linux versus windows in future

[komodolinux]

this may be better off in the software section but oh well.

as a desktop operating system Linux has been taking great steps forward.

what do people think. will it ever be as user friendly as windows?

i think 5 or 10 years yes if they standardise more.

 

[wonkothesane]

Yes, of course it could become user friendly. Thing is that most people are used to windows alone and never get any experience with other OS's, most kids my age haven't even heard of linux. I think that plays a part in linux being viewed as none-user-friendly by some, they are just not used to anything different to the standard windows they've known and screamed at all their lives .

 

[n4tec]

Linux, i believe has a very good future.. Windows needs to start being on schedule not off schedule.. like the release of Longhorn is overdue..

 

[Iceman]

Linux has the definite advantage over Windows, with an active development community (not team), many varieties, and such. I will go so far as to say that not all Linux variants will become user-friendly, all that user-friendly fluff missing from Linux is what gives it it's stability. But I do think Mandrake and Redhat, among others, are taking great leaps into popularizing Linux with user-friendliness.

 

[komodolinux]

ice,

the mandriva product is what i was thinking of when i asked.

and some schools etc are adopting linux.

 

[MicrotechXP]

Windows is better than linux in my own oppinion. Linux has better protection that windows becaue more people use it but Windows is better in other things...in my oppintion.

 

[Nathan]

What's this Windows? In my day all we had was magnetic disks and punch cards.

But seriously, GNU/Linux could make a forefront, I love the GNOME desktop enviroment personally and hope to see it on more home computers.

GNU/Linux is NOT UNIX.

 

[limelight]

like the release of Longhorn is overdue..

I don't believe so, XP has been out for 4 years I believe and I find no need for a upgrade. Microsoft should take it's time, no need to rush it.

Also could someone explain what a Linux is and if I should try installing it. (and from where)

 

[dsfreak]

Think Linux will own. lol. Yea, I think Linux will be very good.

 

[komodolinux]

linux is an operating system. like windows but with more stuff built in. comes in different varieties with different features.

 

[limelight]

linux is an operating system. like windows but with more stuff built in. comes in different varieties with different features.

Can you use the same thing as windows on it?

And where can I get it?

Also will I have to delete everything off my computer?

 

[Mikek]

You can use similar programs eg Open Office instead of MS Office, Firefox instead of IE, Apache instead of IIS

You cant run a window exe files on linux natively, however you can use WINE (like an emulator for individual win programs), or system emulators like VMWare, bochs, Qemu.

You can get the Linux OS in differenent ways:
The main ways are

• Magazine Cover Disks
• Downloading ISOs via http/ftp
• Downloading ISOs via bit torrent

A good site to start with information about the various distrobutions is distrowatch.com

You do not have to remove everything off your computer.

To run linux you could use emulators such as bochs, VMWare, Qemu
This method is like using a SNES emulator.

The second option is to download a live CD such as knoppix . With a Live CD you put the CD in your drive and reboot. You will get a working version of linux and once you are finished, you pop the CD out, reboot and windows comes up.
Id recommend this method for a beginner.

The last option you can do so you dont have to format your HD is to set up a dual boot system.(this method has a risk of dataloss)

 

[komodolinux]

you can run ms office using codeweavers crossover office.

go to www.distrowatch.com to learn which versions of linux there are.

pc magazines also have it.

limelight. i have a version for download at the site in my signature.

it is a livecd that can be installed to harddrive too. try it from cd to see if you like it. then set up on hard disk to dual boot.

 

[Nathan]

Komodo Linux = KDE, nothing against you. But KDE is primative. Use GNOME. (Debian, UBUNTU, etc.) with the Fedora core.

 

[komodolinux]

dewayne, im working on getting gnome to work on it. have a heap of hitches to work through alas.

but if i use gnome instead i cant really call it komodo. as kde is konqui centric and konqui is a dragon.

 

[Burak]

Linux has the definite advantage over Windows, with an active development community (not team), many varieties, and such. I will go so far as to say that not all Linux variants will become user-friendly, all that user-friendly fluff missing from Linux is what gives it it's stability. But I do think Mandrake and Redhat, among others, are taking great leaps into popularizing Linux with user-friendliness.

Linux is built by developing teams, but its open cource codes allows people to make fixes, so it develops faster. I think in a few years, Windows'll be no more

 

[Iceman]

I don't think Windows will die any time soon. But I do think that Linux will overtake it (I think I stated this earlier)

 

[komodolinux]

ice,

i totally agree there.

windows has too big a share to die in a hurry.

 

[Spartan Erik]

i doubt linux users could surpass windows users
i believe windows will be quite the dominant one

i cant see linux replacing mac either

 

[saachi]

Despite the problems with Windows that most complain about, it has built up a good standard of user friendlyness and computing for the masses. Seriously, most don't have the time to compile Firefox or the latest kernal. There are some very good packages coming out on Linux' side considering the average computer user, and I'm sure their user base will steadily grow, but Windows has definitely got market share where it counts.

In the future, I'd say general usage stats, Windows vs Linux, would be as they are currently.

If you use Linux, good on you. I use WinXP without any problems and find it works well enough.