Take the Linux Tech Survey (Podcast #3)

[Whitby]

THE LINUX TECH SURVEY
When was the first time you actually heard of this thing called Linux?

Back in 1997, I guy I worked with had Red Hat on a mountain of floppies. Never actually got it going, but was interested that it existed. I'd used Unix for a number of years at work.

Do you or have you ever used Linux? If yes, for how long?

At home, full time since May 2007.

What was the first Linux distro you used?

PClinuxOS 2007.

How was your first time Linux experience?

Actually very good. I set PCLOS up as dual-boot with Windows on my laptop, then after about a month, realised I'd used Linux for everything, and Windows hadn't been started in that time.

Do you agree that Linux can efficiently do all the daily computing tasks that an average user would do?

It does for me. Mind you, I'm not a gamer, and never have been.

What's your favourite Gnome Linux distro and why?

Ubuntu. It seems to be a very easy to use implementation.

What's your favourite KDE Linux distro and why?

Still PCLinuxOS - it just seems to be more efficient and use less resources than other KDE implementations.

What Linux desktop environment do you like?

Probably Gnome. I'm still trying to get used to KDE4. For a lightweight implementation, I've also used Xfce and quite like it too.

Linux is for a. Pros b. Noobs c. Both

c. Both. With modern Linux distributions, you can be as geeky as you want, or not if you don't want.

what are some of the things that Linux gives you that other OS's dont?

Well, it doesn't give me viruses, spyware, updates that continually require reboots, etc. It doesn't take ages to start up and shut down, doesn't need endless maintenance for scanning, defragging, etc. I just get to use the computer.

What is/are some of your favourite Linux application(s)?

Totem, VLC, Firefox, Chromium, Audacity, K3B, Amarok, etc.

What are some of the things you would like to see improved in Linux?

My biggest disappointment has been the level of regression introduced with some new releases. I know that testing and fixing bugs is boring compared to introducing cool new features, but it is annoying to find that the flashy new version is broken in some fairly obvious ways. I would like to see the underlying stability have more priority. It's hard to encourage someone to use something, and then have to explain to them that 'xyz' feature is broken, but hopefully it'll be fixed again soon.

If those things are fixed, would you switch to Linux (assuming you don't use Linux as your primary OS)?

I already do, and that's not likely to change.

__________________

[Jeff Anthony]

1. When was the first time you actually heard of this thing called Linux
   
   • 1996-1997
2. Do you or have you ever used Linux? If yes, for how long?
   
   • Yes, about 1.5 years
3. What was the first Linux distro you used?
   
   • Suse
4. How was your first time Linux experience?
   
   • Lost
5. Do you agree that Linux can efficiently do all the daily computing tasks that an average user would do?
   
   • Absolutely
6. What's your favourite Gnome Linux distro and why?
   
   • Ubuntu, because it just works!
7. What's your favourite KDE Linux distro and why?
   
   • Only tried kubuntu, not long enough to have an impression
8. What Linux desktop environment do you like?
   
9. Linux is for a. Pros b. Noobs c. Both
   
   • c. both
10. what are some of the things that Linux gives you that other OS's dont?
    
    • Peace of mind
11. What is/are some of your favourite Linux application(s)?
    
    • The Gimp, VirtualBox, Compiz
12. What are some of the things you would like to see improved in Linux?
    
    • Reverse VNC for accessing windows machines behind firewall/router
    • Better gaming (Everquest) compatibility
    • Easier to create custom LiveCD
13. If those things are fixed, would you switch to Linux (assuming you don't use Linux as your primary OS)?
    
    • Already is but it's run in a seamless virtual on Windows so I can run crossloop and the silverlight facebook client

[Ichido]

1. When was the first time you actually heard of this thing called Linux?
1990?
2. Do you or have you ever used Linux?
Yes
If yes, for how long?
15 years now.
3. What was the first Linux distro you used?
Linspire
4. How was your first time Linux experience?
Very Good.
5. Do you agree that Linux can efficiently do all the daily computing tasks that an average user would do?
Yes.
6. What's your favorite Gnome Linux distro and why?
Ubuntu. Dell sells Laptops with it Installed, It works Great and it doesn't Look like Window$.
7. What's your favorite KDE Linux distro and why?
Puppy. It's Small & Fast.
8. What Linux desktop environment do you like?
Gnome.
9. Linux is for a. Pros b. Noobs c. Both
C.Both.
10. what are some of the things that Linux gives you that other OS's don't?
Free Software (but I do Donate) Freedom from Malware, No defraging, Multi-O.S. on same machine and it's just Cool!
11. What is/are some of your favorite Linux application(s)?
The ones I use daily are; Bible Times, Gimp, QCad, OpenOffice, Firefox & Inkscape.
12. What are some of the things you would like to see improved in Linux?
'Native' (built in) W.I.N.E. support, Commercials on TV promoting Ubuntu that would be paid for by Donations!
13. If those things are fixed, would you switch to Linux (assuming you don't use Linux as your primary OS)?
I'm an "Ubuntu for Life User"!

[BlackRetina]

THE LINUX TECH SURVEY

1. 1. When was the first time you actually heard of this thing called Linux?
   I believe I first heard of Linux in 2008 through its association with PS3 as a secondary OS.
   
   2. Do you or have you ever used Linux? If yes, for how long?
   I've used Linux since late 2009/early 2010. I would've been 16.
   
   3. What was the first Linux distro you used?
   Ubuntu 9.10
   
   4. How was your first time Linux experience?
   I didn't really savour my first Linux experience. I had recently bought a new computer and Windows 7, so I thought I'd update my family's computer operating system from XP. I just knew that Linux was free and could run on PS3s. I at first got lost in the distro world but eventually settled on Ubuntu, a seemingly mainstream Linux Distribution. I installed Ubuntu 9.10 through Wubi and never got much further in testing it than finding out where the applications are accessed and seeing that it connected to the Web through Firefox.
   
   5. Do you agree that Linux can efficiently do all the daily computing tasks that an average user would do?
   If the drivers are available for the hardware used, then I believe GNU+Linux should satisfy the average users daily computing tasks.
   
   6. What's your favourite Gnome Linux distro and why?
   Ubuntu Lucid Lynx - it's the most current supported Ubuntu Distro and I have not yet tried anything but *buntu distros.
   
   7. What's your favourite KDE Linux distro and why?
   Kubuntu Lucid Lynx wins by default, being the only KDE Linux Distro I've so far tried.
   
   8. What Linux desktop environment do you like?
   I prefer Gnome over KDE at the moment, but I try to shift the focus of my computing to the command line as much as possible and so Gnome's design philosophy works much more for me. I have yet to try anything other than Gnome and KDE.
   
   9. Linux is for a. Pros b. Noobs c. Both
   While I believe it's debatable that Linux favours Pros over Noobs, it's certainly an OS for everyone. C. Both.
   
   10. what are some of the things that Linux gives you that other OS's dont?
   Great Community. Great Documentation. Great Software Licenses. Great Software.
   
   11. What is/are some of your favourite Linux application(s)?
   I enjoy Rhythmbox's extensibility and default functionality. Transmission's great for its simplicity. Disk Usage Analzyer is pretty nifty too, and gives me plenty of reason to run the X Window System.
   
   12. What are some of the things you would like to see improved in Linux?
   Sorry for the intense unoriginality, but I'd like to see better hardware drivers for Linux in the future.
   
   13. If those things are fixed, would you switch to Linux (assuming you don't use Linux as your primary OS)?
   GNU+Linux is my primary OS at the moment. I almost never boot into any other Operating System. I'm very happy using GNU+Linux as my Operating System of choice and I believe it is very far ahead of the competition (although I have yet to try BSD). I use the word 'competition' here loosely.