I'm going back to Vista

[David Horn]

This isn't meant to be a rant, but I have a suspicion that this is where it's going to end up. First up, I'm not an inexperienced computer user. I used Linux (Fedora Core) for the 3 years of my Comp Sci degree, and used to run a Red Hat webserver.

I like the cleanliness of Linux environments and the way it's so easy to use for software development. For media, I was planning to stick with Vista anyway. I use a Toshiba M200 laptop with a Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB of RAM, and an ATI HD2600 GPU.

The frustrations began when I tried to get the correct screen resolution set. Didn't happen. Farting around with xorg.conf either had no effect or left a blank screen when Ubuntu started. Not particularly helpful! After several hours of messing around with that, I decided to try the official ATI drivers. Surprise, surprise, no luck there. None of the steps in the various guides worked, and I gave up at about midnight and deleted the partitions.

Oh, and the headphone jack didn't work. Or the volume control. Or bluetooth. Wireless did, which was quite impressive.

You constantly hear of claims that Linux is the next big revolution in computing, with it threatening Microsoft's market share. Sorry, but in my experience (and on several machines, with several distributions), that's not the case and is unlikely to be any time in the near future.

1) Drivers. I appreciate that if a manufacturer does not supply drivers for their hardware, you have no obligation to support it. Fair enough. But when they are available, how about a tiny bit of co-ordinated thinking. Windows has Windows Update. It works. I haven't had to go looking for a driver for years.

2) Installation guides. Searching Google for Ubuntu help is like pulling your own teeth. Guides relate to about a million different versions, appear to be customised to particular machines, and even in the case of the ones written for 7.10 and from official sources, don't work. You need a really clear and easy to navigate site where instructions and help can be easily found. Test them.

3) I can use the Terminal. 99% of people can't and don't want to. I should NEVER have to edit configuration files to make things work - particularly to just get the right screen resolution. EVER. Speaking of Terminal, if I do need to run that funky X configuration tool, why not give it a logical name? I had to write down the command letter by letter.

4) That appalling X configuration tool. Why not put in an option to just "Select defaults" the whole way through? I don't know what half the options do, nor will someone who's tried Linux on the off-chance.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but until these fundamental issues are fixed Linux is going to remain in the realm of the nerd sitting in a basement. Sorry for the rant.

[Jay Jay]

Your first post on the forum is to declare that you've given up, that's a good start... Why not post some questions and ask for help before writing off the OS as not ready for mass consumption? :)

We see these "giving up" threads all the time. Two years ago I nearly posted one myself, so I know how you feel. It's very frustrating and disheartening when you can't get things to work. Check this article out (http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm), It may put things into perspective for you. If you've had a change of heart and want to make another try then feel free to post some questions and ask for help. Most of the members on here, myself included do their best to assist each other as much as they can.

[notwen]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm glad you took the liberty of making your first post to say farewell.

For someone who:

First up, I'm not an inexperienced computer user. I used Linux (Fedora Core) for the 3 years of my Comp Sci degree, and used to run a Red Hat webserver.

You sure are expecting a lot for knowing so much about Linux and the issues that generally and more than likely will come w/ using it. Not all, but I'd say easily half, if not more posts w/ issues similar to the ones you're having people make a post detailing their issue(even though it's probably more than likely already been asked/answered here on the forums) have been answered w/ a step-by-step or copy/paste solution. And for someone who has used Linux for the extent you claim to have, you sure are persistent on refusing the use of the terminal. Sure lots of things should be capable of being done w/o it, but the power of the terminal should always be apparent. I'm actually comforted in a odd geek sense knowing I can fall back on the terminal, even in the worst-case scenario, should it arise.

I will miss your presence here on the forums, but best of luck to you w/ Vista. =]

---EDIT---
This isn't meant to be a rant, but I have a suspicion that this is where it's going to end up.
That's all I can think of at the moment, but until these fundamental issues are fixed Linux is going to remain in the realm of the nerd sitting in a basement. Sorry for the rant.
*snicker*

[danwood76]

That's all I can think of at the moment, but until these fundamental issues are fixed Linux is going to remain in the realm of the nerd sitting in a basement. Sorry for the rant.

I think the one other thing you are missing is that that "geek" sat in his basement writing lines of code into this OS has no real need for you to use the OS as you dont give him money to use it, why do you expect the technical support you (never) get from microsoft?

[a94060]

cmon man, come back to linux. I really enjoy linux and ubuntu because of the tinkering part. It presents problems to me that i like to try and find the answer for. I am not even 17 yet and i have almost made a swich towards ubuntu fully. I have been using debian for 2 years as a server and decided it was time to run it on the desktop. I sued fedora at first and found out that many things were harder there for me (compiz was not working as well there) Once i came towards ubuntu, i got al the effects up and everything.


This wasnt meant to compliment ubuntu,but to share my experience

[seventhc]

You have a comp sci degree????:confused:
This forum is a place where you can ask questions, if you very first post is to say farewell,(I'm not trying to flame you but) I think you got ripped off by your school.
Searching for solutions, asking questions and learning in general are all part of the computer world. If you found these forums, why didn't you try to get help? Everyone here is more than willing to help out with any issue. Most or all have already been solved. This is by far the most helpful forum I have ever encountered which for a linux forum is quite spectacular in itself. I've been on other forums and a lot of the answers are just google it or read the man pages. While these are great places of knowledge, it's nice to get a problem solved and you can read the man pages at your leisure. Most searches I do on google point me to this forum anyway lol.
So before you leave, it would probably be beneficial if you at least asked a few questions first, but if you don't want to stay with ubuntu and want vista, then that's fine to. Ubuntu isn't for everybody and you have to use what you like, but if you are getting a job dealing with computers, Linux is going to be a part of your job at some point. learning now is more preferable than learning when your job depends on it. :)
In the end, it's your decision. :)
Have fun with whatever you choose. :)

[SunnyRabbiera]

My suggestion is try more distros... but something tells me you wont be back

[geo909]

Haha!
Before one year I hated ubuntu. I was googling "I hate Linux" and read everything, nodding my head and laughing with sarcasm..
Be careful, you may end up like me and be embarrassed for this post of yours!

Welcome and farewell, BTW!

[SomeGuyDude]

Here's what I did:

I put Ubuntu on a partition and just let it sit there. I gave it 6gigs to toy with, and just tried it out every so often, updating and such. I never "gave up" but I never actually used it. At least not for a while. I just kept an eye on it and used Windows for all my serious work and waited until it became usable for me.

That took up until Gutsy, and now I'm happy I kept it on tap.

[scotc]

Here's what I did:

I put Ubuntu on a partition and just let it sit there. I gave it 6gigs to toy with, and just tried it out every so often, updating and such. I never "gave up" but I never actually used it. At least not for a while. I just kept an eye on it and used Windows for all my serious work and waited until it became usable for me.



I think that's what I'm going to have to do. I have spent about 3 hours per day for a month reading posts to get my Dell Vostro 1500 working, with some successes. Thanks to all the community. The PC still isn't fully functional.

I need an OS that works, and I was prepared to put some time in to set it up.

That said, I'm a computer USER, not a computer BUILDER.

The article referred to above
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

spells it out that linux is a lego kit, from which you can MAKE a toy car, and bits may drop off as you go along. It's not a ready made toy car.

We call such cars "projects". They are never finished, and indeed, sometimes never actually get out of the garage, despite years of work.

I was mistaken in my research about the nature of Linux. I'll come back to Linux in my spare time.

I may try some other distros, as suggested above

[k2t0f12d]

First up, I'm not an inexperienced computer user.

Not quite experienced enough yet, it seems.

Drivers. I appreciate that if a manufacturer does not supply drivers for their hardware, you have no obligation to support it. Fair enough. But when they are available, how about a tiny bit of co-ordinated thinking. Windows has Windows Update. It works. I haven't had to go looking for a driver for years.

Every driver available to GNU/Linux, aside from binary blobs, are distributed with the kernel. That means there is absolutely no need for a update system beyond that which updates the kernel itself. Linux has no standard ABI, therefore any binary driver you wish to use is always your problem (or the manufacturer's problem) to maintain and make work. If you were not inexperienced with GNU/Linux, you would know these things already. No one is going to care enough to shed any tears over your having had a rough go at it if you aren't willing to give those who would otherwise care the opportunity to help you first.

My recommendation is to start from scratch. Look at the equipment you have and check to make sure its hardware is supported. If it isn't, buy or assemble another, only after making sure all of the components are supported. If you don't like the console, you should *not* be trying to use a Debian-based distribution. Expecting to not have to use the console in Debian is like expecting not to have to speak Russian in Moscow. If you want a GUI intensive distribution that really attempts to shift the focus away from the command interpreter, you should use openSUSE instead.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but until these fundamental issues are fixed Linux is going to remain in the realm of the nerd sitting in a basement.

Insulting the people who offer their help gratis to persons who, like yourself, find themselves in distress is rude and foolhardy.

[cardinals_fan]

Why do people feel the need to post these? If you've had it with Linux, fine. But why do you have to tell us?

[vexorian]

So long, good bye, we are not really going to miss you.

[SpenceMakesSense]

I see where this guy is coming from. First time I tried linux couldnt really get anything working. and yes I gave up for about 6 months. THe they released Gutsy
so I thought"why not." when nothing worked I got answers from google and (who would of thought) Ubuntu forums. Now Windows isn't even on my hardrive :D

[forceofnature]

I thought I would go back to vista 2 weeks ago, then after all the headaches with buying licenses and the like I got fed up and went back to Ubuntu Linux. My only issue is that I have to use my Vista desktop PC to sync my Zune. If they could open source the zune code I would be happier running Linux on all the PC's at home.

Good luck with Vista and MS in general. You might be back in a couple of days or weeks.

[arashiko28]

Good luck on that piece of C$%&!!!
But if you're so lazy to write down a command and rather the double clicking and answering a ton of idiotic question for installing a media player and yet need to stop all your work to restart and pray that the thing is working. Than asking through terminal or looking for it on synaptic and keep working without stop...

So your ATI driver didn't work the first time boohoo!!!! Who had it working the first time? It's called marketing my friend! And that's the BS M$ forces, they build their crappy OS and all the hardware manufacturers must build theirs to work with W... and Linux has to make their OS to work with the crappy configuration made for M$ on a beginning! Get a grip!

I had Vista on my hand, I'm not talking without bases, and only on the first week it crashed and I lost everything, that GOD I'm a bit untrustworthy and had it all backed up.

So, comparing 2000 (6 months), XP (7 years), Vista (1 week and now and then when fixing my cousin's laptop), and Ubuntu/Linux (9 happy months!!!!) I look back at Vista and it's like a threat of turning into a salt statue...

It is a rant and it's based on what looks like someone that decided to change to a new OS thinking that it would be the same thing as M$, why do that why change to something that will be the same? It is NOT M$ and thank God!!! It should stay the farest away from looking like it!

[popch]

I'm going back to Vista

Sure, why not? I presume it's your computer, and you can take an axe to it if you want to. Just remember to bring the pieces to where they may be recycled, please.

Also, it's your time.

[spamzilla]

Reading this thread, the word TROLL kept screaming out at me...I'm not sure why :lolflag:

[NilsHG]

Reading this thread, the word TROLL kept screaming out at me...I'm not sure why :lolflag:

i had the same thought.

Do not feed the troll! If he wants everything to work and is not concerned about his privacy, I say Good riddens!

[pbpersson]

Why do people feel the need to post these? If you've had it with Linux, fine. But why do you have to tell us?

It might be useful for us to realize that Linux still has a way to go before it will be viewed by the masses as being as easy as Windows. - if that is our goal.

I like Ubuntu and I'm very impressed by it but sometimes I feel like a backyard mechanic with my Model T Ford. The Model T's were incredible go anywhere, do anything cars but they were obsolete by today's standards.

So it is with Linux. It has progressed light years since I first tried Red Hat 6.2 in 2000. In ten years this current version will seem hopelessly obsolete.

I for one dread the day that Linux becomes popular enough that twisted people start writing viruses and trojans for Linux. For the foreseeable future we live in a safe environment and I love it. :)

[cardinals_fan]

It might be useful for us to realize that Linux still has a way to go before it will be viewed by the masses as being as easy as Windows. - if that is our goal.

I like Ubuntu and I'm very impressed by it but sometimes I feel like a backyard mechanic with my Model T Ford. The Model T's were incredible go anywhere, do anything cars but they were obsolete by today's standards.

So it is with Linux. It has progressed light years since I first tried Red Hat 6.2 in 2000. In ten years this current version will seem hopelessly obsolete.

I for one dread the day that Linux becomes popular enough that twisted people start writing viruses and trojans for Linux. For the foreseeable future we live in a safe environment and I love it. :)
My point was that it's his computer and only he can decide what to do with it. I really don't care what OS he runs... why does he assume that I do?

[danwood76]

I agree with you, if you dont want to use ubuntu/linux then great but why would we care?
Its just a waste of 3 pages of people ranting.

[Gorgoth]

<chuckles> I love how people always say "You shouldn't have to mess around with config files to get things to work" yet never acknowledge that the first few things you have to do on a Windows system install is install drivers via clicking through a bunch of GUIs... and the end result is just as iffy... sometimes drivers work, sometimes they dont, even in Windows,.

Signed,
A person who's been frustrated by ATI in just about every OS available.