Posted on 01/06/2011 8:31:18 AM PST by ShadowAce
Wouldn’t mind using Linux here, but there’s a problem. The world uses Windows, our customers use Windows, our development software runs on Windows, our executives are very much tied to Exchange, and I’m a big believer in eating your own dog food.
So we use Windows.
I’ve been thinking of making the move. Does Linux take advantage of multi-processor cores?
In fact, Linux comprises the vast majority of high-end machines, utilizing multi-core machines.
But I would try to introduce a variety into your backends if possible. Firewall, web site, etc could easily run a different OS without impacting the user experience. That diversity would hedge against any malware introduced into your system, as any malware cannot attack multiple different OSes.
Internet networking is very complex, having nothing to do with any particular os. I’m using CentOS (free download with red hat as the “upstream vendor”). It has gotten very nice and simple - Relatively. You will need to learn a little. With windows, everyone just runs it, but they should be learning also, since they have a nightmarishly vulnerable os. most people just don’t realize how bad windows is. But switching to any other os is not a no-brainer solution. there just is no easy answer for having a secure and efficient-to-use os. that being said, the biggest software category for the “compatibility” argument for running windows is office: spreadsheet, word processor, etc. Open Office is a wonderful free download that supports the basic file types you would email back and forth. I’ve sent people spreadsheets and docs and they opened them up fine in their “pay” counterparts. Open Office is VERY simple to install, runs on windows and linux (its written in java). centos comes with open office, no need to download.
as a 20-year software guy, i just gave up on paying big dollars for windows software developer tools which don’t get better every year, just more complex, expensive and “controlling”. i’m the most free-enterprise person you’ll Ever meet, but monopolies such as ms have zero creativity, just and endless search for revenue without providing value. with centos i’m on my own for support (which is not so bad with the existence of google), but I get the FULL toolset for free; a database server, email server, web server, many languages, the list goes on and on. the non-techie user, though, still has a bit of a task to get familiar with what “services” are running and how to turn them off if they just want a secure, single user machine.
I haven’t looked into it yet, but over the holidays another FReeper posted an article about Zorin Linux. It’s supposed to be designed to ease the transition for Windows users, runs faster than 7, and supposedly runs Windows apps faster than Windows.
If it does everything it’s supposed to, it might be an interesting product to use in your environment - the same one many of us are in.
I would just add that one of the cool things about Linux is the availability of "live" CDs. That is, you go to a Linux site (eg. ubuntu, pclinuxos, mepis, just search for "linux distros" etc.) and download an ISO image of a CD. (note, this'll be big, about 700 MB) Most CD burning programs make it easy to "burn" the ISO image onto a CD. If your machine's BIOS is set up correctly, you can then boot the machine from the CD and try Linux. No muss, no fuss, no commitment of installing it. Yes, it will boot and run significantly slower from the CD than from hard disk. But it is a good way to try it out. They are also handy to have around to "rescue" machines (or at least data from them) that will no-longer boot due to some damage to the OS installed on the hard disk.
Is Linux "the" answer for everyone? Of course not. I'm an admitted Linux fan. However, I also have Windows 7 available to dual boot for the couple of things I cannot do in Linux. (eg. iTunes and TomTom GPS updates) Linux works fine for what I use it for: email, web, photo management of pics from my digital camera, video management (digital video camera), occasional documents and spreadsheets. (open office - also available on windows and OS/X)
I got started using Linux 'cause it's cheap (free) and so am I. ;-) Also, yes, it does run just fine on lower-end machines. Note, now win 7 is pretty good at this too. They both boot and run about equally fast on the same dual-boot machine here. Yes, Linux is nearly immune to virus and other attacks. However, many of the applications you use on it may not be. (eg. FireFox, OpenOffice, etc.) Since I back up my data regularly, I can always just wipe and re-install if need be. So I don't run an anti-virus program on Linux. If you use windows on a regular basis, giving up some $, disk space, and CPU cycles to an anti-virus program is a must.
Anyway, Linux really isn't just for geeks anymore. It is a viable option depending on what your needs are. Maybe not even as your primary OS, but as something you set up just to fool around with and explore/experiment. (ok, that may be a bit geeky)
Great, now I have to clean coffee off my keyboard and monitor! Funniest thing I've read all week!
I figured it could, but I knew there would be some experts here, thanks. I am thinking of getting a new PC soon, so I am wondering if there is a preferred hardware for Linux?
The one thing that is holding me back from making the switch is actually software. I do a lot of GIS stuff and I use some Windows programs with no Linux versions. Are there any web sites that list Windows software and their Linux substitutes?
it also makes use of processor frequency scaling, and gives you a nice little toolbar applet to see it. if your pc processor supports it, when it’s not busy, it will run slower (like 99% of the time when your pc is not doing diddly). if gets busy, it will set the cpu speed faster.
i recently bought a dell optiplex 380 with windows on it: never ran it once, just turned it on and went into “setup” mode, changed boot to dvd, put in my bootable centos install dvd and rebooted, which put me right into centos install.
the centos desktop is very practical and efficient. the system monitor is like windows “task manager” and shows nice low cpu usage even when playing videos. one no longer has to know many unix commands (like top for that one) as there are graphical desktop apps for most everything, even configuration.
i also installed centos on my little dell mini laptop (i like it because the battery lasts many hours). didn’t take long to get my verizon um175 usb wireless modem going.
i can nicely (and securely) transfer files between them with a cruzer usb 32G memory stick; just plug it in and centos sees it and opens up a folder.
but unix is not for someone who wants an easy solution with “zero” effort; it’s not so difficult for me because i have a lengthy IT background.
A learning curve exists with everything different than what you are used to. Once one gets past the initial differences, I find Linux easier to stay comfortable with.
I find that with Windows, the tendency is to learn to navigate around by rote rather than by actually understanding the underlying functions you are using. When that is the case, even different versions of Windows can have a frustrating learning curve. With Linux, once you’ve got your head wrapped around things, it’s like riding a bicycle.
Now, I’m so used to Linux that I find the learning curve for Windows frustrating...lol
No preferred hardware. Once in a while, you’ll come across a wireless card or video card that is very new which will cause an install hiccup. However, with the live CD, you can spot this before you jump in to installing it. Usually, the answer is a google search away. If you run into that and need help, just drop me a FReepmail.
Many Windows programs, particularly old ones, will work with WINE, emulates a windows environment inside Linux. You can also run Windows on a Virtualbox Virtual Machine inside your Linux install. This is the method that I choose with things like Photoshop and the VMware Vsphere software that I use for work. With a powerful enough box, you can use just about anything you can think of in a VirtualBox, which is free and extremely easy to use.
This site has a lot of substitute programs:
Some of them actually are good substitutes and some are pretty lame. A quick perusal says that they’re a bit slow to add new pieces of software to that list as well. For instance, there’s an Evernote client called Nevernote that has been available for quite a few months now and it’s not on the list as an Evernote alternative. A few months in Linux time is like a lifetime.
I like the Linux rescue CD that I get with the Macrium backup software:
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp
It is very small and works very well.
Heh. Several years ago I bought a graphics card so that OpenOffice wouldn't require several minutes to start up. About the same time I installed D*mn Small Linux on my old (work) P90 (Win95) workstation -- horribly slow.
I’ll take the iPad. :)
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