Are You Guys Excited?

[Microwave]

Two very good points, though Jakgoe, you could argue that Windows is technically free. Obviously each OS has its uses and people use their computers for different things, but I can't really think of anything that you can get on Linux that you can't get on Windows.

[WizzyThaMan]

But a lot of things you can get on a windows but not on a linux Its just plain simple my friend. This knife cuts on both sides.

[Kev2442]

That's an interesting discussion.
I'm actually interested in getting on Linux.
I'd add the following to the points already said :
- More stable. No wonder why most 24/7 servers run on Linux.
- More customizable. Hate a thing ? Remove or change it. Want a thing ? Do it or download it if already available.
- More efficient. You don't need 10GBs free and 2GBs of RAM just for the OS. Plus, you don't need to defrag your disk.
- More secure. It almost doesn't have viruses because of the open source code : you can find, fix and share an issue in less than a week.
- More good deeds for your conscience. You support free and secure community-oriented softwares.

In the end, Microsoft is pretty much screwed at this point : with Steam OS, WINE and all, I don't give 10 years before most gamers play on Linux.

[Microwave]

I wouldn't go so far as to say Microsoft is "screwed", have you not seen Windows 10? It looks great, and they're also developing DirectX 12.

[07CobaltGirl]

Two very good points, though Jakgoe, you could argue that Windows is technically free. Obviously each OS has its uses and people use their computers for different things, but I can't really think of anything that you can get on Linux that you can't get on Windows.

That's an interesting discussion.
I'm actually interested in getting on Linux.
I'd add the following to the points already said :
- More stable. No wonder why most 24/7 servers run on Linux. Absolutely the number one reason for running Linux or any other *NIX environment!!
- More customizable. Hate a thing ? Remove or change it. Want a thing ? Do it or download it if already available. Probably the second most important reason. You'd really be surprised how many applications are available for a *NIX environment, despite the sore lack of mainstream vendors willing to provide them. The Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community is a highly versatile market ready to build any application you desire, completely customized to your needs, for a very comparable price when compared to the Windows marketplace. Moreover, programming for Linux is not hard at all. I have written many database applications using only C/C++ and a moderate knowledge of programming.
- More efficient. You don't need 10GBs free and 2GBs of RAM just for the OS. Plus, you don't need to defrag your disk. Not entirely true. If it is a simple student laptop or home desktop, then yes. If you're using it for other purposes, then no. However, if you compare your purpose to a comparable Windows system, the overhead is almost always significantly lower, which contributes to the number one reason listed above. Additionally, Linux offers multi-user environments, which you cannot do in Windows. Also, journaling file system. When power is removed from the computer suddenly, your work is not lost. Try that with Windows!
- More secure. It almost doesn't have viruses because of the open source code : you can find, fix and share an issue in less than a week. Also not entirely true. *NIX is not virus free, or completely invulnerable to virus attacks. Highly customized kernels are nearly impossible to penetrate (if they're done correctly), because crackers and coders don't have a blueprint for custom kernels. This is a benefit, but can be a nightmare to fix if it does sustain an attack, as custom kernels cannot really be supported by the community. Windows kernels are all nearly 100% identical, which makes them an especially easy target, but also easy to support.
- More good deeds for your conscience. You support free and secure community-oriented softwares. A contender for the second most important reason, though many people don't take advantage of this aspect. Many don't understand FOSS, and therefore don't contribute back into the community, either due to lack of time, skills, or desire.

In the end, Microsoft is pretty much screwed at this point : with Steam OS, WINE and all, I don't give 10 years before most gamers play on Linux.

Sorry for the rant, but I am a die-hard Linux supporter. I can think of many things you can do with Linux which you cannot do with Windows. Quite a few really good ones are listed above by Kev2442. There are more reasons, as well, and if you can let go of "Windows mindsets", Linux can do anything Windows can do, and most of the time, better! If you want an easy-to-use command line for a server environment, Linux is top notch. If you want to mainstream game, Windows is probably still your best bet. If you need to do Graphic Design or Audio Engineering, Mac is the one for you. They all have their most suitable purposes. Windows only does one thing really well, and that is gaming. Linux and Mac can do all of them well. Name a task and I can tell you how to do it with Linux. Anything. Really!

To be honest, the hardest thing about *NIX environments is finding suitable drivers for newer hardware, and this problem is actually waning quickly as FOSS gains speed towards the future. I have a 1 year old Epson network printer with 100% functionality from all of my *NIX servers and desktop, without installing proprietary software on any of them! Gaming is about the only thing which is still truely left behind on *NIX, but with WINE and specifically for gaming, Crossover, gaming is actually gaining too.

As for Windows being "technically free"...not a chance. It comes on almost all computers you buy at the store, but you paid for it, regardless. Microsoft doesn't share anything. In fact, they used Open Source code for many of their programs, and had to be forced by courts to follow the agreements set forth by the GPL which was included in the original code they used.

[Microwave]

Okay, I've just realised that I'm starting a Windows Vs. Mac Vs. Linux debate here and should probably end it here

[WizzyThaMan]

Tha s nice way of admitting you lost the discussion haha

[Kev2442]

Why thank you 07CobaltGirl, I did my best to summarize what I found.

What I meant by "Windows is screwed' is that they'll be quickly losing share on the gaming market.
DirectX is mature, but Mantle and OpenGL could, and will gain more attention as Steam is available on Linux and the Source engine is ported over.
As for Mantle, DICE is working on it, so most new Frostbite games should be able to run on it in the near future.
Plus, it's not as if gamers actually wanted to stay on Windows. Most of them are stuck on it because of the lack of games.
WINE or PlayOnLinux are making most of current games as playable as older ones, even if there's still research needed for DX11.
And UE4 and Unity are coming along nicely, thus most future games should be Linux compatible.

I know a bunch of people using Macs or Linux PCs, and most of these people aren't hardcore gamers.
BUT, some of them who are play on a console because of the lack of support.
And please, don't tell me that WINE isn't ready yet. A proprietary extension called Cider is used by EA themselves to port The Sims 3 over to Mac OS. And we know it's a heavy game.
For now, I'm mostly interested in what this guy made : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37D2bRsthfI

Linux is quite better than Windows. We just need its softwares. And we'll be getting most of them soon.

[Microwave]

Yeah, I'd be more than willing to give Linux a try if it had all of the stuff that I need. Have to see how Windows 10 is.

[07CobaltGirl]

Yeah, I'd be more than willing to give Linux a try if it had all of the stuff that I need. Have to see how Windows 10 is.

What is it you need? You might just be surprised!

[Microwave]

I mostly game on my main computer. Does Linux have Photoshop and Microsoft Office?

[utopian201]

It has GIMP and Libre office...

I use a standard Ubuntu install at work. My first work issued notebook had Ubuntu and it had graphics driver problems with using multiple monitors. X would sometimes just crash and I would need to log back in, so in those instances, had I not saved regularly, I would have lost work. Sometimes the screens just go black and I need to reboot, because restarting X, it no longer recognises the correct resolution of my monitors. Othertimes, there is something wrong with X and the computer grinds to a halt and I have to reboot it.

My notebook was then replaced with a desktop with a newer version of Ubuntu, I still get the same problems. Say what you want about windows, but whenever I've plugged in a second monitor, windows "just works" (usually said of a mac!). When im at work, I just want to get my work done, I dont have time to mess around with trying to get the drivers working with dual monitors, a simple feature.

It is just me in the office with this problem, but I no longer believe Linux is always stable out of the box. Although I do find when im using Linux, I very rarely use the mouse since im always in a terminal, and only use the mouse to switch to the editor, then sometimes alt tab back.

[autofrank]

Two very good points, though Jakgoe, you could argue that Windows is technically free. Obviously each OS has its uses and people use their computers for different things, but I can't really think of anything that you can get on Linux that you can't get on Windows.

I liked Windows, but if you use Linux for a short time now that it's much simpler to use, you'll begin to hate windows as an OS, as a concept, as a business, etc.

[07CobaltGirl]

Two very good points, though Jakgoe, you could argue that Windows is technically free. Obviously each OS has its uses and people use their computers for different things, but I can't really think of anything that you can get on Linux that you can't get on Windows.

I liked Windows, but if you use Linux for a short time now that it's much simpler to use, you'll begin to hate windows as an OS, as a concept, as a business, etc.

I really need a "Like" button!!!!!!!!!!!

[SuperSportNick]

I'm just want to say in this Linux vs. Windows debate, I mean computers are getting better and better. I'm not a techy but I'd say 10gb on my HDD is next to nothing. I've got a 1TB HDD and I'm never going to use it all. But that's what my CPU came with and that's what I got.

It's picky and elitist to choose any OS over another. As long as it can play Automation, I don't care!