Questions About Alternate Os's
BaconTheory
Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Time to switch?</div> Recently, I have been notcing that quite a few people are using alternate operating systems.
To name a few:<ul><li>Linux</li><li>FreeBSD</li><li>BeOS</li><li>Xandros</li></ul>
What I was wondering was, should I make the switch from Windows? My biggest concern is software/hardware compatibility. I don't want to switch to a new OS and not have any of my fav programs work (Firefox, mIRC, AVG, etc.).
To name a few:<ul><li>Linux</li><li>FreeBSD</li><li>BeOS</li><li>Xandros</li></ul>
What I was wondering was, should I make the switch from Windows? My biggest concern is software/hardware compatibility. I don't want to switch to a new OS and not have any of my fav programs work (Firefox, mIRC, AVG, etc.).
Comments
I don't know how to do it, although someone else probably will
[EDIT:] Or you could use a windows emulator
It has a good driver base and is easy to use/ install. Yeh if its your first time using linux then I sugest duel booting (which gento will do for you)
Most lixux flavours will come with software such as mIRC, a browser etc. You may also with to look at openoffice.org for an alternitive to MSoffice if you switch.
a) Firefox - Open source, has a linux version
b) mIRC - run it under WINE, or use one of the zillions of *nix IRC clients
c) AVG - don't need it. No *nix viruses.
If you are going to switch, go for a variant of Linux or FreeBSD. Linux is probably easier for the beginner, but they're veerrrry similar. You can get apps for anything you can think of if you know where to look (sourceforge.net primarily). The only things I use Windows for that I can't do as well on Linux are gaming and 3D modelling. There just aren't that many great open source 3D programs.
Also, dual booting is easy with XP and GRUB (GNU boot loader, used in lots of *nix distros, or you can download it and install it). Just overwrite the NT bootloader with this one, and you can boot both OS'es.
If you're brand-new to any *nix OSes (by *nix I mean UNIX and derivatives such as BSD, Linux, MacOS, etc...) you should probably read online a lot before you switch. A lot of the stuff that you're used to doing in a GUI in windows is done in the console in *nix. You can get programs that provide a GUI for stuff like this, but most of the time its just easier to learn how to do it via the console. If you choose Linux, I suggest either Gentoo or Fedora Core as a distro. Gentoo is hard to install, but you learn a HELL of a lot doing it. That, and installing software is soooo simple. You can simply type "emerge {program}" and it will download and compile it. However, have a FAST computer for this, since Gentoo compiles everything from source by default. Compiling KDE took 15 hours on my 3.6GHz box, and 2.5 weeks on my 233MHz machine. OpenOffice.org took about 2 days on my fast one, and I didn't even bother on the slow one. Fedora's easy to install, but you don't learn as much, since it hides everything behind fancy progress bars and stuff <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Then don't switch.
And if you play games, definately don't switch.
At the very least dual boot for awhile so you can get the hang of things and so you don't have to give up games entirely. WINE really isn't to as good of a point as most people seem to brag it to be, at least not for me, as I could never even get Minesweeper to run in it...
Anyways, I know that the question was already answered satisfactorally, but I figured I'd add my two cents in case someone else was wondering.
Rue: Dude are you crazy? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Suggesting Gentoo to a newbie?! I know, he would learn most by using this, but it is impossible to operate it without advanced linux knowledge. Most will give up on installation.
I would suggest you Mandrake, by testing almoust all popular distributions this was the best free newbie friendly distribution. Suse can beat it, but it costs.
Oh yeah, let's please not start a flamewar.
Annother popular option is to try Knoppix first, since you can run it right from the CD without installing to get a feel for it without fidling with ahrddrive partitions. However, it is fairly slow (at least it has been for me) due to everything having to be done in ram without any swap space to cache things.
It has a good driver base and is easy to use/ install. Yeh if its your first time using linux then I sugest duel booting (which gento will do for you)
Most lixux flavours will come with software such as mIRC, a browser etc. You may also with to look at openoffice.org for an alternitive to MSoffice if you switch. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You sugest GENTOO? Thats really one of the most advanced linux distros out there. The installation is totally manual, it takes usually a full day to even get a working console working. It has some nice features...its just hard and confusing. I have gentoo installed right now(Had someone walk me through the entire installation), and it runs..I just can't get my network to work, and I kind of gave up.
Good driver base? You manually install all the gentoo drivers. Its really fast if you get it working though...
mIRC is windows only I belive. Most linux distros come built in with XChat(good). Firefox works fine in linux. I use Openoffice.org now, and I'm on windows.
Anyway, not from experience, but I hear Fedora is preaty good.
Avoid Mandrake like the plagueish POS it is. The LEAST stable Linux distro out there... it'll cause problems, and a newbie won't know to compile a CLEAN kernel from the kernel.org source, rather than using their patched-to-hell crap on a stick.
And as for Linux gaming... I can play NS v3.0B6 on Steam just fine. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
1337 H4x.
Yeah Steam is relatively easy to get working on Linux, its the more recent games that can be trouble for newbies. KoToR was tricky at first, same with most new games. If it weren't for gaming and 3DSMax, I'd switch in a heartbeat.
As for distros again, Fedora is awesome for newbies like I mentioned. Gentoo is good once you get the basics down, since it teaches you a lot because you have to do it yourself. Everything. Not as bad as LFS (Linux From Scratch), since Gentoo at least automates a few things (such as DLing packages and compiling them), but close <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> I love it though since you don't get all the BS that normal distros come with.
I do agree on Mandrake however. Avoid it like the plague. I've only heard of one guy who can stand it, and that's Caboose. Everybody else I know thats tried it hates it since its so hacked and bloated.
Do try Knoppix first though, as it comes with most things you can expect in a pre-compiled Linux distro (it's based on Debian, in case you care <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->).