Post: #1

Anybody using Linux here?

OK, this is kind of a nerdy topic, but geeks will love it. I just switched to this operating system LINUX after too many years of trouble with my Windows XP, VIsta and 7.

First impressions: Linux rocks!

FIVE ADVANTAGES:

1. FAST, blazing speed, even on older machines (I mean up to 10 years old)
2. No viruses and other shit that screws up your computer' s hard drive and system.
3. Free software, I mean really FREE: all applications come with the system or can easily be installed.
4. VERY User friendly. Linux made huge progress over the years to become user friendly and stable (it won't crash easily).
5. great support online and on forums

DISADVANTAGE
The main disadvantage is still compatibility with Windows, but the Linux teams have worked hard to fix that problem. I would estimate by now 80% of all file formats are compatible in Linux. ALso, you can easily run Windows on a Linux system.

Right now Ubuntu and Linux Mint are the top Linux versions. Here is a great review of Linux Mint.

Most people who have switched to Linux have the same feeling as those who have switched to Apple: you never go back to Windows! Actually, you kinda feel of screwed of having had all that trouble and paid expensive MS software over the years...

Anybody using Linux put your feedback in this thread.

Post: #2

I have at least one machine running each of windows 7, mac OS X and Ubuntu. They are all useful in their own way. What feedback are you looking for?

Post: #3

(11-09-2012 06:30 PM)michelin Wrote:  Anybody using Linux here?

OK, this is kind of a nerd topic, but geeks will love it. I just switched to this operating system LINUX after too many years of trouble with my Windows XP, VIsta and 7.

First impressions: Linux rocks!

FIVE ADVANTAGES:

1. FAST, blazing speed, even on older machines (I mean up to 10 years old)
2. No viruses and other shit that screws up your computer' s hard drive and system.
3. Free software, I mean really FREE: all applications come with the system or can easily be installed.
4. VERY User friendly. Linux made huge progress over the years to become user friendly and stable (it won't crash easily).
5. great support online and on forums

DISADVANTAGE
The main disadvantage is still compatibility with Windows, but the Linux teams have worked hard to fix that problem. I would estimate by now 80% of all file formats are compatible in Linux. ALso, you can easily run Windows on a Linux system.

Right now Ubuntu and Linux Mint are the top Linux versions. Here is a great review of Linux Mint.

Most people who have switched to Linux have the same feeling as those who have switched to Apple: you never go back to Windows! Actually, you kinda feel of screwed of having had all that trouble and paid expensive MS software over the years...

Anybody using Linux put your feedback in this thread.

Where did you get your software from? and which flavour of Linux are you using?

Post: #4

(11-09-2012 06:36 PM)panache Wrote:  I have at least one machine running each of windows 7, mac OS X and Ubuntu. They are all useful in their own way. What feedback are you looking for?

I' m curious to know if LINUX systems are reliable, especially for noobs and non-geeks like me, in the long run: can you really be productive (word processing, excel, internet, watching video, run a videogame etc) without running into trouble. By trouble I mean, for ex. weird bugs (drivers or else), having to format your whole system or tweaking it constantly when it crashes.

Ubuntu and Mint look fresh, but they say that "there' s no free lunch", so I' m still kinda wary...so far works great though.

(11-09-2012 06:42 PM)Moma Wrote:  Where did you get your software from? and which flavour of Linux are you using?

right now I' m running Linux MINT 13.

Have tried Ubuntu and Lubuntu before. You can just download the distros from their homepages (see links in my post above)

Post: #5

I would say linux is still not at the point where completely computer illiterate types can use it with no problem. It depends on your hardware and what you want to do with it. It also completely depends on the distribution, different distros (Ubuntu vs Mint vs Gentoo vs etc etc) can be completely different experiences, linux is modular.

Android and OSX are basically just modified linux systems. The easiest distro to use right now is probably Linux Mint, with Ubuntu a close second.

Post: #6

I rum linux from VM ware fusion on my mac book pro.

I think windows is just a world of pain to be avoided.

For the easy life and stability go with apple.

Post: #7

Linux Mint is buggy.

Ubuntu's default colors are uglier, but it's more stable.

Post: #8

(11-09-2012 06:30 PM)michelin Wrote:  Anybody using Linux here?

For the last decade it was my main desktop OS due to my specialty. Linux definitely made a lot of progress in a few years, and now it is getting to the point where it is useful even for the people who lack the system administration experience.
If you aren't, get the older laptop. If you're using the 2-3 year old hardware you should be fine, but if your computer is top-notch you may experience issues.

(11-09-2012 06:45 PM)michelin Wrote:  I' m curious to know if LINUX systems are reliable, especially for noobs and non-geeks like me, in the long run: can you really be productive

Yes, although it depends what you do. For example, writing music or editing video is possible on Linux, but the relevant software is still far away its Windows counterparts.

Quote:(word processing, excel

OpenOffice/LibreOffice

Quote:internet

Firefox, Chrome.

Quote:watching video,

mplayer with various GUI, kaffeine, vlc.

Quote:run a videogame etc) without running into trouble.

Wine.
Some very new video games don't run well under Wine, so if you're an avid gamer you'll have to use Windows for that.

Post: #9

Well I did try it once, but it felt like I was using a Soviet knock off version of Windows 95

Post: #10

(11-10-2012 04:21 AM)Nineteen84 Wrote:  Well I did try it once, but it felt like I was using a Soviet knock off version of Windows 95

I have been using linux for a long time and the best advice I can give for anybody looking to get into it is find the most stable, slightly old version you can, tell the newer versions with their bellls and whistles to fuck off, download and install the older iso file, and figure out how everything works. There's literally nothing you can do in the newest version that you can't do in an older one.

That's why I recommend Debian to a lot of newer users because shit's practically been tested into the ground. It's bulletproof. Ubuntu comes up with a new window manager roughly ever half hour and Linux Mint is full of odd graphical bugs, especially if you're using a machine that's not intel/nvidia.

Linux is definitely not for everybody. I would say that roughly 80% of video games are going to give you problems, and until Steam makes a linux port I am not even considering linux for gaming. Even old games (like starcraft: brood war) have huge problems under all versions of wine once you try to go online.

If you've never used a computer for anything then I would recommend linux. Maybe checking your email, writing a paper (exporting the document to microsoft office of course), doing a little research, watching a movie, that kind of thing.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that with linux, is that netflix, steam, photoshop, final cut pro, frooty loops, and most videogames are not going to work.

Post: #11

isnt Mac OSx a derivative of unix/ linux sort of? Looks like it a bit

Post: #12

(11-10-2012 07:06 AM)Nineteen84 Wrote:  isnt Mac OSx a derivative of unix/ linux sort of? Looks like it a bit

I don' t know about OS X, but ANDROID definitely is based on Linux (it has a linux kernel).

Soviet look? Not with Ubuntu/Mint. Perhaps you tried out early versions of linux about ten years back?

Post: #13

Eh I almost forgot.
Now I would hugely recommend Linux for anybody looking to productively get shit done.
Since the operating system is good and stable and everything more or less works, but with less distractions like movies and netflix, you're going to get stuff done more efficiently as long as you stay off the internet too much.

For example, back when I was using nothing but linux, my research projects generally got done much more quickly. I could kick out an eight-ten page research paper in maybe a week, instead of the going rate of every two weeks which is how it is now on windows 7 (or even worse). If you must get shit done, dual boot linux and get writing.

Post: #14

(11-10-2012 12:28 PM)michelin Wrote:  Soviet look? Not with Ubuntu/Mint. Perhaps you tried out early versions of linux about ten years back?

I was joking around

Post: #15

(11-10-2012 12:41 PM)Hades Wrote:  Eh I almost forgot.
Now I would hugely recommend Linux for anybody looking to productively get shit done.
Since the operating system is good and stable and everything more or less works, but with less distractions like movies and netflix, you're going to get stuff done more efficiently as long as you stay off the internet too much.

For example, back when I was using nothing but linux, my research projects generally got done much more quickly. I could kick out an eight-ten page research paper in maybe a week, instead of the going rate of every two weeks which is how it is now on windows 7 (or even worse). If you must get shit done, dual boot linux and get writing.

Thanks, will check out Debian (on USB first as try-out). Isn' t dual boot precisely a way to fuck up an OS (like windows), or does it work smoothly?

BTW, I found this interesting talk with its Finish creator Linus Torval. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShbP3OpA...re=related It' s interesting to see how Linux evolved as a alternative to Windows' empire, while companies ignored giving them support. (such as Nvidia).

Post: #16

(11-10-2012 01:28 PM)michelin Wrote:  

(11-10-2012 12:41 PM)Hades Wrote:  Eh I almost forgot.
Now I would hugely recommend Linux for anybody looking to productively get shit done.
Since the operating system is good and stable and everything more or less works, but with less distractions like movies and netflix, you're going to get stuff done more efficiently as long as you stay off the internet too much.

For example, back when I was using nothing but linux, my research projects generally got done much more quickly. I could kick out an eight-ten page research paper in maybe a week, instead of the going rate of every two weeks which is how it is now on windows 7 (or even worse). If you must get shit done, dual boot linux and get writing.

Thanks, will check out Debian (on USB first as try-out). Isn' t dual boot precisely a way to fuck up an OS (like windows), or does it work smoothly?

BTW, I found this interesting talk with its Finish creator Linus Torval. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShbP3OpA...re=related It' s interesting to see how Linux evolved as a alternative to Windows' empire, while companies ignored giving them support. (such as Nvidia).

The most niggling issue with dual booting is the bootloader.
Now linux comes standard with Grub x.xx bootloader (whichever iteration they are using these days) so it's not a problem. You basically need to have at least twenty gigs of free space on your hdd, install it alongside a windows OS install, and every time you reboot your computer you get a selection menu like this --



You just select and go about your business.

Though it can be sort of a pain in the ass at times if you have 3+ operating systems. I recommend installing linux after windows because the bootloader for windows is (in my experience with trying to install windows after linux) fucking stupid, and you'll never be able to log into your linux partition without a fair amount of tinkering. I've done it before, and it can work, but it's much simpler to install linux after the windows os.

Point being, it shouldn't screw up your windows OS at all, since they're 100% separate.

Now if you use something like Virtualbox or VMware the only thing you should suffer (running linux on top of a windows/mac distro) is a little speed decrease on the emulated operating system. I also don't consider it ideal to use, generally speaking.

Now if somebody switched from windows to openBSD or something like that, I would be hella interested because BSD is supposedly the king of alternate operating systems, for power and customization purposes.

Post: #17

I was thinking about installing Linux on my laptop which is a fairly new HP G series. Do you need a different Linux program to work on a laptop as opposed to a desktop ?

I was also wondering if Linux would be alright to run with a trading setup I have. I run 2-4 monitors off a high powered desktop I had custom built. How would it handle multiple charts and order windows ?

Post: #18

I ran linux on my personal machines for close to 10 years. I learned a ton, but ultimately had to switch to Macs as I did not have time to screw around with operating system internals anymore.

It would work fine 95% of the time, but that other 5% was spent digging around in files under /etc and desperately searching google for forum posts in which some other poor soul was experiencing the same issue as I was.

So I think your decision on whether to run linux should come down to how much time you are willing to dedicate to maintaining your computer.

Post: #19

(11-10-2012 05:10 PM)plague Wrote:  I ran linux on my personal machines for close to 10 years. I learned a ton, but ultimately had to switch to Macs as I did not have time to screw around with operating system internals anymore.

It would work fine 95% of the time, but that other 5% was spent digging around in files under /etc and desperately searching google for forum posts in which some other poor soul was experiencing the same issue as I was.

So I think your decision on whether to run linux should come down to how much time you are willing to dedicate to maintaining your computer.

The worst is over and the best years for Linux are now or yet to come, or so it seems to me from what I' ve seen by myself and from what I'm reading here. One cool thing, it seems, is that a clean reinstall is nothing dramatic, as long as you keep your files backed up. On Windows you need to reinstall all programs updates, drivers etc, which easily takes a full day. Also I' m happy to get rid of Anti-virus programs which slowed my machine down (older computer).

@Hades: on this linux machine I have 36GB, an 1.6Ghz Intel processor and 1GB RAM.

It seems like whether you choose Mac or Linux, you never go back to Windows. But Mac seems to win the race when it comes to stability, although it also comes with an astronomic price tag compared to Linux distros.

Post: #20

Check out Puppy Linux.

You put it on a CD or memory stick, and boot you computer from that. You don't need to interfere with the OS currently on your computer at all. If you don't want to use it (on one occasion, or ever again), then just don't put in the CD/stick when you turn the machine on.

Post: #21

has anyone used something called unetbootin? It preps the memory stick nice and easy for us non-techy guys. 1 click install apparently.

Post: #22

Linux kicked my ass. Ubuntu was the worst, but admittingly I didn't spend enough time or look for resources to get it down. I felt a sense of freedom getting away from Windows. There was a book on Amazon that was supposed to cover completely all the Linux family of operating systems. I had the best luck with Mint, but still would occasionally hit the wall.

Oldnemisis, you have any recommendations on resources for learning? I may partition my HD and install one to give it another shot.

http://www.amazon.com/Linux-Bible-Christ...ords=linux

Post: #23

A great man once said that linux is free if your time has no value. To be fair, I haven't used the most up to date distributions, but I've used Ubuntu and FreeBSD (not linux kernel but similar) in the past. There's always some stupid issue like printing (yes cups) and sound card problems. Games pseudo-work through wine. Really, unless you're running some server related stuff (Apache etc.) I just don't see the point in it. Win 7 is great, so is Mac OS X. There is nothing compelling about it to me anymore. It's a great tool for learning about modern OS'es and sys administration etc.

Post: #24

If you value your time just use a mac and simulate the other two with vmware / boot camp so you can get all that you need. Linus torvalds, inventor & manager of linux uses a macbook air, with linux on it.

If you want to save money because you just use your computer as a facebook & MS office machine, just save your time and stick with windows. I dropped linux because it was too much of a time sink. Even if you buy software and make $10/hr, you'll still save a lot more time just buying windows outright.

Now if you want to learn how to write software, I do recommend installing linux in a virtual machine and using it. You minimize configuration bullshit that you run into all the time.

Post: #25

(11-13-2012 02:18 AM)malc Wrote:  Linus torvalds, inventor & manager of linux uses a macbook air, with linux on it.

Well, he got it for free so this is not meaningful.