I think I have finally become a "real" Linux user

[cstudent]

Yesterday evening I booted my desktop computer into Windows XP to just check something dealing with my DVD drive and realized just how out of date some of the software was. Firefox was version 1.01 and Windows Automatic Updates showed a couple dozen or more updates available. I couldn't even remember the last time I booted into the Windows drive. I've been messing with Linux for just a little under two years now and I think I've finally reach a point where I can really, truly call myself a Linux user and not a Linux hobbyist. I even bought myself some Ubuntu t-shirts. The 3/4 length T's are nice. So how about you? Do you feel you have become a real Linux user or do you think of yourself as still a hobbyist.

[Adamant1988]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\

[MaximB]

after I've finally installed ubuntu 6.06 I can count on one hand the times I've booted to winxp (and most of them were just to fix .conf file that I've broken :))
I'm calling myself a linux user.
a newbie ,but still a linux user.

[cstudent]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\

I would think a truly wise man would avoid such a thing. :)

[JerMe]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\

Every Gentoo Linux user has done such a thing (myself included). ;)

[cstudent]

Anyway, just to clarify what I mean when I say I consider myself a real Linux user is, I use Linux daily as my primary and exclusive OS. I do everything I need a computer for with it. However, I do not consider myself an "expert" by no means. I still have a lot to learn to call myself that, but I have come a long way in the time I've been using Linux. I use to be a big Windows "tweaker". I think I knew just about every trick and tip there was out there. I now concentrate that energy into learning everything I can about Linux. I love Linux, it has really rejuvenated my passion for computers. And Ubuntu is the best Linux distro out there IMHO.

[matthew]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\
rotfl!!

This is how wise men become wise...they do foolish things, learn from their mistakes and avoid them in the future.

EDIT: on topic comment...congrats, cstudent! That's quite a moment, isn't it?

[Redcard]

I've done it twice.

First in Gentoo.

"Hey, I can just turn on the ~x86 stuff.. it'll work for the most part."

(nope.)

And early in my slackware carrer:

makefs.ext2 /dev/hda

Ohcrapohcrap I meant /dev/hda1!

[cstudent]

rotfl!!
EDIT: on topic comment...congrats, cstudent! That's quite a moment, isn't it?

Yes is was. I have had a nice week of new accomplishments. I learned how to build my favorite programming IDE into a .deb file. I also fixed my borked wireless connection on my laptop when I installed the last kernel update in about 5 minutes instead of hours.

And just a comment about Gentoo. I had to use Gentoo for an electronics class I took over the winter. I never messed up the system as root, but I did fry the motherboard. FYI: Never send 18 volts to the parallel port. The MB doesn't like it. :mrgreen:

[jordilin]

I only use win at work. At home I only use Linux, but sometimes for very specific things I switch to win. I feel more comfortable and secure using Linux. With Linux I have the control, and the power, not the other way round ;-)

[Lord Illidan]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\

Is that so?
(runs off to do a quick rm - rf * in the / directory, as root, of course)

Ah... now.. I have truly screwed up my pc!!! Am I qualified now?

lol...

I think I qualify... I haven't used windows seriously, after all, for at least 9 months..

[prizrak]

Hehe it's been a while since I used Windows for myself (did just fix g/fs Windows machine cuz her wireless doesn't work with Ubuntu). I've had Ubuntu as my only OS for over a year easily. I have also destroyed my system as root more than once in more than one distro :)

[djsroknrol]

Not counting work, I haven't booted to MS in over 1 1/2 mos. And I have two other computers that still run Win in the house...I haven't had an urge to use it...I'm feeling pretty comfortable with Linux and Ubuntu.

[BWF89]

I haven't been able to actually install Linux yet as my parents control what OS goes onto the family PC and they don't want Windows XP duel booting because they think it could mess up XP.

Although since they've made it clear I'm not allowed to duel boot since 2004 when I discovered Linux I've taken steps that will make it easier to switch to Linux. Such as not useing any programs on Windows that aren't also avalible on Linux and only playing games that will run under Linux either natively or through an emulator. Only exceptions are Windows Media Player and CD Burner XP.

[cstudent]

I haven't been able to actually install Linux yet as my parents control what OS goes onto the family PC and they don't want Windows XP duel booting because they think it could mess up XP.

Although since they've made it clear I'm not allowed to duel boot since 2004 when I discovered Linux I've taken steps that will make it easier to switch to Linux. Such as not useing any programs on Windows that aren't also avalible on Linux and only playing games that will run under Linux either natively or through an emulator. Only exceptions are Windows Media Player and CD Burner XP.

Checking your profile, it says you're 16. Do you have a job? If not, will your folks let you get one? Even at minimum wage you could save enough money in a month or two to buy or build a computer of your own. Just a suggestion. :)

[Lord Illidan]

I haven't been able to actually install Linux yet as my parents control what OS goes onto the family PC and they don't want Windows XP duel booting because they think it could mess up XP.

Although since they've made it clear I'm not allowed to duel boot since 2004 when I discovered Linux I've taken steps that will make it easier to switch to Linux. Such as not useing any programs on Windows that aren't also avalible on Linux and only playing games that will run under Linux either natively or through an emulator. Only exceptions are Windows Media Player and CD Burner XP.

You are in the same boat as a Russian friend of mine.. whose parents are horrified that their preciousss XP installation will fail for them!

CD Burner XP is very good, I used it myself, when Nero failed to find my drive!! It's similar to K3b.

As for windows media player... that P.O.S., I have nothing to say... try winamp perhaps? Shame, under Linux, Amarok, rocks.

Try saving up for a new pc... or else, try and persuade your parents..

[sanderella]

A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\

I've done all of that, but I'm still a complete nit.

[Lord Illidan]

I would reword that statement.

You are not a real linux user until you have fubared your pc using root, and still managed to persevere with Linux all the same!

[Skia_42]

Originally Posted by Adamant1988 View Post
A wise man once said:
"You are not a real Linux user until you screw up your computer doing something in root"

I have done such a thing =\
I think this is a very wise quote, it's the same as in kayaking, you do not truly know a river untill you have fallen in the water. Part of beginning an experiencd linux user is having past experiences that you overcame.

[Kvark]

Linux has never been a hobby for me. It's a tool not a toy. I just use the system to get stuff done and mess with it as little as possible and thats the way it has been since day one. Of course I was and still am pretty clueless about how the system works but I found programs for all tasks I really needed on day one, most of them where preinstalled!

Perhaps I should make it a hobby and recompile the kernel, set up compiz eye candy or whatever else uneccessary trouble there is to try but I've never felt like doing that. Probably because I'm too busy programming and have no geek energy left to mess around with others' programs.

[Blondie]

Windows no longer lives on my machine, and I spend hours every day on it, so I guess the answer has to be yes.

[Kernel Sanders]

I'm still experimenting with Ubuntu.... :oops:

I think of it this way though, I have Windows XP Pro SP2 with all the trimmings, and i'm using it to help the Open Source community.

Bill Gates and especially Steve Balmer would be proud :mrgreen:

Surely what they indended their creation to be used for? ;) ;)

[BWF89]

Checking your profile, it says you're 16. Do you have a job? If not, will your folks let you get one? Even at minimum wage you could save enough money in a month or two to buy or build a computer of your own. Just a suggestion. :)
The day I turned 16 back in December I told my parents I wanted a job because I didn't want to a lazy slacker. My mom didn't care but my dad said absolutely not because he was under the impression that having a job would make me less interested and do worse in school. Eventhough I've never done good in school and I don't think having a job would have any effect on that. I've been mentioning it lately and he doens't seem to object that much so I'm kinda looking around. Mabye I'll try one of the many grocery stores in the area. Most of the people in school that have jobs work at grocery stores.

[darkpark]

At home, I dual boot since the games I like to play need windows. Everything else gets done in Linux. Of course, I do have to keep up with the ******* stuff since my job involves providing technical support (both by telephone and hands-on) and all the computers at work run windows xp.

[erikpiper]

I am a serious linux user- I have windows XP dual booting because of games. Only games. (I cant not use the power in my homebuilt!) But EVERYTHING else is in linux. Firefox in windows doesnt even have extentions beyond security, and there is no office software or anything...

On my laptop- old, so no gaming, = no windows.

[AndyCooll]

The day I turned 16 back in December I told my parents I wanted a job because I didn't want to a lazy slacker. My mom didn't care but my dad said absolutely not because he was under the impression that having a job would make me less interested and do worse in school. Eventhough I've never done good in school and I don't think having a job would have any effect on that. I've been mentioning it lately and he doens't seem to object that much so I'm kinda looking around. Mabye I'll try one of the many grocery stores in the area. Most of the people in school that have jobs work at grocery stores.

Following on from your original post, you could use VLC instead of Windows Media player (and there is supposedly a ******* version of mplayer). Or ...another way round some hassles is to buy a USB stick, go to PortableApps.com, and download stuff you want from there. It has loads of open-source apps and they can all run from a USB stick. This is what I do at work which is very much M$ based. I've got Firefox, OpenOffice, Gaim etc on my USB stick.

As to the original point of this thread. I consider myself a "real" Linux user. This house is a Linux only home (XP is relegated to a VMware image which is only ever used when absolutely necessary). I've even got the missus happily using it.
Indeed, it'll take me awhile to re-adjust to the limitations of W2K when I go back to work next week. And these days I'm thankful for that USB stick, for at least I'll be able to hold on to some software I'm most familiar with. And I work for an IT HelpDesk!

:cool:

[cstudent]

Mabye I'll try one of the many grocery stores in the area. Most of the people in school that have jobs work at grocery stores.

That was my first job. I was 17 when I started working. I wanted a guitar really badly.

[BugenhagenXIII]

I classify myself as a linux user. My reasoning: Windows makes me uncomfortable. And not because I don't know my way around it. Just because I couldn't drop down to the command line (in fact, I opened up cmd.exe and tried to do a "sudo apt-get install gaim", and was confused when it spit back an error). I don't rely on the command line in Ubuntu, but every now and then instead of firing up synaptic or nautilus I'll drop down to the CLI and do it from there. I don't like not having a command line.