Thinking of switching from XP to Linux...should I?

[tekkieman]

@tekkieman

Who on earth came up with the name MEPIS? Methinks they must have been taking it - or drinking it.

Or does it have some weird pronunciation?

According to Warren Woodford, the name MEPIS is pronounced like "Memphis" with the extra letters removed and of course not pronounced. Originally, the word "MEPIS" didn't mean anything in particular, it came about by mistake. Woodford misunderstood a friend over a bad Skype connection, he decided to use the name because it was a simple five-letter word and there were no other companies or products with that name.

Woodford has said that MEPIS is a multipurpose acronym that can represent, among other things, Managerial/Medical/My Educational/Entertainment and Personal/Private Information/Infrastructure Systems/Society/Security.

Don't blame me, I didn't name it!

[JohnnyMalaria]

Interesting observation as to why Linux hasn't succeeded in becoming mainstream:

http://os.newsforge.com/os/06/07/17/1535230.shtml?tid=2

In short, Microsoft Exchange.

(I've had to endure the unbelievably awful concoction that is Lotus Notes....Microsoft Exchange is the de facto corporate mail system for good reason!)


Also, there's a strong perception (rightly or wrongly) that Linux means never having to pay for anything other than the hardware. So, software developers don't want to go anywhere near it. The Open Source/GPL model works well for some areas but, for many, it doesn't.

[rkgibbons]

Tekkieman,

Gartner was hired by Microsoft to conduct research. The data they produced did not please Microsoft.

Gartner refused to compromise their research to please their client. Microsoft did not continue to use them for their research needs.

This is further support that Gartner is a reliable, non-biased source of tech-related market research.

[tekkieman]

Interesting observation as to why Linux hasn't succeeded in becoming mainstream:

http://os.newsforge.com/os/06/07/17/1535230.shtml?tid=2

In short, Microsoft Exchange.

Everybody has an opinion on why it isn't mainstream. Everything from advertising to zealotry. I'm not sure I know any better than anyone else. You could say advertising, but Apple advertises. My opinion is that MS locked the OEMs into deals they couldn't refuse. If you're not allowed to ship a computer without Windows, it's hard for anything else to get a toehold. Once you dominate the market, it takes a looooong time for anyone else to make inroads. It is happening slowly. Firefox being the best example.

(I've had to endure the unbelievably awful concoction that is Lotus Notes....Microsoft Exchange is the de facto corporate mail system for good reason!)

I have felt that same pain with Lotus Notes. Yes, Exchange is the de facto standard, but like IE, and Office, every other viable alternative was shut out, snapped up, or killed. In time, there will be replacements when people are ready to have a replacement.

Also, there's a strong perception (rightly or wrongly) that Linux means never having to pay for anything other than the hardware. So, software developers don't want to go anywhere near it. The Open Source/GPL model works well for some areas but, for many, it doesn't.

Very true. Although the perception is quite wrong. I pay for my software by purchasing a subscription for early releases and other benefits. I seriously doubt the distro provider can live off of what is donated though.

I think the open source model works well. I feel the GPL is the part that causes the most problem, but there are other licenses to use. Too many people just aren't familiar with them. The tying together of GPL/Open Source is part of the problem. They are two different things.

As I computer user, I have a soft spot for free software. As a software developer, I enjoy getting paid. I think there is room for both.

[nonoitall]

It all depends on where you come from, where you're going and how much time you have to get there. Someone who really doesn't know anything about computers and just wants to do word processing, web surfing and e-mail (they were called 'average users' previously) is going to be lost when it comes to doing something technical - whether they're using Windows or Linux. My mom's computer was running Windows 2000 a couple weeks ago until I installed Ubuntu on it. She knew things looked a little different, but she could still play Solitaire, go online and do word processing, so it made little difference to her.

On the other hand, users who are experienced with computers and have been brought up using Windows will find Linux is very disorienting at first. This isn't because Windows is better than Linux or Linux is better than Windows. It is because they are different from each other. If you are experienced using one and not the other, switching to the other will make you feel very powerless, because everything that was second-nature to you is accomplished in a completely unfamiliar way now.

If you have the time and patience to devote to learning how to use a new operating system, namely Linux, as well as you know Windows (or whatever OS you are migrating from), it can be a very rewarding experience and give you a little more perspective that you lacked before. If you don't have time and patience (and some people just don't), you'll get frustrated and run back to Windows, complaining about how horrible Linux is and how beautiful and perfect Windows is. You didn't master Windows overnight and you won't master Linux overnight either. Expect otherwise and you're setting yourself up for failure.

[lpn1160]

Lack of choice on linux ?
I used to read and highly respect lordsmurf and read his posts and website and have learned quite a bit about video from him, but lack of choice on linux??
Au Contraire !!
running a live cd for ten minutes and deciding this isn't for me is just a lazy excuse. and to only say "yeah I tried linux"
sourceforge states:
Registered Projects: 142,771
keep your windows, keep your microsoft your bill gates and all the other garbage you want, bash linux, bash mac, but I'll say one thing I don't have a single warez, cracked or pirated piece of software or data on my system, I give generously to the developers of my distro and to the coders of programs I use often and like. How many people out there with their procoder or photoshop or cce actually bought them, I'll wager 1 in 5 maybe.
Don't despair to all those who want to try linux for more than 10 minutes. It's a wonderful community with people who will actually try to help you then beat you down

[JohnnyMalaria]

A boring, middle-aged git in a suit
A smug little git
And a....hmm. Not really quite sure what it is!

[tekkieman]

A few Linux choices:

Second hit in Google for "linux video capture"

[gll99]

After trying ubundu 6.10 as I posted before with no success I d/l ubundu 6.06.1, burned the iso to a cd and it booted up. I was able to immediately run Firefox and was online with no problems. I ran 2 test media files one audio and another with video and audio with no problems. After a brief snoop of the installed options and applications, the desktop and menu options it seems fairly easy to understand and it wouldn't be too hard to adjust to this GUI.

There are limitations since I booted from a cd nothing else is available from my hard disks. I was hoping that it could read the ntfs and fat32 partitions but on short view it doesn't seem like it can although when I faked like I was going to install linux to hdd it sees my 3 hdd and knows what space is in use. Maybe I missed a file manager option somewhere but when I searched for files in the media player it only offered the cd/dvd drive as an option.

There is one important issue that I have to overcome to continue further. I can only run the resolution at 640x480 and that just uses up too much space. The workspace is crowded with larger text, menus and toolbars leaving little room for work text display. This is far too uncomfortable after running windows at 1280x1024 on my 17" lcd monitor.

@ tekkieman
Thanks for the help. My specs are as stated and the Ati card could be the problem. I just don't know how to solve it. I tried another d/l of 6.10 and did the checksum as well as verified the 2 discs of 6.10 they both check out ok but still don't boot fully no matter what option I try. I would like 6.10 because I was hoping that it had solved the video driver issue and allow me to get more than 640x480

To all who answer Linux questions that seem simple to you, I too appreciate your patience. No-one should be afraid to look at Linux. Booting a disc version does no harm and it's a good way to get a taste of the product. After I learn a bit more about sharing Linux and windows on 1 system I will try that too. My greatest fear to installing on the hdd would be to damage my existing xp installation and lose my current setup but now I have the bug to try this soon. If I install to hdd then I can update drivers, add software etc... which, for me, would be a great test of being able to function under Linux.

btw) Personally, I'm not anti MS or Windows. It started out as a simple gui built on top of IBM DOS and has matured since then. I like win98 and XP but it's good to keep options open for the future given the route chosen by MS with Vista. I think the constant call home licensing is an invasion and a real issue with many people. One day I may upgrade my hardware beyond the capabilities of my XP version so an option will be needed. This is a good time to learn and phase in something new and a likely future alternative.

Keep in mind too that Windows is held up not just by it's interface and internal MS developed apps but mostly by all the software that has been developed by others for use with the OS. Linux developers are growing by the day so when Linux the OS has the same type of support as Windows the OS, the crowd of general users will follow.

[tekkieman]

I was hoping that it could read the ntfs and fat32 partitions but on short view it doesn't seem like it can although when I faked like I was going to install linux to hdd it sees my 3 hdd and knows what space is in use. Maybe I missed a file manager option somewhere but when I searched for files in the media player it only offered the cd/dvd drive as an option.

Just....WOW!

I thought you had to be missing something, so I fired up the Ubuntu 6.10 LiveCD in a spare machine. You were absolutely right. No obvious way to access your other drives. Now mind you, I am not a Ubuntu expert, so I might have missed something myself, but I couldn't find a way to see them without resorting to the type of stuff that linux haters tend to use against it (i.e. manually mounting the drives).

There is one important issue that I have to overcome to continue further. I can only run the resolution at 640x480 and that just uses up too much space. The workspace is crowded with larger text, menus and toolbars leaving little room for work text display. This is far too uncomfortable after running windows at 1280x1024 on my 17" lcd monitor.

This is a limitation of the LiveCD. Other lives CDs allow you to change the resolution through that startup menu. The Mepis LiveCD will even recognize the native resolution of my widescreen laptop. You will be able to get around this issue after the install. You could test that theory with VirtualBox (or VMWare, or even VirtualPC), doing the install to a small virtual drive.

All I can say is that Ubuntu must be one of the most mega-ultra-super user-friendly distros created to get the large fan base it has. Besides the whole KDE-GNOME war (worse than any linux-Windows war), it seems really limited in the available default applications and settings. I understand that this could help to keep a new user from being confused by the number of choices, but it also does a disservice to the choices that exist.

[FulciLives]

A boring, middle-aged git in a suit
A smug little git
And a....hmm. Not really quite sure what it is!

The Linux guy looks like one of those TRON guys LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[JohnnyMalaria]

The Linux guy looks like one of those TRON guys LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

I'm not sure what to be more disturbed by - the fact that it is indeed a TRON suit or that you recognized it as such

http://www.tronguy.net/TRONcostume/

(Warning! The above website contains material that some may find extraordinarily sad.)

[gll99]

@tekkieman
ubuntu 6.06.1 is actually better on bootup because it shows an opening boot screen that lets you select the screen resolution and it looks good at first but unfortunately doesn't seem to keep it after it loads the desktop. It also shows everything that it loads and tell you if it's ok or not but with 6.10 after an option screen I only see a moving progress bar and no text messages as to what is being installed.

Right now I'm using another cd distro called SimplyMepis 32 v 6.5 Beta 7. It allows me a resolution up to 1024x768 which is not great but at least I can work in Firefox as you can see by this post. This too does not see my hdd or my other dvd drive, only the boot cd and a memory ram drive which was created during the boot process.

With these types of boot cd's you can learn how to use the installed software and get a limited feel for how things look in Linux but I know I have to actually do a proper install to get more functionality out of the distributions. This reminds me of early windows where you have some GUI applications but then can also run jobs using dos commands which in this case seem to be terminal sessions.I'm sure the majority of casual windows users have never used dos directly and many future Linux users would probably want the same by having most of their gui apps loaded with the distribution. My intent is to go much further than that and learn how to update and load new programs, drivers etc.. as needed to be more self sufficient. Whether I ever need to compile my own version of programs is not important right now but it might be interesting in the future.

[tekkieman]

Right now I'm using another cd distro called SimplyMepis 32 v 6.5 Beta 7. It allows me a resolution up to 1024x768 which is not great but at least I can work in Firefox as you can see by this post. This too does not see my hdd or my other dvd drive, only the boot cd and a memory ram drive which was created during the boot process.

Actually, this is the same distro I use. If you look at the bottom of the screen next to the speaker icon, you should see three cubes (red, green, blue). If you click on that, you can get to any drive in your system.

With these types of boot cd's you can learn how to use the installed software and get a limited feel for how things look in Linux but I know I have to actually do a proper install to get more functionality out of the distributions.

Not entirely. Mepis has a feature called "On the Go" that will allow you to boot off the CD from any computer, but then to save your documents, setting, etc. to a USB stick.

[jagabo]

After trying ubundu 6.10 as I posted before with no success I d/l ubundu 6.06.1... I can only run the resolution at 640x480 and that just uses up too much space. The workspace is crowded with larger text, menus and toolbars leaving little room for work text display. This is far too uncomfortable after running windows at 1280x1024 on my 17" lcd monitor.

Odd, I just downloaded that 6.06.1 and booted one of my computers with it. it came up at 1280x1024. The computer I used even had a rather obscure video card, a Matrox Parhelia APVE. No access to my NTFS formatted drives though.

I recently tried PCLinuxOS (another live CD) and it came up at 1600x1200 and I had no problems accessing my NTFS partitions. I think that release is geared more towards Windows users looking to switch to Linux.

[gll99]

Actually, this is the same distro I use. If you look at the bottom of the screen next to the speaker icon, you should see three cubes (red, green, blue). If you click on that, you can get to any drive in your system.

No cubes there for me just connection status info,clipboard, speaker, temp monitor, organizer reminder, temp in Port Morgantown and my time + in main Capitals of the world

I guess if I install I would get those cubes too??

@jagabo
My card is the ATI Radeon 9250 and I just dl'd a driver that's supposed to work with ubuntu but I can't try it unless I do a real install of the os. I have 2 monitors attached to the card. A 17" standard format display Samsung lcd as my desktop connected to the dvi connector and a 19" lcd widescreen connected to the vga port which I have stripped and taken apart and am using as a home made projector. Right now the vga connection is unpowered since I didn't fire up the projector and I don't even know if this Linux setup supports dual monitor use. I wonder if the distro expects the vga port to be the main monitor and is treating the dvi as a secondary connection somehow?

[FulciLives]

The Linux guy looks like one of those TRON guys LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

I'm not sure what to be more disturbed by - the fact that it is indeed a TRON suit or that you recognized it as such

http://www.tronguy.net/TRONcostume/

(Warning! The above website contains material that some may find extraordinarily sad.)

Oh my !!!

That is one scary website

And I admit that I was not aware of it so yeah it is kinda scary that "I called it"

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[gll99]

Still testing with SimplyMepis here but I managed to be able to get info off my hdd.

Somehow when clicking here and there I found an option that had to do with linking to hdd or dvd or cd rom devices. I clicked on one and chose one of the hdd partitions which are identified as hda5 or hdb5 ids and numbers like that. I don't know what the difference is between the 2 id types but it read my fat32 and NTFS partitions. I selected read only so I wouldn't cause damage and it put an icon on the desktop. Now by just right clicking on the icon I can select a different hdd to mount and then by double clicking on the icon it opens that drive for read. I played a video from my hdd so I know it works. I'll have to spend a bit more time and keep better track of what I click in future. For the life of me I can't recall how I created that link. It's late so I better leave this for another day. Since I'm booting from a cd, when I close down and switch back to windows I'll lose this option so I'll have to find it again. Maybe it was already on the screen and I missed it when I booted up. Oh well I'll know tomorrow.

edit:
I'm back on windows but just when I was closing the OS, I remembered how I did it. Right click on the desktop and choose "Create New" and then "Link to Device". The rest is a series of obvious options.

[lordsmurf]

When I refer to 'choices', that does not mean 7 variations of the same basic program, nor does it include outright crap. Windows has lots of 'choices' too, hundreds, not just a dozen or so (as is the case with Linux), if you wanted to include all the crapware too. My comment excludes crapware, it always does.

When I make the same comment about Mac, somebody always shoots back "oh yeah, well we have iMovie". That's about on par with considering Roxio for Windows as a viable choice. Of course, I consider it to be nothing more than crapware (in regards to DVD authoring/burning), as do most others.

As much as you may love your Linux, and bless you all the same, it just does not have the software for most people's needs. If it did, the Linux marketshare would be much higher.

The original poster asked about switching, and I feel he/she needs to know about certain aspects. Potential install issues, lack of available software, and just general awkwardness are 3 big issues to consider. If these can be overcome, and you really want to switch OS, by all means go for it.

[Heavensent]

well, i do use linux from time to time but i have to say - linux is not friendly.
sure it is more configurable then xp, but you need to use the console to do
certin things, and in windows i just need to click here and there.

i just like options that i can click, the more - the better.
i dont want to learn how to use commands to change things, just want a nice wizard
to show me options that i can select.
things have improved in linux in the past few years and i see more wizards, but not as much as i whould like to.

i may be "spoiled" by the way windows works, but its more friendly to me, gives me
the options i need with a nice usefull gui.

linux seemes like it was intended to be used by a linux user.
and thats the problem here.
some of us do not know linux (but whould like to), and we just cant get used to it.
i see nothing wrong in giving the user less controll over the OS but giving him
a usefull tool to configure what he CAN.

bottom line, try it out and see how you like it.
linux is a good OS, but you need to forget what you are used to in the windows OS

[tekkieman]

Smurf, why is it that you have tried many linux distros and can't get a single one to work, and people are coming in here and making the first or second one they try work just fine?

Is it some hardware anomaly in your system? A lack of understanding of computers? Just too old and set in your "Windows ways"?

I am seriously interested, because every time linux gets mentioned, you jump in and talk about how you try it "repeatedly", and it just doesn't work for you. As a serious computer user, I might suggest that if you repeatedly can't make something work, you might want to quit trying. If you seriously are trying to make it work, there appear to be plenty of people around who know how computers work that might be able to help you.

You can talk about choices (linux has far more choice than any OS, and anyone who actually uses it knows that) but just because you can't use them doesn't negate the choice or make them crap, or market-share (linux doesn't need market share to survive, and yet it is still popular and grows share anyway), but at the end of the day, it all comes down to two types of people. Those who couldn't make it work that are very vocal about how bad it is, and those who know how it works and happily use it.

We are really sorry that you have to stay confined to your OS, when you have obviously tried repeatedly to escape it, but all your noise about how everything else is worse because you couldn't make it work won't make it better. When you ready to admit you're a Windows users and not a computer user, and would like to try again, we will still be here to help you. We have millions of people able to use it, and we can help you too.

[winifreid]

I would like to hear from lpn1160 what specific programs he uses to accomplish all the tasks he mentions and what distro he uses. He left out video editing. Are all of the programs free? Do they all have a simple click GUI? Or command line? But, perhaps most importantly, are they all easier and significantly faster than the Windows option. Why switch if it is only as fast or as easy - especially if you already have paid for the software?
If I remember correctly, Linux first attracted interest back in the days of frequent crashes of Windows 95 and 98. This is when I tried Mandrake 8.0. But I couldn't get the modem to be recognized or my scanner. I also spent hours just trying to figure out how to mount a HD. I didn't want to pay for another OS (2000 or XP), but I also didn't want to keep rebooting my 98. In the end I forked over $60 and have been happy with 2000 ever since. It is stable and I can find cheap or free software to do everything I want. Although I have had trouble since I got an XP laptop in setting up a network.
I have no plans to switch to anything unless it can be shown to be faster or easier - since stability is no longer and issue. From what I read and have seen on my laptop, XP is really not any better (except maybe at networking with XP) than 2000 and I have no interest in fancy desktop stuff in Vista (especially considering the cost in software and hardware). So before switching, I always ask, is it really the much better?

[jagabo]

My card is the ATI Radeon 9250 and I just dl'd a driver that's supposed to work with ubuntu but I can't try it unless I do a real install of the os. I have 2 monitors attached to the card. A 17" standard format display Samsung lcd as my desktop connected to the dvi connector and a 19" lcd widescreen connected to the vga port which I have stripped and taken apart and am using as a home made projector. Right now the vga connection is unpowered since I didn't fire up the projector and I don't even know if this Linux setup supports dual monitor use. I wonder if the distro expects the vga port to be the main monitor and is treating the dvi as a secondary connection somehow?

I was using a 20" widescreen LCD connected via digital DVI. The monitor's native res is 1680x1050.

[disturbed1]

I would like to hear from lpn1160 what specific programs he uses to accomplish all the tasks he mentions and what distro he uses. He left out video editing. Are all of the programs free? Do they all have a simple click GUI? Or command line? But, perhaps most importantly, are they all easier and significantly faster than the Windows option. Why switch if it is only as fast or as easy - especially if you already have paid for the software?
If I remember correctly, Linux first attracted interest back in the days of frequent crashes of Windows 95 and 98. This is when I tried Mandrake 8.0. But I couldn't get the modem to be recognized or my scanner. I also spent hours just trying to figure out how to mount a HD. I didn't want to pay for another OS (2000 or XP), but I also didn't want to keep rebooting my 98. In the end I forked over $60 and have been happy with 2000 ever since. It is stable and I can find cheap or free software to do everything I want. Although I have had trouble since I got an XP laptop in setting up a network.
I have no plans to switch to anything unless it can be shown to be faster or easier - since stability is no longer and issue. From what I read and have seen on my laptop, XP is really not any better (except maybe at networking with XP) than 2000 and I have no interest in fancy desktop stuff in Vista (especially considering the cost in software and hardware). So before switching, I always ask, is it really the much better?

Have a look at these
http://kdenlive.sourceforge.net/index.php
http://www.diva-project.org/wiki/Screenshots
http://www.kinodv.org/article/static/4
http://lives.sourceforge.net/index.php?do=screenshots
http://www.pitivi.org/wiki/Screenshots

If you need HDTV editing cinerella would be your choice there.

Is it easier than Windows? For myself, yes. But, I won't proclaim the same for everyone else. Worth a whole hearted, more than 30 minute try, yes.


For networking, I didn't have any issues networking our 8 PCs together using samba and NFS. 1 Windows XP, 1 Windows 2000, the rest are Linux, along with a VOD system which feeds 3 TVs through out the house. I did actually have to RTFM manual, and spend a day of fine tuning though

The major down fall that I experience with Linux is the total lack of good quality 3d gaming. There are emulators (Cedega, Wine), but those just don't cut it. Which is why I still have 2 PCs with Windows OS. I have my needs for Serious Sam and Call of Duty, while my girlfriend is addicted to The Sims 2

My computer needs are simple, and are all met in Linux.
Browse the Web? Check, Firefox with Flash and Java.
Do my accounting? Check, Gnucash.
Watch movies (MPEG4,DVD,)? Check, VLC and Totem.
Listen to Music (MP3,Ogg,Flac,AudioCDs)? Check, Rhythmbox, Audacious.
Write my spreadsheets and multimedia presentations for work? Check, Openoffice.
Encode home movies to DVD? Check, see the links above, along with Tovid, Avidemux, and Avisynth/HCEnc through wine.
Edit audio? Check, Audacity.
Author DVDs? Check, DVDStyler.
Burn CDs/DVDs? Check, NeroLinux, and Brasero.
And most likely 1,000's of other things.

[Trident5]

If there is a way to run World Of Warcraft on Linux then im 95% sold on switching from windows... Lets try to get back to the origainal question: ie some recommandations... Some questions

1. A good starter linux for the beginner

2. Where to get said linux and any drivers that might be needed.

3. Some program options for basic setup there names and where to get them. What i mean is like Windows Office = ?Linux equivalent....Nero = ?Linux equivalent....

4. Can any windows programs be run under linux with stability and how is this done and where to get the software needed if somthing extra is required.

5. Can any windows games be run under linux ie: WOW

6. Any hardware recomandations for equipment that well work well with linux but not destroy the bank account. I like a good video card as much as the next guy but spending 600.00 bucks just on that not my idea of a good time.

If anyone can answer any or all of the above it would be appreciated...

[disturbed1]

If there is a way to run World Of Warcraft on Linux then im 95% sold on switching from windows... Lets try to get back to the origainal question: ie some recommandations... Some questions

1. A good starter linux for the beginner

2. Where to get said linux and any drivers that might be needed.

3. Some program options for basic setup there names and where to get them. What i mean is like Windows Office = ?Linux equivalent....Nero = ?Linux equivalent....

4. Can any windows programs be run under linux with stability and how is this done and where to get the software needed if somthing extra is required.

5. Can any windows games be run under linux ie: WOW

6. Any hardware recomandations for equipment that well work well with linux but not destroy the bank account. I like a good video card as much as the next guy but spending 600.00 bucks just on that not my idea of a good time.

If anyone can answer any or all of the above it would be appreciated...

1. Mepis and or Ubuntu

2. Built in, as far as Mepis and Ubuntu is concerned. www.mepis.com www.ubuntu.com

3. Built in. Office=Open Office. Nero = NeroLinux

4. You are wanting to run Linux no? There are emulators. Check out www.winehq.com

5. WOW? Yes

6. Stick with Nvidia.

7. www.google.com, try it, you'll be amazed at the answers it can answer . Seriously, search for "World of Warcraft Mepis"

[winifreid]

Sounds good disturbed. So many of the things I can do in 2000 is possible in Linux. And maybe as easy. But is it any faster? I have a amd 64 bit processor, but 2000 is 32 bit. So maybe a 64 bit linux could be faster. Any comparisons for video encoding/editing?
Is samba a program that has to be used on a linux server?

[lpn1160]

http://freshmeat.net/browse/18/

disturbed1 nice post

[Trident5]

Thanks for that fast reply... and the good info.. Due to some system troubles im buying a completley new comp on next pay any hardware recommondations that would work well with linux...
MB --- DVDBurner etc

[Nelson37]

Can you get drivers for Linux? Sure, absolutely. BUT the question was "any drivers that might be needed". High probability that at least one will not be available.

"Can any Windows programs be run?" Yes, some. "With stability?". A smaller group. "With the same speed as Windows on the same hardware?" Question not asked, but should have been. The answer is "few, if any". Also, can ALL Windows programs be run? NO.

Are there Linux programs that run better? Sure. Do you already know how to use them? For the new user, no. Neither will anyone else in your company. Windows product knowledge much more likely.

Linux is to me an interesting curiosity, but no more. Knowledge gained by working with it is in my professional opinion slighlty more useful than knowledge gained by working with and learning OS/2, and slightly less than Wordperfect. Until recently I had a customer using an OS/2 machine in business. Have encountered ZERO commercial use of Linux, one customer toyed with it for a while but gave up. Zero casual users other than some other techs I know. I have more customers using PICK than I do Linux.

I use the example of the Dvorak keyboard. Re-arrangement of the keyboard which makes most people able to type 10-20% faster, once they learn to use it. Obviously superior. However, learning to use such a keyboard is an interesting skill, but IT IS NOT TYPING. Typing is a task which uses a QWERTY keyboard.

Learning Linux is currently not a useful skill in the business environment, IMO.