Moved over to Linux at home

[Geoff]

I once moved completely to Linux (Ubuntu / OpenSuse) and then I moved back to Windows after about a year. What can I say? 99% of the time Windows just works!

 

Several updates on Ubuntu caused me problems and a Suse update totally broke my Xorg config. This happens on Windows from time to time but it's nowhere near as often. Also there was the problem of relying on software repositories. Sure, they're great until you run into dependency hell or you try to install something that's just not in the repos. If I have to break out the compiler, Linux has failed.

 

Then there's the state of drivers (which is totally the fault of manufacturers I grant you) that just don't work quite right and aren't stable. Apps also feel unfinished most of the time and lack polish / major features.

 

I would suggest the middle road then. Buy a Mac. It's been my standard response to anyone whos asked about buying a new machine lately. So far no ones hunted me down brandishing torches and pitchforks.

[kesomir]

I'm considering one for my next machine, but only because I can run windows on it as well.

 

Got too much invested in the creative suite atm.

[RabbieBurns]

the programs that keep me booting back to windows are mIRC and newsleecher and flashfxp and admuncher.

 

none run well under wine or crossover, so until they improve fish support for xchat, develop a decent newsgroup client and finish making a version of admuncher then I still feel that most of my time will be spent in windows.

 

To ressurect an old thread, I have finally now changed my default boot option to Ubuntu. Solved the usenet problem with hellanzb, works really well. I really miss admuncher, adblock just doesnt work a quarter as well, and I dont really bother with iRC any more anyway.

 

Ive just found a .deb of flashfxp so will see if that works.

 

FlashFXP 3.6.1240 for linux - deb package - Ubuntu Forums

 

It required this:

 

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/jaunty/i386/libartsc0/1.5.10-0ubuntu1

 

Now to see if it actually works...

[mac_shinobi]

I would suggest the middle road then. Buy a Mac. It's been my standard response to anyone whos asked about buying a new machine lately. So far no ones hunted me down brandishing torches and pitchforks.

 

 

I'm on the middle road - quite enjoying it

 

windows down my left and linux down my right.

[RabbieBurns]

Ive just found a .deb of flashfxp so will see if that works.

 

FlashFXP 3.6.1240 for linux - deb package - Ubuntu Forums

 

It required this:

 

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/jaunty/i386/libartsc0/1.5.10-0ubuntu1

 

Now to see if it actually works...

 

bah its just wine and flashfxp windows packaged together, and works badly. Ah well.

[Daleus]

This thread is relevant to my interests.

 

 

5 hours to access an NTFS partition? wow. mount -t ntfs-3g the sucker.

[jamesb]

I would suggest the middle road then. Buy a Mac. It's been my standard response to anyone whos asked about buying a new machine lately. So far no ones hunted me down brandishing torches and pitchforks.

 

Only because its taking time to get the mob organised - shared calendars aren't all they're cracked up to be.

[dalsoth]

Never buy a mac! Ever!

[fafster]

Take a look at the new VirtualBox beta. Has OpenGL and DirectX support.

[CAM]

I've been bouncing back and forth between my Windows XP install and Linux Ubuntu install. At times I have exclusively used one or the other on my PC. Both have their merits (remember there is no one golden answer to what OS should be used) but for home desktop systems, I wouldn't recommend Linux.

 

I ended up using Windows XP as Linux suffered more errors and bugs and required more workarounds then Windows. These are examples of problems I had with Linux:

 

• Sound failed without warning and soudn effects refused to work when it did.
  
• Took days to get Steam, City of Heroes and World of Warcraft running (ironically WINE didn't work so I ended up paying a subscription to Transgaming to use Cedega that worked considerably better).
  
• Some bugs still existed in the games that didn't exist in Windows, even if Cedega cut a significant amount out.
  
• I had the urge to play some games, install them, no luck. Foudn this with SimCity and Dawn of War.
  
• Creative ZEN MP3 Player fails to connect.
  
• DVDs did not work, even with VLC.
  
• My printer wasn't compatible either.
  
• nVidia drivers required me to set low levels of anti-aliasing and manually enable it each reboot
  
• Most Linux applications looked archaic and/or terrible in layout and design compared to Windows applications.
  

 

And probably more.

 

The trouble unless your in the know about what applications to use, it becomes very hard if not impossible to get a functional "do anything" machine that makes up a home desktop. For servers and business use for particular tasks I expect it is very good. But a home desktop requires a very flexible machine capable of making things "just work." But it starts with using a Windows install for one thing because Linux can't do it or makes a pigs ear of it and before you know it, there is no point using the Linux install. Why reboot and swap OS all the time when Windows does what Linux can do on a home desktop but is more reliable and can do more?

 

For the record, I'd love to use Linux. No Antivirus worries, customisable, etc. But I found it much less stable then Windows where I could play any game I wanted with less bugs and much much nicer graphics with higher FPS.

Edited June 22, 2009 by CAM