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280 Comments
- geoken, on 10/12/2007, -4/+35If Adobe ever put all their apps on Linux that date would be the date Linux became my primary OS. It would probably be my only OS.
- ricodued, on 10/12/2007, -18/+41The day linux has a *unified* (linux-wide, not this RPM, .deb, etc. nonsense) installer system and support for all of my hardware is the day I'll switch. Yes, yes, oh but linux is all about choice! Why do we need a unified installer system like MSI or NIS when you can just choose!?
Because some things need to be standardized. It's holding linux back. - chicken101, on 10/12/2007, -7/+26It took you two days to get aiglx running? All you need to do is copy and paste two lines into xorg.conf. It's really not that hard.
- merreborn, on 10/12/2007, -4/+23"most software installation is really easy using synaptic or apt."
Easier than windows, actually. I wish I could just "apt-get firefox" in windows. Instead I have to open up IE, navigate to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/, download, execute, click through a bunch of installer prompts...
That being said, all our servers here are linux, but I'm not really interested in switching for my desktop. Have to run a few windows apps now and then, and most of the games I play haven't been ported. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+24i made linux my primary OS about 2 years ago? around april (so almost 2 years ago)
i installed gentoo at that time, but like 9 months after that i went with ubuntu, and looooove ubuntu ever since - CLucas916, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16thats why you have tux as your icon?
right... - saranagati, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13started using it in 95 and it became my primary (only) os in 2000
- cody50, on 10/12/2007, -6/+18Which apps were you trying to install? most software installation is really easy using synaptic or apt.
- alexandreracine, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13@ricodued
It's coming, check out Ubuntu association with Linspire. - evilTak, on 10/12/2007, -1/+111998. Debian GNU/Linux.
- kmikz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10About the same time Vista came out... I installed it on my laptop and found out that Aero wasn't working because the Intel 915 chipset wasn't supported... Basically Intel won't write the WDDM drivers for it, because as I understand it the chipset isn't fully DX9 compliant. That hasn't stopped anybody advertising the laptop as Vista ready or Intel saying that the Intel 915 graphic chipset is DX9 in the specs sheet. I bought the laptop about 4 months ago and shopped around a bit only because I wanted a Vista capable computer. Imagine my surprise to find out that a DX9 card and PixelShader 2.0 isn't enough to run Aero. It's not just about Aero, also Movie Maker doesn't work. So I said "FUDGE YOU MICROSOFT" and I installed Ubuntu. Beryl kicks major Aero ass.
- strabes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12@halik: Some people don't have infinitely large wallets and can't spend $2000 on a computer.
- killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11been using linux off and on since 04 ( Suse, mandrake, slackware) Switched fully to Kubuntu October 06, havn't looked back
- psychotron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10I installed Linux in my computer 2 years ago when my girlfriend broke up with me. I also lost my job that same day and my car broke down. Since that fateful day, I have had 3 hot girlfriends (including my current one), I got a job at $100,000 a year AND it came with a company car. It's a Chevy Malibu. I know, I know. It's a Chevy Malibu. You can't possibly expect Linux to GIVE you everything. I'm happy though. I choose Linspire back then. I feel like getting a hotter girlfriend, a better job and a nicer car so I think I'll upgrade to Ubuntu pretty soon. All in all I'm very glad I dropped M$. I would consider switching to OSX but I'm afraid everything I get from it might tear a hole in the space-time continuum and I (along with the universe of course) might cease to exist. I can't have that on my head. I'm very happy with Linux.
- strabes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Freedom. Linux costs $0. There's no DRM, no EULA, no license agreements. Multiple workspaces is a great feature. It's similar to the "spaces" feature of Apples' new OS but has been around much longer. It's much faster (especially if you use KDE or XFCE4 instead of Gnome). There are no viruses, adware, nor malware. No need for virus or adware protection constantly running in the background. Another perk is that most distributions come with all the software you'll ever need to do everyday tasks. You don't need to install the OS and then install all this extra software in order to get it working the way you want. For example in windows, you have to install it, then download or install your antivirus, then install microsoft office, then download and install itunes, an AIM client, etc etc. Linux (specifically the ubuntu series of distros) come with all that software by default. (minus the antivirus, since it's unnecessary in linux)
I've been using linux full time for the greater part of a year and I'll never look back. The fact that you don't play computer games, (a major argument of windows gamers), makes switching for you even easier.
I recommend the kubuntu distribution. You can check it out at www.kubuntu.com. When you get stuck or have a question (and you most likely will), ubuntuforums.org is a great resource. Also, #ubuntu, #linux, or any of the IRC channels listed on the ubuntu website are wonderful.
I hope this helps you out in your decision to switch. - meltingrobot, on 10/12/2007, -24/+33@jdwtc
If the site is so lame that you think it should delete itself, why do you bother reading it and posting on it? - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -9/+18Same here. Also, my printer and scanner aren't Linux compatible. Plus I'm having a difficult time getting dual monitor display to work with Xorg.
- Tyr7BE, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8RedHat 5.0...circa 1997? 1998? Something like that.
- Wireddd, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I have been dual booting for years, I finally moved to linux completely 2 years ago
- Fritzel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9@tkstock
Regarding Fedora, All my hardware is autodetected, and as someone posted above, software installation is about 10 times easier in linux than in windows thanks to apt, yum, or the like, choose your utility
lets say you want to install nvidia video drivers? how would you do that in windows?
Windows: Navigate to the webiste, download the drivers, install them, follow prompts, reboot.
Fedora: "yum -y install kmod-nvidia" wait till done
Windows: firefox? navigate to the website, find the download section, download, install
Linux: "yum -y install firefox" wait till done
Windows: MS Office? Put the cd in and install it
Linux: Put the cd in and install it ^^
Linux has come a long way, and as I said on another digg, it'll likely pass up windows in ease of use and compatibility before vista's successor - strabes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8@tkstock: That's not what he's referring to. With the more popular distros, there's no need to even install drivers for any hardware (even printers) because everything is included with the OS. Installing software with a debian-based distribution is far easier than in windows. I cannot understand the reasoning behind saying differently. There's just no comparison.
- tech42er, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11I installed Ubuntu on the 15th year anniversary of Linux (August 25, 2006) as my primary OS, though I still keep XP Home around.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8The point is that there ARE repos, which make installing most common software easier than on Windows.
Might as well say "Try upgrading Firefox in Windows without the .exe installer", both would require the same actions, extracting the files and probably adding a menu entry linking to the binaries. The point is that repos are eaiser to use than self extracting exeies because they are standardized and don't require the user to goto a site and download anything.
Installing Firefox on Linux without a repo or package management isn't much harder than on windows, you just have to extract the archive manually and most distros use a GUI such as file-roller for extraction anyway. The only thing you would need to do is add it to the menu. Lots of the big applications that don't end up in the repos also come with self installers.
Also things that aren't in the official repos but come in packaged formats (deb/rpm etc) can normally be installed just by clicking on the package as most distros have GUI package installers setup.
The only 'hard' stuff is compiling from source (normally just extract, and "./configure; make; make install"), but if you are a computer person thats not particularly hard (you might need dev libs and such but any errors thrown generally say the library names). Granted granny might have problems with compiling from source, but its unlikely granny would ever need such a program. - Techiegeeks, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9That's funny. I put my Ubuntu disk in ran the install and was done. I had my system up and running in about an hour. Then I ran Synaptic and made sure I had all the updates. I was too easy.
This is coming from an IT worker who deals with installing XP all day long. Installing XP is no picnic either. There is still the issues with getting the proper drivers. Then theres the Service Packs and the million updates. Plus you need to get an Antivirus & Firewall program on pronto.
I would love to see the average user install both XP and Ubuntu. I bet Ubuntu would be easier. Plus it comes with the apps to get them productive right away (Open Office and crap like that). - mangaskahn, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8November my wife's computer developed a strange problem where it refuses to boot Windows, but runs Linux fine. Strangest problem I've ever seen. Anyway... I couldn't have her machine running Ubuntu and be stuck with Windows myself so I switched to Gentoo on my gaming machine, then moved on to all of my servers. I have no plans on looking back.
- meltingrobot, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9@arch
What kind of video card / dual monitor setup are you working with? - killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8cedega ftw!
http://transgaming.org - OneAndOnlySnob, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I hear you bro!
I use Linux a lot, and I fancy it a great deal... but ultimately I still depend on Windows because I get a serious itch to wank around in Cubase from time to time. Disappointing.. I look forward to the day when I can buy a copy of Cubase for Linux. - Szandor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Ubuntu on my ThinkPad since...oh...about ten o'clock this morning. Install was a breeze and all my hardware was recognized and has been functioning 100%.
Not a bad way to start the weekend. - Inaeth, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@tkstock
Automatic hardware detection? The only thing that I'm currently aware of where the Kernel for Linux lags behind is the adoption of drivers for wireless interfaces. However, this is neither a Windows or Linux specific problem, as it is up to the hardware manufacturers to create the drivers for their hardware.
Single point install? How much better does it get then Synaptic?
To beat a dead horse, Linux has better automatic driver and hardware detection then Windows. The places that are sticking right now, unfortunately, are in the consumer market where the OEM refuses to write a linux driver for their hardware. - tech42er, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Ubuntu or Mepis probably. You could also look into Linspire/Freespire.
- jemmrich, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I switched when popups and spyware took the last straw... happy in linux ever since
- Zybex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The thing is though that windows won't do any of those things 'out of the box' either.
- Myonosken, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I actually want to ask a pretty straight question to everyone; what are the advantages of Linux over other OSs? I don't generally use the PC for hardcore stuff, just general usage, so I don't really ever encounter many problems with XP SP2, however I want to know what advantage I may gain from using Linux.
Thanks Digg. - LordPengwin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Redhat 4.0 about 10 years ago.
- earlycj5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5If Windows works for you why switch?
I like the tools that Linux offers that Windows doesn't. I like the flexibility, my computer looks and works the way I want it to. Not the way someone at some company thought it should. I also just to like to know how things work and what's going on under the hood so to speak. It's cheap (free) when I built my own PC. That was a definite plus as well.
Everyone has their own reasons for using Linux. Mine's more just the tools it affords me to get stuff done and be productive than being anti MS.
For the record, I started using Redhat 7.3, so what six or seven years now Linux in one distro or another has been my primary OS. - pwolfe, on 10/12/2007, -11/+16There's just a learning curve. Once you unlearn all the windows methods, its no harder or easier to use.
- mlavergn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@ricodued
NO platform has a unified installation system. There are RECOMMENDED installation systems on each, and some are used more than others, but unless the publishers use that scheme, it's a crap shot at best.
As for myself, I switched to SuSE back in 2001 and in Dec of 2006 I switched to OS X. I still really enjoy Linux, and my MacBook Pro is dual boot with Gentoo, but I find myself booting into Linux less and less often. Why? Well, from my "I prefex unix" point of view, I can recreate a Linux like operating env on OS X with a few minor tweaks and virtually everything that can be done via a GUI can be done in a bash shell. So why not just use Linux? In simple terms, native MS Office and the Aqua UI are superior to the options available on Linux. However, the software development ecosystem on Linux is far more vibrant than the OS X one and I really find myself missing that buzz. - Fratm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I started using linux in the early 90's, I think 92 or 93.. I started using it as my primary desktop in 1995 and have been using it since, so I would say as my primary desktop OS it has been 12 years (april of 95).
-Fratm - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8@tkstock - maybe he was referring to unlearing all the stuff like constant rebooting, DRM, bsods, viruses, malware, and paying hundreds of dollars for the privelage.....
- moghua, on 10/12/2007, -0/+41994, started with a yggdrasil cdset. Moved to OS X in 2002, and then to Ubuntu in 2005 where I've been ever since.
- EdLesMann, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Others are sharing, so I figured I would too...just in case someone finds interest in it :-P
95 - first computer with windows 95.
98 - first experience with Linux (Red hat 5.1 I think...maybe it was 5.0...dont remember). I thought it was fun but couldn't connect to the net. Windows still primary (98).
99 - Tried Mandrake. Took a while to install but enjoyed it. Used to favor the games over my windows box. Windows still primary.
00 - Kept having problems with video card with mandrake o I went to Red Hat 7.0 when it was released. Windows still primary.
01 - found out about Suse. Loved it. Windows still primary (finally switched to 2k).
02 - Equal use between my Suse box and Windows. All my coding was now done on Linux with most of my net surfing and music. Windows became gaming and movies.
03 - Fell in love with clusters and Rocks Cluster Linux. It was now my server machine for all my server needs. I got fed up with dependency hell and Suse's tendency to be bloated. Started messing with other Distros. Windows was now gaming only.
04 - I love Debian. Server, test machines, primary use, media machine, everything but my cluster (still Rocks) and gaming box (windows...finally made it to XP).
06 - Gaming box dies (blown MB / proc :-( ) and I have yet to replace it (got a game cube). Windows no longer has a place in my house*. Everything is now Debian based including my wife's computer (laptop is Ubuntu, mythtv box is knoppmyth).
*OK so I was given a Xbox as a gift and I have a 360 that gets played every once in a while and it could be argued that Windows runs on them...but I don't consider them a PC. - moghua, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Not all. I went the other way. OS X to Linux.
- BionicBeefpile, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Direct link to the poll for those interested: http://linuxappfinder.com/poll/when_did_linux_become_your_primary_os
Please consider voting there rather than by commenting here - theendlessnow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I was around 93/94. Back before the age of large desktops. fvwm was king. I had a top of the line graphics card, the ATI Graphics Ultra Pro. It could to 1024x768 with 256 colors (4M of video memory)!!! Windows was still Windows 3.1 for everyone else. However, the advent of Windows 95 allowed the easy purchase of machines with 8M... which really made Linux shine.... and then came Mosaic and later Netscape which took away all of that memory :) (they had Motif statically bound in since there was no free Motif at the time).
I bought a brand spanking new Intel P90 for it.... machine cost about $3000. - jusme, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Linux is by far my favorite type of OS just for the sheer power it affords its users. However, I can't see it becoming my primary OS anytime in the near future. I've run it on my home server for years and years, and have quite a bit of familiarity with SA duties on Linux. The one thing that keeps me away is gaming support. I don't care how hard it is to install drivers or that it's not as user friendly as Windows. In fact, I like it for those reasons, it forces me to always learn something new and be an architect/engineer of my computer, not just an operator. When I can someday go down to the local gamestore and choose either a Linux or Windows copy of any new game, then I'll be sold completely. I keep Windows around just for that, and also my wife is a n00b and it's all she knows.
Oh yeah, running games on Wine doesn't count. I want native Linux support from the developers, which I don't see happening in the next 10 years at least. - thanks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4i started using linux with mandrake linux 8.1 vitamin in 2001? somewhere around there. i eventually went through a whole year where i tried a ton of different distributions, then settled on gentoo where i've stayed until 6.04 of ubuntu which i've been with ever since.
- alricsca, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I dearly want to use Ubuntu Linux as my primary OS but because I need to use Visual Studio for work and the less than stellar support for Cisco's VPN on Linux I get stuck. My biggest beef is really Cisco's fault but does get affected by Linux's nature. Every time a kernel is updated I have to recompile the VPN driver and for some reason it seems prone to not work on certain kernels. I know this is not a big burden but it is time consuming.
The Visual Studio thing is just my curse. - tech42er, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5@cody
Synaptic or apt on FC6? lol. Of course, apt is one of the reasons I use a Debian-based distro. - DNAspark99, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4redhat 5.0, however long ago that was...
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