Switch to Linux?

[40below]

I've used windows for years (98 and XP) but I'm starting to become interested in using Linux. So I was wondering how hard it would be for someone who is completly new to Linux to use it? I will be building my first PC soon and would like to try Linux on it. Is there certian hardware that won't work with Linux? Or is it just some software that may not work with Linux? Thanks.

[jglen490]

Linux has very little problem with almost all hardware. Of course, that really means that there are going to be some problems. Every OS needs some sort of driver for almost every piece of hardware that it needs to interface with. Since most hardware makers like to keep their proprietary hardware just that way. Naturally, there are people who manage to engineer drivers based on good old ingenuity. It's hard to convince someone to put effort into building a driver for every OS that comes along, unless that OS has a good customer base. Linux is beginning to have such a customer base, and so hardware makers are beginning to provide support for their newer products.

The most problematic area has been with modems, and perhaps a few chip sets. But one of the best ways to check all this out is to go to a distro's web site and check into their compatibility lists. You can also go to specific hardware component web sites and see what their support is. There various web sites, that you can find in a google search, that summarize many of these individual sites.

[Dswissmiss]

I have the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard with a 4.1 Logitech speaker setup, and can only get the front 2 speakers to work. So if youre planning on getting surround sound, don't go for the TBSC, as no linux drivers exist. Like jglen490 said, checking the distro's website is always a good idea.

[LocoCoyote]

I used to bash linux often. The few (not serious) trys I made at slackware and RedHat 5.2 -7.3 were disasters. So I kept using Windows.
I personaly love Windows...when in doubt you can usally get it to work with Windows.
Then I decided I would try a grand expierament....multiboot several OS's on the same hardware and play and compare...
I have been doing that for the last 6 months and I haven't had more fun (or frustration) since the old DOS days!
See, Windows made so many thing easy..it weaned us away from what is really going on underneth that GUI. Since I have been playing with the *nix world I have had the joy of rediscovering working with the nuts and bolts of the system.
I started with no clue
now I can answer some questions for others....

I say do it!

[KingPacino]

yeh I agree, although it is backward to windows (in terms of getting the results via the terminal) it will get you back to the roots of computing and you will learn things very quickly either via the web or buy a book or two on it. I used to be a complete windows head and would turn my nose up at anything different but I was introduced to it at uni and am now using it everyday at work so yep take that step!!!

[KingPacino]

re-reading what i posted - u don't just get results via the terminal! there is a gui! I meant you tend to get the best results via the terminal and this is where the power really lies.

[RayH]

It may be good, especially if you want to do it as a hobby. It's certainly capable of BASIC general computing. But it seems to lack support in the DELUXE areas (such as gaming).

But if people give software manufacturers a reason to support Linnux, they will.

[kilgoretrout]

It's certainly capable of BASIC general computing. But it seems to lack support in the DELUXE areas (such as gaming).

Have to disagree with this assessment. Linux is an extremely capable and sophisticated OS. I don't know what RayH means by BASIC computing but it would have to include running a large portion of the net's webservers, sophisticated movie graphics and animation, supercomputing and clustering, as well as having an increasingly large share of the imbedded market. And I guess the DELUX areas would have to include virus infection, security holes, oppressive licensing and spyware and unconscionable cost.

[Computer Hobbyist]

I have been running linux on my home desktop (mandrake 9.1 right now) for a long time. I have RedHat 8.0 running on a second machine (I call my test machine.) Frankly Linux does so much so well, computing has gotten kind of boring. Unless you are some sort of OS geek, "boring" and "computing" used in the same sentence is a good thing.

I would have no reservation putting either RedHat or Mandrake on any computer for anyone. In fact, don't tell my wife, but having used gnucash to ghost her quicken for a few months, I am toying with the idea of moving her machine to Linux and chucking Windows altogether.

The only reasons I haven't introduced Linux to my office are (1) my partner would have a heart attack and (2) we run some legacy software packages that need Microsoft to run. If we ever have to upgrade to an os that won't run the legacy software I will strongly consider Linux in my office.

As to the gaming stuff, I understand that a number of popular games (unreal tournament comes to mind) are now ported to Linux and some are very, very good. I am not a gamer so I might be wrong.

In short, give Linux a try, you will probably be very pleasantly surprised.


PS

Think of the current state of Linux this way, Linux has gotten so good the hard core users are moving to other things because the mainstream Linux distros (RedHat, SuSe, and Mandrake) are too easy.

[40below]

Thanks everyone. I think that I will go with Linux on my new computer. So what would be the easiest version to start out with?

[Computer Hobbyist]

Everybody is going to tell you to get the version they use, but the distro you should select depends on the way you intend to use your computer and just how far you want to stray from windows.

Redhat 9 or Mandrake 9.1 would be good choices. They come loaded with software. Both include software to do just about anything you might want to do. Into photography don't overlook Gimp. Great software. OpenOffice is a great office suite. Mozilla is a guality browser. The suite of tools that comes with the KDE gui is pretty darn good. Haven't worked enough with Gnome, but I hear great things.

Lindows is not well loved by the Linux crowd, but it promises an almost Windows like experience.
If somebody tells you to try gentoo, you will probably be screaming at him in a week, but if you are an experienced Linux user it is a great choice.

Read the documentation carefully and just have fun.