Why Linux?

[tony_t73]

Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I didn't know another place to ask my question. For some background, I've read a few books on Linux (probably not the best ones), and I spent maybe 75 hours working with Linux on my own. I installed SuSE linux 8.1 Personal (Was Personal a big mistake like I feel it was?), and though I had success, it was very limited. I eventualy gave up on Linux and just went back to Windows XP Pro. It was for the sake of simplicity, the fact that I had a winmodem, the lack of a sufficient driver file for my video card (nVidia- I see now that this problem has been resolved), a printer that had many problems adjusting to CUPS (Epson Stylus C80), and a general incompatibility with everything around me, including myself. (OK- granted I'm not near a computer wiz, but I do feel comfortable working with them...)

But I want to go back to Linux-- for some reason. I wanted all the advice I could get on why Linux is the OS I should use. Perhaps my box is a problem- it's an eMachines with an AMD Athlon XP (1.6 GHz), and there's a lot of integration on the board (though not the vid card). Perhaps I didn't spend enough time learning the system and/or the language- I have no background in any language...

Whatever the case, I would really like to find myself back in the Linux world, but I feel I need a boost of motivation/confidence- and what better place to find it than here.

One note, however: price is not really an issue. I have or can get all the windows software I could ever need- the fact that Linux is free or under the GPL does not make a huge difference to me (is that ignorant?) What matters to me is why linux is a better operating system day in and day out- ease of use, compatibility, and power (by which I mean what it allows me to do, not how fast things run).

I would greatly appreciate all input, negative and positive and perhaps even indifferent (though I don't think i'll find that here..)

And I wanted to know which linux would best suit the needs I described above... SuSE? Redhat? Debian? mandrake? There are so many...

[undeadska]

Might I recommend Mandrake if you are still adapting to the changover from Windows. It has really good hardware detection and a load of option which are fairly easy to configure. Don't give up, Linux can be tough at times but the pluses often outway the minuses. :D

[hard candy]

Why Not? What else are you going to do? Add on more programs to windows? Why not get linux- Mandrake 9.1- and play with it. You can only go so far with windows. Then you're at a blank wall. At least with linux you can corrupt the kernel source very easily- try doing that with windows. (I guess messing up the registry is almost as good. )
You can also read all the other threads asking the same question here and at other forums.

[gehidore]

i would recomend redhat 9.0 or mandrake (whatever version they're up to) for any beginer.

i my self started with redhat 6 something when i desided it was time for a gui

once you feel comfortable with "linux" you may want to start xploring the other distros

plus for beginers every one says gnome is cool but i have had the best luck with kde vs gnome.

[gehidore]

exectly what hardcandy said, i am a computer trouble shooter

not really i just screw with things untill theyre broke that way i can fix them

[slick185a]

I began using linux about 1 year ago. I started on SUSE 8.0 followed by 8.1 and now I am using 8.2. I have not experienced the problems with installation that you posted. However, I am using a cable modem so I did not have to configure a winmodem. I found that Suse 8.2 to install the most troublefree over the earlier installs. I found that Suse 8.0 sucked! However, with Suse 8.1 things started to finally work the way I expected a distribution with hardware detection to work. In fact, the only problem with installation that I have had was with my wireless ethernet card. However, after hard work and determination I finally able to get this card to work.

The point being, it has not been easy to get my head around linux. I still am no expert but I can work with linux as comfortably as with XP. Stick with Linux and don't become discouraged. Just pick one of the more recent distributions and you should be able to have more success. I hear Red Hat and Mandrake are good.

As for me, as soon as Suse 8.3 comes out I will purchase that distribution. However, only if it comes with kde 3.2 and/or the new kernel (2.6)

[Trogdor]

I remember the first time I tried linux . . . I didn't know what an OS was :) Then the second time, I didn't know anything about using anything (other than the GUI). Third time, I am compiling stuff like there is no tommorow.

I kept having dreams about linux during the times I wasn't using it. Linux is like crack: you try it once, and know it's the only thing for you for the rest of your life. According to my roommate, I spoke in my sleep about linux. I remember it vaguely.

[UID500]

Originally posted by tony_t73

But I want to go back to Linux-- for some reason. I wanted all the advice I could get on why Linux is the OS I should use.
if you need to be convinced on why you should use a particular OS, why even bother?


Whatever the case, I would really like to find myself back in the Linux world, but I feel I need a boost of motivation/confidence- and what better place to find it than here.
Do you even have a reason to run Linux in the first place? If you need "motivation" to do something, it sounds a little like work doesn't it?


And I wanted to know which linux would best suit the needs I described above... SuSE? Redhat? Debian? mandrake? There are so many...
Try them all. Find what you need. That question is answered infinitely here. Nobody can tell you which distro is the "right one" for you.

[clw54]

Why Linux? My reasons are the XP activation and viruses. Now whenever there's a virus being frantically discussed in the message boards and newsgroups, it's like reading about something that happened in another country. There's an awareness that something happened, some concern for who was affected, but no effect personally.

[Satanic Atheist]

OK - I'm going to offer my tu'penny here (to the other posters groan) and butt in.

First of all, UID500 is dead right. Why do you WANT to use Linux? Whilst I cannot speak for the other posters, I use it for several reasons: Security, stability and reliability are the main ones.

If you asked me personally over which is better - Windows or Linux, well, it's down to choice. I prefer Linux because of many reasons but one of it's major attributes is that it's mostly text-file oriented configuration (as well as its modular benefits).

If you want to learn Linux, and become proficient, why not buy another hard drive and removable drive (you said money was no object) and then start installing from scratch? Do a google for "Linux from Scratch" and see what you come up with.

It IS hard, and for anyone converting from Microsoft based technology, it can be daunting, but the rewards are awesome.

When I first came to Dundee, 5 years ago (82 days to go!!!) I thought I knew everything about networking because I managed to link two machines together (without DHCP), but now I know more than I ever thought I should! Mostly, that's because of Linux. The learning curve is tough, I've done it and I appreciate the hard work, just as much as the other people on this forum.

I suggest you maintain a regular poster on this board and we'll help you. RedHat or Mandrake is the best for a learner, Debian, Slackware and Gentoo are more geared for "professionals" and experienced Linux users.

Just remember that Linux is NOT Windows - the Win32 API and the X11/Posix structure are just ridiculously different. Just because you can do "so-and-so" in Windows doesn't mean you can in Linux

Best of Luck,

James

[carbon-12]

Have you tried dual booting?

I have a Winxp(60% HD) and Mandrake 9.1(35% HD) system right now. It works great for me!

[DerekKraan]

Where'd the other 5% go? :P

As for trying Linux, just dive right in! There isn't really a reason for using Linux other than political affinity. You can use different distros for different reasons however.

It is sort of true what they say, nobody can tell you what the best distro for you will be, you have to try them all. At the same time, we can make an educated guess, and Mandrake and Red Hat are as good a guess as any. When you get comfortable with one of those two, then perhaps you'll be ready to move on to a move 'advanced' and less 'bloated' distro. If speed is the top priority when you select a distro, go for Gentoo or Slackware. You won't be dissapointed with either of those.

I recently bought an Epson C82, and it didn't take too much work to get it to run on Cups in Slackware. Install a couple of things, and troubleshoot my own stupid mistakes. :P

[tony_t73]

Thank you all greatly for your replies.

From what you've said, it seems that I am going to start with RH or Mandrake- and I understand the need for searching out the distro that fits me.
I did have dual-booting with my systems before, and though that worked well for some time, I did something with my linux (can't recall), that ruined the boot file and I had to make a fresh install of both Linux and XP. And I have to keep XP because I am not the only one who relies on this computer... And yes, I've thought also of a separate HD for linux because I hate reinstalling windows...

So I'll take your advice, go get a simple distro, and find my way!

One last thing... I've read some-about Linux and other computer related topics, and the advice is always to read more...

What, then, should I read?

[je_fro]

Burn redhat9, update it with up2date. Then open a terminal , su to root and do:
wget -q -O - http://go.ximian.com |sh

That'll get you the ximian desktop2. You will fall in love with that machine.

[Satanic Atheist]

Best place to start in Linux is with the servers. Running DHCP and Named, for example. They are both very simple projects that will help you understand how Linux works.

Looking up HowTos on the Internet (TLDP, or The Linux Documentation Project) will explain a lot for you.

Eventually, you'll do what we do and simply use the machine. Mozilla for the Web, K-Mail for E-mail... etc.

James

[Early Bird]

I tried Linux because, although WinXP came installed on my girlfriend's new computer I had bad experiences with Win2000 on my laptop.

Installing RedHat on a laptop with a PII 200MHz and 32MB of RAM was not the best way to be introduced into the world of Linux - this was at the behest of my girlfriend's dad. Still, he is very into Linux and I very much liked using it on his home computer so I was keen to make the switch.

SuSE 8.1 installed with only one hitch - the manufacturers had left the CD drive unplugged from the sound card (probably because they expect me to be using XP). Other than that installation and setup was a breeze - no rebooting, all the applications I needed could be installed at a stroke.

Before trying SuSE 8.2 I thought I would see what I was missing with XP. About two hours and three reboots later XP was running, without sound and a very basic selection of applications. Another reboot and another CD was required for sound drivers - exactly what is the point of that?

There was also no way XP would let me alter the size of the partition to install Linux alongside it, and there was no way I would fork out for Partition Magic; so after an hour of using Windows XP it was consigned to the dustbin of history. My printer, which was perfectly compatible with WIN2000 and SuSE, also no longer worked.

I know very little about computers, perhaps slightly more than an average (Windows) user as I am a bit of a geek; but I was able to install SuSE8.2, get all the apps I wanted working and configure the 3D support for my nVIDIA card within an hour, on my own, without rebooting once.

Windows is only seen as "easy to use" and/or install because most users buy computers with it preinstalled. Even then Linux was an easier to use and more convenient option for me.

Hopefully the day awaits when a choice of operating system also extends to me not having to pay for an operating system I don't want or need to be preinstalled on my computer.

Satanic Atheist, what are you up to in Dundee? It's good to hear that there are other people nearby who share my love of the penguin ;)

[Satanic Atheist]

Satanic Atheist, what are you up to in Dundee? It's good to hear that there are other people nearby who share my love of the penguin Without high-jacking a thread...

I'm mostly counting down the days until I leave (80 to go!!!). Normally, I'm at work (when I can be bothered getting out of bed), and, up until recently, you'd find me almost all the time in the Mercantile. Now, I'm barred (heheh, don't know what for, by who or for how long, but it was probably abuse of the staff - knowing me).

Anyway, back to the thread.

I started off with RedHat 6.2 (oh my, that's ancient!) but after many serious pitfalls, a pathetic 14.4 modem to the Internet I decided to give up. I knew nothing.

Then, I installed RedHat 7.3 on my desktop machine alongside Windows 2000 and barely used it.

When I managed to acquire another machine (P200 MMX) to run as a server (built in a pub - the Bread, as it happens) I had great fun tweaking it and tinkering with it. A friend would download the software I needed, I would print off the manuals, and sometimes I could download stuff for myself. That's where I REALLY learnt to use Linux.

Earlier this year, I made the switch totally to Mandrake 9.1, but got annoyed with it so installed Slackware. I had to replace my HD anyway, and it was a prime opportunity to install Linux and never look back. Naturally, now I have a cable link, I can do almost whatever I want.

James