LINUX Rules

[satchef1]

Anyone want to explain to me why i would want to use Linux? I tried it out once but i couldnt find any reason why i would want it over XP

[doc_bean]

Anyone want to explain to me why i would want to use Linux? I tried it out once but i couldnt find any reason why i would want it over XP

Generally, if you're wondering why you'd need Linux, you don't need it. That said: Linux IS better in a couple of cases:

1. Cost.
You're buying a new comp or a second comp and you would require to purchase a copy of XP (90€) or Vista (around 200€ I think) if you want to run windows OR you could install Linux for free. Most distros come with a bunch of free software like OpenOffice (like Microsoft Office, but better, for the most part). If you're not into gaming or other windows specific apps this can be a very cheap alternative.
This is pretty much the only reason the 'common' user would/should install windows.

2. You hate micro$oft, or you just want to try something different (my gf wants me to install linux on her comp, God help me...), or you're just a geek.

3. You're in research. A lot of academics *love* Linux, mostly because it's 1337, I guess. In certain areas where real time computations are necessary Linux is king (Windows doesn't have a real time version, Linux does).

4. You're running a network (server) Linux is far better with networks. It's also more stable.

5. Security. Linux is a lot more secure than windows, again this is mostly important for business users.

Of course, that's just my opinion as a Linux n00b. There are certainly more knowledgable members out there

[caravel]

To add to doc_bean's list :

6. Webservers. If you want a webserver that the lamest script kddy can walk into blindfolded Windows is the way to go. I mean all that stupid security, who needs it? Popular webservers such as Apache run on Linux after all.

7. Internet/WAN gateways. Pretty vital if you ask me. If you're running one of those home router/modem boxes then you're likely to be running a small NAT router that is running on Linux based firmware. The rest of your network, even if it's just your own single pc or laptop is actually invisible to the net, so you don't need to worry so much about your windows security because what basically amounts to a Linux box is protecting you. With your favourite Linux distro on an old laptop, connected to a network switch if you're connecting more than one PC, you can achieve much the same end. The router box is just alot easier, conventient and probably cheaper anyway.

8. Sick of product activation, entering keys, constantly having to verify that you're not a criminal in order to use M$ software? Linux distributions have none of this. You can download your ISO's burn them to disc and install on as many machines as you like never being asked to verify or "phone home".

9. Bugs get fixed quicker. Many new Linux users give up after complaining about bugginess. Wrong distro! Try a stable release next time. GNU/Linux and distributions are constantly being developed, so the latest version of a particular distro will take time to become totally stable. Another good one is the "hackers can look at the open source code and that makes open source software easier to hack" rot. Unlike M$'s closed source OS, Open Source software can be debugged and fixed by experienced users. The developers, who are constantly working on bug fixes anyway, can then verify and impliment these fixes in a few days. This beats waiting eons for service packs and other updates, which M$ usually refuses to admit to the existance of for a few months anyway. This enables Linux to be constantly tested for security holes in a very thorough fashion. Windows relies partly on keeping the source code top secret to secure the OS. The problem with this is that when a hole does occur it's usually a big one, as we've seen in the past. (i.e. the infamous DCOM RPC vulnerability (blunder))

10. Virtually virus free. All of that malware that is written for windows doesn't affect you. All of those IE browser hijacks, win32 viruses, trojans that try to install themselves in the fabulous registry and run as a service, don't affect Linux in the slightest. So not having to download hundreds of anti hijack tools while having a resource hogging piece of anti virus bloatware running in the background, makes a big difference.

[King Noob the Stupid]

I used Linux for a year (FC2, Gentoo, Ubuntu, than Gentoo again) as my only OS, first because I was "forced" to (FC2s setup had somehow managed to destroy important stuff on the NTFS partition, the sleazy comp trader hadn't given me any XP CDs with the PC and i didn't want to spend money), than I slowly grew to like it (installing software by simply typing a command to have it automatically downloaded, compiled (if necessary), installed and configured (well, most of times) in my opinion is easier and more useful than acquiring a copy (buy on CD or dl) and installing it the windows way), after a while I got a win2k CD from a friend, installed it, got a virus the very moment i had configured internet access (which, by the way, is easier using Linux) and after three days it informed me at boot-time that it couldn't find its kernel... so I continued to use Linux until the PCs old geforce4 broke and I bought a mac last year which now serves as my main comp for everything related to the internet and occasional schoolwork, whilst the PC (with a "new" graphics card, win 2k and no network) serves as kind of a gaming console under my desk... at the moment I think having 2 systems is the best solution if you don't want to stop gaming completely but got fed up with microsoft's behaviour and windoze's security, for non-gamers Mac OSX (usable for everything except games) or even Linux (in case you don't need more than a browser, ICQ, a mail prog and a little office) are best IMO.

[doc_bean]

at the moment I think having 2 systems is the best solution if you don't want to stop gaming completely but got fed up with microsoft's behaviour and windoze's security, for non-gamers Mac OSX (usable for everything except games) or even Linux (in case you don't need more than a browser, ICQ, a mail prog and a little office) are best IMO.

You could also double boot

Apparantly this also works with MacOS and Windows these days

[Miloshus]

I dont know about you all,...
but I think that W Xp 64bit version works just fine.(its made for 64 bit processors)

[caravel]

Linux also has kernels available with x64 support. Again it depends on what you want to do with your PC. There is no point instaling Linux if all you do is play Win32 games.