From WinXP to Ubuntu

[JonRB]

For me the thing that keeps (or possibly kept) me on Windows was C++ development (specifically, Visual Studio) and PC Gaming. With Steam now available for Linux and various titles being converted to run on it, I can see my reliance on Windows lessening. Likewise, I'm starting to develop under Linux more as my current client works that way (my previous clients for years and years have been Windows & Visual Studio) so, again, that is lessening.

I think that as more applications become platform agnostic, there will be less and less reason to be tied to Windows. However, we are not yet at that point.

[otolith]

ZesPak said:

I agree to an extent, but MS Office is actually a great package that works well. People learn it in school, they use it at work and then they buy it at home because it's what they know. It's changing though, for school work I've seen a lot of them using Google Docs or equivalents.

It is. I have it for work use, and have always had it (legally) installed at home through work. But I would never actually buy it for home use.

ZesPak said:

As for Windows, I'd argue that very few buy it. It's included in almost all new systems. And the few that offer no-OS or Linux pre-installed (dell?), hardly go cheaper without it so you'd be almost stupid not to get it with windows and then just install Linux yourself.

It still has to be paid for, even if the system builder obfuscates the cost a bit - but some people do buy boxed upgrades for Windows.

I think anyone who does buy a boxed upgrade for an XP machine is in for some pretty disappointing performance, mind, most XP boxes must be pretty old hardware.

[Corso Marche]

LordGrover said:

Take a look at pixlr.

I just wanted to come back and post a thank you for this.

I'm now using Pixlr for most of my photo editing, only opening GiMP the odd time for more involved stuff. A big thank you, as I'd not heard of Pixlr before.

[LordGrover]

Corso Marche said:

LordGrover said:

Take a look at pixlr.

I just wanted to come back and post a thank you for this.

I'm now using Pixlr for most of my photo editing, only opening GiMP the odd time for more involved stuff. A big thank you, as I'd not heard of Pixlr before.

Thanks, that's why I mention it. I've found it very useful, especially as I switch OS between work and home so it's handy to have it 'everywhere'.

[ZesPak]

otolith said:

I think anyone who does buy a boxed upgrade for an XP machine is in for some pretty disappointing performance, mind, most XP boxes must be pretty old hardware.

While I agree that it's not worth the money, Windows 8 actually runs very light. Ubuntu isn't that great on resources either, on old machines that came with XP (eg 1GB RAM, sometimes less) I much prefer Mint over Ubuntu.
Mint seems to fly on machines that never could, even on XP. Multi tasking abilities stay limited of course, you can't change the nature of the hardware, but it's very smooth.

For reference, for example, I have a netbook (1GB RAM, Atom), which is a lovely thing for a ridiculously low amount of money:

1. Came with XP, but never really ran smooth but worked, don't open more than one thing at a time though
2. Installed Win 7 starter, which wasn't much better but not worse either
3. Installed Ubuntu (don't remember, 11.x prob), worst on it so far, very laggy in operation. Boot was noticeably faster though.
4. Installed Mint, ran smoothly as you'd expect it to come out of the box, finally able to play MKV's without having to convert them as well.

Since that experience I've stuck to Mint for older or just lower spec machines.

[otolith]

Yes, Mint is what I recently used to rebuild an XP machine too. Haven't tried a recent version of Ubuntu, I have an old desktop which is running an older version and performs OK (other than never being able to get flash video to work), but I thought Mint was very nice.

[uncinqsix]

Ubuntu seems to run very smoothly for me. Then again, that is on an i5 notebook with 10 GB of RAM...

[ZesPak]

I'd be very, very worried if it didn't.

[Zumbruk]

Blown2CV said:

Libre office is fine as long as everyone else uses it too. They've always said it inter operates fine with MS office docs, but I've seen enough messed up formatting over the years to know it's horse st.

It interoperates with MS Office Version 'n' at least as well as MS Office Version 'n+1' does.

[GlenMH]

Zumbruk said:

It interoperates with MS Office Version 'n' at least as well as MS Office Version 'n+1' does.

And don't get me started on sharing stuff between Office for PC and Office for Mac...

[Blown2CV]

GlenMH said:

Zumbruk said:

It interoperates with MS Office Version 'n' at least as well as MS Office Version 'n+1' does.

And don't get me started on sharing stuff between Office for PC and Office for Mac...

I've done that too as had a MacBook Air for 18 months or so before having to give it back when moved companies, and it's a country mile better for interop and collaborating on office docs. Ubuntu ran quite, well dual booted too! I didn't used it for anything except gentleman media though.

[Morningside]

Looks legit

http://www.mslinux.org/


I like Ubuntu. Being a total Linux noob I found it the easiest to understand.

[BlueMR2]

I believe Mint is based on Ubuntu but i found it much better, Ubuntu was getting really annoying and mint seems much fresher and more crisp.

[Richyvrlimited]

BlueMR2 said:

mint seems much fresher and more crisp.

I see what you did there