Page 1 of Linux Vs Windows.

Well Im getting a bit bored with Win 98 final edition (thank u dragon) it`s realy irritating so been looking at Linux and wonderd if its got any advantages over Windows or is it a non starter in the real world, so anyone ever used it .

Advantages: Linux is more stable, more secure (but you still need to know how to secure it and regularly patch it for holes), free software.

Disadvantages: Inferior gui, forget using 99% of your windows games and software on it, most of its free software isn`t a patch on commercial stuff out for windows.

Still, as Linux is free you can try it for nothing if you have a spare machine.

Personally I prefer BSD to Linux, with OpenBSD being my personal choice.

But then I only run unix for servers, I can`t see myself switching from windows for workstations just yet. :/

This item was edited on Friday, 22nd November 2002, 11:22

I liked the sound of giving Mr. Gates the finger and using a totally different operating system when I eventually get my own computer, so I looked into Linux. Sounds like it`s an excellent alternative for businesses and networks, but perhaps not suitable for the home user. Unless you have a great deal of technical knowledge, it would be damn hard to set up, and there`s not a lot of software out there that is equivalent to the standard Microsoft packages most of us depend on.

So, I`d love to go for it, but I know I`d just be letting myself in for a whole heap of trouble (not least from my girlfriend who would need to use it for work and would constantly berate me for not having a `normal` computer that just worked when she wanted it to!)

If you`ve got the knowledge, go for it, strike a blow for more choice in the computing world! If you don`t, make life easy for yourself and remain a Microsoft slave...

All depends really - if price is no object then "upgrade" to xp, which is (more)stable and MS stuff runs on it, you may lose compatibility with some apps and hardware.

If you want a freebie, and don`t mind losing compatibility with a lot of Windows apps then go for linux, there is also a "windows emulator" (wine)available for Linux that allows certains apps & games to run.

Linux/Unix approximately <1 error a year
Windows ~ 1 error an hour

those Stats are a few years old but my mate who loves Linux, says he heard those stats in a recent lecture.

Windows is obviously more user friendly, but it would be nice if Gates` monopoly could be destroyed.

Suggestion: Ditch your PC. Buy a Mac!

Yes! Get locked into expensive overpriced hardware, 1% of games a year after everyone else is bored with them and moved on, limited software choice, and the slowest cpu clock speeds money can buy!

LMAO!

I am enjoying reasonable success with open source software on Windows OS at the moment.

Apache, PHP, MySQL running on Win2k and Win98.

If I had a spare hard drive (which I d but I`m lazy) I`d put Linux on it.

Well the big problem is compatability, other people use the computer ie kids. Well great excuse to build the kids there own computer and as for Macs well me thinks not.

Found this linux site and they charge you £2.50 for the discs + postage on top and even give some older versions away, got to give it a try cause Windows is so bloody irritating ( god I use to love Dos 6.2 and Win 3.1}
anyway anybody intrested heres the site.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk

This item was edited on Friday, 22nd November 2002, 19:58

Ahhh, Dos.... I loved Dos, I actually had a fair idea of what the computer was doing under that.

Windows? I have no idea, it just goes off and does its own thing, reconfigures itself all the time, crashes just for fun...

Can`t wait until Linux becomes widespread enough that it`s got packages that offer a real alternative to Microsoft!