synecdoche
05-21-2003, 01:30 AM
I am sure you are all sick of threads about whether or not someone should use Linux or not, but please humour me for just a few minutes.
On Thursday, I'll be getting a new computer. First new one I've had in a long time; this one is a P200 and I've been using it for four years since getting it used.
It will have no preloaded OS on it, so I am trying to decide what OS to use. I've got discs for Win98 and 2K as well as some Linux ones I've downloaded in the past from runs I've made at running it (my computer was so dreadfully slow I grew frustrated without giving it a fighting chance).
I would like to run Linux. I am not sure why exactly, and I am worried it is mainly for aesthetics(!). I like the way it looks. Of course, it is always nice that it has so many other pros going with it.
But, I think there are still some programs I will need Windows for-- mainly games. Specifically, I want to be able to play some EA sports games (NBA 2001 and Madden Football), Fallout 2 and Baldur's Gate, which I already have and Neverwinter Nights and GTA3 which I intend to purchase.
Now, games are not the PRIMARY function of my machine. I am a student heading to grad school in September, so I do use my machine a lot for word processing. I also use it for music and have got an old Haupague WinTV card that I'm going to run.
The real question is, is Linux worth it for me? Is it worth the learning curve for what I want to do? I've used it before and have a BASIC knowledge of how to do some things, but I'd hardly call myself a really capable user. Yet.
I was weighing my options. I've been using Win2K as my primary OS for about a year now, and it seems to be the best Windows version that I have access to right now. But, I can't play some of my games on it. So even if I went with it, I would still need 98 as a games platform. So no matter how I slice it, I am looking at two OSes.
I am rambling and all that, but any discussion/advice/thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
On Thursday, I'll be getting a new computer. First new one I've had in a long time; this one is a P200 and I've been using it for four years since getting it used.
It will have no preloaded OS on it, so I am trying to decide what OS to use. I've got discs for Win98 and 2K as well as some Linux ones I've downloaded in the past from runs I've made at running it (my computer was so dreadfully slow I grew frustrated without giving it a fighting chance).
I would like to run Linux. I am not sure why exactly, and I am worried it is mainly for aesthetics(!). I like the way it looks. Of course, it is always nice that it has so many other pros going with it.
But, I think there are still some programs I will need Windows for-- mainly games. Specifically, I want to be able to play some EA sports games (NBA 2001 and Madden Football), Fallout 2 and Baldur's Gate, which I already have and Neverwinter Nights and GTA3 which I intend to purchase.
Now, games are not the PRIMARY function of my machine. I am a student heading to grad school in September, so I do use my machine a lot for word processing. I also use it for music and have got an old Haupague WinTV card that I'm going to run.
The real question is, is Linux worth it for me? Is it worth the learning curve for what I want to do? I've used it before and have a BASIC knowledge of how to do some things, but I'd hardly call myself a really capable user. Yet.
I was weighing my options. I've been using Win2K as my primary OS for about a year now, and it seems to be the best Windows version that I have access to right now. But, I can't play some of my games on it. So even if I went with it, I would still need 98 as a games platform. So no matter how I slice it, I am looking at two OSes.
I am rambling and all that, but any discussion/advice/thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.