Questions about [b]Linux[/b]

SmileyBob · 07-20-2008, 06:55 PM

Is it worth it? What I mean is, what improvements are there that that you can't get from windows/mac?

Will video games be compatible? What about hardware drivers? Etecetera.

I have an older spare computer and I'd like to try out Linux on it if it seems worth it.

shuuhen · 07-20-2008, 09:59 PM

Depends on what you do. I have more control over what my computer does than most setups allow. Almost anything can be configured to your preference to a much higher degree than Windows allows. Unix-like operating systems are the best I've used for pretty much anything, but especially programming. Good security, performance, reliability.

The command line environment is the best I know of. There are many shells that have tons of features aimed at different purposes (scripting, interactive use). For power users, computer engineers/scientists, system administrators skill with command line can either be important or just preferable.

Mac OS X is a Unix-like operating system, so you can do many of the same things as on Linux.

Windows is a different case. The command line environment in Windows will be DOS or DOS-like (depending on what version of Windows). It is a very different operating system from any Unix-like, so there are many things that would work on Linux or Mac OS X that will not on Windows.

Games? Depends. Doom 3 and some others run natively. Then there are tons of Linux. Look at happypenguin.org if you're interested in games. Nexuiz is a good FPS in my opinion.

Drivers? Extremely new hardware might have a problem. Maybe not. Broadcom wireless isn't outstanding, some of Creative's sound cards might not work. If there's something specific you can usually get an answer by searching with google.com/linux

07-20-2008, 06:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
SmileyBob Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1 OS: XP Pro	Questions about [b]Linux[/b] Is it worth it? What I mean is, what improvements are there that that you can't get from windows/mac? Will video games be compatible? What about hardware drivers? Etecetera. I have an older spare computer and I'd like to try out Linux on it if it seems worth it.

07-20-2008, 09:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
shuuhen Manager Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 981 OS: Mac OS 9.1, Mac OS X 10.5.8, WinXP Pro, FreeBSD 6.0, Gentoo Linux My System	Re: Questions about [b]Linux[/b] Depends on what you do. I have more control over what my computer does than most setups allow. Almost anything can be configured to your preference to a much higher degree than Windows allows. Unix-like operating systems are the best I've used for pretty much anything, but especially programming. Good security, performance, reliability. The command line environment is the best I know of. There are many shells that have tons of features aimed at different purposes (scripting, interactive use). For power users, computer engineers/scientists, system administrators skill with command line can either be important or just preferable. Mac OS X is a Unix-like operating system, so you can do many of the same things as on Linux. Windows is a different case. The command line environment in Windows will be DOS or DOS-like (depending on what version of Windows). It is a very different operating system from any Unix-like, so there are many things that would work on Linux or Mac OS X that will not on Windows. Games? Depends. Doom 3 and some others run natively. Then there are tons of Linux. Look at happypenguin.org if you're interested in games. Nexuiz is a good FPS in my opinion. Drivers? Extremely new hardware might have a problem. Maybe not. Broadcom wireless isn't outstanding, some of Creative's sound cards might not work. If there's something specific you can usually get an answer by searching with google.com/linux __________________ Has it been a few days since I replied to your thread? Don't panic! I'm a busy college student and may forget a post if I'm extra busy (or it might just take me a while to be able to do a decent reply). If you still need help and are awaiting my reply after a few days, PM me about it. When posting what errors you get, please give the full message. It makes helping you much easier.