How many of you use Linux?

[keepoffgrass]

I just started running Ubuntu on my laptop a couple weeks ago. I prefer it to XP which was on the laptop to start with. I was going to run both xp and ubuntu, but my windows partition crashed and disappeared right after I set it up, so I just reformatted the darn thing and went with just Ubuntu. Im still getting used to some of the things, the the terminal and stuff, but Im getting the hang of it. Amazingly. I had almost no driver issues, everything ran totally smooth after the install, its way better for networking. The only problem I had was getting the right video drivers to play dvds and a bit of an issue with getting the streaming media plug-ins in firefox to work. I got that to work after an hour or so though. the only real problem I still have is that when my system goes idle for if disconnects the wireless network and I cant get it to long back on without rebooting. All in all, its way less hassle than it was when I reinstalled windows the first few million times due to complete system failures and the blue screens of death.Forget windows.

[ardchoille]

I just started running Ubuntu on my laptop a couple weeks ago. I prefer it to XP which was on the laptop to start with. I was going to run both xp and ubuntu, but my windows partition crashed and disappeared right after I set it up, so I just reformatted the darn thing and went with just Ubuntu. Im still getting used to some of the things, the the terminal and stuff, but Im getting the hang of it. Amazingly. I had almost no driver issues, everything ran totally smooth after the install, its way better for networking. The only problem I had was getting the right video drivers to play dvds and a bit of an issue with getting the streaming media plug-ins in firefox to work. I got that to work after an hour or so though. the only real problem I still have is that when my system goes idle for if disconnects the wireless network and I cant get it to long back on without rebooting. All in all, its way less hassle than it was when I reinstalled windows the first few million times due to complete system failures and the blue screens of death.Forget windows.

Not sure if you're aware of this or not, but Dell is selling desktops and laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. HP and a growing number of computer manufacturers are following too.

I've never used a laptop but I do know that you can log onto the freenode irc network, join the #ubuntu channel and get lots of help there. Last I looked there were over 1,000 people in that channel all the time. XChat is a good irc client, and you can install it with

sudo apt-get install xchat

I used Ubuntu since Warty was released and recently switched to Kubuntu because I like the KDE desktop.

[keepoffgrass]

Not sure if you're aware of this or not, but Dell is selling desktops and laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. HP and a growing number of computer manufacturers are following too.

I've never used a laptop but I do know that you can log onto the freenode irc network, join the #ubuntu channel and get lots of help there. Last I looked there were over 1,000 people in that channel all the time. XChat is a good irc client, and you can install it with

sudo apt-get install xchat

I used Ubuntu since Warty was released and recently switched to Kubuntu because I like the KDE desktop.

Great thanks! i'll install that now yeah, I heard that they were offering ubuntu on select dells. It seems to be growing in popularity for sure.

[MysticMead]

I've used several flavor of Linux over the years... redhat/fedora... SuSe..Xandros..Debian... Gentoo (pain in the but to install but very clean), Ubuntu/Kubuntu...Mandrake...Mepis...eLive... even a tiny little distro that is made for thumb drives...

I much prefer Linux over Windoze any day... in fact.. I have Ubuntu on one of my laptops now..and up until recently I had a SuSe server running at work for a custom PHP based knowledge base used by members of my department (server was OLD and on it's last leg 4 years ago...it finally dies and my boss wont replace it).. Ubuntu/Kubuntu seems to be a very stable very user friendly version... soon all computer manufacturers will offer Linux as an option and personally I can't wait for that to happen... it's long passed time for Microsoft to be knocked off that pedestal and open the door for FREE operating systems that run much faster and more stable/secure without requiring people to buy a new computer every year just to keep things running...

[ardchoille]

.. it's long passed time for Microsoft to be knocked off that pedestal and open the door for FREE operating systems that run much faster and more stable/secure without requiring people to buy a new computer every year just to keep things running...

I couldn't agree more.

[Robinhood]

Slackware for at least a dozen years.

[adam]

Can't help you with games.. Windows is still the best for that. But, check out k9copy, xdvdshrink, and devede for copying DVD's. I used xdvdshrink for years and it never failed me.

Thank you. I will look into those. Got into a conversation with a customer of where I work about linux. He brought up starting a user group in the area. Interesting that it has spread to so many.

[ardchoille]

Thank you. I will look into those. Got into a conversation with a customer of where I work about linux. He brought up starting a user group in the area. Interesting that it has spread to so many.

Maybe you should start a Linux User Group (LUG) in your area, they are quite popular and they often have "install fests" where they invite the public to see what a modern Linux system can do these days. You can go to ShipIt and sign up for free pressed cd's to be delivered to your postal address - this is how my local LUG got hold of 70 cd's
Good luck!

[Perldog007]

Came in with Slackware 2.0 in '96 because needed a compiler for me 386, and the toughest unit at programming school that dropped hopefuls like so many flies was C/Unix.

Besides, could not afford a pentium or borland. While everybody was trying to figure out how to get on the net for cheap, I used minicom to dial into Prince Georges County public library SAILOR, pretty much lynx I think.

When I wanted more than text, I dl'ed the page and images and then opened them from the xtop in netscape. slow, but free.

Have been running some variant ever since. FreeBSD on occasion too. been through debian, redhat (aka crackhead back in the day) and currently into Ubuntu Feisty

[ardchoille]

Came in with Slackware 2.0 in '96 because needed a compiler for me 386, and the toughest unit at programming school that dropped hopefuls like so many flies was C/Unix.

Besides, could not afford a pentium or borland. While everybody was trying to figure out how to get on the net for cheap, I used minicom to dial into Prince Georges County public library SAILOR, pretty much lynx I think.

When I wanted more than text, I dl'ed the page and images and then opened them from the xtop in netscape. slow, but free.

Have been running some variant ever since. FreeBSD on occasion too. been through debian, redhat (aka crackhead back in the day) and currently into Ubuntu Feisty

Wow, sounds like old school there. I've always been told that, if I have a computer problem, find a slackware user.. they know their stuff