can you tell me about linux??

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My brother hates microsoft 7 and says that he wants to try linux but wants to know about other's experience with it.
I dont mind microsoft 7, but he says it is full of quirks.

Anyway I told him that I would post it here.
Also can you tell me the difference between linux and microsoft??

thanks,

Jojo

You want to try a good up to date distribution like Ubuntu. I use Linux for my work for some things because some good free tools are only produced on Linux. We also find that when we want to run virtual machines Linux does that a bit better because the memory management is more efficient.

Truth be told I don't know a lot about Linux as I use Windows most of the time, and I do find that when I want to do something in Linux it can be a bit slow and frustrating to find HOW to do it, so I use google a lot, but thats only because I am used to Windows.

The main difference you will find is that only Linux programmes will work on Linux and vice versa (people may tell you otherwise and talk about WINE but its not really that simple). Give it a go..you should be able to install Linux so you can dual-boot your machine.

I have used several older versions of Microsoft, and I currently use Linux Ubuntu on my old PC. I am not a computer geek, so someone with more PC experience can probably do a better job of this, but I can give you my no frills input, too.

When I used MS in the past, I kept having crashing issues, but the operating system is fairly easy to use for non geeks.

I have not had a big problem with crashing since a relative set me up with Linux Ubuntu a few years ago, but I don't like it because it is primarily for PC geeks, and is not really that comfortable for non geeks to use. Also, there are many, many different varieties of Linux out there, and they are always being updated, so it can take a while to figure out which variety is right for you, if you are not a geek. The geeks often have multiple versions, sometimes on several PCs.

Geeks like the Linux operating systems, because the coding for the systems is in the public domain, not copyrighted, so they can play around "under the hood", and manipulate the coding on their own PCs, and offer their mutated "creations" to the public for free, instead of paying for a copyrighted system, like Windows or Apple. You only have to pay for Linux systems if you want a program disk from one of the big Linux providers, like Red Hat. It isn't really necessary to buy Linux, though, as you can just down load the version you want for free, right off of the I-net. The program disks from commercial providers may have a few extras, though.

Up until now I have usually been several years behind on upgrades to operating system versions and word processing programs, partly because I have a dial-up connection, and partly because I prefer to let other people find the bugs in the newer versions, but I recently got a new PC with Windows 7 on it. However, I will probably partition the drive and add Linux to the other partition, as a backup, in case Windows crashes. However, I will change to Linux Mint instead of Linux Ubuntu. I've read that the Mint version is supposed to be similar to, but easier to use, than Ubuntu. I think it is also supposed to take up less space on the hard drive, but I am not sure about that.

I hope my input has helped you, but do keep looking into this for more info. Also, don't forget the Apple operating systems in your research. And, if you are still uncertain, but still unhappy with Windows, why not do what I plan on doing, and partition your drive, so you can keep Windows on one side, while trying out another operating system on the other side?

--Remember, we on the Autism/Asperger spectrum are:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau

Thank you both for your imput. I will send these responces to him.
I am sure he would like to work under the hood of a computer system. He is not a computer geek, but he knows his way around a computer.

thank you.

Jojo

I am not a Windows expert, and I've never used 7, so I have no opinion there.

Linux is not an "operating system for people who hate Windows" so if your brother goes into it with that expectation, he may be disappointed. Linux is a unique operating system with many pros and cons; it should be evaluated on its own merits rather than in comparison to Windows.

Because of the way "open-source" works, you have a situation where there are dozens (if not hundreds) of Linux distributions or "distros." They are all Linux "under the hood" but they have different artwork, user interfaces, default applications, release cycles, communities, etc. There are distros for every imaginable use: general-purpose, servers, scientists, musicians, gamers, etc. So a big "rite of passage" for a new Linux user is trying several distros and choosing which one you like best. Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora are probably the three most popular for general-purpose desktop/laptop use.

The nice thing about Linux is that you can evaluate it as a Live CD or USB without making any change to your computer. If your brother likes it and chooses a distro to install, then I recommend a "dual boot" configuration so that he can choose between Linux and Windows. Linux is nice, but he will probably want Windows sometimes for MS Office, Photoshop, Netflix, games, etc.

If he knows his way around a computer and would like to mess around with the system under the hood, Linux is perfect for him.

As far as using it as a desktop system, there isn't much to learn at all. It's just point-and-click like everything else, and the user interface changes less from release to release than windows. Some of the more esoteric things have more of a learning curve, but you don't have to learn them at all, so it can be taken at your own pace.

Wine isn't a magic cure-all, but it does run many windows programs well. If a program runs well under wine and needs no special configuration, then it isn't any effort at all. It really depends on the program. If he has stuff that he needs to run under windows, dual-booting works just fine.

The Distrowatch website has more information than anyone ever wanted to know about every distribution that exists.

ps If you visit winehq.org there is an "App Database" where Windows-native applications are rated Gold/Silver/Bronze/Garbage based on how well they run using Wine+Linux. Definitely visit this page if there are specific application(s) your brother needs for work/school/play.

Ubuntu is easy enough to try out via the Wubi installer, which installs it on your NTFS windows partition. It allows you to try out Linux as dual boot option. --If he hates it, it can always be removed via the Windows Add/Remove programs which will also remove the dual boot option at startup.

If he or you want to try this, I would suggest logging out after installation and using the Desktop environment option on the login screen to use the standard Gnome 2 desktop rather than the default Gnome Shell and the hideous Unity Desktop that Ubuntu now defaults to. I would also further suggest changing the desktop theme from the rather ugly 'Ambience' theme to something else by logging in and navigating to 'System-Preferances-Appearance' on the main menu and changing to something that is nicer.

Use the demo for a month or so and if you like it, install it natively to your hard drive. I would suggest using the Long term release,(10.04) rather than the version that Wubi istalls which is a later, almost Beta Quality snapshot. --When using it natively, it will be faster due to the fact that it's not using a virtualised Ext4FS on top of the native NTFS partition.

I use Ubuntu, but be warned that Linux is a lot more complicated to use than Windows. If he wants a more user-friendly alternative, he should probably get a Mac.

Just get your brother download a few LiveCD and try them.
Try Ubuntu, OpenSUSE (KDE live cd) and see which one he likes... Go for variety, try GNOME3, GNOME2, KDE, etc live CDs, if you have an older PC try an XFCE or LXDE LiveCD too. Then pick one you like and install it.
Keep in mind, performance will be much better once you have it installed.

All distors have communities where you will get most of the help you need.

I actually hated Ubuntu and thought it was slow and terrible and it would crash Flash all the time. Switched to Crunchbang Debian and I'm very happy with it. For the most part, just works, but when it doesn't, because you haven't played with it for as long as Windows, you're not going to know what to do, and it's somewhat not as "intuitive" as Windows.

My personal experience was actually bad with Ubuntu, and I would just go straight to a Debian derivative of your choice. But, others disagree. Me, I'm quite happy with my Crunchbang, 8 minutes for a full install on a wiped hard drive, instantly online watching youtube in 8 minutes. Boots on my crappy (didn't used to be, damn...) 2ghz 1 gig of RAM PC super quick, and doesn't use much memory and stuff.

You have to want Linux, though. If you don't really want it, you'll hate it and switch back to Windows. Oh, and very few games. You got like, Minecraft and various console emulators. No Steam.

As far as WINE goes, I've never messed with it, but I'd just dual boot XP instead.

Linux? Let me tell you about Linux...

I've used Ubuntu off and on here and there.

Basically, compared to Windows Ubuntu

* boots faster
* runs faster in general
* is similar enough to Windows that you can mostly use it, but you'll need Google when learning some things
* can be quite complicated to set up/fix if your issue is not one of the popular ones
* has spottier driver support, largely provided by third parties although more companies are creating stock Ubuntu drivers, although they tend to be non-public domain code-wise

Windows is definitely the more popular platform in general. Ubuntu/Linux/Unix is technically superior but still a bit obfuscated. The stock UI with Ubuntu also doesn't feel as polished to me as Windows or OS X, but it's better than Windows XP.

I'd recommend Ubuntu as long as you don't mind not having the latest games and software and hardware. Otherwise, I'd recommend Windows or a Macintosh (and the Macintosh will be more enjoyable to use overall, albeit more expensive for the initial system).

I've been trying out Linux Mint for the past week. In some ways I really like it--generally I like it. It is faster and there is lots of cool, free software out there. But there are some problems too:

1. Skype: it was a bit temperamental about logging in when I first got it but that problem seems to have gone away of its own accord. However, I had a lot of trouble getting it to transmit audio for me. I think I have that fixed now, but it's already gone and reset itself to the old settings once so it might do it again.

2. iPhone: there is no easy way to sync an iPhone to Linux. There is some software that claims to be able to sync your music, podcasts and (sometimes) photos. I found 3 programs that should be able to do that. One of them didn't work well when I did that and ended up mixing up all of my album artwork (so I had the cover of Born This Way when I was listening to a symphonic musical--bit off-putting). I have since fixed that by rebooting to Windows and totally resetting my iPhone from iTunes. I have yet to try the other pieces of syncing software. I tried downloading iTunes, but it does not run with Wine at all for me. However, I can buy pretty much any apps or music I want directly on my iPhone, and Linux does allow me to access the files stored on the phone's hard drive. So what I might do is just buy stuff on the phone and then copy it to my computer for a backup.

3. The Shell: that is the name for the command prompt environment. It seems that to do most of the more advanced stuff when setting up your computer you will need to use it. Or at least, that's how most of the people on the help forum's give instructions. However, as someone who doesn't have much experience with such environments, it is kind of intimidating. I checked out a huge book from the library on Linux and plan on trying to learn from that.

4. Software Compatibility: not all software works well on Linux. I've tried Wine and it worked very well for the graphing software I like (which, incidentally, I haven't found a proper analogue for in the Linux software repository--they have some software that might even be superior for graphing functions, but which can't plot data). But as I said, it was horrible for iTunes. It looks like in most cases I'll need to go and edit stuff or work through the terminal to get software working as well as I want it to.

5. Support Forums: although I have managed to find some good answers on these, often times what they are saying is over my head and I can only half-understand. It doesn't make getting help impossible, just harder.

Okay, so there are the complaints. On the other hand, I love how much you can customize your desktop environment. The speed is nice. Many aspects of the GUI are tidier and simpler than Windows. I haven't been having the problem of it dropping my wifi networks like Windows always would. For the widely used, stable software instillation is very easy and convenient. And I can tell that once I get a better grasp on the finer points I will be able to do much more with my computer than with Windows. I suspect I will be sticking with it, but that's a personal preference. The only way for your brother to find out whether he likes it is to download a distribution and try the LiveCD.