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- MadOgre, on 07/24/2008, -29/+355No. But a fully functional Linux that doesn't make me search for drivers, has Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office already installed (latest versions) and can play my friggin DVD's without fiddling with it...
Now here is the kicker... and I want to be able to play PC games. From GameStop... the new games. With no loss of performance.
Make it fast.
Make it stable.
Make it free.
I'll switch. - spinalcracker, on 07/24/2008, -5/+98Same old paradox... get 3rd party industry support and we'll switch... 3rd parties say, get market share and we will support you. Someone has to go first. Be a part of making it happen. Support Linux and Open Source today, so in the future it will be 3rd party supported.
- DontThinkSo, on 07/24/2008, -4/+85You can't legally have DVD playback out of the box because it constitutes a violation of the DMCA in the US and similar laws in other countries; by playing back the DVD, you're circumventing the copy protection on them. The only way to get past this is to pay royalties on a per-user basis, meaning it can't be free.
Of course, you can still download the capability, if you swear (pinky promise) you don't live in the US.
I hate my country. - waxoff, on 07/24/2008, -6/+70One word should be the driving force behind Linux: Usability. The moment someone utters the phrase "all you have to do is edit the config file" that person should be punched in the face. Pretty is nice. Usability is paramount. Problem is that is hard to do when a Linux disto comes is built from 2000 different and independent projects. Linux does some cool stuff. It's great if you have a CS degree and don't mind tweaking ***** it get it to work. But going mainstream won't be easy.
- DarkSpoon, on 07/24/2008, -6/+67Ubuntu comes with FF, OO, and has great hardware support. It comes with Evolution instead of Thunderbird though. i haven't had a hardware problem with Ubuntu since the 7.04 days when i had wireless card that wasn't supported. The reason you cant play DVD's is because it doesn't come with codecs. A simple google search will turn up easy directions on getting it to work. Last i checked Windows didn't either and that requires a search and instructions of its own. I remember having to download some crap from Microsoft so my sister could watch DVD's on her laptop.
The gaming thing is the only part i dislike about Linux, but that has more to do with the game companies than Linux. - lacronicus, on 07/24/2008, -5/+51Because diablo 2 and CS 1.6 are great examples of the latest releases...
As a gamer, I can't make a permanent switch from windows, and since Windows does everything else I need just fine, I don't see a need to go linux. Sure, I'd love some of the features linux has, but if i look at what i really need in an OS, windows is the only one that has it. - dragungundam, on 07/24/2008, -19/+55Ubuntu is fast and stable. Not to mention free.
- richiewrt, on 07/24/2008, -0/+35dwtc:
That is because Dell has paid to use the codec. - jamesey, on 07/24/2008, -12/+46I switched to Ubuntu for the eye candy. I stayed because it was just superior to everything I had known on Windows and MacOC. Now I use Ubuntu with most of the eye candy off and love it.
- usingpond, on 07/24/2008, -7/+41Something that a lot of pro-Linux people don't get is that normal, everyday people don't want to use Google to get basic ***** working, like DVDs and drivers. I personally wouldn't mind a huge amount, but you're never going to break 3 or 4% that way.
- mmijatov, on 07/24/2008, -3/+32If Linux could:
Work with my existing hardware with minimal fiddling around
Allow me to run certain Windows apps and games with *perfect* function/compatibility
I think I'd be sold. - DarkSpoon, on 07/24/2008, -6/+35wrong
ATI == bad Linux driver support
Linux == stable
Linux == fast + fast booting - HCviolence, on 07/24/2008, -0/+23No but you can use a better program like Pidgin to connect to MSN.
- Onyxblaze, on 07/24/2008, -3/+25I just tried oblivion with wine. I followed a guide from the oblivion wiki. It all works fine, until I click play. Then it just shows me a black screen... Yea... Wine works really well.
- RainStreet, on 07/24/2008, -4/+26That's a strange statement to make, especially since I have to install more drivers when I install Windows on my 2 year old laptop than when I install Ubuntu. Sound, wired network adapter, video, and wireless do not work out of the box with Windows. With Ubuntu, only wireless and video drivers are not installed, and they can be installed by checking a few boxes in restricted drivers. If I don't have the network adapter driver before I install Windows, I'm SOL until I use another PC to download it since I can't get online without it in the first place.
I installed Ubuntu on a friend's newer Dell laptop, and everything worked out of the box (except video, which was installed by clicking a few boxes). Even wireless. - usingpond, on 07/24/2008, -10/+32Wow, totally missing the point. It's not about looks.
Linux and Mac OS X can, and should, work in harmony to destroy Microsoft's stranglehold. They serve two distinct markets, ones that can co-exist easily. That's why I can never understand the animosity between Linux users and OS X users; they are brothers in arms. - cricketsymphony, on 07/24/2008, -0/+21that's what the reply button is for
- ebbv, on 07/24/2008, -30/+50No. The thing missing from Linux has always been the same:
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
GAMES
For a while some developers were releasing their games on Linux, but the problem is when even ONE game that you REALLY want to play is NOT available for Linux then you have no choice but to have a Windows box for games. And since you want to play games on your strongest hardware, that relegates Linux to being a secondary computer. - mrsteveman1, on 07/24/2008, -2/+22Fast, stable, and polished. You can pick any 2 you wish.
- inactive, on 07/24/2008, -2/+20consistency and more user friendly applications would make me switch.
- klco, on 07/24/2008, -0/+17Problem is that the software to play DVD's isn't free.... so either you get it free or you get it with the ability to play DVD's already set up.
- fsjenkins2000, on 07/24/2008, -0/+17As soon as you take a DVD out of the plastic your violating some sort of rule put in place by the MPAA or some other higher entity.
- rolandvvv, on 07/24/2008, -0/+17wtf is up with everyone not clicking the "REPLY" button.
C'mon guys, its there for a reason.
/rant - kraetos, on 07/24/2008, -1/+18Wow, THANK YOU. As a Mac user I feel EXACTLY the same way. I have immense respect for Linux.
- bpoteat, on 07/24/2008, -0/+16I'll add that, while it may be powerful if you know what you are doing, using a terminal is unacceptable for most users. EVERY task should have the ability to be executed through a GUI.
- dwtc, on 07/24/2008, -0/+16When you configure a Dell with Ubuntu, all of the options are "Ubuntu 8.04 with DVD playback"... I'm not sure what they do about the legal issues, but somehow they are offering it.
- ctrlfreak13, on 07/24/2008, -2/+18You forgot plug-and-play support for wireless. Or at least an easier way for non-technical users to find and install drivers.
- HonestAbe, on 07/24/2008, -1/+17It is not all of the things that he just asked. And yes, I use Ubuntu.
- bjornski, on 07/24/2008, -1/+16@DarkSpoon
So basically, everyone watching DVDs (in the US) on Linux is breaking the law.
Awesome. - LemonHerb, on 07/24/2008, -8/+23Why switch when what you use works?
- highlymodified, on 07/24/2008, -2/+16If something else works better.
Which is the goal here. - inactive, on 07/24/2008, -7/+21This is the route Microsoft tried to go down with Vista and look what happened...
- Balla79, on 07/24/2008, -2/+16USB drives are recognized in Ubuntu and it shows a icon on the desktop. Linux is not perfect in every way, but I really don't know why people have to make up all the lies about it.
...and this is why I don't use anything from Apple:
http://flac.sourceforge.net/itunes.html - inactive, on 07/24/2008, -6/+19Linux can already be made "pretty" with a huge variety of themes available. Ubuntu is pretty by default to begin with. You can make it look exactly like OS X if you want to.
What's not pretty about linux is that you have to do weird things to get MP3s to play, weird things to get video codecs added, weird things to get Java installed, etc. You have to "add software repositories" and ***** like that. It needs to be able to do things like that right out of the box. If this runs afoul of someone's patent, so be it. Just do it and then if they complain take action to correct it. Most likely the MP3 patent holder and Sun (the Java patent holder) won't say a goddamn word. At minimum, all the software repositories should already be added, allowing the user to just click one button to "install mp3 support" and junk like that.
Until this ***** works right out of the box like it does on OS X with no additional steps required, Linux will be for geeks and servers, not for regular users.
Linux is already pretty. What it needs to become is "elegant". - Renton, on 07/24/2008, -1/+14Then get Linux Mint. Its basically Ubuntu with all the nonfree software installed already.
http://www.linuxmint.com/ - inactive, on 07/24/2008, -1/+14+10
- nybble41, on 07/24/2008, -0/+13That hasn't been true for years. All modern Linux systems automatically recognize USB mass storage devices and present them via the GUI. What ancient version are you running?
- energyblue, on 07/24/2008, -8/+20I would like to be able to install software, from somewhere not on the distro, and not have to copy and paste and slap open terminal.
- DarkSpoon, on 07/24/2008, -4/+16@erikerikerik
You also had to pay for those OS. DVD playback in the U.S. requires a royalty fee. Ubuntu couldn't be free if it included it unless someone else covered that royalty. You can enable the DVD playback for free, but you have to promise you aren't from the U.S.
DX is the exact opposite of what Linux stands for. - krische, on 07/24/2008, -8/+20I think the big thing holding back a user-oriented distro like ubuntu, is that it doesn't have the software that current users enjoy. One would be Microsoft Office. Yes, I know about OpenOffice and how great it is. But people like what they know, and everyone knows Office. The other big program would be iTunes. When you look at the millions and millions of iPods out there, all of them have to connect to iTunes. I think people not being able to use their iPods with itunes inside of linux is a major drawback.
- Dunnion, on 07/24/2008, -4/+16Granted I dont know anything about Linux, but I think that puts me about on par with most of America.
It just seems like too much work to switch, and what is the pay off for me, and casual user? Mac OX works, easy, and I know how to use it. - inactive, on 07/24/2008, -5/+17this is probably like the 6th time in 2 days that a variation of this article has been posted.
- dwtc, on 07/24/2008, -1/+13You mean like using "Add/Remove Programs", Synaptic, or by downloading a .deb package file, double-clicking on it, and having it install quickly and automatically without having to step through a stupid wizard?
Sounds like your needs are already met in Ubuntu, and many other distros. - Eezyville, on 07/24/2008, -0/+11I still have crashes now and then because of some software incompatibilities (flash). How about better support from software vendors?
- joelmole, on 07/24/2008, -2/+13Eye candy is the least of my concerns. There's plenty of eye candy available on the desktop with Compiz fusion. What Linux needs for widespread adoption is software installation, driver installation, OS customization, etc that "just works", and can be configured through the GUI. It's pretty close but I find a lot of stuff I want to do still requires you to search forums for complicated installation instructions, open a shell, compile from source, edit config files, etc. This sort of stuff works for technically minded people and I can deal with it, but the average user will always have a problem with this kind of stuff. I always prefer to rely on stuff in the repositories but that's not an option 100% of the time. For the record I have switched. Run Ubuntu and OS X at home.
- ausfahrt, on 07/24/2008, -4/+15Your comment leads me to believe that you are being sarcastic because all but one thing you listed are in fact true with linux. Firefox is pre installed with ubuntu as well as OpenOffice, it searches for drivers for you, it's fast, stable and free. It does not play all the latest games though.
- UnFriendlyFire, on 07/24/2008, -4/+15Forget pretty, just make it easier to install programs, drivers and updates. Also, the double-edged sword of open-source is that there are too many flavors of Linux out there. There needs to me a 'holy grail' version of Linux that is the end-all be-all. Ease, fast, and functional right from the start.
- ivanmarsh, on 07/24/2008, -8/+19Look & Feel has nothing to do with why I use Linux.
Power, stability and security are much more important. - Chewie67, on 07/24/2008, -1/+11Absolutely right.
People aren't going to switch until it comes pre-installed on their Dell and it runs Microsoft Office and all their games. - inactive, on 07/24/2008, -0/+10Wine works okay, but the only way to see it's real potential is to know all of the tricks. The problem? It takes about as long to learn as basic terminal skills.
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