Windows or Linux?

[Dazz]

I vote for windows, mainly through ignorance LOL. I've never used Linux on a desktop (possibly on a server, when I worked in IT) though I did get it once free on a magazine, Ijust never got around to using it and then lost the disk.

I am quiteintrested in trying Ubuntu and am currently downloading it from their website to try out. While Im here can anyone tell if I'll have any issues installing it as dual boot with windows XP?

 

[mattspec]

quite honestly, people just love to say linux so that they can fit in on the internet these days, if youre not a gamer, chances are that you support lunix, and if you can figure it out and can work with the software provided then all the power to you, ive tried unbuntu (fiesty) and was not really able to translate everything i do with regards to media/office/etc thus, back to windows. lunix is a great piece of software, there were some features that i did enjoy, but windows has my staples at the moment

 

[Sup3rkirby]

Dazz, you should not have a single problem while trying to dual boot with XP. I think though there is something you must first do. This is, of course, BACK UP YOUR PC. It is the safest thing you will ever do.

If you want to dual boot, you will of course need to partitions, one for Windows XP and the other for Linux. Your Linux partition can be very small, 10 GB even(smallest I've ever used, probably can go smaller). And honestly, I'd say 15 GB is all you will need for your Linux partition(just judging on how much you will probably use it, mainly for basics, probably not going to install lots of software under Linux so you won't need tons of space there).

And of course after backing up, making the partition is a bit nerve wrecking. With an Ubuntu CD(if it has the Live CD on it, which it probably does), then you can just boot up the CD and run gParted. This will let you resize your Windows partition, and then make a new one with the space you created. It will probably take a bit to do these two actions, but if it is successful(yes, it can fail and erase your HD, happened to me, so BACK UP FIRST), then you will have two partitions. From there you can, right off that live cd, install Ubuntu to your new partition.

 

[almaster]

i think linux is the best

 

[rebello]

I would have to say my choice is Linux even though all my computers at work and home run Windows. I loved Unix (yes I used to code on SGI, Sun and IBM Risc workstations) and with Linux being Open Source that really appeals to me because I stongly dislike Microsoft's business practices and take available opportunities not to support them. Of course when I was a Unix user I was also a Mac user and wish that both Linux and Macs had a wider range of programs available.

 

[Agenator]

i seem to recall a thread like this earlier. I am a gamer, if I wasn't a gamer I would use linux 24/7, here are the reasons:
Great graphics (beyrl and fusion beat out vista, hands down)
Great customization
FREE!!!!
Easy to install apps
Add a new challenge to my life in how to get things to work (seriously, I love challenges and trust me, linux is a challenge for most people)

Downsides:
Almost never works out of the box (must be hacked up to work with certain hardware, involves long hours with a command prompt)
Crappy games (pretty lame games on Linux and yes, I have played Nexuiz)

I was just thinking about how much I missed using Linux today. I still have the harddrive lying around, maybe Ill take in some nostalgia and go use it for a while... anyway, I love linux, its awesome I just wish it supported most of the games I play. If it did, I would be hooked.

 

[Tails5]

I use Windows. And the more people use Linux, the more viruses for Linux there'll be, then there'll be less for Windows, people will run over there... back and forth forever!

 

[shadowdude1794]

I like Windows allot more than I do Linux, and WAY more than a Mac. Macs anger me on the inside.

 

[edmundjones22]

I think that windows is good for all the games, and a lot of the school-related stuff. It's just all more compatible with windows, and powerpoint gives you a little bit more leeway than openoffice.org.

Linux for everything else, email, internet, remote servers ;-)

 

[bigmanbfa2]

Linux is stable...ish.

I've seen many kernel panics. Not as many as BSOD's, but that is probably because I've seen far more Windows machines than *nix machines in general.

Any OS is stable if you only have it do one or two dedicated tasks and strip away all the extra functionality.

 

[noerrorsfound]

I like Linux and though a dual booter use Linux for most of the time unless I want to play games. Not many run on Linux.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Linux_games

 

[JustBringIt]

I dual boot Windows and Mandriva Linux 2008. I use windows for gaming cause its supports the new games, but for everything else there's Linux.

 

[xbfish]

Linux is for me.

When i do programming, i used Linux. When i wanted to play some games, i just switch back to windows.

And yes, i am dual-booting! :biggrin:

 

[excid3]

well I'd have to say Linux is where its at. I'm an avid Ubuntu user, have been for the past year now. Only thing I use windows for is for those apps that dont have an open source linux equivalent that suites my needs. Most of the time i can find something, but if not I've got XP installed AND XP running in a virtual machine...on one side of the desktop cube i might add Here is a screenshot of my linux config from last installation:

One thing you could NEVER do in Windows that linux can: Compiz Fusion. Youtube that, I dare you. Vista's crappy aero interface is such a system hog. Compiz Fusion uses 26mb of ram...thats all for a cube, wobbly windows, random animations for opening/closing windows! I'd like to see Windows develop their own...

Sorry bout the bragging...just fell love linux and still have a crush!

 

[jrfweb27]

Linux is better...

For programing and more...

Security...

Linux for ever!

 

[Darkmere]

Linux is better...

For programing and more...

Security...

Linux for ever!

This is actually a common misconception. I learned from our classes on forensics that LINUX systems are just as easy to Bypass their security as windows, so you should still be careful. Now on what is better I would have to say it is opinion and what you are used to. Some of the first computers I learned on were UNIX esp when I was doing satellite work for the BLM. And I personally like to hack everything in manually so I prefer LINUX most of the time but I still like Windows some of the time depending on the job at hand. Now my mother on the other hand ... she cannot use LINUX to save her life. To come to think about it she cannot even use windows without breaking something lol

 

[Interscopia]

Darkmere I totally agree on the linux vunrabilities. Infact in some cases linux can be even more susceptible to hacking. Depending on the virus or hacker.

I'm a windows man through & through though. I like linux, but it's still way off being universally compatible.

 

[stpvoice]

I'm moving this to Computers and Technology. Not enough scope for a "well thought discussion".

 

[Darkmere]

Darkmere I totally agree on the linux vunrabilities. Infact in some cases linux can be even more susceptible to hacking. Depending on the virus or hacker.

I'm a windows man through & through though. I like linux, but it's still way off being universally compatible.

I agree LINUX is a ways off from being universal. But in my Career field if you say you dont know LINUX they fire you on the spot and if you make the comment "eeew windows" they also fire you lol so eeeeh have to know both

 

[letapk]

It is great to see that more people like Linux as compared to Windows.

But the number of votes are too low to conclude that the penguin rules, since the sample is not representative of the installed base out there.

Could someone in charge correct the calculation of the percentages, please?

When posting this, there were 25 votes for Windows, 32 for Linux, 4 undecided. The percentages were wrongly computed as:
48.08%, 61.54% and 7.69% (adds up to more than 100% !!!))
when it should have been :
40.98%, 52.45%, and 6.55%.

Regards,
Kartik Patel
http://kpatel.x10hosting.com