Newbie question

[pcbuilder14]

What is Linux and how does it work? Does it beat windows? Is there a screen shot of preview of it?

[DrZaius]

Hi pcbuilder14,

What is Linux and how does it work?

Linux is an operating system like Windows or OSX. You use it like any other operating system, it provides you a desktop and allows you to run programs. What make it unique is that the OS itself is free, meaning you can download it from the web and install it on as many computers as you like.

Does it beat windows?

Beat it in what? In stability... yes in most cases. In hardware support... not really. In gaming support... definitely not.

Is there a screen shot of preview of it?

You can take a look at the Lindows screenshots, it's one of the many available Linux distributions. http://www.lindows.com/

Hope that helps.

[ktkendall]

Linux is one of the many offshoots of the original UNIX which was on open systems operating system that AT&T had a hand in developing and was used extensively by educational institutions 20 some years ago cause it was minimal cost, no high liscensing fee's. Linux has a unixey base with a GUI and some added things for compatability. Stability is the thing, I was with AT&T back when they were still in the PBX and large TELCO switchgear business and all of of our stuff was and much still is unix based cause they run 24/7 without a hitch

[Dswissmiss]

When will Lindows be released?

[Statica]

Originally posted by DrZaius In hardware support... not really.

Thats a sweeping statement that you cant back.

Wanna compare HCLs for Windoze vs Linux? Just cos GeForce Insane isnt supported doesnt mean that Linux support is low; firstly Linux supports about a 3 fold times more hardware simply for the x86 platform than Windows; I havent even started counting out the other platforms yet cos I'm wearing shoes and cant take out my toes. Secondly, Linux being what it is OpenSource means its usually up to the mfger to bring out driver support for new hardware. The Linux community always comes through in terms of patches and modules.

[Statica]

PCBuilder:
I would suggest a book on Linux first, or at least checking out linux.org or some such site first. We cannot give you definitions, because it will always come diluted with opinion.
http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/fscreenshots.php3
Has some screenshots from a bonafide Linux distribution.

[mairving]

Don't confuse Lindows with Linux. It is like a Hollywood movie, only based on the real thing. Mandrake as Statica said is a good one to start with.

[DrZaius]

Hi Statica,

Didn't mean to start a Linux vs. Windows argument, but I do believe that Linux's hardware support is not as good as Windows. pcbuilder14 asked if it "beats" Windows in that respect, and it doesn't. More recent versions and distros do have better support, but from personal experience, I have yet to see a distro that will detect my USB printer, smart media reader, digital camera, and various other components as easily and quick as Windows does automatically, without any CLI commands or kernel rebuilds. I'm all for Linux's improvement and support from mfgs, but it does not have the driver and hardware support like Windows does.

[DrZaius]

And mairving and Statica are correct, give Mandrake or Red Hat a try, the are the two easiest to setup and most "user friendly". I was incorrect in recommending Lindows, it's still very new and is target to Windows to Linux converts.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/searc..._query=lindows

If the above link works, it should show some Microtel pcs sold with lindows, but the stand alone product, the last I knew was still being offered for a price through the lindows.com site. The license is not GPL. The product, I believe still beta. I'm not quite sure what the final arrangements are for the folks that bought the beta.
But for 'regular' linux, might I suggest you take a look at
http://www.kde.org/screenshots/index.html
since KDE is one of the more popular desktop GUIs to be found at least you can see what a desktop can typically look like....

[Statica]

Dr.Z:
Its not meant to be a Windows vs Linux argument, we both know about the merits and demerits of each of them. I have logged in enough hours on both of them enough to dislike both of them. I am not a huge fan of Linux, but hardly for the reasons that deal with the operating system, but because I dont like the direction .. thats a different story.
The point is that making a sweeping generalization that hardware support in Linux is worse than Windows is far from accurate. Everytime one of my NIX friends brings it up, we're given a bunch of hardware that is hot off the mfgers shelves. Yet you dont stop to consider that when it comes to COMPUTER HARDWARE (I'm sorry I am yet to consider a digital camera a computer hardware), Linux has far reaching support.

When you get a hardware component, old or new, and it isnt supported by Windows, a user has to download drivers from a mfger site. Well I dont see how it makes a difference if you have to do it from some other guy's website. Linux is much more documented.

Regarding printers, I am yet to see a printer that doesnt work from the stock kernel. Granted my printing needs arent of a professional nature, but I have absolutely no issues.

Linux has had USB support much longer than Windows. Linux incorporated it from the Apples.

When it comes to core computer technologies, Linux is the one I'd bet to see it work .. and work right. Be it SCSI cards or vague network cards I find it garbage bins

Oh yeah regarding screenshots .. my mandrake is stills porting the same screen I had a while back:
http://forum.pcmech.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=75525
http://forum.pcmech.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=75526

[DrZaius]

Hi Statica,

I guess it just comes down to personal experience. I've had both good and bad experiences with hardware driver support in Linux, sometimes it was detected right away without any problems, other times it took digging through obscure sites to find driver files. Like I said, Linux is definitely improving in this area, but I still don't consider it as good as WinXP, not only in terms of availability, but also ease of installation.

[Blakhart]

Lycoris/Redmond linux.....

[tigstah]

i'm gonna dl linux....it says its an iso....an i have to burn the image to a cdr.....just burn it like a regular cdr or is that something special...just used to burning music on cdr's. after i burn it will it be setup like an ordinary cd....with the install files an everything.....linux is new to me.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

tigstah,
An .iso is a compressed disk image, so it handles different than burning cda tracks or mp3 files to a disk. Some 'starter' software offered free with cd burners cannot handle an iso. The more versatile programs can, and should have a setting to do so in them. The programs Nero, Click n Burn, as well as many others will probably do this. The end result will be a disk full of many directories and files, and the install disk should then be bootable.

[tigstah]

i found a program to help me out....its called undisker.
it worked.....thanks for the info