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ddbann2
December 13th, 2006, 07:19 PM
would you dual boot it or totally wipe out windows?

if you dual boot it you don't need wine or to install dvd/win32 non legally but is the spyware/malware/virus risk worth it?

echo $USER
December 13th, 2006, 07:24 PM
would you dual boot it or totally wipe out windows?

if you dual boot it you don't need wine or to install dvd/win32 non legally but is the spyware/malware/virus risk worth it?

dual boot... gotta have my direct x.
nothing at all to be worried regarding the linux partition... windows is a different story.

Kobalt
December 13th, 2006, 07:26 PM
If I could have a refund for Windows I would have totaly wiped it out, and only kept Ubuntu... But since HP isn't refunding Windows in Europe (which is illegal thought), I keep it :(.
There is not only malwares, spywares and viruses on Windows, consider the awful look, the horrible slowness, the long lasting process of maintaining it working :D

Delkster
December 13th, 2006, 07:39 PM
would you dual boot it or totally wipe out windows?
Kind of depends. If I could get the machine without buying a Windows license with it, I'd probably do that, but if I were forced to take a Windows license, I'd dual-boot.


if you dual boot it you don't need wine or to install dvd/win32 non legally but is the spyware/malware/virus risk worth it?

Frankly, I'd still need to have everything working, because there's no way I'm going to reboot to a different operating system only to view a video.

The Windows codecs are less and less needed, though. I have some Windows Media dlls symbolically linked over from my Windows partition (not copied, and definitely not from w32codecs or some other obscure package) but that's only because there's not a recent enough version of ffmpeg in stable releases of Ubuntu yet to support WMV8/9. Even those are, as far as I know, nowadays supported by ffmpeg, and I suppose they'll start working in upcoming releases of Ubuntu assuming that you have the necessary extra codecs enabled (ffmpeg still won't be installed by default but you won't need Windows codecs).

RealMedia formats are the only other significant ones I can think of that don't have a free/open source decoder yet, and there's a native Linux binary solution for that. (RealPlayer for Linux doesn't even suck, not very much at least, like the Windows version does.)

lyceum
December 13th, 2006, 07:52 PM
When I got my laptop I took Windows off right away. I dual booted later to check out Vista, but I never use it. That reminds me...

Doug11
December 13th, 2006, 07:56 PM
I dual booted mine at first until I got a good feel for ubuntu. After about 5 weeks, i wiped out windows completely, and if i find that i absolutely need windows,, i use it in a virtual machine.(which now, isnt very often)

seuaniu
December 13th, 2006, 07:57 PM
I'm getting a new laptop after the new year. I intend to dual-boot Ubuntu and OSX.

tudawggz
December 13th, 2006, 08:50 PM
Rather then a dual boot, why not run a virtual machine? You get native windows inside of linux. If you have the power to do so, it is worth doing. Vmware server is availble for free and was fairly simple to install and use.

real_ate
December 13th, 2006, 09:11 PM
I say get rid of windows altogether!!! the mother of all invention (and cousin of discovery;) ) is necessity! if you live only off linux then you will learn all you need to survive VERY quickly!

the only thing that is bugging me about linux.... is wireless! i don't know much about programming but i'm a computer scientist and i would gladly put a lot of effort in learning all that i need to know to give a hand on getting wireless working as easily as it does in windows!!! until then i will have to post on ubuntu forums through windows (:( *sobs*) to try and get my wireless working...

Izobalax
December 13th, 2006, 09:37 PM
Personally? I'd wipe Windows with a nice clean cloth. Ubuntu is safer, faster, prettier, friendlier and almost completely customisable ... once you get used to the newness of it.

For ages I had my doubts about whether I should switch from XP to Ubuntu, but a fellow Ubuntu user here convinced me to at least download and try the LiveCD. I did, and I've never looked back.

Take the plunge, dive in, get your feet wet, your hands mucky, learn all about Ubuntu and how to use and I swear you will not regret it.

Aberrix
December 13th, 2006, 09:44 PM
I am 100% ubuntu on my desktop now.

no regrets.

K.Mandla
December 13th, 2006, 09:58 PM
I don't buy hardware anymore unless I'm certain it is Ubuntu-friendly. It it's a full system, I'm leaning toward one that's OS-free, or with a version of Linux preinstalled. Beyond that ... hello, killdisk (http://www.killdisk.com).

ron999
December 13th, 2006, 10:26 PM
Hi
I bought a new PC this year that came with only Suse Linux installed.
I wiped the hard drive and put my Windows 98 in a small partition and Dapper (then later Edgy) in a large partition with a shared FAT32 partition.
My GRUB gives me a choice each time I boot, but I haven't needed Windows at all.
I may as well leave it there though, it's not doing any harm.
:)

PS can somebody explain (simply) what is Virtual Machine or give me a link.

bulldog
December 13th, 2006, 10:41 PM
Hi
I bought a new PC this year that came with only Suse Linux installed.
I wiped the hard drive and put my Windows 98 in a small partition and Dapper (then later Edgy) in a large partition with a shared FAT32 partition.
My GRUB gives me a choice each time I boot, but I haven't needed Windows at all.
I may as well leave it there though, it's not doing any harm.
:)

PS can somebody explain (simply) what is Virtual Machine or give me a link.
Hi ron999,VMware is a virtual machine for free,you can install another OS in it,so you can run windows within ubuntu.
It's a little slower when you have not too much RAM,but if you have 1GB or more,you're good to go.
It's only limited at what ubuntu does support,so no directx.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=183209

And about the dual booting,if you have a licensed windows,just use it.
Make a small windows partition and leave it there for emergency's,no harm done anyway.

drphilngood
December 13th, 2006, 10:43 PM
I am 100% ubuntu on my desktop now.

no regrets.

...me too.

ron999
December 13th, 2006, 10:44 PM
Bulldog
Thanks mate.
I'll go and have a look through that thread :mrgreen: :D

MajEST1c12
December 13th, 2006, 11:04 PM
I love Ubuntu :KS

bulldog
December 13th, 2006, 11:20 PM
I love Ubuntu :KS

Surely love on first sight :D
Wait till you break something.:cool:

newlinux
December 13th, 2006, 11:26 PM
I use 4 computers regularly, only one has windows, which I rarely use. For me it would depend on whether I have windows anywhere else at home. If I do, I'd probably eventually get rid of windows on the new computer... But I like to have access to it for some apps that I use very infrequently...

stanjam
December 13th, 2006, 11:35 PM
I build my own machines (pcs and laptops). I used to put Windows on them. I became upset with Windows licensing requirements and authentication demands with XP but I stuck with them. I started to use Linux more and more in school. Then the last straw cam in the new Vista. Their extremely prohibitive licensing requirements have made me say "never again!" Now I install Linux on all my machines. I have one Windows machine left, and I am hoping to eventually convince my wife to let go of it as well.

newlinux
December 13th, 2006, 11:43 PM
I build my own machines (pcs and laptops). I used to put Windows on them. I became upset with Windows licensing requirements and authentication demands with XP but I stuck with them. I started to use Linux more and more in school. Then the last straw cam in the new Vista. Their extremely prohibitive licensing requirements have made me say "never again!" Now I install Linux on all my machines. I have one Windows machine left, and I am hoping to eventually convince my wife to let go of it as well.

I just built my first two machines, and honestly at this point if I build a computer I can't imagine putting windows on it. Windows frustrates me more and more as build a larger and more complex network in my house... buying a computer I might think a little differently though - the closest hardware to matching what I want for the best price - if it comes with windows so be it...

Duck2006
December 14th, 2006, 01:50 AM
I build my own systems and only have one with windows on it. The rest run linux on them. I good to have another OS system than windows (Commercialization and all that stuff)

bodhi.zazen
December 14th, 2006, 02:00 AM
I build my own systems and only have one with windows on it. The rest run linux on them. I good to have another OS system than windows (Commercialization and all that stuff)

LOL I agree with Duck2006. I also build my own. It is much easier to do these days and is much cheaper.

If I were to purchase a pre-built box I would buy with no OS as I am 100 % Linux/BSD.

With all this said, the wise choice is to do an analysis of your needs and purchase hardware and an OS that best suits your needs. Purchase without such an assessment is foolhardy.

Each OS, Linux/BSD, OSX, or what have you has advantages and disadvantages. You should purchase to your needs, play to the advantages, and minimize the disadvantages.

djlyx
December 14th, 2006, 02:04 AM
Have you guys heard of dell's open source version of computers that come with freeDOS instead of windows? They are the same price as machines that come with Windows. I don't understand the point.

Tarvok
December 14th, 2006, 02:05 AM
I actually had that sitution. I bought me a Linux box from Ibex, and after some frustrating time trying to get my video card working properly with Cedega (their support is crap, by the way), I now have it up and running and doing exactly what I want it to do. No Windows. :)

djlyx
December 14th, 2006, 02:08 AM
Yea, ubuntu is diesel! I don't know anything about Linux but I'm slowly learning the CLI stuff.

seijuro
December 14th, 2006, 02:19 AM
would you dual boot it or totally wipe out windows?


Simple, I wouldn't buy a computer that forced me to have windows preinstalled on it anymore. Why pay for something I'm not going to use?

The Iron Curtain
December 14th, 2006, 02:29 AM
When I got my laptop (used) XP crashed after a week. I wanted to dualboot and fix windows so I could use it for games...but in the end I decided to do straight-up Ubuntu. I love it. I'm learning alot everyday and love it.

furiousV
December 14th, 2006, 02:42 AM
Have you guys heard of dell's open source version of computers that come with freeDOS instead of windows? They are the same price as machines that come with Windows. I don't understand the point.

I remember that, but they stopped it in the UK :(

They were the same price cuz the specs were slightly better than their Windows equivelants.

I think Microsoft whine like a spoilt child when they offer Linux pre-installed for desktops.

aysiu
December 14th, 2006, 02:58 AM
Moved to the Cafe

AgenT
December 14th, 2006, 03:17 AM
I don't buy hardware anymore unless I'm certain it is Ubuntu-friendly. It it's a full system, I'm leaning toward one that's OS-free, or with a version of Linux preinstalled. Beyond that ... hello, killdisk (http://www.killdisk.com).Why use no-freedom software when you can use a simple command line utility to do the same thing for you (and probably much more).

sudo apt-get install wipe
man wipeYou can use wipe on the system directly or from a LiveCD. Your partition does not even have to be mounted. And it's a whopping 35kb download. From reading killdisk's website, they make it sound like their software is magic and can erase everything 100%. That is just false. Read the man page for wipe for more information: you may be surprised by the honesty of wipe's author and the shortcomings of programs such as wipe and killdisk (say hello to journaling and hard drive hardware block managers).