You Can Switch to Linux?

[Danny Z]

If Linux was so great why is there something called wine?
if you have an Ipod you need itunes then you need wine... There is a reason why Apple that already has an OS does itunes for Windows and not for linux.
Linux is for nerds...Have you ever had another date trying with the girl you talked to about Linux?

[Jo]

Originally Posted by Danny Z

If Linux was so great why is there something called wine?
if you have an Ipod you need itunes then you need wine... There is a reason why Apple that already has an OS does itunes for Windows and not for linux.
Linux is for nerds...Have you ever had another date trying with the girl you talked to about Linux?

Thats not correct !
IPOD works with rythmbox since ubuntu 7.04.
Now it works perfectly with it.

Wine is made if you want to run windows softwares and not use their linux alternative. Actually during the last 5 years i have rarely used wine, except to test sites i've developed under IE.

Yeah but I can't imagine my sister using the cli or makeinstall or iptables or compiling the kernel.. sometimes with linux, you really need to understand what you are doing unless you want to spend your time reading the README or HOWTO.. I know you can install .deb packages but still not as easy as Windows. As you stated nuclearcat, it is subjective. But honestly, for beginners, Windows is easier.

Why would your syster need to compile the kernel ? ? ? ? or configure networking or proxy ? ? I dont see a simple windows users doing this easily also.

Ubuntu is made so you can rarely use the terminal. Now you can install any software using the Ubuntu Software Center, its easier then adding/removing programs in windows.

Ubuntu is user friendly but like anything new in this world you will have to get used to. There are hundred of forums on the net that can help you, millions of people that can guide you.

By the way, Mac is running on Linux kernel.

[nuclearcat]

Originally Posted by Danny Z

If Linux was so great why is there something called wine?

Compatibility layer. Linux can run Windows programs. Linux also can run on many different CPU, and this power promissing us to give new generation of netbooks and gadgets.

Amazon kindle powered by Linux, it is enough easy to use, and there is no need to recompile kernel.
Most powerful media players comes with Linux. Even a kid can manage it with remote, thanks for GUI created as top layer on Linux.
A lot of home internet routers(yes, this small wireless router, that many of you, guys, have at home) running Linux. Easy to use also, because there is easy to use layer - web-interface.
So easy to use is just matter of interface. Linux can be very different. Windows is same **** everywhere.

Windows have opposite problem with compatibility, Vista and Windows 7 suffering to run properly even Windows XP programs, and it is just previous generation of Windows.
Sure it also run only on x86 hardware, and each new generation need new hardware, forcing people to buy new stuff, instead of spending money properly.

Linux, sure with right configuration can run even on i486, manufactured in 1989, but at same time run modern system and applications (sure they must be not CPU intensive).

[IA64]

Not to forget that there is something called cygwin for windows...

[nuclearcat]

Another subject i want to open. Sure this case happened not in Lebanon, but it can be lesson for Lebanon.
My mother is teacher since 1985, she have also 3 educations, mathematics, computer science and something else, i dont remember. Her students was taking prizes on our country olimpiada (it is actually just contest between scholars, in IT), and they never lost in our city and region.
First computer she used to teach was "DVK". You can see picture of it Файл:Soviet computer DVK-2.JPG — Википеди�

She left a work not because she is old, just because of modern IT. In short form, what she said:
- "New computers and Windows degrading intellect level of kids. They are grabbing their attention to nonsense things such as flashing windows, jumping buttons, animated icons, addicting them to obscure and proprietary things(way of programming used in Microsoft development tools). Result of those, if before in each class (30 kids) there was 2-3 talented kids who can do amazing programs and solve logical tasks. This days in best case there is 1-2 kids who can do at least some programming in whole school.
I told: Maybe it is just new generation, who is less productive in programming?
She told: It is easy to break your theory. I had at some moment 2 different schools where i had lessons. One of them was not interested in paying for computers and had obsolete equipment (UKNC), and one have brand new Intel computers with Windows XP at that time. Results, well, on their programming skills was as expected, in school with old systems they was high, with new computers - very low.
Note - logical tasks is the same since 1985.

Why you think Microsoft putting a lot of efforts making educational discounts? Very cheap Windows for schools and discount for students.
Like drug dealers - first shot free or almost free.

[nuclearcat]

Originally Posted by IA64

Not to forget that there is something called cygwin for windows...

cygwin for windows, there is also mingw for windows. But it won't make you run Linux binaries. If you have binary-only software - you are cooked, cygwin won't help you.

There is missing things in Windows:
realtime extensions
proper timers (similar to POSIX one)
sockets is just obscure (for example you cannot do read()/write() in socket, like in UNIX), missing a lot of useful capabilities (TCP_CORK, deffered accept() and etc)
They have HUGE programs with asynchronous calls, it is proprietary , and their way is just incomplete (some calls undocumented).
They don't have even proper poll(), only select(), i am not talking about modern epoll/kqueue/etc, it leads to scalability problems.
Debugging windows programs is a hassle, especially networking. On Linux i can force program to make core dump, and user will send me it, on Windows it will send report to Microsoft. LOL.

[Jo]

Ubuntu 9.10 Feature Tour | Ubuntu

[IA64]

[xtremer]

Hey guys,
I'm a system admin and am in love with this discussion :) coz i use MS Windows, Linux (Ubuntu 9.10, Mint, Debian, Fedora,.....) and Mac OS.
Just a question, have any body tried to join Ubuntu into MS active directory???
I heard about Likewise Open, but i didnt use it yet.
Any experience about this issue?>???

[Frisbeetarian]

Are you guys getting reports that 9.10 is having a hard time recognizing wireless devices? My friends just downed it and it works perfectly expect for recognizing wireless devices. He looked up the problem on the forums and it seems that this problem is plaguing a host of other users.