1) Whether you consider Linux better or worse compared to Windows is a thing only you can decide for yourself! All I will say about the matter is: there are lots of satisfied Linux-users out there; and their number is steadily growing! The most popular distributions (i.e. different flavours of Linux; think of them as different products having a lot in common) are listed on "http://distrowatch.com/". There you can also find very useful information and reviews.
2) In fact, the fact that most of the programs are open-source is one of Linux's strong points. When the source-code to a program is open then everyone can run through it and examine it, so it is rather difficult for a developer to implement a hidden function e.g. to spy out sensible information. Furthermore, if the source-code is open known bugs can be addressed faster by developers. So concerning security rather the opposite of your statement applies! Think of this: there is no possibility for you to make out how a specific closed-source program functions because only the developer knows that! That a program's code is accessible by everyone does NOT AT ALL imply that the data you create with this program is accessible by everyone!!! That's a misunderstanding!
3) Anybody can use Linux, if he/she is willing to learn (and doesn't expect Linux to behave like Windows).
4) Yes, essentially everyone can create his or her own personal flavour of Linux. But that doesn't mean that there are no updates! All the major and lots of the minor distros out there provide updates - and that in more convenient and faster ways compared to Windows (see also 2 above).
5) First of all I quote from your post: "Would you recommend it to your fiends?" I'm sure you meant "f-R-iends", right? ;-) No offence, I'm sure in my post are spelling errors, too. It's just that it's funny... OK, back to your question: I would recommend it to anyone, except to my fiends!!! :-)
6) Most of the distros come with Firefox preinstalled. OpenOffice.org is the equivalent of MS Office. I can assure you, there are Linux-equivalents for almost every Windows-program.
One final remark: If you just want to give Linux a try, then download one of the many LiveCDs (have a look at "http://distrowatch.com/"; see point 1 above) with which you can boot from CD and test the desired system without changing anything on your harddisk.
I would recommend that you download or order a CD with Ubuntu on it and try it out for yourself. You can burn a CD with the Ubuntu OS on it and boot to the CD drive when you restart your computer. If the computer is set to boot to the CD (it should be as this is fairly standard now) it will load Ubuntu and you can check out the features
without changing your current operating system. The live CD won't change anything. All you have to do is shutdown from within Ubuntu and eject the CD. Your computer will boot to your previous OS.
The live CD loads the whole OS into your RAM and clears it out when you reboot (simplifed example). It won't be nearly as snappy as if it were installed to your hard drive and you won't be able to do everything with it, but at least you'll be able to see the GUI and interact with it - risk free.
I was never much of a fan of linux because of it's steep learning curve, but I've been using Ubuntu for over a year now and I really enjoy it. Some die hard linux fans my dislike Ubuntu or compare it to decaf coffee, but if it weren't for it's relative ease of use, I would have never started using linux.
>>* Would browsers such as Firefox and IE work with Linux? What about other software from devices such as printers as well as utility software such as Office, iTunes and so on?
Ubuntu comes with Firefox installed, but there is some minor tweaking to install IE, but it is possible. (why would you want IE anyway... :p)
You can try Open Office on your current machine and even install it to a USB drive (portableapps.com) to try it out. Open Office works very nicely. I use it to convert word docs to PDFs.
You may have some issues with printers depending on your model; multifunction printers are sometimes hard to get working, but your basic inkjets, lasers, bubblejets and line printers work mostly out of the box.
As far as I know, Itunes does not work in Ubuntu; however, there are many free programs that will provide the same functionality as Itunes - but without the DRM. (And why would you want that anyway??) You can sync your Ipod and organize, play, etc your DRM free songs. You can't play any of your DRM songs in Ubuntu. If you don't have DRM'd music, you're good.
1. Linux is unique in terms of its origin -- it started out in a person's quest to make a Unix clone. It got this big because of the community that hopped on board. It is better because it is built for a multiuser, networked environment and built with security in mind. What keeps it from showing its true colors is the Microsoft-entrenched culture and DRM (Digital Restrictions Management).
2. It is indeed true that the code is open for public viewing. It is also open to public scrutiny. It is next to impossible to submit a malicious patch into a program because it needs to head "upstream" for other developers to see and approve. Additionally, developers fix bugs no matter how trivial they are, hence closing even more doors to malicious hackers.
3. It is recommended to have some help available when installing Linux; but the community is very much up to the task. In any case, once it's up and running, you merely need to keep it updated to keep it running well.
4. It is correct that not one particular person owns Linux (or other open-source projects). However, you still need to update to take advantage for security fixes, bugfixes, and new features.
5. I recommend Linux to people with extreme caution. Anybody interested in switching to Linux will get a consultation where I go through their hardware and what they do with their computers. This way, I will not have any unhappy converts.
6. As far as programs go, there is a native version of Firefox. However, there is no iTunes for Linux (which should not be a problem if you don't buy music from iTunes anyway) or Office. Nevertheless, there are open-source equivalents (reference: http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Alternatives). As far as printer support goes, you could check here: http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting
Learning Linux is a very worthwhile learning experience. I would recommend dual-booting to start off. Make use of the community to help you get started.
Hello everyone!
Thank you for taking the time out to reply to my questions. I just wanted to quickly say thanks. I'll write more later.
floba:
You're right!!! I totally misspelled!!! I use Firefox and it lets me know when I make a spelling mistake and I always check spelling before I submit anything, but, I guess I wrote the correct spelling of a different word than what I had intended...... oh dear... Could not believe I actually wrote that! Thanks for pointing it out.
Well, for one thing you cannot deny that Linux far surpasses Windows is security. Viruses and spyware are designed to run on Windows and just don't work on Linux. Open code means no-one can plant pernicious code in an application, because someone will see it and alert the rest of the community. The same cannot be said of proprietary software. How would you know what kind of data Mr. Gates (or anyone else?) is collecting off your computer?
Personally, I got tired of having my windows-running machine basically exist in order to run Norton or AVG. So I partitioned the disk and played around with some Linux distros, mostly Ubuntu. Here's what I noticed over the past 2 weeks:
Ubuntu is much faster than windows on the same machine
more customizable/user friendly
wide array of quality software available - *free of charge*
more human computing...much better than calling tech support
This does not mean that all the software you are used to will run on Linux...that is part of the price of changing over. But there is a Linux equivalent (which is often better) for just about anything you can think of. And these programs receive a lot more attention from their developers...updates come out very frequently as development continues. Everything keeps getting better.
Still, my wife doesn't want me to remove Windows because she uses Photoshop and isn't willing to switch to the Linux equivalent, GIMP. Maybe it's the name? So in the name of domestic harmony, I did the right thing, and ordered by very own Dell laptop to run Linux on.
There are a few compatibility issues that might keep you with Windows. And it isn't either/or. The machine I'm on right now runs Windows and Ubuntu. But if you're buying a new machine in order to move to Vista, you should really consider Linux.
Message Edited by UbuntuMensch on 08-21-2007 08:27 AM
I have been using Linux for years. I have a web server running Slackware and my D620 dual boots XP and Ubuntu. What open source means is that the source code used to build the system is freely available to anyone who wants it. This really only means anything to you if you're a developer and you intend to make changes to the way Linux works internally. Say for example, you want to write your own driver for your NIC card.
The fact that Linux is open source should not in the least worry you from a security aspect. Ubuntu Linux ships with zero open ports, which makes it as secure as it gets and virtually eliminates the need for a firewall. Windows and MAC (which is actually Unix) both ship with about a half-dozen open ports.
Almost all Linux distros ship with a compiler. Ubuntu does not. It's easy enough to install though, and again this only means anything to you if you write programs. You can download a free compiler for your Windows computer as well, but this is a relatively new offering from Microsoft. It's called Visual Studio express, and it works OK, but falls short of the functionality of Visual Studio 2005.
There is a lot of software available for Linux, but you cannot get it at Best Buy or Circuit City. (yet) The software available from the Ubuntu community generally works quite well and is easy to install. The software for Linux that is not available through Ubuntu is a solid gold pain in the neck to install and run. (xrdp for example).
If you're just using your computer for email and internet, Linux is definitely a fun and viable option. If you're a network administrator, Linux is a Godsend and you're an idiot if you don't at least try it out. If you're an office worker/administrator, embrace linux slowly and cautiously. You might be using several applications that are strictly Windows. (Timberline accounting software for example). If you're a developer, you will love every minute of Linux and lament that nobody can run the software you write on it because they are all using Windows.
I hope this helps.
Message Edited by yawningdog on 08-23-2007 07:39 AM
Hi there,
Thank you all for taking the time out to reply to my post. I've been doing some reading online about Linux and Ubuntu. There's so much to absorb and to be quite honest, I'm rather overwhelmed right now with all the information that I've read so far. Upon reading various sites, what I understand right now about Linux is that it's primarily targeting people who have some basic knowledge about computer language. It seems that at this stage, it's not like Windows for example, where anyone who is really illiterate about computers can just use it. I think you would really have to be willing to invest time and energy and also interest in learning about computers, or it would be just simply frustrating. Hopefully as Linux becomes more and more popular, it will reach a stage where complete computer novices can use without much hassle.
Having said that, I'm willing to learn more about Linux, and in particular about Ubuntu. I was wondering, why is this particular distribution so popular? What makes it "better" or popular than other distributions out there?
Stop reading articles and stop asking questions. Download the CD, burn it and boot it. It's dead simple, it won't change a single byte on your hard drive (it's a bootable live CD) and everything you want to know will be before your very eyes. If you don't like it, reboot and take out the CD and throw it away and you are back where you started, except that now you are qualified to form your own opinion.
yawningdog,
If you don't want to answer my questions, then please don't. You could have just left my post alone and moved on to something else. I have my own reasons for wanting to know more about something which I know nothing about, and which I'm willing to learn. I don't feel the need to explain myself to you, but FYI, I requested the Ubuntu CDs over the weekend, and if I recall, it's going to take at least 10 weeks to get to me. Now what is wrong with simply wanting to know more in the mean time, and getting to know others on this forum who knows a lot more than me and who seem to have a passion for this OS. Even if I were to have the CD in my hand right now, I wouldn't know what to look for and really learn more about it without reading up on it as well. You may have your own way of learning, and/or that you are fortunate enough to know more about computers than most other people, but that is you, and this forum isn't about you.
Calla
Message Edited by Calla Lily on 08-27-2007 01:39 PM
Hey Calla, I'm in the same exact spot you are. I'm a 2nd year computer science major taking a C & Unix class that turned me on to Linux and Ubuntu. I ran the Live CD for the first time today and it was a little scary and pretty cool. I'm not very comfortable with the command prompt idea yet but am slowly working with it. Its hard to step out of the comfort zone because its NOT windows and you have to figure things out on your own but I think it will be worth it. Let us know how you like it once you get your cd.
Hi HopeforChaos,
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I've never taken any course on computers but I've always been interested in computers. So now I'm beginning to learn about Linux bit by bit. How did your first experience with the Live CD go? I did not know that you have to use the command prompt. I can't wait for my CD to arrive. Last I checked, it said that it shipped this past Monday, so another 9 more weeks to go, unless it comes earlier.
Was it easy to run the Live CD or did you encounter some problems? Also, I don't know if you requested the CD from Shipit on the Ubuntu website, but do you know if that is a Live CD as well as an installation CD? I requested the CD because that was the only alternative for me to get a hold of anything related to Ubuntu. But I wasn't too sure if it was a Live CD. I was hoping that maybe once I get the CD I will find out if it is indeed a Live CD, but thought I'd ask in case you had this information.
I'm by no means an expert in Linux, but I have been using it for several years on my home PC. I have used Mandrake distro, but now use Suse. Each distro is a little different in what software is bundled together. The ones that I have used have had their own "control Panel" software to configure things. I have not used Ubuntu, but hear it is very user friendly, and it seems to be the popular one right now.
The thing I like the most about Linux is I can do what I do most often..... surf the web, email, some office docs (open office), balance my checkbook (GNUCash), etc and it is secure and stable. I previously ran Windows and got so sick of rebooting all the time, having viruses, and spyware cluttering everything up. Hopefully you find the live trial interesting. Have fun.
Hey Calla, I ran the live cd on my inspiron 1720 and after 3 burns (I downloaded and burnt the iso to a cd) I figured out the graphics card isn't supported off the bat which was why I was getting problems. Fixing them wasn't too hard I just had to do some forum searching over at Ubuntu. I'm pretty sure the cd is both an install and a live cd. You actually install Ubuntu from the Linux desktop so you have to run the cd to get there. I was a little nervous using it for the first time. I'm not gonna lie. I was and am still scared I might mess something up but overall the community is very knowledgeable and have experienced just about every problem you could run into. I would just check for info on the pc you plan to run it on to see if there are any extra steps to get it running so you can get comfortable with those.
floba
54 Posts
0
August 20th, 2007 12:00
I will address some of your questions in turn.
1) Whether you consider Linux better or worse compared to Windows is a thing only you can decide for yourself! All I will say about the matter is: there are lots of satisfied Linux-users out there; and their number is steadily growing! The most popular distributions (i.e. different flavours of Linux; think of them as different products having a lot in common) are listed on "http://distrowatch.com/". There you can also find very useful information and reviews.
2) In fact, the fact that most of the programs are open-source is one of Linux's strong points. When the source-code to a program is open then everyone can run through it and examine it, so it is rather difficult for a developer to implement a hidden function e.g. to spy out sensible information. Furthermore, if the source-code is open known bugs can be addressed faster by developers. So concerning security rather the opposite of your statement applies! Think of this: there is no possibility for you to make out how a specific closed-source program functions because only the developer knows that! That a program's code is accessible by everyone does NOT AT ALL imply that the data you create with this program is accessible by everyone!!! That's a misunderstanding!
3) Anybody can use Linux, if he/she is willing to learn (and doesn't expect Linux to behave like Windows).
4) Yes, essentially everyone can create his or her own personal flavour of Linux. But that doesn't mean that there are no updates! All the major and lots of the minor distros out there provide updates - and that in more convenient and faster ways compared to Windows (see also 2 above).
5) First of all I quote from your post: "Would you recommend it to your fiends?" I'm sure you meant "f-R-iends", right? ;-) No offence, I'm sure in my post are spelling errors, too. It's just that it's funny... OK, back to your question: I would recommend it to anyone, except to my fiends!!! :-)
6) Most of the distros come with Firefox preinstalled. OpenOffice.org is the equivalent of MS Office. I can assure you, there are Linux-equivalents for almost every Windows-program.
One final remark: If you just want to give Linux a try, then download one of the many LiveCDs (have a look at "http://distrowatch.com/"; see point 1 above) with which you can boot from CD and test the desired system without changing anything on your harddisk.
floba
DE11DO
4 Posts
0
August 20th, 2007 13:00
dasunst3r
80 Posts
0
August 20th, 2007 19:00
1. Linux is unique in terms of its origin -- it started out in a person's quest to make a Unix clone. It got this big because of the community that hopped on board. It is better because it is built for a multiuser, networked environment and built with security in mind. What keeps it from showing its true colors is the Microsoft-entrenched culture and DRM (Digital Restrictions Management).
2. It is indeed true that the code is open for public viewing. It is also open to public scrutiny. It is next to impossible to submit a malicious patch into a program because it needs to head "upstream" for other developers to see and approve. Additionally, developers fix bugs no matter how trivial they are, hence closing even more doors to malicious hackers.
3. It is recommended to have some help available when installing Linux; but the community is very much up to the task. In any case, once it's up and running, you merely need to keep it updated to keep it running well.
4. It is correct that not one particular person owns Linux (or other open-source projects). However, you still need to update to take advantage for security fixes, bugfixes, and new features.
5. I recommend Linux to people with extreme caution. Anybody interested in switching to Linux will get a consultation where I go through their hardware and what they do with their computers. This way, I will not have any unhappy converts.
6. As far as programs go, there is a native version of Firefox. However, there is no iTunes for Linux (which should not be a problem if you don't buy music from iTunes anyway) or Office. Nevertheless, there are open-source equivalents (reference: http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Alternatives). As far as printer support goes, you could check here: http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting
Learning Linux is a very worthwhile learning experience. I would recommend dual-booting to start off. Make use of the community to help you get started.
Calla Lily
2 Intern
•
243 Posts
0
August 20th, 2007 23:00
Thank you for taking the time out to reply to my questions. I just wanted to quickly say thanks. I'll write more later.
floba:
You're right!!! I totally misspelled!!! I use Firefox and it lets me know when I make a spelling mistake and I always check spelling before I submit anything, but, I guess I wrote the correct spelling of a different word than what I had intended...... oh dear... Could not believe I actually wrote that! Thanks for pointing it out.
Calla
UbuntuMensch
2 Posts
0
August 21st, 2007 12:00
Personally, I got tired of having my windows-running machine basically exist in order to run Norton or AVG. So I partitioned the disk and played around with some Linux distros, mostly Ubuntu. Here's what I noticed over the past 2 weeks:
Ubuntu is much faster than windows on the same machine
more customizable/user friendly
wide array of quality software available - *free of charge*
more human computing...much better than calling tech support
This does not mean that all the software you are used to will run on Linux...that is part of the price of changing over. But there is a Linux equivalent (which is often better) for just about anything you can think of. And these programs receive a lot more attention from their developers...updates come out very frequently as development continues. Everything keeps getting better.
Still, my wife doesn't want me to remove Windows because she uses Photoshop and isn't willing to switch to the Linux equivalent, GIMP. Maybe it's the name? So in the name of domestic harmony, I did the right thing, and ordered by very own Dell laptop to run Linux on.
There are a few compatibility issues that might keep you with Windows. And it isn't either/or. The machine I'm on right now runs Windows and Ubuntu. But if you're buying a new machine in order to move to Vista, you should really consider Linux.
Message Edited by UbuntuMensch on 08-21-2007 08:27 AM
yawningdog
3 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2007 11:00
The fact that Linux is open source should not in the least worry you from a security aspect. Ubuntu Linux ships with zero open ports, which makes it as secure as it gets and virtually eliminates the need for a firewall. Windows and MAC (which is actually Unix) both ship with about a half-dozen open ports.
Almost all Linux distros ship with a compiler. Ubuntu does not. It's easy enough to install though, and again this only means anything to you if you write programs. You can download a free compiler for your Windows computer as well, but this is a relatively new offering from Microsoft. It's called Visual Studio express, and it works OK, but falls short of the functionality of Visual Studio 2005.
There is a lot of software available for Linux, but you cannot get it at Best Buy or Circuit City. (yet) The software available from the Ubuntu community generally works quite well and is easy to install. The software for Linux that is not available through Ubuntu is a solid gold pain in the neck to install and run. (xrdp for example).
If you're just using your computer for email and internet, Linux is definitely a fun and viable option. If you're a network administrator, Linux is a Godsend and you're an idiot if you don't at least try it out. If you're an office worker/administrator, embrace linux slowly and cautiously. You might be using several applications that are strictly Windows. (Timberline accounting software for example). If you're a developer, you will love every minute of Linux and lament that nobody can run the software you write on it because they are all using Windows.
I hope this helps.
Message Edited by yawningdog on 08-23-2007 07:39 AM
Calla Lily
2 Intern
•
243 Posts
0
August 26th, 2007 09:00
Thank you all for taking the time out to reply to my post. I've been doing some reading online about Linux and Ubuntu. There's so much to absorb and to be quite honest, I'm rather overwhelmed right now with all the information that I've read so far. Upon reading various sites, what I understand right now about Linux is that it's primarily targeting people who have some basic knowledge about computer language. It seems that at this stage, it's not like Windows for example, where anyone who is really illiterate about computers can just use it. I think you would really have to be willing to invest time and energy and also interest in learning about computers, or it would be just simply frustrating. Hopefully as Linux becomes more and more popular, it will reach a stage where complete computer novices can use without much hassle.
Having said that, I'm willing to learn more about Linux, and in particular about Ubuntu. I was wondering, why is this particular distribution so popular? What makes it "better" or popular than other distributions out there?
Thanks for any input in advance.
Calla
yawningdog
3 Posts
0
August 27th, 2007 12:00
DE11DO
4 Posts
0
August 27th, 2007 19:00
Calla Lily
2 Intern
•
243 Posts
0
August 27th, 2007 19:00
If you don't want to answer my questions, then please don't. You could have just left my post alone and moved on to something else. I have my own reasons for wanting to know more about something which I know nothing about, and which I'm willing to learn. I don't feel the need to explain myself to you, but FYI, I requested the Ubuntu CDs over the weekend, and if I recall, it's going to take at least 10 weeks to get to me. Now what is wrong with simply wanting to know more in the mean time, and getting to know others on this forum who knows a lot more than me and who seem to have a passion for this OS. Even if I were to have the CD in my hand right now, I wouldn't know what to look for and really learn more about it without reading up on it as well. You may have your own way of learning, and/or that you are fortunate enough to know more about computers than most other people, but that is you, and this forum isn't about you.
Calla
Message Edited by Calla Lily on 08-27-2007 01:39 PM
Calla Lily
2 Intern
•
243 Posts
0
August 27th, 2007 21:00
Calla
Message Edited by Calla Lily on 08-27-2007 04:09 PM
HopeforChaos
5 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2007 02:00
Calla Lily
2 Intern
•
243 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2007 06:00
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I've never taken any course on computers but I've always been interested in computers. So now I'm beginning to learn about Linux bit by bit. How did your first experience with the Live CD go? I did not know that you have to use the command prompt. I can't wait for my CD to arrive. Last I checked, it said that it shipped this past Monday, so another 9 more weeks to go, unless it comes earlier.
Was it easy to run the Live CD or did you encounter some problems? Also, I don't know if you requested the CD from Shipit on the Ubuntu website, but do you know if that is a Live CD as well as an installation CD? I requested the CD because that was the only alternative for me to get a hold of anything related to Ubuntu. But I wasn't too sure if it was a Live CD. I was hoping that maybe once I get the CD I will find out if it is indeed a Live CD, but thought I'd ask in case you had this information.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by.
Calla
clutton
2 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2007 07:00
I'm by no means an expert in Linux, but I have been using it for several years on my home PC. I have used Mandrake distro, but now use Suse. Each distro is a little different in what software is bundled together. The ones that I have used have had their own "control Panel" software to configure things. I have not used Ubuntu, but hear it is very user friendly, and it seems to be the popular one right now.
The thing I like the most about Linux is I can do what I do most often..... surf the web, email, some office docs (open office), balance my checkbook (GNUCash), etc and it is secure and stable. I previously ran Windows and got so sick of rebooting all the time, having viruses, and spyware cluttering everything up. Hopefully you find the live trial interesting. Have fun.
HopeforChaos
5 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2007 14:00