Why I love Linux

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Not dissing or defending, but I tried a dual monitor setup just now after reading this, all I had to do is add the the second monitor and KDE picked it up right away, gave me a setup wizard and done. Less than 5 minutes.

+1

It takes fewer clicks to get dual monitor working in KDE than on Windows 8.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Erm, BS!!!

Linux is dam difficult esp when compared to say Windows or OS X, and I am typing this on Ubuntu running E17with at least 15 years of Linux XP behind my back. ...

Just because you got 15 years experience does not mean you know what your doing.

...and I am typing this on Ubuntu running E17 ...

Well thats YOUR problem, no wonder your finding it hard to get anything done. In the last 2 years Ubuntu Gnome & Kde have become so easy to use that you never have to touch the terminal. Use a distro like Mint and becomes even easier.

 

[w1z4rd]

Erm, BS!!!

Linux is dam difficult esp when compared to say Windows or OS X, and I am typing this on Ubuntu running E17 with at least 15 years of Linux XP behind my back. Yes it gives your freedom to tinker where no other does, its also faster and more stable once its up and running, but in no way is it easier.

Not once do I need to open command line in windows to get Dual monitor set-up with Nvidia FX and diffrent sized monitors nevermind other hardware issues like say getting Linux based Android to connect to my Linux PC via MTP(Yes I know Microsoft Transport Layer is made for Linux).

Im running Gnome 3 on my laptop and have a much bigger monitor plugged into it. I didnt have to configure anything to get it working. I just plugged it in and it worked. I bought a i7 laptop with 8gb ram and a SSD drive. It comes with Nvidia graphics. I didnt have to install a single driver. I honestly have to install more drivers in Windows than I do in Linux.

Linux is not difficult, my gran learnt the unity UI more easily than Win7.

I dont think think Linux is difficult at all... but I know my own personal ease of understanding the OS comes from 15 years of experience. I found it easier as I used it more

 

[AlphaJohn]

Oh and I suppose all of you that say linux is easier have installed the driver by double clicking on a executable?

Look I know for some of us it seams easy cause we know what we doing. All I was trying to say is put your Gran infront of Ubuntu and ask her to install Nvidia drivers without ever touching terminal.

As for the dual screen set up, sure you can have 2 monitors set if your driver supports it well enough but there are hiccups. Like KDE forgetting or sometimes even go moggy when the connection is not permanent

All in all I was just using above as examples. Yes we learned to live with it but in all honesty its not things you average user would find easy.

Once you set up a PC for someone else yes its smooth sailing... well that is till that new hardware come along and break everything.

 

[w1z4rd]

Oh and I suppose all of you that say linux is easier have installed the driver by double clicking on a exe?

I didnt need to install anything. It figured out everything when I installed and downloaded and installed everything I needed.

My gran wouldnt even click on an exe. Thats advanced for her.

 

[AlphaJohn]

I didnt need to install anything. It figured out everything when I installed and downloaded and installed everything I needed.

My gran wouldnt even click on an exe. Thats advanced for her.

Be honest now, not all distroes does that. and again FX driver is just an example. You know very well what I mean about Linux and hardware set-up issues for "every man"

Next you going to tell me your distro does MTP out of the box 2?

 

[w1z4rd]

Be honest now, not all distroes does that.

Or course you are right. But if you are using Arch linux, expect the **** that comes with it I have 4 jobs (2 work related, 1 charity and 1 political), so I dont have time to to mess around with insanely complicated linux distributions. Arch was designed for developers. My gran and I are not developers.

and again FX driver is just an example. You know very well what I mean about Linux and hardware set-up issues for "every man"

In the last 5 years I have hardly had Linux hardware or driver issues (I honestly find myself swearing at windows driver issues far more than linux driver issues). First I make sure that the hardware I purchase is comptible. Then I plop in the CD and thats that. There are no complications. It just installs and I dont have to install drivers or anything. Everything just works. The Unity UI is awesome for old people and the Gnome 3 UI is awesome for me as I multitask like a demon.

Only time it doesnt is when I am being stupid and I didnt check to make sure that the hardware was compatible.

 

[AlphaJohn]

In the last 5 years I have hardly had Linux hardware or driver issues. First I make sure that the hardware I purchase is comptible. Then I plop in the CD and thats that. There are no complications. It just installs and I dont have to install drivers or anything. Everything just works. The Unity UI is awesome for old people and the Gnome 3 UI is awesome for me as I multitask like a demon.

Only time it doesnt is when I am being stupid and I didnt check to make sure that the hardware was compatible.

And you just went around and proved my point. Thank you

--- snip ---

What I am saying is that its still pretty much a Microsoft world, both in software and in hardware and untill that change Linux will never be as easy to use as Windows.

In your case you limit the problem by buying what is supported.

 

[w1z4rd]

And you just went around and proved my point. Thank you

Okay, I dont see it, but if you think that proved your point then... *applaud*. lol.

Btw, its no longer a MS world. You seemed to have missed the android evolution. More devices (smartphones, phones, routers, servers, switches, etc etc etc) run linux across the board than run windows. You might wanna relook at your info. It appears about 5 years out of date. The only thing Microsoft still kinda has is MS office. Of which people need less and less considering Skydrive and Google Docs.

While its not totally a Linux world and its more a hybrid world. Linux players better with windows than what windows plays with Linux.

 

[AlphaJohn]

Okay, I dont see it, but if you think that proved your point then... *applaud*. lol.

Btw, its no longer a MS world. You seemed to have missed the android evolution. More devices (smartphones, phones, routers, servers, switches, etc etc etc) run linux across the board than run windows. You might wanna relook at your info. It appears about 5 years out of date. The only thing Microsoft still kinda has is MS office. Of which people need less and less considering Skydrive and Google Docs.

Nope did not miss that, and even there I mentioned one issue. READ MTP(Media Transfer Protocol) that most Android phones use for USB and that most Linux Desktops does not support.

 

[w1z4rd]

Nope did not miss that, and even there I mentioned one issue. READ MTP(Media Transfer Protocol) that most Android phones use for USB and that most Linux Desktops does not support.

Okay so a microsoft protocol not designed for linux desktop or server doesnt work on linux desktop or server well yet. My poor gran, what will she do. Yes dude, we know that not everything works 100% with microsoft.

Linux
Proper MTP support was added to gvfs in version 1.15.2 by Philip Langdale.[11][12] This gives GNOME desktop apps like Nautilus, gedit and file-roller the ability to access files on an MTP device.
There are several other Linux tools for accessing MTP devices in other desktop environments and from the commandline.[13]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Transfer_Protocol


In the mean time, dont worry. Microsoft can see what you cant. Theyve hired Linus. Perhaps they will fix the MTP

 

[w1z4rd]

I also just tested MTP on Gnome3 with Nautalis and Rythmbox and I had no problems. Im not understanding the issue with MTP? Is the issue some versions of linux cant work with MTP or what? Cause my default install of Ubuntu works.

Edit: Okay, I see what you are talking about. I have to jump through hoops for this silly protocol :/ Why is it no surprise that a priority protocol from MS is as per usual a clusterfk.

 

[reneg8or]

Nope did not miss that, and even there I mentioned one issue. READ MTP(Media Transfer Protocol) that most Android phones use for USB and that most Linux Desktops does not support.

Maybe also your DVD player, PVR, microwave, your car's engine management system..................

 

[SauRoNZA]

A learning curve is to expected.

It's like driving a car all your life and then attempting to ride a motorcycle. Sure the basics are the same, but you'll need to learn a hell of a lot of new techniques to use it properly.

Same goes for someone who has used Windows all their life. OSX isn't more or less difficult, it's just different.


Same applies for most varieties of Linux (with GUI) although I do agree there are still a few things that need to be sorted out (for instance the mentioned dual screen issues) to make it truly plug and play.

This all chances when you use a "comes with Linux" or "Linux Approved Hardware" system that is guaranteed to work with the distribution in question and many of those hardware tinkering terminal required problems go away.

 

[MyWorld]

To be honest it has been quite a while since I last had a hardware issue. I struggled a bit with a HP printer on Arch the other day, but other than that I cannot remember when last I came across hardware that didn't work.

I'm about to install Mint on a E2500 with a fax modem, in the past this was an issue, lets see how it goes since it has been years since I last used a fax modem on a PC.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Oh and I suppose all of you that say linux is easier have installed the driver by double clicking on a executable?

Look I know for some of us it seams easy cause we know what we doing. All I was trying to say is put your Gran infront of Ubuntu and ask her to install Nvidia drivers without ever touching terminal.

....

Your trying to prove a point with something that is no longer relevant. We don't live in 1999 anymore, its 2013 and the beauty about Linux is its easier to stay up to date.

 

[cerebus]

I would have switched to Linux were it not for my gaming habit :/

 

[InvisibleJim]

I would have switched to Linux were it not for my gaming habit :/

This has always been one of the main reasons for home users to stick with Windows. Hopefully, with Steam and others beginning to push Linux as a gaming platform this could change over the next few years.

 

[BigAl-sa]

@alphajohn: you have evidently never had to try and fix a windows registry problem with reference to drivers. The biggest mistake m$ ever made was introducing the registry.

Oh yes, I have two pretty old people (60+) that I support, that use a kde derivative (with OpenOffice), with very little input from me. One of those I switched from Debian to kde and that went through without a mutter on his part...

 

[AlphaJohn]

...switched from Debian to kde..

Huh?