I was wondering if anybody has quit windows, just installed linux on their machines one day and never looked back. How was it? Was it scary?

I had a second computer when I did it....and a friend who was familiar with it. I'd suggest a dual boot if you can, if not, just make sure everything is backed up. It takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it.....it's not too bad.

A while back in order to learn a bit more about Linux I did just slackware for about two weeks straight on my computer, in order to learn how to get around and whatnot. It was quite the learning experience to say the least. I was using fluxbox, I got CS running with winex, and Q3 going with its native support. After a while though I set up dual booting with windows XP, and slowly I started booting into linux less and less. It's kind of a fun project to get everything configured just the way you like it, but I'm not a huge fan of having to customize and build almost every program I want to run. Linux has taken huge steps in usability, but it still has a ways to go as far as the desktop is concerned.

Then again I wouldn't imagine running a Windows based server anymore.

What do you mean by windows based server? Is linux better at serving?

Umm I hope you're being serious... but yeah I'll answer you anyways since I'm bored. Linux is generally a very secure and stable platform, depending on how good the admins of the systems are, making it an ideal platform for serving up databases, webpages, files, or whatever else it is you can think of. In addition to being secure and stable, it is really customizable, as most of the software available is open source. And since you only have to install packages relevant to your system, Linux usually has a smaller footprint than its Windows counterpart.

The only problem with setting it all up is the fact that "Linux is only free if your time has no value." It takes a while to learn the ins and outs of the whole thing, and oftentimes passwords are hardcoded into the config files for specific programs, so if you don't know what you are doing it's really really easy to set up an insecure box. Just make sure you aren't running anything questionable as root.

One example of Linux helping me out in a situation is when I was running hlds (for CS) on one of my computers. At first I started out using Windows 2000, but at the suggestion of one of my friends, and with a lot of his help, we got it running under slackware. That inital install got hacked like crazy though, I think I left an insecure, older, version of mysql running in the background *in case* I wanted to make a user database later. Eh, you live and you learn.

For a little while I was completely off Windows. I used to own a Sharp Zaurus PDA (ran Linux), my file server runs Linux, and I switched my desktop over to Mandrake. I dual-booted that and Windows, where I had VMware be able to boot up the other partition. It was cool since I could run an occaisonal app in VMware, or boot into the Windows partition if I needed it straight to run a computer game.

The only thing I don't like about Linux is messing with video codecs to play certain Windows medias and the hassle with samba. Having to mount to browse in an explorer was just annoying. These things might be fixed now, I dunno.

Well, i'm seriously considering it. I want to learn my way around linux since I think a lot of businesses and stuff will switch to it or are already using it. Plus, it'll be a challenge.

I've played around with a Knoppix distro before but I couldn't figure it out very well because it came all set up and was CD based, so a lot ofprograms and fuctions didn't work properly.

I would recommend getting VMware and install Linux in that to mess around with. You can try multiple distros and installations without having to mess up your current OS.

I quit windows because I was tired of having to mess with a computer to get it to work. Obviously, I could not go to Linux then because it takes just as much work but is more secure. I was looking for something with the power of Unix and the ease of use that windows tries to offer (even though they come up short).

If you don't know what I chose then you have not been around these forums lon

Obvisouly he hasnt been around the forums long, neithe rhave I, and im curious as to what your talking about as well, how about just telling us...

I was making referance to many of my posts that make referance to the Macintosh and almost anything made by Apple.

Sorry for not just stating that flat out.

yep. I bought a PowerMac back in October and haven't owned a Windows PC since. Only time I use Windows is in a CLC or when I have to fix something Windows fucked up on my parent's computer

Linux servers require more disk space than Windows for the most common application packages.

Huh? A minimal Debian install (headless) with Samba was less than 500MB last I tried. Most minimal Win2K installs I've done usually exceed 1GB.

OTOH it could be possible that IHBT.

i know a lot about computers and alternative operating systems, but i have never seen anything simpler than windows' plug & play. in fact, the only time i've ever had any difficulty with a hardware component was because an audio cable was accidentally yanked sideways, wrenching my sound card out of its socket. thus removing the "plug". when i finally decided to open the case i saw it was unplugged, reconnected the card restarted and boom it works.

i hate microsoft as much as the next person, but XP is a pretty damn solid platrom