Biggest Gripes with Linux?

[sw1tch..]

The only problem I really have is time. At this point I don't have the spare time to fix crap or get it they way I want to have a working system. That is why at this time in my busy life I use Windows 7.

[Solid Knight]

I like this. You really put some thought into this. I would add that it seems more bloated than in the past, and that lock ups are pretty common. It is still tolerable, but a lot worse than it used to be.

Regarding GIMP. I'm not a fan of GIMP because it is way more complex than I need. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be anything between The GIMP and Complete Ass Image Editor.

[TokiToki]

Fonts. Font's look horrible in Linux and that's the 1 and only reason I don't use it. I can't stand having sites look bad with deformed fonts.

You should expect font rendering to improve now that all patents regarding bytecode hinting have expired and FreeType 2.4.x has been released. All distros I've used have shipped with the bytecode interpreter disabled in the past, but now they are free to ship it with it enabled.

[cacoe]

Total lack of professional sounding software. Perhaps GIMP may have been taken seriously years ago if it had a name a bit more like Photoshop.

And this is the first time I heard of Complete Ass Image Editor!

[Solid Knight]

And this is the first time I heard of Complete Ass Image Editor!

It's not a real image editor. The name was intended to describe image editors other than GIMP.

[Growled Member]

hardware support....

Hardware support is better but it also has a long way to go. New hardware drivers take much longer to appear in Linux than they do in Windows and OSX.

[Tomoko]

It's not a real image editor. The name was intended to describe image editors other than GIMP.

Which is another example of the smugness and unprofessionalism I hate about Linux authors.

[c3ntury]

Fonts. Font's look horrible in Linux and that's the 1 and only reason I don't use it. I can't stand having sites look bad with deformed fonts.

Have you seen the new Ubuntu font? It basically destroys your arguement through and through. Its gorgeous :)

[hawksy]

Video/3d working on 4 year old hardware. An ATI X1950 should just work at this point with Linux. Ubuntu's KMS sux monkey nuts.

[Rob2687]

x1900 working fine on Ubuntu for me. It has worked out of the box better than it ever has since ATI stopped supporting it. OpenGL/3D has been getting a lot of work since 10.04 so using the xorg-edgers ppa will give some improvements.

Is it me does it seem like we have one of these threads(What's wrong with Linux/Why don't you like it) at least once a year around here?

[killer2239]

Being a former Mac owner, and that I am a PC Tech for my living here is what I can honestly say is the draw backs.

Mac OSX lacks most of the same things Linux does (due to being same platform essentially), however with the exception of a few.

Applications:

Windows, mainly 7 for that matter has everything anybody could want. You can put anybody down on a Windows 7 machine, and they will be able to do whatever it is they want to for the most part. Whether it be purchase some software to do it, or find freeware. On a MacOSX there is a good selection out there, but most are not as polished or complete as the Windows version, as most developers strive to get 90% of the market taken care of first. Lets use Ubuntu 10.04 as an example for Linux. They have a pretty decent software package program built in. You can search for what you want. If you cant find it, Google can be your friend for the most part and help you. But your average user isnt going to understand terminal and commands and such. And let me just say this (yes its an Anti-Mac statement), why do you think Mac has Parallels?? Its because the ones that do spend 500+ dollars more for the same equipment in a shiny case with a fruit logo to run Mac OSX, cant even run the apps they need so they run Windows within it.

Gaming:

Windows has Direct X11. No other operating system can compare with DX11. Anybody that does any gaming knows OpenGL just isnt as good, and thats if the game even runs without Direct X9+. Most popular games out require Direct X 9+ , just go look at Steam Powered games. I know they have a Mac version now, but the selection is small. This is the biggest draw back for myself. I like to play PC games. I am all for open source community as I am a programmer myself.

Customize Desktop and Fonts and over all feel

I think honestly this is up to any OS. While Mac and Windows 7 might be pretty out of the box. You can still download programs to tweak and change and even make them be like each other. As for Linux, you can install so many flavors of GUI's and you can find the right look for you eventually. Might just have to work a little harder at it.

Overall Compatibility...

Everywhere you go there is almost a guarantee to be a Windows machine. So its kinda just easier since its the majority. I personally would install Ubuntu or another linux distro in a heartbeat if they ever had full Direct X support and games. But it just isnt going to happen. It appears we are stuck in a Windows world. Which isnt to bad with Windows 7 now. Its by far an excellent OS.

[greenwizard88]

As for Linux, you can install so many flavors of GUI's and you can find the right look for you eventually. Might just have to work a little harder at it.

Exactly. It's not really a professional, put together OS. I install it, and then I need to tweak it. and I can tweak it in 100000 different ways. Then I get frustrated, do I like Ocean Blue, or Cyan? So I go back to Windows or OS X, because it already looks nice, polished, and I don't have to worry about it.

[hawksy]

x1900 working fine on Ubuntu for me. It has worked out of the box better than it ever has since ATI stopped supporting it. OpenGL/3D has been getting a lot of work since 10.04 so using the xorg-edgers ppa will give some improvements.

Is it me does it seem like we have one of these threads(What's wrong with Linux/Why don't you like it) at least once a year around here?

Seems so.. And yeah I'm trying out the new 10.04. I think I might go back to 9.04 as the openGL drivers are installed by default, or with a click to the notice in the task bar. the 10.04 lts uses the kernel mode, and doesn't offer the same level of functionality. (the desktop is slow and laggy)

[Andre S. Veteran]

1: Nor does Mac OS or any other operating system.

2: No it doesn't. Windows 7 is the first good looking OS they have ever made, it it looks good because it looks like it's based on KDE

3: Funny, almost every linux distro out there is free too.

Quit being a troll

As the OP stated, I merely answered his question. You did not, and you have quite a strange definition of trolling.

As for your counter-arguments:

1. False, Windows runs all my favorite software. Seriously, how did you guess Mac OS didn't run all my favorite software? I don't think I mentioned any.

2. Well I guess that is subjective, but I suspect anyone with an understanding of GUI principles and aesthetics would tell you that both GNOME and KDE don't look good compared to Mac OSX and Windows 7. And yeah apparently Windows 7 copied every single remotely good-looking UI that ever existed, I've heard that one before. This is quite off-topic as we're not discussing Windows (and I wasn't), so I won't venture there any further.

3. Yeah, Windows being free for me isn't really a gripe with Linux, technically. Still, being free is one of the main argument for Linux, and the matter of fact is that I don't care since my favorite OS is free for me anyway. That's it.

Exactly. It's not really a professional, put together OS. I install it, and then I need to tweak it. and I can tweak it in 100000 different ways. Then I get frustrated, do I like Ocean Blue, or Cyan? So I go back to Windows or OS X, because it already looks nice, polished, and I don't have to worry about it.

Exactly! Yeah Linux might look good if I spent hours customizing it and if I actually any real talent at UI design. ...hmmm I guess I'll use an OS where that job has already been done for me, I'd rather get to work.

[pers3us]

2. Well I guess that is subjective, but I suspect anyone with an understanding of GUI principles and aesthetics would tell you that both GNOME and KDE don't look good compared to Mac OSX and Windows 7. And yeah apparently Windows 7 copied every single remotely good-looking UI that ever existed, I've heard that one before. This is quite off-topic as we're not discussing Windows (and I wasn't), so I won't venture there any further.

It happens when you have a bunch of designers and developers working completely on designing a perfect UI for the user :shiftyninja:

But, lets just compare what we have here, many community working on separate builds together and then too coming out with something so worthy and appreciable that even the top-notch companies copy it and then put their dedicated force to come out with even better looking and efficient design.

The biggest Gripe so far for Linux has been, is well, Linux itself, and in near future i don't think its gonna change. Linux lacks in lot of things, and its expected with such distributed force working for separate goals. Only reason a noob goes out trying linux is because its linux. The very idea of using Linux and understanding it is intriguing. If a server goes up on linux because it again a linux. A geek uses it because of its essential attribute, customization, and its specifically in Linux.

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

I agree with the hardware issues people raise. I don't know how much that is the fault of Linux. Technically Linux supports much more hardware than OSX and Windows combined, but it lacks support for cutting-edge hardware, unless the OEMs make it available.

I bought a Dell with Ubuntu on it ("Made for Ubuntu", I guess). It works great. I can load new versions/update and there are no problems. But this is because Dell put the system together that is fully supported. If more companies did that, then more hardware manufacturers would take Linux seriously. Also, there are often problems hardware manufacturers have with open-sourcing their drivers or making their hardware specs available to people who will write open-source drivers.

But I want more freedom to purchase the hardware I want. I bought an Acer laptop I wanted, but it only came with Windows (I got a refund on the Windows). But then I had to sort out some hardware issues to get it all working: trackpad up/down scroll, and the microphone. I found all the information online fairly easily, but it'd be nice not to have to bother.

[majortom1981]

Having to go and edit files or into the command line when say a driver or something doesnt work. I installed ubuntu on a machine and the graphics where all screwed up the top and bottom halves of the screen were switched. To fix it i had to go into the command line and edit all these files.

This is why i dont run linux.

[russellc]

Dunno about you guys, but IMO Fedora and OpenSuSE look great.

Also, Droid Sans makes everything look awesome.

[Sethos]

Gaming, gaming and gaming.

[Neoauld]

Gaming, and ventrilo. I wanted linux on my laptop so i could at least voice chat with people...since laptops arent for gaming anyways(though Sc2 runs smooooooth as ever)..and it just wouldnt work. Wine is complete crap and im tired of fighting with it. Also installing/getting things running on linux almost always takes some manual configuration.

I like linux for all of its upsides, but if it cant meet my basic needs i dont bother with it.

[Solid Knight]

Have you seen the new Ubuntu font? It basically destroys your arguement through and through. Its gorgeous :)

Y e s I h a v e s e e n t h e n e w f o n t f o r U b u n t u.

[mps69]

I've only been using Linux seriously for about a month, and I didn't think I had any real gripes with it, but this week I found something that is really grinding my gears, and to some this might sound a simple fix but why is it so complicated.

It's all related to hard drives, and the way Linux, in my case Ubuntu, handles them.

The external drive hold all my music, so I point RhythmBox/Banshee to it. Reboot the PC it can't find the correct drive. So I re-point the drive and the same thing happens again.

I know its all to do with how the drives are allocated, and I could/can edit the fstab file, but, god forbid me for say this, it's one thing that Window and OSX have gotten round why can't Linux do it simply too?

[MR_Candyman]

I've only been using Linux seriously for about a month, and I didn't think I had any real gripes with it, but this week I found something that is really grinding my gears, and to some this might sound a simple fix but why is it so complicated.

It's all related to hard drives, and the way Linux, in my case Ubuntu, handles them.

The external drive hold all my music, so I point RhythmBox/Banshee to it. Reboot the PC it can't find the correct drive. So I re-point the drive and the same thing happens again.

I know its all to do with how the drives are allocated, and I could/can edit the fstab file, but, god forbid me for say this, it's one thing that Window and OSX have gotten round why can't Linux do it simply too?

fstab is actually one of the things I love about linux. I understand why some people would hate it, and I certainly did at first, but man is it nice to be able to adjust everything exactly the way you want, and so very easily. Set it up once and forget it too.You can even just back up your fstab and if you re-install for some reason, or switch to a different distro, then you can just put your backup in place and bam! the drives are set up just how you want them

[.Neo]

On a MacOSX there is a good selection out there, but most are not as polished or complete as the Windows version

Overall I find third-party applications on Mac OS X to be more polished, better integrated and use a more consistent interface than on Windows. At least, the applications I use.

[cacoe]

Overall I find third-party applications on Mac OS X to be more polished, better integrated and use a more consistent interface than on Windows. At least, the applications I use.

True, this is what I miss about OS X, even the smallest apps are really polished. Even freeware.