What do you use Linux for?

piggeh

I now have a dual booted system with Ubuntu 8 on one partition and Vista on t'other. Obviously, I am aware that Linux can do what Windows can do (only more secure, free, etc).. ie I am aware it has openoffice, firefox, wine, etc, so is very similar.

However, what additional stuff can Linux do that Windows cant (or which is more complex in windows)? As mine are dualbooted, and Vista has Office 2007 installed, Photoshop, etc, what are the things that you use Linux for, that you cannot really do on windows? I guess stuff like scripting maybe. Just want to know the possibilities and how people use theirs.

esuhl

I keep intending to learn stuff like PHP, Apache, MySQL, etc.... but something else always comes up! Other than that (and the odd bit of surfing), I just play around with it to see if I can get stuff working in it. I sort of set myself a challenge when I get bored!

I installed Nautilus and Dropbox recently, set up WINE for the first time so I could use Spotify, and then wondered if it would be possible to install something more complex, like Trackmania. I got it running with a bit of tweaking (although without network access or sound).

I also configured xorg.conf and compiled some source code to get all 11 buttons on my mouse working...

So... in other words, nothing remotely useful that I couldn't do in Windows!!!

Cranky

I use live cd's when windows goes up the creek to rescue data.

Puppy linux is great on lower spec machines.

cowbutt

I've used Linux almost exclusively (except for gaming, essentially) since 1995. Since about 2002, I'd be able to do pretty much everything I wanted on Windows instead (i.e. with the porting of much Free and Open Source Software, including Cygwin), but Linux is easier for me to wrangle and keep working. Also, UNIX native scripting environments such as bash are easier to work with than Windows equivalents like the cmd shell and VBscript.

The most liberating thing is just to be able to grab pretty much any piece of software you need, and keep it up-to-date, in the same way (i.e. using yum or apt, or a graphic frontend to one of those two).

piggeh

esuhl wrote: »

I keep intending to learn stuff like PHP, Apache, MySQL, etc.... but something else always comes up! Other than that (and the odd bit of surfing), I just play around with it to see if I can get stuff working in it. I sort of set myself a challenge when I get bored!

I've been studying them recently (until the object oriented stuff has slightly baffled me and having difficulty finishing the chapter).

PeterPerfect

With both Windows and Linux platforms you can have a server and workstation environment. In most cases everyday users will have a workstation type environment running word processors etc (Windows XP). A server running a Windows server (2008 for instance) is very expensive, compared to Linux. Both can run as web/database severs, print servers, mail servers. This is great for a small network configurations where you have say have a linux print server to deal with requests for printing over the network. This is where the real difference is.

old_codger1

cowbutt wrote: »

I've used Linux almost exclusively (except for gaming, essentially) since 1995. Since about 2002, I'd be able to do pretty much everything I wanted on Windows instead (i.e. with the porting of much Free and Open Source Software, including Cygwin), but Linux is easier for me to wrangle and keep working.

Yeah, that's very similar to me. I started with SCO Xenix originally back in the mid 80's, then SCO Unix and and started fiddling with linux about the mid 90's, like yourself.

I use it for almost everything now, running virtualbox with Windows XP for some odd stuff, (like accounts or a genealogy prog the wife prefers), where the packages aren't easily available or where a particular trade requires it. The virtualbox that you get free with ubuntu doesn't support USB so that would be a problem I suppose but I use my scanner and printer through linux anyway so it's not really problem.

I also play games, particularly 'Enemy Territory' and 'Nexuix' where there are linux versions available.

I've even got my parents, now in their 80's, running Ubuntu 8.10 on an Acer laptop with encrypted wireless connection. They use it to order their groceries from Tescos or Sainsburys.

Certainly for everyday use for most people it is, IMHO, easier to use because it's much more resistant to viruses, worms and other assorted malware.

piggeh

old_codger1 wrote: »

Yeah, that's very similar to me. I started with SCO Xenix originally back in the mid 80's, then SCO Unix and and started fiddling with linux about the mid 90's, like yourself.

I use it for almost everything now, running virtualbox with Windows XP for some odd stuff, (like accounts or a genealogy prog the wife prefers), where the packages aren't easily available or where a particular trade requires it. The virtualbox that you get free with ubuntu doesn't support USB so that would be a problem I suppose but I use my scanner and printer through linux anyway so it's not really problem.

I also play games, particularly 'Enemy Territory' and 'Nexuix' where there are linux versions available.

I've even got my parents, now in their 80's, running Ubuntu 8.10 on an Acer laptop with encrypted wireless connection. They use it to order their groceries from Tescos or Sainsburys.

Certainly for everyday use for most people it is, IMHO, easier to use because it's much more resistant to viruses, worms and other assorted malware.

F3 to F4

For general everyday use, I find windows useful, simply because I can go onto steam and play a few games which arent 100% compatible under wine (or where there's no linux versions). ET is a great game by the way, might have to install that in Ubuntu

I guess really with this thread, I'm looking at some things to try out on Linux aside from all the usual word processing, surfing the net, etc. I thought of maybe doing a bot for irc, but unsure what else to try! Could do with some inspiration

With regards to web development my tendency at the moment is to use a portable apps version of WAMP so I can develop wherever I am (at work or at home).

old_codger1

I suppose it depends on what interests you have. I tend to use things like Zenmap and Nessus quite a bit, (for work, mainly), but I also use transmission torrenting and the normal WP, Spreadsheet stuff and so on. I use Gramps for my genealogy data, (I've got family details going back to about 1700:)), and IRC.

old_codger1

piggeh wrote: »

With regards to web development my tendency at the moment is to use a portable apps version of WAMP so I can develop wherever I am (at work or at home).

Have you had a look at...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAMP_(software_bundle)

piggeh

old_codger1 wrote: »

I suppose it depends on what interests you have. I tend to use things like Zenmap and Nessus quite a bit, (for work, mainly), but I also use transmission torrenting and the normal WP, Spreadsheet stuff and so on. I use Gramps for my genealogy data, (I've got family details going back to about 1700:)), and IRC.

Trying to learn web development at the moment, so I guess, anything that ties nicely into that. Interested in how it can be used for cross platform/cross communication purposes (for example making stuff accessible in IRC thats on your website, allowing easy updating from phones etc, to allow a more immersive experience). One of the reasons I installed was because I figure this will be easier on linux than windows, so I need to look into how IRC communicates with web servers etc (I'd imagine you would just sent GET requests through the shell fwiw, and deal with what comes back). However it's all a bit medium/long term because I'm only about 30-odd hours through on the studying side.

In the meanwhile I'm trying to get some inspiration as to what would be fun to play around with on Linux to get to grips with the system and command lines etc. It's easier if it's something interesting. Working out how to install network drivers through ndiswrapper is not AS interesting although gave me a bit of an intro Obviously people have different ideas on what's interesting, but it's interesting to know what others use on here all the same.