Linux???

**hipopony66** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:21 PM

Just out of curiosity, what exactly is Linux Mandrake for? I know it's a 32 bit OS, but I've noticed that a lot of businesses use it. Why? What can you do with it that you can't with windows? It looks like a decent OS, but like said, what do you do with it? I also saw it comes with Star Office (MS Office equivalent). Can anyone explain it's uses to me? I know they use UNIX for mainframes and stuff, but what about Linux? Any info appreciated.

**JungleMan** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:34 PM

Linux is for three groups:

- businesses who don't want to dish out a lot of money on Windows
- people who would like to mess around with something
- lusers who make their software decisions based on the ethics of a company

I think Linux is pointless for the home environment, most others do too. Not worth it, IMO, more trouble than it's worth.

A lot of Linux users don't like the ethics of Microsoft and feel a need to "rebel", as if they are hippies or somesuch, and they make that the SOLE reason they use Linux...

I think it's a godsend for businesses, and I can understand how people like to tinker with it, but to slate it as superior to Microsoft Windows for the home environment is absurd and can only be done by an anti-Microsoft zealot.

StarOffice is a cheap rip of MS Office. It does word processing, bold/italic/underline, but is nowhere near the suite of features that Microsoft Office has.

**nabeels786** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:35 PM

and those who want to run stable servers run linux. like this game server i play at, crashes all the time under 2k, hasnt crashed once on red hat.

mandrake is the most user-friendly version of linux, with a really easy installer and it comes with tons of software too.

**JungleMan** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by nabeels786
and those who want to run stable servers

I included that in reason number one...

You can run a stable server on Windows 2000, you can use Apache in Windows you know

Although Linux is a better overall choice for a server as it's cheaper and in many cases better.

**nabeels786** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:39 PM

you said "businesses who don't want to dish out a lot of money on Windows"...money != stability..

but apache runs stabler (sp?) on linux than in windows

**JungleMan** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by nabeels786
you said "businesses who don't want to dish out a lot of money on Windows"...money != stability..

but apache runs stabler (sp?) on linux than in windows

i even DEFENDED Linux in the business environment

**nabeels786** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:58 PM

lol. im not anti ms at all...in fact i like ms. this law suit crap is stupid. but anyway....linux is good for some things windows is not..windows is good for most things linux is not

**JungleMan** · Mar 16th, 2002, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by nabeels786
lol. im not anti ms at all...in fact i like ms. this law suit crap is stupid. but anyway....linux is good for some things windows is not..windows is good for most things linux is not

Linux is great when used in the proper environment, I just hate people hyping it up to be more than it is.

Even AMD...yeah they are great chips...but they aren't appropriate for ALL computing environments, such as high-end servers, I think Intel has much better solutions. Although that'll change.

**HarryW** · Mar 16th, 2002, 08:03 PM

The reasons for choosing Linux are rarely based on money. Running a server costs money in itself, and the extra outlay for an operating system is not a large part of the overall price of the server.

People use Linux as a server because it is more reliable for what they want to do. Some people would rather use Windows for reasons of compatibility or familiarity, or probably other reasons too. Some apps only run on Windows, of course, and there are some that do run better on Windows. Not many though.

I personally use Linux and Win2k on a dual-boot setup where I work. I use them both but Linux much more often. I really hate developing apps on Windows, it's so much easier on Linux (for me anyway).

I wouldn't use Linux exclusively at home, because the software I want to use isn't all available for it, games in particular. It can do all the same basic stuff though.

By the way, Mandrake is just one company that produces on 'distribution' of Linux. There are other companies and organisations that produce their own versions of Linux, like Red Hat, Debian, Slackware and many many others. Some of these are not free (SmoothWall Linux for instance), although they are still open-source (AFAIK).

Megatron · Mar 16th, 2002, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by nabeels786
[B]this law suit crap is stupid. B]

Actually, the law suit doesn't "exist" anymore. Microsoft appealed their case to the supreme court, the court ended up ruling in Microsoft's favour.

**HarryW** · Mar 16th, 2002, 08:42 PM

There's always some kind of lawsuit against Microsoft. Sun is sueing them now aren't they?

Anyway...

I think I should clarify something I said in my previous post:

The reasons for choosing Linux are rarely based on money

This isn't really what I meant to write. What I meant is that they're not based on the purchase cost of the OS. There are maintenence costs involved with both OSes, and Linux engineers can be more expensive than Windows engineers since it's a more specialist skill and there's less of them. Of course, if you don't need the engineers so often, the cost is lowered. The important cost is the total cost of ownership, taking into account purchase and maintenence together.

**sail3005** · Mar 16th, 2002, 09:06 PM

My opinion on linux is that it is a great OS, but you just have to watch who it is using it and who is saying that. It is great for buisnesses running servers and networks and such. It is also a great OS for people to fiddle around with, and anyone that needs a really really stable OS.

However it is NOT good for the average consumer. I have tried about five different distro's and had my share of problems along the way. It's getting better, but it is still fairly hard to install some disrtos too. In many instances you still have to use the command prompt to run or install things. Most of these problems are unnecissary for the average comoputer user. Windows does everything that they need without the hassle. A lot of people i know have enough trouble using windows to it's fullest, let alone fooling with linux.

The average consumer will probably say, i have windows, all my programs work on it, and it does what i want. I can easily get drivers. Win2k (and probably later XP) is very stable, and i am sure that despite how much XP sucks now, it will be good as MS has more time to work on it.

**zmerlinz** · Mar 17th, 2002, 07:16 AM

i have noticed in recent times that more and more people are moving over to Mandrake linux, and yes this is easy to install, but as linux distros go this isn't really the best one to use and it can't be used as a comparison to all distros, i have installed and used four distros in the past, corel (that was awful), Mandrake (good but not indepth enough), Redhat (i liked it a little but it didn't like my setup at all) and now i am on SuSE, this is lovely and stable and in my opinion easier to install than mandrake. I use linux 'cos i have to use it at uni and it runs my server and forums for uni. So linux does have many uses and even the disto of it that you want to use will depend on what you want to do with it, so it isn't really just choosing Linux over other OS's it is what disto of linux you want to do what task

**nabeels786** · Mar 17th, 2002, 08:30 AM

Originally posted by Megatron

Actually, the law suit doesn't "exist" anymore. Microsoft appealed their case to the supreme court, the court ended up ruling in Microsoft's favour.

about the IE thing? I know Sun is sueing them over Java

**JungleMan** · Mar 17th, 2002, 09:54 AM

Originally posted by nabeels786

about the IE thing? I know Sun is sueing them over Java

No, he's referring to the huge lawsuit about bad business practices or whatever

... I think

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:02 AM

I heard that like 25 states are signing some thing about bad buisness pratices and anit-competetive behaviors by MS pretty recently

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:02 AM

i want to get lindows when it comes out

that will be an interesting distro

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:07 AM

yeah, i heard about that..

What is it? Does it have like built in wine tools?

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:26 AM

ya sorta, goto www.lindows.com and read more about it. Microsoft has launched a lawsuit against them, claims that the name infringes on thier copyright. Although the judge (and i) don't really think that "Windows" isn't a public domain word

**JungleMan** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:26 AM

Linux + weak integrated emulation of Windows apps

That's it...

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:27 AM

windows and linux are completely different operating systems, you don't see Microsoft trying to make windows cross-platform compatable.

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:28 AM

yeah, i'm sorry but thats pointless.

If i want to move to linux, i'll move to linux.

Why would i want to move to linux to run windows apps?!?!

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:29 AM

no you move to linux to get all the advantages of linux and then run the multitude of windows programs out there.

**JungleMan** · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:57 AM

Originally posted by Gandalf_Grey_
no you move to linux to get all the advantages of linux and then run the multitude of windows programs out there.

Advantages being more complicated installations, and more apps that don't run on it?

Sorry. I'm much more advanced than the average consumer and Lindows I think is a waste of money (yes, it costs money). So Imagine how Joe Average will take to it.

**Gimlin** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:02 AM

I think Lindows is being sued by Microsoft

**JungleMan** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by Gimlin
I think Lindows is being sued by Microsoft

Arent you the bright one, here's a cookie

Yes, Lindows is being sued by Microsoft

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:23 AM

No the advantages being open source, mega stability, and many more!

**mastermind94** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:26 AM

Why would it be??? U can emule Windows un VmWare and Wine (piece of crap, oh well)

I'm running linux and windows under VMWare and both are fast and stable...

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:27 AM

Are you sure that lindows would be open source?

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:28 AM

it would be a linux distro, why wouldn't it be?

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:31 AM

(from GNU) you many copy and diestribute the program ... in object coed or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 .... provided that you also do one of the following

1. Accompany it with the complete corrosponding machine readable source code

So right in the GNU it says that since it uses WINE technology and hte Linux kernal it MUST be open source

Megatron · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by jpbtennisman

No, he's referring to the huge lawsuit about bad business practices or whatever

... I think

Yes, it was that bit about Microsoft being sued by 19 states, because they (Microsoft) were monopolizing the computer industry.

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 11:57 AM

And i think they are absolutely right, Microsoft has undoubtably made a monopoly out of the computer industry. Microsoft windwos is 99.99% of home computers, a monopoly like that is not good for an economy. If microsot were to take a nosedive, it would set the world far behind in home computeing.

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by Gandalf_Grey_

So right in the GNU it says that since it uses WINE technology and hte Linux kernal it MUST be open source

Ok, i did not know that, thanks for pointing it out.

**JungleMan** · Mar 17th, 2002, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Gandalf_Grey_
And i think they are absolutely right, Microsoft has undoubtably made a monopoly out of the computer industry. Microsoft windwos is 99.99% of home computers, a monopoly like that is not good for an economy. If microsot were to take a nosedive, it would set the world far behind in home computeing.

imagine if software developers had to develop for 10 different OSes, software would not advance at the rate that it is

Same with hardware

If it's just Windows and Mac it doesnt take as long to develop something

**Gandalf_Grey_** · Mar 17th, 2002, 12:30 PM

the GNU is a nice thing to have hanging around, very quotable

**sail3005** · Mar 17th, 2002, 12:32 PM

Really, who does it hurt (besides other OS companies)?

(and of course companies like NS)

**HarryW** · Mar 17th, 2002, 01:34 PM

I think you mean GPL, not GNU.

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