Linux - if you really have to have it...
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
Linux - if you really have to have it...
21-07-2009 1:36 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
21-07-2009 1:57 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Companies DO sell Linux, BUT only the support of it, if you want to use it without support then it is free. If I wanted to buy a copy of a Linux distro, a few years ago Red Hat was for sale with a manual, along with Suse and Mandrivia still offer a bought version, but the difference between the downloaded version and the bought version was the support and the Printed Manual I have bought several manuals over the years from a complete Windows MCSE 2000 to several on Linux, from basic to firewall design, but the thing with these was always bought from a discount seller, i.e. older books.
What would happen if M$ decided a year after W7 is released to make XP free? Would people flock to download it or would they say that is now very dated and I want something better. I can't see it but ?
I have used Linux over the years (about 8 ) but only recently changed permanently to it, It was VIsta that made me change, I had the Beta version that M$ made available with a puccker license, but its AUC and the fact that a lot of my HARDWARE was unsupported made me switch. Even then I was using the same web browser (Firefox) and mail client (Thunderbird) that I am now, just updated versions now, and still free.
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
21-07-2009 7:16 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Many of those people who give their time effort free of charge would withdraw from supporting open source if someone was profiteering from their efforts.
If you pay your £1 - would you get free updates for evermore (as at present)?
Would the retailer want to spy on your PC to make sure you had a "registered" copy?
Would I have to read boring EULA's?
BTW I bought a cheapo Canon printer for about £15 - only to discover that Canon are really bad at driver support for non-windoze OS's.
Luckily(?), a company had gone to the trouble of writing driver software for unusual printers.
I paid about 30 euros for this application - which has worked well through several OS upgrades.
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
22-07-2009 11:34 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
This gives a huge level of choice and allows me to use my computer exactly how I want to and to make it look how I want to.
A side effect of 'Free as in Freedom' is free software - if anyone can get the source for free they can use and in GPL/BSD cases distribute the software freely. Also as anyone can see the code, it has to be of a high standard and is constantly under review by many many people, which results in better quality software, so it's a win all round really.
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
22-07-2009 1:16 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
It is a rather rhetorical question, really. Linux can never be chargeable, as it, and most of its projects, are created under an open source licence. No person or organisation has the right to claim ownership. There are some commercial applications for Linux, but with those you make the decision as to whether you need them and they offer good value, as you would with any product.
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 12:46 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
One of the main draws is that Linux is more for the technical minded. With Windows you're stuck with what you get, with Linux you can delve into the Kernel and modify it to your needs, you can even build your own distro from scratch (LFS) which means you control all the software that goes on to it, as well as optomising the software for your specific needs.
One of the downsides to Linux is driver support for various devices. My laptop has some weird SiS card in it or something, which means the resolution is never right which means I get horrible lines drawn across the screen. A major upside is, the Mac vs PC adverts would reverse if the PC were Linux based
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 1:50 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: dgwebb with Linux you can delve into the Kernel and modify it to your needs
There's also a hell of a lot of customisation you can do without having to go to extremes like the kernel - for example changing the window manager.
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 5:24 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
To me, as a very basic computer user, the issue of a free operating system is irrelevant.
The only reasons that I wanted to get to grips with Linux are security and simplicity. If I had to pay for Linux then I would if by doing so it would achieve these goals.
The general belief is that Linux is for the techies but I really don't think that this is the case when using it for ordinary things like Internet, documents, simple photograph editing etc. It's about what you have learned/been taught and alas virtually all of us start with Windows, thus making Linux appear more complex than it is.
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 9:47 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
I have to find the right driver to use and install it whilst simultaneously try to stop these wizards from loading
many megabytes of link:censored.
adie:blue avoidance of swear filter mod:end
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 10:29 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Of course that didn't happen as we don't feel the need to do that, so in the end a Linux user had to slag off windows in a Linux thread, the mind boggles!
Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...
24-07-2009 10:38 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
However, I'm in the unfortunate position of owning one Windows XP laptop and 3 Linux desktops.
I don't normally use the laptop as it takes ages to boot (Windows hasn't been re-installed since the day it was bought),
the kids have installed and uninstalled many demo games (again something which Windows doesn't cope with well).
Sorry if that counts as a second slagging off.
My unfamiliarity makes Windows a difficult product for me.
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Linux - if you really have to have it...