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Linux Anyone?

bingaddick
bingaddick Posts: 8,181
edited December 2008 in Troubleshooting
Just installed Ubuntu 8.04 (AMD64 version). I installed it under Windows although it boots from the bootloader.

I just wondered if anybody here uses Linux, which distro you use, and what your impression of it is relative to Windows?

Thus far it's found all my devices, I had difficulty playing DVD's but there was a work through solution and there's a ton of free software.

Comments

  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    I have an asus eee which uses linux, a totally microsoft free experience, and it's really good...open office is every bit as good as microsoft word, the only thing is it doesn't share all the fonts, and sending documents sometimes means you have to highlight all text and choose another font (the systems tend to choose the nearest matches).
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    Use Linux a lot at work. Most of my security work is done using BackTrack (a Linux distro specifically built for security testing), I use Ubuntu to run a couple of simulators for SAN storage (Netapp) and Suse runs one of our production web apps. Personally I think its a pain in the arse - for the average home user Ubuntu is great (I'm installing it on a PC I'm buying my mum for christmas cos all she needs it for is that t'internet and email) but trying to maintain it, run it and push it to users in a production environment is ridiculously complex. For that reason it will remain a server product in the enterprise for the foreseeable future.
  • superclive
    superclive Posts: 1,809
    Hi Leroy,

    That sounds interesting, we are using netapp at my firm for a particualr app, but I am looking into using it for SAN storage, I am really interested in how you can similate it on ubuntu? Also the BackTrack product sounds interesting,
  • aliwibble
    aliwibble Posts: 26,269
    I've got an eee as well, and although I'm not trying to anything particularly complex with it so far, I like it. From a user perspective, the main difference I've found is the tabbed desktop - ok so the applications are called different things but they tend to work in similar ways. I've even converted my Dad to using OpenOffice on windows, rather than stumping up silly money for an MSOffice licence.

    I know that there are some things that Linux isn't so good for, particularly multimedia stuff, and gaming can be a bit hit and miss. I think I'd need to spend some time have a real play with it before I'd install it on my home PC though.

    Leroy, what is it that causes problems with using Linux in the desktop environment?
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    [cite]Posted By: superclive[/cite]Hi Leroy,

    That sounds interesting, we are using netapp at my firm for a particualr app, but I am looking into using it for SAN storage, I am really interested in how you can similate it on ubuntu? Also the BackTrack product sounds interesting,
    This is what I use to simulate a NetApp environment. You'll need to register for a NOW account on NetApp's site - you should already have one (or know someone with access to one) because your filer will be registered with them. Then, you need to download the NetApp simulator - there'll be a link you can get it from under the support/products link on the site. Your best bet - rather than getting an extra box to put the sim onto - is to create a VM in VMWare Workstation/Server/ESX (I use ESX because almost all our infrastructure is virtual) and install Ubuntu onto that, then follow the instructions in the tarball for running the simulator install. If you are interested I can PM you some detailed installation instructions.

    BackTrack is the de facto standard for pen testing - pretty much everyone in security uses it. You can get it from here. Its based on SLAX so is small and robust, and is designed to be installed to a USB stick so it can be updated and portable.
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    [cite]Posted By: aliwibble[/cite]I've got an eee as well, and although I'm not trying to anything particularly complex with it so far, I like it. From a user perspective, the main difference I've found is the tabbed desktop - ok so the applications are called different things but they tend to work in similar ways. I've even converted my Dad to using OpenOffice on windows, rather than stumping up silly money for an MSOffice licence.

    I know that there are some things that Linux isn't so good for, particularly multimedia stuff, and gaming can be a bit hit and miss. I think I'd need to spend some time have a real play with it before I'd install it on my home PC though.

    Leroy, what is it that causes problems with using Linux in the desktop environment?
    Not so much the desktop envrionment as a whole - its perfect for people who don't do anything other than email, browse the web or word processing/spreadsheets. (i.e. most home users). I was talking about the corporate desktop - where there are thousands of hurdles to overcome in making it a viable alternative.
  • WSS
    WSS Posts: 25,070
    geeks ;-)
  • bingaddick
    bingaddick Posts: 8,181
    [cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]geeks ;-)

    Nar ni nar ni nar nar.

    From what I've seen thus far, it's OK surfing and e mailing. Getting it to play DVDs was fun but I got there. Some of the freeware stuff is pants but hey it's free. I like the way you can alter the desk top pretty easily.

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