Eric the Red

I'm looking into installing linux using a dual boot sequence with windows xp. I just don't know if it’s worth the work.

Give someone give me what they think makes either operating systems worse or superior?

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Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.

tempest

Well, Linux would require you to search things where people have already had the same problem, question, etc. Think you could do that?

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Eric the Red

I'm not asking for help. Please re-read what I wrote previously.

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Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.

King

Linux is not for everyone. Both Windows and Linux have their strengths and weaknesses. Is it worth it to try Linux, YES, you will never know if you like it unless you try it. Linux is not as user friendly, and some things can be a pain in the ass to set-up, but that’s mainly because you’re not use to it yet. If you plan on going into programming for a profession, or even a lot of other computer related job, there is a good possibility you will come across Linux or UNIX system, so knowing you way around it would be beneficial. I would suggest text computer to try your first install of Linux, that way you won’t break your windows if you’re going for a dual boot and you screw up… but then again, breaking things is how you learn lol.

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I am Addicted to Linux!

Jimbo

Windows: better games, more software you can buy, and simple interface. Wider driver support built in/available.

Linux: (arguably) more stable, (arguably) more secure, less software (almost all of it is free though), more hands-on to get up and running. Sometimes you'll have initial hardware problems too. Then again, it's good to get to know Linux, especially if you're considering working in the computer field.

If you're new to Linux, Ubuntu seems to be a pretty popular distro, and Fedora Core as well. They both take a good bit of the hassle out of the install process. Gentoo requires a lot more hands-on, and is source-based, so you have to compile just about everything and that takes quite a while to install stuff, but has an excellent forum for support. And there's many other distros, but those are the ones I've dealt with the most.

I use both myself (this is one of the rare days when my laptop has Windows running instead of Gentoo). My school actually requires us to use Linux a little bit, too.

b1g4L

Try using Ubuntu Live to see if you like it. It boots from the CD and won't alter your Windows / bootsector at all. You can order the CD for free from their website.

King

Yep, that will work too. I would suggest PCLinuxOS or KNOPPIX for a good Live CD. You can get them free off their websites.

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I am Addicted to Linux!

ReggaetonKing

I have Ubuntu fully installed on one of my HDs. Ubuntu is really nice and the forum support is great. It's "Add/Remove Software" is very easy to use and a program called "Automatix" is a text based package installer. Ubuntu uses .deb packages but you can convert them from .rpm (Red Hat's Packages") using "Alien". I have learned a lot about computer more while using Linux then using Windows. It can be a pain in the ass sometimes to do things but the "day to day" tasks are simple while the other tasks can be very different than how you would do it on Windows.

I program mostly in Ubuntu using either "Eclipse IDE" for Java ,"SciTE" for Perl, and "Anjuta IDE" for C and C++. Those IDEs are really good. I think it was worth me trying out Linux and going throught hard times trying to get my "Wireless Network Card" to work (search the forums to find me crying about it). Only thing keeping me away from fully using Linux on my computer is "Dreamweaver 8, Fireworks 8, and Flash 8 Pro." I can not live without those programs and I use to them my web clients that I have. Linux does not have good Web Editors similar to "DW 8". I hate "Bluefish and Nvu" lol. I heard there is a program that can creat Flash documents but nothing is better than the original.

My thought on Linux is this...It's very advanced depending on what you would like to do. It's basically re-teaching yourself on how to use a computer. If I grew up with Linux instead of Windows. Windows would be the OS that is hard rather than being use to something that someone using everyday. I hate Windows XP. I heard though Vista is really really good and it's better than Linux. I think one day Linux will top all the OSs. Only real problem I see with Linux is that it doesn't have a standard like "Windows".

I read that they are trying to make a Linux standard but Linux has too many distros for make that work. "Ubuntu" is my favorite distribution followed by "SUSE 10" and in 3rd, "Fedora Core". Try it and you'll love it. http://www.ubuntu.com/download

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I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code!

andro

"Interesting "View"" "you" have there "reaggeton" ""

Jimbo

Linux doesn't have a "standard" like Windows because its not released by only one entity. Windows is a "proprietary" software, and you have to "pay" for it. Linux on the other hand is open source and "free." And IMHO if you were "raised" on Linux and moved to Windows, you'd find Windows to be a window manager with very little customizability and only simulated access to the command line. And the command line is one of the great parts of Linux. :p

By the way, if you want a "good" editor in Linux, I got 3 letters for ya: Vim. Handles just about any language you can think of, actually. Then again, it's a little bit "lacking" if you're hooked on an IDE. And it doesnt have a WYSIWYG, but those usually suck anyways. IIRC, Quanta was a "decent" alternative though... point being, there's lot of software out there, even if you don't get the expensive brand names (then again, why pay for something if you can get it for free - and legally).