Benefits of Linux?

[Macca]

Well i'm about to format in the next few days and i want to know if it is worth doing a dual boot with xp and linux. i really don't know anything about linux and i wanted to know if there was any reason why i should do it. Like are there anythings which i can do in linux that ui couldn't do in xp.

pretty much i'm asking you to tell me what is good about linux so i can choose to install it or not. thanks

 

[Raging Fuel]

Good: More stable, gives you more control over your computer.

Bad: Less user friendly, many programs aren't compatable.

Linux relies a lot on written commands, so it takes longer to learn Linux than it does to learn windows.

 

[Malcolm]

Linux is great! If your just starting off get Linux Mandrake is come with all the apps you need and it sets up most of the newer hardware automatically. Also if you run off a DSL/Cable modem you can get it setup very quickly with a wizzard, unlike other distros. If you just have a normal modem internet connection its also very quick but thats the same with all distros.

give it a try, the only thing you can lose is some time :thumbsup:

 

[rob in london]

linux looks a lot nicer imo since the desktop/window manager is completly customisable and the default ones look better anyway, the networking features are far more complete (not that many people need to use most of them) if you dont have photoshop for windows gimp is probably the next best thing(and its free),
x-chat is better than mirc in some ways, best of all most software for linux is free.

on the downside most emulaters dont run on linux (although zsnes and uae do : ) ), and if you havent used a unix os before it really helps to have some sort of book of somthing to learn the command line. also dual boot systems can be a pain in the arse.

your much l33ter if you use it though

i hope this is of some help to you
rob

 

[Harteex]

KDE is buggy as hell, I don't know about Gnome though.

Dual boot system shouldn't be a problem. If you install linux after you have installed windows there is no problem... As I remember linux adds windows automaticly in the bootup selection.
If you install windows after linux you'll have to boot up linux with a floppy or installation cdrom and run lilo.

 

[Hacktarux]

I see at least on reason to install linux -> curiosity.
+ it is a great environnement to learn programming in various languages + ... + ...
And for the classical question : Where is msword ?
I answer : Use LaTeX instead. This word processor save so much time when you work in a team on the same report (no page layout work, no tabulation problems, automatic indexes, automatic table of contents.....)

 

[Macca]

cool, thanks guys, i think i may give it a try to see what it is like