Linux v windows

Mr_Toad

I spent most of my 40 years at work using Unix then Linux so I have picked up a few skills along the way.

Years ago it was pain to use unless you knew what you were doing, I certainly don't miss compiling my own kernal.

In recent years Linux has become just like Windows, install it and use it, especially with distros like Mint/Ubuntu etc.

I stopped using Windows simply because I know Linux better, I still have one machine that dual boots to Windows 10 so I can provide at least some support to friends and family who still use it.

I rather like Windows so have no axe to grind in that dept.

My daily use machine is a iMac desktop or Macbook Pro laptop, the Mac OS is only Linux in a party frock.

I have converted several people from Widows to Linux over the last few years rather than them buy a new machine. For the most part these people only do basic stuff, email, browsing, on-line shopping etc. plus the usual word processing and spreadsheets.

Those that do photo editing or video work are also using Linux. No, their old software doesn't work but there are free and perfectly good alternates available that they had to get to know. Just pause to think how many queries we get on here from people wanting to do something or other but want a free program to do it. That's the whole Linux ethos, programs are free, they may not look as polished as the paid for Windows version but they get the job done.

There was only one person who simply refused to give the alternates long enough to get to know them before declaring them total rubbish and nothing like Photoshop who had to go back to Windows.

I don't believe in the my OS is better than your OS arguments that people get into. I do believe in trying something out and then deciding if it will do the job.

As others have said you can run a live distro from a USB stick or dual boot without removing Windows.

Find what works for you, if that is Windows then fair enough.

psychic_teabag

Gloomendoom wrote: »

This my problem. I keep hearing how wonderful Linux is but when you delve deeper, it turns out to be pretty useless if you want to run proprietary CAD or photo editing tools.

I installed Mint on my Mum's laptop but had to replace it with Win 10 because even some of the software she uses wouldn't run on Mint.

Maybe linux users have more of an expectation that all the software will be free, and so there is a relucantance for commercial companies to actually invest the time in porting their software to linux. Also, of course, there is the issue of the much smaller user base, so it's catch-22. (Years ago, there were some porting toolkits to help people could port their windows software to linux, but they were rather bloated. I remember our company upgraded from version 2 to version 3 of some package or other, and the linux version went from quite nimble to horrendously huge and slow, and it was obvious that they'd just used one of these toolkit things. They could continue to quote linux and solaris as supported platforms on their advertising, but ...)

Some of the free application alternatives that are cited for linux are also available on windows, so you could try out things like libre-office, gimp, etc. on windows to see how you get on. If you can't bear them, you might not find linux a useful replacement.

Andy_L

psychic_teabag wrote: »

Maybe linux users have more of an expectation that all the software will be free, and so there is a relucantance for commercial companies to actually invest the time in porting their software to linux.

I suspect that if you're going to spend a grand on, say, Autocad, then the price of a copy of windows is trivial

psychic_teabag

Andy_L wrote: »

I suspect that if you're going to spend a grand on, say, Autocad, then the price of a copy of windows is trivial

My difficulties with windows run a lot deeper than the price ;-)

bingo_bango

Dual boot options not being discussed much here? I have Win 10 and Mint on my laptop. Windows for ease of access to non Linux users (family borrow it from time to time) and Linux for myself.

Gives a boot selection at startup and I just choose which I want to use.

Given the small size of the Linux distros, there really is no reason that this shouldn't be an option. As to the pro's and cons, those have already been touched on above but Linux saved a 32gb SD card last night that Windows wouldn't even recognise as plugged in.

I would go with an earlier suggestion and run a live version from a USB stick or disc. If you are happy enough then use that in a dual boot install (or as someone else has suggested run it in a VM), but I wouldn't abandon the Win altogether, as you never know when you might run into some obscure Win only software that no Linux dev has seen yet.

rtho782

Linux vs Windows is like Screwdrivers vs Wrenches

Both are useful and both have good and bad points, there are many tasks you could probably use both for, such as bashing something, opening a tin of paint, but for many other things you need one or the other.

You can switch to Linux but it's going to be a big learning curve for you and you will have issues when you want to do certain things. New devices you buy might not be compatible with it, or require lots of effort to compile drivers. Software might not be available for it, although there may well be alternative software, this is another learning curve for you.

Many games are windows only. If you're into gaming, then AMD Graphics cards are much slower under Linux, and for the nVidia ones you need to use the binary drivers or it's even worse - and some people have strong ideological objections to this.

psychic_teabag

rtho782 wrote: »

New devices you buy might not be compatible with it, or require lots of effort to compile drivers.

Well, the rest of us check with the community *before* buying a new device, rather than buying one and then discovering that it doesn't work with linux.

Mr_Toad

psychic_teabag wrote: »

Well, the rest of us check with the community *before* buying a new device, rather than buying one and then discovering that it doesn't work with linux.

And to be fair the support for new devices is pretty good these days.

Jorell00

Ive been a linux user since 2004, when i started with Ubuntu. A few years back they changed there desktop environment from gnome to unity. Never liked unity so changed to linux mint with cinnamon. Theres always gonna be a bit of a learning curve when changing operating systems. I would thoughly recommend linux mint. When i first started with Linux there was a lot of terminal stuff to do, but linux has moved on a lot since then. I very rarely ever need to use the terminal anymore.
Unless you use really specific Windows software, there is a linux equivalent.
You can run linux from a USB stick to give it a try before committing to an actual install, and if you do want to install you can have a dual system or have linux running it within a virtual machine.
I must admit i am a linux fanboy and have converted many people.
They are lots of linux forums with lots of very helpful people.
Try it on a usb stick, you might really like it.
Jorell00

esuhl

Jorell00 wrote: »

When i first started with Linux there was a lot of terminal stuff to do, but linux has moved on a lot since then.

Whaaat?! But the terminal is where all the cool stuff happens!

Honestly, some things are much easier in the terminal, and it's often easier to tell someone to type a command, rather than guide them through a complex user-interface (especially if you're communicating via phone/email).