Trying out a non-Windows OS

[Esquire]

Well, just finished installing Ubuntu on my 10-year-old laptop. It runs Vista, but now it is dual boot capable, either Vista or Ubuntu. Using FireFox in Ubuntu to write this post.

Ubuntu is fast. Feels more like a mobile device OS than a PC OS. I plan on using it strictly for Internet browsing, and for that purpose it seems to be just fine. Supposedly more secure than Windows. If you have a clunker computer lying around, try Ubuntu out!

[the86d]

Ubuntu actually lags quite a bit.

There are better distros out there, many of them are Ubuntu based, just not as bloated.

If that tells you anything, Linux is great, and can even be more efficient than that Ubuntu you just tried.

I think I got really excited running Slackware and doing similar things, like 15 years ago, but for Slackware you have to be willing to learn Linux, not just a distro's-interface.

Congrats on your progression toward liberty!

EDIT: Try Knoppix running from a USB stick (not intrusive @all)... and REALLY enjoy speed!

[ldsnet]

Lots of good Linux distros out there. I have 2 machine at home running Lubuntu (the light version, much less overhead. Not as pretty of a graphical interface but effective for my needs). Our main machine is dual boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu 14.

Not the perfect software answer, but when Windows was loaded with Malware, it gave my wife a virus free option until I was able to clean out the bugs.

[ocabj]

I'm not quite sure why people will say a Linux distribution is 'bloated'. Doesn't matter what distro you go with. Just chose the minimal install and add packages or compile source after the fact.

[the86d]

Another thing you can do is run one of your old machines as a dedicated Linux server, so it's beneficial to your Windows box.
I am sure you still have old hardware sitting in the garage, and SSDs are cheap these days...
SFTP, ssh, SaMBa, etc.

I haven't dual-booted in years.

[ldsnet]

I'm not quite sure why people will say a Linux distribution is 'bloated'. Doesn't matter what distro you go with. Just chose the minimal install and add packages or compile source after the fact.

Many of the newer distros don't even offer a minimal install option, or a package chooser on install - you define the harddrive and they go . . .

[NytWolf]

Supposedly more secure than Windows. If you have a clunker computer lying around, try Ubuntu out!

More is relative. Search "Grinch" and "Shellshock" for the most recent vulnerabilities.

[stilly]

I can spend an hour or two over at www.distrowatch.com and just reading and downloading the latest versions and variations of the Nuxuntoos keeps me entertained. I love the LIVE disks and booting to them and seeing what they do on laptops and VMs...

Linux is NOT an OS, it is a living ART piece...

[e90bmw]

I like CentOS. It's debranded RedHat and very stable.

[sd_shooter]

I installed Puppy Linux

Inspired by this thread I bought a 16GB flash drive and decided to go with Puppy linux since it is supposedly optimized for flash drives.

- Spent ~30 minutes on web research
- Spent ~1hr downloading Knoppix live CD to allow the install. (Projected download time 2hrs)
- Aborted that and downloaded Puppy live CD instead, ~10min
- Downloaded puppy USB image, copied to USB
- Burned the live ISO to a CD
- Booted PC with CD, inserted USB stick
- Copied USB puppy image to RAM (mounted USB etc)
- Ran USB install script, it choked
- Formatted USB stick manually
- Ran install script again, it worked
- Rebooted PC (it worked!)
- Connected to my wireless network, ok
- Tried to change desktop background, not possible. Downloaded image, BG change still not possible. Manually copied image to repository, then system recognized it
- Tried to install firefox instead of 'seamonkey' (the default.) Turned out FF would not come with flash player, would need to be manually installed
- Tried to put system to sleep, did nothing
- Volume keys and screen brightness keys worked, but no on-screen indicator...

Verdict:
Linux has come a long way, but it is not ready for prime time in desktop use. Install required prior experience with shell commands, scripts, and manual mounting. I can see myself burning endless hours trying to get things to work and explaining to my kids why this system is 'different' than the rest. They can use Macs, PCs and Android system since they all "just work" when you turn them on. Used linux for many years, I wish I had those years back

No thanks. I'll be back in ~2020 to see if things have improved.

[Frisco3Gun]

No thanks. I'll be back in ~2020 to see if things have improved.

MM new operating systems aren't supposed to be so comfortable. Hell, I nearly sent my newest laptop back because I didn't like the Windows 8.1 interface, namely the start menu. Now I'm in the thick of things. And I still use Tails and Ubuntu off a flash drive and my old laptop, respectively.

For me, Linux is fun to play around in. On the other hand, most of my gaming comes on Windows.

[bonusweb]

Try mint its pretty user friendly, you do not need to command line anything.

You can even run many windows programs if you need to using wine. Download using software manager.

It has many things built in, multimedia browsers. Everything with modern GUI.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

[bonusweb]

Inspired by this thread I bought a 16GB flash drive and decided to go with Puppy linux since it is supposedly optimized for flash drives.

- Spent ~30 minutes on web research
- Spent ~1hr downloading Knoppix live CD to allow the install. (Projected download time 2hrs)
- Aborted that and downloaded Puppy live CD instead, ~10min
- Downloaded puppy USB image, copied to USB
- Burned the live ISO to a CD
- Booted PC with CD, inserted USB stick
- Copied USB puppy image to RAM (mounted USB etc)
- Ran USB install script, it choked
- Formatted USB stick manually
- Ran install script again, it worked
- Rebooted PC (it worked!)
- Connected to my wireless network, ok
- Tried to change desktop background, not possible. Downloaded image, BG change still not possible. Manually copied image to repository, then system recognized it
- Tried to install firefox instead of 'seamonkey' (the default.) Turned out FF would not come with flash player, would need to be manually installed
- Tried to put system to sleep, did nothing
- Volume keys and screen brightness keys worked, but no on-screen indicator...

Verdict:
Linux has come a long way, but it is not ready for prime time in desktop use. Install required prior experience with shell commands, scripts, and manual mounting. I can see myself burning endless hours trying to get things to work and explaining to my kids why this system is 'different' than the rest. They can use Macs, PCs and Android system since they all "just work" when you turn them on. Used linux for many years, I wish I had those years back

No thanks. I'll be back in ~2020 to see if things have improved.

Puppy is not most user friendly try mint, its most like windows, actually better in many ways. Make sure you use your video cards proprietary drivers, like foe nvida. Also use 64 bit version if your PC is able, most resent PCs are. Runs fast, if you do this. Download iso of DVD burn it and you can run it from the DVD to test compatibility before HD install.

[sd_shooter]

Puppy is not most user friendly try mint, its most like windows, actually better in many ways. Make sure you use your video cards proprietary drivers, like foe nvida. Also use 64 bit version if your PC is able, most resent PCs are. Runs fast, if you do this. Download iso of DVD burn it and you can run it from the DVD to test compatibility before HD install.

Ok, I'll try

Fonts were terrible in Puppy as well - straight out of 1995, with no dithering/smoothing whatsoever.

[xaerorazor]

I have on site 2 AIX machines, 4 Solaris4 Machines and 2 machines with FC20 in virtual machines, and one as a Full time FC20 machine. FedoraCore has a good live Distro for use as well.

I like the KDE environment much more than Gnome, I used to like Gnome, but it's changed for the worse for me.