How many of you completely switched to Linux? [Archive] - Page 18

quadcam

December 30th, 2008, 04:52 PM

Once I get rid of WoW I will...I really only started using Windows about 2 1/2 years ago when I wanted to play WoW. It's not completely horrible, but once I boot into Linux I feel relieved.
I'm possessed by this game, exorcise me D:

I can understand the WoW obsession, I started playing it in Oct, just to see what it was all about..yeh. I now have like 8 toons between lvl 62 and lvl 1. I was playing like 8-12 hrs at a pop almost daily but I'm better now. I started learning C++ and Linux so that keeps my ADD in check LOL

for the horde!! :D

I mainly installed Ubuntu because I am going to go back to college and get my networking/network security degree and maybe some programming classes. I'm going to need to learn the in's and outs of Linux anyway so I figured I would get a little jumpstart.
I have a love/hate relationship with XP, It has some good much bad, like the trojans, BHO's and misc other junk i have to constantly fight,

I'm not quite sure how I feel about Linux just yet, it's like trying to learn a foreign language. I tried it with RedHat 8 and fighting hardware config issues had me so frustrated I removed it. my biggest issue is just trying to understand the file system and commands in linux, right now I cant find anything, dont know where to place my downloads or install my programs when i do download them. Once I get over some of the command hurdles I think it'll be much better. One thing that helps just a little is that I started out in Win 3.1 in the early 90's so I got a good dose of using the DOS commands
and how command lines work

DarkReaper79

December 30th, 2008, 08:21 PM

Been using linux off and on for couple years now. But Im thinking linux is that way from now on:D

theinnercityhippy

December 30th, 2008, 08:34 PM

Ubuntu is my main OS on both my HP laptop and AA1. Never had any major problems for the kind of work I do but also use other linux OS's on a less frequent basis too, in order of usedness: Backtrack, Knoppix, Slackware, Mandriva, Fedora, Puppy, DSL.

If ever (and it rarely happens) I need to use Windows, I have both XP and Vista installed as virtul machines within VirtualBox and this suits me fine as I can allocate as much or as little resources as I need for whaever I need it for.

-JimDog*-

:D

Rrasyrogenees

December 30th, 2008, 08:59 PM

i want so much to be a linux only user but i am just learning and i am still having trouble troubleshooting:confused:. but once i get WoW to install on linux, i will be linux only:biggrin:... sooo... i will continue my search to troubleshooting and getting WoW installed so i can nuke windows forever... wish i could help others to lose their windows as well:popcorn:

davesyd

December 31st, 2008, 07:28 AM

i officially made the switch to Ubuntu today!! and am loving it!

been a long time Windows user...got a new laptop which doesn't have any XP drivers (thanks Dell!!) and no way going to use Vista, decided to move to Linux :)

77midget

December 31st, 2008, 01:40 PM

First tried it 10 years ago and dropped it quick. Tried it on an off as a diversion over the next few years. I worked in IT supporting Windows servers (talk about job security!), but my role has expanded to some proprietary systems built on custom linux codes, so it piqued my interest again. Ran Ubuntu as a dual boot over the summer, started using it as my primary about a month ago, and deleted my Windows partition about a week ago. I am running vmware workstation for a windows install for the work apps that require windows as well as to keep current w/ vmware, and also run my iTunes there. I used to play EvE Online a lot (too much) but I broke that addiction. The only gaming (if you can call it gaming) I am still into is flight simulation, which I can get in linux. I am still learning a lot of the syntax, but ironically, principles of systems administration are quite universal. It is also getting me back into programming as well, so it has been quite enjoyable.

jboy012000

December 31st, 2008, 02:11 PM

I completely use Ubuntu, however I installed VMware with a xp virtual machine because I use Visual Basic which is a Microsoft product that does not work on Ubuntu, I only use VB because some people like the Windows look and will not accept anything else. I also use Memory Map which again does not work with Ubuntu again Memory Map saves me so much money buying real maps it would be daft not to find a way to use it, but everything else I use Ubuntu. I would never go back to Windows as a main os, Linux is simply much more flexible and cost effective.

Hope everyone has a happy new years

Johno

wmoore

December 31st, 2008, 02:21 PM

I still have a Windows XP VM basically just to manage my iPhone but my main machines have been Linux for a couple of years now - previously Fedora but I've made the switch to Ubuntu on my main laptop just this week. In fact I have a fairly mixed network made up of:
Ancient Dell machine running Fedora 8 - this is my file, print and media server
Fairly new HP desktop running CentOS 5.2 with Virtualbox and several VMs
Old IBM R52 running Ubuntu 8.10 (my main machine)
Fairly new HP laptop running Fedora 9 (Mrs M's laptop)
And lastly a couple of eeepc 901's running stock Xandros.

Can't see me being tempted back to Windows to be honest :D

youknowwhat4q

December 31st, 2008, 07:09 PM

I've used Vector, Red Hat/Fedora, and Ubuntu since '02, but just got rid of my last windows machine about a year ago.

Gemu

January 1st, 2009, 05:22 PM

I loaded Ubuntu in October of 08 and though I have XP dual booting have spent maybe 15 minutes on it since I got Ubuntu. Why do I like Ubuntu?

1. Its different
2. I like the command line, I mean really like it.
3. If you buy a used computer with Windows on it you don't own the software on it.
4. I like the way the internet automatically works in Ubuntu though have yet to get my network running.
5. I like the endless possible free programs available to the linux user that equates to thousands of dollars worth of stuff in Windows.
6. I was able to recover over 500 pictures from a corrupt SD Disk for my daughter on Christmas day with photorecover. A similar program for Windows cost $49.95 but free in Linux.
7. The list could go on and on. In fact it does.

jacobw.uk

January 1st, 2009, 05:33 PM

Depends what you mean by completely I guess. Most people still have to use Windows at work or on work provided computers.

hyperdude111

January 1st, 2009, 05:40 PM

I only use ubuntu now but i do have a windows 7 beta partition but to only see how far it has come since vista. But i use ubuntu 95% of my time

Trackieman

January 1st, 2009, 10:45 PM

Windows free for two years now.

Huh? You sure? :wink: Your webpage on live.com is firmly in the hands of Microsoft.

mamamia88

January 1st, 2009, 10:54 PM

i have vista on my machine but i can't remember the last time i booted into it

Raynman37

January 2nd, 2009, 01:44 AM

I was redoing my partitions and installs recently, and I got Ubuntu done...and never ended up putting windows on. It feels nice.

DarkReaper79

January 2nd, 2009, 01:54 AM

I was redoing my partitions and installs recently, and I got Ubuntu done...and never ended up putting windows on. It feels nice.

Same thing with me, once vista was gone I have a good feeling. I must be a geek when I get a good feeling when changing an os. So I guess my gf was right:P

Rrasyrogenees

January 2nd, 2009, 06:53 AM

i am now windows free on my pc :biggrin: (although i still have not gotten WoW to work on wine and get setup) [-o<... but WINDOWS FREE :popcorn:\\:D/:biggrin::popcorn::guitar: and now i am thinking to buy a dell laptop and make it windows free as well...

i deleted windows today (the last step) now my back is sore from all the patting... but dang it feels good

joshmuffin

January 3rd, 2009, 08:14 AM

You can game (and have great, free fun) on ubuntu but the graphics are lacking.

Other then that Windows (atm) is useless!

Without bias: windows is good and user friendly but ubuntu can do all that and so much more: its a bit of a hassle to set up and get used to. But in the end its worth it.

Out of ten (for me): ubuntu: 9-10, Windows: 6-7 but! ubuntu is free!!

Ntacman

January 3rd, 2009, 08:19 AM

/raises hand. I popped in my spare Ubuntu CD, decided to see if my hardware was compatible with ubuntu. Sure enough, sound/network card worked right out of the box. I instantly did a fresh install of ubuntu and used the whole hd, instead of wasting space for winfails.

Dr. GoS

January 3rd, 2009, 08:22 AM

Short answer: I have* (I have a school computer that runs OSX, no choice there)

Long answer: Well, it all started a year-a year and a half ago. A friend of mine gave me a PCLOS disk (Which I loved) I ran in and windows 98 inside of VMWare. Then the accident happened. I accidentally installed PCLOS over windows. That would have been a good thing but I have a broadcom wireless card, and it was impossible to get working with any OS. So I went back to Vista (Not one of my better ideas). I wasn't crazy about it and started distro-hopping. I tried about 10 different distros before settling on Linux Mint, which looked pretty nice to me. I had that on for a few months, before I wanted to get wireless support. XP would not detect my harddrive no matter what, so it was back to (gag) Vista! I (again) accidentally installed PCLOS over windows, this time without complaint. But I have tried out the new Ubuntu and actually like it better. My friend gave me a USB wireless thingy, which Ubuntu auto-detected, and so the internet is back for me. Once my Ubuntu USB flashdrive arrives, it'll be Ubuntu on my computer, and I no longer have a reason to go back to any non-linux OS now. Oh, and the new X-Box 360 controller I will be getting to use as a mouse will also factor in to that.

generic_idea_machine

January 3rd, 2009, 09:31 AM

{ How many of you completely switched to Linux? }

+ 1

:guitar:

elranchero

January 3rd, 2009, 04:07 PM

I first tried Red Hat Linux back in like 1998 (?).
KDE was *just* getting started.
Linux really wasnt ready for me yet, so I went to Windows 98.
Then I saw the book on Ubuntu, bought it, read just a few chapters and dove in and installed it on a mac g4. that was never very satisfactory, so again - back to macintosh. but always thinking i'd like to go Ubuntu full time. Macintosh was nice, but I prefer the transparency of Ubuntu and linux. Don't feel that secrecy helps anybody these days.

bought an MSI wind a few months ago. Ran it for a while on windows XP. then installed wubi. One day I was messing around with the partition manager and rendered the machine un bottable. It would not boot.

so I had a decision - go back to windows? Or go full time with Ubuntu.

I chose Ubuntu and man am I ever glad I did. Everything's working fine with my MSI wind and I don't feel I am lacking for anything.

westea49

January 3rd, 2009, 04:35 PM

I hope to be windows free by the end of the year. My work organization loves Microsoft. I am nearing retirement and want to convert to Linux completely, at least at home. Still have to write papers and proposals and make presentations with my CoIs so "Microsoft compatiblility" will be required for a while longer but I am very impressed with OpenOffice so??? I have some Linux experience (Open SuSe) but was a user NOT administrator. So I was pleasantly surprise with the dual boot installation of Ubuntu on my GateWay laptop. I am working on a Fedora dual boot installation on a Dell M6300 and as soon as I figure out the wireless connection on it I will use Linux as my primary OS and fall back to Windows for those applications that I still need to use. I am hoping Wine can help there but?

selahlynch

January 3rd, 2009, 04:48 PM

I lost my inhibitions after a couple glasses of wine and thats when I switched over to Ubuntu and deleted Windows in the space of 15 minutes.

I think thats the nerdiest drinking adventure ever.

tomszyszko

January 3rd, 2009, 05:14 PM

I have been using Linux for 2 years now. My dad is a die hard unix fan cause he works for sun microsystems (solaris) and as a little kid got used to solaris unix systems. Then primary and secondary school made me use windows. My dad was forced to switch to linux as unixs hardware support for laptops was appauling. Its getting a little better with solaris 10 and the java desktop system, but network manager never works. I started using FC4, and dual booted windows. But that laptop caught fire on my lap while running Microsoft Autoroute in the car (thankyou Bill Gates) From then I have been a solid ubuntu user since Gates has left his scars on my legs. And now have become a bit of a ubuntu geek. My dual screen desktop still runs XP for gaming, as I can play all my windows games on my linux laptop, but Wine only lets me play with DX7 when I need 2 be at least DX8.1 to play league matches in CS:S (+ there are too many random crashes). This laptop has a 120 gb hdd, and I can finally use it without vista taking up 60 gb. Just need ATI to fix their drivers so i can watch videos with Compiz on, and for ubuntu to include the atheros driver in the kernel so I dont have to keep recompiling the driver every time I update in ubuntu 8.10 . (laptop: Asus X51RL) . At my school, the teachers said that the RM windows network was impenetrable. Sitting @ one terminal with Puppy linux on a 128mb usb key, I was able to access everyones files on the local samba server, bypass all the filters and use msn in class. People laugh as I preach linux, and they describe it as s*it (pardon my French!), even though they have never used it. Bill GAtes has brainwashed these people, and linux has only just started to increase in large numbers, because of brilliant projects like ubuntu. Thats 1 of the reasons that Microsoft realeased that stupid "im a pc" campaign. Its brainwash. We need a revolution!!!! The second that manufacturers realise that there is market behind linux, they will port their software and write drivers for their previously windows (and rarely mac) only hardware. Then people will migrate in their thousands, cause the main too reasons that people stay with windows is that they cant game and that their stuff wont work. The only problem with this is that linux will lose some of its security, as the hackers will target this new influx of users. We most not make the mistakes the MS did. WE MUST TAKE OVER
TO get manufactorers attention, we have to vote with our feet. Only buy products from companies that support linux. Support game developers that port to linux. Don't pirate games written for linux. Thats how they will see an opening

Thankyou for listening to the movie !!! :popcorn: Loooooool!!!!
ps A moment ago my keyboard mapping screwed up randomly for a minute then it returned?? this is after doing an update. This is one of the things I enjoy about linux, being able to discover and sort out problems yourself and with a real communty, not tech support by Gates blond bimbos down in MS land.

OUT!

creek23

January 3rd, 2009, 06:29 PM

How many of you completely switched to Linux?

Not just, yet. Until there's a Flash CS3/CS4 IDE for GNU/Linux, then I'll be.

juliekeswick

January 3rd, 2009, 10:49 PM

When i donated my old laptop to a computer recycling donations in Vancouver BC (http://www.era.ca/donations/recycling/yancouver.html), I bought a new one without a pre-installed OS in it. I decided to try Linux but instead of ubuntu, i tried fedora core. It's really great! I really recommend Fedora. Try it guys!

Ruyuk

January 3rd, 2009, 11:01 PM

Dang man you guys suck! I have a MacBook Pro and I partitioned Ubuntu/Windows/ and Mac OSX Leopard altogether! For everything needed and each partition has about 100GB.

smurfgod

January 3rd, 2009, 11:18 PM

i JUST started using linux...like 2 weeks ago.i fooled around with it being dual boot but after about a day or two i made me a bootable disk,put it in,and havent looked back.dont get me wrong...i do like xp,but as people have said...ubuntu works.i havent had a problem since it got on here.oh yea...whats gimp???

smurf :D

pedja_portugalac

January 3rd, 2009, 11:33 PM

I use only Ubuntu on my Acer Aspire 8920G and that even if I have to use friends computer when I have to update my TomTom GPS device. Why, someone can ask? Because I love Linux Ubuntu, it makes me feel secure and I can do with it almost everything, except updating TomTom GPS (for the moment but I will find the way to make tomtom believe, over bluetooth) my PC is GPRS phone) and also my integrated 5.1 dolby doesn't work (only 2 stereo front speakers) but this too should be resolved on next Ubuntu realise. I have encrypted whole disk and there's no place for spy like microsoft on my computer. In fact, I use exclusively Ubuntu since 7.04, almost 2 years and I'll never come back to windows. You know, it's hard to exchange your best horse for one donkey. :lol:

Cope57

January 3rd, 2009, 11:42 PM

Huh? You sure? :wink: Your webpage on live.com is firmly in the hands of Microsoft.

Funny how you mentioned live.com... live.com is hosted on Linux (http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?host=www.live.com).
live.com domain may be owned by Microsoft, and search.live.com is also hosted on Linux (http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?host=search.live.com)
If Microsoft uses Linux (http://cope57.wordpress.com/2006/07/14/microsoft-uses-linux/), why shouldn't you?

I upgraded my XP to Linux in 2003....

david.jeter

January 3rd, 2009, 11:57 PM

We have two Intel Macs, one has XP on it, my PC tower had XP on it, and I had Ubuntu 8.10 on it, also installing Xubuntu on an old HP with 500 Mhz celeron in it. Had some issues(many issues with the tower) but then installed Hardy Heron and now it about runs like either Mac! I personally would LOVE to go without Windows or without Apple...top that lol:) Only problem is that I have Logic Pro, Reason, Stylus, Virtual Guitarist 2, etc etc. I haven't yet tried any Linux audio software but am going to once I get Linux configured just like I want it(looks and acts like OSX, with a dock, desktop icons on the right by default, Ubuntu windows looking nearly identicle to finder windows, etc etc and learn how to get the Kernel compiled for my system in particular). I am a total newbie with Linux and I know I have a LONG way to go. I want to learn how to program so I could make freeware alternatives to Reason for instance(love that program) and plug ins that easily compete or rival Waves plug ins for instance.

As far as the gaming, I can't fathom why anyone would play games on there computer(WAY too expensive for my tastes, new video card each year or two that costs 400 or 500 dollars, need more ram when it was already maxed out-well there's a new motherboard/processor so another 300 or so dollars down the drain to play the same game that I could get for my 360 and on top of that wasting the time configuring all that crap which I just want to play the game not configure the computer) instead of just buying an Xbox 360 or a PS3(granted I have no love for Microsoft and little use for Sony) but at least I can still play the most current games(that come out BEFORE they do on the PC most of the time) for about the next seven years....just a thought...

so realistically I will probably always have a Linux box and a Mac....but have been more or less free from Windows for a number of years anyway since getting my first Mac back in 2001. I prefer the Open Source philosophy over Apples philosophy any day of the week.....

david.jeter

January 4th, 2009, 12:03 AM

Dang man you guys suck! I have a MacBook Pro and I partitioned Ubuntu/Windows/ and Mac OSX Leopard altogether! For everything needed and each partition has about 100GB.

Only problem is that on an Intel Mac I know of no way to boot into Ubuntu like I can into XP....Ubuntu only runs in OSX.5 on my moms Imac.....I'll just keep it off of my Mac and on my PC tower...

psihodelia

January 4th, 2009, 12:09 AM

I have come to Linux in 2001 directly from DOS. I have used Windows2000 those days only to play some 3D games. Nowadays there is no need to use Windows, because all 3D games run in Wine under Linux as well.

jiapian

January 4th, 2009, 12:07 PM

Count me in :)

n0rth3rnlight

January 4th, 2009, 01:51 PM

(:

Im actually using my macbook dualbooting Vista and Os x 10.4 + parallels, running an mac mini with xbmc (under leopard) in my livingroom, running an Acer Aspire One with Ubuntu With XFCE AND GNOME AND KDE for fun (still learning and im loving it) and an server with UBUNTU Desktop...

I love both Vista, Ubuntu and Os x... although vista is more of a love/hate relationship... ... ... ;)

When my corei7 arrives (next year) ill be sure to dualboot Ubunutu and Windows7... anyone else think that Win7 is a little like KDE4?

konsta82

January 4th, 2009, 02:48 PM

I'm still using windows for my university database,and that's all.
Linux is better for everything else.

bindkeeper

January 5th, 2009, 09:23 AM

I have Ubuntu 8.04 on first PC and Debian on the second, and No Windows at all.

TorqueyPete

January 5th, 2009, 04:38 PM

I've been forced back to Windows, after a disasterous Unubtu upgrade!!:(:arrow:#-o
I'll be posting a request for help elsewhere, for my old PC wneh I have time. But had to rush out and buy something new and guaranteed from a local shop. It has Vista installed, no choice. No system disk either! :evil: What a stitch up!

Casper Hansen

January 5th, 2009, 04:45 PM

On my primary desktop I started dual booting Ubuntu 8.04 and Windows XP. After a while I got rid of Windows XP and only used Ubuntu 8.04. A month or so before the 8.10 release I purchased a new laptop because my old one wasn't compatible with Ubuntu/GNU/Linux. So since that I haven't touched Windows - only when I have to help my nooby friends and family (got my dad to use Ubuntu before the 8.10 release though).

laero

January 5th, 2009, 04:55 PM

Since tf2 and l4d still lag too much under Wine I'm keeping my win xp partition. And well, paying for Cedega doesen't feel clever since I've already payed for windows.

fela

January 5th, 2009, 04:58 PM

3 things keep me using xp on my laptop(however ubuntu is my main OS for everything else so i use my laptop very little):

my canon i850 printer.

no video editor that handles titles and audio track overlays that i have gotten to work yet. i tried kino, its really great, but no titles or audio overlay. i am thinking of creating cinerellia deb packages when i get that to work, just have not had the time.

alsa is not supported on my sound card(cause it sucks) so i use audacity on my win machine. this will be remidied when i get a new comp as i will purchase a creative labs audigy line card(which is supported in alsa so i can do sound recording).

the games thing is moot at this point for me because ut2004 is native linux and war3 run great in cedega. WOW runs good in cedega and if i ever want to play HL2 that will be supported better in the future. i mostly play blizzard titles, neverwinter nights(linux ported) and ut2004 and free games like frozen bubble.

i think over time my problems will diminish, the video editor problem will go away as kino gets more features or as i get another program working well. games will eventually be ported to linux in greater number and my printer..... well we shall see on that one.

Cinelerra is really easy to install from the Medibuntu repository.

I advise that you keep installing each version of ubuntu when it comes out every 6 months (well at least the live cd), and see if any of the problems have gone away. PS. I don't use Windows XP at all right now but will do once I get my gaming-capable graphics card. I'll keep XP on a different harddisk.

Acradon

January 6th, 2009, 12:41 AM

As of beginning of this year I will use windows only in the office where I have no choice. I have a laptop with XP on it, which I have given to my wife. I still need to get back to some files and programs that are work related and do not run on linux at all. But I think I have booted my windows laptop once since I got my linux machine. My dad got a new laptop with vista and trying to find my way around in this piece of junk just did it. Never again Microsoft!!

jimbean

January 6th, 2009, 12:54 AM

ive been using linux for almost 3 years

its the best at everything --- but for a windows lacky like myself

who learned pc from gates and tandy

i have no choice but to dual boot

i am an american who is old

statto1977

January 6th, 2009, 01:20 AM

At work I take care of 40-50 XP/Vista desktops and laptops, so I use Windows every day there. At home my laptop and desktop have been Ubuntu only for about eight months, but I bought a secondhand iBook last month running Tiger because I've always wanted to play around with a Mac. What I've already noticed is that the famed Apple user-friendliness is really no better than Ubuntu (though light years ahead of Windows).

David Duxbury

January 6th, 2009, 03:13 AM

Good day to all.
I got hold of Ubuntu disk last week,loaded it on its own drive Vista on the other, I have been tying my hand with Linux Distros for many years, with not much luck.
I have to say Linux has finally come of age for the mainstream, that is me, sooo the question is will i finally change over ???..not Yet as I run My Ham Radio equipment on XP Linux has not moved into that area enough for me to change, but I am hoping.

David Duxbury

January 6th, 2009, 03:16 AM

Good day to all.
I got hold of Ubuntu disk last week,loaded it on its own drive Vista on the other, I have been tying my hand with Linux Distros for many years, with not much luck.
I have to say Linux has finally come of age for the mainstream, that is me, sooo the question is will i finally change over ???..not Yet as I run My Ham Radio equipment on XP, Linux has not moved into that area enough for me to change, but I am hoping. All The Best. Ducksy

rosswmcgee

January 6th, 2009, 03:55 AM

I have not heard of ham radio on a computer. How does that work? I have been 100% linux for at least 8 years, 80% of the time Ubuntu. I just do clean installs on every upgrade, by copying all my files to a thumbnail and then re install them after the install. The other day I had to make 13 cds for my wife. Then I created folders for them and moved them to my wife's xp. As usual I was surprised at how much faster and easier ubuntu is than xp.

OzSchuby

January 6th, 2009, 03:59 AM

I bought a new computer (very basic one) that had Vista installed. When I tried to set it up as dual-boot with Ubuntu, it killed Windows for me, so I did a clean wipe!

There's been a few things I've had trouble getting to work, but generally I've been happy to ditch Windows.

rick08

January 6th, 2009, 03:43 PM

yeaibet5286

January 6th, 2009, 03:55 PM

I still use Vitsa and have Ubuntu though Wubi. I don't hate Windows and feel you should know the operating system as it won't be going any where for a while, but I only am using Ubuntu when I am home. However at work and for school, I use XP and Vista.

Random20230808

January 6th, 2009, 04:05 PM

I've been using Ubuntu since 2005. I've tested a lot of distros but Ubuntu is just what I need from an OS and it's supporting community.
As for Win XP and Win Vista is something that's good for people that don't know or don't mind to decide what they want to have in their PC's.
Have you heard any salesman to ask the customer about which OS does he prefer???
I haven't...

NPeaeson1

January 6th, 2009, 04:22 PM

fela

January 6th, 2009, 11:55 PM

Dang man you guys suck! I have a MacBook Pro and I partitioned Ubuntu/Windows/ and Mac OSX Leopard altogether! For everything needed and each partition has about 100GB.

What bootloader did you use? I heard that Bootcamp only lets you use 2 partitions for OSes (ie 2 OSes).

fela

January 7th, 2009, 12:07 AM

I have Removed Vista from my lap-top and went Ubuntu AND LOVED it I dident lose any thing Not EVEN World Of Warcraft I am now planing On taking XP off my main box and puting Ubuntu or kubuntu on it I'm not sure witch one I like better But I know One thing BYE BYE Microsoft YAY

Welcome to the forum!

Ubuntu is just great isn't it? The thing is, you think it's great but then next release you just say, I can't believe I managed to use last version, it just sucked so much. It improves so much in so little time. I don't use windows AT ALL on any of my computers.:P and I have 3 Linux boxes + 1 installing right now which is a G3 iMac!

chaanakya_chiraag

January 7th, 2009, 02:14 AM

I have used Ubuntu since April 2008, and I went Windows-less in August. I LOVE Ubuntu. Aside from the blunders made in Intrepid, Ubuntu keeps moving forward, and it really is a great distro :D

maestrobwh1

January 7th, 2009, 02:34 AM

[

maestrobwh1

January 7th, 2009, 02:35 AM

I have completely switched to Linux. My school unfortunately still uses Windows XP so I am forced to use XP while I am at school. I am having what I believe to be driver issues with my printer so I may have to eventually switch back to Windows sometime, which I am not happy about at all.

Try
http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/Op...SDocumentation

OR

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

and poke around.

Jackzhao

January 7th, 2009, 03:00 AM

My primary OS is WinXP. Although I like Linux and Ubuntu, but I have to work on WinXP, because WinXP is dominating in our company and I can not find ideal alternatives for some useful tools in Linux, such as Visio, MS exchange client and so on.
Now, I've install dual OS on my office-PC, WinXP and Ubuntu.
Actually, I installed dual OS on my home-PC too, because, you know, most people are more familiar with Windows OS and I have to share the home-PC with my family members.
Anyway, I like Ubuntu, like its free, like its open, like its easy to use, and I hope it can become better and better.

Zeroberry

January 7th, 2009, 03:11 AM

Still weaning myself off. I only have Windows (XP) on one of 3 computers and I rarely use it anymore. Reluctant to remove it completely since Linux can't satiate the graphics ***** in me. I can only dream of the day big games come with OpenGL support (and don't flame me for indirectly calling Linux-native games small)

cometa2k7

January 7th, 2009, 03:42 PM

I've completely switched - I realised that there wasn't any software which I used on Windows that there wasn't a replacement for on Linux.

My switch was actually pretty trouble free - I've been using Linux for about a year on my desktop, so I know some things about Linux, and my laptop is surprisingly well supported (Acer Aspire 5920).

Knudde

January 7th, 2009, 05:20 PM

I completely switched to Ubuntu!

duds2008

January 7th, 2009, 06:09 PM

I have only used GNU/LINUX and the programs that run atop of it since April 2008. My advice is use it on your PC for everything and buy a playstation or xbox if you are into gaming. Forget about windo$e:)

Fireblazer

January 7th, 2009, 06:44 PM

Hey,

My main OS is Ubuntu but I have XP on my laptop (which I NEVER use) for Yahoo! Messenger and a few other compatibility issues. The only thing I really miss is America's Army 2.8.3.1 but now I program and play with hacking tools instead.

~ Fireblazer

fela

January 7th, 2009, 07:01 PM

user11

January 7th, 2009, 07:24 PM

fela

January 7th, 2009, 10:13 PM

The City University of New York is Microsoft's lapdog. There was a point where I couldn't register for classes on line without IE. So far I had to take a class that specifically taught the following:

MS office 2007
AutoCAD by AutoDesk
International Instruments: Multisim Workbech (the bane of my existence)
Microsoft C++ editor

I pretty much completely converted to Linux for my personal use, but these darn programs force me to dual boot. I would actually pay money for a Linux based AutoCAD and circuit simulator.:(

Shame. If more people started using Linux then these organizations/colleges etc. would start using it and supporting it! In my opinion though I think the main thing that could really get Linux off the ground on a world scale is by big companies such as Adobe, CryTEK (for games), Microsoft (yes I did say microsoft) etc etc etc actually got down to developing Linux programs. Yes, I said MICROSOFT should develop LINUX PROGRAMs. Problem? Oh yeah, money. Maybe Microsoft could reprogram Windows with a Linux core and market it as Lindows...anything could happen.;)

kellemes

January 7th, 2009, 10:27 PM

(..)Maybe Microsoft could reprogram Windows with a Linux core and market it as Lindows...anything could happen.;)

I wish.
Today I use Linux and Windows because neither of them can provide me with all I need. If "Lindows" or "Vistux" can give me all, I'd be the first to switch.

findelmundo

January 8th, 2009, 05:02 AM

:D
As many of you (probably) I understood the importance of Linux before I understood how to use it, or, long before I converted... I have been a satisfied user (and promoter) of OpenOffice(xp)/NeoOffice(mac) and all kinds of open source applications ever since a friend showed me the benefits of these in 2004. When I abandoned microsoft (xp) (2005) I "accidentally" switched to Mac after trying my friend's amazingly smooth Powerbook12". It really gave me another feeling of computer-life. A couple of months ago, I got tired of a noise problem with my powerbook, and dismantled it to clean the fan, and haven't yet been bothered to put it together again. Because... I got hold of another laptop (EasyNoteP4) and installed Ubuntu 8.10. It works great :D I use mobile broadband, wireless, LAN, wireless printing, scanning... I also installed the 64bit version on my brothers Acer Laptop (AMD64), even easier than the EasyNote :D . With Ubuntu 8.10 I really think it is time for all our Microsoft-surfer-friends to make the switch... We can all help them with the small tweaks that we all know they need (installing flash, java etc so that the switch is not so noticeable on the net etc)... Btw... Does there exist any serious virus threat for Linux? I often get the "virus question", and I'm not totally convinced by my self invented(?) "no virus" answer...

ranch hand

January 8th, 2009, 05:38 AM

There is no serious virus threat. If you are concerned with security you should run a search here on the forums. There is some good stuff on here and it will make you feel better about virus' and make you think about real threats.

Keep your system up to date.

razar45

January 8th, 2009, 05:40 AM

uhhh Kubuntu counts as ubuntu right? lol i like KDE Desktop better but...

i use Kubuntu 75% of the time..but i still need my WoW and Warcraft III

Kopachris

January 8th, 2009, 06:42 AM

You know what? My second computer programming teacher (the two teachers are co-teaching since the first teacher doesn't know **** about programming) offered to let me use a Linux box with GCC instead of Vista with Visual Studio. :) Since the C++ book is OS-inspecific (unspecific?), I just might have to take him up on his offer. I'm going to want to get a little more acquainted with GCC first, though... (I don't want to act like a know-it-all unless I do know it all :P)

maverick340

January 8th, 2009, 05:44 PM

90% Linux (Ubuntu/UbuntuStudio, I dont like KDE :p)
Windows only for Photoshop,Illustrator and games that dont run on wine (Though the only game i love playing on the college LAN is Counter-Strike 1.6 and that tuns purrfectly )
I even gave my first presentation which i made using Ubuntustudio today :-)
I really wish adobe ports the creative suite to linux. And google adds voice support to linux on gmail! But the change has becung, i see many users (lot of students, like myself) switching over to GNU/Linux. Its a really good thing. its not about using GNU/Linux or windows. Its about choice. And that the open source choice is upto par.

maverick340

January 8th, 2009, 05:46 PM

*shoot, double post again. Sorry,server acting all weird!*

nightfire117

January 8th, 2009, 08:42 PM

I liked the post above about "Lindows" and "Vistux" - so true. I'm going to try out VirtualBox, as a matter of fact, because I need some Windows apps, and Linux has awesome features and I love the possibilities that you can achieve with it, and its depth is awesome. I've been more or less forced to use Linux (Ubuntu 8.10 actually, which I love since I'm no expert on Linux but I suppose knowledge will accumulate over time and because of necessity) due to an XP crash and corrupt Vista MBR (because Ubuntu overwrote it and I should've used the Vista drive as primary - dumb me). But so far, so good, I mean, the one thing I really miss is Foobar. And Windows Live Writer, even moreso, actually. But everything can probably be run in VirtualBox - I hope these can be run flawlessly in Wine soon, because I would be very pleased to install Linux (Ubuntu - or maybe I'll try something new) on a new laptop I plan on purchasing this summer.

However the one thing that I see in Linux, particularly Ubuntu - well, not that I've looked much anywhere else since I've only tried a few distros - is the community. The [Linux/Ubuntu] community is much more active and responsive than I would've expected and it's been awesome.

Cheers!

~Night

eionmac

January 9th, 2009, 05:38 PM

The lack of a UK VAT accounts set up in opensource Linux accounts programs prevents me switching from Windows.
Windows using QuickBooks ties me to Windows
Linux for others (various flavours experimented on) but mainly use SuSE

If Linux systems would do a proper EU/UK VAT accounts set up, I and many other charities needing accounts for legal reasons & I suspect small businesses would switch. It would liberate the universe intheUK

Note to Quasar accounts.
Nice system but no sample UK VAT accounts set up so inhibits use in UK

Xanatos Craven

January 9th, 2009, 05:48 PM

I'll never be able to at this rate. There's some stupid, resource-hogging, randomly focus-stealing for no reason whenever it updates, enforced antivirus crud at work that won't let me on the network at all unless I'm running it. And guess what OS that requires... that's right, the only one where an end-user would need virus protection in the first place. -_-

bendib

January 9th, 2009, 06:12 PM

I have used linux and unix since 2002, before that I used windows 95.
I couldn't stand xp. Or 98. or me. or 2000.
Then I stumbled on the freebsd site.
Hooray for a wonderful Operating system. I have not used a windows computer for six months, and when I had to use it six months ago, it was because I was at the library and forgot my power cable.
I had guilt for weeks. There is some naughty naughty stuff INTENTIONALLY hidden inside windows.
Take a peek in NTOSKRNL.EXE

Messyhair42

January 9th, 2009, 06:19 PM

I'm basically there already, i'm using ubuntu exclusivly on my machine, i only boot to windows when i need a program that wine won't run. i'm still a little disappointed in the media editing capabilities of ubuntu. but i've managed to switch both of my parent's computers to ubuntu with them using only ubuntu.

jonelnz

January 10th, 2009, 12:21 AM

Hi everyone and a "Happy New Year" to all...

I've been using Ubuntu (no proprietary partitions on my hard drive) for just over a year now and I cannot believe how stable my machine has been. Ok, had the odd hiccup but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a little help from these forums.

Running XP in VirtualBox so I can charge my Motorola V3 using a Mobile Action USB cable until I get a new phone (Nokia N96/N97)

Great work... Ubuntu forums and community :guitar:

larso164

January 10th, 2009, 02:08 PM

I wiped Vista completely from my brand new Dell Inspiron 1720. I've never regret it until yesterday, when transmission damaged the disk severely. It took an hour and a half to fix and I'm still shaky, but everything seems ok today.

Vista has nothing but the looks. Slow to boot, slow to handle files, disability to connect. The worst os I've tried since I started with computers 1982...

listerdl

January 10th, 2009, 02:18 PM

I have a few computers and made the switch on two and love it. I would happily switch everything over to linux, but the only issues i have is getting ipod and audacity to work. I know that this can be done but it seems to be taking ages to work out....not a major issue though.

I seriosuly love ubuntu though, very stable and way more cooler than anything windows ever offered...

nightshade209

January 10th, 2009, 05:38 PM

i switched over to ubuntu completely!!! i luvd the part wer it deleted Windows! :D!

Catboy~

January 10th, 2009, 06:16 PM

I've been switching between windows xp/vista and ubuntu since 7.04 came out. There's just something about ubuntu that keeps bringing me back. I'm happy about how much improvement I've seen since Feisty. Back when I first tried Feisty, I had A LOT of trouble getting my wireless adapter working. Now when I plug it in in 8.10 it's detected automatically :). So far I have everything I need here on ubuntu, so I just got rid of windows. As for the original question, I'm 100% ubuntu right now :D.

(First post! :guitar:)

Spinal_Tap

January 11th, 2009, 09:34 AM

I have been dual-booting for over a year, but have only logged into windows twice over that time. Actually wiping it off my computer this coming weekend, as I have no real use for it anymore.

:)

soupowl

January 11th, 2009, 11:50 AM

I have! It has given my computer new life, and I love all the problem solving I'm having to do - with thanks to all the people out there who post really useful answers.
3 things I miss - Nokia PC Suite (although I've found ways of doing stuff without it), Tom Tom's software, and some of the music download sites that don't work with Ubuntu - time they sorted that out!

jman6495

January 11th, 2009, 11:53 AM

I Have On My Main PC But My Laptop Also Has Vista/Longhorn.

LinnetLegs

January 11th, 2009, 02:58 PM

I have if only by default. I accidentally wiped vista from my computer when installing ubuntu. Then I was unable to reinstall vista from my recovery disk (do I need a full copy of vista from microsoft rather than a recovery disk????).

But guess what - the more I use it the more I like it and I am planning on staying.

I am no computer genius but the help on this forum is good and it does seem pretty (novice) user friendly.

I only miss office 2007 (sorry :oops:) and living cookbook (not sorry).

bikodog

January 12th, 2009, 03:03 AM

I installed Hardy for kicks back in the early summer on an old "play computer" that was sitting around. I fell in love. I now run Ubuntu Intrepid exclusively on my primary box and xUbuntu Intrepid on my older laptop (Toshiba Satellite)...hell, I even have a live USB that I use to boot my work-issued laptop with (Dell D830) when I am offsite. The ONLY time that I am FORCED to use ******* is at work where I have no choice otherwise.

I find it interesting that during ordinary conversation with persons who I would consider to be of highly intellectual and certainly adequate technical understanding, i find that they are shocked that I would slaughter the sacred cow of *******. I have even pissed off quite a few MAC prudes by showing them my KDE desktop on nothing more than a liveUSB compared to their $$$$$$$$$$$ MACbook.

There is no app that I have not been able to run using linux, with the exception of the the apps that I give up on because I find a BETTER open-source app in the process (ex gtKpod, avidemux). It just takes a little initiative to search for an answer to the problem (forums, IRC, search-engine). Tech support is everywhere, from people who CARE about this great thing and that actually use it.

Bottom line...

If you do not use open-source you are a slave.

lancest

January 12th, 2009, 05:13 AM

I find it interesting that during ordinary conversation with persons who I would consider to be of highly intellectual and certainly adequate technical understanding, i find that they are shocked that I would slaughter the sacred cow of *******.

Same experience here. They just go with their flock. Trying to protect themselves from having to learn anything new.

nightfire117

January 12th, 2009, 06:53 AM

Posted here before. Basically forced into using Ubuntu because I'm too lazy to fix Vista's corrupt MBR (well, I corrupted it... oops). Guess what? I don't mind! I really don't. For the time being (aka last couple weeks) I've been using nothing but Ubuntu 8.10 and am loving it - if I get my MCE remote working which I probably won't... then I'd completely switch over. =)

~Night

cb34

January 12th, 2009, 07:49 AM

i went from a 20+years windows user to linux all the way.
and i thought i was real smart before because i knew to secure all the netbios crap and all the garbage open windows ports, services etc.

i now know that i never knew what 'secure' meant, or consistency in an operating system.

I'm a complete linux freak now! i just want to know everything! :p
-----

im in messenger right now convincing my buddy to throw his win install out and install linux.. haha.. he's scared.. LOL!!!

he runs x64 and dual monitors, and all kinds of bluetooth devices.. i hope if he listens to me everyhting works in the end.. :P

dragos240

January 12th, 2009, 10:23 AM

It's great, you COULD say that i have completely switched to ubuntu, because if there is no alternative or linux version of a program for micro$oft *******, i use virtualbox, and make it look like ubuntu. And for 9+ years i used *******, and now i feel like that was all a waste of time, my dad and mom aren't so convinced. Mom doesn't want change, she wants everything to stay the same, she likes backgamon, and to read her email. I keep telling her that it's faster, more secure, easier to use and better all around, but she just won't listen or even try it. Also when i made the switch to grub, she didn't know what to do to get into *******, and accedently wiped the windows partition right out, luckally it only erased the *******, not my ubuntu, but luckally for her i came and helped her out for 2 hours trying to fix it, sadly she blames me for this, she doesn't understand computers at all. And also my dad is going to try it becuase one of the things on my christmas list was for my dad to at least try ubuntu, so he's going to. I don't know what will happen after that, but i do know that when i get into collage, i'm getting a system 76 laptop with the newest version of ubuntu and the highest specs.

adamlau

January 12th, 2009, 10:54 AM

Not yet. I need to run Ashlar Graphite on XP (2D drafting). WINE does not do the trick and why virtualize when I have spare drives around? I would love to move to QCad, but it is nowhere near Graphite in terms of power and flexibility at this point in time. And how am I to backup and upgrade my BlackBerry device? Nope. Sticking to XP as a resource for now. And it is because I am a power user (I run ACAD 2008 as well) that I must.

fela

January 12th, 2009, 11:48 AM

Hi
If there are any programs that you don't see at first in Linux, if you have a search around the web you can often be surprised to find a Linux-native application that'll get the job done just fine. Yes, in some cases there is an application that there is really no alternative to in Linux, but often you can run that application with WINE under Linux. Sometimes you can't, so what I advise to people starting off with Linux, having been accustomed to Windows, is to dual boot at first. Linux just keeps getting better and better, so be absolutely sure to update to the latest version of Linux (Ubuntu has a new release every 6 months). For example, I saw a post regarding the fact that there is no Microsoft Office on Linux - absolutely untrue to be honest. Check out open office 3. Make sure you install OpenOffice 3 (search for it on google), NOT the crap version of it that comes with Ubuntu. It includes almost all features of Microsoft Office. If you really want to run Microsoft Office, you can even do it under Linux (albeit you have to pay some for it): get Codeweavers Crossover, it's designed to run Office under Linux.

For lots of applications such as Photoshop, there are Linux alternatives that, for someone accustomed to the "professional" app, don't seem nearly as good at first (compare Photoshop to the GIMP), but if you use GIMP lots, you'll find all the features and how to use it, and you'll learn the truth that there's really not that much that, say, Photoshop can do that the GIMP can't. I've provided an off-the-top-of-my-head list of some applications that have good alternatives in Linux.

Adobe Premiere >>> Cinelerra is a GREAT video editing Linux app. It isn't in the Ubuntu repositories (synaptic/addremove), but you can find good HOWTOs for setting it up on the web.

Adobe Photoshop >>> The GIMP. This is a extremely handy tool that has most of the features of Photoshop (well I haven't found anything that there isn't a GIMP alternative for). My dad hates it (he uses Photoshop on another computer, a mac), but I think that's just because he's accustomed to Photoshop. You might hate it at first but try using it for a while and see if it fills your needs. No need to download anything as it comes with Ubuntu. It's in Applications > Graphics > GIMP image editor.

Microsoft Office >>> OpenOffice.org. This is basically a replacement for Microsoft Office, the latest version (v3) has practically all the features and then some of Microsoft Office. It also has a very similar user interface, and is easy to use anyway, I doubt it'll ever fall short of Microsoft Office for what you need to do with it.

Maya >>> There is a Linux version, isn't there? :p

General 3D Modelling app >>> Blender. It's in the Ubuntu repositories. It's a cross platform app (Mac, Windows, Linux), and IIRC the only natively 64 bit version is the Linux version! Check it out it's great.

iTunes >>> Amarok or Rhythmbox. Rhythmbox is basically an iTunes clone, but I advise you to use amarok (rhythmbox comes with Ubuntu, amarok is in the repositories). iTunes pales in comparison to Amarok, as does every other Music player/Digital Jukebox I've tried. In fact the only thing that's better about iTunes is it's visualizer. Not joking!

Windows Media Player >>> Totem. It comes with Ubuntu and is called Movie Player. There's also Mplayer and VLC that are in the repositories. I highly recommend them both on the basis that they can play virtually any format you throw at them. 500% better than WMP, each, I reckon.

Internet Explorer >>> Mozilla Firefox. Firefox is so much better than IE and it is available on the Mac platform as well as Windows and Linux.

Microsoft Mail (whatever it's called) >>> Mozilla Thunderbird. Great mail client all round. Compatible with RSS.

MSN >>> Pidgin. It's compatible with AIM, Bonjour, Gadu-gadu, Google Talk, Groupwise, ICQ, IRC, MSN, MyspaceIM, QQ, SILC, SIMPLE, SameTime, XMPP, Yahoo! and Zephyr. Comes with Ubuntu.

uTorrent >>> Transmission. Comes with Ubuntu, very speedy and simple-interface Bittorrent client. Includes a CLI interface as well as a GTK GUI.

Aero >>> Compiz. MUCH MUCH less resource-using, and has all the effects plus way more indeed. Install Compiz Config Settings manager and fiddle with all the plugins and you can kiss Aero goodbye. Popular features include: window reflection, window animations (check them out), translucent windows depending on how much you scroll on them while pressing alt, painting fire on the screen, turn your desktop into a 3D Cube or Sphere, and many more. For the window borders, I recommend using Emerald. You can get really nice Aero effects (or anything else if you want).

Nero >>> Nautilus' built in burning feature or Brasero, or K3B if your on Kubuntu. Check them out.

Reply if I've left anything out!!!:guitar:

fela

January 12th, 2009, 11:49 AM

adamlau

January 12th, 2009, 12:32 PM

That I am as well (or so I think :() :) . You did miss something though: Excluding Mac OS X, what of CAD applications for architectural drafting? AutoCAD is nowhere to be found, MicroStation bowed out years ago, Ashlar-Vellum does not plan to release a Linux version of any of their packages. Nearly every Linux CAD package out there is for modeling other than architectural drafting. So then what to do?

thoman

January 12th, 2009, 10:11 PM

This year I made my choice on running Ubuntu alone for my Lenovo S10, got one, get rig original hard drive and replace with new one to boot completely with Ubuntu.

No major problem faced but built in Mic not working with skype. Major use will be Web Development and CMS testing, light graphic and normal computer use.

Ubuntu :guitar:

zcartist

January 12th, 2009, 11:19 PM

I've switched over completely. I got a good deal on a quad core refurb thinking it would be fast. Well it came with vista, pre SP1 it was fast but crashed all the time. With SP1 it took 20 minutes to boot. UBU 8.10 takes 1 minute tops

Montblanc_Kupo

January 12th, 2009, 11:23 PM

I'm a graphic artist / photo editor... so when I can run all My Adobe apps natively I'll switch over. And no... GIMP sucks. heh

cb34

January 12th, 2009, 11:28 PM

windows was alwayz inconsistent in its boot up and shutdown times..

what i love about linux is, it takes between 55-65 seconds to boot, every single time totally reliably. and the system shuts down in seconds, everytime.

very consistent, i cant say the same for anything MS.

Linux freak here.. overNout. :)

Kopachris

January 12th, 2009, 11:46 PM

I'm a graphic artist / photo editor... so when I can run all My Adobe apps natively I'll switch over. And no... GIMP sucks. heh
Yeah, GIMP sucks. I still miss my Chrome filter that I had with Photoshop. :( I could make a mean electric jellyfish with the chrome and the wave filters. :)

pemur1

January 13th, 2009, 02:01 AM

I switched about 8 - 10 months ago. I'm still amazed with everything you can do with it.

I just spent about 3 hours getting rid of Antivirus 2009 (a very pesky malware) on my wife's Win XP computer, and I'm still not done. Every time I clicked on a link on the net, I was sent someplace else. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. I finally figured out that the malware wasn't gone completely. I decided to bite the bullet & told the wife that I had to re-format the hard drive and reinstall Winblows. I told her she'd be better off with Ubuntu, but she's too old-fashioned to switch. :)

lloose

January 13th, 2009, 03:36 AM

I went 100% on my laptop. I am too much of a gamer to give up my desktop :(

jimbo99

January 14th, 2009, 05:52 AM

I have used Ubuntu for a couple years. I used Linux on and off for years before that. I use Ubuntu as my primary OS and I do most if not all my tasks there. I don't like wine, cedega, crossover, vm machines, anything so I have to keep a windows box for some tasks. But my primary machine is Ubuntu and most of my tasks are done in Linux.

I love Linux. It's incredible.

But, programs such as KDE and Amarok are failing us with their new versions and their lack of a true desktop. Shame on them. It tends to drive me farther away rather than draw me in.

cb34

January 14th, 2009, 07:49 AM

i just installed about 7 programs... in about 5 minutes, and all are ready to go... and no reboot! that's another thing i love about Linux.

Linux rocks! :guitar:

knobuddixspexdazpanishinq

January 14th, 2009, 08:19 AM

I switched (finally) at the last LTS release when my scanner support issue was resolved. :p

Now my conscience is clear, my ethic is in practise,
and I'll never need to dance with the devil again :D

cheers,
M

Kopachris

January 14th, 2009, 02:31 PM

My mom has switched completely to Ubuntu now. I think she's impressed. :) I just used alt-drag to move a Firefox window she made too big (how do these things happen?) so I could resize it. She was like "oooooh!" :lolflag: Ubuntu ran without a hitch on her Compaq Presario. The only thing there's a little trouble with is that OpenOffice's titlebar is a bit funky. But that's only a minor inconvienence.

xang

January 14th, 2009, 05:01 PM

kalleboston

January 15th, 2009, 07:12 AM

I have also completely switched over to Ubuntu from windows. I just bought a new Samsung R510 that came with Vista. I tried Vista for 20 minutes and I really didnt like it. And after that I installed Ubuntu 8.10 and it works like a charm. Dont think I'll ever switch back to windows, why should I? :)

airjaw

January 15th, 2009, 07:40 AM

I have dualboots on all my computers because some things just don't work in ubuntu still for me (skype, printing, games).

I haven't figured Wine out yet.. I will have to invest some time to read up on that.

Besides that I'm almost exclusively using 8.10 and very happy with it. 8.10 is a very good release IMO.
I still run into a few bugs from time to time but nothing that a reboot doesn't fix.

One thing I am disappointed in is that Xp runs a lot faster and smoother on my desktop than ubuntu does. I am still not sure why.

Arnie Tchelakian

January 15th, 2009, 09:15 AM

I am completely switched to Ubuntu. Have been using it everyday for 2 years, and only recently did my old Mac break down for good, so this is my only system now.

Am still learning alot, the forums help, and would be lost without them, but Ubuntu Linux has been a life saver in most cases over every other system I've ever used. Only thing I miss about my Mac was the ease of Disk Utility, and absolutely nothing do I miss about Windows.

What finally made me choose that Ubuntu was better over Mac was the Video compatibility. Every update Apple used to make would make the system a little bit slower, and by the end playing videos was impossible, even with the open software. Ubuntu hasn't had any CODEC issues, everything I need comes together in one little package and runs smooth on cheap hardware.

So deff. never gonna go back to proprietary stuff again.
Whoo, yea, after writing all of that, I need some beer. Bye.

kupa2404

January 15th, 2009, 09:29 AM

switched to linux little over two years, cold turkey style. Had some problems did some distro jumping to get a taste of freedom ( :D ) and did some learning. Fell in love with ubuntu over a year ago and am still using it alongside with debian. I just love it and it suits my needs perfectly with just a little tweaking. Also it has the best community that I have seen so far in 'the linux world'. I still try some other distros from time to time but nothing feels like home as much as ubuntu does.

BryantArms

January 17th, 2009, 04:27 AM

Skippy_X

January 17th, 2009, 07:19 AM

I switched w/ Mandake 7.2.

Was that '99 or '00? I can't remember.

Right now I'm on a laptop that came w/ Vista. Vista chokes on the wifi chip - driver issue I think. Well documented bug that neither MS nor Realtek seems interested in fixing.

Ubuntu recognized it and connects automatically. In windows I have to disable the wifi and then re-enable it. Then I can connect.

The only reason Vista exists on this laptop is because I've not gotten around to banishing it. (Intrepid installed via Wubi). I have to get an external drive and back up everything on the hdd.

One of these weekends, I suppose.

linux-trap

January 18th, 2009, 07:19 PM

Me and my family have now completely switched to Ubuntu.

1. server running ubuntu (server)
2. My mom's pc ubuntu 8.10 (she is 73)
3. My Sony vaio tz ubuntu 8.10
4. PS3 running suse 11
5. MultiMedia PC running mythbuntu 8.10

I have two slugs that run Debian, just to keep me self update.

I have been using it for 6 years. and my family for the last 3.
But i have to say i keep a windows pc around for my FlightSim-X

:popcorn:

doughorne

January 18th, 2009, 09:49 PM

I have made the switch to Ubuntu 8.10 (my first linux OS) as my main platform. However, I am not completely separated from Windows. I use XP or Vista in the following manner:

1. In Ubuntu, I use Adobe CS4 on XP via VirtualBox. VirtualBox is AWESOME! I love it. I can be in Linux, and fire up VirtualBox, boot XP and do all of my web work, then flip back over to Ubuntu to do other things. Fiddled with Wine a bit, but that got old pretty quick for me.
2. I boot XP or Vista on completely separate hd's for gaming as needed.

I've got a nice setup using removable trays for my boot hd's, so it's pretty easy for me to shut down, remove tray, inert XP tray (or whatever) and reboot.

WA_Garrett

January 18th, 2009, 10:05 PM

sergueik

January 18th, 2009, 11:25 PM

I just got me Lenov Ideapad S10e. Came with XP Home on it. I have plenty of XP machines, so I went on to set it up with Open Linux of some sort. Spent hours of downloading different distros (Fedora, OpenSUSE, Linpus, Solaris 11 and OpenSolaris, Ubuntu... porbaly a couple of others). Burned them all on install DVDs. Looked at every one of them on my new Lenovo S10e. DIfferent problems with different distros. Some of the crash on install, some do not want to run GUI, some have no audio no network support from the getgo. Only three that I got intrigued with - Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, and Solaris 11. These are the only installs that were running normally and supported odd 1024x576 screen resolution, had audio and network driver of some sort. I have dismissed Solaris rather quickly because, even though it showed potential, being relatively new to Unix (apart from Mac) was not impressed with amount of info available on line, and proper Solaris support is rather expensive. OpenSUSE worked great and I was convinced that it will be the one, until I discovered that its desktop GUI does not have continuous workspaces, i.e. if application interface is lrger than desktop's resolution and some of it ends outside of the current workspace, I can not see the rest of it in the adjacent workspaces. In Ubuntu however, I can utilise that continuous workspaces as a workaround the small resolution.

So the pick of the day was Ubuntu. From the start it had limited support for the hardware. WiFi could connect only to unsecured points, Audio was functional, mixer cointrols were rather peculiar. I was not able to share files with couple of WIndows machines and a Mac I have. VPN with SonicWall at work seemed to be impossible.

Now, after spending some time on forums and installing/uninstalling different stuff, I have learned a few tricks and everything is working now. My sound card is all in. Wifi no problem, VPN with Sonicwall at work is a breeze. Remote Desktop is great (Windows or VNC). I have installed OpenOffice3, Thunderbird, variety of Cad and Audio programs. Now I can actually do more on my Ideapad, that I could ever do with WIndows. And as a bonus, it runs faster than Windows did (I can play 720p video clips no problem, on Wiondows they were choppy and stuttary). All I need to do now is to be able to sync Thunderbird with my Smartphone (I am not going to be bumed over it if I can't). I am sure, I will keep Ubuntu on my ideapad and use it as my main computer (can not beat 2 pounds, tough, pocket laptop for shlupping around)

As of now I am totally sold on Ubuntu and looking at possible use of it for our server at work, but I need to get beter and more familiar with it before then.

ac7ss

January 18th, 2009, 11:26 PM

I currently have the following computers: (in useage order)
N810 (Nokia tablet running linux) portable computing
Server (AMD64 dual core Ubuntu 8.4) Our main machine, when the KVM is set up.
Aux machine (Unknown x86 dual boot) Mostly media console, less used. Some games that me and my wife play. XDMCP to server when we both want to use the main machine.
My Laptop (Compaq Ubuntu 8.4) Portable, less used. mainly roaming media console. XDMCP terminal
Wife's Laptop (Compaq Vista only) Rarely even powered up. but is hers to do with as she will.

I won't count the work machine that I can't do anything with (I do SSH to the home server however.)

flyingsliverfin

January 18th, 2009, 11:38 PM

I got ubuntu installed on a laptop and xp and ubuntu (native) on my main desktop. I never even boot up XP unless I got some friends over who want to play Age Of Empires 3.

A playday sounds a bit childish, but for me its fine cuz im 12 :)

Ubuntu rocks.

oh, last question, virtualbox isn't free is it? I know VMware isn't so im assuming VB isn't ether

deepclutch

January 19th, 2009, 12:32 AM

Me.for the past few years.almost fully on Debian though ;)

stopie

January 19th, 2009, 12:35 AM

As the sig notes, I bought my mini 9 with xp. After much though, I finally switched to ubuntu. I was scared originally about completely switching, as I've used windows my whole life. I went ahead and removed windows, and thus far havent been sorry.

[insert story, testimony, and comparative analysis of why i <3 ubuntu now and dont plan on switching back]

fela

January 19th, 2009, 01:34 PM

I have ubuntu hardy on inpiron 5160 laptop and it works well for blogging and surfing the net. But that's all. I can't use it to log into work since m$ remote workplace invokes active x controls that are not compatible with linux. And none of the dvd players work well enough for the rest of my family to figure out on their own. So I don't use it to entertain the kids. It is used almost exclusively for getting on the web.

I have pclinuxos on my aspire 9410 laptop and that works great, even for playing dvds. So That gets used for surfing the net and playing dvd's for the kids.

The kids won't use linux on their desktops. And I keep window$ on my desktop for work. I also dual boot vista on my acer aspire for work too.

So, ubuntu, if it really wants to help people live without proprietary software, needs to figure out how to do a better job of supporting dvd playback and work around the active x controls that M$ uses to corner the market on business networks and games.

Gotta go now... I need to log into a M$ remote workplace server.

You need to install libdvdcss to play encrypted DVDs (which is most likely the problem you're getting). Look up medibuntu on google, they have good instructions for setting it all up (plus lots of other propietary software). The main reason people don't switch is because of lack of research. In fact it is quite rare that people will ever need software that there really is no alternative for on Linux.

I bet you could even workaround that activeX thing. Try running the windows version of Firefox (or IE) with WINE under Linux, and installing the activeX plugin. It should work (although not guaranteed to).

Have a nice day
Fela:guitar:

fela

January 19th, 2009, 01:37 PM

I have very recently installed Ubuntu on a separate partition on my computer because I wanted to see what Linux was like and I thought it would be fun to do. I am pretty impressed with Ubuntu. My main Operating System is Mac OS X, but that's because I'm a big time multimedia junkie.

I never get why people say they use OSX/Macs for multimedia. Number one the hardware is EXACTAMENTE the same as any other bog standard PC, number two, the software is equivalent on either platform, and just as good on either. I would say Adobe Premiere is as good as Final Cut Pro, myself.

I think the only thing most people really get a mac for is either because Apple brainwashed them, they brainwashed themselves cause of the Mac default operating system, bragging rights, or just more money than sense.

fela

January 19th, 2009, 01:42 PM

I have now switched completely using Ubuntu 8.10.
Below are the things for which I was stuck on WinXP for the longest time.

1. Playing WoW. Working in Wine thanks to the awesome new nvidia driver.
2. Juniper SSL VPN. Working great after following an online-guide to get it running.
3. Syncing my iPod. Banshee does this flawlessly.

I must say that Ubuntu 8.10 is the most polished version yet and works great, IMHO.

Yes, IMO Ubuntu's quality is being pushed higher and higher, exponentially with each release and that is not an exaggeration. Things like features, compatibility, plug and play support (a big one for me in a Intrepid), stability and just better in general. I wish I could say the same for the bloated windows vista! Can't wait till Jaunty Jackalope (9.04).

jaijaiyro

January 19th, 2009, 09:40 PM

i've been using macs for the most part , but when my powerbook g4 15" alum died i was so upset , even more upset that my spair laptop was running windows vista . After using that machine for at least 3 months i was ready to switch or toss the thing in the trash ; but after giving it much though i was looking at some Linux options and i came across ubuntu and i was floored when i saw what it can do. SO later that evening i burned me a DVD of the OS , backed up all my data and installed ubuntu as the main OS and got rid of windows completely and since then i couldn't be happier

im running ubuntu 8.10 intrepid
on my Acer 15.4" turion 64x2

all though i would really wish to have some kinda of itunes support , that way i can use my iphone , WINE isnt as smooth as i thought it was going to be

Anditsu

January 19th, 2009, 11:50 PM

I have been windows free for two years. Like other users I bump into some thing that just does not work with out windows,so I install virtual box.

halattas

January 20th, 2009, 05:55 AM

I'm happy to say I am windows free for the past 2 years as well.. and working on converting my company to use ubuntu linux as an operating system.

stderr

January 20th, 2009, 06:32 AM

Linux only for 3 years.

There's no sum of money you could pay me to use Winblows as a main OS now. Literally no sum of money.

I keep a Virtualbox Winblows for when you can't fake a Winblows environment, and I think I still have some machines dual/triple booting with Micro$oft's nasties. However, those installations should all have died through motherboard changes :D

Maybe I'll run a Winblows CD smashing night sometime soon...

browndog

January 20th, 2009, 07:29 AM

I've completely switched to Ubuntu 8.10 as of January 1st 2009. As a matter of fact I've dubbed 2009 "The Year Without Windows", as I plan to use only Linux this year (and after). I'm not so dogmatic that I'll never use another Windows machine again; as a matter of face I have to use one all day at work. What I will do is use it ONLY when I must, and adopt Ubuntu and open source software as a healthy alternative (I feel much better when I use open source) to the monopoly that is Microsoft. Getting to the point where I use Ubuntu only was made possible by the wonderful, user-friendly advances in Intrepid Ibex. There's nothing I can't do...I do to school on line, perform all kinds of multimedia tasks with music, watch videos, create documents, and the list goes on. If you're not a gamer (and I'm not) there's nothing stopping you.:popcorn:

urbandryad

January 20th, 2009, 12:09 PM

I am completely converted to Ubuntu now. I have left vista happily behind. I only wish my CD/DVD R+W was working properly (have posted on this forum about it and reported a bug.)

I may try a reinstall of Ubuntu to see if it can be fixed that way, its a very painful thing though because I don't have a way to back up so I have to move everything to my laptop without being able to burn a CD.

But compared with the trouble Windows always gave me when I was running XP and Vista, I'm glad to have Ubuntu. Everything is wonderful. :3

JordyD

January 20th, 2009, 12:20 PM

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

Likewise, but I came to compromise: I use my computers for Linux (completely), and I use my PS3, 360, and Wii for gaming. I will miss my computer games (I had tons, I never sold any), but I can deal with it. I don't use anything but Linux at home, and I only use Windows at other places if I'm forced to.

I think the trade-off, for me, was worth it.

LindaLou

January 21st, 2009, 04:24 PM

I completely converted at the get-go of the Ubuntu install onto my laptop this past summer. Never even bothered with partitioning as I was sooo fed up with Windows. I then converted my office computer as well. Yes, there have been some bumps, scratching of the head, pleading requests on the forum here, etc, but I must say, over all I am satisfied. So nice to not be dreading the Download Tuesday! and hoping that the patches to MS were in time and significant. There are times still when I use MS, but it is only because of using other peoples computers. I havent made any conversions yet, but continue to praise Linux and Ubuntu daily.

Smeags

January 21st, 2009, 10:04 PM

I've read over quite a bit of this thread and there's one thing I read over and over again that rings very true to me..."I dual boot (XP/Vista)/Ubuntu. I would use Linux completely if only I wasn't addicted to my PC games."

I'd love to eventually not use a Windows OS (not that I'm not satisfied with them because I actually like Vista) but until PC gaming on Linux is as fluid as it is in Windows, I'll definitely be dual-booting at the least. I only play PC games...I've never been into consoles (give me a mouse and keyboard any day over a controller).

When new games come out that I'm super excited about, I don't want to wait until, through endless fiddling, it works on my OS. I want to play it right away with minimal hassle. For me, the games are more important than the OS.

Kidwell

January 21st, 2009, 11:00 PM

6 weeks ago i had 3 vista machines and 1 xp. My laptop, my desktop, my shop computer, and my 10 year old daughters computer. I've never used linux a day in my life. Used windows for probably 15 years, not a power user, but not helpless, i like to tweak and like to read up on things, and make my computers work for me.
Day 1: Introduced to Ubuntu Hardy
Day 2: Downloaded Ibex and did shared install with vista on laptop
Day 3: Removed Vista from laptop... Ibex only
Day 4: removed Vista from shop.... Ibex only
yesterday: purchased moneydance... FREE OF QUICKEN.... bye bye Vista Desktop.... Ibex only (By the way... Wife loves it.. much easier to look at home videos and pictures with!)
Tomorrow: daughters desktop, get the hell out of my house you imposter that calls your self an operating system! UBUNTU ONLY!

I'm still lost alot of the time, but the potential i saw in three days made me dump 15 years of windows altogether. The few sacrifices we've made to switch have been well worth the peace of mind of not having to pirate or go broke to have working software.

Also showed my brother who lives across the street and... 2 of his 3 are now Ubuntu and 1 Ubuntu server replaced his ISA server.

So if your a developer or have contributed in any way to this community, then you have fostered me, and made me one of the happiest people on Earth, i literally feel like i've been set free, a little dramatic i know, but if anyone else is like me, and can't walk away from a computer when it's ******* you off and not working, then you know what i mean. Thank You All!!!!

Affrikka

January 21st, 2009, 11:16 PM

We don't own one thing in this house (excluding games) that pertains to microsoft. My dad is thinking about getting a mac, but other than that all over our computers all run ubuntu.
Now, there is an exception, but we don't OWN it. My dad's work laptop runs windows, but he sneaked ubuntu on there :P

physeetcosmo

January 22nd, 2009, 12:49 AM

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

i have to host XPPro inside Ubuntu using VirtualBOX. i have to for programming purposes and burning chips.

1) MPLAB IDE doesn't work with Wine and Microchip has NO intentions of providing Linux support for this software. Hence, no programming of the PIC32!

2) Digilent Adept Suite which is used to burn my FPGA board code, but they ARE working a Linux application as of this posting. i received an email from them that this will become available 'soon.'

Other than that, i use Linux for EVERYTHING else. :)

InspiredIndividual

January 22nd, 2009, 12:58 AM

In practice, I never use Windows anymore. I switched eight months ago when getting a new desktop. I installed dual boot Windows XP and Ubuntu 8.04, and Windows is still using a small partition of my hard disk. However, I've booted Windows only once: a week after the original install, because internet wasn't working and a friend of mine came by to fix it for me. With Ubuntu internet worked out of the box :-D

The only reason Windows is still on my hard disk is because I do not need the space at the moment and I'm to lazy to erase it ...

dullard

January 22nd, 2009, 01:43 AM

Windows for MS Word and Powerpoint 'cos I need them for work/college stuff. Linux for absolutely everything else!

It's like making do with public transport when the car needs sorting out.

67GTA

January 22nd, 2009, 01:59 AM

Terraman

January 22nd, 2009, 02:46 AM

I have bought a Desktop PC with Linux Freespire preinstalled, since then we (my wife, my child and I) do not use Windows anymore. Futhermore, I managed to install Ubuntu Hardy in an ancient laptop (se signature), and it still runs better then with Windows 98.

missbliss

January 22nd, 2009, 03:49 PM

For the time being I have. However it was kind of an accident as I had a dual boot 8.10/Vista setup until I put Ubuntu in to hibernation and managed to get my mbr out of sorts. Somewhere along the way trying to fix it I wiped out Vista entirely.

I plan on setting up a dual boot again, though, just because I'm a real Linux newb.

Smeags

January 22nd, 2009, 04:13 PM

I just ditched Windows for good last week. Both my new PC and laptop came with Vista preinstalled. I hate it. I never used it. Windows XP was the last Windows OS I could stomach (for gaming). I have dual booted for 8 years. I used Windows 7 beta disk to upgrade Vista on my PC. When I saw it was still basically Vista, and they had not redeemed themselves, I let Ubuntu have the whole hard drive on both machines. I don't buy PC games anymore, so goodbye Microsoft.

Not trying to sounds mean or anything, but did you even give Vista or Win7 a real try? Sounds like you picked up on all the negativism (I think that's a word?) and decided in your mind that you hated them before even trying them.

I've been running Vista for about a year now and I actually like it quite a bit. It's been extremely stable for me, it runs plenty fast enough for me, and I've had no problems whatsoever with compatibility. I will mention, however, that I have a system that's capable of running Vista very well. That was Microsoft's biggest problem when they designed Vista; it takes an up-to-date medium-high to high-end system to run it the way it was designed to run.

I would completely understand someone easily choosing Linux over Windows if they're your average PC user (Internet, occasional office document, music, pictures, very light gaming, etc.). Heck, it's free, it's secure, it's fast on basically all computers. But for those users that don't fall into the "average" PC user (gamers, engineers, etc.) let's face it, Windows is the obvious choice...really about the only choice.

I just don't think it's fair for you (or anyone else for that matter) to "hate" Vista (or Windows in general) if you haven't given it much of a chance or, in Vista's case, haven't run it on a system that can handle it. I could be completely misinterpreting your experience with Vista/Win7, but it sure doesn't sound like you've put much time into them.

firedevilbg

January 22nd, 2009, 08:02 PM

I am using Ubuntu as primary OS, but I keep Windows XP for Office work and gaming. :popcorn:

brunovecchi

January 22nd, 2009, 08:37 PM

I would completely understand someone easily choosing Linux over Windows if they're your average PC user (Internet, occasional office document, music, pictures, very light gaming, etc.). Heck, it's free, it's secure, it's fast on basically all computers. But for those users that don't fall into the "average" PC user (gamers, engineers, etc.) let's face it, Windows is the obvious choice...really about the only choice.

I'm sorry, but you are wrong. I have a medium-specked computer (bought it a year ago), which is more than capable of running Vista or Windows 7. I am not an average user, since I do heavy calculations / data analysis for work, but I wouldn't touch Microsoft software with a ten foot pole. One reason might be prize, another might be freedom. But the deal breaker is the huge difference in functionality between the two. Linux is so technically superior; I couldn't get any work done in Windows even if I wanted to. To me, _Linux_ is the only choice.

Grez

January 22nd, 2009, 08:40 PM

Not trying to sounds mean or anything, but did you even give Vista or Win7 a real try? Sounds like you picked up on all the negativism (I think that's a word?) and decided in your mind that you hated them before even trying them.

I've been running Vista for about a year now and I actually like it quite a bit. It's been extremely stable for me, it runs plenty fast enough for me, and I've had no problems whatsoever with compatibility. I will mention, however, that I have a system that's capable of running Vista very well. That was Microsoft's biggest problem when they designed Vista; it takes an up-to-date medium-high to high-end system to run it the way it was designed to run.

I would completely understand someone easily choosing Linux over Windows if they're your average PC user (Internet, occasional office document, music, pictures, very light gaming, etc.). Heck, it's free, it's secure, it's fast on basically all computers. But for those users that don't fall into the "average" PC user (gamers, engineers, etc.) let's face it, Windows is the obvious choice...really about the only choice.

I just don't think it's fair for you (or anyone else for that matter) to "hate" Vista (or Windows in general) if you haven't given it much of a chance or, in Vista's case, haven't run it on a system that can handle it. I could be completely misinterpreting your experience with Vista/Win7, but it sure doesn't sound like you've put much time into them.

Just to add some colour to the debate, my old machine (XP) broke down in August, and I ended up with a new machine preloaded with Vista. It crashed, updated, rebooted, further updated, crashed again, rebooted again, downloaded loads of updates, crashed, rebooted etc. so often on the first day that I seriously considered taking it back.

It wouldn't let me view my files on the old HDD without changing the permissions. I duly tried this only for the machine to crash again and lock me out of most of my old files.

In the end I thought I'd give this linux thing a go, downloaded it, ran it off the Cd and hey presto it seemed to work and get me into my old HDD. It doesn't nag, doesn't treat placing a CD into the drive as the onset of armageddon, it boots up lightning fast, doesn't need antivirus and all that junk and it doesn't seem intent on burning out my hard drive by doing lots of what appears to be unnecessary background work.

Vista is slow, incompatible with quite a bit of my hardware, user-hostile, treats you like a novice and is incredibly annoying. I haven't now booted Vista for about 2 months and good riddance to it.

Sorry, mate, but it doesn't cut the mustard. It's slow, memory hungry, hard-drive hungry, incompatible, unreliable, security-weak and user-hostile.

I'm not saying Ubuntu is perfect, but as a non-gamer, I can see absolutely no need to boot into Vista any more.

My kids love Ubuntu too!

:-D

Smeags

January 23rd, 2009, 03:50 PM

Grez, you said you ended up with a new computer with Vista preloaded. If you don't mind me asking, can you list some specs for that PC? Where did you get the new PC? Is it a certain brand?

gjoellee

January 23rd, 2009, 04:04 PM

I use: Arch Linux and Xubuntu (for testing purposes only)

fela

January 23rd, 2009, 04:25 PM

thoughtcriminal

January 23rd, 2009, 06:11 PM

Like the OP, I too am a gamer at heart.
However, I do not find my inner gamer to be deprived in linux. This may be because I play mostly old games (Doom + mods, Diablo, Quake, etc), Open source games (Nexuiz, Scorched 3D, etc) and Roms.

There are also some great new commercial games for Linux.
For example, horror and point+click fans must check out the Penumbra series. (http://frictionalgames.com)

For the rpg fans, EVE online, and Neverwinter nights are both available for linux

And ID Tech5 will run on Linux, so we should be getting our share of next gen games too

And the lists will only keep growing as the linux user base grows

Coinneach

January 23rd, 2009, 07:04 PM

Half way there!

I am new to linux and therefore have to learn everything first before I make a complete switch over to Linux but I have Ubuntu installed on my laptop.
My desktop computers will have to wait until I have finished university. (because of the Word that I use) My desktops are currently dual-booting Win XP and Ubuntu and my other PC has Vista. My wife refuses to switch and will stick with her Win XP.

Joshuwa

January 23rd, 2009, 07:10 PM

I don't view completely switching as 'using Linux only, and never anything else.'

Instead, I think if someone has installed Linux, and Linux alone, on a PC or laptop, they've switched completely.

I run only Ubuntu on my laptop, and use it for all my notes, programs, etc.

I also have a Windows XP box at home that I use for my photography, videos, and occasional gaming.

Additionally, I have an older PowerMac G5, which I haven't turned on in about a year, though I use(d) it for the same purpose as the XP box.

I've completely switched to Linux for my mobile needs. But I'm a power user, and enjoy computers; I'd never limit myself to any single OS.

zerothis

January 23rd, 2009, 08:55 PM

I tired to use Linux since Dec 1993. Ubuntu Edgy made the difference and Linux became my main OS after that. I retired my last Windows installation the day after Hardy's release. The timing was only coincidental but the retirement was inevitable, XP refused to boot that day. By then, there were no games that I could play in Linux or were worth the MS problems. For a while I thought Spore was a deal breaker, but EA ****** that up, http://www.amazon.com/Spore-Pc/dp/B000FKBCX4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1232740283&sr=8-1 , so I thankfully dodged that mess. Mostly I use emulators for my games, followed by Linux games, and Wine for a few for games. http://www.uvlist.net/search?ftag=!own_215 . I poke around with VirtualBox and ReactOS (and dozens of other OSes). Ever so often I consider adding XP to my VirtualBox machines, then I think about the MS problems I no longer have to deal with. I have setup VirtualBox and XP for a few people, they seem willing to put up with it.

neu2buntu

January 24th, 2009, 05:59 AM

wolfen69

January 24th, 2009, 07:17 AM

heres an example of what a newbie to the whole computer world can do.... i was running xp at home with no net connection,so i was making music and downloading vst's on friends comps.... but lo and behold i got connected...only had something like 2000 viruses , well prob only 1 that got active,.i had bought one of those 3g modems from 3........when i connected it the comp came 2 life..all the trogans spyware viruses ..whatever all kicked in at the same time...jesus i thought waw what is happening? cant remember when i discovered ubuntu but will never use win again....am well happy with linux.....YEAH!!!

great story. sounds like some of my customers computers. a few of them now run ubuntu.

a woman i just did a job for told me that (when i first got there) she just surfed the net and played solitaire. THAT'S IT. she used firefox too, on windows. :-k so i installed ubuntu and she's in heaven. you see, windows didn't work at all (it was amazingly broken). now it all just works. she's used to firefox, so the transition was easy.

just a story of another happy linux user.

Procuro

January 24th, 2009, 10:19 AM

Ubuntu with the occasional boot in Virtualbox to use Dreamweaver/flash is perfect for me. I'm sure when 3D acceleration matures in VMs, all you gamers will be happy. Even though it isn't really removing Windows, that would really be a great start :)

Jacob_Kreed

January 24th, 2009, 10:42 AM

I would if my installation would complete !?

flukeairwalker

January 26th, 2009, 03:52 AM

I've been using Ubuntu for two months now on an old desktop we hardly ever used at home. Because of how much faster it runs now I use it as my main computer. My wife uses the newer laptop because she plays a lot of Guild Wars and watches movies through Netflix Instant Watch. However I'm looking for a new computer and I'm almost certainly getting a System76 laptop. I've been continuously impressed with Ubuntu's speed, stability, and ease of use, so I'm convinced I can run Ubuntu by itself.

If there's anything I can't run on Ubuntu, there's Wine I guess.

seanc7

January 26th, 2009, 04:06 AM

For home, I've only had Linux for a several years now on the physical hardware. I've have the occasional Windows VM and the very brief foray with Win7 Beta on a p4 laptop. Didn't last long when it didn't have drivers for my wireless card.

Right now I'm looking at SimplyMepis on the laptop, so far liking that it sees the wireless card without any effort on my part.

Have a really old Cel 500 laptop that will be getting Arch installed when I have some time.

My work lappy has Vista, no choice in changing it.

bayvista

January 26th, 2009, 07:11 AM

I finally switched the wife over to Ubuntu. I got so angry trying to share folders with Windows that I gave in. Now it's a breeze. Conversion steps:

1. Email - convert from Outlook Express to Thunderbird
2. Browser - convert from Internet Explorer to Firefox
3. Documents - convert to Open Office
4. Family Tree Maker - run using WINE - a great utility.
5. Backups - use RSYNC and CRON- both great utilities.

I installed Hardy 8.04 and kept Windows just in case. I still have to convert Digital TV to Ubuntu. Hope to do this with upgrade to Intrepid 8.10. I now run a desktop and a laptop in a home wired network.

Biggest problems are that there are so many options to choose from. Also, you have to use Terminal and the syntax is abysmal. Anyhow, as I started with Windows 3.1, it's not too bad. I can even type in a mount command from memory!

Thanks to all you developers and contributors out there. You are doing a great job.

:):):):):)

Grez

January 27th, 2009, 12:08 AM

Grez, you said you ended up with a new computer with Vista preloaded. If you don't mind me asking, can you list some specs for that PC? Where did you get the new PC? Is it a certain brand?

It's a MAXDATA 1001A

1GB RAM
Athlon X2 64 4000+
160GB HDD

Yes I know 1GB isn't really enough for Vista, but if that's the case why preload it? And TBH it's not speed problems or not using Aero that bug me, it's the sheer unreliability of the OS, the constant access of the HDD, the lack of compatibility with my old windows software, the fact that bona fide Vista drivers won't allow me to use my HP Photosmart D6160 printer without re-installing them every week, the constant barrage of blacked-out screens and "Are you sure?" messages, the fact that occasionally it downloads updates and tells you it will re-boot if you don't click cancel, then continuing to do this every few minutes until you lose patience with the thing. (This can be a real pain when recording music where you've just put down a 6-1/2 minute backing track and you've then got 30 seconds into the lead guitar...).

Maybe some of these things can be overcome. The fact of the matter is that it's not very obvious how to do it. The constant "Are you sure" reminders are a case in point. Many years ago with PC-DOS, to install a program from a CD-ROM, you did the following after loading the disk into the machine...

D: setup

Nowadays, you put the disk into the machine, after a few seconds you are faced with a (possibly scrolling) dialogue box with lots of options as to what to do with the disk. So you select one and click OK. The world as you know it then suddenly comes to a grinding halt with a darkened screen and a dialogue box screaming words to the effect of"ARE YOU SURE? YOU MAY KILL HALF THE WORLD'S POPULATION IF YOU DO."

Now, call me grumpy if you like, but I'm a 42 year old adult with a reasonable amount of computing experience behind me. All I want to do is use my machine, and not be prevented from smooth access to my stuff by my operating system. An operating system should be there to allow you input and output access to the various parts of the computer. It should be user-friendly as well as giving you a reasonable amount of security for your work. Vista simply does not cut the mustard. It prevents easy access to files by constantly nagging in this way.

It also has a strange property where its alleged security measures are not security measures at all. To access files from my old computer's HDD (now in an external caddy) I was told I did not have the correct permissions, even logging in as the Administrator! However, by a somewhat bizarre method, I could still access the files by "taking ownership" of them.

Therefore, there is no security if you are first told you can't access the file, and then can "take ownership" of it in order to access it! Also, it is not user friendly. It is a clear example of muddled thinking on behalf of the people who were responsible for encoding the system. It is neither secure nor user-friendly.

I would not say that Ubuntu is perfect. However the user experience is far, far superior to Windows Vista. It drives the majority of my hardware, it is secure, crash-resistant and user-friendly in many areas where Vista is so lacking. I have used Ubuntu more frequently than Vista, yet I have suffered fewer crashes and had less cause to become frustrated as the OS lets me control my system - it does not make my system control me.

Thanks for listening. I feel better now it's off my chest.

PS. I still haven't had to suffer the Vista experience yet in 2009.

CodyK46

January 27th, 2009, 04:58 AM

I would love to run Linux as my primary OS. But I use Ruckus and some DRM tool mostly on Windows. Everything I do for school(Open Office, VMWare, Java, ect) I can use on Linux. I play pc games. But everything I play, can be played on Linux.

Once I get my Wifi driver working on my laptop, I will make the switch.

ranch hand

January 27th, 2009, 05:17 PM

grez; WOW that sounds familiar. My wife bought this Dell w/Vista. Took me about a week to decide that I was ready for a radical change. Thewife took about 6 weeks.

I was "sure" that I wanted a new HDD with something else on it. Did that, had some problems with dial up but got that straight.

I can take the Ubuntu Hdd out and use it in a usb enclosure. Try that with Vista. I did. It freaked. Did not give more than 1 option to get it to work. Didn't. Wiped that sucker. This is the best cure for your Vista problems. Format the HDD and install something else.

I am going to be 57 next month. You can call me grumpy and cranky. I am allot happier with Ubuntu. It is fun and does what we need it to do.

I don't particularly like the wallpaper but gimp comes with it so who cares.

raghavendramb

January 27th, 2009, 06:10 PM

Im on Ubuntu, its fundu:p
Hardy has been my favorite, Hardly do i log on to windows.
Enjoy maadi,
Cheers:p

pepoweb

January 29th, 2009, 05:22 PM

I did a complete switch at home.

My main computer and my laptop run OpenSuSU (11 at te moment). I have two testcomputers that mainly run Ubuntu flavors. My webserver runs OpenSuSE 10.3 and my mailserver is still harvesting uptime using RedHat 7.2. I changed my fileserver from Novell to a WD appliance running a hacked up Linux version and even my Linksys router runs Linux (DD-WRT)

I also switched some friends to Ubuntu and they haven't been happier with there computer since. My next project will be to convince my mom to switch on her laptop :-D I already have her running firefox and thunderbird...

I do have one old computer with W2k, for those few things that I haven't gotten running on Linux. But it hasn't booted since november 2008 because I quickly needed to copy some content from my old phone and I didn't have time to figure out how it would work on Linux.

Roasted

January 29th, 2009, 09:28 PM

I used to use Ubuntu for everything except gaming, to which I always had XP Pro for, and more recently, Vista for.

However, as of lately with Intrepid, I'm finding I'll prefer to boot to Vista for movie watching, due to the fact there seems to be an unusual amount of video tearing in all of my media players. I've tried every fix I've read about on forums and nothing has helped.

I'm praying that this bug stomp I'm reading about in late Feb will fix that. If not, I'll set my hopes on it being fixed with Jaunty. And if not... at least I can dual boot. :( :( :( :(

Other than that, I use it for everything. I absolutely love Ubuntu and think so highly of the devs here.

Prium

January 30th, 2009, 03:39 AM

I tried to - and I really wanted to move away from windows because I heard good things about Ubuntu.

However,I find myself going back to windows for routine things like surfing the net, video playback and editing, data analysis & office productivity.

I still use Ubuntu on my notebook for storing photos - but until I get confidence in it (like normal functionality for the right mouse button), it really wont be anything more than a curiosity.

lukaszr

January 30th, 2009, 04:16 AM

I did! :d

Robocoastie

January 30th, 2009, 06:22 AM

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

use whatever tool works for you. I use Windows for some things and there are others that Ubuntu is better for. Gaming however I've moved almost entirely to consoles now that they are such computing monsters.

LeeLgrqst

January 30th, 2009, 07:09 AM

Alterax

January 30th, 2009, 07:40 AM

I made the switch a couple of years ago now from Windows. Intermittently from OS X, but after trying to dual-boot Hardy on my iBook, I found it did everything I used OS X for.

Lunx

January 30th, 2009, 07:52 AM

I discovered Ubuntu a month ago, did a dual install of Intrepid alongside XP. Kept it like that for a week and then realised I had no use for Windows, I can do everything I want with this (more actually). :p

domokunrox

January 30th, 2009, 08:12 AM

I wish I could completely switch to Linux, but my wife needs windows.

Branimir

January 30th, 2009, 10:47 AM

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

Well, I worked on windows even if my work is completely unix based.
Recently linux is dominating.
I switched from cygwin to ubuntu when some guy put file with same name
as directory in CVS repository ;)

Now Im using ubuntu for work, and everything else ;)

But keep windows on other partition as sometimes I have to
program for windows, too. Hope this would be rare case in the future ;)

Greetsa, Branimir.

Noblacktie

January 30th, 2009, 01:39 PM

GNU/Linux has progressed to the point where it truly is viable for me to run solely on it. I've three installations, two of which are pure GNU/Linux while the third, a laptop that my wife uses features an Ubuntu/XP3 dualy.

The XP is there to stop her from freaking in case OO.o messes up some of her work files but so far it hasn't missed a beat.

So long, Windows, and thanks for all the fish.

kapi

January 30th, 2009, 03:30 PM

Switched in December last year. Have no regrets and will never probably look at windows again - unless it's as part of my employment and on their machines.

Ubuntu is simple, easy and secure. i am happy and comfortable with it.
The only reason MS is the big kid on the block is because your average pc user hasn't even heard of linux. its the open source community that have to push for more exposure - then people will see the light.

Kapi

Ulysses

January 30th, 2009, 05:02 PM

Hey

Switched to Ubuntu on my computer (left my wife's machine alone) because I thought I could learn something and have fun at the same time

I have kept Ubuntu on my machines (old IBM Thinkpad and an Old Pentium 3 ; swimming money I am not) and had fun but not much learning. There is so much for me to learn that I don't know where to start. Copying and pasting in terminal makes me feel cool but I really don't know what I'm doing.
So it can be said, that someone who wants to be done with Windows who knows nothing about Linux can safely operate Ubuntu. I am proof, as I bet are many others.
I want to learn more. I really do! And reading the forums when I have a problem helps some, but I feel kind of lost.

Which is why the 3rd laptop (a gift from my brother, like the Thinkpad - the Pentium 3 was a gift from a friend) Toshiba A21 with an AMD64 processor, remains as a Windows machine. I'm too afraid to go all Ubuntu for fear something might come up that I won't be able to solve in time. Like my wife having to pay a bill online and the thing crashes in Ubuntu and I get lost and things don't get paid.

Yeah, tend to think that way on occasion, I'm afraid.

But overall, Ubuntu is alot of fun without realling knowing what I am doing. Kind of like sex, but don't tell me wife.

RAR

PuddingKnife

January 30th, 2009, 06:33 PM

I would, were it not for World of Warcraft. Im still a total noob at Linux and tried several things to get it to work in Ubuntu, but to no avail.

So I d/led a stripped down version of XP called "JoeXP" for my Windows partition and Windows runs it no problem.

Although it would be nice to make the full switch, I just can't right now.

bwakkie

January 31st, 2009, 02:42 AM

Sole linux user for the past 5 years at home.

Games? Planeshift / westnoth / tremulous ... even crossfire was funn! Never got bored there... Anyway... ones every year I remove all games from my machine as they tend to have a too big impact on my social live ;-)

Cheers,

Bastiaan

SUN Ultra 20

January 31st, 2009, 04:13 AM

I have been using Linux for a year now, and really love it. So much faster. I still have a Windows box for work, but I really hate to turn it on, so many updates..so slow...

supapete

January 31st, 2009, 11:15 AM

I'm a recovering windowsXPmacOSX o holic. I have a project studio which organically grew on avid; protools; adobe premier; flash; cubase SX with hardware akai samplers; hardware synths and offboard effects and mixer. I've resolved to go linux and I've been clean for 6months, now.So far I've ditched my lovely yamaha DSP factory ; Sw1000 xg and digidesign sound cards in favour of an M Audio 1010 which, I gathered, loved linux. Painful in the extreme ! I nearly lapsed.

I feel so alone.

I can't fly anything and the terminal-speak wipes me out. I spend all my time on the forums, I've subscribed to "Linux" magazine and "Linux format" magazine, cleaned Waterstones and Amazon out of every book known to man and still don't understand diddley.

It seems to me that everyone else was born with "terminal speak" and I'm the only one on earth who wasn't.

I feel so foolish.

Got to go, now- they're coming with the trolley. Oh no, it's Klaus Knopper with that damned penguin-------sudo apt-getmeoutofhere ......](*,)

fos92

January 31st, 2009, 03:14 PM

I switched completely to ubuntu about one year ago. I will never go back. Now I am also a member (7271) of the FSF. :D

Fos

swoods

January 31st, 2009, 03:59 PM

Been free of windows for two years - loving every minute of it...

Gulyan

January 31st, 2009, 04:04 PM

I'm not a heavy gamer but I keep windows because I can't use Adobe Flash CS3 (or CS4) in linux

yyyc186

January 31st, 2009, 04:51 PM

One machine has an XP partition which I boot a few times per year to play Lords of the Realm. Even if I didn't play that game, I would have to keep the partition around another 4-5 years because I had written some expense tracking software in DataBoss, but never included the export feature. Stupidly, I got rid of the DataBoss stuff a few years ago, so am now scrounging around for someone who still has the export utility it came with. I've already written a new expense tracking system using PostgreSQL and QT, even posted it on SourceForge, but I still need that old data just in case I ever have to go back that far in an audit.

My notebook came with Vista Home Tragedy pre-loaded on it. I tend to have remote clients which require I VPN into their site via Cisco VPN. You guys need to get Cisco to release a 64-bit AMD Ubuntu compatible VPN client. That notebook is a Toshiba Satelite (SLAMMING HEAD AGAINST DESK REPEATEDLY). Up until the last round of patches, Ubuntu wouldn't install and function on it, so I also had SuSE installed. Just this weekend I wiped the SuSE install and used a DVD from On-Disk.com to install a completely updated 64-bit 8.10 on it. Was very happy it included all necessary software to make the Verizon USB broadband card work.

I'm still looking for good stand alone backup software. Over the years I've used DriveImage and Acronis backup solutions. They require that icky nasty Windows stuff to install, but could build bootable media to perform backups. Nothing currently seems to work with the Toshiba (big surprise).

My father wasn't switched to Ubuntu, I started him out there. He wanted to have email and surf the Web some. The first machine I gave him had only Ubuntu loaded on it. Just this past week I upgraded him to 8.10 as well.

Foster Grant

January 31st, 2009, 05:39 PM

ajaysutton

January 31st, 2009, 08:15 PM

I'm making the switch, albeit a little more gradually than I'd like.

My 9 year old daughter likes to play games on line that require shockwave, and I've got about 4 gigs worth of legitimately purchased music in iTunes on my Windows laptop.

Those things aside, at home all I use is Linux, I run it on a Dell Dimension 4550 and on my Eee 701. At work, I try hard to avoid Windows, but there is one application that relies on a really h0rk3d up configuration of IE 6 (can't imagine what the company's going to do about THAT in a year's time...) and of course we have Exchange and use the junk out of public folders, calendars and the lot, so Evolution won't *quite* do the trick. All of the major functions of my job however, management of DSLAMs and Cisco routers, and so forth are done on my Linux box.

The more I find out about the Open Source world the better I like it, there isn't much I'm missing out on by leaving Windows behind, except that I'm not paying all that money for my operating systems.

Grace and peace.

bigpetefox

January 31st, 2009, 11:16 PM

Hello there!

I'm really new to Linux as a whole, and I left Windows because of the constant headaches with everything it embodies.. I'm on an Acer Aspire 3624WXMi dual boot with Fedora10 Cambridge on another partition.

I only need Windows for my studies (Taking CompTIA certifications) and my study exams, so I'm trying to get VirtualBox running on both Ubuntu and Fedora10.

vtired

January 31st, 2009, 11:19 PM

I use windows when using a computer that's not mine.

lotharjade

February 1st, 2009, 01:57 AM

I have switched over, but I miss gaming.

I tried Battlefield 2 with wine, but it has issues.

I have thought of going to World of Warcraft just because it is supported pretty good with wine, but it is like I would be coming to the game late. Oh well.

BazookaAce

February 1st, 2009, 03:40 AM

I've switched over to Ubuntu. Used XP on my laptop before i deleted it by accident. Before that i dualbootet, but now it's just Ubuntu.

neilevan814

February 1st, 2009, 05:36 AM

I use linux 90% of the time. The only reasons I switch to windows is once in awhile there is an online site which does not support linux, ex. Fedex, I wanted to calculate shipping costs, I also switch over if I am stuck on something in GIMP or for video editing with still image support. ZS4 looks like a promising program for video editing, but I have not engrossed myself thoroughly into checking it out yet. Other than that....Windows for me is just a slow place to be.

Dssnz

February 1st, 2009, 07:09 AM

At home 90% but work with windows for a job.
The more I use Ubuntu the more I like it.
Great OS, me and my friend like to say "it just works!"
and keeps getting better.
Thanks to everyone that has contributed.

doyouhas

February 1st, 2009, 07:14 AM

Well I have been dual booting for at least a year, but as of two weeks ago, I toasted the other partitions and turned them into virtual machines. I found myself not using Windows enough to make dual booting worth it. But sometimes I miss being able to play Windows only games, but in general, **** Windows. I converted one of my friends a few months ago and doesn't need Windows at all.

mk4

February 1st, 2009, 09:27 AM

It's been over a year for me. Main reason is, in Windows there is a degradation of performance as you install applications over time. It's funny how people complain about Vista and switch back to XP. I switched from XP to Linux because of crappy performance. I was sick of having to reinstall all applications and defragment disks every couple of years. Performance with Ubuntu is the same as brand new install more than one year ago. I only run XP in VirtualBox when I have to connect to work because I'm kind of lazy to search for Cisco VPN client for Linux.

fela

February 1st, 2009, 11:26 AM

I'm not a heavy gamer but I keep windows because I can't use Adobe Flash CS3 (or CS4) in linux

You can use version 8 in Linux. Do you really need actionscript 3?

fela

February 1st, 2009, 11:29 AM

fela

February 1st, 2009, 11:30 AM

I have to change my original answer.

I've switched back to a dual-boot system (Vista/Kubuntu) because my iPod got scragged badly by a Linux app that shall remain nameless for its own protection.

I've also switched to Kubuntu rather than Ubuntu, which to me is a more earth-shattering change (I used to be one of those people for whom KDE could do no right).

There are multiple ipod programs for Linux that you can try (I'm not gonna name them, there's google).

I can't stand the new new version of KDE, it is a right system hog (worse than vista). That and I don't even like it's way of managing things either. I do like KDE 3 though.

pkslot

February 1st, 2009, 03:37 PM

I switched to linux completely, for three years ago. I didn't use my XP partition, so i figured that it was a waste of space. Now i run Ubuntu 8.04 and Debian Lenny. Both Dists suits me fine, but i hang around mostly in Ubuntu.

Been using Linux for about six years now.

itang sanjana

February 1st, 2009, 11:20 PM

Whole & total!
:D

guraknugen

February 2nd, 2009, 12:18 AM

I just started using Linux with Ubuntu 8.10, and now I'm addicted.

Thanks to the kind people in this forum, I've been learning Linux, and have no intention of ever using Windows again.

The only reason I haven't taken Vista off the hard drive is because I don't know how without reinstalling everything.

Well, I would have used GParted for removing the Vista partition and resizing and moving the other partitions to fill the gap. Then I would probably have to edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst as well, or maybe the system will do that.

jk.cheng

February 3rd, 2009, 01:06 PM

I never used ms stuff b4. However, i switched from UNIX to Linux. So, basically not much dif 2 say...

trungus

February 3rd, 2009, 09:31 PM

Hi, i started using linux in 2006, with fedora.
In present time i have 3 machines in my house, all of then with Ubuntu for all task except with some games that still running in windows, i have not success to configure with wine/cedega :(

PD: Sorry for my bad english, i am beginner student.

kk0sse54

February 3rd, 2009, 09:42 PM

There are multiple ipod programs for Linux that you can try (I'm not gonna name them, there's google).

I can't stand the new new version of KDE, it is a right system hog (worse than vista). That and I don't even like it's way of managing things either. I do like KDE 3 though.

KDE 4.2 uses less memory than gnome on my computer and when I was using KDE 3 I used Slackware so that's not comparable.

jacatone

February 3rd, 2009, 09:49 PM

Not me, WinXP is far easier and reliable and has a much greater wealth of software to choose from.

gjoellee

February 3rd, 2009, 09:50 PM

Not me, WinXP is far easier and reliable and has a much greater wealth of software to choose from.

Yes, if you include antivirus software! :p

I use Arch on all my computers

kbutcher5

February 3rd, 2009, 10:01 PM

I only have one computer running windows XP, and it will continue to do so for the rest of it's life, I run it on my most powerful pc, for gaming and general purpose. All other computers in my home runs some sort of linux or BSD, depends of what mood I am in. Unfortunately I don't get to use linux so much, mainly because my main powerhorse is an XP machine.
But I am a gamer at heart, and when i need to relax i game, and let's just face it, linux never has been and never will be a serious gaming platform.

I have hoped for many years that someone or something would make this better, but nothing seems to ever happen, but I really hate using windows xp, especially because it needs to be reinstalled every 6 months, but hey what can ya do?

equal

February 4th, 2009, 04:44 AM

Ignoring my computer at work, which I have no control over, I haven't run windows on any of my computers since the spring of 2005.

guraknugen

February 4th, 2009, 06:16 PM

One thing that I found was that in many cases I don't have to search the net for software that will do a certain task for me. I found that it is sometimes easier to just write a script that does what I want. Xdialog comes handy when getting data from the user and creating an icon to click to start the script is very easy. It's even very easy to create an unique icon: Just create an svg or png or something. No need for ico files.

And yes, I use Linux exclusively. Ubuntu 8.10, Mandriva Linux Free 2009.0 and Fedora 10 at the moment, but I already mentioned that months ago in this thread, so this one doesn't count…

And I also love that it is so easy to create a custom keyboard layout! I can even type with the Enter and the arrow keys now, if I combine them with shift and/or AltGr (on some keyboards the right Alt key): ↵¶←↑↓→⬄⇨
:D

solaralchemy

February 5th, 2009, 08:50 AM

Made the complete switch to ubuntu. I was running wubi in xp to see what ubuntu was like. Then one night when I was online in windows. My system got infected with malware and the remedy software would cost me some cash. I cursed Billgates and Microsoft and latter that night did a full install of ubuntu. Its taken some getting use to but the learning is worth it I feel a lot more free and also I don;t have to have multiple virus scanners and all the other windows crap. I only wish more people knew of unbuntu as an alternative to windows.

halovivek

February 5th, 2009, 09:00 AM

mine is 90% over.
Only remaining is virtual machine to install trading software.
any good easy virtual machine to ubuntu like vmware?

grantcentral

February 5th, 2009, 09:31 AM

I bounce back and forth depending upon what I am doing. Yeah Ubuntu.

xyepblra

February 5th, 2009, 09:39 AM

Internet-banking system of the bank I use requires IE, and also there is shares trading software I failed to launch under Ubuntu - they make me keep C;\Windows on my laptop. I miss video editing software and Canon MP150 printer drivers support, so I have to use WinXP on my desktop. And also there is multilingual software for scans recognition. That's it.

wolvnmastr

February 5th, 2009, 11:10 AM

I use Suns Virtual Box http://www.virtualbox.org/ and it works better than vmware (imo).

wolvnmastr

February 5th, 2009, 11:15 AM

I started my switch in 2002 with Mandrake. At the time I didn't have a cd burner and they had a "net-install" Up until recently I had a windows partition because running WoW in linux (with the trashy vid card I had) was like running in molasses. Since I built my new system My main computer runs linux and has never been tainted with *******. I am an A+ tech so I keep up to date on ******* so I know how to fix problems when a client calls.

konqueror7

February 5th, 2009, 11:37 AM

been using linux (ubuntu specifically) on-and-off this last couple of months... i really want to migrate to linux because i'm tired of all the "security" and "maintenance" tasks you must always do in windows... i only boot now in my windows when some of my games or apps can't run under wine...for the last few weeks, been using windows thru virtualization using virtualbox, and its been great...

weirdo12

February 5th, 2009, 04:11 PM

at work i still have to run XP in a virtual machine to do Windows software development. we still have 12 of 15 desktops running Ubuntu. the 3 that aren't all run Quickbooks on older Celeron desktops. i have 3 Eee Boxes on order which will have Windows removed as the main OS and i'll setup Windows in a virtual machine.

Wv0wvw88wvw0vW

February 5th, 2009, 04:53 PM

You know, it really bugs me when people advocate hatred of Microsoft, Bill Gates etc, and their obstruction of freedom, but "dual-boot"... The only reason "dual-boot" seems to exist is for games...(Generalisation, I know people use it for peripheral drivers/Visual Studio etc) They should just remove them, throw users in the deep end, at least then they won't do things half-assed.

I use Xubuntu 8.04. Only. I don't play games... After the age of 14 it gets a bit sad... (16 now). If software exists that isn't compatible with Linux, I won't use it.

sanemanmad

February 5th, 2009, 09:50 PM

Well I am just going to jump right into this thread since the title pretty much explains it all.
SANEMANMAD=!WINDOWS :P

No Really though, I love *Nix, Ubuntu especially. It is so stream-lined, apt-get, constant kernal updates, MAD support for server's. I try to get everybody *almost* to switch over to Ubuntu because it is becoming a normal everyday desktop OS each day.

sanemanmad

February 5th, 2009, 09:55 PM

FOSS movement allday! It's not that i dislike Microsoft, i dislike their method of marketing, on second hand, I also refuse to use anything NOT free an open-sourced after my full switch to Linux

Nightstrike2009

February 6th, 2009, 12:50 AM

Danbd

February 6th, 2009, 01:04 AM

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

hey you can still use "wine" - for some games anyway:D

Trigsu

February 6th, 2009, 08:17 AM

Answer to the topic: I feel I'm sliding into it. But some CAD/Modelling programs prevents me from abadoning the Windows completely.

Althou I haven't visited in Windows in 4 days now. I installed 8.10. on this computer approx 2 weeks ago.

ellis rowell

February 6th, 2009, 11:49 AM

I've been trying to learn Linux for years (more recently Ubuntu 8.04 & 8.10) finally gave up this week its a pain in the **** if you come from windows, now I know why you Linux guys are regarded as the elite, you have to be to get it fully working, thats not a digg, thats respect for you that made it. You guys deserve to be called the elite, I am off to Vista glad I tried though, I learned a lot about Linux and Windows through it, thanks for the experience, It was a blast (& a major headache too)!

I will continue to run open-source on Vista (If the bloody thing lets me LOL), got tired of dual-booting XP and Linux, only to use XP more as no dependancy hell (can't beat setup.exe in my opinion)or 3D GFX driver issues, I am glad I tried, just sorry I didn't make it.

I know that Linux seems very complicated, but when you first started on computers it was complicated. You are actually starting all over again. I started over 20 years ago from scratch on a main frame, moving on to a Sinclair QL (Unix based). Then the Amiga 600 and 1200 (also Unix based) before starting on a PC (that was starting over again). When you have to work on it in your spare time after the demands of work and social life, it can take years to get a working knowledge of the system. Although having used Windows and it's associated software for nearly ten years, there are still things I do not know.

We hear people describe themselves as "IT Experts", mostly they are "Windows Experts" (if that). I started a computer group in 1988 (still meets monthly), it was a self help group not an Expert group. Even yesterday I had a chat on the phone with a colleague who wants me to make available a facility for showing movie clips on my digital projector. I spent a fair time yesterday getting this to work with flash player, but now it does. A new departure for me, but now I know what is required so it's no problem. I am still not an expert and not likely to be, I am 80 next month. Always remember, you never stop learning.

dardack

February 6th, 2009, 07:14 PM

I use Xubuntu 8.04. Only. I don't play games... After the age of 14 it gets a bit sad... (16 now). If software exists that isn't compatible with Linux, I won't use it.

So being 29 and still playing games makes me sad? I guess that good job, 2 kids, wife, house, etc. don't mean a thing. I only have linux on most of my machines. I play wow/madden/quake3(well now openarena)/pwi/etc. all in linux. My only windows box is a skype server for the phone. <$5/month for unlimited phone is worth the windows server.

Leo Dragonheart

February 6th, 2009, 09:00 PM

I am not a hard core gamer but I do allot of gaming. I did not even know if Ubuntu would have games but I have found some that I like. I wiped Xp off my computer about a month ago and have not had any problems with finding games to play. I have used windows since win3.1 or 3.5, whichever it has been a long time and I will never use Windows again. I won't even install WINE because it runs windows apps.

Once you make the complete change to Linux you will realize that you are so free, you won't even remember what windows was... Windows is nothing but an addiction and as with any addiction the best way to kick the habit is to go cold turkey. I busted my $98.99 Windows XP disk and threw it in the trash the day I recived my $00.00 Ubuntu disk in the mail, (Even Before I installed Ubuntu).

Linux will catch up in the game department they just have to get win junkies weaned off there addiction to windows before they do...

True Blue Ubuntu,

Leo

mtopro

February 6th, 2009, 09:39 PM

Full Ubuntu here. At least for home/personal use. I switched our family over about 18 months ago and it was a great move all around. We started off on dual-boot machines, and now couldn't load ******* if we wanted to.

Sure it was difficult learning a whole new way of doing things, but there are a lot of people here willing to help, Google is great, and once you figure it out, most of the programming is straightforward.

My wife was nervous about it at first too as a professional photographer. But now she also works completely in Ubuntu and we have found all the programs (some paid for) to produce professional digital photos.

Tried to get some friends or family to make the switch, but most of them don't have the patience or drive to convert yet.

We must use ******* at work, and I would love to figure out how to get the 3D CAD modeling done in Linux, but don't know if we will see that for quite some time especially as Autodesk and Micro$oft keep making their file formats more proprietary.

Linux is a software for the people and by the people. Whatever happens with the economy or with companies out there, Linux users will continue to develop and march on.

123Mike

February 6th, 2009, 10:01 PM

I switched to Linux completely in 1999. I program in Java and Sun's JDK just rocks.
I left behind a huge mess in Windows with COM, ATL, circular references, BSTR's, and lord know how many other stupid idiotic constructs.

I hope to avoid Windows for the remainder of my natural life.

brookie

February 7th, 2009, 01:17 AM

I'm running intrepid on in inspiron 600m and in inspiron 5150. I love ubuntu. Maintaining windows security with a third party firewall, anti virus/spyware, disk defragmenter sucked. Too much maintenance. Have had relatively few problems with ubuntu intrepid on these machines. Unfortunately, less stress and less maintenance on my Windows machines, means fewer beers. haha...

Spherical

February 7th, 2009, 01:21 AM

My laptop runs Vista (sadly), and I'm leaving it to that until I can buy an upgrade to 7.
When I have that upgrade, I'm gonna install windows 7 alongside, most probably, Gentoo Linux.
On my desktop, I run multiple OSses, mainly test-versions.
Stable release OSses: 8.10 Kubuntu and Windows XP
Beta/test OSses: Kubuntu Jaunty and Windows 7
On my servers (home and webserver), I run Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu 8.10

On my desktop, currently, 7 is the most used OS. Not because I "need" to, but because I like beta-testing, and Jaunty is closer to a stable release and to be honoust, I like windows7, pretty much to my own surprise!

Orion8

February 7th, 2009, 05:24 AM

I have switched nearly completely to Ubuntu in the last three months. I could not afford to replace my aging Mac Powerbook and could not stand the thought of using Windows. I am in a graduate Math program and a lot of folks here use various Linux flavors, which means I can get good advice at work. I still boot up the Mac to do a few digital photography tricks but 100% of my professional life and 98% of my home life is carried out in Ubuntu 8.10. I used to use Redhat in my masters program and find I like Ubuntu a lot better.

fallenshadow

February 7th, 2009, 02:40 PM

I switched completely about a year ago. I feel really comfortable now with the OS and I know plenty of tricks to solve minor issues I came across. I don't feel any regrets about switching... sure Crossover games can't play everything but I don't play games all that much anyway.

Kzap333

February 7th, 2009, 05:26 PM

3 things keep me using xp on my laptop(however ubuntu is my main OS for everything else so i use my laptop very little):

my canon i850 printer.

no video editor that handles titles and audio track overlays that i have gotten to work yet. i tried kino, its really great, but no titles or audio overlay. i am thinking of creating cinerellia deb packages when i get that to work, just have not had the time.

alsa is not supported on my sound card(cause it sucks) so i use audacity on my win machine. this will be remidied when i get a new comp as i will purchase a creative labs audigy line card(which is supported in alsa so i can do sound recording).

the games thing is moot at this point for me because ut2004 is native linux and war3 run great in cedega. WOW runs good in cedega and if i ever want to play HL2 that will be supported better in the future. i mostly play blizzard titles, neverwinter nights(linux ported) and ut2004 and free games like frozen bubble.

i think over time my problems will diminish, the video editor problem will go away as kino gets more features or as i get another program working well. games will eventually be ported to linux in greater number and my printer..... well we shall see on that one.

WOW I'm exactly the same, I only have Adobe Premier Elements (I know I'm a cheap skate) Installed on my XP partition I mainly play blizzard games and they run great though Cediga, I don't even give my XP partition a connection to the net (cos I don't trust it with one). As soon as there is a decent editor for Linux (KDEnLives is close but not there yet) for Linux XP is gone for good.
Also I will never buy another version of Windows, even if Windows 7 is all it's cracked up to be it won't be compatible with my editing software so I won't use it.
All the other 7 PCs in my house run 100% linux except the one in the shed which will soon be running Unix or an age old version if Linux, if I can find a copy on 5 1/4" floppy.

rasmus91

February 7th, 2009, 05:47 PM

I switched completely to linux yester day, It's so nice when you're used to Vista :D

paddydd

February 7th, 2009, 09:57 PM

Hi,
A while back I had someone take over my corporate windows computer remotely. I don't know how. This laptop had full Symantec protection. The virus scanners did not detect the virus or malware or whatever the hell it was but it sure did take over. Fortunately I saw the mouse moving and caught it. It was a dead give away when the system opened a web site that supported ftp file transfers. :p.

I think I must have been a victim of the IE issue where the software can invade even if you don't click to install. The IT solution? A new and blank hard drive with a fresh clean OS. Should I move my files from the old disk? Not sure... they may be infected... they can't tell. A serious nightmare.

When that happened I pulled the plug on all of personal PC's with Windows. My wife is now the proud owner of an IMAC (OSX) and she loves it and I didn't even tell her the root password :D. The nice thing about the MAC is that it comes with bunches of software and they have a great application store facility. The rest of the house will be UBUNTU which I have been using for while. I like UBUNTU becuase it's easy to install and it has "sudo apt-get" :).

The latest issue is my sister's Windows PC which has been infected/invaded with AntiVirus 360 - software the pretends to be AntiVirus but really is malware. It's extremely difficult to remove and apparently intelligent enough to defeat the programs intended to kill it by killing them first. My sis is not technical at all but I am going to have her try UBUNTU in the non-installed form. She only reads mail on hotmail and uses IM with MSN. She's already using firefox so that transition should not be hard.

I hope this works because when you are dealing with software that has invaded your OS and Disk Drive in Windows... How could you ever be sure it was gone without a complete reinstall?

if she likes UBUNTU then I may have her fully install it. I'm not sure if I should use the SE variant of UBUNTU. Does anyone have any opinions on this?

thanks
Paddy

WaveMyBlackFlag

February 7th, 2009, 11:56 PM

I have. Completely wiped out my dual boot system and rid myself of windows.

Nothin special, hp laptop:

p4 1500mhz
1gb ram @266mhz i think
40gb hdd0
100gb seagate usb/sata
S3 Prosavage8 (16mb)

mamamia88

February 8th, 2009, 12:04 AM

not yet im holding onto windows in case i need it but once the windows 7 beta expires im thinking about not reinstalling vista

BeardedAvenger

February 8th, 2009, 12:11 AM

I made the switch back in the late 90's... I went from Windows 98 to a couple different distros before sticking with Slackware for a couple years. I then made the switch to Debian for a few more years... And now on Ubuntu.

spotsworth

February 8th, 2009, 12:37 AM

what's windows?

Thalarse

February 8th, 2009, 03:41 AM

It took a while, alot of stops and starts with my desktop machine. But now that I have had Ubuntu working on my laptop it's my main machine, and while the desktop still has a windows install, that's for the odd occasion where I want to game. Mostly it runs ubuntu, but I'm trying to get a mythbuntu backend working on it.

And now I've been looking into linuxice and nghost for a future carputer project, too. I've definitely been bitten by the bug.

Kato4059

February 8th, 2009, 03:52 AM

I have been forced to use Mint/Ubuntu because my Dual-Boot tower that had Win XP decided to block my access to WIn XP, no big thing.
kato4059:p

JackieChan

February 8th, 2009, 04:50 AM

I originally wanted to dual boot because I knew absolutely nothing about Linux, but when I installed it I accidentally downloaded Ubuntu over the partition Windows was on. Long story short, I lost all my data and never got Windows XP back, but I think it was for the best. Ubuntu has been a much more enjoyable experience. I've learned so many new things and I'm having a lot less problems. Ubuntu 8.10 has never crashed on me to the point where I need to restart, like Windows XP. Ubuntu grew on me, and I don't miss XP at all because of this.

I do plan on trying out Fedora and Windows 7 someday, but I don't plan to switch to them. It's just something to check out out of curiosity. I'll dual boot those two on my laptop once I get it fixed.

D-Boi

February 8th, 2009, 05:48 AM

I've always known I'd never be happy with Windows. I started thinking about Linux when I saw just how bad Vista really was. I never made the switch to vista and I dropped XP like a bad habit about a week ago. Ubuntu feels great and I don't think Microsoft could offer a product that could lure me back.

Also it's good to see a few people from Oregon on here, I don't feel so alone :)

crtlbreak

February 8th, 2009, 09:34 AM

Hi,
....... My wife is now the proud owner of an IMAC (OSX) and she ....

Not sure if you are aware that MAC is actually a BSD base OS - lots of reworks to it but essentially the core is nix from many years ago.
;)

sag

February 8th, 2009, 10:51 AM

I dumped XP off my laptop just before Christmas, replacing it with intrepid. Though I do occasionally fire up XP in Virtualbox, just to check things out.
Still dual boot my desktop (xp / intrepid), mainly for the wife's benefit. I can't remember the last time I went into the windows partition!
sag

natrik

February 8th, 2009, 11:16 AM

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

I'm getting there. I got tired of some of the windblows rigamarole when I had to replace a mainboard with on-board everything. When you do that with the same model it's no problem, according to the EULA, But if enough of it is different (in my case a revision increase on the PCB, same part number) then it wants you to buy another windows for that "new computer" you just built.

Linux has none of this horse$#!7 of course.

I have another windows computer which is so desparately out of date (and generally kludgeoned up) that after I give it a new power supply, and get my old data off it, I think it will make a great Edubuntu box for my little neice and nephew. I can't imagine Windows 2000 would be any better for them than that.

My laptop i'm typing on now, as well as my media center both run Ubuntu (Intrepid and Hardy respectively) and even though I can still boot XP on them, I rarely ever do, unless I'm looking for old files.

Then in recent weeks my linksys WRT54G router (way beyond warranty) started flaking out, just getting buggy. I re-flashed it, but it won't let you put the SAME version of the firmware back on top of itself. So I finally got around to putting OpenWRT on there (lucky me, with rev4.0), and it's been very very stable since then. Actually, it substantially outperforms compared with its dear departed Linksys past-life soul. (OpenWRT's QoS traffic shaping, when trivially configured properly, has resuscitated my infuriatingly laggy web and SSH sessions .... even while movies are streaming and bittorrent is raging elsewhere on our home network.)

So, I'm fairly well converted. I love Ubuntu because even when it doesn't "just work" perfectly, it still does work. And for that I really have to thank the community.