Linux Could It Work?

By danbalsh
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danbalsh

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Hi all;

This weekend i've had the chance to try out Suse Linux 8.1, and I'd thought i'd share my views about this OS.

People who know me, will know that i'm a Windows 2000 person really, i've used this OS since it was in Beta2 (NT 5.0) and i've been with it all the way.

But with all the hype about Suse 8.1 I thought i'd give it a try, and all I can say is "What do people see in it?"

I thought that the Installation was fine, the detection process went smoothly (detecting everything in the PC) and the OS is generally a joy to use, but .... and this is a big but.... What is there to do once you've got it setup?

Ok, theres programs such as KOffice and OpenOffice (I hate OpenOffice) and lots of games, I had great fun playing around with TuxRacer :D Mozilla is nice and stable and is just as easy to use as IE6.

But I found myself coming back to Windows as soon as I needed to do some work, OfficeXP is simply the best Office Suite anywhere.

I dunno why i've said all this, but i'd like to hear about other peoples experiences with Linux (not just suse 8.1) and why (if at all) they came back to Windows.

The only way I can see Linux having a future is with Servers, and when Longhonr comes out (because most people will have to buy a new PC)

I'm not having a go at Linux or anything, so please don't shout at me :huh: I'd just like to hear about other peoples attempts at using Linux.

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Dudydoo

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My same opinion.

Linux/Unix is by far unbeatable for use as a server and the powerful shell. However, I hate KDE and Gnome and most other Window Managers. I have never found X to be no more stable than NT based kernel's. I have tried RH, Mandrake, Suse and find all of the desktop's horrible for everyday use. I have used Microsoft Windows since v.3 and I have never found any OS as usable in a GUI enviroment. I also hate OpenOffice; it's not a patch on MS Office. Microsoft servers are also good with some neat features like Offline Files, Policies, Shadow Copy (.NET), etc. and are easy to configure. However, Linux is excellent for running a server on a budget. It's all in the box, runs on slower hardware, is very stable and FREE!

Just putting my views across :)

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mezz

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What is there to do once you've got it setup?

Same as what you did in the Windows. Of course, there has limit games and professional apps such as Office2k/XP, Adobe and etc.

But I found myself coming back to Windows as soon as I needed to do some work, OfficeXP is simply the best Office Suite anywhere.

I agree, I love M$ for created Office2k/XP. It's one of best apps that I have use for office/business product, nothing can beat Office2k/XP. Myself, I do use Windows once a while on family computer (has WinXP Pro) when I need to use OfficeXP, Adobe Photoshop and Quicktime. I don't use the crap WineX or else that eat a lot of memory, which my machine is only 464Mhz.

Back in Win98SE, when I tried Linux and I love it. Later, when Win2k beta were released, so I tried. I simple never look back to Linux. Win2k Pro is one of best version that M$ ever have created (BTW: I hate WinXP). When I found out about FreeBSD and tried it. I never look back Linux and Windows at once very quickly. I must say, Linux sucks. ;)

I'm not having a go at Linux or anything, so please don't shout at me  :huh:  I'd just like to hear about other peoples attempts at using Linux.

Only trollers will give the shouts, when they don't understand anything. Linux/BSD aren't ready for desktop, yet.

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danbalsh

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The only way I can see someone beating MS is if all the Linux people come together, focus there efforts and come up with something, thats not just Linux with a Windows Like Shell.

I know theres UnitedLinux but we need everyone to come together!!!

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Chicane-UK Veteran

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The thing you have to bear in mind - for the regular user who wants to go out on the street and say, buy Windows XP and Office XP - he is looking at an outlay of around ?400. I personally think that is a freakin lot of money, and I am glad that I am entitled to use software like Windows XP under my colleges licensing agreement - if I had to buy it at full price, I dont think I would.

If they gave Windows & Office away, then I would pretty much drop any interest in Linux - but they dont, so there will always be a place for Linux & OpenOffice or whatever..

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mezz

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I've never got FreeBSD to install :( Something always goes wrong!

When, you ever think of give FreeBSD a try again. If you have the problems, be sure to give a shout in here. I will see what I can help you from there.

What makes BSD better than Linux/more usable?

BSD got amazing kernel, which it's a lot stable and faster than Linux. But, Linux has some thing that are better than BSD such as scheduler, multiple threads and etc. FreeBSD 5.0 is improving on those so far. BSD is just make sense a lot to me, because it got very solid standard than Linux has. Most Linux apps that ported in BSD, they run on BSD faster than Linux. Even, the emulator linux runs faster than Linux. I am serious, BSD is a lot easier than Linux. ;)

The only way I can see someone beating MS is if all the Linux people come together, focus there efforts and come up with something, thats not just Linux with a Windows Like Shell.

If KDE and Gnome work together, then it can be because of easier to have one standard of GUI. It will never happen, because nobody has the same prefer/opinions.

I know theres UnitedLinux but we need everyone to come together!!!

Any Linux distro that who are following LBS, it freaks me out. I hate LBS for few reasons such as RPM and etc. My opinion, RPM is not standard at all!

Gentoo Linux, CRUX, Arch Linux and others that have similar to BSD's ports system. They might change my mind about "Linux sucks", only if they have much strong of BSD-like such as follow FHS, copy NetBSD's rc* system and etc. Gentoo Linux claimed that they follow FHS, but not really. Because of portage, the authors that who ported apps in the portage, they don't follow the FHS. Also, most stuff are installed in the /usr. Yes, I am picky.. :P

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Dudydoo

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mezz:

I've mainly been concentrating on learning RedHat. Do you think I should learn BSD instead?

Is it similar to use like Linux? (In the shell that is)

I've only ever tried installing FreeBSD 4.3 & 4.6 in VMware or Virtual PC under Windows and it's always hung somewhere along the installation, ever though it has been tested with both of these programs.

TIA for any advice.

p.s. Have you a link to a decent sized picture/wallpaper of the BSD deamon? I think it's cool and cannot find one.

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mezz

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I've mainly been concentrating on learning RedHat. Do you think I should learn BSD instead?

Not instead, learn both of them like I did. To find what you like and fits your need. Like, if you are into Java then Linux is for you. Java in BSD is suck, because there's no native for it. You might find Linux is easier. I find BSD is easier. It's really depend on the users' perfer.

Is it similar to use like Linux? (In the shell that is)

You can install Bash in BSD if you prefer to use it. The default in FreeeBSD is sh (user) and csh (root). I always leave root alone and change users' shell, I love to use zsh.

Some commands are different. The man page + FreeBSD's handbook will help you as well. ;)

I've only ever tried installing FreeBSD 4.3 & 4.6 in VMware or Virtual PC under Windows and it's always hung somewhere along the installation, ever though it has been tested with both of these programs.

Do you have another machine? You can install Linux/BSD on p133 or above machine, they will run fine as well. Of course, the X won't run smooth but without X will run very smooth as whistle.

p.s. Have you a link to a decent sized picture/wallpaper of the BSD deamon? I think it's cool and cannot find one.

I do have my own collection. I can put them together and let you download it right off my personal web server if you want it. Warning, it might be over 2 megs or more. Edit: Oh, size of wallpaper.. I think, I have few of them.

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Dudydoo

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I can put them together and let you download it right off my personal web server if you want it. Warning, it might be over 2 megs or more. Edit: Oh, size of wallpaper.. I think, I have few of them.

Thanks for your help and advice mezz, yes, please i'd like the download

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danbalsh

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2. All kinds of hardware :D

LOL, I mean does it support the same stuff as Linux does or only a limited amount of hardware? :)

Thanks to everyone, i'm getting lots of information here :D

Again... has anyone made the switch to Linux and not gone back to Windows?

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zivan56

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Again... has anyone made the switch to Linux and not gone back to Windows?

I have on my laptop, Windows XP is slow, while I'm not having any of those problems in Mandrake Linux with all those extra graphics. Also, my server used to be Windows 2000 based, now I would dump it any day for Debian Linux.

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danbalsh

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I have on my laptop, Windows XP is slow, while I'm not having any of those problems in Mandrake Linux with all those extra graphics. Also, my server used to be Windows 2000 based, now I would dump it any day for Debian Linux.

I tried to get Linux running on my notebook, but none of the ACPI was working :( So I had to go back to XP Home, which is quite nice actually :D

I also have a Windows 2000 Server, and I must say Win2k is superb on this system!!! OK, it took about 5 Days for me to setup (AD, DNS, DHCP, ISA)

I was going to try Linux on the server but at the moment I need a system that's working, and the Win2K server has been up for 2weeks!!! maybe i'll get a new HD after xmas and try it out.

Has anyone got any suggestions on a good Server based linux distribution? remember i'm not that clever when it comes to linux :rolleyes:

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zivan56

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I have to the opposite problem with my laptop, it keeps turning off the screen because it is made to do that unless Windows is running. :D

I have mysql, apache, php, proftpd, exim, etc on the server and it takes only 3 hours to set up all the sites I am hosting on there and configuring people's e-mail accounts. My server was up for 100 days, but I had to turn it off because of a noisy fan that needed to be replaced, so now its around 30. I would go with Debian linux, but learn how to use it under command line before you decide to run your site on it, since X takes up lots of memory which any server needs alot of.

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mezz

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Has anyone got any suggestions on a good Server based linux distribution?

EnGarde Secure Linux: You can setup the server within ten minutes. My friend has tried it and he said, it's nice and a little less flexible. But, you can have the more flexible when you are in the command line beside web interface (of course), thought.

Slackware

Trustix Secure Linux

Debian

Openwall

Gentoo Linux

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Wizz

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I like linux but I have too many hardware incompatablilities/driver problems.

B.t.w. Has anybody managed to get an ATMEL WiFi USB Adapter to work on Mandrake (in particular Linksys WUSB v2.6)?

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danbalsh

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EnGarde Secure Linux: You can setup the server within ten minutes. My friend has tried it and he said, it's nice and a little less flexible.

WOW!!!! Thank looks amazing!!!! Linux from a WebBrowser :D

Do you happen to know if you can control everything from that interface?

Shame you have to buy it :no:

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MulletRobZ

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Well I found Mandrake 9.0 to be a complete success! Effective December 20, 2002, my system will get a FINAL reload and there will no longer be anything Microsoft on my machine. Just Mandrake 9.0. User-friendliness still has some things to repair before Linux can compete heads-on against Microsoft, but as with what I use my computer for, Linux is perfect. Everything is faster, more stable, and most of the time, more reliable! I just would like to get some web cam software in case if someone wants to video-conference. Once the user-friendliness is fixed, then more people will be eager to give it a try and that will bring the attention to the software developers. It will take time, but Linux just might overthrow Windows yet! :)

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Fotix

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Well I found Mandrake 9.0 to be a complete success! Effective December 20, 2002, my system will get a FINAL reload and there will no longer be anything Microsoft on my machine. Just Mandrake 9.0. User-friendliness still has some things to repair before Linux can compete heads-on against Microsoft, but as with what I use my computer for, Linux is perfect. Everything is faster, more stable, and most of the time, more reliable! I just would like to get some web cam software in case if someone wants to video-conference. Once the user-friendliness is fixed, then more people will be eager to give it a try and that will bring the attention to the software developers. It will take time, but Linux just might overthrow Windows yet! :)

That's great! I've been itching to go back to Mandrake 9, but I'm just waiting out 9.1 and KDE 3.1. I borked my last install and didn't want to re-DL 500+MBs of updates on this 56k modem. So I'm stuck in XP land for now. :(

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