The Best Linux Distros for First Time Switchers from Windows andMac

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/

On 2015-04-24 05:08, Crosby Livingston wrote:
Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/

People switch from WinXP and Linux to Mac, not the other way around.

| Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
| Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.
|
|
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/


I'm still mostly on XP, but have no illusions that
Linux is going to be the next logical step. Maybe
someday. But unlike Alan Browne, I can't imagine
ever being so desperate as to ever descend into
AppleSeed Syndrome.

These discussions often focus on the fact that XP
is officially unsupported. That really doesn't mean
very much. The real issue is whether your computer
is usable for what you want to do. The biggest
problem with Linux is the basic lack of software.
People will go on about how GIMP is "definitely
usable" and Firefox is available on Linux and
Libre Office is available. But that's about it. Before
long you find yourself fiddling with command line
nonsense trying to get your favorite programs to
run under WINE -- which they never really quite
do, because the WINE programmers are a bunch
of nerds who are busy trying to get their shoot-em-up
games to run on WINE.

The big selling point of Windows has always been
that one can do the most with the least expertise.
There's more software and one can get under the
hood without needing to be a nerd. And it's the
norm. That kind of usability is unique to Windows.

Another big issue is the changing landscape.
Most of the big tech companies are trying to cash
in on a scheme of turning the Internet into
interactive cable TV with shopping. And the public
is going along. Facebook just announced the majority
of their profits are now from mobile. Adobe and
Microsoft are trying to herd people to services and
away from the notion that they own their device,
their software, or anything else. To put it another
way, it's a mass trend toward making cars unrealistic
and getting everyone to use taxis instead. The Linux
distributions (...why distro? Don't Linux people have
time to type a few more letters rather than using
kiddie slang?....) are following the same trend.

So the question becomes not only whether you
can successfully trade in your Windows car for a
Linux car, but also whether *either* type of car
will exist in the future, in a form usable by the
mainstream... and whether there will be raods to
drive on, for that matter, if the Information
Highway turns into the ultimate AOL Hell.

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 09:07:35 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

On 2015-04-24 05:08, Crosby Livingston wrote:
Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...ime-switchers-
windows-mac/

People switch from WinXP and Linux to Mac, not the other way around.

You know that a lot of Mac users are also Linux users, since OSX is based
on Unix, which is also the mother of Linux. I, myself, use an enterprise
Linux(Scientific Linux) because of stability, crash-proof, and free from
virii and outside software(repo).

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 10:04:32 -0400, "Mayayana"
wrote:

| Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
| Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.
|
|
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/


I'm still mostly on XP, but have no illusions that
Linux is going to be the next logical step. Maybe
someday. But unlike Alan Browne, I can't imagine
ever being so desperate as to ever descend into
AppleSeed Syndrome.

These discussions often focus on the fact that XP
is officially unsupported. That really doesn't mean
very much. The real issue is whether your computer
is usable for what you want to do. The biggest
problem with Linux is the basic lack of software.
People will go on about how GIMP is "definitely
usable" and Firefox is available on Linux and
Libre Office is available. But that's about it. Before
long you find yourself fiddling with command line
nonsense trying to get your favorite programs to
run under WINE -- which they never really quite
do, because the WINE programmers are a bunch
of nerds who are busy trying to get their shoot-em-up
games to run on WINE.

I have both Windows XP and Linux (Fedora) on my computer.

I use Linux about once every 6 months to play around with programs
that don't do very much, and use Windows XP the rest of the time.


--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

On 4/24/15, 10:38, sctvguy1 wrote:
On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 09:07:35 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

On 2015-04-24 05:08, Crosby Livingston wrote:
Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows& Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...ime-switchers-
windows-mac/

People switch from WinXP and Linux to Mac, not the other way around.

You know that a lot of Mac users are also Linux users, since OSX is based
on Unix, which is also the mother of Linux. I, myself, use an enterprise
Linux(Scientific Linux) because of stability, crash-proof, and free from
virii and outside software(repo).


Mac offers the above advantages, too, exceot that Mac OSX and iOS differ
in admitting and regulating outside software.


--
++====+=====+=====+=====+=====+====+====+=====+=== ==+=====+=====+====++
||Arnold VICTOR, New York City, i. e., ||
||Arnoldo VIKTORO, Nov-jorkurbo, t. e., ||
||Remove capital letters from e-mail address for correct address/ ||
|| Forigu majusklajn literojn el e-po�ta adreso por �usta adreso ||
++====+=====+=====+=====+=====+====+====+=====+=== ==+=====+=====+====++

On 2015-04-24 09:08:55 +0000, Crosby Livingston said:

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/


Sigh...
Here we go again.

For those of us using OSX the question remains, why switch?

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2015-04-24, sctvguy1 wrote:
On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 09:07:35 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

On 2015-04-24 05:08, Crosby Livingston wrote:
Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...ime-switchers-
windows-mac/

People switch from WinXP and Linux to Mac, not the other way around.

You know that a lot of Mac users are also Linux users, since OSX is based
on Unix, which is also the mother of Linux. I, myself, use an enterprise
Linux(Scientific Linux) because of stability, crash-proof, and free from
virii and outside software(repo).

Yep. I work with enterprise Linux systems for a living. I used to build
my own PCs specifically to run Linux at home, but am now 100% Mac at
home, because it gives me the Unix layer I need with a much better user
experience than any Linux box offers. And I actually have more software
options since most *nix software compiles and runs without issue and I
can boot into Windows if needed as well (or better yet, run any OS I
want in a virtual machine). I wouldn't dream of going back to plain
Linux boxes on my home machines. Linux is best suited for server
environments, because that's where it truly excels, and the price is
right. ; )

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

On 4/24/15 8:55 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2015-04-24 09:08:55 +0000, Crosby Livingston said:

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/


Sigh...
Here we go again.

For those of us using OSX the question remains, why switch?

+1

With the exception of something special you need to do, not general use.


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 36.0.4
Thunderbird 31.5
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:08:55 -0500, Crosby Livingston
wrote:

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/

Is it easy to install Linux to a laptop? I am thinking if drivers for
touchpad, screen and whatever is special for a laptop could be a
problem.
I have an old Asus Aspire 7720 Vith Vista in the attic. It might be
an idea to instll Linux Zorin on it, and use it for simple things.
The boot time hopefully wil be much shorter than with an old Vista
install.
--
Jesper Kaas -

In article ,
Jesper Kaas wrote:

Is it easy to install Linux to a laptop? I am thinking if drivers for
touchpad, screen and whatever is special for a laptop could be a
problem.
I have an old Asus Aspire 7720 Vith Vista in the attic. It might be
an idea to instll Linux Zorin on it, and use it for simple things.
The boot time hopefully wil be much shorter than with an old Vista
install.

I installed Arch Linux on an old Dell D630. Very smooth. Integrated
graphics, sound card, wireless, firewire -- oll korrect.

I'd never heard of Zorin - looks interesting. You shouldn't have any
problems .

Arch comes with nothing. You have to know what you want.
--
Where's the Vangelis music?
Pris' tongue is sticking out in in the wide shot after Batty has kissed her.
They have put back more tits into the Zhora dressing room scene.
-- notes for Blade Runner

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 18:26:27 +0200
Jesper Kaas wrote:

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:08:55 -0500, Crosby Livingston
wrote:

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/

Is it easy to install Linux to a laptop? I am thinking if drivers for
touchpad, screen and whatever is special for a laptop could be a
problem.
I have an old Asus Aspire 7720 Vith Vista in the attic. It might be
an idea to instll Linux Zorin on it, and use it for simple things.
The boot time hopefully wil be much shorter than with an old Vista
install.

My wife has Windows 8 on her Dell laptop, and I installed Linux Mint
along side it with no problem. The touch pad and everything else was
detected.

I would suggest Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.1, it should run on an older
laptop. You might run into problems if you have an Nvidia graphics
card.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

Linux Mint does have a long boot time of 14 seconds, but they are
working on it.

On 2015-04-24 10:38, sctvguy1 wrote:
On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 09:07:35 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

On 2015-04-24 05:08, Crosby Livingston wrote:
Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...ime-switchers-
windows-mac/

People switch from WinXP and Linux to Mac, not the other way around.

You know that a lot of Mac users are also Linux users, since OSX is based
on Unix, which is also the mother of Linux. I, myself, use an enterprise
Linux(Scientific Linux) because of stability, crash-proof, and free from
virii and outside software(repo).


I've been running Linux since early 2000's. I have two Linux' installed
on the iMac for experimental use. They have horrible user interfaces.
(Ubuntu and Suse at present ... there have been others.)

Linux is a fine OS. It is very well suited for databases, industrial
controllers, file and web servers, embedded systems of many kinds but it
is horrible for the average desktop user.

This is why, despite the great hue and cry that Linux would save mankind
from the evils of Windows that it just has not happened. Only computer
nerds can love Linux. Despite its best feature (free!), very few people
want to use it for desktops applications.

(It's only very popular in smartphones because those smartphone makers
can't resist using it - saves them oodles of development and maintenance
costs.)

And of course the commercial s/w that I need to work with colleagues,
collaborators, clients, suppliers and government are not at all
available on Linux. And won't be.

On 2015-04-24, Jesper Kaas wrote:
Is it easy to install Linux to a laptop? I am thinking if drivers for
touchpad, screen and whatever is special for a laptop could be a
problem.

I run Linux on all my laptops and have not had many problems. On some
all the function keys do not work without some customization. Most
Intel video chipsets are well supported. For Nvidia and ATI there has
been progress made in the open-source drivers but you may get best
results installing the manufacturer's binary driver. (Ubuntu at least
will offer these if available.) I haven't run into problems with basic
touchpad operation, but multi-touch gestures might not work on some.

I have an old Asus Aspire 7720 Vith Vista in the attic. It might be
an idea to instll Linux Zorin on it, and use it for simple things.
The boot time hopefully wil be much shorter than with an old Vista
install.

Your chances of success are better with an older laptop since it is likely
that hardware support has been in place for a while. Things get dicier if
you're on the bleeding edge.

Easiest thing to do is try something like Linux Mint or Xubuntu (am not
familiar with Zorin) on a CD or flash drive and see how it works with
your hardware.

--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Blake (Change "invalid" to "com" for email. Google Groups killfiled.)

NSA sedition and treason -- http://www.DeathToNSAthugs.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 24/04/2015 17:26:27, Jesper Kaas wrote:
On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:08:55 -0500, Crosby Livingston
wrote:

Interesting article for the best distros to switch to if you're on
Windows & Mac, especially if you're still on WinXP like I am.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-li...s-windows-mac/

Is it easy to install Linux to a laptop? I am thinking if drivers for
touchpad, screen and whatever is special for a laptop could be a
problem.
I have an old Asus Aspire 7720 Vith Vista in the attic. It might be
an idea to instll Linux Zorin on it, and use it for simple things.
The boot time hopefully wil be much shorter than with an old Vista
install.

You don't have to install Linux to try it. Once you have created the
DVD with the Linux iso file you can run it from the DVD.

I recently tried these three Linux distributions - in the order of my
preference - on an old year 2003 HP Pavilion ex-windows xp laptop with
2MB of memeory:

Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca with Cinnamon desktop
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

Zorin 9 Core
http://zorin-os.com/free.html

Chalet OS
https://sites.google.com/site/chaletoslinux/home

--
mick