Linux

[SilentDeath]

okay so i was lookin around on the internet 2 days ago and i happened to catch a glimpse of a desktop screen. I thought i was really sexy (yeah it awakened the nerd in me..again). so this thread is about

1. What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of using Linux

2. Where can i download linux for free?

3. If i upgrade will i have trouble running some files? (Excluding games and OS specific files)

4. What games are compatable with Linux?

[Kenshin]

well lets see. Personally slient looking at linux doesn't make me really sexy i dunno what it does for you. Well anyway here we go.

Linux is more secure than windows and mroe stable but its also fairly hard to get use to after using windows for a long period of time.

You can download linux from any linux OS company for free but each linux is different from the other. THier is Linux Red Hat, Linux Mandrake, and Lindows. Thier are more I just never heard of them

As far as i know most documents run fine if you have the linux version of the software to run them. As for games alot will run pretty well out of the Windows emulator that is built in (dunno if it still is but it was on older versions)

Games compatible with Linux I know of are: Quake 3, Unreal Tournament, and Half-Life. I'm sure thier are tons more but I don't know about them. Linux wasn't really designed for gaming, I suggest you dual boot to windows and linux if you still want to game.

[JohnXE]

Linux is for assholes who think they are "1337"

Sure its secure, people are spending so much time trying to figure out what the hell it does that they dont have time to write viruses for it

Linux trys to give you an "alternative" to Windows or Mac but usually still ends up looking like it.

People who REALLY need Linux: Server admins, Government installations

People who DON'T need Linux: Everyone else

[SilentDeath]

Trolling in your own forums isnt a good practice

[WolfmanNCSU]

Linux is a kernal, and not a complete OS like windows. It comes in multiple distributions by several vendors instead of just microsoft. Linux is far more stable and secure. Its biggest flaw is compatibility issues. For example, it can run OfficeXP, but not outlook.

I personally like windows, simply for compatibilty.

Here is an easy to read comparison to get you started. Link (http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html)

[Kenshin]

nice site Wolf but thier is one thing that it is mistaken about the Software restrictions. It doesn't mention anything about how programs written in Java can run on any system wether it be Linux, Unix, Windows, or Mac as long as you have the Java Runtime Environment installed which can be found at www.sun.com. The reason it can run on any system is because Java code isn't compiled to machin code when it runs. When Java programs are made it is compiled into C++/C and then the JRTE looks at the code and switches it to machine language. This causes the programs to run slower than any program in C++/C but it fixes compatibility issuse and the slow down is usually unnoticed to computer users.

[XEdesigner]

Many people programmers use linux. ITs mere text writers can compile various amoutns of programming languages on several types of linux.

Because linux is so secure it can be used in office buildings as well, also if bosses dont want employs playing video games at work linux helps that to.

Many poor children of our country cannot afford a 100 dollar windows cd, linux is the best alternative.

There are thousands of types of linux btw, a company can modify the linux kernel to their own needs.

Also i can hack any machine with like Damn small linux or knoppix............................a thumb drive + linux = /gg.

[XEdesigner]

Also
.................\|||/
................(0 o)
...;---ooO--(_)----------;
...|`````PLEASE```````|
...|```DON'T FEED`````|
...|``THE TROLLS``````|
...'--------------Ooo---'
...........|__|__|
..............|| ||
.........ooO Ooo

[WolfmanNCSU]

nice site Wolf but thier is one thing that it is mistaken about the Software restrictions. It doesn't mention anything about how programs written in Java can run on any system wether it be Linux, Unix, Windows, or Mac as long as you have the Java Runtime Environment installed which can be found at www.sun.com. The reason it can run on any system is because Java code isn't compiled to machin code when it runs. When Java programs are made it is compiled into C++/C and then the JRTE looks at the code and switches it to machine language. This causes the programs to run slower than any program in C++/C but it fixes compatibility issuse and the slow down is usually unnoticed to computer users.

Yep, but thats pretty much the point of JAVA. Its platform independent, and that's the whole reason for the Java Virtual Machine. The JVM handles the platform-specific calls such as GUI, file system, and networking calls and also performs run-time garbage collection to remove unused objects from memory and such. Its sits on the client side and interperets the class files.

JAVA is not that fast. Usuaully slower benchmarks than C/C++ and especially dragging using GUI (AWT or Swing).

[Kenshin]

oh yeah i forgot your like a genius in Java you helped me earlier in the year in Comp Sci class. Well anyway awt and swing just piss me off.

[WolfmanNCSU]

oh yeah i forgot your like a genius in Java you helped me earlier in the year in Comp Sci class. Well anyway awt and swing just piss me off.

Nah, just been using it for a while now. Its actually my language of choice to program in, but not to run in.

AWT pisses me off. Swing is much easier, but no matter how you look at it, its still JAVA GUI programing. HAHA

[Bara]

if you want to try Linux without messing anything up i suggest Knoppix
http://www.knoppix.org/ Available to download freely, Runs directly from cd....It is 'l337'

[Kenshin]

what pisses me off about Java is how the tutoral at java.sun.com is completely useless. They tell you all the methods, classes, and libraries you could possibly use but not what any of them do. I still don't know what the hell an interface is good for, about the only explanation about stuff at java.sun.com is "it doesn't cause a compiler error"

[JohnXE]

The thing XEDesigner said about poor kids is funny, kids will end up getting Windows anyways probably unless a computer has Lindows on it or something, which I think since those computers have gone out of production.