Is gaming the only drawback in Linux?

[sharks]

Is gaming the only drawback in Linux? and if there are the more games would u switch to Linux completely? i will make linux especially ubuntu as my permanent os.

[Rhapsody]

Not for me. Hardware detection issues have been plaguing me for the last year or so. My latest problem is a USB flash drive. Says it's compatible with Linux 2.4 and up, but two PCs (with Kubuntu 7.10 and 8.04 respectively) can't even see it. I plug it in, lsusb says nothing's there.

I'm getting very tired of having to fight Linux over each and every new piece of hardware I get.

[klange]

These answers are inadequate, perusing the appdb at Wine HQ will easily support the following statement: Games are not a drawback of Linux.
However, I can think of no other "drawback" of Linux, only an "annoyance": Many major commercial software vendors do not support us yet. I do not know whether to answer no - which as the question implies would also mean there are more drawbacks - or yes - which would imply that gaming is a drawback, but there are no others.

[_DD_]

Your question is too leading, and its response is limited.
If someone says no, does that they agree gaming is a drawback but there are other drawbacks, or they disagree because they don't find gaming important / can do all the gaming they want through wine, etc?

[Skorzen]

I don't play play games so it's not a drawback for me.

[the8thstar]

I agree with what WindowSucks wrote. We need more support from mainstream vendors, especially in the area of native USB support IMO.

[inksmithy]

Need another option: Linux does everything I need, including games. No drawback detected.

[LaRoza]

I know people who use Ubuntu because of its games.

[zmjjmz]

Linux's only drawback is that it isn't offered as the default OS by most large OEMs.

[eragon100]

No drawbacks gaming is fine as well. I like extremely violent games! (nexuiz, open arena, ET:QW ...) :popcorn:, and savage 1 as well :KS

[Fedz]

I voted no for the very reason I strongly believe that seperate games consoles are meant for (serious/true) gaming and computers for the rest.

Right or wrong I have always had this belief long before linux/ubuntu on Window$ :-D

Saying that FlightGear (http://www.flightgear.org) on linux is really cool ;-)

[danbuter]

I'd say yes, because my gaming rig is really tricked out for all the latest, windows-only games. Which, despite what some people say, blow away any linux games.

[LightB]

Games are just games, it will be a cold day in hades when we see a significant number of native commercial games. The same goes for commercial multimedia creation programs, which I think are more important. Although games would of course bring a few people over, but I don't think as many as some might think. PC games? What PC games? That is, what interesting ones? It's all warcraft and fps and other stuff from 10 years ago with better graphics. Well at least I hope the new gimp in the making makes a nice showcase and really leaves an impression.

[aysiu]

I agree with what these people sad:
I don't play play games so it's not a drawback for me.
Linux's only drawback is that it isn't offered as the default OS by most large OEMs.
I voted no for the very reason I strongly believe that seperate games consoles are meant for (serious/true) gaming and computers for the rest.

[nick09]

No I can play windows games with near the same performance on Ubuntu using Wine.

[FFighter]

This is a very controversial question and it really depends on what are your visions and opinions about life and computing in general.

Some say Linux has no flaws, that, by design, it should be this way - open and DIY-style OS.

Here's my opinion: Linux is about choice and should remain like that.

For example, Ubuntu is the distro. for those who are looking for an alternative to MS Windows.

And yes, Linux has drawbacks and I want a experience similar to the one I had with Windows, in a different context, but I do. I do want to be able to run AAA games in Linux in a high-performance way.

I'd love to be able to choose from a variety of commercial software, like the Adobe suite.

It is about choice, but it is also about money, marketing and people. The more people use a Linux distro, the more we win. And I think Ubuntu (and some of its derivatives) is the key distro. in this aspect. And if we have a distro. that is getting this kind of support, all the other distros. will benefit from it.

And also, I want Stacraft 2 for Linux!

[gameryoshi600]

Not for me. Hardware detection issues have been plaguing me for the last year or so. My latest problem is a USB flash drive. Says it's compatible with Linux 2.4 and up, but two PCs (with Kubuntu 7.10 and 8.04 respectively) can't even see it. I plug it in, lsusb says nothing's there.

I'm getting very tired of having to fight Linux over each and every new piece of hardware I get.

buy a linux flash drive from ZaReason (zareason.com) or buy one from Ubuntu's store (https://shop.canonical.com/) :guitar:

edit:
I voted No. We need Hardware that is certified for linux. I would love to see a piece of hardware that says "Certified for Ubuntu" or "Designed for Ubuntu" for majority of hardware.

[Sealbhach]

Apart from games, I have to keep windows because I have a Blu-Ray player on my laptop.

I don't think Linux will have Blu-Ray capability anytime soon, if ever.


.

[Zeotronic]

Yes, but it has nothing to do with commercial gaming. I feel that it is the field of Open Source gaming that needs improvement. Fortunately, people like myself are working on this, so I really cant complain... so long as no one makes another tux game.

[Retrospekt]

I can't even answer the question, because gaming isn't a drawback for me. WINE does all I would need it to for my gaming needs.

[RiceMonster]

The question should have been worded as "Is gaming a drawback for Linux?" because if one answers "No", it implies that they still feel there is other drawbacks, in-which case they may not feel there is, or they may answer "no" because they think there is more drawbacks than simply gaming. The pole doesn't really allow someone to think it's not a drawback.

[steveneddy]

need Another Option: Linux Does Everything I Need, Including Games. No Drawback Detected.


+1

[LightB]

The question should have been worded as "Is gaming a drawback for Linux?" because if one answers "No", it implies that they still feel there is other drawbacks, in-which case they may not feel there is, or they may answer "no" because they think there is more drawbacks than simply gaming. The pole doesn't really allow someone to think it's not a drawback.

Wha?

[shadylookin]

No I would say hardware support is the biggest drawback. Though I'm sure for some people gaming is the only drawback for them.

[EnergySamus]

No, I use Wine (http://winehq.com)

I have Halo 1 and Half Life 2 running on it at about 20-30 FPS each.

EnergySamus

[bufsabre666]

+1

+2

the only game i ever play anymore works flawlessly in wine, so no drawbacks for me at all

[lisati]

I'd add an extra answer to the poll "It depends":


Not everyone uses Linux for games
Linux (I'm most familiar with the "ubuntu 7.04 Feisty") flavour comes with games preinstalled which will be enough for many people
There are work-arounds for many non-native games (e.g. Wine)
The flavours of Linux I've looked at come with most of what I need
There's always the forums and on-line documentation that can help supplement the information that comes with a particular installation, hardware and/or package of preference


Keep on smiling!

Edit (afterthought): well done to EVERYONE who has contributed to the development of Linux, and the *ubuntu flavours in particular, and who have helped make it a practical alternative to other ways of doing things. Every comment or contribution, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has the potential for making a BIG difference for the better.

[swoll1980]

hardware, I want to get a Magik Jack, but it will not work under Ubuntu

[klange]

No, I use Wine (http://winehq.com)

I have Halo 1 and Half Life 2 running on it at about 20-30 FPS each.

EnergySamus
Would that be on your GMA? Please, do tell how you got Halo running, I'm feeling nostalgic.
I'm on rc4, hopefully bugs haven't arisen.

[EnergySamus]

Would that be on your GMA? Please, do tell how you got Halo running, I'm feeling nostalgic.

Sure! I will tell you!!!

First make sure that you are using Wine RC1 (it works best for Halo). Then look at this: http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iVersionId=2720

Scroll down to where it says instructions!

Hope that helped
EnergySamus

[schmidtbag]

Gaming is a drawback for me, but luckily I don't plan to game much on this computer. I don't find hardware that much of an issue, its one of those things you ought to be prepared for before you plan installing Linux, otherwise its just luck, like with my pc. Linux is one of those things you really need to know well to enjoy and not complain. I'm new-ish, so I have a lot to complain about but some of the staff members here probably find ubuntu to be their dream OS. My main drawback is just having a lot of difficulty finding how to fix small issues, and when I think I have a solution, I get deeper in it. I'm used to Windows, so I find it very easy to fix problems in it, especially since theres plenty of software out there to aid me. In linux, I pretty much have to rely on some console function I'm unaware of and hope that I won't encounter a permission problem (even in sudo) or some sort of error or missing file that prevents me from fixing the issue.

Being an experiential learner, I enjoy messing stuff up in Linux but sometimes its a little too easy to screw things up and easily be unaware of what you did, which is another drawback of mine.