Kevin's Watch

Any other Watchers using Linux? I'm running Ubuntu right now, but I've also used CentOS and Vector Linux.

I would use Linux if I had a PC. But since I have a Mac, I have OS X.

Ah, a Mac Head...so what did you think of Jobs new laptop?

It looks really cool and compact. I still need an optical drive, though.

I've run various versions of Linux over the years. I have a second pc running UBUNTU right now. I've tried Redhat to version 7. I like Linux but I've always used it as an experiment to see just how much daily functions I can get out of the OS. With open source bundles like Open Office there isn't much that Linux can't do unless we're talking about gaming or CAD (of which I do both) In those cases Linux requires help and I just don't have the knowledge needed to adapt the OS with WINE or whatever add on will give me a percentage of Windows software use. I mainly run Windows XP on my #1 pc.

Im running Ubuntu on my laptop, with both Gnome and Xfce, I like Xfce more, but navigating my way through my network in Nautilus is so much easier. As you can tell, Im quite the newbie to it, but I'm learning, I think.

There are plenty of powerPC Linux distros, MsMary. Or is your mac an intel one?

Im trying to move away from windows, and im getting there slowly, so long as WINE keeps getting better (for Adobes suite mainly). Unless windows 7 truly impresses me... but thats a long time away.

I use CentOS at work, and used to use RedHat. Why?

Shadow Strike wrote: There are plenty of powerPC Linux distros, MsMary. Or is your mac an intel one?

Nope, I have a PPC. But I am happy with OS X. Why would I need Linux? I can see wanting Linux if your other choice is Microsoft Windows or Vista, but what is the advantage to running Linux on a Mac PPC?

Ah, it sounded to me like you'd be interested but felt you couldn't, my bad.

Advantages? Couldn't say, I only used OS X when I was studying, and totally despised it, so I know little about performance increases and the like.

Then theres the 'software freedom' argument, depending on how much value you place on that.

Wayfriend wrote:I use CentOS at work, and used to use RedHat. Why?

Why was I asking? Just curious...if I'd have asked that question a few years ago the most common response I would have gotten was "What is Linux?"

Shadow Strike wrote: Advantages? Couldn't say, I only used OS X when I was studying, and totally despised it, so I know little about performance increases and the like.

Interesting, why did you despise it, exactly? I really love it.

Shadow Strike wrote:Then theres the 'software freedom' argument, depending on how much value you place on that.

There is that, and I do use a lot of open source software, now that you mention it.

Zenlunatic wrote:Ah, a Mac Head...so what did you think of Jobs new laptop?

Bah, it's gimmicky and overhyped. If you want a real ultracompact the Toshiba Dynabook SS RX is just as small and much more practical.

I tried to switch to Linux about a year ago following my Vista debacle. I used MEPIS and I found that although it did all the basic things (web browsing, open office, media player stuff) very well indeed, doing anything beyond that was near impossible. I could never get WINE to work and CEDEGA seems utterly pointless to me (why pay a subscription in order to play Windows games? Within six months I'd have spent more than the price of an OEM copy of XP). Even Linux-native apps were a pain if they weren't in the standard directories and the dozen Linux user forums I visited for help were elitist and unfriendly towards anybody who didn't know the basics of Linux.

I used Linux on my ventrilo server and I might put MEPIS on my mother's machine as her copy of Windows has been 'Genuinely Advantaged' and she doesn't really do anything beyond browsing and email. I've tried to get a pen drive Linux working, as it's a cool thing to have, but I don't see myself trying to make it my main OS again.

Nav wrote:Bah, it's gimmicky and overhyped.

Like everything Apple does?

MsMary wrote:Interesting, why did you despise it, exactly? I really love it.

You really don't want me to start on it...

Nav wrote:

Zenlunatic wrote:Ah, a Mac Head...so what did you think of Jobs new laptop?

Bah, it's gimmicky and overhyped. If you want a real ultracompact the Toshiba Dynabook SS RX is just as small and much more practical.

I tried to switch to Linux about a year ago following my Vista debacle. I used MEPIS and I found that although it did all the basic things (web browsing, open office, media player stuff) very well indeed, doing anything beyond that was near impossible. I could never get WINE to work and CEDEGA seems utterly pointless to me (why pay a subscription in order to play Windows games? Within six months I'd have spent more than the price of an OEM copy of XP). Even Linux-native apps were a pain if they weren't in the standard directories and the dozen Linux user forums I visited for help were elitist and unfriendly towards anybody who didn't know the basics of Linux.

I used Linux on my ventrilo server and I might put MEPIS on my mother's machine as her copy of Windows has been 'Genuinely Advantaged' and she doesn't really do anything beyond browsing and email. I've tried to get a pen drive Linux working, as it's a cool thing to have, but I don't see myself trying to make it my main OS again.

If you game, you probably won't be happy with Linux, there are some who would disagree with that statement, but I used to be a gamer and it's just not there yet (as in few commercial games are made for it), Like you said you have to use WINE/CEDEGA to even have a chance of running Windows games, and although WINE works WAAAAYYY better than it used to, it is easy to get frustrated with it.

If your really keen you could awlays run a virtual windows from within linux to game. I tried that so I could use adobes suite, had minimal problems, I couldn't seem to give it access to the optical drive though.. but oh well, Im sure I just missed something in the permissions. Nowadays Ive put an older version on and just run it through WINE.

However, if your going that far it does somewhat defeat the purpose of switching.