I LOVE LINUX.....but...

[pmrphs2002]

This is not an invitation to a flamewar .... this is a 17 year old computer friek speaking out
I've migrated all of my computers to Linux and Im trying to get my school to do the same in 1 lab. Im starting the transition from n00b to relatively ok with working with linux....but there are some things I really miss about Windows.......

Plug N' Play. I know it dumbs down the computing experience, but ignorance is bliss

Native Java. I designed a web page at school using java script and got home to show my parents, and the super-cool java drop down menus didn't work. Crap.

Certain Programs. Quicken. Un-Wineable. I got ALL of my games to work tho ... .yay. Really missing Winamp 3. I know its a resources behemoth, but i liked that search :) .

I want my DVD. Crap. Apparently shouldn't of picked MDK 9.1

Install Shield Wizard. Anyone remember when all ya had to do was click 'next' a few times and the program was installed, in your menus and useable? Personally, this doesn't seem that hard. While we can't migrate the Windows Install Shield Wizard becuse of fundamental differences in the architecture of the OS (Plus its a copyright infringement : :mad: ) but fundamentally its the same. Why dont developers make programs for a specific architecture ( so they can put all the needed binaries in with the executable) and point programs not to C:/program files but to /usr/programs (or something....)

Thats it. Rant over. I feel better now. So ill wait (or try to make my own installshield wizard) because theres no way in hell im goin back to linux....after tasting the best ......

Thanks everybody

[mim]

I guess one day that Linux will be just has easy and comfortable to work with as Windoze. When that day arrives, i also guess that it wil have lost much of it's appeal.

[pmrphs2002]

Certainly. Ones these are met, Linux will be a more than viable contender in the desktop market. And all the geek speak and charisma in using an underdog OS will be gone. We'll see.

[BaVinic]

Actually, all those things that you miss about windows, is readily available in RH8 and RH9 ok, maybe not quicken, but everything else, even a winamp like program with many of the same features( but yes, you would have to download a plug in for MP3's )

As for your DVD, why not download and install Ogle? works great, less filling. and I believe it works in all flavors of Linux.

There is an installer of sorts available to RH as well, called Apt-get, not sure there is a verion available for drake or not. Plus RH 8and 9 both have a built in RPM installer (although I personally prefer the CLI)

:)

BaVinic

[arioch]

If you are using Mandrake, using URPMI to install software is even easier than installing software under Windows... Really, go to this site and follow instructions http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/urpmiweb.php
simply root and type "urpmi nameofprogram" and you're done!;)

[Icarus]

Sorry to hear all the problems, but it's not really that difficult...

Plug-n-Play - I installed Red Hat 9 on my brand spanking new Dell Inspiron and the only things it did not automaticly setup was the Wireless and Power Management (kernel patches fixed most of the APCI things)

Java - Goto http://java.sun.com/ and grab the JRE and "run j2re-1_4_1_02-linux-i586.bin"

Quicken - Codeweavers Crossover Office can install and run Quicken and other apps that don't work with regular wine. There are rumors that Qucken may get a Linux version by next year...cross your fingers :)

Winamp - XMMS is almost identical to Winamp...didn't Winamp put out a Linux version recently or was that one of those rumors again?
I assume you miss the browser part of Winamp? I think I've seen a XMMS plugin that is simular to it

DVD - Always takes some work to get this working in Linux, but there is not much differance of how to install it between distros...

Install Shield - I never liked it in Windows even though it made things easier, it broke things too often.
Loki's Installer is an excellent open-source install utility that is used buy those that care. It should be deployed to most bigger apps.


Just keep on useing Linux and you'll get the hang of the little things. Remember when installing an app meant having to manually move the files around? ;)

[CMonster]

"DVD -Apparently shouldn't of picked MDK 9.1" ??

Actually Drake 9.1 works best for DVD -download the cooker rpms for mplayer, mplayergui, and mplayer skins, then go out and find the (in many places illegal) libdvdcss and install it all together with whatever deps are needed -you may have to change the default video out on the mplayer config page, but it will work as good or better than PowerDVD in Windows.

JAVA - they got you covered already, but make sure the path from your browser to the java is correct -especially in konqueror