Linux: Should I? What do I need to know? Is it worth it? Whats the benefit?

[.:Piper_2051:. 0]

I am officially Penguin Powered... Ubuntu is up and running, and Vista is still installed so I have all that junk I cant get rid of... lol Thank you all for your help, in the end I had to make a few minor adjustments to get it working but it seems well worth the wait... Ubuntu seems much clearer than windows, period... i just have to figure out how to add Apps... but Im sure I can get that with out to much bloodshed... ShadowX: Thank you for all your help and patience, although what we worked on wasn't the problem afterall, I am in your debt for the kindness and tutelage you provided. JL: As always, you were there to help. so thank you for your patience as well, you're right, it is a virtue...Thank you to anyone/everyone else for their help in this matter... Case closed. Cheers!

[rob86 2]

This link might be helpful..check it out.

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

There are a few suggestions there.. one is to try the password "Dell". Hopefully something there can help... if not.. there seems to be some information on google about dell laptop bios password resetting I didn't read it all.


edit: ...never mind didn't know the case was closed

I recommend this website for learning the basics of Ubuntu, I found it very helpful when I switched. http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index

Edited November 6, 2009 by rob86 (see edit history)

[.:Piper_2051:. 0]

This link might be helpful..check it out.

 

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

There are a few suggestions there.. one is to try the password "Dell". Hopefully something there can help... if not.. there seems to be some information on google about dell laptop bios password resetting I didn't read it all.

 

 

edit: ...never mind didn't know the case was closed

 

I recommend this website for learning the basics of Ubuntu, I found it very helpful when I switched. http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index

No no, dont be sorry... I still have to find a way to reset the BIOS password... but Ubuntu works so im happier than a pig in, well you know...

[bluedragon 0]

Hey .:Piper_2051:. , While you are at it, Try getting a copy of Sabayon 5. I've used a lot of Linux distros and although I am not very good at it but I certainly know how difficult at times it can be while configuring an OS. I am currently working on Ubuntu 9.10 but I think 9.04 was better. Dont know why but I keep getting that feeling. Anyways, as for Sabayon. It comes with very helpful tools out of the box. and Supports a lot more cooler effects like Ubuntu. Only in Ubuntu you have to enable them but in Sabayon it comes by default (atleast in my DVD they were by default turned on). One more good thing about sabayon was, when I booted into it, It automatically detected my Graphics card. I believe you are also having an Nvidia card on your system. In ubuntu you have to enable the drivers, they are not enabled by default. also , The DVD I have has both KDE and GNOME. Ubuntu runs only GNOME by default :DIf you are switching from Vista, I'll say you should Try KDE version of a Linux -- Its cooler :(While setting up any linux, Make sure to partition your drive in such a way that it has atleast one are as a swap and one as root file system and don't mess this up, Since if you set the boot flag wrong you might end up loosing all your data.Other linux distros which are also easy to set up :- 1. Kubuntu (KDE version of Ubuntu)2. OpenSUSE3. Fedora4. Mint

[k_nitin_r 8]

@bluedragonHi!I actually think Ubuntu 9.10 does a better job of power management than Ubuntu 9.04. With Ubuntu 9.04, my old Pentium-4 laptop had its fan running at full throttle even when idling. Ubuntu 9.10, however, only runs the fan when needed and although it does take slightly longer than Ubuntu 9.04 to start up, I'd think they just added features in the new version that will make up for the slightly increased boot up time. In either case, I never have to boot up the system as I keep it running all day long, so the day I do have to reboot the system, I probably wouldn't mind if it took a few seconds longer.

[The Simpleton 2]

I actually think Ubuntu 9.10 does a better job of power management than Ubuntu 9.04. With Ubuntu 9.04, my old Pentium-4 laptop had its fan running at full throttle even when idling. Ubuntu 9.10, however, only runs the fan when needed and although it does take slightly longer than Ubuntu 9.04 to start up, I'd think they just added features in the new version that will make up for the slightly increased boot up time. In either case, I never have to boot up the system as I keep it running all day long, so the day I do have to reboot the system, I probably wouldn't mind if it took a few seconds longer.

9.10 scores in the resource-handling category but it does have some bugs here and there that makes life irritating

For a beginner I would still recommend 9.04 or even 8.10 as they're pretty stable and not a bad place to start with the Linux experience. As for the booting time, I remember reading that the target boot time for Lucid Lynx (10.04) is just ten seconds!

[truefusion 3]

As for the booting time, I remember reading that the target boot time for Lucid Lynx (10.04) is just ten seconds!

10 seconds? The last time i saw something like that was on a Youtube video where this one person had a quad-core processor overclocked to 4.0ghz, and that was for a version below 9.04. Currently, my Ubuntu system takes 25 seconds to reach the desktop, and that was after installing Apache with a lot of modules, MySQL and other boot-time services. I'll be sure to try out 10.04 beta 1 on March 18, 2010 (never had any good experiences with the alpha releases).

[The Simpleton 2]

10 seconds? The last time i saw something like that was on a Youtube video where this one person had a quad-core processor overclocked to 4.0ghz, and that was for a version below 9.04. Currently, my Ubuntu system takes 25 seconds to reach the desktop, and that was after installing Apache with a lot of modules, MySQL and other boot-time services.

Yes it sounds insane but they're hoping to reach that target for an ordinary PC. It'll be interesting to see where they get to.

I'll be sure to try out 10.04 beta 1 on March 18, 2010 (never had any good experiences with the alpha releases).

I upgrade once every six months, so I think I'll stay out of the alpha, beta and RC releases - don't have that much bandwidth to spare!

[buxgoddess 1]

1. ) Linux as opposed to Vista is way more resource friendly. This means that Linux does not take as much CPU power, Virtual memory etc. in its processes. This also prevents the CPU from heating up. I believe that the reason for this is the numerous processes that Windows run on its background. When you open the task manager( Ctr+Alt+Del ), a long list of processes appear on Win but in Linux (my Ubuntu) shows only 5 processes and only 19% CPU usage.

Linux with so many variants do not kill your system as Vista does. Due to graphic intensive requirements of Vista you tend to run out of memory in Vista, on the other hand the same ammount of detail or features are available in Linux flavours at less graphic memory requirements. Linux kernel is based on concept which separates program and essential OS portion, but in Vista you must run the loads of default apps simultaneously or else the Vista won't work.

 

2. ) Linux before was known to be a for-geeks only OS, but that is not true anymore today. Ubuntu pretty much does away with all those typing jobs and presents a nice GUI for almost all of its application. Even partitioning the hard disk can now be done drag and drop style with gParted. ( Linux users before the GUI era of course were afraid to do this manually ).

Just a decade ago, Linux was scary as you will have to configure and even run applications from a non GUI environment. Installing a program was a nightmare for the novice, but not now. There are the GUI of Genome and KDE with loads of applications and each one is growing continuously. Installation of Linux to installing its application has become a breeze. Even the vast array of GNU public applications has been expanding enormously.

 

3. ) Vista does not come with an Office Suite. You have to purchase it for a fee. While almost all Linux apps are FREE (see https://sourceforge.net/ ). OpenOffice (MS Office's counterpart) is free and cross compatible to Windows counterparts. Ex. You can save .doc (Windows format) files to .odt (Linux format) format and vice versa.

Offcourse MS Office is a product that one finds at home when working with documents or spreadsheets, but just compare to the features that you get for products like OpenOffice and that too for free. The support for almost all International languages in OpenOffice is a great feature that MS Office is yet to master and that too will cost you much for that as well. All the native files of OpenOffice are platform independent which makes it easy for you to use the document in a Mac or a Windows OS seamlessly. The ability to open and work on MS Office native formats in Linux is an added boost to the feature list of Open Source products like OpenOffice.

 

4. ) You can use, surf the net, etc. w/ Linux without an anti-virus software ( like what I am doing right now ). 90+% of the world uses Windows thus hackers target their efforts towards this large number of victims. This is the reason why Windows get infected even if the world's best security experts work at MSFT. Also, the large number of Linux developers make the OS as loophole-less it can be. The linux kernel source code passes through a lot of eyes and thus, a security hole can be found faster than that of MSFT since only their company's programmers are able to see the code. Also, Linux does not know what an .exe file is and most viruses come from executing these executables, ergo having a virus on your Linux is synonymous to being the unluckiest man on earth.

Linux is developed by people all arround the world as compared to a limited talent pool hired by Microsoft. Linux thus has a variety of people using and testing the applications and products and as a result of which the applications are robust and stable and does not need frequent patches and updates as a WinOS product needs. Since there are people all arround the world working together to improve a product there are less chances of loopholes and hence the concept of malicious use and infection is minimal. This is thus true that there are almost no virus in the Linux environment and you do not ned to bother about you Operating system or application safety as it is already taken care of and so no virus is ever successful. Also the file type in Vista is understood by the extension but in the case of Linux it is the content or MIME type that decides the file type, changing a file name or changing its extension is meaningless, but in case of Vista a file can be completely change its behaviour just by changing the file extension. Its horrible as an executable file .exe can be renamed as a .doc and still behave as a document file misinterpreting the actual content and purpose.

 

5. ) Compiz Desktop Effects!!! Windows does not have this.

 

 

If you are looking for a Linux distro (distribution) for beginners, I suggest Linux Mint. Mint is and Ubuntu derivative. Ubuntu is nice too since all your technical and how-to questions are just one search away at the Ubuntu Forums.

As for the Aero theme of Windows Vista and Windows 7, they are excellent but then in Linux you already have them since long.

 

Note, I only suggested it. I am sure that users of other Linux distros will claim that their distro is the best. ( Lets have peace brothers! W'ere one Linux family ).

 

You can install Linux in dual boot mode. This means you have the option to use your Windows OS or your Linux OS during the computer start-up. This is good especially if you need some functionality of your Windows OS.

 

For programs of yours that only run on Windows, you can use Wine emulator. Wine runs Windows on your Linux. ( Get it? OS opened in an OS? ). I've never really find WIne useful though since almost all Windows apps have a Linux counter part.

Example:

Firefox = Internet Explorer<br>OpenOffice = Microsoft Office

Pidgin = Yahoo Messenger

VLC = Windows Media Player

( again check https://sourceforge.net/ for everything you need )

And yes you have all the comparable programs that you use in Vista available in the Linux distributions and most ofcourse are free. However there may be nostalgia that a product is better in Windows Vista but that is the way you use the OS and are accustomed to. So there are more secure and better apps and tools in Linux than that in Vista even after paying enough.

 

For web designing concerns, I don't know which OS is better since I myself am a newbie web developer.

 

*Even though I am a Linux advocate, I can't deny that I am still more familiar with Windows. WIndows has been there since I was born and all my PC games come on a Windows installer CD.

But then one area that Windows will always lead is the gaming range available. Since Linux was developed keeping in mind the security and robustness of the system so not much is done about the Games in Linux. In case of the Windows the development revolved on user friendliness and hence more home user and games available.

There is no reason why we should stick with Windows but then more is happening in the Windows worlds than the Linux world that comes to light.

[-Sky- 0]

Well to be honest, Linux is not all that great..I mean, say you wanted to use MSN on Linux...you'd have to download and compile it..it's just so stressing and too much, otherthan like Windows, we just download and install straight away. I prefer Windows.

[rvalkass 5]

Well to be honest, Linux is not all that great..I mean, say you wanted to use MSN on Linux...you'd have to download and compile it..it's just so stressing and too much, otherthan like Windows, we just download and install straight away. I prefer Windows.

I use my MSN account on Linux. It works perfectly well with Kopete, which is installed by default on Kubuntu and most other KDE distributions. It's also available as a compiled package, so is easier to install than any Windows program! The vast majority of programs on Linux are the same - one easy-to-download package and installed nice and automatically.

[buxgoddess 1]

I use my MSN account on Linux. It works perfectly well with Kopete, which is installed by default on Kubuntu and most other KDE distributions. It's also available as a compiled package, so is easier to install than any Windows program! The vast majority of programs on Linux are the same - one easy-to-download package and installed nice and automatically.

Just by what Linux is every installation just seems the same so you need not bother as in the case of windows.

[-Sky- 0]

Yeah, well rval, unfortunately I have no idea what you mean with Linux. I'm a Windows user !

[mahesh2k 0]

Just by what Linux is every installation just seems the same so you need not bother as in the case of windows.

Not exactly, there are some package differences. Like fedora/mandriva are different than ubuntu/suse. One accepts .deb while another accepts another package format. Even on windows with .NET installers, some software installations are changed a lot. For example, adobe's installation process on windows machines. If the installer is different then the installation type also changes on windows. (*This is my experience on windows, unless you're just installing some games and casual software you won't feel the need of experimenting with software installers).