Windows to Linux

I'm thinking about switching to Linux. Specifically Ubuntu or Fedora. Anyone want to tell me why or why I shouldn't? Currently using Vista Home and I like it but I just want to see what else is out there. Plus if its more secure, thats always a plus.

It is A LOT different. I tried to switch one time, it is tough to do. I'm still on Vista. At some point I'll get off this shit.

Complete switch is possible, if you're ready to endure a couple of months without just giving up. Most common problem is that you will have no idea how to do a specific task on Linux, that you are accustomed to on Windows. Linux has all the tools and applications you need, but it will take a lot of time until you find a replacement for every windows' tool you have used so far and get used to it. Also many things are just different and incompatible with the concepts of Windows.

do all windows programs run on Linux? also will I be able to access things (like music) when running linux?

It's only more secure if you make it more secure. Unless you have the necessary knowledge to do that, keep your hands off Linux and read until you do.

>>5
The default settings on nearly all distros are more secure than the default settings on Windows.

KIKES!

>>5 So far I've just been reading the main pages on the Ubuntu and Fedora's sites (features, etc.) any websites I could get real info on this? basically a beginners guide to Linux.

wait, scratch that. a simple google search revealed several sites.

>>8
Just install Ubanto.

Obunta sucks!

>>11
It's a good first Linux for people coming from Windows. After a few months it's probably a good idea to migrate to Debian, though.

>>12
No, it's not. You won't learn shit. Start with the basics, read a fucking book and then install Debian/Slackware.

>>13
Why should he need to ``learn shit''? Besides, Debian post-sarge is just a non-brown version of Ubanto (what with the new installer and all), and even if he used a former version, he'd still just follow a guide until he reached the point where he could apt-get install gdm, and let APT do the rest. In slack he might learn something from the installation, but who the heck remembers something you do once every five years? Further, he'd get the impression that lunix' package management is over ninethousand years old, and would probably succumb to swaret or slapt-get within instants (and would then probably get fed up, after finding that the packages are less evenly updated than the surface of the Moon, and bite the paludis bullet and get some weird frankenstein system that he in any case can't administer).

In short, if he wants to have a working system, let him install ubanto; if he wants to laern hampself uunox, let him install slackware in qemu under ubanto. 

>>13
You aren't forced to learn ``shit'', but you still can. It's still Linux, and it still has a CLI.
If he wants to learn, he can do so at his own pace, rather than being forced to because X suddenly decides to stop working.

>>15
fail

Linux is fine for nerds but Linux is *not* user friendly, and until it is linux will stay with >1% marketshare.
 
Linux zealots are now saying “oh installing is so easy, just do apt-get install package or emerge package”: Yes, because typing in “apt-get” or “emerge” makes so much more sense to new users than double-clicking an icon that says “setup”.

Linux zealots are far too forgiving when judging the difficultly of Linux configuration issues and far too harsh when judging the difficulty of Windows configuration issues. Example comments:

User: “How do I get Quake 4 to run in Linux?”
Zealot: “Oh that’s easy! If you have Ubuntu, you have to download quake_4_feisty_i686_070607_glibc.bin, then do chmod +x on the file. Then you have to su to root, make sure you type export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.2.5 but ONLY if you have the stock kernel installed. If you've updated or have a custom kernel, don’t set that environment variable or the installer will dump core. Before you run the installer, make sure you have the GL drivers for X installed. Get them at [some obscure web address], chmod +x the binary, then run it, but make sure you have at least 10MB free in /tmp or the installer will dump core. After the installer is done, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and add a section called “GL” and put “driver nv” in it. Make sure you have the latest version of X.org X11 and OSS or else X will segfault when you start. OK, run the Quake 4 installer and make sure you set the proper group and setuid permissions on quake4.bin. If you want sound, look here [link to another obscure web site], which is a short HOWTO on how to get sound in Quake 4. That’s all there is to it!”

User: “How do I get Quake 4 to run in Windows?”
Zealot: “Oh God, I had to install Quake 4 in Windoze for some lamer friend of mine! God, what a fucking mess! I put in the CD and it took about 3 minutes to copy everything, and then I had to reboot the fucking computer! Jesus Christ! What a retarded operating system!”

So, I guess the point I’m trying to make is that what seems easy and natural to Linux geeks is definitely not what regular people consider easy and natural. Hence, the preference towards Windows.

>>17
QFT

>>17
Tried ubuntu? To install a program, it's really just a matter of downloading a file, clicking on it and choosing install. Alternatively; going to the installation program, selecting it, and choosing install, without having to hunt for it on the interweb.
Cute inequality typo, though. ;)

>>18
Except not.

>>17
I'm curious: how did you learn to post messages 10 years into the future? Since it's obviously 1998 where you are.

>>19

Not for games.
Not when updating stuff. Stuff might break when updating.
Windows is still more userfriendly.
inb4ihbt

>>22
Not for games.
You also can't play PS3 games on your Windows box. I'm not sure what you think your point is.

Not when updating stuff. Stuff might break when updating.
Not actually true. Ubanto goes out of its way to make sure dependencies are kosher.
Not to mention that the fact such a thing as the update manager exists makes it tons more userfriendly than Windows, where everything has to be updated manually, except the OS itself (unless WGA refuses to recognise you, of course; and it can't update from, say, XP to Vista on its own, whereas the Ubanto update manager does give you the option to upgrade between major versions).

Windows is still more userfriendly.
Why? Because paying $200 for your OS (actually, just for a license, which isn't even the same thing) just makes you feel better?
Most Linux distros matched Windows for userfriendliness some time in the late '90s. Ubanto and quite a few others have surpassed it years ago. By a lot.

>>23
You also can't play PS3 games on your Windows box. I'm not sure what you think your point is.
My point is PC gaming is still very popular despite consoles. And Linux is not gaming friendly.

Not actually true. Ubanto goes out of its way to make sure dependencies are kosher.
Not to mention that the fact such a thing as the update manager exists makes it tons more userfriendly
I never used retard distros like that. Gentoo is easy to update, too but you still have a lot of trouble. Try to update your OS every 2-3month and you sure as hell break stuff. Given, you learn a lot and it is fun.

Windows, where everything has to be updated manually
Small progs? Yes, big progs? Now, clicking an update button is too much for you?

except the OS itself (unless WGA refuses to recognise you, of course; and it can't update from, say, XP to Vista on its own, whereas the Ubanto update manager does give you the option to upgrade between major versions).
Comparing this is unfair. XP!=Vista. Just because it comes from MS. This analogy would be more true when you say updating from LFS to Ubuntu.

Most Linux distros matched Windows for userfriendliness some time in the late '90s.

ROFL. ihbt
Disregard my post. Good work, troll. :) I am out here. You have zero clue what you are talking about.

I once installed Ubuntu, ran the updater and it trashed my system.
Quite handy, it made me realize that Linux is worse than Win95 in less than 15 minutes after installing it.

>>24
I never used retard distros like that. Gentoo is easy to update, too but you still have a lot of trouble. Try to update your OS every 2-3month and you sure as hell break stuff. Given, you learn a lot and it is fun.
Nobody has ever claimed Gentoo is user-friendly. We're talking about Ubanto.

Small progs? Yes, big progs? Now, clicking an update button is too much for you?
For each program? Compared to a script that automatically finds them for you? Yes, that's less user-friendly.

Comparing this is unfair. XP!=Vista. Just because it comes from MS. This analogy would be more true when you say updating from LFS to Ubuntu.
Bullshit. XP and Vista are made by the same company and fill the same niche. The very least MS could have done is offer to convert people's XP licenses into Vista licenses.

ROFL. ihbt
Disregard my post. Good work, troll. :) I am out here. You have zero clue what you are talking about.
Still waiting for your evidence Ubuntu and similar distros are less user-friendly than Windows. So far you haven't managed to provide a single thing.

>>25
You're full of shit. Pics or it didn't happen.

>>24
おまえもな！

A friend of mine has installed Linux on his laptop and we sometimes play Windows games on it. It appears to work perfectly, but I'm still a bit hesitant to make the jump myself.

>>28
Just go for it. If you're that concerned, you can always run XP under VirtualBox if needed. Though it won't be.

Still waiting for your evidence Ubuntu and similar distros are less user-friendly than Windows. So far you haven't managed to provide a single thing.

You posted Linux is more friendly since 90's. I suggest you read up about proper debating etiquette. I am waiting for YOUR evidence since YOU brought this retarded comment into the conversation. Until YOU provide it I am out here. You are either not old enough or are full of faggy nostalgia.

As a linux user, I don't feel much desire to force people away from Windows to linux. We, the users, and (most of) the developers, don't have much incentive to steal users from Windows. I don't know a single linux user who uses linux because he was forced or tricked into it. Sure, someone may have suggested it to him, but that's about it.

I think you should try linux, and use it if you like it. You may have problems, but it's easy to fix and get support if you need it.

>>30
I was replying to the assertion that Windows is still more user-friendly than Linux, which is plain bullshit. As the idiot who posted that didn't back up said assertion (which is the main point in this conversation), I don't feel particularly compelled to back up mine

>>31
We, the users, and (most of) the developers, don't have much incentive to steal users from Windows.
Fewer botnets are a good thing for everyone.
The main reason I bothered convincing my parents to switch to Ubanto was because they're the sort of people who will download and run every executable they come across, and since I share their internet connection when I'm home from college, that was affecting me as well. They haven't had any problems since.

Best way to learn is hands-on. Make sure your hardware is supported, and either slap another hdd into your Windows box, or to resize your partitions to create some free space, and install Ubuntu as a dual-boot.

Or if you're not ready to install, just get your hands on a LiveCD, boot into that, and play around with it some.

>>33
The Ubuntu installer can make its own new partition in the largest available free space, so there isn't even any need to fuck around with partitioning it yourself.

>>34
Unless you don't have any free space.

>>35
Or if you don't have a computer.

What I did that words quite well is use VMWare Player to run Linux in a virtual machine from Vista.  It is way faster than a livecd, and has persistent changes, too.

>>37
*works

>>37
VMWare is shit. Use VirtualBox.

>>39
What is the difference in features? Why is VirtualBox better?

>>40
It's free, for one.

If you're going to run Windows and Linux at the same time, you might as well use coLinux. It takes a few minutes of setting it up so it works, but it's a lot faster and requires less resources. And like a VM it can run from a file on your normal Windows filesystem so you don't need an extra partition. Did I already mention that you can give it access to Windows files and folders too?

>>40
VirtualBox has better performance. It's a lot sleeker and the responses are better. If you have worked with both you'll know the difference.

Also it doesn't have those dreaded timing problems on speedstepping CPUs at all, while VMWare just can't get rid of them. It's a really ugly mess, there is a 10+ page PDF document explaining the issue and offering a number of "workarounds". Some of those work to some extent on some hardware while making it worse on different hardware and so on. Bottom line: You have to try around until you get the least possible jitter and hope for your NTP client to be able to keep up.

As for features, you probably won't find much lacking in VirtualBox compared to VMWare. As a bonus VirtualBox has that "seamless" mode for Windows guests, if you're into that.

Oh, and >>41 of course.


>>42
that you can give it access to Windows files and folders too
Any serious virtualization solution lets you do that, no?

>>42
coLinux boils down to running Linux in a (half-assed) VM under Windows instead of running Windows under Linux. Why the fuck would you run the more stable OS under the less stable one? To have the downsides of both?

It is more convenient that way.

>>45
Except that no it isn't.

>>43
Thanks. I am gonna try that one out after I am done with my work in VMWare. I don't want to install and configure windows again. :)

The irony is that Linux works better with Windows networking than Windows

>>40
You're not limited to what virtual images you can find, it'll run whatever OS you have as an .iso or from a cd just fine. Also, seamless window mode is pwn.

whats a livecd, how do obtain it? do i just copy an iso to a regular blank cd?

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>>28
As of the the latest Virtualbox(1.5.6). Windows can not run any applications that require DirectX3D rendering while running under Virtualbox.