Desktop Linux - thoughts from a newbie...

[mingle]

Re: Desktop Linux - thoughts from a newbie...

Hi Timo,

Of course, anyone transferring to a completely new OS will want some familiarity... I beg to differ on the 'small choice' of apps for XP, but let's not get into an XP vs Linux bust-up! :-)

I'll give it a go and see how far I can get without my apps (the ones I can only get on XP - or Mac OS, but let's not go there!)

As for the grey hair and ulcer, it could be something to do with 7 week old twins and a naughty 18 month old toddler - another reason I can't afford to spend time wrestling with my OS! Now where's that cup of tea - I need a rest! :-)

Cheers,

Mike.

[mingle]

Re: Desktop Linux - thoughts from a newbie...

@Trident_2008,

You got me on the XP command-prompt - I guess I've checked out my IP config once or twice and yes, I've used regedit on MANY occasions! :-)

But I've never had to really get into the CLI and really muck around in there...

I think that desktop Linux (Kubuntu 7.10) can be 'a useful desktop OS as it is now, if it's going to be used 'out of the box', however your average user would some come unstuck if they had to roll up their sleeves and dive into the console!

Maybe I'm looking at it from a "bozo-users's" (an unkind term I used to use in my IT support days!) perspective, and perhaps most current Kubuntu users are techie/hacker types who enjoy the rough and tumble of Linux life.

But I'm over my tinkering days (they really ended when I gave up my Amiga back in 1998) and I want my OS to be as well-behaved as possible - in fact I don't really want to know it's there!

I want my computer to be what it is: a tool to enable me to browse the web, email my friends, edit my photos and play my music...

I think once that desktop Linux can make things as simple as possible for the average user, while retaining it's console-based underpinnings (to satisfy the geeks) it's future will be assured!

Okay, time to get down from my high-horse now!

Cheers,

Mike.

[V!NCENT]

Re: Desktop Linux - thoughts from a newbie...

Then let me choose for you: use KDE3. KDE3 is a feature-rich desktop environment where you don't need to edit configuration files to change your settings. It has the most elegant, mature and beautiful software out there. If you learned the Microsoft Windows interface it has the smallest learning curve.

Choose Kubuntu. It is the most newbie-friendly KDE-distro and the most used. More users means more support. You can install Ubuntu and Debian packages as well.

KDE and GNOME follow the Freedesktop.org guidelines for a standardised desktop.

You see. Linux has choice. You can choose to have a standard newbie friendly desktop

I hope I have made things easyer for you

[SpikoPath]

Re: Desktop Linux - thoughts from a newbie...

I had started with linux distros about 5 years ago in the days of Suse and lindows (Now linspire) both used the KDE desktop UI. At that time I felt that they were not as good as Windows XP when it came to support and effectively working 'out of the box'. I then left linux distributions and went back to Windows XP, I then after someone mentioning linux distros that I then told them my experience of which I was then informed of Ubuntu. To shorten this down I fiddled with ubuntu and decided I liked Kubuntu better (I prefer KDE over Gnome anyday).

Now, I don't often use my Windows XP installation apart from if I am doing music sequencing, playing games or watching DVB-T tv.

My Kubuntu installation plays videos (Kaffeine) streamed from a remote Windows XP installation (Samba), play music files also from the same location (Amarok). I can browse the web and check my webmail (Firefox), Talk to people on Windows live messenger (Kopete). I can read and write to my NTFS partitions using NTFS-Config. I have also managed to install the restricted driver package for my nVidia 8400GS graphics card and have working, Compiz-Fusion, which wipes the floor with anything Windows Vista has come up with anyday, apart from dreamscene thus far (any takers?).

My opinion of kubuntu is that you cannot get by without getting your hands dirty just a little bit, as time has passed more support for hardware installed in your PC box has appeared supporting the phrase 'it just works'. There are still a few bugs but that is what bug reporting, going on to forums, asking questions is all about. The ability to share your knowledge with others is easier in ubuntu with its policy of open source software, because it gives the user the opportunity to understand how the damn thing works, if you want to of course. I'm the sort of individual that likes a well laid out, unified and intuitive user interface, which I get with Windows XP but not so much so in Kubuntu. I'm not that partial to getting involved with the command line in Windows XP and Kubuntu, but I'm not too bothered about cutting and pasting code.

It would be nice if we had an installation application similar to Installsheild on Kubuntu platform, repositories are nice but they do restrict the user somewhat, deb files are nice but not widely supported by manufacturers.

I will never downgrade from Windows XP to Vista as Vista is a resource hog. Kubuntu is the only viable upgrade from Windows XP in my opinion but Kubuntu has got some catching up to do if it is to be as polished as Windows XP is. I am not at the stage where I'm happy to install kubuntu for someone and not have them come across any problems when they try to use it.

Just to end this long forum post, I'm not knocking either Windows XP or Kubuntu but when XP Finally dies, what will be left standing (don't say Vista or Vienna).

Thanks for reading