Linux as a daily desktop.
Discussion
Anyone else use a nix variation as their main machine? I gave up my powerful pc to the FIL after his died and switched to ubuntu for everything. The problem is, the slightly lost and pained transition period has never gone away. I spent 3 years in my last job using unix terminals daily so the command line doesn't scare me, but I find I need to use it too often.
Yes it's great I have so many configuration options available to me, but half of them are not documented anywhere, and practically everything requires scampering off to the internet. Today's job, persuading it not to play everything in 5.1. I looked in the sound options, nothing there. Internet says I have to alter some conf file I'd never have guessed of looking in. I do that, and kill the audio service. No change. I log out and in again (really, on a nix box?!), and it still doesn't work. For something that used to be a tick box in a windows gui.
Now there are things that are done better, but imo the real reason Linux has never taken off is because everything is a royal pain in the arse. Most people are lazy, and we don't find obscure command line strings masochistic. I like open source, but at least closed source has focus and actually gets things done.
Anyone else feel the same? I feel windows 10 beckoning.
Yes it's great I have so many configuration options available to me, but half of them are not documented anywhere, and practically everything requires scampering off to the internet. Today's job, persuading it not to play everything in 5.1. I looked in the sound options, nothing there. Internet says I have to alter some conf file I'd never have guessed of looking in. I do that, and kill the audio service. No change. I log out and in again (really, on a nix box?!), and it still doesn't work. For something that used to be a tick box in a windows gui.
Now there are things that are done better, but imo the real reason Linux has never taken off is because everything is a royal pain in the arse. Most people are lazy, and we don't find obscure command line strings masochistic. I like open source, but at least closed source has focus and actually gets things done.
Anyone else feel the same? I feel windows 10 beckoning.
The closest 'Unix' has come to 'making it' on the desktop is Apple. I don't see it taking over on the future. And, indeed, why would anyone want it to? A monolithic kernel isn't exactly progress and the Hurd, if it ever works, runs on a mach kernel.
Unix got big in academia because the Unix vendors got grant friendly pricing right first, and now Open Source allows researchers to use students as slave labour rather than buying licenses. It isn't because it is superior tech. Get it if you want to play with stuff. If you want 'just works', pay for commercial.
Unix got big in academia because the Unix vendors got grant friendly pricing right first, and now Open Source allows researchers to use students as slave labour rather than buying licenses. It isn't because it is superior tech. Get it if you want to play with stuff. If you want 'just works', pay for commercial.
When a student, I've built a PC from redundant parts, and had no o/s for it, and since we only had Unix workstations at uni, I was interested in trying Linux.
Started with SuSe 7.1 in 2002, and switched to Ubuntu at some point, and still use it. In the beginning, it required a lot of fiddling, but today, installation is swift. I only use Apple computers since they became Mactel, and h/w support is pretty good. The imac won't do a reboot, just shutdown. But then again, rebooting is not required in Linux.
Windows is also easy to use, and a good decision, when you have an IT team in your company that keeps it maintained. I would be too scared to run it privately, because I couldn't keep up with security maintenance.
Started with SuSe 7.1 in 2002, and switched to Ubuntu at some point, and still use it. In the beginning, it required a lot of fiddling, but today, installation is swift. I only use Apple computers since they became Mactel, and h/w support is pretty good. The imac won't do a reboot, just shutdown. But then again, rebooting is not required in Linux.
Windows is also easy to use, and a good decision, when you have an IT team in your company that keeps it maintained. I would be too scared to run it privately, because I couldn't keep up with security maintenance.
i'm the technical support for my parents and their pc. After battling away for years with windows with constant phone calls about "its no' working", "its installing something", "i've deleted google", etc I installed linux mint about 8 months ago.
I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
Nyphur said:
Bodo said:
Windows is also easy to use, and a good decision, when you have an IT team in your company that keeps it maintained. I would be too scared to run it privately, because I couldn't keep up with security maintenance.
Automatic updates & a half decent AV / IPS... hardly scary.Drive Blind said:
i'm the technical support for my parents and their pc. After battling away for years with windows with constant phone calls about "its no' working", "its installing something", "i've deleted google", etc I installed linux mint about 8 months ago.
I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
but I suspect a big chunk of that that could also be achieved by making them none adminstrators on a windows box I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
mph1977 said:
Drive Blind said:
i'm the technical support for my parents and their pc. After battling away for years with windows with constant phone calls about "its no' working", "its installing something", "i've deleted google", etc I installed linux mint about 8 months ago.
I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
but I suspect a big chunk of that that could also be achieved by making them none adminstrators on a windows box I hardly ever look at it now. They've got their email, they've got their internet. It works.
Linux has two things going for it - firstly it's nowhere near as much of a target for criminals, and secondly I believe it's more secure by design.
I've been both a Linux and Windows systems admin for nearly 20 years now.
I first used Linux back in '94 or so, when (IIRC) the kernel version was 0.9x something and installing it was a real PITA.
I've also used Windows since before 3.11.
Over the years, I have tried the various Linux desktops, but somehow I just cannot seem to embrace them, no matter which variant, although my favourite has always been XFCE.
I currently manage a 50/50 mixed environment of Windows and Linux servers, and I can do my job so much more efficiently with a Windows desktop, despite being able to manage (via RDP) Windows servers from Linux.
Linux vs Windows always reminds me of Android vs iPhone / Windows phone.
Most Android owners are always fiddling with their phones, rooting the O/S etc. etc. however with other devices because this isn't possible, people have to stick with the default, and it all just works.
Having used Android devices in the past, I have always found something that needs tweaking. Linux desktops are the same.
I have a MacBook Pro as my home laptop, and Windows 7 as my home desktop. They are both low maintenance and "just work*".
I first used Linux back in '94 or so, when (IIRC) the kernel version was 0.9x something and installing it was a real PITA.
I've also used Windows since before 3.11.
Over the years, I have tried the various Linux desktops, but somehow I just cannot seem to embrace them, no matter which variant, although my favourite has always been XFCE.
I currently manage a 50/50 mixed environment of Windows and Linux servers, and I can do my job so much more efficiently with a Windows desktop, despite being able to manage (via RDP) Windows servers from Linux.
Linux vs Windows always reminds me of Android vs iPhone / Windows phone.
Most Android owners are always fiddling with their phones, rooting the O/S etc. etc. however with other devices because this isn't possible, people have to stick with the default, and it all just works.
Having used Android devices in the past, I have always found something that needs tweaking. Linux desktops are the same.
I have a MacBook Pro as my home laptop, and Windows 7 as my home desktop. They are both low maintenance and "just work*".
- I know that Linux "just works" however the temptation to tweak / fiddle (and often the need to do so) makes it a PITA to manage (depending on your view of course).
I have a low powered HTPC with W7 on it, it just runs abit slow, HD is not perfect and things take just that little too long to open. I have read many times that linux gives old PCs and laptops a new lease of life so I put Ubuntu on my PC as well. If anything its even slower than windows, its made no difference at all, also its a lot more complicated to uese due to the fact I know nothing about it. Took me an hour to get XBMC on it.
OP, I agree with you completely. I have fiddled with Linux and other variants of UNIX, like Solaris and NeXTstep for 20 years. Solaris and NeXTstep were good in their day (NeXTstep, in particular), but fell by the wayside. Linux has never become sufficiently user-friendly for everyday use. I use Windows and OS X (which still has a strong residual feel of NeXTstep) all the time, only going to command line for specialised, non-every-day functions. You cannot use Linux like that.
I use stock Ubuntu on my main laptop. It gets basic home use (internet, word processing, managing and editing photos etc). It works just fine. Everything does what it's supposed to, and the UI is simple and pleasant to use (I realise not everyone shares my opinion on that point). I also have an HTPC running xbmcbuntu, which works far better than it did when it had windows 7 on it.
No complaints from me.
No complaints from me.
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff