Comments on: What should I use? http://whatwillweuse.com/2009/10/21/what-should-i-use/ Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:37:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: twitter http://whatwillweuse.com/2009/10/21/what-should-i-use/comment-page-1/#comment-1228 twitter Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:18:16 +0000 http://whatwillweuse.com/?p=394#comment-1228 Which distribution of GNU/Linux you use depends on the tasks at hand and what you are used to. You can get the same software in any distribution but some are better tuned than others for specific tasks, such as media editing and dealing with unfriendly hardware. Without further details, I would recommend Debian as the most general purpose and flexible distribution. Their net install process requires less downloading than most distributions but offers full drive encryption, a choice of desktops and excellent language support through a simple text based install. KDE, Gnome and XFCE are the default desktop options and there are many other window managers that can be installed later. The best argument for Debian is one of it's core goals, ease of upgrade. Debian systems are famous for seamless migrations from one version to another. If you love your laptop and will be using it for many years, Debian will serve you well. The downsides are relatively stale stable packages and difficulty with obnoxious hardware. It was once easier to install non free software like Skype, Flash and video drivers on Debian but vendors have come around thanks to Ubuntu's big market share. Under no circumstances would I recommend <a href="http://slashdot.org/~twitter/journal/177855" rel="nofollow">Vista</a> or <a href="http://slashdot.org/~twitter/journal/215957" rel="nofollow">Windows 7</a>. These operating systems are malicious even if they did work but they won't ever be as good as GNU/Linux. The "familiarity" promised by Vista and the new Office programs are cruel jokes to Windows users. Both come with forced changes and muscle memory loss worse than switching to all but the most exotic of GNU/Linux desktops. Finally, <a href="http://slashdot.org/~twitter/journal/213707" rel="nofollow">Microsoft is imploding</a> and lacks the ability to fix it's problems, if ever non free software could. GNU/Linux Netbooks, Open Office and Google have stripped M$ of 50% of it's Windows revenue and dug a deep hole into their future Office franchise. Old partners and competitors alike are breaking free of the Microsoft monopoly, despite threats of lawsuits over bogus patents and punishing retail power that has bankrupted massive chains like Circuit City and CompUSA. The brave few who wasted the last two years learning the ins and outs of Vista surely regret the effort because Windows 7 has changed everything again. Free software users, on the other hand, happily exercise skills they learned ten or twenty years ago and only chose new interfaces when the feature set suits them. Apple too, thanks to a liberal helping of free software, and less criminal development goals, has provided a more stable platform but that is not really a choice you have and I would not endorse a non free software platform that is still littered with digital restrictions. Which distribution of GNU/Linux you use depends on the tasks at hand and what you are used to. You can get the same software in any distribution but some are better tuned than others for specific tasks, such as media editing and dealing with unfriendly hardware. Without further details, I would recommend Debian as the most general purpose and flexible distribution. Their net install process requires less downloading than most distributions but offers full drive encryption, a choice of desktops and excellent language support through a simple text based install. KDE, Gnome and XFCE are the default desktop options and there are many other window managers that can be installed later. The best argument for Debian is one of it’s core goals, ease of upgrade. Debian systems are famous for seamless migrations from one version to another. If you love your laptop and will be using it for many years, Debian will serve you well. The downsides are relatively stale stable packages and difficulty with obnoxious hardware. It was once easier to install non free software like Skype, Flash and video drivers on Debian but vendors have come around thanks to Ubuntu’s big market share.

Under no circumstances would I recommend Vista or Windows 7. These operating systems are malicious even if they did work but they won’t ever be as good as GNU/Linux. The “familiarity” promised by Vista and the new Office programs are cruel jokes to Windows users. Both come with forced changes and muscle memory loss worse than switching to all but the most exotic of GNU/Linux desktops. Finally, Microsoft is imploding and lacks the ability to fix it’s problems, if ever non free software could. GNU/Linux Netbooks, Open Office and Google have stripped M$ of 50% of it’s Windows revenue and dug a deep hole into their future Office franchise. Old partners and competitors alike are breaking free of the Microsoft monopoly, despite threats of lawsuits over bogus patents and punishing retail power that has bankrupted massive chains like Circuit City and CompUSA. The brave few who wasted the last two years learning the ins and outs of Vista surely regret the effort because Windows 7 has changed everything again. Free software users, on the other hand, happily exercise skills they learned ten or twenty years ago and only chose new interfaces when the feature set suits them. Apple too, thanks to a liberal helping of free software, and less criminal development goals, has provided a more stable platform but that is not really a choice you have and I would not endorse a non free software platform that is still littered with digital restrictions.

]]> By: Valdis http://whatwillweuse.com/2009/10/21/what-should-i-use/comment-page-1/#comment-1105 Valdis Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:46:23 +0000 http://whatwillweuse.com/?p=394#comment-1105 I use 9.10 for two weeks on Dell Studio 15. It runs pretty well. I use 9.10 for two weeks on Dell Studio 15. It runs pretty well.

]]> By: dann washko http://whatwillweuse.com/2009/10/21/what-should-i-use/comment-page-1/#comment-1102 dann washko Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:48:03 +0000 http://whatwillweuse.com/?p=394#comment-1102 Try something new and interesting like Slackware or Archlinux! Fantastic distros! Or even consider giving the bsd's a spin! Try something new and interesting like Slackware or Archlinux! Fantastic distros! Or even consider giving the bsd’s a spin!

]]> By: mhs http://whatwillweuse.com/2009/10/21/what-should-i-use/comment-page-1/#comment-1099 mhs Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:22:26 +0000 http://whatwillweuse.com/?p=394#comment-1099 You might be able to get $115 to use Ubuntu: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/19/windows_dell_linux_refund/ I think even if it was even money, I would use Ubuntu or Fedora. But if you get the refund, that's a nice little bonus. Pick a 64 bit Linux, if you like Ubuntu, use Ubuntu. If you like rpm's, use Fedora. Take the $115 and buy more RAM. Windows 7 == Windows Vista 2.0. There's nothing like getting all of the software you need with the operating system's distributor, and there's nothing like that from Microsoft. You might be able to get $115 to use Ubuntu:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/19/windows_dell_linux_refund/

I think even if it was even money, I would use Ubuntu or Fedora. But if you get the refund, that’s a nice little bonus.

Pick a 64 bit Linux, if you like Ubuntu, use Ubuntu. If you like rpm’s, use Fedora. Take the $115 and buy more RAM.

Windows 7 == Windows Vista 2.0. There’s nothing like getting all of the software you need with the operating system’s distributor, and there’s nothing like that from Microsoft.

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