Linux Vs Windows can someone tell me abt it?

[Harkoliar]

Hello, another computer question for me this time for software..

i just got a very cool demo in regards to linux..now i got very interested on what linux has. i got that cool bootable disk for linux that makes it look like win xp style. anyway... i was wondering about the pro's and con's with linux. security? stability? compatability? does someone uses linux as thier OP??

also i checked about that transgaming for linux OS which looks great! [img]smile.gif[/img] (based on the older post) thanks..

[andrewas]

For gaming, Linux is not quite yet up to it. You might have some luck with TransgamingX, but if they dont support your game yet, your stuffed. Some of the important games (NWN, Quake3) run natively in Linux, and BG2 works well in WINE or transgaming, but not everything can be run.

Also the drivers for linux can leave a lot to be desired. Depending on your hardware manufacturer, you may see lower performance, missing features, or even lower stability. Of course, any decent manufacturer will try to release somthing which at least works.

Now the good points. Linux is more efficient and more configurable than windows. So you dont waste cycles running services you dont want. And the help functions dont try and contact the internet, and the whole thing isnt riddled with ways for M$ to spy on you. No product activation or keys either (although application vendors are taking up those ideas now, so linux applications may use them. The OS itself is free though)

And the myths - Linux is more secure than windows if and only if its setup correctly. Security updates are just as important on linux as they are on windows. The default installation for most distrobutions is not secure.

[Harkoliar]

good point there andrewas! thanks for the great advise! [img]smile.gif[/img] looks like linux is still on the closet.. for now

[lethoso]

i've used linux before, and like it rather a lot. Only reason why i don't use it atm is i play the odd game, not sure if there is an msn client for linux, and not sure how video codecs work in linux. Maybe in the holidays i will see what i can do to rememedy the second two problems.

linux is more secure than windows, mostly because virii are not really an issue.

as for setting it up, i strongly recommend mandrake, even easier than windows to set up.

also, if you want to use any old hardware (ie. ISA gear) driver support is very very thin.

[andrewas]

If you do decide to install it, do a dual boot system. All linux installers assume a dual boot configuration anyway, so if you have a free partition its very easy to set up.

[Granamere]

I agree with andrewas. The one thing I would add is try it before you buy it kind of idea. Like andrewas posted last. If you have a spare partition or hard drive or old computer try it out and see ifyou like it and if it can run everything you want it to. 90% of the programs out there have a free linux version of them. The big problem can hit trying to get new games running. I am a SUSE fan but if I was trying it out for the first time I would go to the redhat site and download the redhat iso files and make cd's from them. That is saying you have access to a burner. SUSE does not have iso files you can download. You make a floppy install disk so you can install across the Internet which can be a big pain if you do not have high speed Internet. Also Mandrake is a good version if they have iso images you can donwload and install from I would give it a try.

Granamere