Ron Paul Linux Users? [Archive] - Ron Paul Forums / Liberty Forest

WilliamC

01-09-2008, 09:49 AM

plb

01-09-2008, 09:53 AM

you don't need a new computer to run linux =) I've been using *nix for 9 years now most of it on the same old computer

OKRonPaul

01-09-2008, 09:54 AM

mandriva on my home PC and old laptop, xandros on my eee i got in november. Oh, and knoppmyth on the mythbox.

plb

01-09-2008, 09:56 AM

If RP wins he should look into using OSS in goverment facilities...imagine the money that would be saved not having to use all that windows crap. Countries in Europe have already done this.

Slugg

01-09-2008, 09:56 AM

Representing Ubuntu here! This machine will be my primary machine for years to come!
Linux FTW!!

Richie

01-09-2008, 09:57 AM

Ubuntu user here! :D

WilliamC

01-09-2008, 09:58 AM

you don't need a new computer to run linux =) I've been using *nix for 9 years now most of it on the same old computer

On my last home computer (which I share with my wife, and now kids, so it HAS to stay Windows :( ) I dual-installed Red Hat 5.0 I think it was. Unfortunately I had a modem that couldn't be used with Linux so I couldn't hook up to the internet using Mozilla while running a KDE desktop. My current home computer also has to stay Windows for the rest of the family and it's too cumbersome to have to reboot all the time anyway. Someday I'll buy a laptop and run Ubuntu. I really want to learn more programming (Java for start) but I have no need for it so it's just a hobby. And these days my time is limited.

plb

01-09-2008, 09:58 AM

Silly *buntu users....don't you know Debian > Ubuntu =P

i2ambler

01-09-2008, 09:58 AM

Fedora core at work, debian at home..

plb

01-09-2008, 10:00 AM

On my last home computer (which I share with my wife, and now kids, so it HAS to stay Windows :( ) I dual-installed Red Hat 5.0 I think it was. Unfortunately I had a modem that couldn't be used with Linux so I couldn't hook up to the internet using Mozilla while running a KDE desktop. Someday I'll buy a laptop and run Ubuntu. I really want to learn more programming (Java for start) but I have no need for it so it's just a hobby. And these days my time is limited.

RH 5.0?? I didn't even start with RH till 6.0 and that was back in 1999. Linux has come along way since then my friend...my guess is something like Ubuntu would work without any problem whatsoever for you....theres even a livecd you could try without installing it to your hard drive.

Richie

01-09-2008, 10:04 AM

Silly *buntu users....don't you know Debian > Ubuntu =P

Because Ubuntu is arguable more out of the box then Debian. Debian is MUCH more stable, though.

bcasanov

01-09-2008, 10:05 AM

I use Ubuntu 7.10 here, and another member of my family uses Kubuntu full-time.

plb

01-09-2008, 10:07 AM

Just a reminder...KDE4 is getting unleashed tommorow :)

Redcard

01-09-2008, 10:08 AM

Silly *buntu users....don't you know Debian > Ubuntu =P

Right.

I've been a Debian Maintainer (a long while ago), and I've been an Ubuntu Maintainer.

Debian is a bunch of kids screaming and throwing fits when they don't get their way.. .I actually got a death threat by more than one person because I liked _A_ KDE program, and Ubuntu is a smooth, lean machine with a mission.

qednick

01-09-2008, 10:10 AM

We use Macs mostly but I have had a few flavors of Linux running on older boxes. Also FreeBSD (actually Unix, not Linux) is pretty good. Either way, we would NEVER go back to using Windows - the malware and viruses were driving us nuts and having to install all that anti-malware stuff brings Windows to a crawl.

Interestingly, when I first got my MacBook, I installed Parallels Desktop on it so I could run Windows XP. It actually ran Windows much faster on the Mac than my actual PC laptop (which was only a year old) so I ended up shipping the old PC laptop to my mom so she could finally get online. :D

One question I have for Linux users... I've heard of this WINE thing that's supposed to run Windows programs. Does it work?

Alex Libman

01-09-2008, 10:13 AM

Gentoo & Kubuntu

EvilNight

01-09-2008, 10:14 AM

One whole house (13 computers) and three linux users. When Ubuntu 7.10 was released we scoured all traces of Windows from the place. We do also have a Macbook and I'm probably buying one of the newer 12' models this month when they come out.

I've been a windows/unix admin for like, damn... 13 years now? All operating systems are the same to me now, I can do anything I like in any of them, but Linux proves to be the most power for the least hassle, finally.

Ubuntu has a ways to go. Gnome has a lot of powerful apps, all good at their jobs, but most don't talk to each other well or operate as a whole - yet. Kubuntu with KDE, on the other hand, has a lot of cool apps that interoperate very well, but are weak soup compared to most of their gnomish competitiors when viewed as individual programs. I hope KDE4 is a big improvement, I'm excited about it.

I'm betting we see a mass migration to Linux in the next two years. The company I work for has already decided that we will transition from Windows XP/Windows 2003 to linux instead of continuing to pay the Microsoft tax. I look forward to the challenge of moving ~70 hardcore programmers, developers, salesmen, and business analysts to Linux from Windows. It'll be fun!

Still sticking with Exchange 2003 and Windows 2003 Active Directory on the backend, though. No free solutions I've used are even close to a match to those two for power and ease of use. They'll be legacy systems for a long time. Exchange may eventually transition to OpenXchange but I can't see us getting rid of Active Directory ever. It's just too easy and convenient a core service. Novell really dropped the ball with NDS for Linux, I wanted to try that out but it's never really gotten off the ground.

726f6e7061756c

01-09-2008, 10:18 AM

Archlinux

Because it's "simple". :)

Mithridates

01-09-2008, 10:22 AM

So who else here uses Linux? I think RP and Linux have a lot in common since they're all about freedom :) BTW, Debian FTW :p

Nice subject for a thread. I haven't moved to Linux yet but I plan to within the next six months or so (waiting for Hardy Heron to come out).

On the other hand, I do support two other things that are very related:

*IALs (International Auxiliary Languages), specifically Ido and Interlingua (and yes I've used Ido in person for a number of hours so it works just fine as a spoken language).

*The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard. Thanks to that keyboard (used by a few hundred thousand) I type at around 100 WPM now and my fingers only have to move a fraction of the distance they used to when I used qwerty. I no longer have to type 'stewardess sweaterdresses' with the left hand.

libertea

01-09-2008, 10:22 AM

Slackware! Firefox, Open Office, Inkscape, Mysql, Apache. I avoid the tyranny of Microsoft.

Politeia

01-09-2008, 10:26 AM

Mac user myself (20th year); I like the idea of Linux and Open Source in general, but unfortunately the execution is not yet advanced enough to tempt me. Unfortunately, I'm not a programmer, so can't contribute to its development. I make my living providing support to folks for whom the Mac is already dauntingly mysterious, so couldn't recommend Linux to any of them. But I follow its development, and cheer when I can.

Anyway, my dream is a computer world wherein open-source *nix is the universal foundation, like the internal combustion engine in transportation, and anyone can build on it in a freely competitive market. I'd like to see Linux and/or some form of BSD widely used throughout the world, and Mac OS (which is also *nix-based) with no more than 10% of the market (Apple is arrogant enough already; wouldn't want it to become another Micro$oft). Then we could see if Micro$oft could make a polished, modern, secure *nix-based OS. Whaddaya think?

EvilNight

01-09-2008, 10:36 AM

I think that is inevitable. Microsoft is doomed to become a software vendor, not an operating systems vendor. Operating systems will be going the way of TCP/IP (remember Trumpet Winsock?) - they will become a commodity that almost no one even thinks about.

noztnac

01-09-2008, 10:41 AM

I used linux at work and at home, and my laptop is a Macbook.

Which do you like better? I have a Macbook and I love it.

daviddee

01-09-2008, 10:45 AM

...

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 10:46 AM

Ubuntu since 3 years, earlier Debian for a few years. Freedom is cool! F U Bill! :D

EvilNight

01-09-2008, 10:46 AM

Oh! And since I bet a lot of you haven't seen this yet, let me give you a glimpse into the form computers will take in the future. They will definitely not stay frozen in the same premature computer science paradigm that has dominated for the last fifty years.

Check this out. It's awesome.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/65

Be careful. You can lose a year of your life (and raise your IQ 20 points) in that website and we need you out canvassing!

pcosmar

01-09-2008, 10:52 AM

I am just taking a break,and I see this thread.
PCLinuxOS
Simple, newbe friendly, and very functional.

Someone asked about WINE, it will run many windows apps.
I use it for Google Earth, and I have the Internet Exploder for when I "need" it.
http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Main_Page
I am a Linux advocate, http://jamadots.com/~pcosmar/

jdmetz

01-09-2008, 10:56 AM

Debian is the only OS on computers in our house. :)

Speaking of Debian, how can we get the US to adopt their voting system?

Richie

01-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Archlinux

Because it's "simple". :)

I LOVE ARCH! The only reason I don't use it right now is because I tend to screw up my PC too much. :P

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Posting this from openSUSE Linux 10.3.

Installed on my work laptop. Any time I actually need something in Windows, I boot into my VMWare XP image.

I've been on & off linux for the past 10 years, never been able to make up my mind which I want to stick with. I usually switch back & forth when I get fed up with one. But Linux has come a long way, even in just the past like 2-3 years.. And with VMware, now I see really no reason to go back to Windows.

I've always loved SuSE tho, been using it since 7.0. (or 6?).. Easy to install, detects all hardware perfectly.. and KDE is beautiful. Those thinking about linux should check out SuSE here: http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUSE.org

& BTW, I'm sorry, but Ubuntu seems like the whore of Linux distro's lately. What's so great about it, I've never been able to figure out.

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 11:02 AM

BTW, I've always loved playing around with alternative OS's.. I even have a purchased copy of BeOS 3.1

rothnic

01-09-2008, 11:04 AM

Ubuntu(have had gentoo in the past, but is too much work) on the desktop for mythtv and everyday use, dual booting it with a basic XP install for gaming. Then my laptop is a Macbook Pro. So I deal with OS X, linux, and windows on a daily basis.

TruckinMike

01-09-2008, 11:08 AM

SUSE 10.1 - both my laptop and desktop are duel boot -- but I can't get my aircard to work with suse. so I'm using satan soft at the moment.

TruckinMike

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 11:11 AM

SUSE 10.1 - both my laptop and desktop are duel boot -- but I can't get my aircard to work with suse. so I'm using satan soft at the moment.

TruckinMike

Try upgrading to 10.3, lots of improvements...

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 11:12 AM

Just a reminder...KDE4 is getting unleashed tommorow :)

Ahh, sweet.. I tried the Beta and it crashed big time.. So I hope it's all better now ;)

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 11:15 AM

& BTW, I'm sorry, but Ubuntu seems like the whore of Linux distro's lately. What's so great about it, I've never been able to figure out.

Well and what's so great about Suse? I guess it's a matter of taste in many cases. I've never used Suse and I don't feel a need because I have everything I need for fun & work in Ubuntu. I used Debian before, but it lacked fresh packages (in stable branch) and was not that polished as Ubuntu (GUI/Usability). I run Win XP for testing purposes (in VirtualBox), so I don't have to switch to Windows anymore (I actually got rid of it in the first minute I run my new laptop).
There are still many bugs in Ubuntu, so maybe it's not so good for a total noob, but if you are willing to fix your problems yourself, it's fine.
The great thing about Ubuntu is the community - correct me if I'm wrong, but it's probably the biggest Linux distro-focused community around. Very helpful.
I love Linux no matter what distro we're talking about, because it's free and I love freedom. I can do with it whatever I want, modify it, learn from it and I actually use it along with the free applications in my freelance work. I have all the tools needed for free. It doesn't mean of course, that I'm not willing to pay for apps. I would love to buy a native version of Civ4 :D Maybe someday...
But it's not only about getting. I'm planning to write a few apps needed for my work and I will give them for free for other people to use.

UtahApocalypse

01-09-2008, 11:15 AM

Ubuntu 7.10
Just got into it about 2 months ago. Made the full switch over. Love it. Not just the software but the community. When I have a problem or question I have forums, chats, and other options for help. I can get answers in minutes not days.

rothnic

01-09-2008, 11:15 AM

One question I have for Linux users... I've heard of this WINE thing that's supposed to run Windows programs. Does it work?

For the most part wine does work, with the exception of some windows programs that are either very new, or have various copy protection which makes it difficult to make them work. I know as of right now, office 2007 and autocad do not work. Office 2003 does though.

Many people use wine to run some windows games, and I've used it for World of Warcraft and Counter Strike Source and similar Valve games. Another good use is for internet explorer for any pages that absolutely have to have it, or programs you just really like from windows such as uTorrent, iTunes, and dvdshrink.

plb

01-09-2008, 11:17 AM

Speaking of Linux, that new mobile phone from openmoko will be out soon..it's debuting at the CEA later this month. Hopefully it's not a disappointment.

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 11:37 AM

Well and what's so great about Suse? I guess it's a matter of taste in many cases.

Yep, It's just a matter of taste. I just don't understand why the newer people to the Linux community has chosen Ubuntu as their golden calf, is all.

SuSE has been around much longer, (first release in '94) they have a lot of involvement in KDE development. SuSE actually developed Xgl & Compiz. Plus, since SuSE is a retail & enterprise solution, it's in their corporate best interest to make it as bullet-proof and stable as possible.

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 11:38 AM

Speaking of Linux, that new mobile phone from openmoko will be out soon..it's debuting at the CEA later this month. Hopefully it's not a disappointment.

Too expensive IMHO, but very interesting project anyway. I think those QT guys released some phone too, but I didn't like it (the look). It would be cool to have a linux-based mobile phone, that's for sure :D

Redcard

01-09-2008, 11:43 AM

Eh.. but SuSE also involved itself pretty heavily with microsoft, and signed that Patent deal. So, No SuSE for me.

derdy

01-09-2008, 11:43 AM

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 11:46 AM

Yep, It's just a matter of taste. I just don't understand why the newer people to the Linux community has chosen Ubuntu as their golden calf, is all.

Maybe it's the same case as with voting for front-runners? :)

Redcard

01-09-2008, 11:53 AM

Maybe it's the same case as with voting for front-runners? :)

Well, one reason for me is that Ubuntu has openly said they will not sign agreements with Microsoft regarding "patent lawsuits."

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 12:01 PM

Eh.. but SuSE also involved itself pretty heavily with microsoft, and signed that Patent deal. So, No SuSE for me.

Yeah I must admit that whole thing made me a little queasy, but I also think some Linux zealots really over-hyped the deal.

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 12:01 PM

I really want to learn it! I'm studying Cisco QoS right now working towards my CCIP, I'm going to create a dual-boot and install Linux to play around with. Does anyone have a link to the latest version?

Latest version of what? There are hundreds of Linux distributions. Lot of choice my friend :) Linux is just a a general description of all those systems based on Linux kernel, but there are lots of flavours, unlike Windows or OS X

Unspun

01-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Gentoo (...drool...)

Petar

01-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Not linux but unix none the less:

Heh, get this, I once showed Ron Pauls campaign coordinator Kent Snyder my project on my macbook pro laptop, and he said it was a nice machine and asked me about macs, and told me that his friends keep trying to get him to get a mac, and I told him that its really easy to use and reliable, and then later I remembered that I should have explained to him that modular is like states rights and monolithic is like federal superstate....heh

Here's my project by the way:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=74235&page=4

and here:

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/20403#comment-197843

please bump, thank you

szczebrzeszyn

01-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Well, one reason for me is that Ubuntu has openly said they will not sign agreements with Microsoft regarding "patent lawsuits."

Sure, but that's not the case for 99% of people, because they have no idea about such things (and probably wouldn't care).

EvilNight

01-09-2008, 12:03 PM

I tried them all, Ubuntu was by far, by FAR the best user experience. Frankly it seems to me as if every group making other distros doesn't know what the term "usability testing" means, or if they do, they think it's a joke. Redhat is just a horrible, obtuse, hacked-together mess. I used SuSE for a while but it suffers from using RPM as the base package format, and that never works - too hard to customize, tweak, and change, plus it has rpm-decay-syndrome in the long run where upgrades wreck the system. I used Gentoo for a while, and it's awesome and fun, feels like the way linux was meant to be designed to work, BUT! it takes so damn much maintenance to get things done (and maintain upgrades) that it's too much hassle for me to put up with as a desktop or long-term server. Ubuntu, so far, hasn't had any of those problems, and is more pleasant to use as well.

Of course, Ubuntu has its own problems... reminds me rather a lot of Windows 98 back when it was new. Everything works mostly great most of the time but with odd errors every once in a while that need to be cleared out with (god help us) a reboot (yes on linux). A lot of those background audio/video support services propping X's old bones up have some serious long-term activity instability problems.

That said, I wouldn't trade the modular mindset/design of a linux desktop for anything. Ever. It's natural selection in computer code, an excellent, robust system in the making.

Ronin

01-09-2008, 12:03 PM

Linux for 10 years

nullvalu

01-09-2008, 12:23 PM

I tried them all....

Nice summary.. Yeah SuSE also takes some fanagaling. It took me forever to get my PPTP VPN into my office working.. but finally got it working.

What's the problem with RPM's? SuSE has a package manager called YaST2 which manages all your RPM's & dependencies, etc very well.

adpierce

01-09-2008, 12:40 PM

Using Ubuntu.

mkeller

01-10-2008, 10:08 PM

Everything works mostly great most of the time but with odd errors every once in a while that need to be cleared out with (god help us) a reboot (yes on linux).

Haha, me too. But be careful - a hardware reset can cause disaster in Linux, depending on what programs you have open. It did for me. Instead, do the following when your computer freezes up or something:

Hold down the Alt and SysRq (also known as PrtSc - on the upper right of the keyboard) keys, and still holding them down, type slowly, in sequence, the letters R, S, E, I, U, B. These can be remembered with the following mnemonic:

Raising
Skinny
Elephants
Is
Utterly
Boring

What this does is safely end all processes, remount all filesystems in read-only mode, and reboots the system. Most of the time, in Linux, it's not the kernel that's crashed, but Xorg or something. Because these keystroke-commands are part of the kernel, they almost always work. More on it here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_SysRq_key).

And, as you can probably tell by now, I too am a Ron Paul fanatic/Linux user! Have been since 2003 (of Linux, not Paul), when my dad got to meet Chris Negus, and came home with a copy of the Red Hat Linux 9 Bible. Besides Red Hat, I've also used Debian, Ark, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Christian Edition, OpenSUSE, and, once I get this little hard-drive issue worked out, will be a user of Mint.

AFM

01-10-2008, 10:10 PM

Im here
I use Slackware primarily
Im on XP right now to use Solidworks, everything else I use slackware

american.swan

01-10-2008, 10:11 PM

check my avatar

Matt Collins

01-11-2008, 12:26 AM

I'm dual booting XP and Linux on my laptop - tinkering with Ubuntu.

I just wish getting the correct drivers (for my wi-fi card for instance) was simple and easy. I am not a coder, I am not a scripter, I am not a programmer nor do I want to be.

I just want it to work (and no I don't want a Mac).

Am3RiCaN_microcosm

01-11-2008, 12:27 AM

currently rockin' out Fedora Werewolf & Compiz Fusion Desktop :D

Linux-users for RP!

Korey Kaczynski

01-11-2008, 12:28 AM

Archlinux

Because it's "simple". :)

Arch is definitely my favorite.

JGalt

01-11-2008, 12:29 AM

My laptop is running Ubuntu, and my gaming desktop(which I usually work off of) runs XP.

derdy

01-11-2008, 12:32 AM

Latest version of what? There are hundreds of Linux distributions. Lot of choice my friend :) Linux is just a a general description of all those systems based on Linux kernel, but there are lots of flavours, unlike Windows or OS X

Spread some knowledge.

If there are that many distributions what would determine my preference of one over the other?

Revolutn

01-11-2008, 12:32 AM

I've run KNOPPIX, DEBIAN, Ubuntu, SUSE and Gentoo.

each has served well for a specific task, but my favorite 'windows desktop replacement' as it were would have to be Ubuntu.

Rev

spacebetween

01-11-2008, 12:40 AM

What a nerdy post.

But yeah, I double boot XP and Ubuntu. :D I'm a noob, but I don't care.... Ubuntu is fine for me.

Am3RiCaN_microcosm

01-11-2008, 12:46 AM

http://distrowatch.com

... a great place with the current happenin's on all flavors of nix :D Enjoy

Rede

01-11-2008, 12:55 AM

I run Kubuntu on my two PCs and on my laptop. I've also got both my roommates, my brother, and my two step brothers using either Kubuntu of Xububtu.

szczebrzeszyn

01-11-2008, 01:11 AM

Spread some knowledge.

If there are that many distributions what would determine my preference of one over the other?

You personal taste probably would determine that :)
It's hard to say. Just try them and see if they work for you. As a long time Linux user I can recommend trying Ubuntu. That doesn't mean it's the best one out there, but I've been using it for the past few years everyday (fun&work) on PC desktop and then on the notebook for the past 6 months. It's user-friendly and works usually out of the box.

But before you install anything, download and burn the LIVE-CD versions of distributions. They just work out of your RAM, so you can try them without installing anything on HDD. They will be much slower running from CD/DVD, but you'll see what they are like without cluttering anything you've got on the hdd.

I hope you'll become the next Linux user :)

georgia_tech_swagger

01-11-2008, 01:15 AM

I run Gentoo on all my personal machines and servers.

For noobs I recommend Freespire.

Nothing personal against Ubuntu -- I just **hate** Gnome and in general GTK.

NoxTwilight

01-11-2008, 01:16 AM

georgia_tech_swagger

01-11-2008, 01:18 AM

Dual-boot Ubuntu and XP.

Once there is an emulator that will run Quickbooks Pro, Photoshop and Dreamweaver reliably ... Winderz will be GONE!!

Freedom and Open Source go hand in hand :)

Nox aka Geek Chick

Crossover runs Photoshop. There are Quickbooks replacements. Dreamweaver is for n00bs. Even as a n00b myself years back when the internet was a bunch of lame .gifs -- I coded all websites entirely in notepad. Now that I'm on Linux, it's all in nano.

:D

NoxTwilight

01-11-2008, 01:34 AM

Crossover runs Photoshop. There are Quickbooks replacements. Dreamweaver is for n00bs. Even as a n00b myself years back when the internet was a bunch of lame .gifs -- I coded all websites entirely in notepad. Now that I'm on Linux, it's all in nano.

:D

It does run Photoshop but an older version - I can live with that and use Gimp mostly and eventually the newer version will work - its all good here.

Quickbooks Pro 2006 - have to have it - nothing else works currently for my business and I refuse to pay what some of the higher end options want - robbery.

Dreamweaver is still my favorite tool even tho I am mostly a code designer as well but I have not yet found anything that is as easy to work with and does the jobs I need to do. Most clients don't care about clean code or css (even tho I do), they just want sites that don't cost them an arm and a leg. I will check out nano and report back, thanks for the tip :) Always willing to try os software. I have tried many, so far have not been impressed.

Interesting to note .. our BRAND new Network HP Printer, Scanner, Fax - latest model has problems in windows (hp software SUCKS) but wonder of wonders - works perfectly in every way in Linux.

Our work solution to get off Windows is set up Quickbooks and a few other programs that won't run reliably in Crossover on a small windows box and terminal into it when needed. Home solution is a tad easier - currently I only boot windows when I know I want to play NWN2 - haven't gotten it working in Linux yet :)

szczebrzeszyn

01-11-2008, 01:50 AM

Now that I'm on Linux, it's all in nano.
You n00b. Use something for real men like Vim or Emacs :D (I actually code all my pages/apps in Vim)

szczebrzeszyn

01-11-2008, 01:52 AM

Nothing personal against Ubuntu -- I just **hate** Gnome and in general GTK.

For guys like you, there is Kubuntu or Xubuntu or manually selecting your favourite windows manager :)

georgia_tech_swagger

01-11-2008, 01:56 AM

For guys like you, there is Kubuntu or Xubuntu or manually selecting your favourite windows manager :)

That's what Freespire is for. It guts all those nasty Gnome bits and replaces it with a nicely done polished KDE. Kubuntu still needs an awful lot of work fixing problems with their KDE setup.

Constitution Supporter

01-11-2008, 06:32 PM

I use SUSE 10.3 dual boot with Vista.

RPDelegate

01-11-2008, 06:36 PM

Not a huge linux geek, but I do have a server (HP DL380 G3) at home running VMware ESX 3.0, which is built on a trimmed down version of Red Hat.

JeffersonThomas

01-11-2008, 06:40 PM

LINUX! That's how you know you really are sticking it to the man :)
SUSE 10.3 KDE

Starks

01-11-2008, 06:42 PM

Ubuntu Hardy Heron user here.

Abobo

01-11-2008, 06:46 PM

Let's see....

I have a dual boot laptop with Ubuntu and Windows XP. I also have an older laptop that runs Fedora. And one VERY old one that runs Windows 3 :P

I have one desktop that runs Fedora, one that runs XP, and one that runs CentOS.

I just built a new quad-core desktop that runs Windows Vista ( not as bad as you may hear ), rather than dual boot I just run VirtualBox.

I rent several dedicated servers, two run CentOS, and three run Windows 2003.

As you can tell I use Linux a lot, but I'm not really a big fan. I prefer Windows for normal use, Linux is more job related.... Maybe I'm not a true geek. :(

Chase

01-11-2008, 06:47 PM

Gentoo / KDE on here, Kubuntu on the laptop, Gentoo on personal servers, and CentOS on professional servers. I do not use Windows or OS X and hate both for various reasons.

Texan4RP

01-11-2008, 08:01 PM

Linux is freedom too.

Benaiah

01-12-2008, 08:08 PM

I never looked at Linux until I saw this thread yesterday. I'm going to switch from XP to ubuntu now.

Is it easy to get adobe stuff on it? Point me to a link if you can.

Meekus

01-12-2008, 08:20 PM

I wish! I have two computers, at work (a Mac) and at home (a PC). Neither is my own. Right now I can't justify spending money on a third computer, but I haven't been able to justify this for the last 10 years. When I do though it will only run Linux and I will force myself to learn it and other open source software.

Open source software, open source campaigns, open source government.

You can download vmware for free, and run Linux in a virtual machine if you like. Runs great, I do a lot of testing this way. :)

I'm an Ubuntu person myself - well, Kubuntu.

Rebel Resource

01-12-2008, 08:27 PM

You know all the little software progs that I use for splitting mpeg files, compiling pdf files....can I get these all easily and for free on a linux OS?

The Plan

01-12-2008, 08:30 PM

Ubuntu FTW!!!!

I actually thought of asking this question a while ago but i thought i would be one of maybe like 3. This board is more full of rebels than i thought.

AFM

01-12-2008, 08:37 PM

Where my slackware beasts at?

Soccrmastr

01-12-2008, 08:38 PM

Gentoo, Debian ,and Ubuntu user.

plb

01-12-2008, 08:38 PM

Where my slackware beasts at?

I used it for about a year when I first started with linux back in 1999

The Plan

01-12-2008, 08:39 PM

I never looked at Linux until I saw this thread yesterday. I'm going to switch from XP to ubuntu now.

Is it easy to get adobe stuff on it? Point me to a link if you can.
It depends on what adobe stuff you're talking about. If it's photoshop there is a good program called The GIMP that is pretty close and it's free. You might be able to run some versions of photoshop in Wine bu8t even if you can't you can get a program called Virtual box that will allow you to run windows inside of Ubuntu and run it from there. The only problems i know of with this kind of thing is getting windows or mac apps to run in wine or in other pc simulations programs is that the graphics heavy stuff like games that need to render stuff in 3d and basicly any graphics heavy stuff will have a problems because you can't connect directly to your graphics card to use it's processing power because it already running a hardware simulation. Almost everything that you can do in windows you can do in linux better and most of the time for free but some things you just can't. If you have two hard drives i recommend installing windows on one or leaving it where it is and then installing Ubuntu on another and having a computer that can boot directly into either one. That's how i do it at least.

AFM

01-12-2008, 08:39 PM

No need to brag jerk

plb

01-12-2008, 08:39 PM

You know all the little software progs that I use for splitting mpeg files, compiling pdf files....can I get these all easily and for free on a linux OS?

sure
freshmeat.net
sourceforge.net

find some linux forums and ask questions...Ubuntu is the best distro imho for new users..check out ubuntuforums.com

plb

01-12-2008, 08:41 PM

I think older versions of photoshop work with wine but not the newer ones but that's easily solved with vmware or virtualbox

Rebel Resource

01-12-2008, 08:42 PM

sure
freshmeat.net
sourceforge.net

find some linux forums and ask questions...Ubuntu is the best distro imho for new users..check out ubuntuforums.com

Then I might try debian. The only thing's that's been putting me off is the fact that I need odd bits of software and for free.

Yeah, I really need to reject Windows once and for all. It's been far too long, and the fact I can maintain a fast, usable XP installation is no defence.

Benaiah

01-12-2008, 08:46 PM

Do you have to have a copy of Windows to run it in Virtual Box?

AFM

01-12-2008, 08:49 PM

Yes
VMWare runs fine on my slackware box

MrCoffee

01-12-2008, 09:06 PM

Weird, I use linux exclusively and have been for quite some time.

violinguy

01-12-2008, 09:07 PM

Full time Ubuntu user here... I don't even have Windows installed on my main computer. My backup computer has Win98SE on it though.

mfw1974

01-12-2008, 09:18 PM

Does FreeBSD count?

AFM

01-12-2008, 09:21 PM

bsd is hardcore shit
you are a true meganerd, I salute you

Fields

01-12-2008, 09:22 PM

Full time Ubuntu. I'll never go back. Never.

OKRonPaul

01-12-2008, 09:50 PM

Where my slackware beasts at?

slackware was my first distro, and I learned a ton reading the guide and following the steps. Stuff I still use. Ran Gentoo for a while too, days to compile it all, but damn my old optiplex p2 was fast. I actually preferred gentoo on a p2 to xp on a p4, had them both on a kvm switch for a long time.

In my previous list I forgot to add the ubunto server acting as our home firewall/fileserver (on that same almost 10yr old optiplex) and the centos server i have hidden under a desk at work.

Not linux related, but open source. Every time we have a need for new software at work I try to find an open source program, with great luck. I'm not technically in IT any more, but we do programming of apps and webpages different parts of the company use. Technically we should be going thru all sorts of channels for anything we install on our machines, but if it's GPL I know I'm not putting my company in risk of violating any sort of license agreements. I've actually noticed the official IT group doing the same thing, lots of new stuff they roll out is open source based.

Open source is a freaking beautiful thing, I'm not surprised at all to see so many RP supporters use it.

Constitution Supporter

01-12-2008, 10:08 PM

blimp

thechitowncubs

01-12-2008, 10:10 PM

Hey you guys should be spamming websites and minds!

But ya, linux here :)

Proton

01-12-2008, 10:48 PM

OKRonPaul

01-12-2008, 10:52 PM

PCLinuxOS 2007 LiveCD on a laptop with a dead hard drive.

Out of the box flash support for Ron Paul youtube goodness!

Just found it at the top of distrowatch a few days ago and figured I would give it a go. I enjoy it even more than Ubuntu.

distrowatch is bad news for me. An interesting week on there and piles of my blank CD's and DVD's dissapear, and the lawn doesn't get cut. Fun times!

Doji

01-12-2008, 10:58 PM

Ubuntu here.

PrimarilyPaul

01-12-2008, 11:39 PM

I use OS X but do stuff in Python, PHP, etc so it's kind of like running Linux :).

RMS supports Ron Paul.. sort of... http://www.stallman.org/ron-paul.html

Benaiah

01-13-2008, 05:00 AM

Do you need to have a copy of XP to use it with this Virtual Box thing? Or is Virtual Box like a video game emulator....but for operations systems?

mfw1974

01-13-2008, 12:44 PM

bsd is hardcore shit
you are a true meganerd, I salute you

Thanks. I salute anyone that uses any type of *nix. I even salute those that use OS X (Which is mostly FreeBSD on the backend).

rodent

01-13-2008, 12:47 PM

So who else here uses Linux? I think RP and Linux have a lot in common since they're all about freedom :) BTW, Debian FTW :p

NetBSD, Linux 2.4, Windows user here. But, I run Linux 2.6 kernel in a VM. :D

It used to be that Linux would install on old hardware quite nicely. However, I had severe issues installing Linux via a floppy and a network connection. Therefore, I gave NetBSD a try and abandoned Linux.

It was all fun, up until I saw how NetBSD disk performance is ghetto and that their kernel doesn't have a way of pre-empting kernel threads. The performance lags Linux substantially, but it installs great! :p So now my mail server and backup system is a NetBSD box.

eloquensanity

01-13-2008, 12:49 PM

Representing Ubuntu here! This machine will be my primary machine for years to come!
Linux FTW!!

I put ubuntu on an old computer to try it and I really like it, just haven't figured out how to get some media to work with it yet.

nicky6

01-13-2008, 01:00 PM

Used to love Debian, but been all FreeBSD for about 2 years. I am starting a web site and like to use what the big dogs use.

perrootsdotorg

01-13-2008, 01:04 PM

MacBook Pro here.

szczebrzeszyn

01-13-2008, 01:05 PM

I never looked at Linux until I saw this thread yesterday. I'm going to switch from XP to ubuntu now.

Is it easy to get adobe stuff on it? Point me to a link if you can.

That's the problem. The software vendors assume you use windows or OS X and don't give a shit about Linux - that's one of the reasons it's not very popular. If we got windows games ported and windows software ported (photoshop etc), there would be lots of people switching.

If you are professional designer using sophisticated software, you'll be in trouble. Running it in some virtual windows environment might be a trouble too. It doesn't support windows fully (like advanced 3D).

On the other hand, if you can use similar programs, but being native on Linux (eg. GIMP for graphics), then it should work for you. You just need to research a bit.

szczebrzeszyn

01-13-2008, 01:10 PM

You know all the little software progs that I use for splitting mpeg files, compiling pdf files....can I get these all easily and for free on a linux OS?

I'm sure you can. I won't name names, because I don't use such tools, but there should be plenty of them and in many cases, they will be easier to use than on Windows.

The biggest obstacle are games, sophisticated software (photoshop, 3d max etc) and drivers for new devices. 99,9% vendors of those don't give a shit about Linux, so Linux community has to care about those items themselves (like writing drivers etc).

If you're not a gamer, you should be fine :)

szczebrzeszyn

01-13-2008, 01:11 PM

Ubuntu Hardy Heron user here.
You mean you run alpha software on your main desktop? :)

Constitution Supporter

01-13-2008, 11:52 PM

Do you need to have a copy of XP to use it with this Virtual Box thing? Or is Virtual Box like a video game emulator....but for operations systems?

As far as I know you will need a windows installation cd.

madRazor

01-14-2008, 12:12 AM

Just about to hunker down to try and get Gentoo running SOLID on the new Shuttle barebone. I am giddy and will be up to all hours every night this week. Incidentally, the wife hates Linux for some reason. :)

stevenstremciuc

01-14-2008, 12:55 AM

Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon user. I was pretty much forced into it after I got down here in El Salvador with just my laptop. At home I always used to do work using my XP desktop with a LAN connected FreeBSD server. But now, I had to be able to do all the normal desktop tasks (IDE, youtube, torrents, play different media formats, chat, skype, photo editing) and development requirements (full LAMP stack with SSL, mod_python, and mod_dav for running a Trac/Subversion setup) with 1 computer.

Turns out Gutsy Gibbon is much better at common desktop tasks than XP is at running a dev environment on.

So I still get to develop on (Linux) and deploy to (FreeBSD) very similar platforms, and I only have my laptop. :)

Just a quick note: I've owned both a Mac Mini and Power Mac running OS X. I'd recommend an Apple over anything else for the average computer user, but for the techies, Ubuntu is the way to go unless you have a specific tech need Ubuntu + Windows in a VM can't satisfy yet.

stevenstremciuc

01-14-2008, 01:19 AM

Gentoo (...drool...)

Uh oh, looks like he fell asleep waiting for some compile to finish ;)

amagilly

01-16-2008, 04:08 AM

freebsd, redhat, and ubuntu currently.
--
promote Hayek's book The Road to Serfdom.
dedicated To THE SOCIALISTS OF ALL PARTIES.

Constitution Supporter

02-04-2008, 08:26 PM

I think a new Linux kernel may be out - FYI, But I heard if you want to use it you might have to reinstall for it to work good or something, so I might wait.

Constitution Supporter

02-15-2008, 12:05 AM

Man. I hate it when the suse repos are down.(there might be mirrors, but probably not for what I need) Oh well I guess I'll just wait, there's nothing too important I need right now.

Korey Kaczynski

02-15-2008, 12:09 AM

Gentoo sucks now; it breaks alot and compiling everything for a desktop system is ridiculous.

Go Arch. Or even Debian.

Benaiah

02-15-2008, 12:10 AM

kpitcher

02-15-2008, 12:23 AM

We're talking about a guy who loves freedom - what's more free than FreeBSD.

Linux with GPL is semi socialist. Give back the goods to everyone else in the bazaar!
BSD... you can do what you want, how you want, anyway you want.

Want to make a great operating system for Apple? Use FreeBSD, add eye candy, and relabel it OS X.

Hrm, so I'd say BSD is more liberatian than Linux.. ;)

Constitution Supporter

02-24-2008, 05:24 PM

Hey did you know there is on opensource bios. "http://openbios.info/Welcome_to_OpenBIOS" I don't know if I'd trust it with my comp yet, and the one I have works fine, but I still think it's pretty cool.

AFM

02-24-2008, 05:31 PM

Where my slackware dudes at

Baptist

06-29-2010, 09:18 PM

/bump

I read this thread when it first came out, and shortly thereafter switched from Windows to Ubuntu. To be more precise, my brother and I both switched from Windows to Ubuntu. I credit this thread for Ubuntuizing me. Now that it is two years later, I thought that I would give a report.

My brother always updates to the new ones, so he has used 7.1, 8.1, 9.1 and 10.1. I was lazy so I pretty much stuck with 8.1 almost this whole time. I converted our parents and other siblings to Ubuntu as well. My brother and I were able to overcome the hardships of Ubuntu (driver compatibility and what not) but it frustrated my parents to no end. Although I will say that my younger brothers had fun playing around with it and learning how to fix things.

Well I just installed 10.1 on my laptop and PC this week. My brother has had 10.1 for a month or so. My parents installed 10.1 on two laptops and a desktop. This edition is AWESOME. This install worked perfectly from the get-go for every machine that all of us put it on. This has never happened to any of us before on any machine (except one edition went flawless once for my brother). I had so many issues with 8.1 on this laptop but this new 10.1 is just sweeeeet.

If any of you have contemplated trying out Ubuntu, now is the time. I love Ubuntu and prefer to use it for almost everything (if I play games I'll hop on Windows, or hop on the mac for video rendering). When I'm not on Ubuntu, I miss it. I hate using mac and windows now. Ubuntu rocks.

Thanks RPFs!