Thinking about taking the plunge...

[Darien]

well, i'm sick of windows. looking at it, using it, having it crash on me...etc.

mainly the gui. (if anyone knows of a good shell replacement, please tell me....one that works with xp anyways).

i've been thinking about using linux. not sure if all of my hardware will work (mainly the smc network card, the wintv tv card and the creative modem. pretty sure linux will support my geforce2 ultra)

all i really do now on my pc is: watch tv, program, write up documents, mathematica (anyone know if there's a linux version out there?), watch divx movies (is there a photoshop for linux)? dunno if my lite-on cd burner will work (what does linux use for cd burning anyways)? hp printers are supported? (840c) is there some sort of compatability list out there?

i also use a 40gb external firewire hard drive (NTFS). would i have to use a different file system?

thinking about mandrake 8.2. heard it's good. (i'm a newbie in the linux world, so it won't hurt if i use this release right?)

staroffice is free, if memory serves me right...

so...can anyone give me some reassuring words that linux will play nice?

 

[Motavian]

Mathematica is available for Linux.

Photoshop is not, howver, you can use The Gimp instead. Some people adore Gimp, others don't. I guess it's a matter of personal preference.

 

[Nothinman]

If you post your hardware models it'll be much easier to help with whether they'll work or not.

But in general any Geforce3 or older will work.
Any IDE or SCSI CDRW will work.
Most NICs work (there are some strange off the wall ones that don't),
Most PCI modems are Winmodems and won't work (although certain ones do have drivers).
WinTV gives a bad feeling because of the name but I really don't know.
No idea about the printer.

You should be able to read the NTFS drive, although writing to it will cause problems.

StarOffice 6.0 will be charged for, but OpenOffice (what StarOffice is based off of) is free.
Depending on how you're accustomed to programming, the new environment may take some getting used to.
Gimp may or may not take care of your photoshop needs, the only thing I've heard people complain about is lack of CMYK editing/printing.

 

[manly]

I'm too lazy to go point by point, but at least 80% of your concerns will be met with success.

Linux has more hardware support, and is more usable than the average person might realize. At the same time, it does have room for improvement (that's why open source is dynamic).

I think Mandrake is a decent choice for a newbie; read docs before you take the plunge. And continue to read docs until you become an expert. And then continue to read docs...

I'd say it's a toss-up whether you *should* ditch WXP now, so it couldn't hurt to dual-boot until you know for certain Linux meets all your needs (like I said at least 80% of your wishlist will be fine). You might have to pay for StarOffice 6.0, which is the latest release just coming out.

 

[Darien]

i'm accustomed to using visual studio 6 for my programming needs. would it be a big jump there?

also...i'm afraid to ask...

how much is mathematica for linux? (academic pricing???)

edit: one more thing...what do you guys use for chatting/file swapping? AIM version of linux? how 'bout kazaa, edonkey, and mirc (polaris)?

thanks for all the help guys

 

[watts3000]

I've just recently installed redhat 7.2 and trying to learn linux,but I'm also a windows user specifically windows 2000 pro and server and windows xp pro . I don't understand why users are always bitchin about there windows boxes crashing. It rarely happens to me and guy I do some of everything on my computers. I know people that use linux and they also tell me that there linux boxes crash every now and then

 

[Nothinman]

i'm accustomed to using visual studio 6 for my programming needs. would it be a big jump there?

There's KDevelop which aims to work like VC, but I've never really used it. Most Linux programmers use a lot of terminal windows, a text editor, and gdb (command line debugger).

edit: one more thing...what do you guys use for chatting/file swapping? AIM version of linux? how 'bout kazaa, edonkey, and mirc (polaris)?

Several AIM clients for Linux, I don't use them either but I hear they're good.
I use XChat and I feel it's better than mIRC, if you know perl you can do some really bad ass scripting in it.
I startup Kazaa in VMWare if I feel the need, but I don't use it very often.

I know people that use linux and they also tell me that there linux boxes crash every now and then

You really have to qualify that with what crashed. Some people consider X crashing Linux, but normally you can hit ctrl+alt+bksp and restart X and you're fine, not even a reboot needed. Also if you use the binary only nVidia drivers you're at their mercy, if you don't need 3D I'd suggest using the standard X drivers. Once in a while a userland program will crash, but even that's rare with the ones I use.

My work Linux box has been up for ~70 days now without a single problem, I have a mp3, file, web server at work running Linux (~70% constant CPU usage for the mp3 encoding) that's been up for nearly 250 days.

I'm not saying Linux is crashproof, but normally what people call 'Linux crashes' aren't really Linux.

 

[Darien]

wow, lotsa servers are swamped.

did 8.2 just come out? seems like it'll be a while before I ever do this...

 

[uab101]

It contiues to amaze that users complain about windows doing this and windows doing that. I have used windows since win95a. I have seen steady improvments in the GUI, but better yet in the networking capabilities. I installed windows 2000 advanced server in the beginning of this year. At first, I had some troubles due to the fact that I had to learn all of the new capabilities of this wonderful operating system. It has yet to crash on me. When things seems to stop(IIS, etc.) I just restart them without any problems. Have you tried upgrading your equipment. That is probably the single biggest element that users tend to overlook.

one

 

[Darien]

ummm...



<< well, i'm sick of windows. looking at it, using it, having it crash on me...etc.

mainly the gui. (if anyone knows of a good shell replacement, please tell me....one that works with xp anyways). >>



i'm not saying that windows is bad. i just want something better . something more lean...efficient.

and, my stuff isn't all that old.

Antec SX 1040 (w/ 4 case fans)
epox 8k7a
tbird @ 1.2ghz
512mb pc2100
geforce 2 ultra
sb live! platinum 5.1
etc, etc....

 

[uab101]

i know that mandrake 8.2 is out. you can download the full version.

 

[uab101]

more efficient in what way?

 

[Darien]

hard drive space it takes up, how much "power" is needed to run, etc...

EDIT: btw...so...anyone know of a good shell replacement to windows?

 

[uab101]

i think the amount of hard drive space is totally a nonissue. with 100gb+ hard drives out there. does space really matter that much in the scheme of things. I think not. the power to run it is an interesting question, but I think that it reminds me of a car. If you want lots of problems then you go out, and purchase a cheap car. You get what you pay for in the scheme of things. Windows operating systems run very well if you have the equipment to handle it. Plus get off of the win98se flu. I think they gave you the cure with win2k. That is by far the best operating system ever made to date.

 

[DaHitman]

I have been using various Hauppauge TV cards for years and they work great in Linux... just stay away from the USB ones... they suck.... stick to PCI.

 

[cleverhandle]

<< also...i'm afraid to ask...

how much is mathematica for linux? (academic pricing???) >>



Same as for Windows... about $150 for a new license. A veritable steal compared to the $1000 for a full license. If you have, or have access to, the installation CD, all versions (Win, Mac, *NIX) are on the same CD. Or used to be, at least... I have academic 4.0 and haven't kept up. You will need a new activation code from Wolfram, however, who will make you sign a form officially stating that you've moved your installation to a new platform.

 

[Nothinman]

i think the amount of hard drive space is totally a nonissue. with 100gb+ hard drives out there. does space really matter that much in the scheme of things

Yes it matters, just because I can buy a bigger drive doesn't mean I want to spend 5% of it on the OS, that's not what I bought the damn drive for.

Plus get off of the win98se flu. I think they gave you the cure with win2k. That is by far the best operating system ever made to date.

I agree that Win98 should only be run by people that you hate, but calling Win2K the best OS to date is just plain stupid.

If you want lots of problems then you go out, and purchase a cheap car. You get what you pay for in the scheme of things.

But if I know how to fix my car I only pay for parts, I have a decent running cheap car. Sure I may have to replace parts on it now and again, but unless you have to overhaul the whole thing it's still cheaper than a ~$300/m car payment for a new one.

 

[cmv]

Darien: I'd say go for it. Mandrake is a great choice for a beginner especially one with a Nvidia video card (so I've heard, I've never actually used Mandrake). I have a WinTV PCI card sitting around here and I know it is compatible with linux but I haven't tried it yet. You might have problems with NTFS on that external USB drive. The linux NTFS read code is ok but the write code is potentially dangerous (I don't know if this has changed in the last couple months). Consider going to FAT32 on that device...

The download sites are pretty laoded right now but look around for a mirror. I'm sure you can find something fast if you spend a bit of time looking around. If you want to know if your hardware will work with linux go to google.com and type in "linux +hardare device". It helps to use the chip itself on some things (like bt848 or something on the WinTV, whatever on the NIC, GPU on the video card). You can even try google.com/linux for searching if you want...

 

[Hector13]

<< i think the amount of hard drive space is totally a nonissue. with 100gb+ hard drives out there. does space really matter that much in the scheme of things. I think not. the power to run it is an interesting question, but I think that it reminds me of a car. If you want lots of problems then you go out, and purchase a cheap car. You get what you pay for in the scheme of things. Windows operating systems run very well if you have the equipment to handle it. Plus get off of the win98se flu. I think they gave you the cure with win2k. That is by far the best operating system ever made to date. >>



The issue depends entirely on what you need and what you plan to do with your OS. Win 2000 does have a very nice interface, but beyond that, it is utter crap (well, not utter crap but pretty close). Especially if you are using your OS for any sort of development. I have linux running on my box so that I can develop stuff with a webserver (apache and tomcat) and a database server (postgres) running locally. I used to do the samething in windows (IIS/ASP and a trail version of MSSQL), but its not nearly the same. The types of things you can do in unix with tools like perl, java, php, and even simple sheel scripts really put windows to shame (again, in terms of developer types).

On the other hand, if you are switching to linux just for X, then you will be dissappointed (atleast at first). X is still not nearly as polished as win 2k's GUI. Don't get me wrong, I prefer X to windows, but for most users X hasn't gotten to where it needs to be yet (in terms of gui and apps). Hopefuly this will change in the comming years.

 

[uab101]

it is quit amazing that people are just misguided when it comes to hard drive space with respect to the operating system. Fully installed version of windows usually take up less than 3 gb of hard drive space. Wow that must drain your pour hard drive that you have installed. I also believe that the operating system is the critical link to all of your other ventures with your machine. It is critical that you understand that space is cheap. Also, it seems that you can go out, and purchase a cheap car and fix all of your problems by buying parts. but it will soon come to past that the amount of parts in your car out weighs the cost. I have ran version of windows with the little bits of computing power, and have came across many problems. But that was because the hardware is not sufficient. Since I have put time into buying good parts and computers windows runs great. finally, what operating system is better than win2k? if you say Linux then I laugh. Because if I am not mistaken can I run my wireless mouse on Linux? maybe the new version 8.2 can handle the usb connection for my mouse, but not when I went to the website for my mouse.

 

[uab101]

if you are a smart developer then you run a version of windows 2000 server. I think that is quite the obvious decision. Plus, I will say that Linux does handle web servers great. But I will continue to astonished when Linux users claim they cannot do the same with windows that Linux can do in development especially with the languages that you mentioned. I know that Visual Studio.Net can support all the languages that you mentioned. Plus since if you develop on a server it gives you the fully development environment. Which I take from your writting u failed to do.

 

[Hector13]

<< finally, what operating system is better than win2k? if you say Linux then I laugh. Because if I am not mistaken can I run my wireless mouse on Linux? maybe the new version 8.2 can handle the usb connection for my mouse, but not when I went to the website for my mouse. >>



Again, if all you want a OS for is the "pretty" gui, then you will be fine with win 2000. Once you start wanting to do more powerful things, windows just doesn't seem to cut it (in my experience). I won't get into the issue of using the OS for a server (like the IIS you mentioned) becuase I think most people will agree that linux/unix wins with no competion. For me, it was more the need for control over my OS. In linux I have things set up the way I want them. Sure, it took me a hell of a lot longer than installing windows would have, but I have an OS that is suited to my needs. I have shell scripts that do things that are not possible in widonws. Heck, just using a real shell is not possible in widows. For me, thats just not an option.

 

[marat]

<< it is quit amazing that people are just misguided when it comes to hard drive space with respect to the operating system. Fully installed version of windows usually take up less than 3 gb of hard drive space. Wow that must drain your pour hard drive that you have installed. I also believe that the operating system is the critical link to all of your other ventures with your machine. It is critical that you understand that space is cheap. Also, it seems that you can go out, and purchase a cheap car and fix all of your problems by buying parts. but it will soon come to past that the amount of parts in your car out weighs the cost. I have ran version of windows with the little bits of computing power, and have came across many problems. But that was because the hardware is not sufficient. Since I have put time into buying good parts and computers windows runs great. finally, what operating system is better than win2k? if you say Linux then I laugh. Because if I am not mistaken can I run my wireless mouse on Linux? maybe the new version 8.2 can handle the usb connection for my mouse, but not when I went to the website for my mouse. >>



Windows 2000 is good. Linux is better

Beleive it or not, there is a lot more interesting software for *nix, than for windows.

 

[freebsddude]

If you are fairly new to Unix then Mandrake is probably the way to go. You may also want to research that the equivalent/similar application(s) which you use on Windows are also available for you in the Linux world.

 

[marat]

<< edit: one more thing...what do you guys use for chatting/file swapping? AIM version of linux? how 'bout kazaa, edonkey, and mirc (polaris)?

Several AIM clients for Linux, I don't use them either but I hear they're good.
I use XChat and I feel it's better than mIRC, if you know perl you can do some really bad ass scripting in it.
I startup Kazaa in VMWare if I feel the need, but I don't use it very often.
>>



There are several IRC/AOL/ICQ clients for Linux. Some of them go with Mandrake 8.2
There is Edonkey+GUI for Linux. Download the most recent version - it is great (It let's you do even more stuff than Windows version).
There is also MLDonkey - which is even better. Let's you donwload from multiple Edonkey servers form the same time.