Opinions on Linux

[rajee]

Is linux for beginners, intermediary or advanced computer users?
What distribution/type/brand of Linux software is for beginners/internediate and advanced users?
If a person, mainly myself, wants to do the same stuff on Linux as I do on Windows, for example surf the web, download software, multimedia etc from the internet, use digital illustration/graphics software, copy medium to cds and dvds as well as view multimedia cds and dvds, is Linux a reliable decent operating system to do this or should I stick with Windows?

 

[TMF Jeff]

linux is for intermediate users, if you're talking about running it on your computer as the admin. It's not exactly complex, but it's a little tricky to run the entire system. For what you're talking about doing, you should stick with windows I think. Linux just isn't worth the trouble for normal computer stuff.

 

[rajee]

Yeah, as the admin and primarily the sole user of my computer. I would have it as a 2nd operating system.

 

[asutickler]

It really depends on the version (or distribution, often abbreviated as "distro") you choose. Some, like Mandrake Linux, are fairly user-friendly and can be easily understood by an intermediate-level user. Others are far more complex, and should only be used by uber-nerds.

A few pros and cons:


Linux Pros:

1. Stable, stable, stable. Most versions of Linux make Windows seem like it was DESIGNED to crash. I have friends who have left their computers on for a month or more straight, without restarting or shutting down, and their Linux OS still runs smoothly.

2. Support. Linux is "open source," meaning nobody owns it, and anyone can offer modifications, patches, fixes, drivers, and etc. There is a gigantic, friendly Linux community on the internet, so if you have a problem, you'll almost always be able to find a solution or someone who can walk you through your problem.

3. Its free... At least, most of the common versions intended for home use are free.



Linux cons:


1. Lots of mainstream software applications, particularly games, are not Linux-compatible. This can be negated somewhat by dual-booting, (running Windows AND Linux on the same machine, and switching back and forth) but this is also something of a pain in the ass.

2. Most people aren't familiar with it. Almost everyone can run Windows... Because they've used it before. Trying out Linux can be difficult, because not everything works the same.



If you have an older computer that you don't use lying around somewhere, it might be a good idea to install Linux on it just to see how well you like it. 🙂

 

[amk714]

Asutickler has pretty much explained the benefits and disadvantages of Linux, so I'll just add my two here. I think Linux is a great OS, and in fact, I've thought about switching to it from Windows. But Jeff is right that the average PC user has no need for it. Still, it would be great if Linux were offered on some systems. I know it's free and you can download and install it yourself, but I still think the Microsoft monopoly on PCs sucks.

As Asu suggested, Rajee, if you have an older computer, try Linux on it, and decide whether it's an OS you want to use. And if I'm not mistaken, Milagros317 is a Linux user, so when he gets back to his home from the holidays, I'm sure he'll able to help you. Good luck. 🙂

 

[rajee]

Thanks Asutickler and amk714. I will look into each distribution some more before I start to download any. I am leaning toward Susa and Mandrake.

 

[Ronley]

If you've never used linux before, there are cd bootable versions of it as well, Knoppix is the one I've used. You just download the cd image, burn it and boot from your cd-rom. You only have limited access to your hard drive if you use an NTFS file system, but it's good for getting a quick look at it before you actually start trying the full blown versions. On a side note it's also good for recovering data off a hard drive that you can't or don't want to boot from.

 

[rajee]

Thanks Ronley.

 

[rajee]

What does Milagros think?

 

[Cokecan]

Look into Ubuntu, the CD (or DVD) edition which can be booted and used right off CD when you burn the ISO image.

Ubuntu is a distro which claims to be "Linux for humans"...

 

[isabeau]

hmm what is linux??? she asks being computer illiterate

isabeau

 

[kurchatovium]

Linux is an alternative operating system to Windows for computers. It is completly free, but the main problem is finding the software you need to run on it.

 

[amk714]

hmm what is linux??? she asks being computer illiterate

www.linux.org

 

[Ayla ny]

I used to do the courseware for an IT school and this was our Linux Instructor’s book of choice http://www.coursedirect.com/catalog...category=Linux&cfid=12054670&cftoken=40444640

 

[milagros317]

What does Milagros think?

I have a version of Linux at work (called Fedora) and use Windows at home. The advantages of Linux are as ASU Tickler said, that it is stable. It almost never crashes or freezes, and is immune to some viruses because they were designed to exploit the weaknesses of Windows.

However, every few months the computer staff at work substitutes a new Linux kernel for the old one, and then fixes the resulting bugs. I don't want to do that at home.