What brought you to Linux?

[Espreon]

For me, I really do not know, I believe it was just out of curiosity....

[mmb1]

Freedom!

This may be better placed in the discussion forum, on a side note.

[Espreon]

Whoops! I thought I threw this in the Community Cafe... Could a mod move this....

[mmb1]

Whoops! I thought I threw this in the Community Cafe... Could a mod move this....

It's cool, I could see myself doing the same thing, don't know how to grab the attention of a mod, though.:)

[jrusso2]

Windows 95 sucked so bad I looked at Linux and NT 4.0

[jordank]

The Gargoyles. Duh.

[Nano Geek]

It's cool, I could see myself doing the same thing, don't know how to grab the attention of a mod, though.:)Use the report button and ask for it to be moved.
I'll ask too. :)

[Espreon]

It's cool, I could see myself doing the same thing, don't know how to grab the attention of a mod, though.:)

I am sure one will come... eventually and move this...
This just proves I am human...

[jordank]

This just proves I am human...

That makes one of us.

[sstusick]

Curiosity...freedom...and I got sick of the way of Microsoft and Windows' ways of doing things. I enjoy the control Linux gave me, so I switched completely with no issues whatsoever.

[cyrusrayne]

Windows Vista. 'Nuff said.

[jordank]

I liked vista.

[kpkeerthi]

Its free and free of malwares. And I don't have to install a gazillion antiwares to keep my system secure and have them run and monitor all the time eating resources.

[JillSwift]

D.R.M.

Or, more precisely, the lack of it. "Thank you, big industry, but I can be moral without your help."


I've been toying with Linux since 1995 mostly with Mandrake then Knoppix, but didn't get serious about it until I got tired of going where I was told to go today. =^_-=

[NovaAesa]

Curisosity to start with, but then after a few weeks I realised how much better Linux actualy is (especially in terms of freedom).

[odinfromvalhalla]

I've been a server administrator for several years before switching to Linux 100%. That made the transition very easy for me. Actually that combined with Ubuntu's ease of use.

But the thing that made me switch to Linux was the fact that i was not able to do my work on Windows. Every time i had something to work on, I was forced to run a AV, setup the firewall over and over again.

The PC just needs to work. Linux does that for me and i'm happy with it :)

[sad_iq]

Completely switched when, after a format and reinstall, my legally purchased windows xp licence expired and I was instructed to re-buy a licence to be able to turn ON my computer.That did it for me, made a total switch with very little prior linux knowlege(tried linux in the past, back when a X server was not available, and I had no internet connection), had my ATI drivers and beryl installed 2 days later. Ubuntu is a blessing :lolflag:

[santiagoward2000]

For me, it was partly curiosity... but most of all, trying to use this laptop my father gave me, which has 192mb RAM and XP preinstalled. Xubuntu was the greatest thing it could happen to my laptop!

[FuturePilot]

Pure curiosity. Nothing more. When I first tried it I never ever in my wildest dreams would have imaged I would pretty much be using Linux as my primary OS. There's something special about Linux, the Ubuntu project and open source.

[michaelzap]

I never installed Linux on my main machine until Feisty. I was so impressed with the philosophy behind it that I downloaded the CD and wanted to install it on my gf's laptop since her Windows was so slow and she was complaining. When she balked at that, I installed it on my own desktop machine instead. That was a Sunday evening a few months ago, and I've been using Ubuntu almost exclusively ever since. I think it was actually the definition of the word "ubuntu" that really grabbed me at first, and after that it was just the amazing experience of a completely free OS that works as well as it does.

[tuebinger]

Curiosity, freedom, and security, but I don't think enough can be said about its stability. I feel much more confident working on Linux as opposed to working in Windows and even Mac OSX. I've been very pleased with how solid the operating system is and how it works so well even on my 5 year old laptop.

[fain]

This might be kinda stupid but the movie "Hackers" made me curious about hacking which lead me to OSS and FreeBSD then Linux. Now its about freedom and Just a round about better operating system.

[TWO]

I hadn't considered Linux until one day Windows stopped working for some unknown reason. In addition to that, I was sick of Windows slowing down with every "update" or trying to change the programs that I used without my permission.

I now love learning more about the workings of my computer and overall, the freedom to control and change things at my pleasure. I enjoy the huge amounts of software that are available at the click of a button and I love the ethos of the Ubuntu community.

I may well be seen to be just another person jumping on the Linux "bandwagon" but I think it's better later, than never. I am still learning about it, but through Linux I am now less afraid of dealing with command prompt and in addition I am amazed at the amount of readily available support through the forums and equally at how suggestions for tweaks and remedies come from everyday people.

It's an incredible concept and I'm really looking forward to understanding how it works better.

:)

[amoghvc]

I've been trying different flavors of Linux for a few years now, so Linux is not new territory. But was never satisfied, since I always had to do complicated setup apart from the install to get things Really running. Plus I was a gamer; so I stuck to Windows XP.

But then Vista came along, for all the HYPE that they pumped out, the OS was REALLY (censor beep . . . censor beep). MS claimed that they did a WOW job on the UI. That compares NOTHING to the WOW that Beryl and Compiz had already generated.

So to cut a long story short, Vista irritated me, for all the hype they did a poorer job on the whole OS UI than Beryl + Compiz did. Plus there are the other negatives. Then I heard of Ubuntu and decided to try it out and MAN has Linux come a looooong way in terms of ease of use. Just a few more little wrinkles to ease out and Linux is going to give MS a serious run for its money, it probably already is.

One last thing though, only if the game development companies started releasing as many games for Linux as for Windows, I'm talking the 3D games, then Windows' days would be really numbered.

My two cents.

cheers,
Amogh

[alphaniner]

I had tried Linux once years ago, but I was primarily a gamer back then so it didn't hold much appeal for me. Then about a month ago I got a new job and the company uses Xubuntu for bench testing. I decided to try it out at home to get more familiar with it, and things have just progressed from there. Since then, my old PC has become solely Xubuntu, and Ubuntu has all but taken over my newer PC. XP has been relegated to particular stuff like burning CDs, Lightscribe, and using my TV Tuner card, but my eventual goal is to downsize it to zero.

[Simmy]

Lack of any alternative,

When I was 16 or so, I had an old hp cele, and was a total windows newb. managed to kill windows ME, and scratch up my restore disk, and well some local shop had a copy of mandrake 8 i think for 20 bucks, so I bought it because i couldnt afford windows :(

Just was fascinated about gnome, and how it was different but functionally the same as windows. after it eventually served its purpose, i tried various other distros over time like mepis, xandros, linspire, knoppix, puppy, and pclos looking for the one that felt right for me.

I stayed with pclos the longest besides mandrake, still got those old cd's :) and the user guide.

Not bashing pclos here at all, but I was getting a bit frustrated a few quirks it had on my laptop, Im sure it works for the majority of people, but for me it didnt. so I eventually left and tried a few more distros before finally giving in and trying Ubuntu against what every one else was saying on the 'net (overhyped, doesnt work etc, it uses gnome, gnome sucks)

I'm happy I did :) as I havent ran into any of the symptoms of my past problems yet.

[jrharvey]

I got tired of reinstalling windows every couple of months due to it slowing down with malware and virus's. I was really sick of having to re-activate everything also. I had always used an apple laptop so I tryed the OSx86 project but in the process someone introduced me to ubuntu. I use to be a die hard apple fan until i found ubuntu. OSX doesnt even compare to the greatness of Ubuntu as far as i am concerned.

[yahoo]

Hi all
I got sick and tired of Windows trying to make me do things only the way windows required.

I picked up a copy of a Linux OS in a computer magazine, and took the plunge to install it on my laptop.

I have since found many Linux distro's to be a lot of fun and learning, helping and making me understand how my whole computer worked.

Made my way early to Ubuntu, and really enjoying the forums encouraging me to resurrect old pc's and play with them, much to the annoyance of my wife :)

I'm especially glad I don't have to get caught up in everything Vista needs (hardware especially)

Cheers

yahoo

[AmericanYellow]

Once I saw some of the desktop effects on youtube and read that linux was superior in some aspects from the kernel and up compared to Windows, I thought it would be nice to try it. Oh, almost forgot, when I found out it was FREE and had lots of great FREE software, I thought to myself, "Imagine all the money I could save not buying any Microsoft or Apple OS....wow!

[m0eman]

...after a format and reinstall, my legally purchased windows xp licence expired and I was instructed to re-buy a licence...
lol, happened to me too, I knew all I had to do was call their number and talk to support so they could reactivate it, but I never got around to it. I was already using linux at the time, I just wanted windows for my pc games (now all my games run in wine).

Anyway, what brought me to linux was curiosity, I wasn't even disappointed with windows at the time, I just wanted to see what else I could do. I was an idiot at the time, I knew nothing of linux. I googled "linux download" and somehow ended up downloading a copy of freebsd(4.?). Eventually I downloaded opensuse (9.2?) and from there went on to ubuntu (dapper). It wasn't until edgy that I started using ubuntu as my default os.

[digital_sabotage]

ubuntu and it's ease of use ...as well as the wealth of info available ...that's what made me strictly linux

...tried suse a few years back ...but was not really practical for me as a newbie ...too many issues for me to use it as my main os

...now it's the other way around ...and then some ...ms windows has too many issues for me to use it period ...totally gay

thanks ubuntu linux, you rule

cheers,
bill gates

ps ...i'm running out of room to put my money ...please don't give me any more

[rzrgenesys187]

Curiosity. I stayed for the freedom, more efficient computing, learning opportunities... the list goes on and i'm too tired to type it

[osx424242]

The raw power that I have in *nix systems.

OS X was close, and I loved the whole it-just-works experience, but its lack of focus-follows-mouse drove me away :(. Being able to pull up a terminal and do exactly what I need to do, in whatever way suits my fancy, is just not possible in Windows; being able to customize my computer to act how I want it to act instead of how someone else has decided it should behave just isn't possible in OS X. Linux was the only choice left, and Ubuntu was the most-ready-for-the-desktop distribution available.

[Midwest-Linux]

It was Windows Vista, earlier this year I wanted to purchase a new computer. At the time, the only new models were Vista only. I did not want anything to do with Vista and preferred a XP machine then.I did some searching and found some very good Linux operating systems. I still use XP for some applications yet. But I know that I am no longer tied down to Microsoft anymore....so if Windows did not release Vista...I probably would not have looked for alternatives. Ironically , now there seems to be more new XP machines on the market now than there was back in March or April of this year.....

[Irihapeti]

Curiosity and sheer cussedness :)

[diskotek]

the time that i saw ubuntu cd's in 4th european social forum (in athens)... i get excited.. than try..than stucked!

[chris4585]

the fact of DRM and vista suckage, and plain curiosity and wanting to fit in with my friends, compiz helped a lot too...

[TeraDyne]

I needed something fast, stable, secure, and free. I tried Ubuntu after hearing about it on The Linux Link Tech Show and the old GNU\Linux User Show, and I never looked back.

[lvleph]

I like that I can write scripts to automate things. I like that I can customize everything. I like that it is open source. I like that it is free.

I guess Freedom.

[MONODA]

Anger from windows vista and also curiosity.

[frankos44]

I might as well join in...

On windows I was fed up with thinking what the f.... is it doing now!!!!

[Gloppie]

Curiosity mainly,
I have tried many earlier distros but always ended with either a broken or unusable system. The most successful attempt was Mandrake 7 that worked for 3 months. I also played with Suse 9 and Debian Netinstall. I love DSL (damnsmalllinux.org) that is installed on an older laptop too. Then I found Ubuntu and installed Feisty Fawn dual boot on my other laptop (Tishiba) but never got the Network to function. Gutsy Gibbon fixed that, and now I have it at work too. It is extremely fast on rather older hardware, even with Compiz. Eat your heart out Vista !
I dream of having the time to convert ALL the PCs at my workplace and save us a bunch of money and hassle, the main obstacles being the proprietary licenses of most applications and my lack of knowledge (for now).
Thanks also to everybody for the mutual support.

[myoungf1]

For me I really got tired of constantly running security software and windows software updates all the time. Also I didn't like the way Windows sucked up my computers resources so after finding Ubuntu I switched and gladly said goodbye to Windows. :)

[bruce89]

What brought you to Linux?

Wikipedia's Comparison of Linux Distributions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Linux_distributions) page.

[fatality_uk]

It was that damn Windows progress bar. I mean there's never been ONE time when it said "35 seconds remaining" and ACTUALLY meant it.

Oh and the lack of security, virii/viruses, bloatware, lack of true networking control functionality, the HUGE cost of even the simplest software to do day to day taks and did I mention the STUPID progress bar?

[Kingsley]

I wanted to be a leet dual-booter.

[schauerlich]

I started using OS X about 2 years ago, and in learning about its heritage I started to learn more about *nix systems, and wanted to see what could be done with a more powerful *nix OS. I started looking up videos about Linux on YouTube, and once I saw Compiz, I decided I was going to try it out. I downloaded 7.04 in August, partitioned my MacBook's HDD, and installed it. It didn't take me long to screw up X trying to install Beryl, and I got discouraged and left it alone ater several n00bish attempts at fixing it. Once 7.10 came out in October, I downloaded it and installed it, tweaked a few things with wifi, and was off and running. I even convinced my Computer Graphics teacher to install Ubuntu on one of the iMacs in his lab, which is where I'm typing this right now. :)

[jviscosi]

Drive-by website/e-mail preview pane infections of Windows XP using specially crafted images or whatever (didn't happen to me personally, but I read about it.) Whaddya mean, JPEGs can be dangerous?! I'm outta here!

Also, Firefox and Thunderbird.

[Mr Wrath]

Friends introduced me to Linux. Felt freedom for the first time using a Debian Sarge server. I have been addicted ever since.

[Tristam Green]

I did it to get chicks.

It didn't work; I met my wife in a Windows Server class.


just kidding about the meeting chicks part (I did meet my wife in a Windows class though, thanks Microsoft!), I came to Linux because I wanted to get a grip on operating systems in general, and wanted to see a broader vision than just DOS/Windows.

[koleoptero]

I came to linux out of pure love. I wasn't fed up with windows. I just love linux. :KS

[Rutabega]

I made the transfer to Linux, because I had enough of the security issues with Windows.

[Mateo]

just to try something new; curiosity.

[gn2]

On the way to work one day I decided to buy a different PC magazine (MicroMart) from the one I usually bought (ComputerActive)

There were a few articles about Linux and it stimulated my curiosity.

Downloaded PCLinuxOS 0.92 that night when I got home and haven't looked back since.

In Scotland it's traditional to make a New Year's resolution, mine is to finally erase all my NTFS partitions and dispose of Windows for good.

I boot into it less and less last time was over a month ago, it's just wasting space on my hard drives.

[kamiccolo7dbz]

I got tired of "stealing" windows and dealing with the many MANY problems I had with my legit copy.

[Linuxratty]

I might as well join in...

On windows I was fed up with thinking what the f.... is it doing now!!!!

:-D:biggrin: I know the feeling...After using Windows since it first came out, I was just fed up with it....It looked better with each release,but it still had the same crappy problems..You would think after all THIS time they could have fixed it,right?
But no...
Well,WGA and DRM were the tipping points for me...My three installs ran out a goodly while ago and I was not about to buy XP again and Vista..Oh no way! [-X
I have used Linux for two years come Jan. and find I'm quite cozy with it.
I admit to being curious ,but what really got me interested in trying It was the Lindows/Windows battle in the news...I could not help but notice...And since Windows was raising such a suffering stink, I thought I needed to check this Linux thing out...So I revved up Google...The rest is,as they say,history.

[Pethegreat]

I wanted to save $100 by not getting a legit copy of windows. I herd about Linux. Talked to someone I know who uses Linux. He recommended Ubuntu. I burned an .iso and it has been Linux ever since. I just have a few bugs to work out with Linux. I fix them and I will never go back to windows.

[herbster]

A friend showed me a Beryl clip on Youtube and after reading how unstable and how much tweaking was required to get it to work for many folks, yet the result that could be achieved, I was interested :D It was that and being tired of Windows at the same time. I had read up on Linux and some distros here and there for some time, but never had the time to install it, or so I thought. The sheer configurability and freedom to set up your machine exactly how you want it is what really drew me in, and what keeps it so much fun, especially now with this Arch adventure I've begun :)

[scotthammy]

SPEED - I wanted something faster. and ther lack of norton and SP2 etc slowing down my system, I just wish my webcam would work, but after alot of hunting its just not supported not is there a project to get it working.:popcorn:

[KCPokes]

Was administering Solaris servers at work, so it was a natural transition to work in a *Nix environment all the time, thus started running linux servers on old desktops. Eventually I moved to actual desktop environments, mainly because it provided a true environment over needing to use an X emulator on Windows.

From that point it just became more natural to use Linux over windows. That and the fact that finding a solution in Linux to do what you could in Windows was always a challenge that I welcomed. It has always been what can I do with this. Same reason that I still run an OLD laptop in my garage; not because I have to, but because I can still make it run efficiently.

[Pawcatuck]

Curiosity followed by necessity. I'd made some attempts at Linux over the last couple of years, but couldn't get it to work all that well with my (admittedly quirky) hardware and then was disappointed that some important Windows utilities didn't have Linux equivalents. I thought I'd lose too much time. (I work from home and get paid by how much work I get done, not by the hour.)

I finally got a new laptop and decided that I hated Vista. So I got a bunch of .iso CDs from OSDisc and loaded them up.

I decided I liked Ubuntu and Gnome. I've got everything working except the WiFi (I'll tackle that over the holidays). I miss the hell out of WordPerfect, but OpenOffice has gotten pretty darn good while I wasn't looking, and Evolution and Epiphany are really nice. I'm even trying to learn Emacs.

Now I'm enjoying computing more than I have in years. I'll still keep Windows on at least some of the machines around here, but for serious work I can't foresee ever going back.

[got awesome?]

I was curious, I've always played around with Windows and DOS, and just never took the plunge, so when I inherited a second system (and not up to current specs) I thought what better time to check it out! I installed Knoppix from a Live CD first, and played around with KDE a bit, then my friend recommended Ubuntu, and I switched so he could help me with any issues I had. He also pointed me to this forum, and between you guys, and him, I've not run into anything unsolveable yet!

I've found it really refreshing so far. A few hiccups here and there, but on the whole, I find myself fiddling and scripting and coding and generally having a good old geek of a time when I used to be playing games on my Windows box!

:)

[oniichan]

Wanted to write Perl and didn't want to load a MS version. I found Ubuntu by accident (the environment at work is RedHat), liked the name, got the iso, and the rest is history. Perl is gone, it's ruby now. I hate Fedora at work. And the only reason I have ******* on my work laptop is Visio. I am constantly amazed at the speed difference. So now I spend half of my Windope sessions talking to the machine about how crappy slow it is.