Linux, worth getting?

[JBroll]

Why not?

Jeff

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Linux is great if you can use it.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Why not?

Jeff

Because people are stupid, and Windows is easier. I've worked computer sales before, and I got a lot of old (stupid) people coming in and wanting to get some shitty shit box just to get on the net to keep in contact with kids/grandkids/whatever.

For me personally, all the software I use is Windows based. I have no need to run Linux. I'm sure if I really felt the need I could go and find all the equivalent shit for Linux, but I don't have a reason to

If someone is willing to learn a new OS and is interested in trying it, that's cool. I just find a lot of Linux guys are kind of snobs about it, and recommend it just to recommend it.

I guess over all, my answer to the question of "Is it worth it?" is if you feel the need, or are interested in learning about it.

 

[JBroll]

I've never seen why Windows is easier. I've never had to manually install graphics, NIC, and sound devices in Ubuntu, the KDE and GNOME layouts are much cleaner and better organized (perhaps software category really *is* more useful than developer name), and the errors can all be Googled for a quick fix. If my technophobic family can figure it out (and, get this, find it easier) it's not hard. I recommend it because it's more open and accessible, doesn't require bullshit like the "geek squad" or fancy-pants corporate IT wankers to fix, and supports more hardware with all of the functionality most users need.

Jeff

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I've never seen why Windows is easier. I've never had to manually install graphics, NIC, and sound devices in Ubuntu, the KDE and GNOME layouts are much cleaner and better organized (perhaps software category really *is* more useful than developer name), and the errors can all be Googled for a quick fix. If my technophobic family can figure it out (and, get this, find it easier) it's not hard. I recommend it because it's more open and accessible, doesn't require bullshit like the "geek squad" or fancy-pants corporate IT wankers to fix, and supports more hardware with all of the functionality most users need.

Jeff

Well, maybe that would be true if everyone were starting from scratch, but most people have at least somewhat of a familiarity with Windows from work or somewheres else, even if they aren't very good with computers.

I've installed Ubuntu, and used Red Hat in University when I took CS, and fucked around with a couple other distro's, and I always find myself using Windows at home.

I've just never been a fan of using Linux for the sake of using it. Some people just want to use it for "geek cred" or something, not that I'm implying you or anyone else here is like that, I've just run into a lot of people like that. When I was doing my courses for my MCSE, there was this one guy that would just fucking go off in the middle of class about Linux and how it could do whatever so much better. That's all fine and dandy, but at the time it was an MS course and I wanted to get my certs and this guy was eating up class time which equals big money. Hell, I think my instructor almost punched this guy

Like I said, if someone feels the need, all the power to them

 

[JBroll]

Windows 7 looks like KDE4, and older KDE versions are similar to Windows in enough ways to help old Windows users.

I'd have punched the guy for going off about Linux in an MCSE class myself, that just doesn't make sense.

Jeff

 

[Scali]

When I was doing my courses for my MCSE, there was this one guy that would just fucking go off in the middle of class about Linux and how it could do whatever so much better. That's all fine and dandy, but at the time it was an MS course and I wanted to get my certs and this guy was eating up class time which equals big money. Hell, I think my instructor almost punched this guy

Yea, this sort of folk is the main reason why I don't want anything to do with linux.
Bottom line is: nobody needs linux.
On the desktop, Windows can do anything that linux can, and more.
For server or embedded use, there are various alternatives like Net/Open/FreeBSD that can do anything that linux can, and more.

So, use linux if you want to use linux. But if you try to convince others that you need linux, you're out of touch with reality.

 

[JBroll]

On the desktop, Windows can do anything that linux can, and more.

Except for being secure and stable...

What the hell is so great about Windows, anyway? None of its advantages come from being a great operating system - they all come from being the most popular, and without that the garbage wouldn't even be considered.

Jeff

 

[Scali]

Except for being secure and stable...

Nope, Windows even does that.

What the hell is so great about Windows, anyway?

Quite a long list of things really, but let's not get into that now.

 

[JBroll]

No, when an operating system has a special day of the month for patches (and all vulnerabilities found between two such days are held from the public instead of acknowledged and released immediately), can be brought to its knees by even the most limited accounts, can die completely and practically irreparably if the tiniest thing goes wrong with the registry, and all but requires antivirus and antispyware software, it can't say shit about security or stability.

Go ahead and start another Windows vs. Linux thread elsewhere if you want - Windows simply isn't worth the money, and your posts seem to convey the message that everyone *should* use Windows just because they should use Windows.

Jeff

 

[Scali]

Windows simply isn't worth the money

That is your opinion. Not everyone shares that opinion.

and your posts seem to convey the message that everyone *should* use Windows just because they should use Windows.

Not at all. In fact, I don't even use Windows for everything myself. As I said, I use FreeBSD aswell.
Thing is just that I don't try to make it sound like either OS is the answer to everything, and any other OS has no redeeming value whatsoever.

 

[JBroll]

It's not my fault if everyone else wants to be wrong. [/tongue-in-cheek]

Linux has its own advantages, and isn't just used for its own sake - its hardware detection and autoconfiguration is typically better, the development community is more open and accessible and as a result new shiny things come out quickly, and so on. I play with FreeBSD every once in a while (I'll be trying PC-BSD over the next few days, actually) but I think it's a huge stretch to say it does everything better than Linux.

I also don't say one OS is the answer to everything, but Windows is such an embarrassment to computing that I feel fine bashing it. Windows wouldn't be anywhere if software quality was the deciding factor.

Jeff

 

[Scali]

I play with FreeBSD every once in a while (I'll be trying PC-BSD over the next few days, actually) but I think it's a huge stretch to say it does everything better than Linux.

Now I didn't say that, I just said it's better for server/embedded tasks.
With that, I mean that the *BSD kernel design is more efficient, making it scale better with more threads/processes, and getting more out of your resources. In server terms that means it allows you to process more requests per second, and have a lower response time to these requests.
In fact, only recently, a big upgrade was done to the linux thread scheduler, making it far more scalable than it has ever been. Still not as good as others like the BSDs, Solaris and yes, even Windows... But much closer.
Ofcourse the irony is that linux zealots were touting linux' efficiency and scalability long before... Even though it was based on nothing. Just like your claims on hardware detection and autoconfiguration are based on nothing.

 

[JBroll]

I think there are more than a few advantages to the 'kernel-of-the-week' approach, and I'll leave it at that.

'Based on nothing' is more than a little bit exaggerated. I'd have said nothing if I was the only one who had problems, but even the most diehard BSD users I know have trouble bringing themselves to defend its hardware detection or other automatic configuration tools. I haven't been involved in the politics well enough to remember the performance test nightmare, but you're the first I've heard to claim that Windows is more efficient now.

Jeff

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Okay, I didn't mean to start a debate. And I actually don't think Windows is worth $300 unless it's the server OS, and fuck, that's like 4 times the money, + CALS

And that dude who was spouting off about Linux was a real dick to everyone. The best part is that I got hired straight out of college with a good job because of my job placement and everyone at the job liked me, this guy has had 5 jobs since we left school, all for server and security related shit (I'm just a desktop tech at my company) and the reason he's had 5 jobs? Because no one could stand to work with him He's that much of a dick that in 3-4 years, he's had that many jobs. I've had the same job all this time. I have charisma.

 

[JBroll]

Wow, that's saying something.

Jeff

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Well, I find a lot of Linux snobs are like that though

Everyone here sounds like they legitimately like it, I just hate pseudo geeks who think they're the shit because they can spout some shit off about Linux.

 

[JBroll]

I'm not sure if Linux fanboys are worse than Mac fanboys, but they're close enough...

Jeff

 

[stuh84]

I'm not sure if Linux fanboys are worse than Mac fanboys, but they're close enough...

Jeff

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I don't think anything can be worse than a Mac fanboy.