Why Linux is SO hard...

[poorman]

Keep in mind that Linux is free and gets more frequently update.

Why do you think Vista was delayed for 5 years, its so they can make it easier for you.

To me Linux is, and always will be a server/operation operating system, designed to sit there, do what it's meant to do and do it efficiently and correctly so I never have to look at it or use it once it's going.

Yeah, I agree. :pacifier:

[Phixion]

I'm very open minded, I've been using computers since Windows 3.1... I installed Ubuntu a few months ago, learned alot about Linux in the process. Ubuntu is great, but when it comes to me wanting to install something NOT in the repositories I have no idea what to do. I tried to compile Transmission the other day and it took me around 40 minutes to figure out. Even if I work out how to install something I usually have no idea where its installed too.

The main problem I see is support, even the wiki's are not 100% accurate in some cases, I've asked for alot of help on the forums and most of the time I get a 1 line reply with a vague command that doesn't really help.

Maybe its my fault, I'm the kind of person that likes to know what each command MEANS, I'm not happy just to bash in a command when I don't have the first clue as to what I'm typing.

Support in Linux has gotten better lately though, I remember a few years ago when I got nothing but "if you don't know how to use Linux why did you install it?!".

I'd really love to sit down with someone that knows Linux inside out :)

I'd probably use it more if I knew how to install a few games... oh and when Ventrilo release a Linux Client ;)

[Tek]

Even if I work out how to install something I usually have no idea where its installed too.

If you run: ./configure --prefix=/usr/local, it will be installed in /usr/local.

The main problem I see is support, even the wiki's are not 100% accurate in some cases, I've asked for alot of help on the forums and most of the time I get a 1 line reply with a vague command that doesn't really help.

Maybe its my fault, I'm the kind of person that likes to know what each command MEANS, I'm not happy just to bash in a command when I don't have the first clue as to what I'm typing.

If you wanna know what a command does, type: man <command>

This will also give you detailed instructions on how to use the command.

Support in Linux has gotten better lately though, I remember a few years ago when I got nothing but "if you don't know how to use Linux why did you install it?!".

I think it was more of a case of "If you're not willing to put the effort in and read, why are you using Linux"

I'd really love to sit down with someone that knows Linux inside out :)

So would I.

I'd probably use it more if I knew how to install a few games... oh and when Ventrilo release a Linux Client ;)

Quake 4 runs on Linux, as does Doom 3. Unreal 2k4, RTCW, Enemy Territory, most ID games. There are loads, and most come with documentation as well, so installing them shouldn't be a problem.

[Phixion]

Theres the problem Tek, I don't want to install Quake or UT, I want to install BF2! We all know Quake and UT run but are they the ONLY games?

When it comes to installing to certain paths... thats just it, I don't know where I should be installing it too, so I install it to the default path and then have to find it...

IMO people have learn Linux by being told what to do, thats why people simply pass on the syntax rather than actually KNOWING what the command means. If I was told what each command meant then I'm pretty sure I'd have an easier time remembering it. man <command> is good for some things but not everything!

Please don't put me in the category of "not willing to read", It really is an insult when I spent the last 6 months searching for help, reading wikis etc. Most of them, like I say just tell you the command to enter, not what it means/does.

So... how about installing WoW? I know it runs but I only have it in .rar format (I bought the cd key when the game was released). Is it simply extract and run the .exe? I'm doubting that :p

[The Laughing Man]

Unlock Ubuntu's MP3 support: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats

, should install Automatix

[Tek]

Windows games are a bit of a grey area (for me at least.) There are ways to make some of them work, but I'm not much of a gamer so it doesn't really interest me.

I think there's a difference between learning Linux and being told what to do. If the man pages don't provide the answer, Usenet almost certainly will. It's very rare for somebody to ask a question that hasn't already been answered more than once. People seem to want to be told what to do, rather than try to learn for themselves and actually understand what they're doing. You can't blame people for not writing detailed help for you in forums. The detailed help already exists. Most packages and applications come with documentation outside of the man pages, and if they don't, there's almost certainly a web page that teaches you how to do most things with a certain app. People get very bored answering the same questions over and over for people who just expect to have the answer handed to them. There's nothing wrong with asking questions by any means, but most of the time the answer is already out there.

Another thing people seem reluctant to do: Try something. See if it works. It probably won't, but I guarentee you'll learn something from the experience.

You can't run a Windows executable in Linux, unless you use Wine or something along those lines.

[poorman]

Theres the problem Tek, I don't want to install Quake or UT, I want to install BF2! We all know Quake and UT run but are they the ONLY games?

same boat for most mac gamers :hmmm:

Please don't put me in the category of "not willing to read", It really is an insult when I spent the last 6 months searching for help, reading wikis etc. Most of them, like I say just tell you the command to enter, not what it means/does.

most programming syntax books are the same way so you're kinda on your own to experiment and built it up yourself ;)

[flapjackman176]

:o lets keep this forum PG13 :devil:

[PricklyPoo]

I started off about a week ago using linux and the first few days were pretty hard but once I got used to it I really dont want to go back to windows...once you get something working in linux it seems rewarding becuase your not just double clicking to install things:p