which os

[eruheru]

im planning on building a new computer and when i got the os part i thought about linux. should i just install linux or go with xp? if linux which version would be best.

[Callipygous]

what are you going to be using it for?

 

whats important to you? are you good with computers? what OSs have you been using?

[eruheru]

ill be using it mostly for internet, instant messaging, word proccesing and some games. im pretty good with computers, not awesome. im used to 98, me, xp.

[DahVid]

Probably XP. Linux has all of these features. Although you'll probably find Windows XP or 2000 fit for your needs.

[Callipygous]

xp will definately fit your gaming needs better than linux. they both have all the other ones pretty equally.

[Dave]

Linux isn't really the "easy" route, and if you're planning on running games then unfortunately XP is the way to go.

[Royston]

im planning on building a new computer and when i got the os part i thought about linux. should i just install linux or go with xp? if linux which version would be best.

 

Will you be using a 64bit processor ?

[1veedo]

A lot of the more popular games will run on Linux but XP'd be easier.

 

Linux would be better if you're doing a lot of online stuff. Don't have to worry about security and it's faster.

 

As for word processors, you can install everything that has the "better then ms word" hype on Windows.

[eruheru]

if xps only advantage is gamming then ill probably go with linux. which version would be best?

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

That also depends on what you want.

 

If you want easy to use but nice, try Ubuntu. If you want hard-to-configure but very configurable, try Gentoo. Etc.

[Morpheus]

Have you thought about the games that will work on Linux?

Have you had any experience with Linux?

Do you understand Linux?

 

Is Linux simply an OS that interests you, but you have no experience in?

Did you want to choose GNU/Linux to save money on building cost?

Have you thought about reading through a Red Hat Linux book?

[5614]

You could try dual booting with 2 OSs and see what you think of each.

[Klaynos]

I went from doing the occational adminning on a webserver running Linux, to useing Ubuntu on the desktop and sysadmining a server at about the same time and had no issues at all.

 

I dual boot for gaming on windows (I cba to buy an emulator to get Call of Duty running) (booted into windows 3 times in the last 5 months, once to check it worked, twice to play call of duty/update it)

 

But over the next few weeks I fully intend to try and get UT2004 and Americas Army running on Linux, they are supposed to work quite well

 

*hugs openGL*

[1veedo]

He'd probably like Linux better then Windows. Speed, reliability, software...

 

I recomend Ubuntu, FC4, and I've head that ArchLinux is a very easy distro. I tried installign it once and it didnt give me the option to partition, needless to say, I didn't erase my HD. You can probably shrink the partition after you've installed it if you want to put Windows on as well.

 

There are plenty of people that'll help you if something ever happens. Much better then tech support, IMO.

[ydoaPs]

if you use it mostly for the internet, i'd go with Linux. if you use it mostly for games, i'd go with windows although you can get emulators to run pretty much any game that doesn't already run on Linux.

[JPQuiceno]

Slackware.

[Callipygous]

id hate to turn this into a linux vs windows arguement, as im sure there are already dozens, but why would someone whos used to windows like linux better?

 

speed, i have no idea.

 

reliability i dont buy for a second. im on my computer constantly. on average i probably get over 8 hours every day. i dont remember the last time windows crashed. and im one of those kids who abuses his comp. i download crap, i play lots of video games, i dont do a lot of maintainance, its been almost a year since my last reformat. i have two monitors sucking up resources.... seems to me windows is just fine when it comes to reliability.

 

software i also dont buy. anything really good tends to be made usable for windows because it represents such a large chunk of the comps out there, and there are plenty of good programs that arent made to work on linux, games included.

 

help is the second biggest reason i wont be switching to linux anytime soon. the first is gaming. ive seen the help built into open office.... its the trashiest, least helpful thing i have ever laid eyes on. then theres the fact that a lot of the stuff on linux doesnt even try for a help file because its made by just some guy pounding away on his keyboard instead of a company that actually has to be responsible for its program.

 

all considered, id say switching to linux when your used to windows is asking for a challenge. things arent where you expect them to be and dont work the way you expect them to if youve been raised on windows, and learning the new way is difficult becuase theres no formal help available.

 

im sure it has its advantages, but good luck to you if you decide to switch. : P

[ydoaPs]

id hate to turn this into a linux vs windows arguement' date=' as im sure there are already dozens, but why would someone whos used to windows like linux better?

 

speed, i have no idea.

 

reliability i dont buy for a second. im on my computer constantly. on average i probably get over 8 hours every day. i dont remember the last time windows crashed. and im one of those kids who abuses his comp. i download crap, i play lots of video games, i dont do a lot of maintainance, its been almost a year since my last reformat. i have two monitors sucking up resources.... seems to me windows is just fine when it comes to reliability.

 

software i also dont buy. anything really good tends to be made usable for windows because it represents such a large chunk of the comps out there, and there are plenty of good programs that arent made to work on linux, games included.

 

help is the second biggest reason i wont be switching to linux anytime soon. the first is gaming. ive seen the help built into open office.... its the trashiest, least helpful thing i have ever laid eyes on. then theres the fact that a lot of the stuff on linux doesnt even try for a help file because its made by just some guy pounding away on his keyboard instead of a company that actually has to be responsible for its program.

 

all considered, id say switching to linux when your used to windows is asking for a challenge. things arent where you expect them to be and dont work the way you expect them to if youve been raised on windows, and learning the new way is difficult becuase theres no formal help available.

 

im sure it has its advantages, but good luck to you if you decide to switch. : P[/quote']

have you even tried Linux?

 

when i first installed it, i noticed it was much faster.

 

i've had window crash a few times, but not once with linux(although i've only been using Ubuntu for about two a month).

 

you said "it's been almost a year since my last reformat" having to reformat your hd is not a good thing.

 

the help thing is either a joke or sheer ignorance. whatever you can't figure out or get using a help file, you can most definately get at one of the many forums dedicated to your distro.

 

in normal usage, Ubuntu isn't all that different from Windows.

 

i also like that instead of going through windows update page, i can open my terminal and type "sudo apt-get update".

 

sure there are things to get used to, but it is worth it.

[Callipygous]

have you even tried Linux?

 

no.... those were all just guesses based on nothing... : P

 

yes. of course ive tried it. i wouldnt pass so much judgement on something without trying it.

 

when i first installed it, i noticed it was much faster.

 

i've had window crash a few times, but not once with linux(although i've only been using Ubuntu for about two a month).

 

you said "it's been almost a year since my last reformat" having to reformat your hd is not a good thing.

 

reformatting your computer is a pretty common thing. stuff gets backed up. your harddrive gets filled with junk, you occasionally need to give it a fresh start. i wouldnt normally do it any more than once a year, i was just saying its been a year, which means it should be starting to get cluttered, and i havent started having problems yet. (i guess you dont HAVE to, but it certainly helps things run better)

 

 

the help thing is either a joke or sheer ignorance. whatever you can't figure out or get using a help file, you can most definately get at one of the many forums dedicated to your distro.

 

no, it really isnt either of those. i can pick up quite a bit on my own, im sure i could get the rest from online forums, but i dont want to and i shouldnt have to. when i click on the link that THEY PROVIDE for help with a given function in open office and it links me to something that is obviously related, but just as obviously not what i asked about, i call that a worthless help file. you can get plenty of help online, but i dont really feel like waiting for replies on a forum everytime i need help with something.

 

in normal usage, Ubuntu isn't all that different from Windows.

 

i also like that instead of going through windows update page, i can open my terminal and type "sudo apt-get update".

 

sure there are things to get used to, but it is worth it.

 

you like that instead of something graphical you have to know their text command to get your updates? O.o

 

althought i have to admit, my one beef with windows is automatic updates. when i go back to my computer in the morning and it tells me it did an update (without asking me) and that this required that they restart my computer, and that as a result of their update all my icons got moved to one monitor, or one monitor stopped working, or my internet kicked out, and i have to fix it... i kinda feel like kicking bill gates in the teeth.

 

thats the only problem i ever have, and since it takes me about 5 minutes to fix it im willing to put up with it instead of having to find a way to get each of my games to work and learning a new system thats designed for people who already know how to use it, as opposed to anyone who wants to sit down and figure i out. i dont consider asking a forum figuring it out on your own.

[ydoaPs]

no.... those were all just guesses based on nothing... : P

 

yes. of course ive tried it. i wouldnt pass so much judgement on something without trying it.

just checking because there are many people that think WIndows is the endall beall of operatign systems because it is the only one they ever used.

 

 

reformatting your computer is a pretty common thing. stuff gets backed up. your harddrive gets filled with junk' date=' you occasionally need to give it a fresh start. i wouldnt normally do it any more than once a year, i was just saying its been a year, which means it should be starting to get cluttered, and i havent started having problems yet. (i guess you dont HAVE to, but it certainly helps things run better)[/quote']i've never heard of a Linux user needing to reformat the hd.

 

 

you like that instead of something graphical you have to know their text command to get your updates? O.o

yes, it is much easier and faster than going to an update site. and is free whereas MS wants to charge for windows update when vista comes out.

 

althought i have to admit, my one beef with windows is automatic updates. when i go back to my computer in the morning and it tells me it did an update (without asking me) and that this required that they restart my computer, and that as a result of their update all my icons got moved to one monitor, or one monitor stopped working, or my internet kicked out, and i have to fix it... i kinda feel like kicking bill gates in the teeth.

btw, no need to restart after an update or change in Linux.

 

thats the only problem i ever have, and since it takes me about 5 minutes to fix it im willing to put up with it instead of having to find a way to get each of my games to work and learning a new system thats designed for people who already know how to use it, as opposed to anyone who wants to sit down and figure i out. i dont consider asking a forum figuring it out on your own.

it isn't like it's in japanese and you only know spanish. it is fairly easy to use.

 

you're right, learning a new OS isn't worth it. i should have stayed with windows 95

 

i'm not saying Linux is the best for everyone. Linux is best for what I use my pc for and MSWinXP may be best for what you use yours for. all i am saying is that if he uses his computer for mainly internet, a Linux distro could be what would work best for him. you can always download a emulator for games that wont work with Linux. however, if he uses it mainly for games, he should probably use windows and download Fx, and a firewall.

[ydoaPs]

i forgot about cost. if you are looking at cost. Linux is definately better. in many cases it is of no cost. Ubuntu will send you 5 or 6 disks in the mail for free.

 

windows just charges an outragous amount for it because they can. there are a lot of people there is only mac and windows. MS uses that fact to be able to raise their prices and cut corners while not having to worry about everyone leaving for something better. that's the end of my minirant.

[Callipygous]

i forgot about cost. if you are looking at cost. Linux is definately better. in many cases it is of no cost. Ubuntu will send you 5 or 6 disks in the mail for free.

 

windows just charges an outragous amount for it because they can. there are a lot of people there is only mac and windows. MS uses that fact to be able to raise their prices and cut corners while not having to worry about everyone leaving for something better. that's the end of my minirant.

 

 

excellent point.

 

get your xp pro at student pricing with the discount for buying a system with it and it will still put you down $150

[Aeternus]

althought i have to admit' date=' my one beef with windows is automatic updates. when i go back to my computer in the morning and it tells me it did an update (without asking me) and that this required that they restart my computer, and that as a result of their update all my icons got moved to one monitor, or one monitor stopped working, or my internet kicked out, and i have to fix it... i kinda feel like kicking bill gates in the teeth.[/quote']

btw, no need to restart after an update or change in Linux.

 

While this is for the most part true, especially if alot of your functionality is built as kernel modules rather than into the kernel itself, sometimes a full kernel upgrade is necessary which does require a restart. Ok.. ok.. there are things like kexec which can swap two kernels on the fly so to speak but you still have to shut all running processes etc down and for all intents and purposes might as well be restarting.

 

In response to the thread, I have to agree with the general sentiment.. if you want an OS for gaming then XP is perfect. If you aren't used to Linux aren't particularly bothered about using it, use XP. If you wish to give Linux a try, you may find some things you like about it, and if you use your pc mostly for web browsing and perhaps like to customise things a little or do a little scripting or coding on the side then Linux offers the perfect opportunity (not saying you HAVE to do any scripting or coding, just that it can be alot easier on linux due to the "everything is a file" and powerful shells etc).

[Klaynos]

BTW, for apt-get you can get GUI user interfaces for it (apt-get is what allows you to easlily download and install packages), and whenever any of the programs installed in ubuntu (if installed using apt-get) you get an icon appear next to the clock which if you click on gives you a dialog so that you can update your computter from that. You can also easily set up auto-updates to run once a day or however offten you wish.

[1veedo]

You can check out my linux article.

 

http://1veedo.homelinux.com/index.php?1veedo=linux

 

I'm writing another one for Linux newbies. Basics, like how to install software, MP3 in Fedora, java, USB, things I remember having troubles or concerns about when I first started using Linux. I do have a short article I wrote about a month after switching but I'm going to try to explain things like tarballs, kernel upgrades, etc.

 

http://1veedo.homelinux.com/misc/fedoraconfig.html

 

Not to make Callipygous made but I think people that say stuff like that really havn't tried to learn Linux; they just get frustrated for one reason or another and decide to return to Windows. The distro can be a big factor. In Ubuntu, for example, there is a little sound / media thing that most people have problems with. Fedora doesnt coem w/ MP3 support. Some distros are text installs...

 

A small thing like that and the halo factor kicks in. Linux is not perfect. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect