PDA

View Full Version : Conversion failed!



Ozor Mox
August 15th, 2007, 01:52 PM
So my friend brought his computer to my house a couple of weeks ago for me to reinstall Windows as it had become a slow, useless brick as is standard for a two year old Windows installation. He didn't have a copy, and my copy was too dodgy for its own good and would not work. So I installed Ubuntu for him. He was very happy with it for a couple of weeks, but now he's thinking of buying XP and having me reinstall that. His complaints were that his iPod doesn't work, he can't watch video from the internet, and he can't play Football Manager. I said that the iPod and video problem can probably be fixed quite easily, though I'm not sure about running FM in Wine, but I'd sure give it a go!

So I'll try, but I expect in the end he'll ask me to reinstall XP for him, which I'll happily do of course, but I feel a slight sense of disappointment that I'd got someone else using Ubuntu and now they want to switch back.

It also made me realise that computer games are definitely holding Linux in general back from the desktop. Someone else I reinstalled Windows for did not decide to try out Ubuntu because they knew that their games would not work on it, and I'm sure if Football Manager doesn't work, that will be the main cause of my friend's return to Windows.

Oh well, I gave it a go :popcorn:

Old Pink
August 15th, 2007, 01:57 PM
It also made me realise that computer games are definitely holding Linux in general back from the desktop. Someone else I reinstalled Windows for did not decide to try out Ubuntu because they knew that their games would not work on it, and I'm sure if Football Manager doesn't work, that will be the main cause of my friend's return to Windows.

Computer games are holding Linux back from gamer kid's desktops. That's all. The majority of people don't care that football manager won't run.

The video and iPod situations should be easily solved, have a look around Google or ask here if you need help.

As for Football Manager, it gets a Gold wine rating, and should run very well: http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iVersionId=7729

use a name
August 15th, 2007, 02:08 PM
Computer games are holding Linux back from gamer kid's desktops. That's all. The majority of people don't care that football manager won't run.
True, true, but that's just the age they get poisoned.

vexorian
August 15th, 2007, 03:47 PM
It also made me realise that computer games are definitely holding Linux in general back from the desktopMost PC users are casual gamers, meaning they love to play solitaire or minesweeper, in the regard of board games that casual gamers like Linux beats windows everyday in default programs....


True, true, but that's just the age they get poisoned.
nah. I was "poisoned" when I was young but it did not prevent me from switching, I am able to play some cool games in Linux anyways...

notwen
August 15th, 2007, 03:51 PM
Back when I still had a huge urge to play PC games, I simply dual-booted WinXP, but since my latest HDD wipe/install I've just never gotten back around to re-installing XP, lol. Although as of late I've been playing alot more Xbox360 and I may break down come the holidays and make gaming my only reason to support Microsoft, as if Windows was anything other than a platform for games. =p

DimitrisC
August 15th, 2007, 04:03 PM
Well I think gaming is an important factor for holding people back from switching to Linux. I have been using Linux for about 2 years now and I almost switched back when I got a copy of World of Warcraft. Thanks to Cedega I didn't but thats not the point. A lot of people just want their games to work the way they do in WinXP without fiddling around with wine or cedega, especially people who don't know much about Linux to begin with.

I tired to convince a lot of my friends to at least try Ubuntu but it all comes down to:
Will it play Football Manager?
Will it play Pro Evolution Soccer?

I am in the process of building a new PC now and I will be having an SLI configuration with 2 x 8800gts 640MB cards. I will be doing some serious gaming and I think Linux can't offer me that. I am reinstalling WinXP (as much as I hate to say that) just to play games. And even when a lot of people don't want to admit it when you dual boot to play games you find yourself doing more than that it the end, like surfing the net, listening to music, watching dvds cause who is going to restart his pc just to do all these things when he is already in XP? (and I mean normal people not us Linux fans. I would dual boot back to linux just to check my email :-) ).

forrestcupp
August 15th, 2007, 05:18 PM
There are a lot of people who wouldn't claim gaming as a high priority in their computing experience. But then when it came down to it, and they couldn't play their games, it really would be a hindrance. Basically, you don't realize how much you would miss something until it is gone.

Ozor Mox
August 16th, 2007, 04:23 PM
No, computer games certainly aren't high priority. I do miss playing some of my PC games occasionally, but most of the time I don't really care as I don't play games nearly as much as I used to and there's a decent selection of open source and pre-installed games for Ubuntu anyway.

It was just an observation, firstly about how I'd become kind of disappointed at someone I'd converted switching back. It's like I want them to see the light! I'm sure I'm not really this sad! :) ... Secondly, that several times the reason people do not want to switch is because they have a selection of PC games that they don't want to lose the ability to play.

For playing PC games but using Linux though, dual boot is definitely the way forward. Windows for games, Linux for everything else.