yet it works flawlessly out of the box under Linux using the prism2 driver. I don't blame MS for my random hardware problems, you can't blame Linux for yours, especially when you have the ability and choice to revert to a working version. - grablife, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3After screwing around with Ubuntu on a new HP DV9009NR for 3 days, I finally gave up. The CD would only boot right about one out of ten times. Once installed, it recognized the wired ethernet no problem with the wireless would require a patch. It wouldn't install the nvidia driver no matter what I did, It only recognized the video card as a stardard vesa card so the screen was limited to 1024x768 which stretched everything on the wide screen. It won't recognize the svideo port or the bluetooth adapter. The documentation assumes you know linux already so it refers to obscure commands rather than documenting the step by step commands. It's just not ready for prime time.
- allyant, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7I Love Microsoft.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2if you have older hardware, install gentoo. i have a multiboot 450mhz system with gentoo and ubuntu/kubuntu. gentoo is snappy and is populated with only the software i want (plus dependencies), ubuntu is slow and bloated, kubuntu is even worse.
i'm not flaming ubuntu, because i like what they're trying to accomplish...their upside is user-friendliness, their downside is system bloat.
gentoo's learning curve can be a bitch, but it's more rewarding in the end.
$0.02 - loconet, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I rarely play games (maybe that is part of the reason why I've been a Linux user for so long without major "Windows" needs). Don't get me wrong, I have windows in dual boot but only for the rare cases in which I actually need it. I find myself lasting less and less time on it every time, seems like you guys are getting it progressively worse every new version.
That being said, I'm also a software developer and feel more than at home in Linux and I also think that Linux is not ready for the masses to switch (as a desktop os). It's ready for my parents who only would use it for e-mail, web, simple word processing, and it's ready for professionals like myself. However, power users/gamers like our friend ImTheDarkcyde over there's friend and the majority of people who frequent this site probably would not feel comfortable enough *yet*.
@thespace , very true lol. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3For anyone who claims they are going to give up windows for good please format your Windows partition and post your Windows Product ID...
- iamfiction, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I switched to ubuntu sunday.
- Sp1k3d, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ubuntu solved the DMA issue for me in Breezy, and it works seamlessly when upgrading from one version to another. The whole Xfree86 to Xorg from Warty to Hoary worked great! I think if you tried a more polished desktop distro like Ubuntu (don't get me wrong, I love Debian) you would switch back! Ubuntu JUST works!
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