I am that evil little man that comes from the world of Windows and Bill Gates, and I've been hearing an awful lot about Linux. I don't know exactly what it's all about but I'd like to learn.
I've heard many things, some of them probably rumors, that Linux is for newbies and techies alike, is absolutely free, never crashes, has enhanced multimedia capabilities, runs popular applications (Office, IE, Photoshop) in addition to a vast array of special free open-source-code programs (I guess like freeware for Windows), and can support all devices made for Windows machines.
Now, a little about me, I'm a pretty advanced Windows user running 2000 Pro, and I've been pretty happy with it. My niche seems to be video and graphic work, along with the usual tasks (browsing, email), and I also am learning a little programming on the side (Visual Basic, nothing too fancy).
Would Linux be for me? And would you recommend a good Linux version for me to get? Thanks!
compunuts
05-02-2001, 08:27 PM
Originally posted by slimshady365:
<STRONG>is absolutely free, never crashes, has enhanced multimedia capabilities, runs popular applications (Office, IE, Photoshop) in addition to a vast array of special free open-source-code programs (I guess like freeware for Windows), and can support all devices made for Windows machines.</STRONG>
Not absolutely true. You can get Windows applications run on Linux with WINE but functionality is not that great.
<STRONG>My niche seems to be video and graphic work, along with the usual tasks (browsing, email), and I also am learning a little programming on the side (Visual Basic, nothing too fancy).</STRONG>
May be you should look at Apple or Be OS. Nothing can be Apple and Be in graphic work. VB on Linux? :rolleyes:
slimshady365
05-02-2001, 08:30 PM
OK, well I've been considering an Apple, although I already have so much software for Windows it would be hard to convert. That new iBook looks pretty sleek..:-)
I have heard a little bit about BeOS and I tried that free version. However, it wouldn't detect any of my hardware, including my NIC, so it was generally useless.
I'd love to try it out, but I'd feel a little limited if it couldn't support much of my major hardware...a Nomad Jukebox, DV cam, 1394 hard disk, HP Photo Printer, those are just the essentials around here.
compunuts
05-02-2001, 08:44 PM
Well.. check Be's hardware compartibility list for your hardware. I have no problem with my hardware detection but then again I don't buy Windows specific hardwares (ever heard of Winmodems?).
Some hardwares may not be detected when you install it at the first time but then you can configure it later on. Plug and pray is a big joke not so long ago and many hardwares are specifically made only with Windows in mind and reverse engineering is prohibited.
DMR
05-02-2001, 09:00 PM
I've heard many things, some of them probably rumors,
-that Linux is for newbies and techies alike
>Yes.
-is absolutely free
>As a download, or when distributed with a magazine. Otherwise, you'll pay something for a packaged CD and hardcopy manual.
-never crashes
>Well, I wouldn't say never, but it is very stable.
-has enhanced multimedia capabilities
>I'll pass; minor flamewar potential.
-runs popular applications (Office, IE, Photoshop)
>As compunuts said, Window$ progs only run under WINE, and performance does take a hit.
-in addition to a vast array of special free open-source-code programs
>Right.
-I guess like freeware for Windows
>Right.
-and can support all devices made for Windows machines.
>No friggin' way. Because many manufacturers refuse to write drivers for Linux, and also refuse to release source code so others can write the drivers, hardware support in general can lag behind Window$.
[ 02 May 2001: Message edited by: DMR ]
slimshady365
05-02-2001, 10:04 PM
Originally posted by compunuts:
<STRONG>Well.. check Be's hardware compartibility list for your hardware. I have no problem with my hardware detection but then again I don't buy Windows specific hardwares (ever heard of Winmodems?).
Some hardwares may not be detected when you install it at the first time but then you can configure it later on. Plug and pray is a big joke not so long ago and many hardwares are specifically made only with Windows in mind and reverse engineering is prohibited.</STRONG>
I don't really have anything Windows-specific, but a lot of hardware today, like the stuff I mentioned above, mainly is supported in Windows.
What makes Plug and Play a big joke? I am pretty sure all operating system support it, am I correct
Also, another question. Will Linux become a viable replacement for Windows when hardware manufacturers support it? I'm not really getting the whole picture of what Linux is and what it can do for me.
Maybe BeOS has better support everyone claims it is multimedia enhanced so I would assume so. Does anyone know?
[ 02 May 2001: Message edited by: slimshady365 ]
Molecule Man
05-02-2001, 10:36 PM
Originally posted by slimshady365:
<STRONG>OK, well I've been considering an Apple, although I already have so much software for Windows it would be hard to convert. That new iBook looks pretty sleek..:-)
I have heard a little bit about BeOS and I tried that free version. However, it wouldn't detect any of my hardware, including my NIC, so it was generally useless.
I'd love to try it out, but I'd feel a little limited if it couldn't support much of my major hardware...a Nomad Jukebox, DV cam, 1394 hard disk, HP Photo Printer, those are just the essentials around here.</STRONG>
1394 hard drive will not work yet. It is on the todo list but probably won't be in the 2.4 kernel. Doubtful about the Nomad, but it might. The printer and the camera should work. Most video, sound, scsi, and NICs are supported in Linux. There is video editing software for linux, but it is in its early stages.
I would first suggest checking out www.gnu.org (http://www.gnu.org) They can explain best what is meant by free.
Then check out several different distro websites, www.redhat.com (http://www.redhat.com) wwww.linux-mandrake.com www.suse.com (http://www.suse.com) www.slackware.com (http://www.slackware.com) www.debian.org (http://www.debian.org) www.ibiblio.com/vectorlinux (http://www.ibiblio.com/vectorlinux)
Should get you started. Choose the distro that appeals the most to you. Each has its strong points. You might also check out the supported hardware sections, to double check on if your hardware will work.
I think the strongest indication that GNU/Linux is for you, is that you actually bothered to check first. Many that use GNU/linux are those that want an OS that does what the user wants, not want some company in Redmond
wants.
sans-hubris
05-02-2001, 10:50 PM
http://www.gnome.org/gb
This should provide some Visual Basic compatibility, but don't expect it to be perfect by any means (it's still only version 0.0.19! it's a long way off from finalization).
Much of what I was going to say has already been mentioned, so I won't reiterate.
A. Buza
05-02-2001, 11:24 PM
All the following is my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt ;) (or however that saying goes...)
Originally posted by slimshady365:
<STRONG>
I've heard many things, some of them probably rumors, that Linux is for newbies and techies alike,
</STRONG>
Yes and no. General setup and program installation is usually more complex in linux than in the windows world, but windows and linux are
comperable when it comes to usability. However, linux will allow you to do a lot *more*, which some people confuse with difficulty. For example, you can install RPMs* from the command line, or use various graphical tools to do it. Linux also lets you customize your environment (command line or GUI) much more than windows ever did.. some see this as difficulty, but.. meh... I don't really buy that.
<STRONG>
is absolutely free
</STRONG>
There is some confusion about what is meant by "free". Someone posted a link to gnu.org, which explains it. To make a long story short, most of the software for linux, and linux itself, is free (as in zero-dollars). There is software for linux that must/can be purchased, though
<STRONG>
never crashes
</STRONG>
I'm not sure about "never", but it is certainly more stable than win9x ever was. I've heard that 2000 is pretty stable, but I don't know how well it compares to linux. Just a few days ago I started leaving my computer on 24/7, an d it is still humming along just fine. My universities servers run linux, and last time I checked their uptime was 40 days, and I think they had to take the server down for upgrades, so it could be even greater than that.
That isn't to say programs don't crash, though. It happens, but they don't take the operating system down with it like windows often does.
<STRONG>
has enhanced multimedia capabilities
</STRONG>
I'm more of a coder-guy myself, so I don't know much about the multimedia capabilities of linux. I am able to play all the audio stuff (mp3s, wav, mod, it, etc) I could in windows, but I've had trouble with some of the video.
<STRONG>
runs popular applications (Office, IE, Photoshop) in addition to a vast array of special free open-source-code programs (I guess like freeware for Windows), and can support all devices made for Windows machines.
</STRONG>
Linux can run (some) windows applications using WINE, but it can't run things like MS office and photoshop natively. However, there
is software that offers the same functionality as things on windows machines. Gimp -> photoshop, staroffice -> MS Office, etc.
There are many (very, very, many) open source/free programs for linux that windows simply doesn't have, but there are some things that windows has that linux doesn't, as well. Check out freshmeat.org or sourceforge.net and brouse around and see if there is anything you like.
<STRONG>
Now, a little about me, I'm a pretty advanced Windows user running 2000 Pro, and I've been pretty happy with it. My niche seems to be video and graphic work, along with the usual tasks (browsing, email), and I also am learning a little programming on the side (Visual Basic, nothing too fancy).
Would Linux be for me? And would you recommend a good Linux version for me to get? Thanks!</STRONG>
Is linux for you? At this point, I'd say 'no'. If I recall an earlier post correctly, you seem to have a lot of hardware that wouldn't work with linux. You also mentioned your thing is graphics and video, and sadly, linux is lacking in this area last time I checked. Linux is really more suited for programming stuff (it supports just about every language known to man.. yeesh) and net-related jobs. However, there are some distributions that are windows-friendly, so if you are curious you can always try one of those without nuking all your window-related data. If you have a spare hard-drive, you could also install linux on it to tinker around.
If you do decide to give linux a try, just remember that it isn't windows, and isn't supposed to be windows. ;) It is different, and takes a little getting used to.
*To put it very simply, an rpm is a packaged program... roughly comperable to "setup.exe" in windows world, but not quite. Different distributions use different package types, while some use none at all. This sounds like it might be a problem, but since the vast majority of programs can be compiled from source (pretty much the lowest common denominator), it isn't.
ASCI Blue
05-02-2001, 11:31 PM
In my brief time using Linux I've only had one piece of hardware not work and NO it wasn't my Radeon. It was a broadcom 10 meg/sec Phoneline network card. It didn't work for one very simple reason, broadcom hasn't released source or data sheets, easy fix, found an AMD based 1 meg/sec card and popped it in. $7 for a fix isn't too bad.
slimshady365
05-05-2001, 10:00 AM
Originally posted by ASCI Blue:
<STRONG>In my brief time using Linux I've only had one piece of hardware not work and NO it wasn't my Radeon. It was a broadcom 10 meg/sec Phoneline network card. It didn't work for one very simple reason, broadcom hasn't released source or data sheets, easy fix, found an AMD based 1 meg/sec card and popped it in. $7 for a fix isn't too bad.</STRONG>
Well it appears that I won't be able to use Linux. I'm not requiring any more demands than the average home user and I can't use it, so if you guys help make Linux keep that in mind.
What hardware did work on your computer. It depends if you have some older hardware maybe it will work better. I don't know..
Oh yeah, will USB printers and USB cameras work in Linux? I would assume so but I'd like to make sure. I have an extra computer maybe I'll try it out on.
[ 05 May 2001: Message edited by: slimshady365 ]
aliasQ
05-05-2001, 11:06 PM
You need Linux if you are unsatisfied with life.
:)
Also, I read today "Linux cannot be taught it must be experienced"
:cool:
I have only been "in" Linux for days and I feel like Microsoft made me more stupid than I thought I was.
:mad:
If you are not obsessed with learning Linux you will not learn linux...
:confused:
Linux knowlege is power.
:p
You actually feel like you are in control of the computer instead of it controlling you.
:D
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