How many of you completely switched to Linux? [Archive] - Page 15

Orwell

July 31st, 2008, 05:09 PM

I first tried Linux back in 2006...but mistakenly went into it expecting it to be too much like Windows. This foray lasted about a month before my frustration got the better of me and I switched back.

Now in 2008, being a couple of years older and a little wiser, I'm now using Ubuntu 8.04 permanently. As has been said in previous posts, it just works...and only minimal tweaking is required. I'm really enjoying the learning curve and am fast becoming a Linux-Preacher to my friends :)

My Mrs still uses XP to run the virus otherwise known as The Sims. I can't help but cringe every time I see the Windows splash screen nowadays...

I think I've crossed the threshold....

Bobnation

July 31st, 2008, 06:05 PM

Yes, and going on month #2 at the moment. I've always had a Linux box around and have used it for testing and some development, but I could really never break the Mac-habit. However, with money tight and me trying to find ways to force myself not to spend money ... it became necessary.

However, I'm loving it so far. Enjoying tinkering with the system more and more every day. Even bought a used IBM Thinkpad X40 to use on the road!

ingeva

July 31st, 2008, 06:29 PM

I've been using Ubuntu 8.04 for 5 days and I love it.
I've tried some other distros, and also 7.10 but there was always something that didn't work.
I made an error with my first installation of 8.04 and became stuck, but after re-installing from scratch most of it was a breeze -- and for some more complicated problems I got real good help in this forum and on the Ubuntu pages.

I'll probably never return to Windows except for helping old, stubborn friends. :)

AndreiP1

July 31st, 2008, 07:04 PM

I use OS X most of the time, windows about 30 mins a day through virtual destop pgm, and use Ubuntu for like an hour a week - also through virtual dsktop through my OS X.

miljan

July 31st, 2008, 07:58 PM

I started first with Knoppix 3.(something), Then installed Musix, them Ubuntu 6.10, and since then, im constantly and explicitly on Ubuntu dist.Use Win never again. :)
I say this only as timetable example.
My curent setup is 8.04, and i'm doing extremely well.

Stratok

July 31st, 2008, 11:08 PM

If it was for me and I had a computer powerfull enough(4 procesors, 3 video cards, 8 gigs ram... 1 tbhd) I would have virtualbox windows working on one workspace,. mac on otehr and linux on other 3... buy the program to convert XP drivers to linux and then I would be done

Changed visual studio for netbeans java... almost all programs I used had replacements in linux...
but still have some hardware, games and programs that require windows

worthf

August 1st, 2008, 01:24 AM

Well, I use Ubuntu, CentOS and Windows. I use windows for that which I cannot due in Linux, and same around the table. The programs I use in windows for work is a homebrew program made specially for our company. Honestly, that's bout all windows is used for now. I still say Ubuntu looks and works better anyway!:):KS

rzrgenesys187

August 1st, 2008, 01:26 AM

I used Vista for a few things while at school but linux has been my main os for over a year now. Planning on reformatting the HD for an all linux partition with the Intrepid Ibex release

eliseu_carvalho

August 1st, 2008, 01:57 AM

I switched to Ubuntu 8.04 in the past week, because I was having too much problems with Windows XP and 2000. Now I don't want Windows on my PC anymore :-)

nerd0795

August 1st, 2008, 02:12 AM

I'm not going to ever completely switch to linux. I love ubuntu. But the fact is I can't do everything I want with it.

Such as... Video editing, gaming, learning about ccomputer repair.

Please don't bash me about this but I am a big fan of Windows. I was very happy with Windows (after the first day... I was an early adopter and the driver I had for my computer didn't work until window's update fixed it.) I find Windows Vista is a good os.

I use linux for learning programming, messing around, fooling around, having fun :p, making documents, editing photos, youtube, and more.

robotman5

August 1st, 2008, 03:25 AM

I want to erase Windows but unfortunately, I'm still a gamer at heart.

Same Here:guitar:

blackaardvark

August 1st, 2008, 03:36 AM

I just moved completely a week ago.

Getting everything I want working is a bit tricky but it's worth it. I'm totally ahead of the curve now!

si.young

August 1st, 2008, 06:11 AM

Two reasons I am still using XP,

1. I am new to Linux and just getting to grips with it.
2. I cant get WOW to work correctly on it, but I think this is just the ATI card, so that should be an easy fix.

But I do intend to go completely Linux.

WHOO my first post :)

angel.ramirez.isea

August 1st, 2008, 06:39 AM

I started using Linux (Red Hat 9) back in 2003.

It'll be one year of non-stop-Linux-use for me in september I'm using Xubuntu 8.04. Just started downloading 8.10 alpha3.

Last week I had a network problem on my brother's computer (he still hasn't seen the light), so I had to use Windows on-and-off during a whole week. Awful.

I'm happy to be back full-time in Xubuntu.

wednesday allfather

August 1st, 2008, 07:26 PM

I had Windows on two computers: work-desktop and work-laptop. I dual-booted for a bit with Ubuntu Fiesty and XP. Then I upgraded to Gutsy and about then work bought me a new laptop. It came with Vista and that was around the end. I had to remove Vista from my comp. One of the guys that works for me in the office has to keep Win and I removed it from my computers. I've never looked back.

We use CentOS for our server, which is fine, I guess.

I am pretty sure WINE is less buggy than Windows. Far less complicated.

fballem

August 2nd, 2008, 02:19 AM

I switched my laptop to ubuntu from Vista about 2-1/2 months ago. The only things that I can't do are Visio and Enterprise Architect (from Sparx Systems). Don't miss Visio, really miss Enterprise Architect. I could run EA under a windows emulator, but no real point. There is a project in Eclipse to build a requirement management system, including use cases and other UML.

Converted my kids and my wife to ubuntu about 2 weeks after I went live. I'm toying with the idea of converting one of my clients.

Hated the brown theme, so I'm using the Nimbus theme, which is much more pleasant to me. Highlights one of the advantages of linux - if you don't like something, the chances are pretty good that it's easy to change.

I've just set up an ubuntu glassfish server. Haven't played a lot with it, but it does work.

I haven't missed windows at all (other than the occasional Visio and definitely EA).

wolfen69

August 2nd, 2008, 03:26 AM

robotman5

August 2nd, 2008, 03:27 AM

ill be completey switching to Linux Tomorrow Maybe..:guitar:

wolfen69

August 2nd, 2008, 03:29 AM

ill be completey switching to Linux Tomorrow Maybe..:guitar:

grow a pair.

blackbelt_jones

August 2nd, 2008, 05:04 AM

I've been Windows-free for about a year now. I decided that I wasn't really into gaming, so when my expensive computer broke down, I just decided that I didn't need to spend a lot of money to get it repaired yet again. That's the trouble with an expensive computer. When it breaks down, you pretty much HAVE to spend more money on it!

So I bought a couple of old Pentium III boxes, one for sixty dollars, one for 70 dollars, at Babbage's basement (http://babbagesbasement.com/) in Ithaca, NY. One of them is still going strong a year later. The other one no longer supports an IDE harddrive, but I can run it with a LIVE CD and a flash drive (TRY RUNNING VISTA WITHOUT A H:lolflag:ARDDRIVE, KIDS!)

hubie

August 2nd, 2008, 05:24 AM

I've been fully on Linux for a while. I came up through the 80s and 90s on VAX mainframes, so I was always comfortable on the command line. When I got out of graduate school I had Windows set upon me for my job because of a few specific Windows-only applications. I didn't get a PC for the home until around 2000 and I ran dual-boot for a long time at home and at work. I finally got off my butt about two years ago and got VMWare Workstation for Linux when I upgraded my work computer. I went to 64-bit Linux, installed Workstation, and virtualized my work Win2k machine so now I only have to run Linux (I've bounced through a few distros (Red Hat 5 through Fedora 1, and Gentoo) but I am now quite happy with Ubuntu).

I said all that, but because my home PC is down I am typing this on my wife's old laptop which is, alas, a WinXP machine. Since she telecommutes she wants the laptop intact in case she needs to fall back to it in an emergency, so that ruins my plan to do the same thing I did with my work computer. However, I do plan on installing Linux in a virtual machine on the WinXP computer (when I get around to getting off my butt again).

Nick Lake

August 2nd, 2008, 11:26 AM

I moved to Ubuntu about 2 weeks ago!.. love it!

At work I heavily use Windows platforms with some RH and Solaris thrown in. I thought I'd see (as an experiment) if I could still do most of my work on Ubuntu for the past couple of weeks - and bugger me - no major worries!.

I do a lot of Windows based development and found I could use mono to develop most console apps even in Linux and then get them to work with very little effort on Windows (GUIs and apps that are heavily dependent on COM libraries are a different story of course).

I also found great free equivalents to the technical applications I use everyday... UML editors, diagramming, mind mapping, GIS software, Oracle DB... a lot of my simulation and modeling software was also pretty easy to port.

The thing that got me thinking about finally making my main laptop Ubuntu was Vista... grrrr (: ... I don't intentionally want to encourage any Vista bashing here but to keep to the topic I find Vista unsuitable for technical computing. Despite my company's global move to Vista for everyday users our technical computing is still done on a combination of Sloaris, Linux and XP64 platforms.

So to answer the question... yes I still use Windows (I have to)... but I'm finding Linux (and Ubuntu specifically) becoming increasingly more appropriate for my technical user base. I can't do everything I need to yet in Linux but thats more to do with legacy support and dependencies on Windows-based technologies.

- Over.

Torgas Prim

August 2nd, 2008, 02:00 PM

Now that Guild Wars went Platinum on WineHQ, I reinstalled about two weeks ago and have not plugged in my hdd with Vista on it. After a few more months I will activate my Vista hdd, save all my files to a DvD, and wipe it out to use for mass storage.

God I love saying "I can no longer find a reason to keep using *******!"

fballem

August 2nd, 2008, 02:55 PM

just_tami

August 2nd, 2008, 05:20 PM

had windows sitting untouched on a different partition for a year. accidentally formatted that partition while re-installing ubuntu a couple of months ago. never bothered to re-install windows, no reason to do it.

trucker33377

August 2nd, 2008, 06:01 PM

I got away from windows awhile back now. my desktop only has linux on it. the one thing ive found to be true is that no matter what I use ive had to go through a learning curve. Is it better? well i cant really say. But the fact that theres no cost to have it installed makes me feel better. Having come across old pc's and laptops without op sys in them and wanting to make them useful once more, Linux just shines.
Stealing has always been something i don't like. so the cost of windows made it imposable to bring these back on line. now theres a few old pc's in the hands of people who otherwise would be without.

im by no means a linux guru and use this and other forums alot. theres so much to learn but i do manage to find out the things i need to know to get me by.
Its just to bad that linux seems to have the rep of geeks only hooked to it, Ubuntu as well as many other distro's ive found are pretty easy to setup and use. and a little research before one buys hardware makes compatibility issues, non issues
As far as some of the post ive read on this topic just give it time, i dont think linux will take a back seat.
the fact that its open and free the staff to improve is just a bit bigger then any corp out there.

and thats all i have to say on this

gtrtx

August 2nd, 2008, 07:12 PM

I had been using Slackware for years, from about 96-2004. I had simply grown tired of editing config files by hand and all the work of keeping a slackware box up to date. I just had other things going on in my life and really hadn't ever known any other Linux. So I switched to XP.

About a year into using XP I was introduced to Ubuntu. It was probably the easiest OS install I've ever experienced. I switched over completely(I just don't like dual booting, perhaps if I was really into gaming I would). In the past 2-3 years of using Ubuntu I've had far less problems with my machines than I did in the 1 year I ran XP.

I think my years of using Slackware really paid off though. With Ubuntu I can just install it and let it go. If I want to get my hands dirty and play with the OS, I have that option too. I like compiling kernels and tweaking performance etc. With Ubuntu I don't have to, but can if I want to.

For me, Ubuntu is nearly the perfect OS.

labonaj

August 3rd, 2008, 12:20 AM

I have used Ubuntu exclusively for over 3 years on our main home computer. We have XP on an older Dell and I'm here to tell you Windows just doesn't rate. Every few months on the xp machine I have to spend a minimum 5 hours of downtime defragging, running registry tools, getting rid of spyware/viruses and other associated bloatware. I got to the point that if I run norton speed disk at 8pm, forget about using that computer again that night. All so that windows approaches the speed and reliability of the Ubuntu box.

To maintain Ubuntu, I just run the updates every week or so (about 15minutes), thats it, thats all. I shut down the system at night and when I turn it on the next day, it boots as fast and runs as fast as the first day I installed.

If I could get rid of xp, believe me I would, but my wife is a teacher, and her report card software only runs on windows. <sigh>

Count me as a true Ubuntu fan.

labonaj

August 3rd, 2008, 12:46 AM

At home, we have 2 desktop computers:
One running Ubuntu Hardy
One Dell running XP

Though the Dell is older than the Ubuntu box, it has alays been much slower. Every month to 2 months with the Dell XP setup, I have to defrag, use registry tools, get rid of spyware/viruses (despite a router hardware firewall and 24/7 virus protection) and get rid of temp and bloatware which consumes a horrible amount of disk space.

With Ubuntu, in the 3 years I have had that box, the worst thing that has happenned to me is I had to do a clean Hardy install when something broke with the last upgrade. Because I put /home on a separate partition, NO data loss. Just beautiful. No defragging, no spyware, no viruses. When I turn on the machine it boots as fast as the first time I installed and runs as fast as the first time too.

My wife needs XP because she is a teacher, and when she does her report cards, the software only runs on windows. My kids and I often fight over who uses the ubuntu box.

But even on the XP box, we use Open Office and Firefox exclusively. It's not that I hate Microsoft, it's just that the open source options are often much better.

Count me as a longtime Ubuntu and Gnome fan.

mfdc1969

August 3rd, 2008, 04:17 AM

In my home there are 5 working computers - my wife has XP, my son has XP and I have 2 machines running Ubuntu - one is a laptop and the other is a file-server running hardy, sharing all for our family. I also have a 3rd - a desktop running Xp but I rarely turn it on. Only if my wife requires some assistance with her projects ... ie Photoshop or MS Office stuff.

I made the switch to Ubuntu with Dapper on a dual boot config a few years ago. With Fiesty I felt confident enough in my abilities (ie CLI ... ) to go solely with Ubuntu. When Gutsy came around I added the file server and then bought a laptop and wiped the hdd clean and installed Ubuntu.

Ubuntu/Linux is great - a great learning experience. I attribute much of that positive experience to THIS forum. Without the help of the many, many folks using Ubuntu Forums I would have caved to the 'click and go' mentality of windows and returned to complacent peace of that Big Boring OS. Ubuntu/Linux has been an incredible learning/social experience for me and I owe much to the Ubuntu Forums community for all it has given me.

My daughter is 3 and I have already introduced her to Linux. She loves Tux Racer and has fun typing with Open Office Writer.

I have one small issue though ... GIMP. My experience with Photoshop has made me somewhat hesitant to fully embrace it. GIMPshop has eased the transition but WINE has afforded me the luxury of enjoying the comforts of Photoshop

Nick Lake

August 3rd, 2008, 04:34 AM

Curious about the UML editors and diagramming software that you're using - that's one of my biggest 'misses' from Windows. I used Enterprise Architect for a number of years and haven't found anything suitable yet.
fballem,

I tested using Dia for UML and diagramming... Not as snazzy as some other offerings but still can get the work done (creating Object Models).

- Nick

cybrsaylr

August 3rd, 2008, 05:35 AM

I have two dual boot PCs. Desktop is XP/Hardy and a new laptop with Vista/Hardy.

Been using linux a little over a year. Started with Fedora then switched to Fiesty when Dell started selling PCs with Ubuntu preloaded.

Lately I'm on linux 95% of the time. I really don't need Windows anymore and really like the upgrades Ubnutu has made in Gutsy and now Hardy. Usually I just go into Winddows to update the OS & AV then switch back to linux.
Ubuntu is a very nice OS and I'm glad I decided to try it out.

Club17

August 3rd, 2008, 06:01 AM

I'm using Ubuntu 90% of my time for a couple of days now. I still need a good replacement for uTorrent, Adobe Photoshop, Konnekt, foobar2000 (Listen is pretty nice though) and a few others that I havn't actually searched for yet (Notepad++). When uTorrent and Konnekt (will never happen) get ported, I will definitely switch 100% and maybe try using GIMP (I hate the GUI:-& )

Am installing Apache, PHP, Mysql atm so I can hopefully continue developing my websites on Linux, I have noticed a few problems with fonts and font sizes in terms of the CSS :)

Well, for µtorrent, you can use: Vuze, Transmission or Ktorrent. These three offers a good options for P2P, of course, Vuze have many options of configuration (is Azureus).

Photoshop is #1, but gimp offers good choise for alternative image editor, and you can search gimp tutorials over Internet.

I use XP in my 3rd. computer only for: GoldWave, Zune & Dreamweaver. Only these programs no have a good option in the ubuntu world: Audacity is a trash, amarok & banshee can't manage my Zune device (my next purchase will be an ipod) & Dreamweaver don't have competition to manage DB.

Edit.- So, in my other 2 computers (my main armed PC & Libretto laptop), I use Ubuntu 8.04 & KDE 4.1. My sister have: XP in her Gateway PC and Vista in her Toshiba laptop. Friends & people near to me still using 98, XP and Vista in their computers.

Cheers!:popcorn:

guhpraset

August 3rd, 2008, 10:35 AM

I have completely switched to Ubuntu Linux for almost 2 years. I even lost my (pirated) windows installation CD.

But now that i have a Garmin Etrex Vista HCx for my work, i'm thinking to buy windows XP, maybe a "starter edition". I need to transfer map to my GPS and the only software provided by Garmin and is only for Ms windows. I tried wine, but it failed to detect the GPS connected via USB.

Wish somebody have a way to help me avoid that nasty fate... :confused:

stinger30au

August 3rd, 2008, 01:19 PM

But now that i have a Garmin Etrex Vista HCx for my work, i'm thinking to buy windows XP, maybe a "starter edition". I need to transfer map to my GPS and the only software provided by Garmin and is only for Ms windows. I tried wine, but it failed to detect the GPS connected via USB.

Wish somebody have a way to help me avoid that nasty fate... :confused:

send am email to Garmin and request support for linux. better yet start a new thread and do exactly that. im sure many people here will do it

barlaventoexpert

August 3rd, 2008, 01:32 PM

I have been using Ubuntu exclusively now for 3 years on both my home machine and laptop.

On the odd occasion I need a windows box, the other half has an XP laptop. However, just trying to wean her of that. Bought her a Asus EEEPc with Xandros linux aboard. She loves it.

There are a couple of things I would still like to see in Linux -

- A good swf/flash IDE for doing animations for websites.
- support for Logmein Servers so that I can remotely access my machines easily while away from base.. (Apparently they are going to work on this)
- a good migration pack for Microsoft Access databases.

However, I am 100% ubuntu and will not revert. I do web design with it etc etc.

gjoellee

August 3rd, 2008, 01:35 PM

after my XP crashed, and crashed, and crashed I remembered a word which I didn't know what it was and then I searched for it on youtube (the word was Ubuntu) and when I saw it was a free OS I bought a CD went to a friend and burned the ISO file to a disk and installed Ubuntu...

AMMalinowski

August 3rd, 2008, 07:21 PM

Can you use Turbo Tax in Linux/Ubunty?

pi.boy.travis

August 3rd, 2008, 07:23 PM

I recently got my parents totally switched over. The last thing they used on XP was software for media players, but Rockbox took care of that!

jhp-dk

August 3rd, 2008, 09:12 PM

Not all computers are linux-only.. My HTPC is running windows because of FFDSHOW and media portal. My laptop is a dual-boot, but I almost always boot in linux, except when i need to check online-banking..

nick09

August 3rd, 2008, 09:43 PM

Can you use Turbo Tax in Linux/Ubunty?

It might:
http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=623

tonychar

August 3rd, 2008, 10:42 PM

I screwed up the dual boot to Gutsy Gibbon, overwrote Windows (pre-installed) and haven't looked back!

Jota37

August 4th, 2008, 03:26 AM

That's a lot of replies... :-D

I myself started using Linux (sorry, Stallman) in 2001, and have done so almost exclusively ever since. Interestingly enough, it was for a reason that people usually associate with NOT using Linux, or at least keeping a partition with Windows: the software I needed/wanted to use was available only for Linux (genome assembler), at least in the i386 world. I saw this software (phred/phrap/Consed) at a course I attended in S. Brazil, and it was what I needed to assemble my stuff. So I installed a version of Debian (can't remember which) at home, but it didn't work well. Too hard to make it work for me at the time (the installer was very primitive, and I had very little knowledge; a bad combination). So I got RedHat (7.1, I think) and it was much better (read: easier to make work for a noob). Over the years I have used RedHat (until 7.3), then SuSE/OpenSuse (from about 8 to 10.1, or 2) and now Ubuntu (at work) and Kubuntu (home), both 8.04 (since 7.10).

After about 04/2002, when I came to work in the USA, I have used Linux exclusively at work, where none of the many machines (from desktop to large, CLI-only Beowulf clusters) I use run anything but Linux. An old one runs Solaris, though. :-) At home, sometimes I have used my old Win2000 partition because of my old Hauppauge 350 (it's supposed to work in Linux, but with my hardware combination it doesn't, for some reason I can't figure out), but it's been at least a couple years since I've last used it. Otherwise I haven't needed to use Windows in many years (except for web page testing very sporadically, or when using someone else's computer). And I don't miss it at all. :-D

ceti331

August 4th, 2008, 01:54 PM

am finding wacom tablets very frustrating, and am very close to re-installing windows...

Anthony T.

August 4th, 2008, 02:04 PM

I just installed Linux and went cold turkey. But I have my laptop with Windows Vista and another MacBook Pro for editing, but main OS is Linux.

c2olen

August 4th, 2008, 02:10 PM

I have switched to Debian a couple of years ago, but for day to day work, I run Ubuntu since dapper. For work related issues I sometimes need to fall-back to a Windows virtual machine to do some stuff like printing to a company network printer, which unfortunately still doesn't work properly in Linux.

Other than that, Linux all the way.

wyliecoyoteuk

August 4th, 2008, 02:18 PM

At home, Linux only. Mythbuntu 8.04.1 on my HTPCs, Opensuse 11.0 on my main box, Opensuse 10.2 on my wife's, Puppy on the box my grandson uses when he's here.
At work I support a mixed Windows/Linux/Mac network.Dual boot laptop for troubleshooting in the field.

Torgas Prim

August 5th, 2008, 01:35 PM

Can you use Turbo Tax in Linux/Ubunty?

I use Tax Cut Online instead of using the CDs. The cost is the same and it can all be done with a secure connection, which you can customize for security strength.

Turbo Tax can be imported into Tax Cut also.

See if TT offers an online version to use :)

artvds2708

August 6th, 2008, 12:08 PM

I switch about four years ago.
I don't miss Windows one bit !

Ederico

August 6th, 2008, 01:15 PM

I've been using Ubuntu for long now, eh, long enough to forgot when I started using it in preference to Windows! In general I'd go for dual boot, but my laptop has been running Ubuntu exclusively for a while now. Only problem is gaming, I'm not an avid gamer but I would like to play some game occasionally.

gmanigault

August 6th, 2008, 03:50 PM

I totally dumped Microsoft :( . They were becoming time consuming and tedious to keep up with all updates, resolving issues. I am a MCSE and Linux is the way to go. Linux has come a long way with their interfaces, installs and ease of use. There is a product called Win lin for Linux that will allow you to use your windows apps natively on Linux. I have read about it but have not tried it yet. I will probably be going that direction because I have a Iphone and it will only work with Itunes or you have to jailbreak it to use Linux. That is funny because at its core there is a Linux OS on it. When you jailbreak it you get to see the OS behind the curtain.

Again look at win for lin or win lin. It is about 30 dollars. If I get it soon and try it out, I will post again.

GWShark

musicman12

August 6th, 2008, 04:14 PM

I was running Windows Vista on my desktop and Windows XP on my laptop, I actually was using a dual boot configuration until a month ago. I have now switched both pc's to Linux my Desktop runs fedora and my laptop run Ubuntu. I have found that I am having a lot less problems now that I am away from Windows.

Sprax

August 7th, 2008, 10:53 AM

I planned on totally switching to Vista from Windows XP, well needless to say I switched to Linux instead.

rEbyTer

August 7th, 2008, 11:10 AM

I have totally switched to linux and i DO NOT regret this...

crtlbreak

August 7th, 2008, 12:19 PM

Completely switched over my home desktop and laptop - and dont miss ******* at all.
Now on to the office desktops and servers for Ubuntu-fication.

musicman12

August 7th, 2008, 03:31 PM

I am very pleased getting away from windows the stability is unbelievable. Probably from now on when I purchase a new PC it will have Linux on it either pre-installed or I will install it myself. I should have done this years ago :guitar:

Israel Katz

August 7th, 2008, 03:45 PM

A few weeks i copleatly switched to Linux im a gamer aswell there are aload of games for linux wich are quite good the grafics arnt as good but they are good to play like Q3 Doom ext there are some simple games wich i wouldnt normal play on but they can be good fun at times. There is a way of running windows programs on ur linux system useing winx but do do this u need to do some tweeking if u email me about this i will get back 2 you asap........... oh and my email addy is generalamlh@hotmail.com

Have fun.
Andy (Sk8rgoth)
I did switch at home but have to keep windows at work

jcway212

August 7th, 2008, 03:58 PM

musicman12

August 7th, 2008, 04:09 PM

I run Fedora on my desktop it runs pretty well alot of configuration has and is still taking place. I also run Ubuntu on my laptop for what I use my laptop for just messing around it works great. I like both to be honest, Ubuntu is kick and good for my kids and Fedora has more control in my opinion when I need something for work. So I say both are great depending on your use.

Joey-G

August 7th, 2008, 04:29 PM

i made the switch from vista to ubuntu about 2 weeks ago and i love it. Been wanting to switch for a while. i study computers at college but i am so glad i have now. i like ubuntu so much that i got rid of vista completely.

uberdonkey5

August 7th, 2008, 05:02 PM

I use Excel VBA alot, and can't bring myself to change to using programming language in open-office - although I am proud to say I am releasing a statistics spreadsheet in both Excel and Open-office, and I will soon be submitting a scientific paper referring to open-office.

Occasionally I use specialist stats packages which people only produce for windows (huff), and I worry about using wine. Since I changed my theme to a Pilgrim theme, used a vista wallpaper (pretty mountain reflected in lake) I adore the look of ubuntu and I love the menu system.

One thing I realised is the speed of file copying is much faster in ubuntu. This is why I went from dual boot 70:30 partition in favour of windows to a 50:50 partition. I do most things in ubuntu now. Initially had problems with internet connection though (with vodafone connect pen). Infact I just reinstalled everything, and having problems with it again!

Ubuntu takes more tweaking to get it to work correctly, and I don't think I will ever get rid of my dual boot. However I use ubuntu more and more due to speed and security (and the nice menu system).

I still think ubuntu is only suitable for people that have the time and capacity to fiddle with their computer until it is just right. I know some companies have preinstalled ubuntu now, but why don't we have a choice of pre-installation for EVERY computer we buy.

anco

August 7th, 2008, 11:11 PM

Both my wife and I use ubuntu with great pleasure. I started in 2000 with suse and tried some others dualbooted several years and finaly in 2005 I switched completely to ubuntu. Well almost my wife has still has one computer in the house just for video editing, nothing else on that computer. That is a major lack in linux, tried a few times several programs, but nothing comes near pinacle, adobe or avid yet. If those programs were available for linux we would definitely buy adobe or avid and get the last windows xp out off the house.

lancest

August 7th, 2008, 11:16 PM

"
Ubuntu takes more tweaking to get it to work correctly, and I don't think I will ever get rid of my dual boot. However I use ubuntu more and more due to speed and security (and the nice menu system).

I still think ubuntu is only suitable for people that have the time and capacity to fiddle with their computer until it is just right. I know some companies have preinstalled ubuntu now, but why don't we have a choice of pre-installation for EVERY computer we buy."

Glad you like Ubuntu! Have to disagree with you on the last point though. Alot of us find Ubuntu very easy to get running with little/no tweaking. Just look around the forums.

Nielsoerbaek

August 8th, 2008, 02:07 AM

I run Ubuntu on my labtop and WinXP on my desktop.
I want to switch completely, but honestly i don't have the balls. I have zero programming- or other fancy 'puter-skills, so i'm sticking to what i know. For now.

rickdog

August 10th, 2008, 08:09 AM

We've been Windows free since September of 2007. And I only first installed 6.10 in March of 2007!

I now have 2 laptops and and 2 custom desktops running Kubuntu. I also just installed Ubuntu on my PS3 and have an old Xbox that I'm looking at tweaking as well. I also carry around a bootable 16gb OCZ rally usb drive that has PuppyLinux on it for when I'm at work and feel like getting away from windows for a while.

Also, I've converted a friend and have Kubuntu installed on her laptop.

Finally, I've brought my parents into the 21st century by putting together parts from and old computer and building a P4 1.6gHz, 1gb ram, 80gb hd, Geforce 6200, Kubuntu system for them. It's their first computer ever.

Just doing my part to spread the word...

Unanimated

August 11th, 2008, 04:57 AM

I just finished my complete switch to Linux about two weeks ago, thanks to Virtualbox. I just finished all my tweaking and have made Ubuntu exactly the way I like it, so now I can focus on the important stuff--like gaming. :D

sirwilliamthenice

August 11th, 2008, 06:27 AM

well i have ubuntu on my main pcs.. and windows on my spare pc but that was only for itunes with my ipod classic.

now that ubuntu supports the classic relatively well ill be formatting very soon. possibly try ubuntu server on the old pc and see how we go..

i do have xp running in a virtual box on the main system. thats mainly for the australian online tax software that is windows only.. and i don't want to risk my tax with wine.

so i would say im now non xp dependant...

but im not totally free.. transcoding all my movies and mp3 to free formats would be a chore and silly cos i have a propertry ipod. (hey, where else can you get 160 in a DAP for that price?)
and i only have and nvidia card.. and i want my bling bling..

one day.
ill be free.

null byte

August 11th, 2008, 08:44 PM

Well, I completely switched to Ubuntu :)

I still use virtualized WindowsXP for some minor tasks.

Roasted

August 11th, 2008, 10:13 PM

XP is simply my "Counter-Strike Operating System"

The second I'm done playing, I reboot.

fertilizerspike

August 11th, 2008, 10:27 PM

I want to erase Windows but unfortunately, I'm still a gamer at heart.

I've used nothing but linux for years. I use ubuntu now with xfce4 interface but I've used many distributions over the years. I've had hardware support issues in the past but my newest computer is fully supported by ubuntu except for an infuriating issue that I mention here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=886872).

johnehowe

August 12th, 2008, 01:50 AM

I am an IT Manager for a group that is responsible for the Microsoft systems in a fortune 100 company. I have been in the IT field for 25 years. In that time I have touched and managed just about every OS that exist on the planet including VMS, Unix etc... However, I only use Linux for my home use however and could not be more pleased. I read posts that state how much they like the look of Linux or how much they hate the look of Linux. However, it really has nothing to do with the look..... The look and feel can be changed to the preference of the user's taste (case in point, I have a Mac4Lin Ubuntu laptop). I use exclusively Linux and have not touched MS at home for quite some time. In my opinion the reason that people should be interested in Linux is for the stability, security, and the lack of intelligence insulting, wizard utility, ridden based interfaces. MS concentrates on the Mass public and the fact that most people need a very simple works out of the box OS.No offense that works for them marketing wise. That approach however leaves with it the inheritance of a non-secure, instable system. So, if you select the OS based upon;

The look and feel? then don't that is modified easily to look any way you prefer.

Applications? Then don't, because there is typically an application out there that does what your MS based applications does but usually free. If not, then many of the MS apps will run in Cross-Over.

The reason to consider and switch to Linux is for the reasons that I stated above. If you are not a IT person or a wanna-be IT geek then MS may be the OS for you.

I challenge everyone to consider the operating system based upon the under the cover reasons and not select based upon the MS GUI interface vs. X-Windows.

Comhra

August 13th, 2008, 04:43 AM

I have an old XP laptop that I use for one purpose only and the day that I no longer neet to do so is the day Puppy Linux is going on it. For everything else I use Mac OS X or Ubuntu.

Comhra

August 13th, 2008, 04:45 AM

I'd like to use BSD as well but I just don't have the right hardware. I know one thing, I will never buy a Windows OS again.

EarloftheWest

August 13th, 2008, 05:06 AM

Comhra,

Your post has me curious. What do you use XP for?

sama_j

August 14th, 2008, 07:06 AM

xp destroyed itself on my box and the install cd has vanished, can't say that im too sad about it :).
Only using Ubuntu now. I'm missing some games, but i have not tried to get them running yet.
I have had a few problems in Ubuntu but they are always an easier fix than in windows.

I definitely won't go back. :lolflag:

sstusick

August 14th, 2008, 07:40 AM

xp destroyed itself on my box and the install cd has vanished, can't say that im too sad about it :).
I definitely won't go back. :lolflag::lolflag:

LitusMayol

August 14th, 2008, 08:08 AM

I know XPstill being in home... (the enemy within!) But it's installed on the oldest computer, so it'll probably die during next year. The only thing that kept me on Windows was the amazing GuitarPro. But the new TuxGuitar has improved a lot, enough to get installed and not using GP(by the way, it still rockin' TuxGuitar...)

On the other 2 computers I got Ubuntuand on the old laptop "Fluxbuntu". But I think the most important thing I've ever made (talking about GNU/Linux and discovering the dark side of OSs) is to allow my little brother to use my computer. He's 14 and since 12 that he doesn't uses any Windows or Mac. He's more free than I'm.

Let's Ubuntu!

fahadsadah

August 14th, 2008, 09:52 AM

I keep a virtual XP for programming - I know C++, C, loads and loads of scripting languages, but I just prefer the .Net framework (and mono stinks)

NWAdawg

August 14th, 2008, 10:05 AM

I have gone to Linux for my everyday day work & surfing. I've come to find out there isn't any thing I can't do in Linux that Windows does for me.
I do keep a WinXP computer around for my gaming, And its no long connected to the internet.

ColdSpider

August 14th, 2008, 10:40 AM

I completely switched to Unbuntu just earlier today ^_^
I really didn't have any problems with Windows XP until yesterday when my 4 month old laptop completely crashed and I had to do a complete system restore and lost everything. So far I've been able to figure out a way to do everything I did on Windows on Unbuntu, the only real drawback I've had is the lack of iTunes but I definitely can manage without it.

Lord C

August 14th, 2008, 01:53 PM

I've finally done it!

I've converted my work PC to Ubuntu, now that I've managed to get Novell Client / GroupWise / ConsoleOne / iManager all working. I can pretty much do everything I could on XP.

We're also using a Linux based imaging server now, which is the only one I have to touch on a regular basis. There's no chance I can convert all their Novell servers, but I'm happy that I managed to get my main pc running Ubuntu!

Of course my desktop and media server at home are running Ubuntu desktop/server respectively.

Ahhh, freedom...

BrokenKingpin

August 14th, 2008, 03:17 PM

I have a Windows Vista box for programming and cross platform testing. There are also a few select Windows apps I use from time to time. My Linux box is my main day to day machine, but if I can accomplish a task in Windows easier than I in Linux, I have no problems using it.

beerguzzler

August 14th, 2008, 04:18 PM

I use XP on VirtualBox for my TomTom updates and Photoshop. I do use Gimp occasionally, but need the Actions feature. Also printing from Photoshop seems to be better than Gimp. Other than that Ubuntu all the way.

BlueSkyNIS

August 14th, 2008, 04:36 PM

I completely switched to Ubuntu in January, I do use XP in VirtualBox because of some electronic engineering programs. My girlfriend also wants to switch to it, but her younger brother doesn't let her because he plays a lot of games :(

PT.Linn.A

August 14th, 2008, 08:21 PM

I broke out the Ubuntu squeegie and wiped my system clean of Windows!

A little scared, I must admit. But, from watching the support in this forum I am confident that any issues that arise I will get the help I need as a Noob. :)

zenithdave

August 14th, 2008, 08:38 PM

I would love to switch as i have everything i need in Ubuntu now apart from just 1 application. fruity loops , i use it as a drum sampler in XP for external triggers ie electronic drum kit.

Its stable as ever, i get 2ms latency from the M-audio sound card and tons of free drum samples and lifetime upgrades.

No prob you say do dual boot but Grub or Ubuntu keeps destroying my XP setup, even a clean install xp and ubuntu !!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 times now!!!!!!!!!

So really i have switched for everything else but i do need a xp install for that 1 app.

jobo1313

August 14th, 2008, 11:16 PM

I wanted xp when bought my laptop but the computer just came with vista. My dad told me i could install linux so i did haven't booted my vista partition in six months, i would never use xp any more, its way to vulnerable.:popcorn:

zieglerj

August 14th, 2008, 11:49 PM

I have completely switched on my desktop pc but I keep XP on my laptop for my printer (lexmark Z1300 if anyone knows of drivers for ubuntu I'd be very grateful) and my wife's Motorola Phone tools. Occasionally if I want to watch a movie on hulu (flash) I'll boot windows but hopefully that problem will clear up as soon as adobe comes out with their new flash player.

jlenain

August 14th, 2008, 11:53 PM

Hi,

I began running linux with Redhat 9 about 5 years ago, then swithed to Fedora a few months later. After 6 months, I switched to Debian sarge for 3 years. Always keeping XP in dual boot, for the things it did not already know to do on linux.
Now I am Ubuntu, since 2006, and I completely erased Windows from my computer, and I don't regret it. I am able to do whatever I need on linux.
And concerning the games, I don't play, so... ;-)

alcatraz

August 15th, 2008, 09:20 AM

Linux is my main OS since 6 month. It takes 65GB of my 80GB harddrive.
I have Windows XP installed, but just for games only. Even the network doesn't work, but I don't care. As I am a student, I don't have time for computer games, so you could say in some way that I completely switched to Linux. And very lucky with my choice =)

bbaaxx

August 15th, 2008, 06:00 PM

I use linux in my work for everyday tasks, but I still need a Win partition for some network monitoring tools that can't run on a virtual computer because the virtual hardware is not supported, however I'm trying hard to stablish a linux culture in the office and is going pretty well. Linux is superior to win or mac by faaar.

Cheers

dragos240

August 15th, 2008, 06:30 PM

I would like to switch to ubuntu completely. Whenever i get the chance, i will use ubuntu, but when i'm at my dads, i cant. I want to switch completely to ubuntu but unfortunately thats not going to happen. My dad doesn't want me to use anything other than windows on my main pc. If i had the choice, i'd keep my ubuntu, back up my server files on my windows and toss the vista out the window. But my dad payed a lot of money on the vista, that would be $600 down the drain for him, also he adores the parental controls, I'm not sure if i'll get the chance to switch until i've moved out. When i do, i'm switching.

hufferd

August 15th, 2008, 06:34 PM

I have been on Ubuntu / Linux for about 5 months now. and it is my ONLY OS.

I decided when I built my new machine that I was going to switch cold turkey and so far I have stuck with it. I have come real close a couple of times to installing a virtual machine and windows but have not done it yet.... And I don't think I will

D

ingeva

August 15th, 2008, 07:07 PM

An enormous number of replies to this thread! :)

I'm in my third week with Ubuntu, and from the first 2-3 days I knew that I would never go back to Windows. After 2 weeks that is very much confirmed even if I have met some challenges.

I've done some experimenting to get things to work as I wanted, which has resulted in some errors, making me have to re-install a couple of times. That takes less than one hour now, versus at least a whole day with Windows. I have made a routines to automate the process, and if I need to make changes I do them once and for all.

I have my /home directory on disk no. 2, and nearly all settings are saved there, making Linux systems a lot more "wiser" (less risky) than old Windows.

When Windows came around in the late 80's (I think I started using W3.11 around 1989) it was already outdated compared to *nix systems. However, it had a market, and my situation at the time made me stick with it. Luckily, that's history now. The only times I need to touch Windows is when my friends need assistance. And G knows they do, with that faulty OS without an immune system! :)

Getting rid of Windows means you have a whole new freedom. Linux is not far behind Windows when it comes to the choice of programs, and most Windows programs can run under Linux/Wine anyway. I hope I never need to. So far I haven't come across any Windows program that doesn't have a good replacement written for Linux.
(I don't waste my time playing games. I think the computer world is so fun and challenging that no games are needed to sprite it up.)

Oh, BTW, I also bought a new computer and started from scratch. I've gotten the old computer upgraded but I'm not sure what to do with it. Probably make a Linux server out of it.

Despot Despondency

August 15th, 2008, 08:22 PM

I still have a windows partition on my computer, but I haven't booted it up for at least six months, so I think I have pretty much completely switched. Would get rid of the windows partition, but that would require a new install and I have my system just as I like it. Won't be sorry to be the back of windows, changing to linux has completely changed my outlook of my PC.

unseend

August 15th, 2008, 11:50 PM

completely using Ubuntu. I had a desktop with XP. When first time heard about Ubuntu I dual-boot 'em. Now I took a normal XP laptop, deleted the XP, installed Ubuntu. I gave the desktop PC to my brother who is at the fourth grade. I will go to first year of high school. Linux powah! :-D

deluser

August 16th, 2008, 12:55 AM

I work in webdevelopment and use a mac at work, and ubuntu on my desktop and laptop.

I have not used windows for over five years now and never looked back,
started out with FreeBSD then Gentoo then ubuntu and always had macs on the side.

Loquax

August 16th, 2008, 02:14 AM

I have used Ubuntu exclusively for several years now. I boot windows only occasionally, just to download updates for it on the odd chance that one day I might need it.

blairm

August 16th, 2008, 04:56 AM

On my home computer I've used linux and nothing else for years. I love it, and have introduced several people - including my parents, who are nearing 70 - to Ubuntu.

Gaming is taken care of with consoles: I understand some people swear by the PC gaming experience but for me xbox 360 and playstation meet all my needs.

One downside I have noticed - we use windows at work, and I've found I'm no longer as familiar as I'd like to be with some of the programs I have to use occasionally.

Because of that, I've decided to dual boot just to keep those skills up. At the risk of being labelled a troll I'd probably advise others to do the same, just to preserve their skills.

Like it or not, it's still a windows world.:(

4ugeistr

August 16th, 2008, 04:23 PM

Started just a day before yesterday and must say i'm most satisfied and hope i will never have a need to install windows again.

i'm not a game-maniac, my most beloved Planescape: Torment runs wonderfuly even emulated, and, hell, my friend even succeeded in running warhammer40k:dawn of war+hamachi under linux(can't recall which one) =))
for the moment i can't think of any soft i wouldn't find in repositories or from third-party developers =)
and the community rocks!!
it was the demo video about the spirit of Ubuntu, that appealed to me

the fun will start when the education begins, in September. i'm not sure i'll be able to get all the development tools to run here.
Well, that'll be a test of skill and patience, and i'm ready to fight to the last.:guitar:

:KS Using Ubuntu just feels so light, so pleasant... :KS

DaveySpeedstar

August 16th, 2008, 05:16 PM

I installed Ubuntu last weeks as a duel boot. I thought that I would be heading back to Windows quite a bit, howwver the only time I went over was to check some passwords and setting for programmes.

Ubuntu is brilliant, and I never realised it could be so user friendly. In fact I was so amazed with it I videoed my first attempts at desktop animation to show 'non-believers' just how easy it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCfwXpvJwQI

I did miss the BBC i-Player, but not so much now that I've found Last.fm

mike1234

August 16th, 2008, 07:32 PM

Long thread here but it's a good one. I quit using Microsoft anything about 2 years ago. I just got fed up with the maintenance involved with it. The constant security updates and reboots. The virus, spyware, and adware problems. MS Vista costs $399, MS Office professional about $600 for the top of the line version. Additional programs like Nero, Adobe, etc. can run another 4 or 5. Ubuntu? Free. I was doing the dual boot thing for about 5 years and one day just said f**k it. Enough is enough. I've tried Suse, Fedora, Red Hat, Knoppix, Mandrake, etc. I keep coming back to Ubuntu! It works!

Mike

M.

Jonothewright

August 16th, 2008, 08:34 PM

I not only used Microsoft products but I was a FANBOY!I even spent a few months arguing that Vista was great.Then one day, just to prove that Vista was better, I got a Feisty Fawn disk, installed it, fell in love with it, and now use Ubuntu (also in K and X variants) almost exclusively.

I do still have a small Vista partition because, in my fanboy style, I bought a Zune when it first came out. Sadly, I cannot afford to just replace it with something Linux friendly at this time. So once a month or so I log in to put together a new playlist or something. When I do get an ipod or something else that works (or in the unlikely event that some amazing person gets the zune to work on Ubuntu) I will finally completely delete that proprietary piece of malware that is Vista from my otherwise wonderful Ubuntu system.

I was also a gamer and am lucky enough to really only play through Steam (first, and only time that I will acknowledge something good about Steam). Steam can be installed on any linux through WINE and Half-Life (+2, Ep1, Ep2), Team Fortress 2, Portal, and Counterstrike all work fine for me on Ubuntu. However, since I left Windows I have stopped craving games. Something that I am actually very glad happened.

Cheers

DR583V3

August 16th, 2008, 09:58 PM

I have completely switched and have even switched some people along the way. They and me as well are quite happy with Linux.

cgkades

August 17th, 2008, 03:26 AM

i have mostly switched. I converted my laptop(school computer), my file server, and an old pc. My wife told me today I can convert her old one as well, but i'm not sure what distro i want to try. If i have the time and patience, perhaps gentoo, but maybe for a short time just ubunto. her's is faster than mine, so i might do a little sneeky trade :). and that just leaves me with one computer running windows, i have it still because i work with office products at work, and it's extreemly important that my docs work correctly. so for now, i'll keep it windows

peruvianfreak250

August 17th, 2008, 03:49 AM

i have been using ubuntu for a year on and off and then i fixed a small problem i had a few weeks ago

and i havent gone back to windows since :-)

im a gamer but i too have stopped craving games since i switched.
idk maybe im maturing lol
weird since im still 17

the only reason i havent switched is because i have a lot of songs in itunes and i spent a LOT of money on this ipod touch and its warranty and i do not want to jailbreak it and lose the warranty, so i have to use windows to sync it.

but i haven't synced in a long time,idk even though there are two albums i want I've been pushing them to the side cause that would mean logging out of Ubuntu.:guitar:

quill3033

August 17th, 2008, 04:35 AM

I started with Ubuntu 6.06 a few months ago and found it great. I am not a gamer, just need the computer for study and work and word processing. I have only just discovered music programs, playlists, the broadband internet experience and downloading podcasts etc under linux so it's quite funny going to other people's places and working out how these things work in Windows. I now have my 77 year old father using Ubuntu almost exclusively. I started him off on Thunderbird and Firefox in Windows so the switch was not such a culture shock. He has a dual boot of Ubuntu 8.04. The only problem for him is that programs like Skype have a friendlier graphic interface under Windows with really big icons and he finds the Linux icons sometimes a bit too small. For him too,the disk space allocated to Ubuntu is only 17megabytes (and ubuntu is a bit slow on his computer). I have Ubuntu installed on an external usb hard disk and sometimes when I visit him I boot up my external drive on his computer and it works great so he can really see the difference.
So he's asked me to install a new hard disk that can be solely dedicated to Ubuntu.

I now have Ubuntu 8.04 and I'm really happy with it. While I have had some problems, what I like about Ubuntu is that I generally feel I have more control over the programs, I feel the interface is much easier than for Microsoft - more logical and streamlined (under gnome) and there is usually an answer to any question or difficulty I may have.

Mikael Wiberg

August 17th, 2008, 09:28 AM

Have used Linux for many years now, though I still consider myself a newbie. Got rid of my annoying Vista partition a month ago, with the intention of installing XP instead. But I haven't gotten around to it yet.. I'm happy with my Ubuntu 8.04 now that I finally got my ATI radeon express 1100 to work with the open-source driver.

briandu

August 17th, 2008, 04:59 PM

for 18 months now - I only I can get my office to do the same! Although I run WUBI at the office as well.

I have converted the other PCs in the house to Linux as well. Great, a lot less maintenance for me!!!! :popcorn:
I do not miss Windows

bwitt

August 17th, 2008, 07:12 PM

Just before Vista was released I bought myself a new laptop from Dell. It came with the promise of a Vista install disc as soon as they were available, but shipped loaded with XP which ran fine with no problems.

Then Vista appeared in my mailbox. I had a computer at work running it and it seemed kinda interesting so I spent a weekend installing it on my own machine. What a piece of crap! After a week on the phone with Dell trying to find out why all audio output had bizarre glitches and pops every few seconds ("Have you tried reinstalling your audio drivers?" AAAAAAAHHHHRGH!) I threw up my hands and said goodbye to Windows forever.

After trying out several distros and sticking for a while with opensuse, I've finally settled with Ubuntu and I've never been so happy with any computer. I do still keep XP in VirtualBox (that's right, in a dark, dusty box with no air holes where Windows belongs) entirely for the purpose of syncing and updating my Blackberry, but as soon as I can get a hold of an Android phone I'll have no need for XP ever again.

Trip6

August 18th, 2008, 06:16 AM

I've been using Ubuntu on and off for over a week and REALLY enjoy it. Part of what I like is trying to make things work that currently don't, however there is a limit to that.

For right now I'm still dual booting with Vista because of four main things:

1. I have yet to get my dual display working in Ubuntu. I can get both monitors working as an extended desktop but due to them having different resolutions the result is never easy on the eyes. For now when I need to use both screens I boot up Vista.

2. I love using Netflix to watch streaming movies. Basically all night long while I'm using my PC I'll have one screen showing a streaming movie and use the other for other things. As of now I can't (nor it seems that most others) find a way to stream Netflix movies with Ubuntu.

3. I play EVE Online. I thought it would be great to play it in Ubuntu but the problem is that I have an ATI video card. EVE Online does not support ATI cards in Ubuntu... so for now I boot up Windows.

4. I use Steam to play a lot of my games and I haven't gone through the hassle of loading it up in Ubuntu yet. I don't know what problems I'll encounter but for right now it's easier to just boot Windows.

If I could get these problems fixed I'd switch completely. Until then I'm a dual booter.

Hagbard_C

August 18th, 2008, 07:47 AM

yeap, my laptop din't work with windows no more... BLEUSCREEN OF DEATH!! so now i use linux, loving it, still have a computer with windows for the games though... :-)

jeff fryett

August 18th, 2008, 08:40 AM

only use windows on my pc when I screw up ubuntu so about once a mounth at the moment lap top has been windows free for at lest six m now

ps gabbman have you tryed guncash as a quicken replacement

Lord C

August 18th, 2008, 10:03 AM

Trip6

August 18th, 2008, 11:05 PM

1. You'll have to play around with your xorg.conf, so do it when you have a couple of hours spare. Can be painstaking but when you've got it how you like it, you'll be happy.

I spent two days messing with my xorg and finally was able to get dual screen, just not the resolutions I wanted. I'm completely new to using Linux so many of the guides that are designed to help me do this are actually just more confusing. There is a lot of presumed knowledge on the part of the person the guide is supposed to help.

Hopefully I'll get it all taken care of in the coming week.

As for Netflix, I'm not sure if it's US only. Basically I pay a small monthly fee and I am able to go to their website and select DVD's I want shipped to my home. When I'm done I ship them back and they send me the next ones I have selected. The main reason I signed up for the service is that they have a Watch Now feature where I can look through their library and select from a ton of movies, I hit "play" and the movie then instantly streams to my browser in near DVD quality.

Thanks for the heads up on Steam. I'll look into that today. Also, EVE is an awesome game. I really like it, that's why no support for ATI is a problem... grrr.

deadlySniper

August 18th, 2008, 11:14 PM

I have to agree with Quake, I am still a gamer at heart and also I have to use windows for certain graphics and coders appliactions

73ckn797

August 18th, 2008, 11:25 PM

I have switched to Ubuntu two-thirds. My laptop is completely Ubuntu 8.04. My desktop is Windows XP on one drive and Ubuntu on the other in a dual boot configuration. I have only been this way for a couple of weeks.

I would use Ubuntu 8.04 64 bit on the desktop but I cannot get a Java applet to work with one website. I must have access to that site to upload photos for my work if I have to do that from home. It works great on the 32 bit version. I will update to the 64 bit when the Jave issue is resolved. I read it will be later this year.

I went back to Windows this last weekend on the laptop but had issues with updates installing since SP3 was installed. That was the point at which I wiped the drive and installed Ubuntu. I may not be very far from wiping the Windows drive on the desktop and installing Ubuntu 64 and dual boot with the 32 bit version for the time being.

Now if I can ween my wife off of Win XP. She likes Quicken, an older version, and detests new things (learning a different checkbook program).

Z_Cee

August 19th, 2008, 06:05 AM

I just got my Acer 5570 laptop setup running Ubuntu 8.04. It had Vista on it from when it was new, which was a little over a year ago. Vista never would run to my liking and I even contact Acer about the problems. Then I contacted the Better Business Bureau, The Federal Trade Commission, and lastly the California Office of Consumer Affairs. All these agencies told me that all they could do is file a claim to ACER on my behalf and that was it.

On my ACER 5570 laptop, 2 things had to happen before I would make the change to Ubuntu: 1. My one year warranty with ACER needed to expire and 2. I was waiting for 8.04 LTS edition.

I installed Ubuntu 8.04 to my laptop within the past few days - bye-bye Vista.

I'm still in the gathering parts stage in rebuild a box that will dual boot systems.

fertilizerspike

August 19th, 2008, 11:30 PM

darkwing_duck

August 20th, 2008, 12:44 AM

I've switched to Ubuntu Linux about %90 for personal use, but still use Windows for work.

Giggity

August 20th, 2008, 04:09 AM

I've now gotten to the point where I use Linux almost exclusively. The only time I use Windows now is to print out a document at school after composing it on my Ubuntu laptop. I have Windows in a VirtualBox, primarily for MSOffice 2k7, but I never use it anymore since my needs are truly met by Linux and OpenOffice.org. I use Wine for the rare app that needs it, and the few Windows apps I do use are so simple that Wine is able to handle them with ease.

And now that I'm learning how to customize the desktop theme and other appearance aspects, I feel more at home on my Ubuntu box than I ever did on Windows. When I master QGtkStyle to make my favorite GTK theme work with Kaffeine, K3b, and other K-Apps I use less regularly, I'll be very nicely settled!

The only thing really missing is full compatibility with DirectX games, but I rarely play games anymore, and Cedega was able to take care of the last game I played (GTA San Andreas) without a problem. Considering the rapid progress Linux developers are constantly making, I wouldn't be surprised if Linux can take care of any new DirectX game by next year.

Even though the learning curve was a tad steep for me back in the Dapper-Edgy era, I'm really glad I stuck with Linux, Ubuntu in particular. So thanks, Linux and Ubuntu developers... you've managed to end my Windows addiction with minimal withdrawal symptoms. May you do the same for all!

P.S. Now if only I could make Yahoo! Mail use my GTK theme...

rekado

August 20th, 2008, 12:44 PM

Pure Ubuntu here!
In the office I may not just wipe away the installed XP, so I get in contact with Windows regularly; happen to miss more and more at work...

bravo sierra echo

August 20th, 2008, 01:04 PM

We're Windows at work, but I haven't had Windows at home for about a year now.

There are a lot of things I really don't like about Vista and XP won't be supported forever, so I decided to switch away from MS completely. I ran a PowerMac G4 for a while, but I wanted to upgrade and the hardware is just too expensive - a second-hand PC of the spec I wanted would be about £50 on ebay (I actually lucked out with one for £30!) but the equivalent Mac would be closer to £275.

I was also given a laptop with a FUBAR'd Windows install on which I've installed Ubuntu. I'm going travelling for a couple of months and will take it with me, then I'm going to give it to my mother (who doesn't currently have a computer at all). That will be an interesting experiment in how user-friendly Ubuntu is to a computer beginner!

CarlosNYB

August 20th, 2008, 06:03 PM

I still have W2k on a partition, mostly so that when I want to work with old Sonar files I can export the midi or audio when I need them (it's a big job of exporting all the files), but I've been pure Ubuntu for over a month now (currently using mostly fluxbox and sometimes Xfce).

linuxguymarshall

August 20th, 2008, 06:10 PM

I have completely switch to Linux. Well for the most part. I still dual-boot with OSX-x86 for show-off purposes.

I am a gamer too.

darsha

August 20th, 2008, 06:20 PM

i only use linux. anything i could want to do i can do it on linux. record music(audocity,ardour),play powertabs and guitarpro tabs(tuxguitar),games(nexuiz, bfw, alein arena)

i never see myself useing windows ever again unless im fixing my girlfriends computer

Death-inc

August 21st, 2008, 01:37 PM

I just installed Ubuntu and learning how to use (struggeling with getting my e220 modem going) but have checked the forums for some hints that I`ll be trying when I get home tonight from work. So in the mean time I still use xp with my modem so that i can get advice here untill it is working on ubunta. I`ll most probley still use XP for gaming thought

dchurch24

August 21st, 2008, 03:15 PM

I no longer have any machines running Windows.

I miss it badly.

Not.

I'm so used to things just working when you plug them in etc... now that when I use Windows at a friends house or somewhere and plug a scanner in or a network card etc... I'm surpised by the 'install drivers now' type windows that come up. What a pain in the *** - how I ever put up with it I'll never know.

rab4567

August 21st, 2008, 03:40 PM

Scortech

August 21st, 2008, 03:54 PM

On my laptop I use xp and ubuntu. If the day ever comes with ubuntu or linux in general that you can put in a gaming cd/dvd and install then I will competely convert to linux full time.

My skills with linux are not so very good but I use it every day and try to learn as much stuff as possible but wine I do not really like because it's more or less so much you must do to make a game run as smooth as possible to get a pleasent experience from it.

GMU_DodgyHodgy

August 21st, 2008, 04:18 PM

I use Ubuntu Linux entirely. I am even supporting a small business using it. I also use it for my Photo management (F-Spot) and use DvD Slideshow to make DvD movies of my photos for family. I use Banshee for my media player and use VLC player and G-Xine to play all movies and flash movies. jGnash handles all my personal finances.

I have had no reason to maintain a Windows share. To be honest, it is hard to not recommend an Ubuntu Desktop for a home user - it handles web browsing, email, calendering, contact management, personal finances, and general office applications as well or better than Windows and does so on an integrated platform.

The fact you can get a Dell configured desktop that works out of the box with Ubuntu = makes it a no brainer.

dchurch24

August 21st, 2008, 04:44 PM

Dchuch24 dude! what are you doing with that killer set up that
thing make my computer look like a calculator, but I too have
given myself to linux. But seriously are you editing 4 cgi movies in real time hehehe.

Ha - no, I was running a business and this was pretty much doing everything, so I made sure I got the best I could afford. Cost a packet at the time, but was worth it.

It does do a lot, even now. It runs 24x7 as a web & ftp server, collects satelite images from NOAA satelites via a PCR-1000 plugged into the serial port and converts them on the fly into viewable pictures, in one desktop I also have 3 cameras being viewed using VLC (fantastic program, even on Windows) so I can see who is out the front of the house, at the door etc... and motion is set up when I'm out to capture any movement and email it to my hotmail account, it also collects and decodes pagers in an attempt to find out who the hell it is that interferes with the NOAA signal ;-), in fact I could go on for days - the machine does a lot, yet since running Linux it copes with it all extremely well, and the processors are hardly taxed at all.

With Vista on the same set up, it was a different story I can tell you. Even with that amount of grunt, the machine ran like a dog with 64 bit Vista on it.

rab4567

August 21st, 2008, 08:07 PM

This is what we need to hear the practical application of linux in every day life, but what really interest me is how you set your house monitor system.

Skorzen

August 21st, 2008, 08:10 PM

Actually, I don't have Windows machines in my home, anymore.

Thanks, community.

Lazy79

August 21st, 2008, 08:18 PM

My girl-friend used to do her work with windows xp or vista on her laptop but some weeks ago i ve booted up ubuntu on her laptop and she was impressed.. and wondering what it is, of course.. i have installed her ubuntu beside winxp and now she is using her ubuntu box more often than winxp. she is impressed and really likes it - and when 8.10 comes out she wants me to kick off winxp from her hdd.

..and my little self?

i m using ubuntu right now with an self compiled new kernel and i really like it, no more windows and no more vista (brr).. i just dont like my nvidia sound, because i can not get it run without some strange sound beside the normal sound output.. dont know, read a lot of wikis and did a lot but i can not get it work. i do not care, i will by me a soundcard which works for me ;)

and the wifi adapter of asrock (boards)? is working..quite good now ;)

FFighter

August 21st, 2008, 09:51 PM

If you are a gamer, learn to separate your gaming environment from your work environment. I do this by limiting my gaming experience to my XBOX 360, I have no games whatsoever in my main workstation PC (which runs Ubuntu).

I do plan on buying a cutting-edge PC, put XP or Vista on it solely for gaming purposes.

The point is, your work PC shouldn't have games installed on it. For software that is Windows-only that I really need around I have a XP VM (VMware Workstation).

Gloppie

August 21st, 2008, 10:23 PM

I'm Linux-only at work (in a big windows-only domain), but I'm still figuring the windows domain logon thing....so I have to retype my password all the time for the shares, but that is ok....still working on that.
At home, my Laptop is finally working with EVDO so I'm in the process of migrating all my files from the NTFS (XP MCE) partition to the Ext3.
When that is done, Gparted > resize > to zero > write > are you sure? > damn right I am!
I'll never look back. I used to play a lot of 1st person shooter, started with Doom and Heretic all the way to UT, but it just got too expensive to keep up with the hardware. I'll buy me a PS3 sometimes for that.
I sometimes troubleshoot friends and windows got to be so ugly it ain't even fun no more.
My wife's computer will be next. That'll be the real test :c)

gmanigault

August 22nd, 2008, 11:27 AM

I dumped Microsoft. I have 3 servers, 4 laptops and one XP box. I only have xp due to Apple Iphone sync. Working on that. I run ubuntu 9.04 server and desktop. One sniffer running 24/7 (Ethereal). I get better performance, support, and software and cheaper.

Gary Manigault

dagoth_pie

August 22nd, 2008, 12:53 PM

On my main machine I use Ubuntu only, I play Regnum Online and Runescape mostly, but I occasionally use the old family PC to play windows games, when I upgrade to my shiny new 2.8ghz dual core system, then I'll be able to get Wine (or Cedega if I need it) and then I'll be your average antisocial gamer who never leaves his bedroom... woot, my lifelong dream shall soon be realised!

dchurch24

August 23rd, 2008, 12:11 PM

This is what we need to hear the practical application of linux in every day life, but what really interest me is how you set your house monitor system.

Basically, there's 3 (very cheap - £4.79 from PC world) webcams in a USB hub, each is viewed using VLC - I'm working on a motion detection prog in Python), if the doorbell goes or there is a lot of noise outside I simply ctrl-alt-mouse to the desktop with all 3 open on and see what is going on.

I set off Motion (what a lovely little program that is!) when I go out and if there is any movement I set up a little perl script to email the pics to my hotmail account and Pidgin alerts me at work that I have the emails, so I can go and have a look. This has the advantage of if there really is an intruder, I have pictures of them to pass on to the police.

Initially I had two webcams and tried to set up a similar thing in Vista. Not a fun time. I could only get one to work at once (it seemed to get confused with the fact that they were the same make and model) and I had to write the motion detection myself in C# or pay someone a lot of money for something similar.

Also, I have an (2) external USB drive housing for two 520gb drives. Vista couldn't use RAID for these for some inexplicable reason, so Linux was a 'no-brainer' for me.

Always use the best tools for the job I say. If Windows could have done this, would I still be using it. Doubt it to be honest, I just like the wobbly windows and cube in Ubuntu too much! Lol.

Setting up backups in Linux was a doddle too - no expensive program to buy and install, just wrote a batch script with 3 lines in it and added it to the crontab.

As to games, I don't do that too much any more, but the games I have found for linux have been excellent (Alien Arena, Trigger etc...) and there's a large enough on-line community to have a good shoot-em-up once in a while (I usually lose badly!)

Basically, Linux has addicted me to computing once again - I used to be an uber-geek, then got so frustrated with things just not working in Windows and everything being a struggle that I nearly gave up and became a gardener (nothing wrong with that when the sun is shining).

A friend of mine came to stay a weekend a go, and he is a Windows advocate - he was watching what I was doing and saying things like "Yeah, but you can do that in Windows, you just do, this, that, some more of that, and some of this, then a bit of that and the other and you have the same thing." So in short, Windows can do some of what Linux can, but it's a much longer path.

I am a true convert and I have my geeky mate to answer for it - he was on at me for years to have a serious look at Linux, but my answer was always along the lines of "...but I can't do without Photoshop" or similar.

The GIMP (IMO) blows Photoshop out of the water (pity about the CMYK support though), as does every other equivilent of software that was holding me back.

So, to people who haven't gone completely over, I say, do it - you won't regret it.

bunny rabbit

August 23rd, 2008, 01:10 PM

I have wyndos on a partition, somewhere. But I've completely switched to ubuntu because I'm too lazy to scroll down and select wyndos in the grub menu :-k

fcorourke

August 23rd, 2008, 04:02 PM

I have been trying hard, but always BS -- printer went out bought a new one -- sees it Brother MFC-465CN --- But that is all -- Windows works without spending hours downloading and reading TONS of information and it still does not work. So if for nothing else I need Windows to PRINT & for good video also never got an ATI Driver to work correctly --- always takes down the complete system -- back up first & daily. So in my case WINDOWS lets me run Ubuntu. Hopefully in 2020 might work out of the box. BUT only with what is in the BOX right then -- DO NOT ADD. I know I could install 8.04 and louse my mouse controls & possibly get my printer working. Linux/Ubuntu is made for NO change in the system. Maybe you could add memory without a problem -- I have 4 gigs. That is my thought I like the stability, but looks are second rate for what my card could do & I do not have 8 hours a day to spending on fixing a mouse driver cause it does ot know & adding another driver for fax -- because support does NOT MEAN A DRIVER, JUST A WAY TO MAKE AN OLD DRIVER WORK ON A NEW SYSTEM.

Fred

crazyfuturamanoob

August 23rd, 2008, 05:08 PM

I would really like to completely switch to ubuntu, but sometimes I get tired of trying to fix driver problems that probably don't even have a solution.

For gaming I use ps3, since its the most powerful game console available and not microsoft. I really recommeded ps3 to all guys who use windows only because of games.

greenkernel

August 24th, 2008, 01:27 AM

I was using MS Windows from 2001 to 2008. I shifted completely to Ubuntu on May, 2008, just a few months ago. I hope I will never need to switch back to Windows.

Cheers,

greenkernel

prshah

August 24th, 2008, 01:36 AM

I was using MS Windows from 2001 to 2008. I shifted completely to Ubuntu on May, 2008,

-----------
/ \
/ REST \
/ IN \
/ PEACE \
/ \
| windows |
| |
| lost out to yet |
| another satisfied |
| user: greenkernel |
| |
| 1999 - 2008 |
*| * * * | *
_________)/\\_//(\/(/\)//\//\/|_)_______

pi.boy.travis

August 24th, 2008, 05:39 AM

fadumpt

August 24th, 2008, 06:46 AM

I use WindoWs at work. Beyondthat, I am strictly Linux. Ubuntu 7.10 on my desktop, and I am writing this post in 8.04 on a tablet M200 with cellwriter. I am seeing less and less reasons to use Windows. If it comes up, wine, crossover, and Virtualbox almost always do what I need.

padlefot

August 24th, 2008, 08:19 PM

I only use ubuntu, one netbook, one notebook and one desktop. Started out with slackware back in 2000, then moved to debian and then to ubuntu. At first I only ran Kubuntu but lately Gnome has become my favorite! I have also converted many of my friends from windows to Ubuntu Linux, even my aunt:P these are all people who don't know to much about computers, but they all seem to like it so far :-)

mike1234

August 24th, 2008, 08:52 PM

M.
lol!
how about you buy her an old computer and install Microsoft Bob!

My wife couldn't drive a manual transmission vehicle when I met her. She learned how after I bought a new car or else stay home. :)

M.

Motomo

August 25th, 2008, 01:31 AM

if it was not for my mp3 player, games, and my palm pilot I would have no need for windows at all...

IcrewUH60

August 25th, 2008, 03:41 AM

I'm very new to *nix systems and still consider myself a total noob. I have seven working computers in the house:
1 laptop ubuntu 8.04
1 server ubuntu 8.04
2 desktops on xppro
1 imac 24 on xppro / OSX (dual boot)
1 laptop OSX
xbox 360

I use my ubuntu laptop mostly for exploration, education, email, web surfing and so on. On the Ubuntu server I'm running a full apache2 web server, ushare media server to the xbox 360 plus a 320gb music media drive hosting to my webserver with MusicIndex 1.2.1. I am learning rsync as I speak as well as backing up with tar and cron (lots of fun stuff - i love it)

I use the imac 24 with xppro / osx dual boot for MS Flight Sim X and MS Money and to play with OSX - pretty much thats it but i'm not a big fan of OSX.

the 1st desktop with xppro is a backup machine for all computers and will soon be converted to ubuntu (making 3 ubuntu machines for me!)

the 2nd desktop with xppro is for my daughter.

the laptop osx (macbook) is for the wife and of course the xbox 360 is for gaming.

I just got into ubuntu a few months ago and love what i am able to do with it and the support in the forum. When I tire of MS Flight Sim X and find a suitable replacement for MS Money, I will be in a position to convert the Imac 24 to a linux machine too.

-p.s. my laptop now running ubuntu shipped to me from dell with windows vista - the DVD makes a great coaster now :)

mohaakilla51

August 25th, 2008, 07:10 AM

i've been completely linux for a while now... I still feel like a complete noob, but hey, i'm really enjoying myself. like, I had to figure out a way to access my VX8500 cell phone today... show'd up on lsusb, but couldn't figure out a way to mount it. remembered bitpim from windows, and blam, who cares about how to mount it :P.

Gen2ly

August 25th, 2008, 08:30 PM

here's yet another linux testimonial. I love these - there should be a website for them. :)

http://ktallap85.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/linux-vs-windows/

sixtynine

August 25th, 2008, 11:36 PM

Since last Friday (22 Aug 08).
Kicked Microsoft out completely.

clegends

August 26th, 2008, 08:10 AM

Utterly, totally, and completely. For over a year now, Microsoft free. I even have a tiny linux distro (tigerpup) on a usb for use on public computers. I hate MS Windows.

OrbJinzo

August 26th, 2008, 10:09 AM

I have given windows up totally. I use Slackware for my servers and xubuntu for my main OS.

dhysk

August 26th, 2008, 10:58 PM

I haven't killed windows completely. I like the MSmoney program, makes my life esier however when i use it I boot up my XP partition in VM ware and park it on my second monitor. I play a few steam games every couple of moths that make make me boot into windows, can't seem to get them to work properly under Linux most likely becuase of my old x850pro ATI card gives me all kinds of video problems.

All in all i only boot windows once every month or so, the wife even uses Ubuntu. I don't hate windows i just find that multiple desktops and the over all scheme of things more productive on the linux side. If windows had multiple desktops I would even consider using it more often.

fizur2002

August 27th, 2008, 01:04 AM

I love ubuntu, toying with three different programs for games to see which one has better compatability, cedega, wine and Crossover. Probably end up with wine cuz its free, now if only i can get the ATi 8.8 drivers to work (only been able to get 8.6) on my HD 4850 ill be much happier.

pcozzy

August 28th, 2008, 01:59 AM

I switch to debian about a 2 yrs ago then went to Sabayon because I just couldn't have all the things I like to do work with debian.

I got sick of gentoo compiling is a tedious process and I just couldn't understand portage as well as I do debian and apt. This lasted a about 4 months.

I finally gave a try ubuntu ultimate gamers and was surprised a lotta things I was never able to get to work worked. only problem it was x86 32 bit and with my system x64 runs much faster. I abandoned gamers for ubuntu ultimate x64 1.8 and with the numerous information in ubuntu forums I feel I just about do anything I like to do with a pc. especially with all the other ubuntu specialized distos.

I am very happy and comfortable with ubuntu and there are times when I do go into lenny repository for an updated version. but I caution to others that it can be dangerous and break your system and myself I use aptitude only and don't really care because it wouldn't take me long to start from scratch.

I do have to use windows on occasion but I will tell you when I look at the windows screen I don't have any feelings to do anything besides just that task and shutdown. To me windows is just boring!

of course who cares what I think, just wanted to share some thoughts.

\_/

Halbarad

August 28th, 2008, 11:00 AM

I still have dual boot with XP sitting in a 10 G partition in my hard disk. But I don't use it any more. Fortunately, I began with Ubuntu when I was on holiday, thus I had time for fixing the probs in hardware compatibility etc. I use my PC for writing and as a multimedia center -- home theater etc. I do some gaming too -- and found out that Ubuntu games are not so bad. Never tried the Wine thing though. (My favourite game right now is called Linux... :mrgreen:)

brento73

August 29th, 2008, 03:11 AM

I use currently use only Ubuntu and Ubuntu Studio, both 8.04.

I game(Oblivion, EQ2, Civ4 mostly) and use my Studio boot to record original songs. It's also my only DVD player, so I watch movies on a 21" CRT, and my only home stereo.

There are a few games that may inspire me to set up a third boot option for winXP, namely Age of Conan and Fallout 3, but I may just fight the urge and suffer without them.

themadhatter

August 29th, 2008, 03:27 AM

I have at home, don't do no Windows no more.

Work, well no choice, the place is stuck on XP, which I guess is better than being stuck on Vista.

skip mcshwang

August 29th, 2008, 05:11 AM

Completely switched. :guitar:

Paradoxfox93

August 29th, 2008, 05:14 AM

I just reformated my HD for aes-256. This time I just didnt make a space for windows. I hadnt used it in over a month anyway:lolflag: and there is nothing left that i need windows for except for using a webcamera and that's not a high priority and I'm sure i could get it to work sooner or later. I'm more interested in getting PCSX running:guitar:

phrostbyte

August 29th, 2008, 05:40 AM

This is the thread that never dies. :)

I'll add myself to it I guess. I still use Windows on a VM, but I don't dual boot anymore.

EnGorDiaz

August 30th, 2008, 02:29 AM

I want to erase Windows but unfortunately, I'm still a gamer at heart.

get wine wont need windows then : D

Loaded.len

August 30th, 2008, 02:35 AM

I'm all Linux all the time. Except for my NAS box which is FreeBSD (FreeNAS), even the old PPC runs OpenSUSE 11 now. The only thing I need windows for is my Harmony remote (and yes, I know about Phil Dibowitz's Concordance...just haven't tried it yet) For the remote, I use XP in VBox (after setting the proper permissions for /proc/bus/usb/ in the PUEL version, it works as good as I need it to)

EnGorDiaz

August 30th, 2008, 02:40 AM

i completely switched just recently before that i used ubuntu gamers edition that was horrid never made me want to switch back but i switched back to normal edition about 3 months ago

wolfen69

August 30th, 2008, 02:44 AM

I use my PC for writing and as a multimedia center -- home theater etc.

are you using mythbuntu for the home theatre, or xp? if you have not tried mythbuntu, i highly recommend it.

TorqueyPete

August 30th, 2008, 03:21 PM

I have switched completely. Both OS-wise, and mentally-wise. Though less than wise mentally on many other subjects! :lolflag:
I was basically switched 16 months ago by the cost of , once again, having to pay for a replacement xp disc that I lost, and a scummy virus type DNS hijack thingy.
But now, if I won millions on the lottery, I would specifically and deliberately use only Linux. And, if I did have those millions, I would definitely support the Linux community in some way.
My bro uses an Apple Mac for his job in the CG industry, but has tried various Linux distros on his PC. My Bro inlaw - I've no idea. My sis will be trying Ubuntu soon, as I've given my Live CD to my nephew. Who, being a penniless student/actor will no doubt get hooked, as long as he stays penniless anyway.
The only thing that would drive me back to Windows is something like the Cancer Research project. I am proud (though any individual contribution to the whole result was small) to say that I joined in with that for several years until it ended. The success of which can be read at chem.ox.ac.uk (http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/curecancer.html)

mcswine57uk

August 30th, 2008, 04:10 PM

I only have Unbuntu on my PC now. Installed it last week and got rid of XP altogether. I know very little about PCs. I search through the forum for answers to problems and still don't understand the replies. (Such as how to load a firewall etc.) However, I'm looking forward to the challenge and hope to increase my knowledge of computers as a result. There's also something nice about not being part of the M$ herd. I'm also looking to replace XP with Ubuntu on a laptop I've just been given, although I'm worried about whether the wireless connectivity will be an issue.

:confused:

Repgahroll

August 30th, 2008, 04:45 PM

Me too!

Completely switched to Debian from Win3.11 and never installed Windozze again! (in my PC @ least).

Switched to Ubuntu in 6.06. (shouldn't be 6.04?)

Still using Debian on Desktop, i'm using Ubuntu just on Laptop.

Thanks

blackbelt_jones

August 30th, 2008, 05:48 PM

I'm all Linux for about a year now.

But I'm NOT a gamer. Give me a little solitaire for a diversion. I'm into information.

fmartinez

August 30th, 2008, 05:51 PM

The only reason I don't erase windows is because i can bear to throw away something I paid. Call me a tight *** or cheap but if i paid for I'm going to keep it (even if I don't use it)!!!!:lolflag:

pi.boy.travis

August 30th, 2008, 08:16 PM

Switched to Ubuntu in 6.06. (shouldn't be 6.04?)

6.06 was delayed to create a more stable LTS platform.

terabyte1

August 30th, 2008, 09:47 PM

On my main computer, I have Ubuntu Linux 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon), so it has a 122 gigabyte hard disk all to itself :D

My son graciously gave me his 400 gig computer with 2 gig of memory, two weeks ago (I'm really happy about this), however it has Microsoft XP Home Edition already on it, and I have since split it in two putting Kubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) on the other half.

I guess eventually I will put whatever future Ubuntu Linux system on the whole computer when my son doesn't feel the "pull" when I replace it entirely. Why? Well XP is not as stable as Linux insofar as there are literally thousands of viruses, and malware around that want to screw it up. On the other hand, on Linux there is around just 100 viruses that could affect Linux (but don't because there is a security conscious bod here looking at ways to lock it down completely) - and I have a very stable Anti-virus program (ClamAV) that protects my system plus a firewall that is linked into my IPtables of my kernel. I am also looking at a USA Government Strength enabled product (SELinux) to protect it further.

I am a very happy guy with my two computers in my computer room :D

terabyte:guitar:

pi.boy.travis

August 30th, 2008, 09:51 PM

thiebaude

August 31st, 2008, 01:32 AM

I only use ubuntu 8.04, i dont even have windows on my computer because i dont need it.I can do anything on ubuntu that could do on windows xp.

nolimit974

August 31st, 2008, 02:57 AM

I would never start using Windows. I love linux never have had a problem with it. My parents and brother are constantly having problems with windows xp. I am a full time ubuntu user.

Oh and just a quick question how come it shows that i haven't made any post?

mike1234

August 31st, 2008, 03:07 AM

I am also looking at a USA Government Strength enabled product (SELinux) to protect it further.

terabyte:guitar:

Selinux is available in synaptic. I've used it in Fedora. Fedora installs (if you allow it to) during installation. Not the easiest thing to uninstall though.

M.

Corfy

August 31st, 2008, 03:45 AM

Oh and just a quick question how come it shows that i haven't made any post?

Posts made in the Community Cafe forum don't count toward your post count. I'm not entirely sure why.

gallina-zarine

August 31st, 2008, 05:50 AM

I heard about Ubuntu from an IT guy at work. It was after my 2-week-old laptop running Windows Vista almost died. Luckily, I was able to find a solution to my blue screen of death and didn't lose any files. The solution had involved dowloading a Linux-based System Rescue CD, so I was all ears about the Windows-free operating system.

Since installing Ubuntu, I've repartitioned my hard drive a couple times, making the Windows partition smaller and smaller. I almost never use the Windows side anymore.

My boyfriend grumbled at first when he was trying to learn Ubuntu, but later asked me to install it on his old desktop.

Slowly but surely getting everything up and running. I've tackled the setup issues one at a time based on priority. I'm about to the end of my list. I just fixed my mic problems and I'm now moving on to trying to get the scanner portion of my multifunction printer working.

The only other problem I've come across that I haven't been able to resolve is connecting my TV to watch movies directly from my computer. I can connect it and see the desktop and everything, but I couldn't get the setup and resolution to show properly on my older, full-screen tv.

foobun2

September 1st, 2008, 12:19 AM

I switched a couple weeks ago but kept an Windows XP dual boot for games. I was really impressed with Ubuntu at first, it was like getting a new toy, I was on it every night just discovering all the neat stuff I can do with it.

But now that i am trying to get some work done I am pretty much tired of having to Google tweaks and fixes to get things to work like I need them to. I spend as much time trying to fix or configure stuff to work than I actually do working. I am a web developer by trade and I made the switch because I wanted to learn PHP on a linux box where it should be. It seems like every time I turn around I am having to try and figure out why something is not working.

Right now I cannot get PHP and MySQL to talk to each other ( undefined function mysql_connect() ), If I were on a windows box I would just install app serve or WAMP and I would be on my way to actually writing some code rather than searching the net for a solution to todays problem.

I guess I will give Ubuntu linux another week or so in order to give it a fair evaluation but if I continue to have to spend 25% of my time fixing assorted issues with it then I'll switch back to windows. I agree that windows has it's problems but I can be alot more productive with it because everything works as expected 99% of the time.

Jinkzt3r

September 1st, 2008, 12:23 AM

Hoping to fully switch over to Ubuntu, as soon as my idiot self figures out how to work everything :P, been having some troubles with the initial install. It won't deter me though >P.

Prefix100

September 1st, 2008, 12:23 AM

Recently I have been considering switching back, because the games companies still aren't giving me enough games for Linux.

theCoder

September 1st, 2008, 02:49 AM

I have been an avid Linux user now for over 12 years. Started with Slackware, switched to Debian, played with RedHat, went back to Debian, fell in love with SuSE (before Ubuntu), and still fairly new to Ubuntu. Amazing how I keep coming back to Debian =P

However, I am a Systems Administrator, and a Systems Programmer. I will never be able to completely get away from Windows. Won't happen in my lifetime either, so long as ******* is ever present in the IT world.

I play computer games with my teenage son at home, and use Windows 2003 Enterprise server for it, since it is the first (and until Vista came out, the only) Microsoft operating system without serious memory leaking issues.

The recent laptop I purchased came with Vista, and since it will be replacing my old desktop as well, I am dual booting it with Ubuntu 8.04. I may be replacing the Vista with an older version of Windows as Vista is a memory hog (even if it doesn't leak) and it won't play some of my older games.

On the other hand, I do all my work in Linux, using VMWare or Win4Lin for my windows work. Linux for work, Linux and Windows for play. That is about as Windows-free as I will ever be.

modmadmike

September 1st, 2008, 05:18 AM

I'm a almost full time linux user (ive been a linux user for 8 years and my first computer of my own had SUSE linux on it "i was about 8 years old") but I still use vista for games on rare occasions :(. All (I have an Eee PC 901 and a toshiba) of my laptops run a custom ubuntu on em, and my Desktop ("HOME BREW" AMD Phenom 9600 with 2 gigs of ram and Nvidia Graphics) runs many Flavors of linux when i feel like it but is natively running ubuntu and vista.

eudeal

September 1st, 2008, 07:25 PM

FYI for JDODSON-Kino DOES have titling (was crappy now acceptable) and audio overlay (dub function). I have used a lot of free editors most require compiling and totally relearning a new app. Windows Movie Maker was the worst. Spent 20+ hours on a project to find out that it doesn't burn DVDs and renders the project in some crappy format that gets worse if you convert it. The only issue I have with Kino is the inability to deal with multiple video sources simultaneously. Oh yeah have totally converted to Ubuntu. Not 8.04 though. I dubbed it the 'Vista' of Linux! Lol! Have a good one.

champi0n

September 1st, 2008, 08:27 PM

I'm in the process of switching completely to linux. I was introduced to slackware about 7-8 years ago (And wasn't given a gui!) - Since then i've mostly been using linux for web servers, mail servers and the occasional game server. (With 4 boxes sitting on a shelf above my head at one point).

From slackware I went debian, then tried fedora, went back to debian, now onto ubuntu.

I'm down to 1 production server (another that I only boot up to modify changes or test stuff out)... and over the last year or so i've been switching back and forth between windows and ubuntu for development. (Mostly because I do a lot of photoshop/illustrator stuff for clients). The last couple months i've been about 90% linux and it feels GREAT!

The biggest thing that keeps me going back to windows is the bit of graphic work I do. I've successfully used the GIMP in editing some things, but it just feels a little too fisher price and almost feels like an extra effort to get the pixel/pixel accuracy I need when creating things. (plus i absolutely hate how it opens 3 task bar items... when i click i want it to focus on everything in GIMP, and when i miss click i dont want the window behind it to come forward!)

Been looking at some video editing (cinerella) which seems problematic to install... so i was going to go to open movie editor which seems the same.

For the most part linux/ubuntu is great for everything i need besides graphics and video editing.

bsell

September 1st, 2008, 08:41 PM

Bragador

September 1st, 2008, 09:02 PM

Nicolae

September 1st, 2008, 09:52 PM

I've got (k)ubuntu installed on all of my comps, but only my "server" (I use quotes since I use it as my main desktop machine now) is full-linux. My "desktop" gaming-rig has XP, Vista, OSX, and Kubuntu on it, though the last three are more 'cause I can (and have no life :P) and of course, vista is broken. That only gets booted to show off, to do AV encoding, since it's a quad-core and the fastest clocked processor I have, or to do the increasingly rarer playing a game. FO3 and Stalker: Clear Sky will probably have me using it a lot more, though. My laptop is a dual boot with XP and Kubuntu, but I'm favoring XP on it for now since I dislike Gnome, KDE3 is just kind of meh after using KDE4 for awhile, but KDE4 is bleh on the laptop's hardware thanks to nvidia's craptastic Linux drivers. That issue is hopefully on its way to being resolved and I'll hopefully be back to primarily linux on it come Intrepid, though XP will have to stay thanks to school. I'll probably look into virtualizing it, though, and have the laptop only have the one OS really installed.

the XP gaming rig will probably fall by the wayside if I ever get a PS3, since I find myself playing (newer) PC games less and less and wine keeps getting better and better. I hate to totally abandon the platform as much money as I've sunk into it in games, but hopefully wine will be able to pick up that slack.

david_lynch

September 1st, 2008, 10:12 PM

What is the compelling reason to completely switch? I can use nearly all of the major FOSS applications on Windows, but most Windows apps won't work on Linux. Canonical, the company promoting Ubuntu, uses more than just Linux. Jono Bacon uses a proprietary OS in addition to Linux. I'd wager Mark Shuttleworth does too.

I don't feel the need to go completely with one OS or another. It's not like a religious conversion, although you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference on these forums.
The reason you can use FOSS apps that have been compiled for windows is a result of the openness of FOSS. That openness is a one way street, as you pointed out.

I'm an IT professional and a consultant on the side, and I haven't really used windows for years. I do have a mac, and it comes in handy now and then to run things like tax cut, but I use linux 99.9% of the time.

As far as the reasons for using one OS for everything, it just boils down to pragmatism, plain and simple. It makes my life easier if I can use one OS, an OS that I like, for everything, and things have been steadily moving in that direction for some years.
:)

bsell

September 1st, 2008, 11:01 PM

The reason you can use FOSS apps that have been compiled for windows is a result of the openness of FOSS. That openness is a one way street, as you pointed out.

I'm an IT professional and a consultant on the side, and I haven't really used windows for years. I do have a mac, and it comes in handy now and then to run things like tax cut, but I use linux 99.9% of the time.

As far as the reasons for using one OS for everything, it just boils down to pragmatism, plain and simple. It makes my life easier if I can use one OS, an OS that I like, for everything, and things have been steadily moving in that direction for some years.
:)
No, I didn't point out the openness was a one-way street. I never said that at all nor did I imply it. Being closed-source isn't the reason major apps aren't ported to Linux. As an IT professional and consultant, how would you port Photoshop to ALL the Linux distributions? It's damn near impossible to do so with all the different kernels, libraries, and widget toolkit versions. It's a major headache for such a tiny market share. You could make a truckload of cash if you can figure this one out.

You're right about one thing - the reason I can use FOSS apps is because they have been compiled to run on Windows. Unlike Linux, I don't have to upgrade my distribution every six months to get the latest FOSS. I just download it and install it without compiling.

I use Ubuntu for many things and I still don't see a pragmatic, compelling reason to completely switch.

scragar

September 1st, 2008, 11:05 PM

No, I didn't point out the openness was a one-way street. I never said that at all nor did I imply it. Being closed-source isn't the reason major apps aren't ported to Linux. As an IT professional and consultant, how would you port Photoshop to ALL the Linux distributions? It's damn near impossible to do so with all the different kernels, libraries, and widget toolkit versions. It's a major headache for such a tiny market share. You could make a truckload of cash if you can figure this one out.

You're right about one thing - the reason I can use FOSS apps is because they have been compiled to run on Windows. Unlike Linux, I don't have to upgrade my distribution every six months to get the latest FOSS. I just download it and install it without compiling.

I use Ubuntu for many things and I still don't see a pragmatic, compelling reason to completely switch.

firefox doesn't need compiling, in fact, to use firefox from the mozilla site you just download the tarball, extract and run, no installing needed(although it's advisable to move it somewhere other than your home directory for the sake of convenience). As long as the libraries are all there(and I can't imagine closed source apps needing many GPLed apps) then compiling it for 1 kernel should work for almost all similar kernels without any problems at all.

david_lynch

September 1st, 2008, 11:58 PM

bsell

September 1st, 2008, 11:59 PM

firefox doesn't need compiling, in fact, to use firefox from the mozilla site you just download the tarball, extract and run, no installing needed(although it's advisable to move it somewhere other than your home directory for the sake of convenience). As long as the libraries are all there(and I can't imagine closed source apps needing many GPLed apps) then compiling it for 1 kernel should work for almost all similar kernels without any problems at all.

Firefox reinforces my point that it is a pain for major apps to be ported to Linux

Examples:

There is reason that Check for Updates... in Firefox is greyed-out on Linux.
"We've found that it's hard for a lot of Linux users to install software still, so a lot of stuff coming through the distributions tends to be a better experience," Mozilla's Mike Beltzner told InternetNews.com (http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/entdev/article.php/3753361/Will+Linux+Users+Miss+Out+on+Firefox+3?.htm).
Mozilla does not release a package file for any specific Linux distribution.

Firefox scuttled support for older Linux distros (http://www.pcworld.com/article/131874/firefox_may_scuttle_support_for_older_linux.html) - distros that were far younger than XP.

Mike Conner, director of Firefox development, has proposed that the browser's next edition work only with more-or-less current Linux runtimes, rather than support aged versions. "We have been building binaries that work across a large range of runtimes and with a fairly aggressive backwards compatibility story," said Conner in a blog (http://steelgryphon.com/blog/?p=101) entry. " [B]this has resulted in a lot of workarounds and ugly hacks to keep going."

Even the Mozilla developer have trouble keeping up with all the individual distribution requirements to make Firefox work. The build requirements are different for each distribution (http://developer.mozilla.org/en/Linux_Build_Prerequisites). Read this page carefully. Firefox isn't a particularly large application either.

david_lynch

September 2nd, 2008, 12:00 AM

No, I didn't point out the openness was a one-way street. I never said that at all nor did I imply it. Sure you did. You said that you can run FOSS apps on windows, but you can't run windows apps on linux. FOSS is all about openness and letting everybody play, microsoft is all about protecting their turf. The openness is a one way street: FOSS is open even to microsoft, but microsoft is still closed to everyone else.

bsell

September 2nd, 2008, 12:05 AM

That's silly - you'd just port it to linux, period. You know, like for example, firefox. You got to the firefox download site and what do you see? firefox for mac, pc and linux. That's all it takes.

Your response is even sillier given you claim to be in IT. You don't know what you are talking about. Go look at how many distributions Mozilla builds for and the requirements. See my post about Firefox above this one. You don't just port something to run on Linux natively. It's a pain in the ***. Even the Mozilla devs have trouble keeping up with the individual distribution requirements.

TimboUK

September 2nd, 2008, 12:06 AM

Although I havent used XP properly for a month or so now, I still keep the dual boot system in place. This is mainly due to fear of me messing up my working Ubuntu system and I am not in need of the space Windows is taking up.

Wiping my XP dependency is something I will be doing shortly. (If I get brave enough)

david_lynch

September 2nd, 2008, 12:07 AM

Unlike Linux, I don't have to upgrade my distribution every six months to get the latest FOSS. I just download it and install it without compiling. Are you new to linux? LOL, you don't have to upgrade a distro to get the latest and greatest apps. :lolflag:

But unlike windows, upgrading a distro in linux is free, so even if you did upgrade the distro, it's no biggie. I've upgraded linux servers while they continued running.

And don't forget, the reason you can also run these open source apps on windows is the generosity of the FOSS crowd. A little gratitude every now and then wouldn't hurt.:guitar:

bsell

September 2nd, 2008, 12:19 AM

Sure you did. You said that you can run FOSS apps on windows, but you can't run windows apps on linux. FOSS is all about openness and letting everybody play, microsoft is all about protecting their turf. The openness is a one way street: FOSS is open even to microsoft, but microsoft is still closed to everyone else.

No, I didn't. I pointed out that most major apps won't run natively on Linux because of the difficulty of porting them. Openness has nothing to do with it. It's a pain to port to Linux and it isn't all about Microsoft. Many other software vendors develop apps for Windows also.

FOSS is a philosophical stance, it has nothing to do with the pragmatic, day-to-day reality of making things work in a Linux environment or the manpower and time involved to do so.

bsell

September 2nd, 2008, 12:46 AM

Are you new to linux? LOL, you don't have to upgrade a distro to get the latest and greatest apps. :lolflag:

But unlike windows, upgrading a distro in linux is free, so even if you did upgrade the distro, it's no biggie. I've upgraded linux servers while they continued running.

And don't forget, the reason you can also run these open source apps on windows is the generosity of the FOSS crowd. A little gratitude every now and then wouldn't hurt.:guitar:

There is no way you can be in IT. Yeah, I'm sure the average user wants to compile from source. Yeah, you can download build-essential and have at it or hope someone has a deb or rpm build that will work and not break your install. You can wait for your favorite app to be backported also. Software installation still isn't as simple as Windows.

Have you ever compiled from source? It doesn't always work. Nor do precompiled repository binaries. Stellarium is a case in point - it won't work on some machines I've put it on - core dumps while loading - but on the same machine with Windows, it runs perfectly. Hell, it works on every Windows machine I've put it on.

Where did the gratitude strawman come from? C'mon give me a break, I don't need to be preached to.

lancest

September 2nd, 2008, 04:12 AM

Package management is where Ubuntu kicks. Windows has nothing like it and never will. Sure it might be easier to install alot of software on Windows but I've got a fast Ubuntu repo waiting at the click of my mouse or CLI input. Windows IMHO is crap when it comes to obtaining software. It's often alot of trouble getting it. I can get an Ubuntu box running much faster.

david_lynch

September 2nd, 2008, 06:44 AM

There is no way you can be in IT. Yeah, I'm sure the average user wants to compile from source. Yeah, you can download build-essential and have at it or hope someone has a deb or rpm build that will work and not break your install. You can wait for your favorite app to be backported also. Software installation still isn't as simple as Windows.

Have you ever compiled from source? It doesn't always work. Nor do precompiled repository binaries. Stellarium is a case in point - it won't work on some machines I've put it on - core dumps while loading - but on the same machine with Windows, it runs perfectly. Hell, it works on every Windows machine I've put it on.

If you want to PM me I can arrange for you to come visit our data center. Fair enough? As for your other points,

#1 I've never seen any of you windows users be able to install software as easily as we do.

#2 Stellarium, dunno, never used it so I can't comment, but your story sounds fishy to me. The stuff I use all day every day comes with linux, and I've not had any problems with it. and I use an awful lot of different software, between my desktops and the server rooms.

#3 As for compiling from source, I haven't had to compile anything in years, but the cool thing about linux is that we can compile stuff from source if we want to, because all the tools are there.

Anyway, I'm not sure why you feel you need to grind an axe. You lub ms windows, I get that. Nobody's telling you that you can't run ms windows - heck, run whatever you want, knock yourself out...

Just don't make me run ms windows.:lolflag:

namdung

September 2nd, 2008, 10:04 AM

Using Ubuntu 8.04 since its release on my DELL Vostro 1500 laptop and absolutely loving it!!! Never going back to Windows again.

Maucca

September 2nd, 2008, 02:23 PM

I just took linux to use in my home studio. I am really trying to get official, producing music, mastering etc and all pirated software I have been using are not that safe for commercial purposes in my country. Come to think of it, my XP was a torrent. I lost my original somewhere...

Still have to have windows xp on the machine because of the silly fact that I have a MOTU-8pre - which isn't supported by freebob. Changing it to a Presonus someday soon, and then I will, after finishing a few projects started with windows, DELETE the whole of windows and never use it again.

The sony acid programs I have been using the last 10 years have become pretty unstable and the newer versions wind up sucking more than the old ones in terms of usability. If I am going to use a protools-dinosaur-clone, might as well be a linux one.

It took me 3 days to set up the desktop the way I wanted and I still don't have any sound. But I am getting there. Will say next january if everything has gone by plan.

:guitar:

ronnielsen1

September 2nd, 2008, 02:27 PM

How many of you completely switched to Linux?

Windows quit working in a dual boot environment in 2004. Maybe I ought to look into fixing that.:lolflag:

Toshibawarrior

September 2nd, 2008, 08:06 PM

I completely switched to Ubuntu from Vista! I removed any dual-boot, vmachine and anything that has something to do with Windows...even the ol' reliable XP...I hate them all! ;)

Ubuntu for the win! Still a few kirks to be fixed, but that's normal on open-source software...:)

MooNWalker

September 3rd, 2008, 01:55 AM

Switched completely. ThinkPad T23, 1.13Ghz, 1GB RAM, SXGA+, 160GB HDD, DVD+-RW - everything works perfectly. Well, except for video - managed to turn on direct rendering only after changing mode from 1400x1050x32 to 1400x1050x16, don't have enough video memory. Have no problems with multimedia - watching movies and stuff with VLC. Gaming - using DOSemu (I'm an old games junkie). Those programs, that haven't find alternatives - using through Wine. Thanks to all for wonderful advices and guides.

HarrisonBP

September 3rd, 2008, 03:53 AM

After my last virus, I just copied all of my info, wiped the disc, and said hello to Hardy!

Then, after saying help a few hundred times, I am now pretty damn happy.

david_lynch

September 3rd, 2008, 04:43 AM

Windows quit working in a dual boot environment in 2004. Maybe I ought to look into fixing that.:lolflag:

Or not... :guitar:

ursus262

September 3rd, 2008, 12:43 PM

I recently switched completely to Linux (Kubuntu) because I absolutely hated Windows Vista. I did it by buying a completely new hard drive for my laptop, swapping them over, and doing a completely new installation. I'm delighted with it. It's fast, secure and easy to use and understand. I love it!

The only downside is installation of software, which to ex-windows users takes quite a bit of getting used to, and I DO wish any of the media players could synchronise with my MP3 player (I don't have, or want, an I-pod).

Dave

Liviu-Theodor

September 3rd, 2008, 01:53 PM

I dual boot with a broken Windows Vista system so now I obviously want to get rid of it but I dont know how to move along the partitions to make it happen...

Try the next pages:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GrubHowto
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowtoPartition

Maybe it will help you to get rid of the broken Vista system.

ingeva

September 3rd, 2008, 05:40 PM

I use Ubuntu for many things and I still don't see a pragmatic, compelling reason to completely switch.

If you really don't need Windows any more, is there any compelling reason to keep it?

I started using Linux a little more than a month ago, and have yet to find any need for going back to Windows. I don't miss it even one tiny little bit -- but I'm very happy to be rid of all the frustrations with it, and all its shortcomings.

I admit there are a few things that were better in Windows, but either I don't need them or I can live with a slight "downgrade" because the net result is that I win BIG.

When you buy a car you make yourself more or less dependent of the service company. Same with an OS or other software. There's a quantum leap in quality between the service and help you get for free with Linux, and the almost non-existing help with Windows -- and if you can find ... well you may have to sell your shirt to afford it ....:)

MeeMaw

September 3rd, 2008, 08:08 PM

I switched completely about four or five years ago, starting with Mandrake 8.something. I started buying hardware that was compatible specifically with Linux (rather than what was on special at Best Buy) and have not had a hardware issue in many years.

My retired wife hung on to XP until late in 2004, with me fighting adware, bloatware, viruses, trojans, updates, etc. daily. Finally she gave in and I installed Fedora Core with KDE on her machine.

My brother chili555 posted this in 2005 so he's been all-Linux for a long time.... he also converted me in about 2005. I am only 99% Linux at home as I still have a couple of programs that require Windows (my hubby's GPS program is Windows only) Thanks, chili!!!!!
:):):)

other guy

September 3rd, 2008, 09:54 PM

There's a quantum leap in quality between the service and help you get for free with Linux, and the almost non-existing help with Windows -- and if you can find ... well you may have to sell your shirt to afford it ....:)

This statement is mostly untrue. There is thousands upon thousands of sites that cater to helping Windows users for free in a polite and friendly way. In a myriad of ways.
Not just for repairs. It extends to customization and tweaking to generally making a Windows machine run smoother. There is no other OS which has the massive, varied support base of Windows.

I am a 100% Linux user.:guitar:

dmurat

September 3rd, 2008, 10:33 PM

im a complete ubuntu and ubuntu forums user for half an hour =)) i formatted the harddrive because i believe this is the only way for me to keep away from windows and the online game, world of warcraft...
so..happy to join you guys! :D

slaminsamin

September 5th, 2008, 04:17 AM

My contempt for MS led me to first buy an iMac to use at my partner's. At home I festered with Windows until I finally bit the bullet and bought a mac mini sharing my monitor and keyboard. Back to my partner's, I bought a $113. 2.1GHz 160GB 256MB memory IBM off ebay to experiement with Linux. I did the WUBI install and left Windows in place. This was sooooo easy and I liked it soooo much. I even bought her a $5. 256MB memory upgrade again off ebay. This week I put Ubuntu on my home PC and completely erased Windows from my HDD. I'm now liking Ubuntu so much that I use it equally with the mac mini. I love Apple and now I have an investment. But if I had it to do all over again, I'd buy used $100-150. computers off ebay and run Ubuntu. BTW ubuntu integrates nicley with mac on the network.

genesis2seven

September 5th, 2008, 04:31 AM

I use Ubuntu as my primary OS but have an XP laptop provided by work for when I have to look at MS Development projects. For personal stuff its all Ubuntu though, however I am really frustrated recently that Nvidia's drivers for the 9800 GT series cards don't work well at all.

shortylonglegs

September 5th, 2008, 04:48 AM

I started using Ubuntu almost a year ago, and managed to avoid Windows for most of that time. Sadly, I am required to use XP for college, I'm in engineering so there's a lot of SolidWorks and AutoCAD that can't be matched by anything I've seen for Linux. I still use Ubuntu on my personal laptop as much as possible.

bigbrovar

September 5th, 2008, 05:14 AM

i am soo totally free of Microsoft .. completely .. and am 100% Linux .. u wont find windows or any of its technology (mono,ntfs,etc) on any of my system ...

stat30fbliss

September 5th, 2008, 07:18 AM

I have been using Vista minimally for the past 2 months now, and I dont miss it at all. Every once in a whle I will stop into windows to transfer over some old files or something, but thats it.

I love the way Linux forces you to 'thing outside the box', or the 'Windows'. Once you get in, and cozy, Ubuntu has been an aweesome system to get into. I have told people that Linux is the perfect medium between Mac and PC. I see those Mac vs. PC commercials on TV, and wish there was a character for Linux to put them both in there place :P

I love the seamless usability, stability, and alternative software. And I dont know what I would do without my Cairo Dock and Compiz-Fusion!

Corfy

September 5th, 2008, 02:50 PM

I see those Mac vs. PC commercials on TV, and wish there was a character for Linux to put them both in there place :P

Have you seen these? As far as I know, they never aired on TV, but they were done by Novell a while back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aufL76bXLAg

mailtwogopal

September 5th, 2008, 03:06 PM

Hi,

I was dual booting my PC with windows XP and ubuntu hardy. After a month on dual boot, my XP suddenly crashes due to trojan program intrusion and that happened for 3rd time. On that day i decided to quit windows and am 100% linux user for the past 4 months hope. I want to thank you guys in this forum who continously rendering the help to me and everyone in solving issues with ubuntu when are a noobie to linux.

Windows better, Ubuntu excels.

vitotol

September 5th, 2008, 05:08 PM

i installed ubuntu about 6 months ago and since then i logged in win xp about a couple of times... ubuntu is so f****** great!

Yellow Stevens

September 5th, 2008, 05:31 PM

I am a total computer amateur (My day job is as a member of the clergy) I use Ubuntu as my main operating system.

I formatted the hard drive of my 7 year old Windows ME system (it was riddled with viruses) I have kept my Windows XP and Vista as an alternative boot but that is just because I paid for them, I never actually use them.

My family boot into XP....but I use Ubuntu more or less 100% at the moment.

The only time I think I needed to boot into windows was when someone sent me as essential form to fill in in word and for some reason I couldn't get Open Office to print it properly.

I could have used wine but that would have been too much faff when I could just boot into windows, go away and make a cup of tea (because windows seems to take about 15 years to boot up when you are used to ubuntu) load word, print, and back into ubuntu.

I have considered unistalling windows loads, but appart from the whole I-paid-for-it-argument also ubuntu is only using 20 GB og my hard drive and I still have about 15% of that free. Although uninstalling windows would free up the other 300 GB of my hard drive I don't need it.

I can't believe I just made an argument that because windows in only using 95% of my hard drive it not worth the bother of uninstalling it!

Still there we go!

fancypiper

September 5th, 2008, 08:19 PM

The only reason I don't erase windows is because i can bear to throw away something I paid. Call me a tight *** or cheap but if i paid for I'm going to keep it (even if I don't use it)!!!!:lolflag:
I am in about the same position, even though I haven't booted into Windows in about a year and 1/2 now.

I got started in Linux in 1999.

Tindytim

September 5th, 2008, 08:55 PM

.....As long as you have the key and a disc/iso you aren't throwing anything away.

FiremanEd

September 5th, 2008, 08:58 PM

I have a newer iMac and an older Dell PC. I have parallels for mac with Win Xp just in case I need it, which I usually don't. I converted my Dell to a Ubuntu Hardy machine. 60% Mac OS, 35% Hardy, 5% Win XP. Completely switched? no, but working on it.

Ed

ursus262

September 7th, 2008, 04:18 PM

Oh, I am now completely Linux (Kubuntu Hardy) and find it far superior to Win XP and Vista.

A friend of mine has a desktop running on XP and, despite all my best efforts in maintaining it, it is riddled with viruses and malware. Every so often, the phone rings and I hear her voice: "David, can you come and sort this out?"

I've now decided on installing Ubuntu in dual boot using the wubi system so that she can decide for herself if it meets her needs. If it does, and the she is happy to make the switch, then I will be happy to do a dedicated installation for her. I'm sure she'll be happy with that :KS

xxarthur33xx

September 7th, 2008, 08:16 PM

Ive been using ubuntu for around 4 months now, and to me, its way better than windows. The only thing that stopped me from deleting my Vista was the fact Adobe PS CS3 won't run on linux and I used it for a lot of things. So I tried GIMP and it was ok, so 2 nights ago I wiped my hard drive and just put Ubuntu on it.

clanky

September 7th, 2008, 08:53 PM

I keep windows around for lots of reasons.

CAD - there simply is no Linux alternative to AutoCAD

Games - I work on a ship and don't want to have to take a laptop and a console with me every time.

It's there - What on earth is the point in wiping a perfectly good OS from my computer, even if Linux could do everything I want to do I would keep Windows around just in case, it can't do any harm just sitting there and it's not as if I am desperate for hard drive space.

god0fgod

September 7th, 2008, 08:55 PM

If this was my PC I would be 100% Windows free. But sadly it is not.

S.A.A

September 7th, 2008, 09:20 PM

I have used Ubuntu since 3 months, and the only thing that prevent me from deleting XP is AutoCad.. yes, only that ! because i'm not a gamer, and Gimp is working perfect for me!

clanky

September 7th, 2008, 09:22 PM

I have used Ubuntu since 3 months, and the only thing that prevent me from deleting XP is AutoCad.. yes, only that ! because i'm not a gamer, and Gimp is working perfect for me!

Have you tried qCAD, didn't cut it for what I need, but not bad either.

S.A.A

September 7th, 2008, 09:36 PM

Have you tried qCAD, didn't cut it for what I need, but not bad either.

Yes, i have.. but it's not that easy to switch to qCad because i have tons of cad files that i made under AutoCad..

kcode

September 7th, 2008, 10:19 PM

In April 2007 i got my first PC, with xp installed. Changed to Linux in August, and from then, just fell in love with it. What i love about it is that, everything is very visible, i can change anything which i dont like. bought laptop (lenovo y-410 (wrong choice)) on 25 december 2007. installed ubuntu 7.10 (dual booting with vista) and since then i've been using ubuntu. havent totally removed vista, because of lack of:
1. gaming facilities
2. camera support (still working)
3. headphones support (not linux's fault but of lenovo)
just really want to get rid of windows, its so ugly.
90% of the time i am on linux.