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Switching to Linux; how do you not flop back to the world of Windows??
wreckedcarzz:
I am actually doing a dual boot system right now from Vista to Xubuntu, and am doing the same on my dad's HP desktop. I actually got the wireless working 15 minutes ago and literally did a dance because it took me 4 hours to figure it out. Worth it though!
I chose Xubuntu over normal Ubuntu because it is supposed to be faster and more "clutter-free". I want linux for quick tasks - Vista handles my eye-candy fetish quite well :P
And I don't want to totally ditch Windows (unless ALL my games work in Wine, and then I will have to look out the window and watch the pigs fly by). Windows is great, and I like working on it, but Linux is looking to be a more reliable alternative every day. Hence I am "pushing" myself into this new world.
I will look at those links and take any advice I can get. I will go through the mentioned programs in the package manager/WWW and see what works for me. Thanks for all the info/thoughts, it all helps. :)
Edvard:
One thing I would recommend is to scrap Xubuntu. It's more bug prone than the other Connonical flavors.
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Heretic! He speaketh lies! Burn the Gnome!! ;D
Seriously, I like Xfce on ANY distro and I haven't found Xubuntu to be any more bug-prone than any other *buntu, although this last edition is a bit slower than I'd like, but that's because the folks running the Xubuntu show let a bunch of Gnome cruft and bloat in. They now have a new head who is dedicated to trimming the fat, and I'm seriously anticipating the next release.
So, back to the original discussion:
Wrecked, what software do you use on Windows that you can't find an alternative for on Linux, and what have you tried?
I'll do my best to help you dig...
Lashiec:
Oooh, Cody is developing for Linux, that explains many things :D
Edvard:
I know this is one of the last refuges of commandliners in Windows, but this is complete nonsense in a grown-up OS....
...OTOH, I wouldn't argue that some use of the command line is necessary with Linux as is - but that is NOT a good thing.
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I could not disagree with you more on this.
The linux command shell (all of them...) is so powerful, so robust, it is part and parcel of the very heart of Linux. Then throw in the myriad tools and utilities that can do almost anything in a few lines of script, the mind boggles.
I can tell you that I almost never use the Windows command tool because it is such utter useless crap that it makes me beg for a gui.
True, it would be nice to have easy-to-use graphical tools to configure the video display or manage the startup environment in a more sane manner, but saying it's not grown-up or telling me that a few shiny buttons and menus can and should replace the Linux command line is like telling a seasoned NASCAR gearhead that he could improve his pit time if he installed an automatic transmission... >:(
40hz:
Heretic! He speaketh lies! Burn the Gnome!! Grin
Seriously, I like Xfce on ANY distro and I haven't found Xubuntu to be any more bug-prone than any other *buntu, although this last edition is a bit slower than I'd like, but that's because the folks running the Xubuntu show let a bunch of Gnome cruft and bloat in. They now have a new head who is dedicated to trimming the fat, and I'm seriously anticipating the next release.
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Ok. Anybody want some barbecued Gnome fritters? Just hold up your plate... ;D
Maybe it's just me, but I had a lot of problems with Xubuntu 6.06 and 6.10 that I didn't have with Kubuntu or Ubuntu proper. I haven't tried the latest version so maybe things are different now.
I do agree with you about Xfce for the desktop. That's what I use when I'm not running in a terminal. But if you're just starting out, there's not a lot of good books that give Xfce the introduction it deserves. That's why I think your first desktop should be Gnome or KDE. I suggested Gnome because it's probably the most widely used desktop (thanks to Ubuntu). And KDE is experiencing some technical and philosophical issues that are best avoided by anyone other than an experienced KDE user. Check out http://practical-tech.com/operating-system/kde-its-time-for-a-fork/ and http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080702-the-critics-are-wrong-kde-4-doesnt-need-a-fork.html to get a feel for what's going on with that.
Take a look at Zenwalk (www.zenwalk.org) if you want an Xfce desktop with extremely good performance on just about any box.
Distrowatch has a nice summary of what it's all about:
Zenwalk Linux (formerly Minislack) is a Slackware-based GNU/Linux operating system with a goal of being slim and fast by using only one application per task and with focus on graphical desktop and multimedia usage. Zenwalk features the latest Linux technology along with a complete programming environment and libraries to provide an ideal platform for application programmers. Zenwalk's modular approach also provides a simple way to convert Zenwalk Linux into a finely-tuned modern server (e.g. LAMP, messaging, file sharing).
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For a review see Tiny Zenwalk 5.0 packs a big punch at www.linux.com/feature/126526
As far as applications go, a good starting point can be found over at www.howtoforge.com
They have a series of articles on how to create the "perfect" desktop setup. Perfect being one "that is a full-fledged replacement for a Windows desktop, i.e. that has all the software that people need to do the things they do on their Windows desktops."
Do a search for "Perfect Desktop" They have versions of this article for each of the big distros. There isn't one specifically for Zenwalk, but the other flavors can be read for inspiration and ideas.
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