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23 Comments
- dharm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7no offence, but you seem to be "computer-stupid"
instead of posting your message and asking for answers, you could have http://*****.com/ - waiwai, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Windows = grab a fish sandwich at McDonalds
Mac = drive 100 miles to have fish somewhere fancy where the water costs 20$ and you get waited on hand and foot
Linux = chop a branch off a tree to start making your fishing pole... - odin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3someone let me know when there is an easy way to set up thin clients. there were too many words in that article
- spicy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3google is your friend... :) You probably spend more time writing your post then it would take to find the answers to your questions.
- caudron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2WHAT IS LINUX?
Linux Explained: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
Ubuntu Linux Explained: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Linux
why is there such a crazy following for it?
The answer is Freedom: http://diveintomark.org/archives/2004/05/14/freedom-0 - TyeDyeShadow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2First: waiwai - way to simplify... I like.
But I have to give the expanded version...
Flipperbw: While I would agree with anyone responding to you with a "look it up" (-this is the Internet, USE IT, damn it!), I can also sympathize with your lack of understanding, since I have recently enlightened myself to these same (Linux) questions. But, please realize, I am no expert or "guru" (so all you guys, feel free to jump in and correct me), just a CAD draftsman by trade who has an interest in computers, both personally and professionally.
Yes, Linux, as well as UNIX, are operating systems for computers. Just realize, that that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the windows and icons you find in the Mac, Windows, or even Linux/Unix OS's. (...that is called a "user interface", which you can look up...) There are other OS out there, some now defunct (like BeOS), but Windows and Mac are the most prevalent to the general public. Unix has been around for a long time (longer than Win. or Mac, and even DOS, I think); and as far as I can tell, Linux is a revamped version of Unix. Interestingly enough, I believe Mac is based on a version of Unix.
Ubuntu is one of many, many, many different variants of Linux (there's also Mandriva, RedHat, SUSE, to name a few on a very long list). Basically, these are compilations of software, including the OS, the “user interface”, and (sometimes) programs, like word processors, or web browsers. Some are assembled by companies (commercially), and others are by groups (volunteers, organizations, whatever). Some of these variants are Linux for a specific purpose, like programming. For example, Ubuntu is for general users (you, me, Joe next door). Kubuntu is meant for the guru's, the programmers, the uber (or not-so-uber) geeks. (...a Microsoft equivalent would go something like “Windows – Home Edition” vs. “Windows for Programmers”...)
Onward... Why haven't you heard of it? I don't know, but I would hazard a guess, that you are a newbie, or an “automatic driver” (see below)...
What's so good about it? Well, after trying Ubuntu as my first “distro” (or variant, as I put it above), I have to say, it's a heck of a lot more stable (even than Mac, in my experience); it's fast; it tends to be (IMO) more intimate with the computer (hardware-wise), which can be bad, as well as good. Over all, I like what I've seen, so if you're interested in something other than Mac or Windows, check it out.
To answer your “why not just use Mac instead of Windows” question... Let me put it this way: (to me) the difference between Mac and, well just about anything else that comes to mind, is the difference between a car with a manual transmission and one that's automatic. (IMO this goes for the different users as well) Mac is the automatic; it takes care of everything for you, so you don't have to worry about the machine, just using it. Great for the “I don't care as long as it works” crowd. Otherwise, it's a manual; you have to pay attention and operate your vehicle/system, which means you are in more control, therefore, more aware of your system (and a better driver/user IMO). Otherwise, the difference becomes another issue, like free, open source vs. “paying” for your OS, as one of many examples. For me, I'd dump Windows in a heart beat except for two things: (1) my CAD software is Windows only, and (2) I don't know enough about Linux to get my systems totally running (as far as hardware is concerned). But, I'm sick of Windows; I'm beginning to hate Microsoft and everything they represent as a company, and I hope to soon be able to move on to other things. Right now, that looks like Linux. Oh, and if you're wondering why not Mac, let's just say I hate to drive automatics. ;-)
Anyway, sorry for the dissertation, but in rebuttal to the “look it up” responses, Flipperbw won't find the answer to their questions on the web, at least not easily or clearly (believe me, I've been looking for years now!) -TDS - diecastbeatdown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2LTSP is pretty cool. I worked at a place where we had a main LTSP and all the employees (read, all 5 of us) ran our desktop workstations pxe boot from the LTSP. it was very smooth, and the fact you can centrally manage everything is great.
- deadbaby, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I agree with a7bat. Ubuntu builds on the success of Debian. It's almost a distro of a distro. It's far more polished and trouble-free than other distros I've tried. Previously I was a Gentoo user but I got sick of waiting for compiles and etc-update hosed my system so often that I was driven to try out Ubuntu -- which I am currently digging very much. It's the most trouble-free Linux install I've ever used.
- kurtkraut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I would like to remind that Ubuntu Dapper (6.04) wasn't released yet and it is only availuable as a preview, so it might not be as stable and reliable as expected. Dapper will be release in april.
- a7bat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Maybe because Ubuntu users feel that everything "just works". I use Ubuntu, and yeah it's good, but not everything works. I need to tweak every now and then, which can be a hassle. Plus. I really don't like how you can't get the lastest Apps from apt-get, but need to rely on building from source, 3rd party repositories, or some other method, which can break Ubuntu.
- griboyedov, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Terminal Services on Linux has come a long way since I used it five years ago. I enjoy talking to the LTSP team every time I'm i SF for LinuxWorld, and although it's not feasible to introduce it into the computing environment at my current employer, it is a very stable and very reliable method of serving up Linux to many thin clients.
The LTSP team markets think clients (including monitor) in the range of $200-$400. They're extremely low on power consumption, noise, and heat generation, and can be as powerful as you make the server. - alexpach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Easy way to setup terminal server (although without the freevo capability) is: http://www.tprthai.net/knoppix.htm - scrool down to the terminal server section.
- alexpach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Dapper is in flight 4 right now.. which is like beta4. It is stable enough (at least in my experience)... and with only a few weeks until the official release - I don't see a reason not to try it. Once it is officially released - just do apt-get dist-upgrade and you are up to date.
- astronerd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Pretty sweet. Even better cause its running ubuntu!
- alexpach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yo - I am the dude who wrote the article... Just to clarify - I don't spend that much time on the crapper... but I do like a good long shower. My bathroom is small enough that I can have a water-proof touchscreen between he shower and the john.
Actually I really was just kidding there... but every joke has a part of truth ;-) - alexpach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Industrial Monitor and Touchscreen - http://www.hismonitors.com/ML15_Panelmount_industrial_monitor.htm
Now, I feel I have to do it. - buddyfarr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Anyway, sorry for the dissertation, but in rebuttal to the “look it up” responses, Flipperbw won't find the answer to their questions on the web, at least not easily or clearly (believe me, I've been looking for years now!) -TDS"
hmmmm, and yet this digg is ON THE WEB where he is trying to find the answer....
usually I can find things much faster on the web than ANY other resource. anything in print will be out of date by the time you can read it. the web can be updated to the minute as long as the source keeps their info up to date. there are a lot of resources about linux variants on the web. you just have to take the time to pick which distro you want to stick with and then move on to their website or a lug (linux user group) that supports that variant... - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1
If you like Ubuntu, and its a little limiting for you then for god's sake try Debian. Ubuntu is like Debian "light". Maybe you need to try an upgrade to the "full" version. - hotspamail, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Hey, Flipperbw:
http://mirror.mcs.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/5.10/
Did anyone else notice that the dude who wrote that article is thinking about putting a computer in the bathroom? Come on, how much time can you spend on the crapper? - ecacofonix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Interesting discussion on the LTSP...I have been trying to dig up more inputs on the future of projects such as the LTSP for a page we run on Linux Research & Future ( http://www.eit.in/sw/os/linux/research/linux_research.html ) and I find this blog article to be quite a useful one...thanks for the same...I have collected some inputs from the LTSP project home page on sourceforge (?) as well
eIT.in @ http://www.eit.in - nograz, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4Why does Ubuntu have this strange cult around it? I also wonder how many people that use Ubuntu really understand linux, it is kind of a really candy coated GUI driven linux distro. Don't get me wrong, it is a good linux distro for what it is.
I will have to read into this more. I am interested in setting up dumb terminals, mainly laptops. Though, the only real options are VNC or NX. For VNC you would have to run mutiple instances of it for everyone that needs a desktop. Not so bad right now, for two of us, but added in more people and the load on the server can get pretty hard. NX worked great, except it couldn't save your state if you were disconnected, meaning if you were working something and the connection was dropped... kiss it goodbye.
I have looked into the LTSP projecto breifly, but it looks like I may have to look into it a little harder, see if it can suite my needs. If so, $200 el cheapo laptops could make a good dumb and portable terminal. - war2d2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0It's all about Fedora. Set it and forget it.
- Flipperbw, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1OK, here we go, once and for all. WHAT IS LINUX? What's UNIX, and why is there such a crazy following for it? I know it's some sort of operating system, but is it similar to Windows? MacOS? I'm not computer-stupid...how come everyone has heard of it except for me? What's so good about it? It seems to me that if you don't like windows for all the typical reasons, use a mac. why would you ever use linux?
Oh and, what's Ubuntu exactly? And please don't give me the traditional "google is your friend..." or "try looking it up instead of wasting our time even though I took the time to write out this response to you." kind of responses. Thank you.
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