Linux?

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Why does everyone RAVE about Linux, or more specifically, Ubuntu? I've used Linux before. I think the first one I used was Fedora Core 3. I had to get rid of it because I simply couldn't use it. Everytime I try Linux, or read something about it, I think: "I don't get it".

Linux is impossible to use, and impossible for me to learn. It's so freakin complicated!! ! Documentation makes no sense whatsoever.

What is the point of using Linux? What are the advantages over Windows or Mac?

How the heck can I learn to use it?!?!

Ok, Linux is complicated. Less nowadays, but still a pain in some aspects.
But the idea behind it is less to be everybodys everyday toy for gaming (though possible), but to be a working tool for professional computing. You will find, that a large amount of WebServers runs it.

For everyday use, it's again a working tool for programmers. It's highly configurable, doesn't use lots of resources and it is extremely stable. If you are developing a program in a stage, where it still has lots of bugs and crashes all the time, you'll learn to like an operating system that doesn't crash together with your app and forces you to reboot the whole machine each time like Windows does often enough.

But: If you don't know why to use Linux, you most likely won't need it.

Linux is stable, secure, FAST (especially compared to Vista) and free (both free as in beer and free as in freedom in most cases). Also, Linux is more customizable to your own preferences. If you were trying it back in the old-school days of Fedora 3, know that it's improved a lot in terms of usability. Ubuntu in particular is known as being very simple to get up and running, even if you have no idea what the hell you're doing. OpenSUSE is supposed to be n00b-friendly as well. In Ubuntu I have never compiled from source or read a man page. Almost everything I've done has been through the GUI.

The point of using Linux is that it is better for what many people do than either Windows or Mac. The advantages are in performance, cost, configurability, flexibility, freedom, improved security as compared to Windows (no viruses!) and, compared to Mac, availability of more software applications. But if you're using something else and find that it's working, there's no dire need to switch. If you're happy with what you have, that's really all that matters.

I think it was Orwell that pointed out that the only reason you find Windows easy is because you are familiar with it.

Windows is not easy; it constantly crashes, needs anti-malware and anti-virus software (which are often ineffective) Its slow and bulky, Linux on the other hand does not have any of these problems. The only issue that I have with Linux is the mucking around downloading and installing programs, but as I become more familiar with this it is becoming less and less of an issue.

Windows sucks. That's why I use Macs.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

Nah, that wasn't me. I never used Windows to any real extent- grew up a Mac user through and through.

Gramirez: As far as the advantages of Linux over Mac, they are mostly of personal preference as far as I can tell. OSX is based on UNIX, so it's stable and secure like Linux. It doesn't have too much bloat, certainly nothing Apple's good hardware can't compensate for. I like GNOME (the GUI/window manager that is default in Ubuntu) better than Aqua. Ubuntu can also get software easier than Mac can, but if you know where to look you can get Mac stuff that works just as well.

And I'm finding that Windows does not suck so much- at least, XP seems to be decent. I don't know how anyone in their right mind would voluntarily use Vista, but XP, from what I've seen of it in VirtualBox, looks to be a pretty good OS.

I think it's a matter of preference. We used Lunix at the office for some of our servers for a while. We ended up dropping it after the open source software we were using (and paying a yearly service contract for) stopped working. The level of support we received was horrible so we went with a different company that wrote a Windows version.

Personally, I think the new L*nux systems are trying too hard to be like Windows. I had two Dec Ultrix systems during college and loved them. They're a great learning environment if you're into learning code. Our OS class assignments were kernel modifications and you quickly learned how to keep from bricking your machines. I never had problems with them and they weren't bogged down by an obnoxious UI.

I've mentioned before that I don't understand many of the criticisms of Windows - virus/malware, crashes, etc because I don't experience them. It's obvious to me that novice / gullible users are going to have this problem no matter what OS they use. Since these people are the virus/malware authors biggest target, the problems will surely move to whatever system the novices move to. You can't tell me that the novices that run as "Administrator" in Windows won't be running as "root" in *nix and that they won't click on all the stupid things they click on today.

No malware for me, but I've gotten the occasional inexplicable crash out of Vista. But then, Ubuntu has the occasional hiccup as well. OSX is probably the most stable OS I've seen.

From experience, Ubuntu, Fedora, and SuSE have drivers for the nForce series motherboards, I have a soundchip by realtek and SuSE doesn't have the driver. With SuSE I have to do something with the shell. That isn't quite user friendly to me. I'll get there. I removed it in favour of doing something else - but not giving up on it

I remember the days where programs were just a single file.... I will use that to represent Windows. Simple, quick, straightforward, but not very reliable. You can't do anything with it.
Linux would be what DOS/Windows is now, more files, easier to upgrade and update individual components without having to buy an updated copy.

I don't want to be stuck with Windows all my life, I want to use other software, but with manufacturers almost pressured into making their drivers work, there is not much left for the Linux platform.

Linux uses a different way of doing things. In a block of flats/apartments there will be a lift, windows is lazy and will give you something that will eventually break down. Linux gives you the stairs, you have more control and learn more.
(I think we've established I need to work on my examples more )

Fedora Core 3 is old, the current that I know of is Fedora Core 9. With all the rage about Ubuntu, it's an African word to do with freedom or something. So designed to be more user friendly.

The problem with Vista + Linux now is that Linux will use OpenGL and Vista will take OpenGL and translate it through the DirectX API. To me this will make OpenGL look very slow and outdated. Anything run in Direct3D in Windows will run far smoother than an OpenGL. I feel this will fool people into making them thing OpenGL is not good and favour Direct3D which is Microsoft only. OpenGL will run much better in Linux as it is open source for video.

I'm always opting for OpenGL over Direct3D so I don't have to worry about having the latest DirectX installed, which to be honest is annoying.

especially for linux newbies,think it's ease of use comes down to the computer and internet setup its being used on,it is some years ago since am first tried linux-SuSE 9.1 professional [the retail version,sixty four bit],had a few problems with partitioning [well big problem,destroyed the windows partition],after setting up dual boot with both,anything after that was easy pick up and go,no hunt for drivers or anything-the things that helped were having a more modern computer so parts were recognised or at least matched,using cable broadband and not ADSL,and an easier OS like SuSE.
Ubuntu hoary and breezy were even easier,also being able to hack in places,so that things were more to own liking-eg,the GNOME logo became ubuntu logo in hoary,the boot up splash screen became a very nice looking cat with the ubuntu logo on..

do not have to use advanced things if do not want to,start with basics-installing and set up,no need to rush.

Fedora released version 10 a few days ago. It pretty simple to use, about as simple as ubuntu

You Lucky Lucky Bastard

Actually, the first time I used Windows was to set up my roomie's networking information so he could connect to the campus wifi. Now I just use it in VirtualBox to play around sometimes. Now that I've discovered I can change OpenOffice to whatever I want (why didn't that occur to me before?) Office 2007 has lost its prior allure over OOo. Still waiting to find something cool in Windows that I can't do in Linux... anyone want to help me? I hear they hid all the awesome stuff Windows does better than Linux in the waters of the Fountain of Youth, next to the Holy Grail and the Philosopher's Stone.

Because it works like a dream once everything is installed.

(It's not true for all distributions, though. I prefer Debian myself.)

And that is why I pre-partition my hard drive, unless I am happy for anything to be deleted. I go into advanced set up and make sure no hard drive modifications are made

I have my PC dual booted with Linux Mint, which is an Ubuntu based distro that includes all the audio and video codecs that aren't shipped with Ubuntu. I find it has it's good and band points.

Good points in addition to being free include it runs faster on the same hardware than XP, it is more stable in that it doesn't hang or crash as much as Windows does, it isn't as prone to viruses, malware, etc. as Windows, and even when an app does crash, it doesn't destablize or take the whole OS down with it like in Windows.

Another good point is there is alot of free software out there for Linux that can do alot of the things you can do in Windows, in some cases better, sometimes not. I once downloaded a PAL video from the net and although could convert it to NTSC for burning to DVD using Nero in Windows, I ended up getting alot of pixelating. I did the conversion using a Linux application and it worked out fine. In other words, Linux does have it's good points.

I've also found some disadvantages of Linux. For one thing, hardware support isn't the best. Alot of hardware is supported, some isn't, while others are what I like to call partially supported. I once had a scanner that was able to scan 2400dpi under Windows, but could only do 300dpi under Linux. I admit it was an old scanner made by a company that wasn't around long, but still it can be annoying. I've since replaced with an all in one HP printer/scanner/copier which works fine as far as I can tell.

I also had an HP Deskjet printer that I had to go into the configuration file and edit it so it would print the last page first, so my print job would be in order when I took it from the printer. I also have a TV card that doesn't work at all on Linux. I've also heard stories of printer/scanner/FAX combos that work fine under Windows but only the printer will work on Linux.

As for all the software, if what you need isn't in a repository, be prepared for pain. I understand the process of compiling and installing and have done it successfully a couple of times, many times I've ended up in dependency hell, where I have to constantly look for components the software needs. I think something needs to be done about that, I've used DOS and Windows computers, even used Commodore, and getting software installed and/or running wasn't anything like that.

Linux has some good points, but it has it's bad points as well, the reason I've been hesitant to jump over to it. But I still load it up and play with it every now and then.