Can someone explain whats so special about linux?

[Deleted User]

Well just like the title says but I'm just confused I've seen a lot of people say there using Linux but i just don't get it. I have a laptop that i can test it out on but whats the point if it isn't better then windows 7 (OS I'm using). Also I know its free but is that the only reason why people are using Linux?

 

[Hakoda]

It's free. It's Open Source meaning anything and everything about the internals of the system are available to developers to improve or spot bugs.

Its ext4 file system doesn't fragment. You don't ever have to defragment your drive ever again. This means performance is always at its best.

There are a wide variety of distros allowing you to pick and choose your favorite and whatever works for you.

It's based on UNIX, a solid infrastructure that makes Windows' security look like 5-year-old bouncer in front of a strip club. It's permissions system actually makes sense in comparison to Windows' "UAC" which does nothing.

It's more efficient for developers and allows them to properly program their work without limitations.

 

[Nimbus]

Well just like the title says but I'm just confused I've seen a lot of people say there using Linux but i just don't get it. I have a laptop that i can test it out on but whats the point if it isn't better then windows 7 (OS I'm using). Also I know its free but is that the only reason why people are using Linux?

-Free
-Open-Source (Can be worked upon, allowing apps to evolve and grow faster than their propriatary versions ever could!)
-Source Code without having top pay
-Free to upgrade to later versions (Yeah, no License Keys or any of that crap, no having to pay for a new version, unless you actually want to order a CD containing it rather than downloading the iso for free, and in that case it only costs a tiny bit
-Fully Customizable, without having to use 3rd party utilities to skin and alter system files
-Ability to be immune from Windows Virus Effects (You can still kick their arse if they do happen to infect a Linux machine, which I've personally never seen firsthand happen before. Little to no Linux viruses exist.
-Lots of programs that beat the crud out of their propriatary equivalents (Openoffice, Banshee, Rhythmbox, RubyRipper, K3B just to name a few
-Through Wine and PlayOnLinux you can install some Windows Programs and run them on it.
-Alot less resource heavy (Less RAM, CPU, HDD space consumed)
-Ability to put your user directory /home on another partition (Haven't been able to get anything like that in Windows in all the years I did use it)
-Seems to go well and install on most anything
-So many different flavors, and more!
-Quick boot time!
-Can mount folders as Filesystems natively!
-Security is better (Read up on sudo, and how it makes Windows UAC look like shit)

QUOTEIts ext4 file system doesn't fragment. You don't ever have to defragment your drive ever again. This means performance is always at its best.

Not entirely true, it doesn't fragment a whole helluva lot, but it still does, very minutely to be exact. Mine's at 0.5% non-contiguous (fragmented), which is way less than what windows would do. Hasn't gotten past that and once in awhile it seems to defrag and sort itself out.

Also if it's not a folder or a file in Linux, it's a process.

Just because it's open-source doesn't mean people are going to put malicous code in it for sure. There's sort of a code of ethics that Linux devs don't do that sort of thing, or at least it seems to me that way.

Linux is always better in my oppinion than Windows, beats the tar out of it without question.

 

[bowser]

Yeah, what he said ---^

 

[Rydian]

Just make sure to read this.

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

 

[kamins]

I've been using windows for over 9 years, I made a switch to linux about a year ago. Never regretted it. You need to try it, a lot of people say that linux is shit without even trying it.

 

[spinal_cord]

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

 

[ThatDudeWithTheFood]

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

What distro were you using?

 

[Nimbus]

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

EDIT: Sorry for whining/ranting...really didn't mean to imply that one way was better than the other.

 

[SifJar]

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

What distro were you using?

EDIT: And Nimbus: Quit moaning. He simply said he preferred Windows. Clearly you don't. That's great. You don't have to rant about how secure it is. Spinal is a clever fellow, I'm sure he appreciates that it is being secure. However, some of us don't need that security.

 

[linuxGuru]

Two words: No Viruses!

 

[SifJar]

Two words: No Viruses!

"The number of malicious programs — including viruses, Trojans, and other threats — specifically written for Linux has been on the increase in recent years and more than doubled during 2005 from 422 to 863"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

 

[Nimbus]

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

What distro were you using?

EDIT: And Nimbus: Quit moaning. He simply said he preferred Windows. Clearly you don't. That's great. You don't have to rant about how secure it is. Spinal is a clever fellow, I'm sure he appreciates that it is being secure. However, some of us don't need that security.

I appologize...no I mean it.

I really didn't mean whine or to imply that my way was better or anything, or provoke anything at all. I just tend to be a bit hot-headed to begin with, and I have a short fuse to add to that. Thank god It doesn't last too long though. I wasn't implying that Spinal wasn't smart or anything, I've seen his posts and work way before I actually joined the Temp, he's a pretty smart feller.

Anyway, I digress though...

In all honesty, you should pick out whatever works best for you I guess, but it doesn't hurt to try out new stuff, hell I try out a new distro every other week if I can. Heck Dualboot will get you the best of both worlds.

I personally started off with Windows and after 2 or so years got tired of the clunky, slow interface, and I personally felt that there was a lack of adequate security even with AV, Anti-Spyware, etc. The chery on the cake was when Windows foobared something so badly it cost me half of what I had on my drive, and I know for a fact it wasn't something I did), so I switched to Linux. This may not be how it works out for you.

Sorry if I insulted any of you in my last post....I'll go ahead and edit it anyway. Or...wait maybe someone can merge these for me and remove my last one.

 

[Deleted User]

Well im going to download linux on my private laptop any apps. you guys prefer that will enhance my experience with linux?

 

[Nimbus]

Well im going to download linux on my private laptop any apps. you guys prefer that will enhance my experience with linux?

Do I ever

-Thunderbird (Mail Client)

-RubyRipper (Music CD Ripper)

-GIMP (Image Manipulation)

-Compiz Fusion (Eye Candy)

-Libreoffice (Full blown Office Suite, may already be installed)

-Rhythmbox (Very easy to use and nice Music Player)

-VLC Media Player (Plays iso's and most any other kind of video you can think of)

-DVD:Rip (Figure this one out)

-K9Rip (DVD Ripper, can rip to .iso too!)

-Restricted Addons (MP3 support, DVD Playback)

-Ipod Device Support

-Wireless Drivers (Use an ethernet cable during Ubuntu's setup plugged into a router to automatically get half this stuff going without post-install steps). This is probably the most important step of the entire process

-Flash Support (Don't need to install this seperately if you're using Linux Mint)

-DVDread or libvcss (cant remember exact name, but it allows you to play/read/rip commercial DVDs. Normally the CSS prevents it on anything but Win and
OSX, but this defeats that. **** you MPAA! Also, IIRC it's legal to redistribute due to some court case siding with the creator)

-Wine

-Play On Linux

-Synaptic Package Manager (For distros that use it, Ubuntu 11.10 doesn't come with it preinstalled, install it through the Software Center, trust me on a Debian based system, it give you more control than the Ubuntu Software Center)

-Equinox Themes + Faenza Icon Set

-Alternate Desktop Evironment (Depending on your systems resources)

 

[FAST6191]

...
-Ability to put your user directory /home on another partition (Haven't been able to get anything like that in Windows in all the years I did use it)
..

Not wishing to distract from the discussion but http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310147 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519

 

[Nimbus]

...
-Ability to put your user directory /home on another partition (Haven't been able to get anything like that in Windows in all the years I did use it)
..

Not wishing to distract from the discussion but http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310147 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519

Huh....

Someone explain to me why I was never able to find that article, no matter how far I dug or looked for, back when I did use Windows? I looked forever, not once did I find anything on the subject.

I guess the question is, did Windows ever allow you to keep that particular setting across installs, or even set it during install for that matter.

 

[spinal_cord]

Spoiler

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

What distro were you using?

EDIT: And Nimbus: Quit moaning. He simply said he preferred Windows. Clearly you don't. That's great. You don't have to rant about how secure it is. Spinal is a clever fellow, I'm sure he appreciates that it is being secure. However, some of us don't need that security.

I appologize...no I mean it.

I really didn't mean whine or to imply that my way was better or anything, or provoke anything at all. I just tend to be a bit hot-headed to begin with, and I have a short fuse to add to that. Thank god It doesn't last too long though. I wasn't implying that Spinal wasn't smart or anything, I've seen his posts and work way before I actually joined the Temp, he's a pretty smart feller.

Anyway, I digress though...

In all honesty, you should pick out whatever works best for you I guess, but it doesn't hurt to try out new stuff, hell I try out a new distro every other week if I can. Heck Dualboot will get you the best of both worlds.

I personally started off with Windows and after 2 or so years got tired of the clunky, slow interface, and I personally felt that there was a lack of adequate security even with AV, Anti-Spyware, etc. The chery on the cake was when Windows foobared something so badly it cost me half of what I had on my drive, and I know for a fact it wasn't something I did), so I switched to Linux. This may not be how it works out for you.

Sorry if I insulted any of you in my last post....I'll go ahead and edit it anyway. Or...wait maybe someone can merge these for me and remove my last one.

Oh. man, I missed the rant

 

[Nimbus]

Spoiler

I prefer windows, mainly because that's what I've been using for the last 20 years. I tried Ubuntu recently, got so frustrated with the 'have to give yourself permission to do absolutely anything every time you try' that I nearly threw my computer at the wall. The fact that even if you are the admin of the machine and you still don't have automatic access to create a folder then copy a file to that created folder is absolutely insane to me.

What distro were you using?

EDIT: And Nimbus: Quit moaning. He simply said he preferred Windows. Clearly you don't. That's great. You don't have to rant about how secure it is. Spinal is a clever fellow, I'm sure he appreciates that it is being secure. However, some of us don't need that security.

I appologize...no I mean it.

I really didn't mean whine or to imply that my way was better or anything, or provoke anything at all. I just tend to be a bit hot-headed to begin with, and I have a short fuse to add to that. Thank god It doesn't last too long though. I wasn't implying that Spinal wasn't smart or anything, I've seen his posts and work way before I actually joined the Temp, he's a pretty smart feller.

Anyway, I digress though...

In all honesty, you should pick out whatever works best for you I guess, but it doesn't hurt to try out new stuff, hell I try out a new distro every other week if I can. Heck Dualboot will get you the best of both worlds.

I personally started off with Windows and after 2 or so years got tired of the clunky, slow interface, and I personally felt that there was a lack of adequate security even with AV, Anti-Spyware, etc. The chery on the cake was when Windows foobared something so badly it cost me half of what I had on my drive, and I know for a fact it wasn't something I did), so I switched to Linux. This may not be how it works out for you.

Sorry if I insulted any of you in my last post....I'll go ahead and edit it anyway. Or...wait maybe someone can merge these for me and remove my last one.

Oh. man, I missed the rant

It's probably better you did miss it spinal....I kinda really blew my top...not something I'm proud of either.

I will appologize to you nonetheless, even if I didn't insult you in some way.

 

[Coto]

Linux allow a developer to debug hardware easier, even a simple user. You can even try your own code if you know a bit about C++ & PHP.

Windows can have a horrible security wall, but it does have a better driver development (on HAL Direct3D library since years).

I still like linux, but just for practice. When I need to do something, windows's up ahead.