Linux vs. XP

**Roadee** · Nov 13, 2003, 10:19 AM

I dont know a damn thing about linux. Is it worth it to switch over to Linux from XP? Is Linux ready for the average windows person to make the switch as a desktop system? My system is used for gaming, web, email, Office XP, multimedia/graphics editing.

Try to convince me to convert......and please no flaming.

iguanas · Nov 13, 2003, 10:39 AM

no, not suitable for you from the gaming moment. also open office sucks hard compared to office. only my thought. try KNOPPIX, it loads from the cd

UberLord · Nov 13, 2003, 11:12 AM

Personally I use AbiWord and Gnumeric for my office needs. They provide the functionality I require - and they read all MS documents sent to me (so far).

Evolution is better than outlook for emails imo - handy integration with palm pilots too!

iguanas is right on one point though - linux is lacking in the gaming department. Unless you like playing UT, UT2003, Quake 1-3, RTCW, RTCW:ET, Deus Ex and quite a few more

Actually you can get a special gaming piece of software that allows you to play Windows games in Linux. Most games to work, but the software costs $$$.

Oblivious · Nov 13, 2003, 03:10 PM

Addendum: Neverwinter Nights also runs under linux.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Nov 13, 2003, 03:21 PM

its hard to change over when i try i'm still like totally lost. but that what back in the 5.2 days...

there has been some magor imprivents sence

and when i tryed to instal mandrake 9.2 to take a look around the system wouldn't even boot... so i gave up trying it agan

**Roadee** · Nov 14, 2003, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by iguanas
no, not suitable for you from the gaming moment. also open office sucks hard compared to office. only my thought. try KNOPPIX, it loads from the cd

I like the idea of things that run from a cd.....makes it easy to "take a look around" as Neon put it. Do you guys have some links for those of us that may be interested. Also I think that some reviews on Linux software would be a valuable asset to DH, as well as increase the knowledge of the average DH member.

Thanks peep's!!

UberLord · Nov 14, 2003, 09:55 AM

Review may be an idea. I may review Gentoo (my current distro of choice) if I ever get the time!

UberLord · Nov 14, 2003, 10:00 AM

http://www.knoppix.org/

http://www.gentoogames.com/ - this is a really really cool idea!

Madgoat1979 · Nov 14, 2003, 10:04 AM

Linux is a great OS.... Everything about it is "fixable"... Unlike windows, if something goes wrong, you can code to the need of what is the pain.... But you still have a LOT of learning to do before one can do that....

Plus, games do run on linux from a windows coded game.... and there are many free based softwares out there that will do this for you... one of which I know the person myself who created such a proggy. He was working on it for a couple weeks, and got BF1942 to run at 80fps and great on red hat.... now it works with many games (open gl based)...

GO here for some info and tryable versions of linux....

you can download full os's here aswell:

HERE!!!!

RIV@NVX · Nov 14, 2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by iguanas
open office sucks hard compared to office.

Please give reasons why are you making such statement.

OpenOffice is unbelievably great program, imho.

UberLord · Nov 14, 2003, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RIV@NVX
OpenOffice is unbelievably great program, imho.

Nah - it's way out of the spirit of things

1) Uses it's own GUI (not QT or GTK)
2) Uses it's own font-renderer
3) Sucky interface
4) Bloated (although not as much as M$ Office)
5) Horendous build setup

However, its major pro is the ability to read 99% of M$ Office documents

Personally I use AbiWord and Gnumeric as
1) Uses GTK for a GUI
2) Uses GTK font renderer
3) Reasonable interface
4) Fast and small
5) Good build setup

The major con here is that AbiWord and Gnumeric cannot read some M$ docs whereas OpenOffice can. However, out of many that I've been sent I've only encountered 1 that didn't open.

spark rain fire · Nov 14, 2003, 04:30 PM

linux is lame, especially for us gamers in here. my windows box runs extremely stable and does everything i want it to do, so why should i chnage? also open office is avalible for windows, and it does everything office can do, except for free.

UberLord · Nov 14, 2003, 04:45 PM

Linux has no DRM
Linux does run Windows games (well, most of 'em)
Linux has no lockin
Linux is (generally) more secure out of the box

But hey, if Windows works for you then thats fine and dandy. Because choice matters. With Windows - for a lot of things - you don't have choice once you choose Windows. If you choose Linux, you always have choice.

RIV@NVX · Nov 15, 2003, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UberLord
Nah - it's way out of the spirit of things

1) Uses it's own GUI (not QT or GTK)
2) Uses it's own font-renderer
3) Sucky interface
4) Bloated (although not as much as M$ Office)
5) Horendous build setup

However, its major pro is the ability to read 99% of M$ Office documents

Personally I use AbiWord and Gnumeric as
1) Uses GTK for a GUI
2) Uses GTK font renderer
3) Reasonable interface
4) Fast and small
5) Good build setup

The major con here is that AbiWord and Gnumeric cannot read some M$ docs whereas OpenOffice can. However, out of many that I've been sent I've only encountered 1 that didn't open.

First of all, he said that it sucks "compared to office", not compared to native Linux apps.
Second, most disatvantages you mentioned are big advantages to windows users; GTK apps are unbelieavably unnative on Windows; and it's also making product cross-platform.

I have tried AbiWord long ago... didn't like it much; perhaps it's time to try it again.

BluntmaN · Nov 25, 2003, 09:56 AM

I was forced to switch to Linux from Win for my project and so far it kicks ass although sometimes it can get frustrating.
Use knoppix if you are a new user but make sure that you at least have one fat partition coz NTFS + Linux = Not a good idea.
It is safe and fast you will learn a lot even trying to install a new driver can be a 2hour job but if you like reading turorial faqs and forums you will learn stuff that will make you love linux more.
If you like programing then you should already be using linux as windows are probably the worst platform to program excluding visual basic and the other "programing games". If you go for a full installation keep your old system since games are limited and sharing programs hard to find. WINE is supposed to come over and save our lives but so far I have only opened windows notepad with it.

Nov 13, 2003, 10:19 AM	#1
Roadee Never forgotten Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rest In peace, Joe. Posts: 2,198 Rep Power: 69	Linux vs. XP I dont know a damn thing about linux. Is it worth it to switch over to Linux from XP? Is Linux ready for the average windows person to make the switch as a desktop system? My system is used for gaming, web, email, Office XP, multimedia/graphics editing. Try to convince me to convert......and please no flaming. __________________ We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.

Nov 13, 2003, 11:12 AM	#3
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	Personally I use AbiWord and Gnumeric for my office needs. They provide the functionality I require - and they read all MS documents sent to me (so far). Evolution is better than outlook for emails imo - handy integration with palm pilots too! iguanas is right on one point though - linux is lacking in the gaming department. Unless you like playing UT, UT2003, Quake 1-3, RTCW, RTCW:ET, Deus Ex and quite a few more Actually you can get a special gaming piece of software that allows you to play Windows games in Linux. Most games to work, but the software costs $$$. __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Nov 13, 2003, 03:10 PM	#4
Oblivious DivrerHaeven Seinor Mebmer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 236 Rep Power: 0	Addendum: Neverwinter Nights also runs under linux. __________________ Pepole olny raed wrods. Btu oyu shuodl sitll check oyur spleling! http://realgar.hopto.org

Nov 13, 2003, 03:21 PM	#5
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	its hard to change over when i try i'm still like totally lost. but that what back in the 5.2 days... there has been some magor imprivents sence and when i tryed to instal mandrake 9.2 to take a look around the system wouldn't even boot... so i gave up trying it agan __________________

Nov 14, 2003, 09:55 AM	#7
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	Review may be an idea. I may review Gentoo (my current distro of choice) if I ever get the time! __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Nov 13, 2003, 10:39 AM	#2
iguanas DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 26 Rep Power: 0	no, not suitable for you from the gaming moment. also open office sucks hard compared to office. only my thought. try KNOPPIX, it loads from the cd

Nov 14, 2003, 10:00 AM	#8
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	http://www.knoppix.org/ http://www.gentoogames.com/ - this is a really really cool idea! __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Nov 14, 2003, 10:04 AM	#9
Madgoat1979 VTX NuTz!!! Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 763 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Linux Linux is a great OS.... Everything about it is "fixable"... Unlike windows, if something goes wrong, you can code to the need of what is the pain.... But you still have a LOT of learning to do before one can do that.... Plus, games do run on linux from a windows coded game.... and there are many free based softwares out there that will do this for you... one of which I know the person myself who created such a proggy. He was working on it for a couple weeks, and got BF1942 to run at 80fps and great on red hat.... now it works with many games (open gl based)... GO here for some info and tryable versions of linux.... you can download full os's here aswell: HERE!!!! __________________

Nov 14, 2003, 04:30 PM	#12
spark rain fire i am rad. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: central pa Posts: 236 Rep Power: 0	linux is lame, especially for us gamers in here. my windows box runs extremely stable and does everything i want it to do, so why should i chnage? also open office is avalible for windows, and it does everything office can do, except for free. __________________ ---- [color=red]http://www.invalidsystemdisk.vze.com[/color]

Nov 14, 2003, 04:45 PM	#13
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	Linux has no DRM Linux does run Windows games (well, most of 'em) Linux has no lockin Linux is (generally) more secure out of the box But hey, if Windows works for you then thats fine and dandy. Because choice matters. With Windows - for a lot of things - you don't have choice once you choose Windows. If you choose Linux, you always have choice. __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Nov 25, 2003, 09:56 AM	#15
BluntmaN DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: I have no idea Posts: 229 Rep Power: 0	I was forced to switch to Linux from Win for my project and so far it kicks ass although sometimes it can get frustrating. Use knoppix if you are a new user but make sure that you at least have one fat partition coz NTFS + Linux = Not a good idea. It is safe and fast you will learn a lot even trying to install a new driver can be a 2hour job but if you like reading turorial faqs and forums you will learn stuff that will make you love linux more. If you like programing then you should already be using linux as windows are probably the worst platform to program excluding visual basic and the other "programing games". If you go for a full installation keep your old system since games are limited and sharing programs hard to find. WINE is supposed to come over and save our lives but so far I have only opened windows notepad with it. __________________ 'Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know.' Donald Rumsfeld (And then they say that the White House knows what it's doing)