Should I use Linux??

Some of you might know that I'm having some computer problems.... http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=67382 which is basically boils down to Vista sucking

I'm thinking about giving Linux a try (especially to see if it really does fix the problem.....then I could decide if I want to stick with Linux or go back to XP) but I don't know which one to use or where to get it...

Anyone heard of Ark Linux? Would this be a good place to start?


THANKS!!!!

I've been using Linux for years and 4-5 flavors of UNIX before that. Currently, I'm using CentOS on my personal system & on my company's server. It, like White Box, is a recompilation of Redhat Linux. Ark looks like a relatively new kid, on their first serious release. Ubuntu is considered one of the best for new users. Don't use it myself, but several Linux consultants I know favor it for transitioning MS users to Linux.

If you have never used linux before, you should download a live cd of what ever version you decide to try. That way you can run the live cd to see if you like linux, and you can try out the different types of linux. Best of all there is nothing to install. It all runs off the cd. I do not use linux myself, but I have dabbled in it in the past. Only because I am a big PC gamer and most games are for windows. VMware is also an option for running linux as a virtual desktop to test it. Although since you are having probs with vista it might not be the best for you.

+1 for the live cd at first.
For a good beginners linux I would look at Fedora(formerly red hat), Ubuntu, Suse, or Mandriva. for a live cd Knoppix, Ubuntu, or fedora live are are good. once you get good with linux you should definitely try Gentoo its incredibly fast and customizable. And always remember that linux has the same kind of community as homebrewing, people are very helpful and friendly online so any problem you have you can google and if you dont find the answer there just ask on a forum.

I have a year or so of experience with Linux Mint and Kubuntu.

Linux Mint looks freaking awesome, but Kubuntu was a better OS, IMHO. I've had to restart, or had Mint restart on me, 2 or 3 times in the 6 months or so I've used it (never lost any data though). Kubuntu never did that unless I was pushing my overclock (I'm now steady with my 2.0GHz Intel e2180 chip running @ 2.95GHz).

There is no cost to Linux, so yes, you should use it. That isn't to say it's the cure-all of all computerdom, but it's free, it's nifty, it doesn't hurt to have it installed on a small partition on any computer. And yeah, it's amazing for what it is.

I have a dual-boot system, running both Ubuntu Linux and Vista on the same machine. I really like Ubuntu, since it can be as basic or as complicated as you want it to be. The interface is simple and intuitive, and it comes with plenty of features. The standard install comes with Open Office, Firefox, games, and a very nice "software repository". The repository allows you to add programs easily without the command line. If nothing else, just give it a look and read reviews about it. Of all Linux distributions, this is the one Dell chose to offer with their desktops as an alternative to Vista/WinXP.

+1 on the other suggestions of the LiveCD...if fact this is how Ubuntu is installed. Basically, you download the CD image and burn it to a CD, then restart your computer. You can choose to just run Ubuntu or start and installation. To just check out the operating system and see if you like it, just choose "start Ubuntu". Later if you want to install it on your computer, there is an icon on the desktop you can click to launch the installer program. Here's a few links to get you started:

Ubuntu Desktop Edition Home Page
Installing a dual-boot setup (Windows AND Ubuntu)
Getting Started with Ubuntu (official forum)



Enjoy...life in the free lane is fun! If only beer were this free!

I used Ubuntu (Gutsy) for about 6 or 7 months as a webserver; never had to restart it once. At the same time I was dual booting Ubuntu + XP on my laptop; and in my experience its a very solid OS. I have also been using Suse a little bit and I like it as well. Now all my machines have Windows but I'm planning on changing that soon. So I'll give a +1 to Ubuntu (or Kubuntu if you like KDE) for beginners!

Like everyone else said just download whichever version you want and run the Live CD for a while to see which you prefer.

Some like PCLinuxOS as well.
It's quite Windows-ish, more so than a streamlined stock Ubuntu would. Nifty graphical "Control Center" (or some name like that) to implement services.

Anecdote: I have an old clunker with PCLinuxOS on it for kicks, and, the other day, on a whim, I plugged an old Mac hard drive, and restarted. The Mac drive (HFS format) mounted right up, and there was my 10-year old data...!

EDIT: the Ubuntu forums are amazingly useful, there virtually no question for which there would be no answer to....

I have AutoCAD 2006 and other program that I need, if I didn't i'd run LINUX.... I have a LiveCD of Goblinx, it's ok... I want to try Ubuntu, thanks for posting the links above!!

I have autocad 2001 running on linux using wine and it seems to work great, I dont know how 2006 works (I havent been able to get 2008 working) and I havent had any luck getting solidworks running on linux. but there are a lot of linux native cad/cam solutions.
http://appdb.winehq.org/ this link has a list of windows programs and how well they can run on linux. if your thinking of migrating to linux from windows its good to take a look at.

TwoHeadsBrewing said:

I have a dual-boot system, running both Ubuntu Linux and Vista on the same machine. I really like Ubuntu, since it can be as basic or as complicated as you want it to be. The interface is simple and intuitive, and it comes with plenty of features. The standard install comes with Open Office, Firefox, games, and a very nice "software repository". The repository allows you to add programs easily without the command line. If nothing else, just give it a look and read reviews about it. Of all Linux distributions, this is the one Dell chose to offer with their desktops as an alternative to Vista/WinXP.

+1 on the other suggestions of the LiveCD...if fact this is how Ubuntu is installed. Basically, you download the CD image and burn it to a CD, then restart your computer. You can choose to just run Ubuntu or start and installation. To just check out the operating system and see if you like it, just choose "start Ubuntu". Later if you want to install it on your computer, there is an icon on the desktop you can click to launch the installer program.

Enjoy...life in the free lane is fun! If only beer were this free!

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TwoHeads Are you running each one on a separate HD? If not are you having any probs?


Also, I forgot to add earlier about linux in general. It really is easy to use the GUI and as twoheads said you get a lot of software with Ubuntu. The only prob I've ever had was finding and installing certain drivers using the linux terminal or whatever the command prompt is called. Thats where the learning curve comes in.

k1v1116 said:

I have autocad 2001 running on linux using wine .

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Total hijack but....

My SWMBO is the baby sister of the guy who owns Codeweavers-- the people who manage the Wine project.

He's freaking hilarious guy.

Last time I was at his house he went to show me something on You Tube and realized he had pooched a compile so I whipped out my XP laptop and helped him out. We had a hell of a laugh over that one.

BraeHaus said:

I have AutoCAD 2006 and other program that I need, if I didn't i'd run LINUX.... I have a LiveCD of Goblinx, it's ok... I want to try Ubuntu, thanks for posting the links above!!

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Just as a side note -- My solution to this problem has been to use a cheap, left-over PC with a decent video card to run kubuntu on my desktop. I have remote desktops (via rdesktop and / or krdc) open to my XP laptop (for Outlook and Access apps), and my CentOS HPC cluster (for heavy numerical simulations).

People who don't realize this is possible sometimes go a bit googly-eyed when the watch me switch from a linux desktop to a big simulation running on the cluster to an Outlook window.

My answer to this question is always, every time, YES. I have never been happier since I threw off the Bill Gates shackles in 1998. Jump in and do it, there is a learning curve, but it is 100% worth it. Once you get Linux down pat, you will wonder how you ever got by without it!

RodfatherX said:

TwoHeads Are you running each one on a separate HD? If not are you having any probs?


Also, I forgot to add earlier about linux in general. It really is easy to use the GUI and as twoheads said you get a lot of software with Ubuntu. The only prob I've ever had was finding and installing certain drivers using the linux terminal or whatever the command prompt is called. Thats where the learning curve comes in.

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Yes, I have a separate hard drive for the Ubuntu installation. This was the quickest and easiest way to get a dual boot setup going. You can resize partitions, but I wanted to keep my windows and ubuntu partitions separate. In the past, I've set this up on two different partitions on the same hard drive with no issues; it really is the same thing to the operating system. And as far as drivers go, the only ones I've ever had issues with were wireless card drivers...but that was fixed a few versions ago with some third-party drivers. For legal reasons, Ubuntu cannot enable the wireless drivers by default...but they are easily turned on by using the "Restricted Drivers" utility.

enderwig said:

My answer to this question is always, every time, YES. I have never been happier since I threw off the Bill Gates shackles in 1998. Jump in and do it, there is a learning curve, but it is 100% worth it. Once you get Linux down pat, you will wonder how you ever got by without it!

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Dito. The sooner you get out of the proprietary lock in, the sooner you wonder how you ended up there in the first place.

Linux, Free as in libre. It also doesn't cost anything.


P.S. Ubuntu Hardy can install inside windows just like you would install an application. It can also be removed via the uninstaller just like anything else. Very trouble free way to give it a real try off disk (Live CD's tend to be quite slow). Its a bit slower running off a virtual drive on an XP drive, but it works and doesn't do anything to your disk partitions.

TwoHeadsBrewing said:

Yes, I have a separate hard drive for the Ubuntu installation. This was the quickest and easiest way to get a dual boot setup going. You can resize partitions, but I wanted to keep my windows and ubuntu partitions separate. In the past, I've set this up on two different partitions on the same hard drive with no issues; it really is the same thing to the operating system. And as far as drivers go, the only ones I've ever had issues with were wireless card drivers...but that was fixed a few versions ago with some third-party drivers. For legal reasons, Ubuntu cannot enable the wireless drivers by default...but they are easily turned on by using the "Restricted Drivers" utility.

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that was exactly the problem I had .........I had an extra old pos dell laptop that the cat5 jack didn't work on. So the only choice I had was one of those usb wifi NICs. Never could get it to work with xubuntu.

RodfatherX said:

that was exactly the problem I had .........I had an extra old pos dell laptop that the cat5 jack didn't work on. So the only choice I had was one of those usb wifi NICs. Never could get it to work with xubuntu.

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Yep, that's all fixed now. Since version 7.04 (I think), they have added the new WiFi drivers which solves my problem. Now, if Linux could somehow get 3D intensive games to run well...

If your Vista install isn't screwed up to the point where you can't make a CD anymore, you should go to Ubuntu's site and download their live CD and burn it. Then you can boot off the CD and make sure it works with your hardware and get comfortable with Linux before you install. Once you're comfortable, you can either install Ubuntu alongside your Vista and dual-boot or completely wipe Vista off and just run Ubuntu. Of course you can just keep booting off the CD and use it like that and leave your Vista install alone completely if you want to.

Ubuntu is great. I have Windows XP on my laptop because its required for my job, but all of our computers at home have Ubuntu. My 8 year old daughter and 11 year old son both have an Ubuntu computer, so does my wife.

Some things Ubuntu/Linux is just much better at than Windows. Web Development is one thing that immediately comes to mind, but its also much better if you like to do things like rip DVDs, burn movies, create audio CDs, things like that. Of course you can do it on Windows, but its loads easier on Linux.

The thing I like best about Ubuntu at home is that I don't have to run any antivirus programs, no anti-spyware programs and we never have any problems. Microsoft users think that is because nobody uses Linux and thus there are no evil programs for it, but the real reason is because of the way software is added to your computer on Ubuntu.

Say for example you decided you wanted to download some MP3s and burn a CD to listen to in your car.. With Windows you might google for a P2P program, download it, install it, hope it didn't come with any spyware. Google for a CD burner, download it, install it, hope it didn't come with viruses or spyware.

Well on Ubuntu you don't add software that way, you run an Add-Remove programs utility and it will find the software packages you need and install and configure them for you. Since the software for your system always comes out of a repository, its already been screened for spyware and viruses so you don't have the hassle that comes with using Windows.

Seriously its so easy kids can do it, and they can't get viruses or spyware because viruses and spyware will never be in the options of stuff they can install.

As far as Wine goes, I've been eventually able to get about every program we've ever tried working under Wine. This includes Office, a buttload of Win95/98 kids games that we have, and some new games like WoW. But for the most part we don't even mess with buying software for the computers anymore. Open Office is as good or better than Microsoft Office and is free. My son would rather play Tremulous ( a 1st person shooter Marines vs Aliens game ) and its free. My wife surfs and ebays, watches videos on Youtube, listens to MP3s and makes a CD occasionally - Linux works with her cellphone so she's happy.

I'm not one of those people who just knocks on Microsoft for everything they do, and there are some things Microsoft windows is good at - but I kind of view it as the "Fisher Price" of operating system software, and I really don't see why anyone would pay for it. If it came on a computer I bought I would just wipe it off an put Ubuntu on there anyway.

Oh yeah and I run Ubuntu or Debian on my servers as well.

Now, if Linux could somehow get 3D intensive games to run well...

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World of Warcraft works great under Linux, and a lot of the free games in 3d work really well too provided you don't mind installing the "non-free" drivers. If your the kind of person who will only run the free and open drivers on Linux you're going to be disappointed in the state of Linux gaming I'm afraid, but enabling the nVidia propreitary drivers in Linux is as simple as a few mouse clicks and a reboot, and its totally worth it for the accelerated OpenGL support - go on youtube and search for "hardy heron compiz fusion" and check out the beautiful eyecandy that comes standard on the latest Ubuntu - its amazing.

Yes!

Use Linux!

Mutilated1 said:

World of Warcraft works great under Linux, and a lot of the free games in 3d work really well too provided you don't mind installing the "non-free" drivers. If your the kind of person who will only run the free and open drivers on Linux you're going to be disappointed in the state of Linux gaming I'm afraid, but enabling the nVidia propreitary drivers in Linux is as simple as a few mouse clicks and a reboot, and its totally worth it for the accelerated OpenGL support - go on youtube and search for "hardy heron compiz fusion" and check out the beautiful eyecandy that comes standard on the latest Ubuntu - its amazing.

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You make good points. Allow me to take it a step farther.

There's 4 or 5 games for Linux that are cool. Sauerbraten, Alien Arena, Nexuiz. These are free games. Now, ok, even if you are totally into Windows, all you have to do is install a free OS and then you can play free games.

If you're into games, why wouldn't you?

All this talk about linux made we want to mess with it again. I am writing this now from a Slax live cd. I've been putting off formating my pc for about a year now. I might pick up a cheap used 20 gig HD or so and dual boot with ubuntu.

Linux Mint= complete awesomeness!

Alamo_beer said:

I'm thinking about giving Linux a try (especially to see if it really does fix the problem.....then I could decide if I want to stick with Linux or go back to XP) but I don't know which one to use or where to get it...

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My personal preference is Debian, but people tell me it's not user friendly (it was my first distro back in 2003 and it permanently replaced Windows for me).

Ubuntu is hyped to hell. Frankly, I don't see a single advantage it provides over other distros except that it's advertised more heavily in Europe. That's not to say it sucks, you can run a decent system on it without problems, it's just overhyped.

Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, which is in turn based on Debian, and is polished and decently friendly.

I'll dispute what other people here said, avoid Fedora. It's a great distro, but it's not aimed, intended or recommended for people migrating from Windows who intend to have a stable system for a long period of time. In my personal experience, the RPM package manager sucks serious ass; so much so that I can't in good faith recommend it to anyone, let alone someone new.

My recommendation would be to try Linux Mint for a while, get used to doing the basics and feel free to experiment.

I started with mandrake, and while it's another newbish friendly distro, I'd avoid it because of the rpm package management just like Kevin said. I tried a **** ton of distros and ended up on ubuntu and I've been happily running that since 2006 and would recommend it to everyone.

Hyped or not, it just always works and unless I go digging around under the hood, it never has a problem.

But to answer your original question, simply: yes!

Just to put this out there that linux (in particular Ubuntu) doesn't like all laptops. I have tried to use Ubuntu on my laptop and could never get the wireless card ever to work. Even z987k tried to fix it but it just hates my computer. Also the generic video card driver works but the one for my particular video cards driver won't work either. My laptop is a compaq too.

sause said:

Just to put this out there that linux (in particular Ubuntu) doesn't like all laptops. I have tried to use Ubuntu on my laptop and could never get the wireless card ever to work. Even z987k tried to fix it but it just hates my computer. Also the generic video card driver works but the one for my particular video cards driver won't work either. My laptop is a compaq too.

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Check out my previous posts on this thread. I too had problems before v7.04, but since that point they have some 3rd party wireless drivers. These are not enabled in the OS by default, but you can change that easily through a menu.

one of our subcompanies recycle people's computers, monitors, etc.... basically we get them from companies (Laptops), remove the HD (goes to a shredding plant) and we are left with the rest... the HD must be shredded for security...

Anyway, I have a few dell inspirons in the back, so I nabbed one *hush* and after a $60 new HD it'll be good to go... I've been debating throwing together a LINUX laptop for use in the car.