[gorilla]

Just installed Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/) (a free open source linux distribution) and am very impressed. I've been a windows man all the way, purely because windows has come preloaded on all my PC's. Over the last couple of years I've been experimenting with open source software and am now a big advocate. For the home user, I don't see the point of buyng MS Office for instance when open office (http://www.openoffice.org/) will do the job just as well. Now I know there are some teething problems with linux and open office has some compatibility issues with MS office, but for general day to day use they work. The only problem I ever had with XP was that I couldn't get SP2 installed. I ended up having to reinstall windows to do fix that. That said I never expereinced a crash and was generally very happy with it. So why the change? Well, why not? I had everything backed up, I have the XP disk, so there was nothing scary about giving it ago. Will I revert back? Who knows, but I certainly doubt it.

I see there are quite a few mac users here now, just wondering how many linux users there are?

[Hands0n]

I've used a few Linux distributions and must say that the Debian-based Ubuntu is one of the best ever. Debian has a long history, and is probaby the most open of the open source being fully supported by their own community, with no commercial interests.

I am probably about to load up Ubuntu on my disused Shuttle XP box. I cannot go to it mainstream as much of my work stuff relies upon XP. But I do get totally fed up with all the security weaknesses of M$'s softwares. Not that these couldn't exist in Ubuntu-land, but the M$ virii way exceed any in Linux and MAC OSes.

So thats two of us so far :D

[mtn]

Hi,

Yeah, been using Linux for for a year and a half now - Windows free. First Suse and now Ubuntu Dapper which is fantastic. I can do everything I need to and faster I reckon and no worries about security (I hope!) which is why I changed.

The reason I stopped by here was to try and get info about hooking up my LG U880 mobile phone, the only problem being a Linux user is hardware manufactures not providing support. I guess it just means checking Linux support before buying any hardware. Only things that don't work are an old scanner and my mobile.

I know this is of topic but I have been thinking about buying a portable media player and have come across these to babies that are Linux based (and supported!). Look really sweet I reckon.

Titan Omni (http://titanglobalmedia.com/home_omni.html)
and
GP2X (http://www.gp2x.com/)

Anyway, cheers,

Mike

[maxspank]

I got my Ubuntu discs through the other day, I thought it was pretty good but, I preffered Knoppix. I don't think I'll be straying from Windows anytime soon.

[Ben]

I still find the Linux desktops a little too harsh for day to day use. They lack the rich interface design of OS X and, dare I say it, Windows, and I would imagine that this is through sheer lack of financial resources for proper research and development. Getting day to day peripherals to work, including phones, can also be a chore - though I appreciate support is growing every day.

Mac OS X is a much more mature UI, even though it hasn't been around that long relatively speaking, and still has great 'power' features like access to the Unix terminal, Apache, MySQL and Samba while also having great compatibility with many mobile phones and peripherals. It's partially open source, as far as I understand, in relation to the Darwin kernel, though I'm not fooling myself - it's less expensive than Windows but certainly more expensive than Linux.

I believe that Linux really finds its place in the server market. Talk3G's new home has already been up 56 days, and has every chance of staying up for years updates permitting. That said, I only ever reboot OS X for updates, it just never dies.

In summary though, if you can get what you need from a Linux distribution then that's certainly the way to go and you should be commended for that. If Linux can't completely fill the breach, however, then consider making your next machine a Mac.

[Hands0n]

I'm a frequent Linux "visitor" having sampled various distributions over the years. I have to say that I am a bit of a long-term fan of Debian and the latest Ubuntu is a great step in the right direction to a generic desktop replacement.

But, as Ben rightly suggests, taking on Windows [and Mac OS] is a big task that Linux simply has not been able to step up to the plate and accomplish. It makes a good try, but that is all that can be said - for the moment.

Why the qualifier? Well I do rather fancy that an alternative to the plague-ridden operating system that is Microsoft Windows is long overdue. That there will be a bit of a groundswell of opposition, led perhaps by the Mac revolution, to operating systems less prone to the constant onslaught by the [now very criminally organised] data and identity theft community. This is a real problem that is only beginning to touch on the general public's consciousness, if they even understand it at all.

I do reckon that, in time, I will eventually settle for a Linux distribution to achieve all of my Internet use (WWW, Email etc.) and Windows for the productivity tools that I cannot find a Linux alternative for. That is, if I am not persuaded to take the Mac route - something that I have resisted simply due to the cost of the highly proprietary system that is the Apple Mac.

[Yssybyl]

I must say, I tend to actually quite like windows for what it does. But considering I got a genuine copy for XP Pro and Office Pro for $25 each from the Microsoft campus last year it would be rude not to :). I also like to be able to do everything on one machine without rebooting to switch OS and windows is the only thing that does that for me. (btw, virus is the singular and plural as it means "dirt". if you must pluralise (which I can understand as it does sound a bit odd) then the more correct form is vira - sorry to be an irritating know it all ;) )

Also have to say I love Mac OS Tiger, but then I hate the Carbon IDE (compared to visual studio .net another $25 special ;) ) so only ever use the ibook for photos and watching DVDs while I'm working on a PC (bit of a waste really)

For anything non work related I use free BSD for all my personal projects (except the .net ones ;) ) - it's what's on my server and seems fine for C or PHP related projects. Why BSD? it was something that wasn't on my CV so I thought I'd have a play ;) Can't really recommend it over linux. I love Debian's installer, which is why I have gone for it in the past over other flavours...

[Ben]

Isn't Mac OS X's core also a relative of BSD? I think it's BSD distributions that are usually installable on a Mac. So you could possibly use the iBook's terminal for more of your programming projects if that's the case?

[teclo]

I've recently installed suse on my laptop since IBM, sorry Lenovo have started installing SUSE on some of the newer thinkpads. It works well, but I ended up sitting there staring at it then rebooting back into windows because thats where all my stuff is.

I really have no need for it and I may just delete the partitions to reclaim disk space.

[Yssybyl]

absolutely right, but then I lose the prettiness of Tiger or have to dual boot the ibook ;) And I'll still need a windows machine for the .net and day-job work. a PuTTy session to a remote BSD box does the trick for now. I'd recommend having a play on BSD if you're in IT- it's something different to talk about during an interview :)

[Ben]

I mean as in use the Terminal application within OS X - no dual booting, just use the command line on your Mac in exactly the same way as you would over PuTTy on your BSD server. You've used Terminal on your Mac, right?

[Yssybyl]

no :) Mac is used purely for photos/DVDs... never investigated the terminal app on it in that sense... tbh, it never occurred to me to investigate at all ... although you can't run a talker or a website from a laptop.

It is laziness on my part, but I'm looking to turn the ibook back into cash so really don't need to be given any more excuses not to sell it ;)

[3g-g]

This might as well be in French for all I've understood so far! ;)

[hecatae]

using pclinuxos, smoothest linux I've used so far

[3g-g]

Ok, so if I get hold of Ubuntu, can I dual boot it on my PC? Just how do I go about that? I'm as curious as a little cat.

[Hands0n]

When installing Ubuntu it will automatically detect existing operating systems and offer you the oportunity of using its own Partion Manager to create the Ubuntu partition/s as well as installing a new boot loader that will allow you to dual-boot your machine. You can tell it which OS to boot by default.

Blinking scary or what? :D But it really works :)

[maxspank]

I use Ubuntu on Live CD, which is cool so I don't have to go through all the hastle of partioning to be able to use xp and ubuntu.

[Hands0n]

using pclinuxos, smoothest linux I've used so far

Cor, what a nice implementation of Linux is that then? I downloaded the ISO, cut a CD and ran it in Live mode - it was very useable to anyone familiar with the Window$ paradigm.

Back to Ubuntu though .....Has anyone had any success getting it up and running with WiFi WPA-PSK security? It is a right Dogs Dinner of a config. So far I've downloaded and installed wpa_supplicant and wpa_gui to try and configure it without hacking the .conf files (which are not where they are documented to be).

Ubuntu happily comes up with unprotected WiFi - but so to do the local Netstumblers :D Not that I'd know anything about that then.

Hints and tips greatly appreciated. Full on config details and you can have both by daughters :)