Should I get Ubuntu?

[-Psy-]

I'm on Windows XP at the moment btw.

 

[Hazar]

lol

what would you be using it for?

 

[Xendance]

lol

isn't Ubuntu free?

I saw a disc in my brother's room, and it gave the source code away and everything.

 

[Hazar]

are you intentionally being as ignorant as possible?

yes it is free and open source.

 

[-Psy-]

Well yer but I want to know whether I should get it or not...

It's more secure and seems to be use hardware better then Windows but I'm not sure if those claims are true.

 

[Hazar]

well like I said, it depends on what you want to do with it. It's probably better than xp for run of the mill stuff like browsing, email, documents, development stuff, etc... However, if you want to game, it's probably better to stick with xp so you won't have to deal with the plethora of issues that will come up trying to get games to work on it.

 

[Cole]

Ubuntu = Linux.

If you are not willing to learn how to use the command line for many tasks, I wouldn't switch. You could install Ubuntu on an old hard drive to check it out, but I would check it out before you decide switch. Ubuntu is not windows and will not run Windows Programs. Most of your games wont work. Moreover, driver support can be sketchy. For example, I have a wireless network adapter that picks up signal so i can get the internet. Linux does not have driver support for it. Thereby I can't get the internet under linux with my current setup, and I'm not gonna run a LAN wire all the way up to my room.

Linux expects the user to be an expert.
Windows expects the user to be an idiot.

The fact is not to my viruses target Linux and Linux is a secure Kernal. However, Windows is simpler. You never have to touch a command line interface in Windows. More hardware is produced for Windows, more fully functional drivers are made for Windows.

 

[lePobz]

Ubuntu is actually a very user-friendly distribution ... It doesn't expect you to know anything, it just expects you to have a bit of common sense. I've got it installed on an internet machine downstairs, one that the old folks can't f**k up (very much unlike an xp machine which f**ks itself up quite easily).

 

[99.vikram]

If you want to get technical with Linux, Ubuntu is an average option. There are better ones out there.

If you are trying Linux for the first time, it's great. (Kubuntu is better, IMO)

For gaming, Linux sucks as a rule. Ubuntu had trouble with my wireless adapter and sound card - driver issues.

 

[boglito]

Try live-cd first, and do not expect dual-boot to work.

.bog.

 

[Cole]

Ubuntu is actually a very user-friendly distribution ... It doesn't expect you to know anything, it just expects you to have a bit of common sense.

*User plugs in hardware he bought from store*
*Doesn't work*
*Average User Pist Off*
It could end there, the user would be pist off.
or if you have a user with common sense,
*Googles for solution*
*Finds stuff about downloading drivers, exiting completley out of the GUI, etc..*
-Average user with common sense is still an idiot, and wants things to be completely hassle free.

Yes it may be easy to install, but the average user wants to be able to go to best buy, buy a webcam and have it easily work. They don't want to search around for linux compatible drivers. They want to insert a CD, click install, click next, and have it work.

Of course if Linux was more hardware supported a lot of this could be avoided, however it isn't and thereby the average user simply would be frustrated.

 

[Yorick]

Yeah Linux never was all that user friendly, but it's been getting a lot better. I've heard some great things about Ubuntu, but the fact that Linux still sucks at gaming is what's really keeping me away. It's worth trying out (as some have said, on an older harddrive.

 

[Hazar]

Try live-cd first, and do not expect dual-boot to work.

.bog.

dual boot is actually quite easy to set up with it.

I have my laptop set up this way.

 

[99.vikram]

Average user with common sense is still an idiot, and wants things to be completely hassle free.

Why is he an idiot to ask for convenience? Linux has very few, if any, advantages over commercial OSes. Get Windows and a good antivirus, and you're set.

Linux is actually only useful to the hacker community, those who fiddle around with their PCs all the time. Most Linux users don't do that at all, they just download a list of hacks, try them out once, and stop at that. Plus they get a woody from text interfaces.

 

[-Psy-]

Currently trying the Live CD thing. It's pretty good.

The interface is really simple and so far I haven't had any problems. It's a shame that you can't run any modern games on it without sacrificing fps.

 

[Xendance]

I hate Windows.

Surely, when clicking the 'X' button on a program, its meant to close straight away. Not wait five minutes, but as soon as I click it.

 

[Cole]

Why is he an idiot to ask for convenience? Linux has very few, if any, advantages over commercial OSes. Get Windows and a good antivirus, and you're set.

I never said he was an idiot for asking for convenience.

I agree with the Windows statement, hell you don't really even need a good antivirus software you just shouldn't be an idiot. Then ur safe. However since most people are idiots, they should have antivirus software.

Linux is actually only useful to the hacker community, those who fiddle around with their PCs all the time. Most Linux users don't do that at all, they just download a list of hacks, try them out once, and stop at that. Plus they get a woody from text interfaces.

Your wrong.

The interface is really simple and so far I haven't had any problems. It's a shame that you can't run any modern games on it without sacrificing fps.

The games don't even have to be modern. Most games just wont run on Linux because they rely on Windows dependencies(like DirectX) or use the Windows API. There is WINE, but not all games run like they should, and of course games run slower.

If your planning on just surfing the net, talking on a messenger, and stuff... Linux is perfect. Free, Simple, etc..