Whats linux like?

[TheCatShuriken]

Hey! So, with my new computer build, I'm not going to be able to use Windows 10 anymore, so I'm going to use Linux instead. What are some downsides and upsides of using linux? Thanks!

[DrMacintosh]

8 minutes ago, TheCatShuriken said:

Hey! So, with my new computer build, I'm not going to be able to use Windows 10 anymore, so I'm going to use Linux instead. What are some downsides and upsides of using linux? Thanks!

I have never used it personally but I am able to comment on the downsides. 

 

Linux's biggest flaw is that it has very limited program/application support. Gaming is basically a no go, even MacOS would be better at that. In addition there are a lot of different versions that you have to choose from that fit your use. 

 

One of the biggest upsides is that it is free, and most browsers (like Chrome) will work just fine. 

 

 

I would consider a Hackintosh (though this forum cannot help you per the rules), not as easy to set up but when it works, MacOS is a much more full featured, and supported OS

[kaiju_wars]

Linux is opensource, which is nice... but with my experience with Linux (mostly Ubuntu, Lubuntu, openSUSE, and Puppy Dog Linux), you have to use Terminal, alot.  

It's gotten a lot better, especially with popular distros such as Ubuntu, but there's still a lot of digging for drivers and going to terminal to get certain things installed and/or done.

 

Biggest upside though is the OS is free.

[iRileyx]

Just curious.. what makes you unable to use windows 10 in your new build?

[TheCatShuriken]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

I have never used it personally but I am able to comment on the downsides. 

 

Linux's biggest flaw is that it has very limited program/application support. Gaming is basically a no go, even MacOS would be better at that. 

 

One of the biggest upsides is that it is free, and most browsers (like Chrome) will work just fine. 

 

 

I would consider a Hackintosh, not as easy to set up but when it works, MacOS is a much more full featured, and supported OS

Damn. That was what I was worried about. Might have to figure out... Other ways to get windows.

 

Just now, kaiju_wars said:

Linux is opensource, which is nice... but with my experience with Linux (mostly Ubuntu, Lubuntu, openSUSE, and Puppy Dog Linux), you have to use Terminal, alot.  

It's gotten a lot better, especially with popular distros such as Ubuntu, but there's still a lot of digging for drivers and going to terminal to get certain things installed and/or done.

Snap. 

[kaiju_wars]

Just now, TheCatShuriken said:

Damn. That was what I was worried about. Might have to figure out... Other ways to get windows.

 

Snap. 

Oh, it's not all bad, most machines I've installed Linux on, I've been able to find drivers easily and get things up and running really easy.

I've never had any luck with Dell and Asus machines though.

[SCHISCHKA]

this picture says more than words:

 

Most people start with Ubuntu or Mint. I would go with Debian 9 as mint does weird shit sometimes and ubuntu is going through a UI transition to use the same desktop as Debian, but Debian 9 is available now.

 

Are you getting a Ryzen CPU? because if you are, you will want something newer. Ryzen optimisations are in kernel 4.10. What is available now is kernel version 4.8 to 4.9.

Ubuntu 17.10, which will be released soon, should be over kernel 4.10

[TheCatShuriken]

Just now, RKRiley said:

Just curious.. what makes you unable to use windows 10 in your new build?

Money, really. I cant fork over too much for the OS when I'm already really pushing a 730 USD build. Of course piracy is an option, but a lot of windows 10 is connected to the web, and frequent updates, security features, and other things might not work (just a guess).

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, TheCatShuriken said:

Money, really. I cant fork over too much for the OS when I'm already really pushing a 730 USD build. Of course piracy is an option, but a lot of windows 10 is connected to the web, and frequent updates, security features, and other things might not work (just a guess).

If price is a concern try

 

https://www.kinguin.net/category/22175/windows-10-home-oem-key/

[kaiju_wars]

1 minute ago, TheCatShuriken said:

Money, really. I cant fork over too much for the OS when I'm already really pushing a 730 USD build. Of course piracy is an option, but a lot of windows 10 is connected to the web, and frequent updates, security features, and other things might not work (just a guess).

I don't know if this is against the rules, but kinguin.net is a good place to get Windows cheap.

 

 

[TheCatShuriken]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

If price is a concern try

 

https://www.kinguin.net/category/22175/windows-10-home-oem-key/

Your a lifesaver. Thanks so much! 

[SCHISCHKA]

3 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Linux's biggest flaw is that it has very limited program/application support. Gaming is basically a no go, even MacOS would be better at that. In addition there are a lot of different versions that you have to choose from that fit your use. 

this is bullshit. Theres plenty of games on steam. I have a mac and linux and differences are very small. Typically if a game was made for mac with opengl then it also gets ported to linux.

4 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I have never used it personally

credibility.value = 0

 

 

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

Typically if a game was made for mac with opengl then it also gets ported to linux.

Not true

 

None of the games in my Steam Library that support MacOS and Windows also support Linux. 

 

There is simply no way to argue that Linux is as fully featured, or supported by applications as Windows and MacOS. 

[SCHISCHKA]

2 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Not true

 

None of the games in my Steam Library that support MacOS and Windows also support Linux. 

 

There is simply no way to argue that Linux is as fully featured, or supported by applications as Windows and MacOS. 

Most of my steam games are on linux. Its actually pretty easy to demonstrate linux gaming or productivity. You said you never used it so everything you are saying you are making up or regurgitating from somewhere.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, SCHISCHKA said:

Most of my steam games are on linux.

so its your word vs mine. 

 

You say most of your games are, I say most of my games aren't. 

 

Either way you slice it, Linux game support is abysmally small. 

[LtStaffel]

I'd like to put in as a regular Linux user and someone who tried to run it as a main OS for a while.

 

I have not tried standard OSes as a main OS yet, (like Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Debian, etc), I was using a specialized distro. I have used Ubuntu a bit and Debian based a lot though.

 

The best upsides are the command line!!! If you do not want to use command line, I would not recommend getting Linux. If you are willing to learn, you will love it. You can type one command and have the exact program(s) you want get downloaded and installed automatically! You can update the OS and programs very easily, and everything is customizable. By that I mean, anything. You don't like how the desktop looks? Get a different environment (Unity, Gnome, XFCE, and many more, Gnome being my favorite [There's even one that copies MacOS!]). It's also very stable, and you rarely ever need to reboot. It takes many less system resources to run than Windows does, which means more RAM for what you want to do vs system using it up. It's much more secure than Windows, and if you lock it down and take care of it, just as secure (if not more) than MacOS. It's absolutely fantastic in everything but gaming where compatibility falters. In everything else there is a free (and open source) alternative.

 

Finally, Ubuntu is very well documented and you can find answers to any questions or problems you have with it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Spoiler

Microsoft Office -> LibreOffice

Autodesk/Maya -> Blender

Photoshop -> Gimp

And more

Also check out WINE (Which stands for WINE Is Not an Emulator  it may be able to handle a Windows program you want or two)

 

[TheCatShuriken]

 

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

Most of my steam games are on linux. Its actually pretty easy to demonstrate linux gaming or productivity. You said you never used it so everything you are saying you are making up or regurgitating from somewhere.

I feel like with your last point, the same could be said for almost everyone criticizing No Mans Sky. Just wanted to put that out there (though I'm definitely buying windows 10 from kinguin now anyway)

[LtStaffel]

Just now, TheCatShuriken said:

(though I'm definitely buying windows 10 from kinguin now anyway)

Nooooooooooo! Get Linux! At least try a dual boot, you can't go wrong learning Linux.

 

Whatever you choose though, know that Tux (Linux penguin mascot) will always welcome you back.

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

Mac OS X

btw its MacOS now. 

[noahdvs]

7 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Not true

 

None of the games in my Steam Library that support MacOS and Windows also support Linux. 

 

There is simply no way to argue that Linux is as fully featured, or supported by applications as Windows and MacOS. 

Anecdotal evidence is pretty useless in this case. You could have 100 games with no linux support while someone else has 100 that all have linux support.

[SCHISCHKA]

1 minute ago, TheCatShuriken said:

 

I feel like with your last point, the same could be said for almost everyone criticizing No Mans Sky. Just wanted to put that out there (though I'm definitely buying windows 10 from kinguin now anyway)

FYI kinguin is based in hong kong and they do not sell real licenses. They just sell the activation key. No license = piracy so you do what you want to do with your money just dont be misinformed. you dont know where the keys came from or how often they recycle them

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, noahdvs said:

You could have 100 games with no linux support while someone else has 100 that all have linux support.

Either way, Linux would have 100 less games than Windows and or MacOS in that situation. 

[TheCatShuriken]

Just now, LtStaffel said:

Nooooooooooo! Get Linux! At least try a dual boot, you can't go wrong learning Linux.

 

Whatever you choose though, know that Tux (Linux penguin mascot) will always welcome you back.

I know, but I like the comfort of knowing everything will be supported. I'm definitely looking into linux for my current build when I downgrade it to family office computer. 

 

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

FYI kinguin is based in hong kong and they do not sell real licenses. They just sell the activation key. No license = piracy so you do what you want to do with your money just dont be misinformed. you dont know where the keys came from or how often they recycle them

Hmm. 

[SCHISCHKA]

4 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

If you do not want to use command line, I would not recommend getting Linux.

Journalists can prove that you can use linux without the command line. Linux & TOR are creeping into this industry full of derpy interns

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, TheCatShuriken said:

Hmm.

You are going to get polarized opinions on Kinguin from both sides. 

 

All I can say is that I have used them in the past when fixing a relatives computer and the key worked without a hitch. That was about a year or two ago and the key still works.