ot > anyone use linux???

citychicken

i know that i am really off topic on this one. it seems like we have our share of techies here, so i thought i would ask. just a bit of diversion while i wait for dinner.

i am setting up linux for the first time on a virtual machine. would like to see for myself what all the hub - bub is about.

seems like there are many many choices - ubuntu, suse. open suse, etc.

does anyone use linux as their operating system? any recommendations you can offer? pros? cons? recommended version to use?

thanks
mark

Grandpas Grub

Mark,

I have noticed a couple of people using Linux on the old forum. Hopefully they will jump in.

I have a tablet pc (pocket size) that uses Linux and I can't tell much difference than using windows xp for the use that the tablet affords.

I have also ran ubuntu on this machine, cd boot, and it is interesting. I have to use Microsoft Office so I need to keep XP. OpenGL is much like Office and seems to work just fine.

For me Linux was not hard just a little different when setting up programs. Once the programs are running I couldn't see much difference other than I am not paying so much for software.

Once in a while Dell offeres a very inexpensive desktop with Linux, I think it was about $350 with a LCD screen. I was too late in ordering the last offering but if it comes up again I will definately pick one up.

Looking forward to hear what others have to say.

Kent

FlaPoolman

I use a Mac and am computer illiterate (among other things).
Is that good with pepper's & onions?

East Cobb Eggy

I would probably go with Red Hat Linux. This is the most used of all of the flavors.

Have you used a UNIX based operating system in the past??

Greg

citychicken

i have been running winxp pro for what seems like the last five years. never used a unix based o/s in the past (does bart pe qualify as unix based?). i have vmware installed on a winxp host and thought i would load some version of linux on a virtual machine. but just as you say there are many flavors and didn't really know which to play with first.

just finished d-loading open suse 10.3.

thought i would start there. do you have any experience with suse?

i will take your suggestion and d-load red hat also.

Cornfed

I started poking around with Linux back in 1994 or so when I was an undergrad. And now I've been using it exclusively at home for several years. This doesn't mean I know much about it. In fact, I've largely avoided digging into some details but rather letting the distros themselves evolve to the point where I didn't have to.

I would definitely go with Ubuntu if I were you. I believe this is, or at least very recently was, by far the hottest distribution. It's totally free, and they pledge it will always be free. And they advertise predictable release and support schedules. Their forums are extremely active, and the installation and interface are extremely simple. And the package distribution system they use will make you absolutely hate Windows and having to actually think when installing software.

My only tiny caveat is I just looked at DistroWatch and it seems PCLinux is actually getting slightly more page views than Ubuntu right now, so perhaps that is the new hot distro. But Ubuntu has been around at least a few years now. It's the one Dell is preinstalling, and the one I'm using on my home desktop and laptop.

I think you'll love it, and probably won't want to go back to Windows unless you play computer games.

I can't imagine ever going back to Windows, but Apple is freaking hot. I think they're now up to like a 6 or 7 percent share of the desktop. OSX rules, and the MacBooks get great reviews. I really, really want a Mac Mini and one of those huge displays. And now I'm trying to convince myself I don't need one of those Macbook Airs (something like that) which were just announced. Too cool!

Good luck,
Cornfed

Celtic Wolf

Actually last I checked Dell is installing Red Hat Linux, especially on the Dell Servers.

Fedora Core is the Free version Red Hat. It is by far the most user friendly. As for the Mac Mac OS-X is Apples version of BSD Unix.

Don't let anybody fool you Linux is Unix. It is the BSD version of Unix.

If I had a choice. I would be installing FreeBSD or Intel Solaris. Wait I do have a choice :laugh:

Cornfed

I don't know about the servers, but Dell is selling desktops and laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. I know since I bought two of them this summer, and am typing this message on one of them now

http://linux.dell.com/

Linux is "UNIX-like." And actually I believe it's based more on System V than BSD. Open/Net/Free BSD are the descendants of the Berkeley flavor, I think.

And yes, OSX is BSD with a beautiful Apple front end run on beautiful hardware. My only issues with that solution are 1) it's expensive and 2) it's closed. But even given those, I almost bought one this summer and will likely buy a Mac within the next few months...

Heeeeeeeeee,
Cornfed