Comments on: Five good reasons to switch to Linux http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/ A technology news blog covering software, mobile phones, gadgets, security, the Internet and other relevant areas. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:10:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: buzzaldrinhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1396000 buzzaldrin Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:59:54 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1396000 I live in a country where even a government use "free" windows let alone everybody else so free is not an issue here. The reason why I switched to linux (and keep xp just for games and some old apps I have mastered) is viruses and malware. People from my place call me often to fix their malware-ridden PCs which I do for free but as time goes and there are so many of them I began to install linux on their machines as a standalone (for those who use it just for internet, movies, music and to write a letter or two) and as dual boot for gamers and people with legacy apps. I must say I didn't encounter too much problems with driver recognition and such. Once when it works I have no problems anymore with them. For a "real noob" (as in my uncle) there is really no difference between win and lin. What matters is to get easy to facebook and skype or internet banking and not having the damn viruses. I live in a country where even a government use “free” windows let alone everybody else so free is not an issue here. The reason why I switched to linux (and keep xp just for games and some old apps I have mastered) is viruses and malware. People from my place call me often to fix their malware-ridden PCs which I do for free but as time goes and there are so many of them I began to install linux on their machines as a standalone (for those who use it just for internet, movies, music and to write a letter or two) and as dual boot for gamers and people with legacy apps. I must say I didn’t encounter too much problems with driver recognition and such. Once when it works I have no problems anymore with them. For a “real noob” (as in my uncle) there is really no difference between win and lin. What matters is to get easy to facebook and skype or internet banking and not having the damn viruses.

]]> By: scribblerhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1371352 scribbler Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:52:30 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1371352 Windows is still a viable solution for many people. Gamers, professional photographers, game developers, bureaucrats. But it's not the universal solution for everyone. Case in point: Having a computer in the house is a must these days, but to run the latest software, one must have the latest version of Windows, and to run the latest version of Windows, one has to have the latest hardware, and to have the latest hardware, one must have a considerable disposable income. What attracted me to Linux in the first place was that it doesn't matter what system I own (and I own everything from a 172MB RAM 1Ghz single core Intel Celeron processor deskstop to a dual-core 1GB RAM nVidia enabled laptop) I can find a distro that will run it, and with a bit of tweaking, do everything that a modern computer needs to do with software and hardware that's still supported. Linux has given new life to computers that anyone else would simply trash and replace. The solution seems simple: just upgrade, but not everyone can afford that. Times are tough and jobs are scarce. Because of that, Linux has been a real blessing for us. After using it for a while, I discovered that for what I use computers for (web surfing, writing, a few indie games, cartooning, music production, etc.) Linux served me better than Windows. I don't play too many games, I don't need Photoshop, I actually PREFERRED pre-2000 Microsoft Works and Word, and everything I needed to do was either insanely easy under the GUI or needed a simple one-time fix. I grew up with MS-DOS, so the terminal didn't scare me away. Linux is often cited as being a useless pile of trash in comparison to Windows and MacOS, but Linux is only an instrument, just like anything else, and in capable hands, it can make just as beautiful music as anything else. Different systems for different needs. It's not so difficult to understand. Windows is still a viable solution for many people. Gamers, professional photographers, game developers, bureaucrats. But it’s not the universal solution for everyone.

Case in point:

Having a computer in the house is a must these days, but to run the latest software, one must have the latest version of Windows, and to run the latest version of Windows, one has to have the latest hardware, and to have the latest hardware, one must have a considerable disposable income.

What attracted me to Linux in the first place was that it doesn’t matter what system I own (and I own everything from a 172MB RAM 1Ghz single core Intel Celeron processor deskstop to a dual-core 1GB RAM nVidia enabled laptop) I can find a distro that will run it, and with a bit of tweaking, do everything that a modern computer needs to do with software and hardware that’s still supported. Linux has given new life to computers that anyone else would simply trash and replace. The solution seems simple: just upgrade, but not everyone can afford that. Times are tough and jobs are scarce. Because of that, Linux has been a real blessing for us.

After using it for a while, I discovered that for what I use computers for (web surfing, writing, a few indie games, cartooning, music production, etc.) Linux served me better than Windows. I don’t play too many games, I don’t need Photoshop, I actually PREFERRED pre-2000 Microsoft Works and Word, and everything I needed to do was either insanely easy under the GUI or needed a simple one-time fix. I grew up with MS-DOS, so the terminal didn’t scare me away.

Linux is often cited as being a useless pile of trash in comparison to Windows and MacOS, but Linux is only an instrument, just like anything else, and in capable hands, it can make just as beautiful music as anything else.

Different systems for different needs. It’s not so difficult to understand.

]]> By: Marcushttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1330994 Marcus Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:49:57 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1330994 Yes I realize that no one has commented on this article in ages, but one thing I'd like to add about Linux is that it is so refreshing b/c it just leaves you alone- with Windows there are constant dialog boxes popping up asking you to do this or to do that or if you want to install updates, etc etc. With Linux there are none of those annoying pop ups and that is one of the things that is so refreshing! Also, it seems like when my computer is running Linux it is much quieter than when it used to run Windows. When running Windows it seemed as if my HD was constantly grinding away. Yes I realize that no one has commented on this article in ages, but one thing I’d like to add about Linux is that it is so refreshing b/c it just leaves you alone- with Windows there are constant dialog boxes popping up asking you to do this or to do that or if you want to install updates, etc etc. With Linux there are none of those annoying pop ups and that is one of the things that is so refreshing!

Also, it seems like when my computer is running Linux it is much quieter than when it used to run Windows. When running Windows it seemed as if my HD was constantly grinding away.

]]> By: Donhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1067125 Don Wed, 05 May 2010 07:35:19 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1067125 But the Linux system was created with an ideology behind. But some people "love" the system but do not like the ideology because they want to take the it, change it a little bit and sale it for a profit. But the Linux system was created with an ideology behind. But some people “love” the system but do not like the ideology because they want to take the it, change it a little bit and sale it for a profit.

]]> By: makerhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1050503 maker Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:55:58 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1050503 you don't really know what you're talking about. The comment about Mac OS being a Linux variant proves it. It isn't. Mac OS is Unix based. As for the other comments about the lack of friendly graphical user interface. I.....ugh. It's not worth it. You just don't have a clue. you don’t really know what you’re talking about.

The comment about Mac OS being a Linux variant proves it. It isn’t. Mac OS is Unix based.

As for the other comments about the lack of friendly graphical user interface. I…..ugh. It’s not worth it. You just don’t have a clue.

]]> By: davehttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-1008529 dave Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:23:27 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-1008529 why does it always have to be presented as some sort of philosophy or ideology? what good is the perspective of some gushing fanboy, to say.. a person running a business? most of the reasons you present are fluff that do not apply to real people, living and operating in the real world. I love linux, but I'm not gonna sit around and pretend like it's gonna save the world. Go eat a granola bar, hippy. why does it always have to be presented as some sort of philosophy or ideology? what good is the perspective of some gushing fanboy, to say.. a person running a business? most of the reasons you present are fluff that do not apply to real people, living and operating in the real world.

I love linux, but I’m not gonna sit around and pretend like it’s gonna save the world. Go eat a granola bar, hippy.

]]> By: pinguinloverhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-969251 pinguinlover Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:56:44 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-969251 your definitly on the wrong website :/ windows is the most crappy piece of man made technology ever. just use linux. believe me. :) your definitly on the wrong website :/ windows is the most crappy piece of man made technology ever. just use linux. believe me. :)

]]> By: Fabhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-957740 Fab Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:22:27 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-957740 Linux... in Ubuntu just does it for me. It's a total relieve to have a choice then to live with the same crap year after year and paying and paying year after year for the same crap. I hope in the future more OSs come up and more dedicated so that they do not use so much of our PC like the Windows crap does. All mostly done with the intention of protecting their greedy economic self interest. I hope the open source community keeps moving ahead and make computers and communication what was originally meant to be; free and for everyone. Linux… in Ubuntu just does it for me. It’s a total relieve to have a choice then to live with the same crap year after year and paying and paying year after year for the same crap. I hope in the future more OSs come up and more dedicated so that they do not use so much of our PC like the Windows crap does. All mostly done with the intention of protecting their greedy economic self interest. I hope the open source community keeps moving ahead and make computers and communication what was originally meant to be; free and for everyone.

]]> By: Bret Morettihttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-957543 Bret Moretti Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:00:54 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-957543 Sorry for sounding like a noob but what is Windows? Sorry for sounding like a noob but what is Windows?

]]> By: DaNanghttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-818286 DaNang Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:26:35 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-818286 [] There's LINUX... but then there is UBUNTU I played around with alot of LINUX distros. Some were nightmares. I landed into UBUNTU 9.04 JAUNTY JACKELOPE recently and that did the trick. WINDOWS is now my second choice. [] UBUNTU 9.04 is a snap to install... [] UBUNTU 9.04 is a snap to back up (Clone) my entire Hard Drive using "ddrescue" while the laptop is actually running: from a terminal just type in: sudo ddrescue -v /dev/sda /dev/sdb [] Free sotware, "Hipo" for my IPod... so much more. [] Using Firefox is a snap, using all there Add-on's who needs any extra WINDOWS extra software? [] NO Virus' just run UBUNTU and life is a pleasure. [] I Waited for UBUNTU to come to prime time, and UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty is the answer. I Bailed out on WINDOW$ this year when UBUNTU 9.04 was released, I use WINDOWS XP only for a backup. [] IF you played around with LINUX before, return back and USE UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty. You'll love it!! [] "Friends don't let friends use WINDOW$" Enjoy... I am: UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty Jackelope! Love it!!!!! [] There’s LINUX… but then there is UBUNTU
I played around with alot of LINUX distros. Some were nightmares. I landed into UBUNTU 9.04 JAUNTY JACKELOPE recently and that did the trick.
WINDOWS is now my second choice.
[] UBUNTU 9.04 is a snap to install…
[] UBUNTU 9.04 is a snap to back up (Clone) my entire Hard Drive using “ddrescue” while the laptop is actually running: from a terminal just type in:
sudo ddrescue -v /dev/sda /dev/sdb
[] Free sotware, “Hipo” for my IPod… so much more.
[] Using Firefox is a snap, using all there Add-on’s who needs any extra WINDOWS extra software?
[] NO Virus’ just run UBUNTU and life is a pleasure.
[] I Waited for UBUNTU to come to prime time, and UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty is the answer. I Bailed out on WINDOW$ this year when UBUNTU 9.04 was released, I use WINDOWS XP only for a backup.
[] IF you played around with LINUX before, return back and USE UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty. You’ll love it!!
[] “Friends don’t let friends use WINDOW$”

Enjoy… I am:
UBUNTU 9.04 Jaunty Jackelope! Love it!!!!!

]]> By: dnahttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-799680 dna Fri, 22 May 2009 17:18:29 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-799680 Don't forget performance. I dual boot vista and Ubuntu (jaunty) and vista is already using over 1GB of RAM immediately after booting. Ubuntu is using a little over 300MB immediately after booting. Even after killing a bunch of unnecessary processes in vista (which I never wanted anyway) I can't get vista close to what Ubuntu does. Don’t forget performance. I dual boot vista and Ubuntu (jaunty) and vista is already using over 1GB of RAM immediately after booting. Ubuntu is using a little over 300MB immediately after booting. Even after killing a bunch of unnecessary processes in vista (which I never wanted anyway) I can’t get vista close to what Ubuntu does.

]]> By: New wave of Netbooks - no Windows, no Intel - Computers - PCs, laptops, hardware, software - Page 2 - City-Data Forumhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-757471 New wave of Netbooks - no Windows, no Intel - Computers - PCs, laptops, hardware, software - Page 2 - City-Data Forum Fri, 01 May 2009 14:24:06 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-757471 [...] why would anyone waste their time learning Linux when Windows does 99% of what they use it for? Five good reasons to switch to Linux Although OpenOffice is not necessarily a Linux thing (I have little doubt that more Windows [...] [...] why would anyone waste their time learning Linux when Windows does 99% of what they use it for? Five good reasons to switch to Linux Although OpenOffice is not necessarily a Linux thing (I have little doubt that more Windows [...]

]]> By: 5 Things Linux does better than Windowshttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-747652 5 Things Linux does better than Windows Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:25:28 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-747652 [...] started the debate. We’ve discussed 5 Reasons you should switch to Linux right now, and 5 Good reasons to switch to Linux. Now it’s time to up the ante and discuss some of the things Linux does better than [...] [...] started the debate. We’ve discussed 5 Reasons you should switch to Linux right now, and 5 Good reasons to switch to Linux. Now it’s time to up the ante and discuss some of the things Linux does better than [...]

]]> By: GNUvox » Blog Archive » 5 buone ragioni per passare a GNU/Linuxhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-747021 GNUvox » Blog Archive » 5 buone ragioni per passare a GNU/Linux Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:29:59 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-747021 [...] Fonte e approfondimento (in inglese) Posted in Approfondimenti | [...] [...] Fonte e approfondimento (in inglese) Posted in Approfondimenti | [...]

]]> By: Cinco razones por la cual deberías cambiar a Linux justo ahora « Blog - Elvis Cortijohttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-746588 Cinco razones por la cual deberías cambiar a Linux justo ahora « Blog - Elvis Cortijo Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:07:12 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-746588 [...] Economía. En mi reciente artículo “Cinco buenas razones para cambiar a Linux” Me hizo bastante claro por qué el costo de Linux tiene sentido. Pero permítanme dejar este [...] [...] Economía. En mi reciente artículo “Cinco buenas razones para cambiar a Linux” Me hizo bastante claro por qué el costo de Linux tiene sentido. Pero permítanme dejar este [...]

]]> By: Links 26/04/2009: Ubuntu 9.04 Reviews, Android Success | Boycott Novellhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-746451 Links 26/04/2009: Ubuntu 9.04 Reviews, Android Success | Boycott Novell Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:51:06 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-746451 [...] Five good reasons to switch to Linux 4. Freedom. From the beginning Linux has been about freedom. This freedom is all about the user and the freedom from software that offers no opportunity for the user to change the way the software behaves. Recently the Linux Foundation held a contest for a “We’re Linux” video. The winning entry elegantly explains what software freedom is all about. See the video here. Freedom is one of the main reasons why I use Linux. When a piece of software doesn’t behave in exactly the manner I want it to behave I change it. Open source allows me to do that. Try altering the behavior of a piece of Windows software (outside of the preferences window). The old Microsoft question “Where do you want to go today?” With Linux that question would be “Where do you want to go, how do you want to get there, do you want the scenic route, do you want a specific map for your trip (or do you want to wing it), and do you prefer first class or coach?” [...] [...] Five good reasons to switch to Linux 4. Freedom. From the beginning Linux has been about freedom. This freedom is all about the user and the freedom from software that offers no opportunity for the user to change the way the software behaves. Recently the Linux Foundation held a contest for a “We’re Linux” video. The winning entry elegantly explains what software freedom is all about. See the video here. Freedom is one of the main reasons why I use Linux. When a piece of software doesn’t behave in exactly the manner I want it to behave I change it. Open source allows me to do that. Try altering the behavior of a piece of Windows software (outside of the preferences window). The old Microsoft question “Where do you want to go today?” With Linux that question would be “Where do you want to go, how do you want to get there, do you want the scenic route, do you want a specific map for your trip (or do you want to wing it), and do you prefer first class or coach?” [...]

]]> By: autumnloverhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-745810 autumnlover Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:58:44 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-745810 Some reasons not to switch: - reliable CD/DVD/BR recording software - I mean Nero, Infrarecorder or CDBurnerXP. No matter what mainboard/recorder I try to use with k3b it has problems with starting recording and/or verification. Same goes to Brasero. - speed! Try XP/Vista on Celeron 1700 with 1GB RAM and Nvidia 6200 video card. And then try one of current distros - Ubuntu, Mandriva, Fedora. KDE/GNOME/XFCE runs much slower on same hardware than XP and even Vista. "lightweight" environments? No thanks, I do not want to go back to Windows 3.0 level of functionality - games! - GNU/Linux is more stable than XP/Vista? Maybe before starting an X server :) Some reasons not to switch:

- reliable CD/DVD/BR recording software – I mean Nero, Infrarecorder or CDBurnerXP. No matter what mainboard/recorder I try to use with k3b it has problems with starting recording and/or verification. Same goes to Brasero.

- speed! Try XP/Vista on Celeron 1700 with 1GB RAM and Nvidia 6200 video card. And then try one of current distros – Ubuntu, Mandriva, Fedora. KDE/GNOME/XFCE runs much slower on same hardware than XP and even Vista. “lightweight” environments? No thanks, I do not want to go back to Windows 3.0 level of functionality

- games!

- GNU/Linux is more stable than XP/Vista? Maybe before starting an X server :)

]]> By: Best reasons that you must switch to linux OS. » Hak9http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-745754 Best reasons that you must switch to linux OS. » Hak9 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:47:42 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-745754 [...] have to be paid to be educated. In my opinion this is an issue fettered to past releases of the operating system that didn’t enjoy nearly the user-friendliness that today’s Linux enjoys. This issue could also [...] [...] have to be paid to be educated. In my opinion this is an issue fettered to past releases of the operating system that didn’t enjoy nearly the user-friendliness that today’s Linux enjoys. This issue could also [...]

]]> By: RGhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-744976 RG Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:10:00 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-744976 Very difficult to argue that user experience is better with Linux. 2 and 3 help but are nowhere near the benefits the average user sees in Windows. Not forgetting that answers are easier to find and actually carry out for Windows. For average users and below Linux is not even half of Windows is. Very difficult to argue that user experience is better with Linux. 2 and 3 help but are nowhere near the benefits the average user sees in Windows. Not forgetting that answers are easier to find and actually carry out for Windows. For average users and below Linux is not even half of Windows is.

]]> By: Fabianhttp://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/24/five-good-reasons-to-switch-to-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-744177 Fabian Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:27:59 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/?p=12323#comment-744177 I have tried different Linux Distributions and I find them very ..very interesting. I have heard, however, that some hardware do not work properly with Linux. Any comments..Thank you! I have tried different Linux Distributions and I find them very ..very interesting. I have heard, however, that some hardware do not work properly with Linux. Any comments..Thank you!

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