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Thread ID: 81250 2007-07-22 00:30:00 Windows or Linux aidanmaz (7180) Press F1
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571239 2007-07-22 00:30:00 i have a acer aspire 3680 which came with Windows XP, i have seriously thought about jumping to Linux, Would this be a good idea?
I have had no experience using any other OS apart from Windows i need something that is generally faster than XP

Any ideas?
Cheers
aidanmaz (7180)
571240 2007-07-22 00:38:00 Linux should be ok for it, (it maybe faster), just hope you've got the patience and time to configure Linux.

Once its installed. Altho this may depend on what Linux OS you put on it.

Some things arent that easy to install let alone configure.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
571241 2007-07-22 00:41:00 i dont mind learning, if i like linux enough i might go over completely. whats the best distro.......is the one on the PC world DVD any good? aidanmaz (7180)
571242 2007-07-22 00:56:00 Yeah the one on the PCW DVD is all good.

There are heaps out there.

If you just want to have a play initially, have a go with a live CD version of a Linux distro, then after that see if your still keen to give it a permanent go.

Cheers
chiefnz (545)
571243 2007-07-22 00:59:00 I like Ubuntu and Mepis . . and don't ask me how I got them working . . they are still a big mystery to me .

Somehow . . . I got Mepis to run as my server and I just leave it alone doing it's job nicely . I say "somehow" because making it work is still a big mystery to me . . I hate writing lines of commands that I don't understand and somehow I just did it .

I used to write code in fig~FORTH and COBOL, but Linux is still a whole 'nuther experience . . . . and so far a bad experience .

Maybe you should go learn Egyptian hieroglyphics in Deutsch easier .

I have no other experience in L-based systems, so what I say is not a good tech answer I know .

But it works for me .

I am still not convinced that Linux is a good system . . you get short-armed when you ask the geek-y types a question like they are all insulted or whatever .

There are some really good people here who run it successfully, but if you can't rent them personally and have them stay at your home to teach you things, you'll stumble on in the dark for a long time I feel .

Other forums will shun you, and hey . . you'll get shunned by some shallow people anywhere . . but that's just because they're immature and like to keep Linux all secret .

Until Linux gets friendlier and/or they send people to your home to instruct you how to use it . . . you'll get angry and prolly lose interest in the system in the end .

If I didn't accidentally get mine running, I'd be using something else as my server .

Flames coming! Get ready! There are "people" who hate this sort of revelation . . . just wait and see!



Keep a dual-boot system until you actually get all your adult teeth in Linux though .
SurferJoe46 (51)
571244 2007-07-22 01:04:00 Or i could Virtual machine it using Vmware's Workstation 6

then just image the virtual machine as a real one
aidanmaz (7180)
571245 2007-07-22 03:07:00 I'd have to agree with SJ- I tried Linux a year or 2 ago and disaster ensued :(

I had another go last week just because I'm bloody-minded, downloaded MandrivaLive, it would go ok run from the CD but would not install to HD no matter what I did and what HD I did it with (bit of a waste of 900 odd mb download) .

I updated Suse (which I had tried before) and it's still a dog .

I downloaded Mepis, which was the closest to ok .

Not one of these distros comes close to Windows XP for useability . There are still wild variations in what hardware they will detect and run and the Nvidia graphics controls are still rudimentary . I also had difficulties with text clarity using an LCD monitor, just not up to scratch .

One of my really big grumbles with the linux install method I noticed this time is that you really do not know what you are downloading . . . it just seems to be enless mbs of crap to achieve one small 'update' .

Doing anything in Linux is so convoluted that you end up feeling dizzy and have go have a cuppa and a lie down :horrified

My advice- if you have heaps of time free, you enjoy reading instructions that are (still) incomplete, love using a command line because it is the only way you can install something, enjoy being 'looked down upon' when asking for the answers to the 'missing links' and want to end up with an operating system that is never going to be as advanced as Windows or Apple (did I say that???) . . . then go for it, it can't hurt- much . :thumbs:

I sooo wanted to ditch Windows too .

But now well, I'm over it .
Shortcircuit (1666)
571246 2007-07-22 03:27:00 i have a acer aspire 3680 which came with Windows XP, i have seriously thought about jumping to Linux, Would this be a good idea?
I have had no experience using any other OS apart from Windows i need something that is generally faster than XP

Any ideas?
Cheers

I run free classes in the Auckland CBD every business monday from 7 to 8 . 30 am that mainly focus on OpenOffice on SLED 10 . But they're pretty casual and flexible so doing Linux installs would fit within the parameters . :)
SLED 10 DVDs provided for free! :)

Pop me a mail via my profile for more details .

Cheers
Yorick (8120)
571247 2007-07-22 03:49:00 My advice- if you have heaps of time free, you enjoy reading instructions that are (still) incomplete, love using a command line because it is the only way you can install something, enjoy being 'looked down upon' when asking for the answers to the 'missing links' and want to end up with an operating system that is never going to be as advanced as Windows or Apple (did I say that???)... then go for it, it can't hurt- much.:thumbs:


A very interesting perspective there Shortcircuit.

I am of the impression that as good as the various distros of Linux are, they will always remain the the realm of tech nerds and software geeks who enjoy having the freedom of access to a system that lets them tweak and fiddle to their hearts content. Meanwhile Windows will remain the system that the masses are required to use while Apple will be the system for those who want something they can generally enjoy as it grows in its mainstream acceptance.
winmacguy (3367)
571248 2007-07-22 04:17:00 I run free classes in the Auckland CBD every business monday from 7 to 8 . 30 am that mainly focus on OpenOffice on SLED 10 . But they're pretty casual and flexible so doing Linux installs would fit within the parameters . :)
SLED 10 DVDs provided for free! :)

Pop me a mail via my profile for more details .

Cheers

That sounds by far the most sensible suggestion I've heard . . . definitely a bonus if you can talk to other 'linux users' face to face and get SLED for free on disc . In case you're totally lost about what Yorick said- it's Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop . . . but that will be the least of the anacronyms that you will have to worry about :eek:
Shortcircuit (1666)
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