what's so great about linux?

[wyvrn]

Not only is the OS free, but the office suites are free, firewall is free, etc etc. The whole free thing rocks All you have to do is research a little bit on where to find it.

 

[Descartes]

<< Well, in short, drive letters make no sense at all. Who cares whether a folder is on hda or hdb, or fd0, or a HD at the other side of the world? Mount everything under one root folder and you're done. Much more convenient. >>



I, for one, appreciate a true logical to physical separation between my partitions. Sometimes I need to give consideration to where I'm *physically* placing a given file. It's just a matter of preference.

 

[Descartes]

I never do this, but I will rebuke Windows for one thing...

They deviate from the standards all too often. My most recent annoyance is w/ PPP on Windows. They of course deviated from the standard and added their own little handshake to the beginning. With that said, it's taken me far too long to try and interface a Pocket PC device with a Linux box using PPP over a serial line (I'm still not there yet), because I can't nail down that handshake. If it were on Linux, I'd just look at the damn code.

The converse can also be true. Sometimes I don't want to have to look at the code, sometimes I just want something to work and be done w/ it. I'd say that, on average, things are definitely easier to setup, and maintain on Windows platforms. When I'm doing a development project, I don't always want to spend countless hours sifting through newsgroups, or code, to understand how something works.

Goes both ways

 

[Elledan]

<<

<< Well, in short, drive letters make no sense at all. Who cares whether a folder is on hda or hdb, or fd0, or a HD at the other side of the world? Mount everything under one root folder and you're done. Much more convenient. >>



I, for one, appreciate a true logical to physical separation between my partitions. Sometimes I need to give consideration to where I'm *physically* placing a given file. It's just a matter of preference. >>

You can mount each HD or other storage medium in its own folder.

 

[joohang]

<< BTW, I want to challenge those who think that Linux is inferior to Windows to set up a cluster which must then perform better than a (Linux-based) Beowulf cluster >>

Heh. Can't argue much about that. But Application Center 2000 is pretty cool, although it's not as flexible as Beowulf.

 

[Lars]

$$$

 

[ToBeMe]

.............It's free.......other than that...........not a whole lot! I mean it's fine and all, especially if you're a "geek"........but, it's different and takes time to learn and get used to........something most casual users will never do! I'm kind of hoping Lindows will take off! I've got my advanced copy on its way so I guess we'll see........but honestly, I don't think the people behind Linux are really even realisticly thinking it will ever be a threat to MS on the desktop for the majority, but, it will always be a nice "niche" O/S and for the server market it is the best available!

 

[dude8604]

For me, Linux is not at all stable. I don't use it very often because of this. I dual boot Mandrake Linux 8.1 and WinXP Home. Linux crashes a lot, and after I used it for a few hours, many of the configuration stuff didn't work, like HardDrake (mandrake's hardware setup tool) and DiskDrake (mandrake's partition manager) didn't work after a while. I hardly did any custom configuration, so I don't see how I could have messed it up, so I have no idea. I recently had to do a clean install of Linux because it was having a lot of problems. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, I don't know.

I am not completely anti-Linux, because many people seem to like it, and I like it except for the fact it doesn't run very well on my computer. Should I try a different distro?

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

<< For me, Linux is not at all stable. I don't use it very often because of this. I dual boot Mandrake Linux 8.1 and WinXP Home. Linux crashes a lot, and after I used it for a few hours, many of the configuration stuff didn't work, like HardDrake (mandrake's hardware setup tool) and DiskDrake (mandrake's partition manager) didn't work after a while. I hardly did any custom configuration, so I don't see how I could have messed it up, so I have no idea. I recently had to do a clean install of Linux because it was having a lot of problems. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, I don't know.

I am not completely anti-Linux, because many people seem to like it, and I like it except for the fact it doesn't run very well on my computer. Should I try a different distro? >>


you should correct yourself, Mandrake is not at all stable for you. it could just be X locking up anyways. try another distro, if you're still uncomfortable try redhat. if you wanna dig in, try debian.

 

[Noriaki]

Just a note, Windows 2000 Server (or is Adv. Server?) is capable of mounting a drive under a folder on another drive.

ie C:\ could be the local drive, and C:\users could be mounted on a network drive. etc. It's not quite as flexible as Unix's but they are getting there. I think they are going a little slow, but Unix does have quite a few years headstart to test it's stability and feature set.

However, I have a feeling that this guy is asking more in the context of his PC. I don't think the argumetns of what makes a better server are very useful for him, though I suggest the list is probably quite long.

 

[dude8604]

<<

<< For me, Linux is not at all stable. I don't use it very often because of this. I dual boot Mandrake Linux 8.1 and WinXP Home. Linux crashes a lot, and after I used it for a few hours, many of the configuration stuff didn't work, like HardDrake (mandrake's hardware setup tool) and DiskDrake (mandrake's partition manager) didn't work after a while. I hardly did any custom configuration, so I don't see how I could have messed it up, so I have no idea. I recently had to do a clean install of Linux because it was having a lot of problems. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, I don't know. I am not completely anti-Linux, because many people seem to like it, and I like it except for the fact it doesn't run very well on my computer. Should I try a different distro? >>

you should correct yourself, Mandrake is not at all stable for you. it could just be X locking up anyways. try another distro, if you're still uncomfortable try redhat. if you wanna dig in, try debian. >>


what distro do you recommend? i want something that's easy to set up, because I'm new with Linux.

 

[joohang]

<< ie C:\ could be the local drive, and C:\users could be mounted on a network drive. etc. It's not quite as flexible as Unix's but they are getting there. I think they are going a little slow, but Unix does have quite a few years headstart to test it's stability and feature set. >>


Yup. I use that all the time.

 

[EmperorRob]

dude8604, I like Red Hat 7.2. I've never tried Suse and Mandrake just doesn't feel right to me. I would like to try Debian. But Red Hat is probably the most "out of the box" package I've seen.

 

[tm37]

Wow again the OT community answers my question

SO on Monday I will be getting the Compthat will be my Server.

It's a compaq, 667 Celeron, 64MB Ram (shared w/ video) <- this will be upgraded, 20 GB HD, Mouse, Monitor the whole deal. I gave a guy a TON of games and will help him with his New Lappy.

My Idea is to get a couple of 30GB 7200 HD's and run them in RAID (Again something I have never done) and add a couple of Network cards and WALA! Cheap Server to toy with.

I will be doing a ton of reading this weekend and hopefully my monday I will be able to install Linux. Got A PM from edfcmc with a link I am going to check out tonight. Kinda wish I had all the specs on the system so I could order my mem and the like but OH Well. It can wait Untill monday I suppose.

Hot Deals HERE I COME!

 

[atrowe]

<< Linux can run on a PDA and in embedded applications without serious modifications. It also works on servers with 8 CPU's without any patches and stuff (or buying an expensive version of XP).

BTW, drive-letters and a registry suck. >>



The Xbox and Dreamcast are both excellent examples of an embedded MS operating system. And I've heard that Windows CE runs quite well on PDAs as well.

 

[silverpig]

Another thing about the CLI... If I want to ssh in to my linux box in XP, I have to open up the CLI, cd into the directory where ssh is installed, and then execute the program, with linux, all of my programs (almost anyways) are available from my home directory. I just type ssh (info) and I'm in...

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

<<

<< Linux can run on a PDA and in embedded applications without serious modifications. It also works on servers with 8 CPU's without any patches and stuff (or buying an expensive version of XP).

BTW, drive-letters and a registry suck. >>



The Xbox and Dreamcast are both excellent examples of an embedded MS operating system. And I've heard that Windows CE runs quite well on PDAs as well. >>


yeah, and they are both HEAVILY modified versions of windows, so much that they hardly resemble the windows you buy in the store. with linux, whether you run a mulit terrabyte storage closet or a beowolf cluster that is a total of like 50Ghz, or a pda with a couple megs of ram, no matter what, its the same kernel, its the same directory structure, its the same thing.

 

[EmperorRob]

tm37, your server blows mine out of the water. It's a 350 P2 w/128 RAM.

 

[Nemesis77]

<< its not very good as a well personal OS relative to xp. if you wanna do what most average people do , i.e. word process, net surf, chat etc, xp is still better, because its easier to install stuff, more intiutive gui, and they are for the most part just as stable as each other. >>



Installation of application (in Debian): apt-get install name-of-the-app

Done

Installation in most other distros: rpm -i name-of-the-app

Done

as for the GUI... Have you actually used Gnome or KDE? I run KDE 2.2.2 right now and it's just so much better than Windows (W2K in my case) is. In fact, it's so good, that Microsoft copied some of the things in KDE in to XP . Like application-grouping (if you have several IE's running, you could show it as just one app in the taskbar).

as for the drive-letters... the Linux/UNIX-way is so much better. Everything is under the root-directory. No C: or D: Where is your CD-ROM? In my case it's in /cdrom. Floppy is /floppy. My CD-RW is /cdrecorder. If I had another HD, it could be /usr. I could have my home-directory in a server, and mount in in to /home. If I wanted to moutn some other directories in a server, I could (for example) mount them to /network. Linux doesn't care one bit where those partitions physically reside, since you can mount them in to your root-tree 100% transparently. They user doesn't need to know (and in many cases doesn't know) wheter some directory is in his own HD, or in a server.

Once you get used to not having drive-letters, you will appreciate the flexibility and the elegance of it.

 

[cybergrave]

Comparisions:

LINUX >> BMW M5. Epitome of enginering and reliability. Fast and Furious. But practical and civilized at the same time. The driver blends into the car as if it were his soul not a machine. Comes only with manual trans. Above average driving skills required. Can be driven around town or taken to the race track for some serious lateral G. Excellent braking and handling. No crashes around the corners due to amazing suspension technology, equal distribution of weight & superb handling. Requires maintainance but rewards the driver a lot for it. A driver's best friend. Also good for the family.


Microsoft >> Lincoln Navigator/ Ford Excursion . The eyesore of North America. The workhorse of the soccer moms. The curse of suburan america. Very prone to crashes. Very easy to flip over. Always intimidating smaller vechiles thru its size and weight. Occupies more space than needed. Wastes natural resources. Looks ugly. Difficult to park and manouver. No driving skills required for this one. Easily mass produced. Reliability is non existence. Always somethign wrong with dynamics, traction, tires. Machine meant for off roading but has no off roading capability. Popular amongst the masses for the above qualities.

 

[Elledan]

ROFLMAO @ cybergrave

Very insightful comparison =)

 

[tm37]

tm37, your server blows mine out of the water. It's a 350 P2 w/128 RAM.

Well it was only 50 buck a ton of games(that I haven't played in forever!) and helping him with his laptop (windows ME).

I was planning to build a 4-500 system this summer/fall but NOW I can it this week! SWEEEEETTT!

Made a deal on fs/ft for the first NIC looks like I need two though!

Hopefully up sometime this month!