Operating System poll

[B0rsuk]

HoneyBadger:

You can try Ubuntu install disc. (Or livecd from another distro). Ubuntu install disc is curious in fact that it runs the system first, using RAM only, and then gives you an option to install it to hdd.

Uh-Nu-Buh said:
Caveat #1, I love the MacOS. I just dislike the attitude it often engenders in users, or the attitude of the general person it attracts: hoplessness in the face of adversity. Hep me, hep me, I cain't hep mesef! Contrast this to the attitude linux engenders/attracts: roll up your sleaves, sweat a bit, learn a lot, and get it done.

Unfortunately, this is no longer true for users of Ubuntu linux. Just take a look at their forums. They have problems with 'linux relying too much on commandline', demand graphical tools for everything, distrust, despise and fear the commandline, pirate games, and ideals of FOSS are least of their concerns. They demand a system that 'just works'. Next version of Ubuntu will use closed, binary drivers for hardware. Most ubuntu users won't notice, and ones that notice mostly don't care.
Nevermind little details like inability to use Search function on forums.
Now they went as far as discouraging from using commandline(read the first post from the sticky thread):
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=286599

It should be called Ubuntu Windows, really. I'm going back to Debian as soon as Etch is out. I don't have *too* much against Ubuntu itself, but I can't stand the community, which has worst parts from windows and mac people (arrogance...).

If you want an easy introduction to Linux, try Ubuntu. You'll be surrounded by people who tell you what to click to make something run. If you consider yourself experienced linux user, use another distribution. Debian users, for example, tend to not only give you hints how to get somethin working, but also explain how it works. They make you learn and help you learning. Ubuntu is for people who don't like to learn.

To keep it from being 100% rant:
I really love how package management is done in civilised linux distributions. Ubuntu got it right, mostly because it's the same as in Debian. Once you try apt-get (or any graphical frontend like synaptic or adept) you'll hate the windows way of installing programs.

[Dedas]

If I would recommend one distribution it would be Fedora. I've been using that since FC2 and it runs like clockwork (running FC6 now).

[Gandalf Parker]

I use Debian and have been thrilled. My servers have run for years without problems (and not a whole lot of knowledge on my part)

[Archonsod]

Windows XP at home and Solaris at work.

Wish Doms 3 would run under Solaris like Doms 2, though productivity would likely plummet.

[atul]

Esben Mose Hansen said:
Personally I do recommend Macs... to the truly computer illitterates. Windows for my-computer-is-really-my-console people, BSD for the I-learned-unix-in-the-70s-and-it-was-the-best-that-ever-was and linux for the rest.

Hm, guess it depends on your definition of true computer illiteracy. As a proud new mac-owner (got my 24" iMac last tuesday, still drooling) I've been happy with the fact that I haven't had much to fiddle in order to make this computer to work nicely. Compare to my experience with other OSs where nearly everything seems to be delivered half-finished with a motto of "configure it yourself". I'm well able to do such a chore, but to be honest couldn't care less...

But, to each their own and happy birthday EMH (I suppose that cake means a birthday or something)!

[Gandalf Parker]

Nahhh
My definition of "computer illiterate" is "I cant read the computer screen". Believe me I hve met many of those.

[Evil Dave]

atul said:
I've been happy with the fact that I haven't had much to fiddle in order to make this computer to work nicely. Compare to my experience with other OSs where nearly everything seems to be delivered half-finished with a motto of "configure it yourself". I'm well able to do such a chore, but to be honest couldn't care less...

That's my thought in a nutshell. All I gotta do is ask myself, "Which would I rather do, tinker with my machine configuration, or play Dominions?" Generally, the answer is pretty easy. And when it isn't, it's all Unix, all the way down.

But an almost on-topic question: for those who have dual-boot machines and copies of Dom3 on both O/S's, do you see any performance differences between them? Anybody even tried?

[B0rsuk]

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
pwned

[alexti]

I wonder if "Your primary operating system at home" is a well-phrased question (in the context of the discussion). The last part ('at home') may skew results because of gaming. I've dual-boot (Linux/Windows) at home and bunch of Linux and Windows boxes at work. Of course, I do all interesting and exciting stuff at work and my home computer mostly relegated to games, which, naturally, makes Windows a primary OS

[Gandalf Parker]

Ive never liked dual boots (altho I havent tried any in a long long time). Ive always had an old computer I could put linux on which operated as least as well as my new desktop with windows on it.