# Why Not Linux?



## Hazmat54 (Aug 10, 2010)

Well I picked up some Linux magazines with included DVD's and thought I would take it for a test drive again. I have used it in the past. I am not giving up my Mac's, but this new WIn 7 laptop seemed a good candidate for conversion. After reading some old thread here I tried Puppy Linux, which seemed a cool idea, just boot it up when you felt the urge. But Puppy Linux could not find the wireless card in the laptop. Ubuntu did not find the wireless. Linux Mint 10 was a no go also. But one magazine had a Linux Mint 11 DVD. Bingo! Found the wireless and got me on the Internet. So I did a full install. Working good so far, ok only a couple of hours. Plays my mp4 videos. Gets me on HT. I will download the gimp for picture editing and open office for document type stuff.

Why not try Linux?

Scott


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

As was pointed out on another recent thread, the newer the kernel, the more apt you will have hardware automatically recognized. Mint 11 simply had a newer kernel that had driver you needed built in. Doesnt mean you cant make it work with older kernels but wont be automagic.

And I know there are some drivers that conflict, so both cant be included at same time. If you need the non-included one, you first have to remove first one or in some way hide it so there is no conflict.

Now in case of wifi card, there is always the workaround using ndiswrapper and the windows driver.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

While I manage close to 800 Linux boxes are part of my day job, I still run windows desktops. At work there are no enterprise class application for desktops yet. For home use there are still a few apps I use that have no Linux version available.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Gary in ohio said:


> While I manage close to 800 Linux boxes are part of my day job, I still run windows desktops. At work there are no enterprise class application for desktops yet. For home use there are still a few apps I use that have no Linux version available.


That's my situation also. Linux is the only way to go for a server platform, but Windows is what I use for a personal workstation. Part of the reason is that I can support clients better using Windows, since that's what they are most likely to use. Then there are a few engineering applications I use that have no alternative for Linux.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

I agree, try running Linux as a desktop... you'll soon be back to running Windows.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

OntarioMan said:


> I agree, try running Linux as a desktop... you'll soon be back to running Windows.


I guess "soon" is relative, I havent run windows as my primary operating system since win98 at the turn of the century. I have an "n-lite" cut down version of XP on its own partition to run couple windows only programs that dont run well under WINE. I dont take XP online, dont update it, dont protect it with all the protection software. Dont much like the interface. Its just expedient to have XP to run those two programs offline and thats it.

If you expect linux or any other operating system to be an exact duplicate of windows, only free, then you will be disappointed. If you want to run some elaborate native windows program at supersonic speeds, you will be disappointed though some windows programs can be run via WINE, though from what I noticed is those that do run tend to run bit slower than they would natively under windows. Smaller, well written windows programs can run quite well via WINE. Big bloated messes using lot proprietary windows gimmicks dont run well, if at all.

However if you want a stable desktop operating system that has native programs that do simular things to what windows does, then it works fine. Linux is widely used for servers but has small percentage of desktop market. Thus nobody wastes their time writing malware to attack and infect linux desktop systems. Thus a simple firewall is about all you need. No virus software, no virus software updates. No constant security hole plugs/updates.

Expect it to be its own unique operating system and not a cheap windows clone and you will be happy. Out of the box a good linux desktop distribution will seem very simular to windows and will do normal household computing tasks with its built in native software pretty intuitively, takes some learning if you want get down and dirty under the hood, as it does things in a different way. Many average people not wanting to think too much about operating systems or hardware drivers or software, get frustrated cause it wont automagically run their favorite windows programs. ITS A DIFFERENT OPERATING SYSTEM and ITS NOT WINDOWS. If you are used to windows and ONLY want windows, BUY windows, dont expect linux or mac or any other operating system to be a free/cheap windows clone. They may accomplish same goals but arent going to do it just like windows and you need to realize that up front.


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