QOTD: Have You Replaced Windows with Linux?

[codehacker84]

I must admit, I'm very surprised that this hasn't degenerated into a "Flame War." It's well known that the Linux and Windows communities don't get along very well.

I've run both to be fair. XP and Vista have good points:
- They're both pretty
- They have great hardware support
- They're so simple that my three-year-old neighbor can do everything I've learned to do and more.
- Although they do steal some resources from the system, most of the time they can be configured to run quickly.
- From watching my "Task Manager" I can even see that they've fixed some of the scheduler issues with multi-core machines.

Linux has some good points:
- Linux generally uses well thought-out designs. There is a reason that the third, extended filesystem and some of the other Linux filesystems don't need to be defragmented.
- Once Linux is configured properly, it won't "deteriorate over time" like most Windows installations. Granted, it takes some time to get a system properly configured.
- It has a "modular" kernel, which means that your kernel doesn't take up more space than necessary with drivers for 5.25 floppies and the like. You can fit an entire Linux Operating system in less than 1GB.

Choose whichever you wish, it doesn't do anyone any good to fight over it.

 

[Guest]

I grew up on DOS and Windows and even obtained an MCSE in Windows 2000. I started using Linux in 1999 and as I learned more about the OS, I found myself using it more and more as time passed. In 2003 I switched to running a pure Linux system (no dual boot), and haven't looked back. I do have a side machine running WinXP for Adobe Premier, but I haven't turned it on in ages.

 

[Guest]

I use Debian etch only, though I still miss MS Office 2003.

 

[Guest]

I switched a few years ago to Open SuSe, because it seemed the most "Windows-like" in look and feel. Now I have Ubuntu on my home pc and my netbook.

I still have to use Windows at work, and most of my friends use Windows. Every time one of my friends needs me to "fix" their computer (read that, "clean their hard drive of the accumulated Win-garbage"), and I sit waiting patiently for their pathetically bloated OS to boot, I am reminded how much I truly love Ubuntu.

For this user, there is no turning back!

 

[Guest]

I will never run Windows again. Windows genuine disadvantage and a few to many viruses made me switch. Its been over a year since I deleted my last Windows partition. On my new machine, I never installed Windows. Wine can play all the games I need.

 

[brando56894]

I havent replaced windows with linux, I use them both. Im running the windows 7 rc 1 build right now and I also have arch linux on here for when I feel geeky and want to mess around with stuff.

 

[Guest]

I've allways had windows stability problems, so I decided to switch to Linux (I use OpenSUSE and Centos), so far I'm happy with it and have NO intetntion to switch back to Windows. I do have a windows partition for gaming, but since I don't game much, I havent loged into it about 4-5 months now I do use Vista at work and have had a lot of problems with it, but that's unfortunately my company policy...allthough they do use a lot of solaris workstations and servers as well.

 

[Guest]

Mepis linux since 2004. Last virus I had to put up with. I know how my system works, I know where all of my files are and I couldn't be happier

 

[llemm]

Im using Slackware 12.1. and it is very fast on my Old Machine (P2).

 

[Guest]

Yes, about ten years ago.

 

[pearl298]

I am in the process of changing all of my machines (8) to Ubuntu 9.04 with Windows 2K/XP in VirtualBox for the few apps that just won't run under Linux.

So far the only non-game apps. that really have needed XP/2K are the local libraries' "Ebook" service and QuickBooks.

I started to look at Linux when we bought a new Vista based machine and had trouble getting everything to work on it! So far Linux/Wine has proven easier to live with than Vista!

Ubuntu is not problem free, but much LESS of a hassle and far more secure than Vista.

My wife likes games like Myst and we have used VirtualBox to get the really old OSes running to play some of the old games. Some of them won't even play under XP let alone Vista!

The blessing and the curse of Linux is that it is infinitely customizable and everyone's installation is different - even the 6 that we have converted to 100% Linux (of the 8 we have) are quite different from each other!

 

[linux_0]

I've been using Linux for many years. I have more than 10 computers running Linux full time with a GUI and only one running Linux and the borg operating system for games.

With Linux you can do just about anything except run a few stubborn windows games and apps.

Some games have native Linux versions which usually work great. Most windows apps can be replaced with free and open source software.

WINE is constantly improving and it can run various windows games and apps under Linux with varying degrees of success.

 

[juan lawry]

I have been using Windows for many years in a professional context and many of my clients have become habituated to the MS security blanket. (Wrong security?) My son is a committed gamer and deeply attached to his Windows box. However for my personal machine I use Debian for business and Ubuntu Studio for pleasure. I have an interest in C/C++ (OS design curious) and perl (genomics /text manipulation) curious and Linux fulfills these needs at reasonable cost, is stable, secure and flexible. Different strokes for different folks I guess... Also, for aesthetic, moral and social psychological reasons, I believe that Neutral/Open model of computing and computing transparency is the last best hope for humankind. At least a world that would be worth living in.

 

[zhelkus]

I have Vista64bit on my laptop, XP on our desktop and have used Ubuntu a few times in college. I've been looking up if I can install it on my laptop but apparently my hardware makes it a no-go.

And yet, I'm not entirely disappointed. If I had Ubuntu for a second OS on my hard drive, I'm sure it would have been for wasted space because functionally Vista does for me what Ubuntu would also probably do. From what I understand about the Win -> Nix converts is that the trump card is abandoning gaming. Well, for me it's no newsflash that I'm a heavy gamer and ridding myself of Windows is not logical unless I reorder my priorities (which I don't want to for the time being because so far I'm doing well 😛 ).

I recognize the advantages of using Linux: how much more lightweight it is and the potential of Open Source software. But I'm a gamer. Games don't run so well on Linux unless they've been scripted and tweaked and tested and debugged on Wine or something similar. The day game packages have a logo like "Take advantage of it on Linux!" then I'm officially getting rid of Windows.

 

[SAL-e]

[citation][nom]zhelkus[/nom]... The day game packages have a logo like "Take advantage of it on Linux!" then I'm officially getting rid of Windows.[/citation]
I think this could happen sooner then many people think. Take the look what Unigine 3D engine ( http://www.unigine.com/ ) is capable already. Once they have their development tools in place for game developers I believe there will be really good games for Linux. I also read that they are preparing game that will demonstrate their engine.