35 replies to this topic

[marko]

I've been reading a lot about Linux recently, and how many people consider it just too difficult to understand. I've dabbled myself, but always usually resort back to Windows through some incompatibility of sorts. If you've tried Linux or any other Open Source operating system, question is would you continue to use it if it were a tad easier to understand?.

If you already use Linux or some other Open Source operating system why not offer some advice on how best to get started?

[DaComboMan]

Easier in the sense that all peripherals could be automatically installed (or at least sent to proper download site).

[rpsgc]

No.

I'm a gamer first and foremost.

[clif]

marko, on 22 August 2010 - 12:50 PM, said:

If you already use Linux or some other Open Source operating system why not offer some advice on how best to get started?

Advice? Some versions of Linux are already easy to use. However, it does greatly depend upon what you typically do on a PC that makes it easier or harder. rpsgc has a good point - only a few of the popular games run on Linux.

If you have a PC newbie, who only uses Email, Facebook and some office apps, Linux might be a great option for them. If I had to recommend a safe OS to someone like that, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend something like Ubuntu.

I'm currently writing to you using BrowserLinux, which I've recently reviewed:
BrowserLinux Now Offers Chrome Browser http://t.co/U8DFTe2

Best wishes to all

[marko]

Thanks for the responses so far guys, please keep them coming

Clif, nice of you to stop by, always a pleasure
Cheers
Marko

[John T]

Probably would use an alternative open source O/S if I weren't so familiar with Mr Gates' offerings.

[marko]

vadi, on 22 August 2010 - 04:15 PM, said:

Already on ubuntu

Just wondering if you've always been on Ubuntu vadi or did you migrate from Windows?

John T, on 22 August 2010 - 05:50 PM, said:

Probably would use an alternative open source O/S if I weren't so familiar with Mr Gates' offerings.

Much the same most of us I think John

[TheRaven]

openSuSE Linux is by far the most easy Linux distribution to use due to a number of reasons. Novell, the owner of SuSE Linux coordinates with Microsoft on a great number of projects and system concepts that really enlivened SuSE to a level that Linux never knew. They salvaged the Mono Project and made cross platform .Net technology a real mainstream reality using the same business savvy that they employed when they rescued SuSE Linux from its descent into decay. Novell has been around since digital dirt and has revolutionized networking with NATO allies and never once gloated about any of it. They're my champions as far as Linux is concerned as they recently won a court battle with the license holder of UNIX, of whom was trying to strangle hold Linux due to similarities and intellectual copyright infringement -- Novell pounded out of town and won the rights to Linux's freedom forever and ever. Novell gets criticized as being a Microsoft imp and sell out by "Linux Purists" of whom rank really low on the food chain. Maybe they could make a perl script that runs for more than fifteen minutes without fubaring someones install they could talk some smack.

Linux is hard to use because the alleged "Linux Purists/Experts" want to brand Linux with anti-commercialism and boast their ego so much that it has cut into development time and documentation resources. It is definitely not what you know but, what you throw in many Linux circles -- most often it's crap. I stick with distros managed by competent entities rather than groups because I can do without the "click" mentality.

Novell's SuSE Enterprise, openSuSE, and Dream Linux come to mind as really user friendly Linux O.S. platforms and then there is the ever popular UBUNTU Linux of which was my first productive encounter with Linux after about three years of tinkering with Linux in general. It can be discouraging as allot of the sys-admin is handled from a shell and possesses a rather steep learning curve but, it pays off with a little commitment. SuSE, Dream Linux and UBUNTU Linux are all coming up on the food chain regarding hardware recognition and where the drivers and tools for a device are managed on a proprietary level you can now download installers allot of times. Slowly but, surely it is getting much better.

Remember Linux was created as a free operating system for people to use at any level be it personal or professional and not a tool for whorish band wagon rides so stay away from "Linux Groups" that endorse or promote flaming and try to brainwash or bash on people for not thinking like them (not hating Microsoft, Novell, NVidia; etc.) as that is not what we're here for and goes for our kids too. Keep these principles in mind and Linux will become exponentially easier to use because you will eliminate almost every possible waste of your time regarding the operating system.

The Linux Bible Thumping domain is not my area of expertise and I don't really promote evangelism as a product or service should promote itself as reliable and competent but, the distros that I mentioned above will be the easiest to use. Just be sure to stay away from "cool" and "better than everyone else" distros and you'll do just fine.

[google]

Very profound answer TheRaven, I'd agree with Ubuntu 100% but like marko and others I too seem to be drawn back to the world of M$ and for me it's just a convenience thing, but we should at least take a little while to explore further, I know I've not used Ubunti for a while so its very likely things have moved on somewhat and progressed.

marko, I seem to remember an Ubuntu installer on the site that dual boots with Windows, can't remember the name of the damn thing though, would you happen to remember?