Technology Linux vs windows

[Masticate3Xaday]

I just bought a new comp, and of course these days most comps only come with trial version software in order to save on costs. I was thinking about downloading and using a linux OS like fedora or ubuntu so I could use open office which is completely free and so I wouldn't have to buy and run any anti-viral software (if I were to use windows). So how easy would it be to use say fedora? How about ubuntu vs fedora? Is linux security really that much better than windows? Is linux easy for a computer novice?

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[Stroganoff]

Linux isn't really for computer novices. You really need to understand the command line interface to know Linux. There are reputable anti-malware applications you can use for free. Heck, I switched from AVG (free) to Microsoft Security Essentials (free) + Malwarebytes (free), and I'm fine. Most malware prevention is in the user's behavior, not necessarily the tools used. You can have the best anti-virus/malware software in the world but if you spend your time opening strange e-mail attachments while visiting Eastern European/Russian/North Korean websites looking for key generators, you're bound to catch something. Similarly, you could wear CDC Level 5 protection, but if you associate with Lindsay Lohan, you're bound to get the bubonic superherpes.

Also, it's not either-or. You can dual-boot Windows and Linux and learn Linux in your free time but use Windows for your work and school compatibility.

Edit: There's also OpenOffice for Windows (free).

 

[Masticate3Xaday]

Well decided to go with Fedora and absolutely love it! Yeah, its been a little bit of a learning curve, but it is very fast, stable, and also don't need any anti-viral software now that slows down the computer. I downloaded libre office for free and it has no problem at all reading or creating word docs, power points, excel files etc. Very nice. The OS feels almost like an apple, except the computer cost $800 less than the comparable apple with the same hardware.

 

[Isoprop]

Linux isn't really for computer novices.

Depends on the distro, but not really true. My parents are computer noobs and I got them using Mint just fine. They don't use CLI at all.

It's also easier to troubleshoot over the phone. It's easier to tell them to type out a couple of commands then for me to describe how to navigate through a GUI. It's pretty much the only time they run CLI.

 

[Stroganoff]

Cool, lot of new distros out -- glad they're more user friendly. Heard about Mint. I'm personally playing around with Ubuntu/Kubuntu but open-minded for all that's out there. So Linux gurus, prefer Gnome or KDE?

 

[MedicalBeast]

i have used several distros of linux (ubuntu, mint, opensuse, fedora) but at the end of my "spell" with learning linux and all that, i found that windows and especially windows 7 did everything i needed without a hassle. linux would crash way too often, fonts didn't look right, overall it just didn't feel as "professional" if that makes sense. i do check out the latest distros every now and then, but its still just not good or stable enough yet for me. but, kudos for trying it out, i am sure you will learn a lot about how computers work though it.

students can get windows 7 for only $30 (not sure if the deal is still on, but thats how I got my copy a couple of years ago)

you can still install OpenOffice or any other open source software that you would like.

in terms of antivirus, just instaill microsoft security essentials (its free) and does not drain resources at all. and if you practice safe online surfing, there is no reason you should worry about getting a virus after that.

 

[Isoprop]

Cool, lot of new distros out -- glad they're more user friendly. Heard about Mint. I'm personally playing around with Ubuntu/Kubuntu but open-minded for all that's out there. So Linux gurus, prefer Gnome or KDE?

The new Gnome has really gone to sh**. It's pretty embarrassing actually. I'm hoping for a decent/stable fork of Gnome 2. KDE is nice but is pretty bloated. Not that it matters on a desktop, but I prefer something simpler on a netbook/laptop.

Xfce is a nice balance right now.

i have used several distros of linux (ubuntu, mint, opensuse, fedora) but at the end of my "spell" with learning linux and all that, i found that windows and especially windows 7 did everything i needed without a hassle. linux would crash way too often, fonts didn't look right, overall it just didn't feel as "professional" if that makes sense. i do check out the latest distros every now and then, but its still just not good or stable enough yet for me. but, kudos for trying it out, i am sure you will learn a lot about how computers work though it.

students can get windows 7 for only $30 (not sure if the deal is still on, but thats how I got my copy a couple of years ago)

you can still install OpenOffice or any other open source software that you would like.

in terms of antivirus, just instaill microsoft security essentials (its free) and does not drain resources at all. and if you practice safe online surfing, there is no reason you should worry about getting a virus after that.

Stability is actually Linux's greatest strengths. I'm surprised that you feel that way especially with Ubuntu and Mint. I can understand if you were using a rolling release distro, but most of the mainstream user-friendly distros are rock solid. Windows maintenance is very complex and difficult. I shudder at the thought of using Windows Server instead of Debian on my home media server.

Font rendering is a little tricky with Linux especially with licensing/proprietary issues of MS-fonts. It does take a bit of configuration. But Mint pretty much solves most of those issues and fonts work out of the box or is a few simple mousestrokes away.

The best thing about Mint is that it really doesn't care about installing non-free proprietary software and drivers. It wants to give you a working OS out of the box. Compare this to Windows 7 where installation takes forever even after the base system is installed. Updates, service packs, and software installation can eat up a day if you're installing from scratch. With Mint, everything is up and running ready to use under an hour. With Ubuntu or Fedora, you gotta do a little more configuration to get it running the way you want, but it still beats Windows installations by hours.

 

[BlueMerlin]

I also dislike the new gnome, and have been playing around with xfce. Mint is still bearable, somehow, but unity is horrid. Have any of you tried any of the medical linux distros? They have a Romanian (knoppix based) one and another you build over opensuse. I've also looked at UberStudent, but it seems to be too bloated for my taste.

 

[Groove]

I've been a computer nut since age 10 (37 now) and always considered myself pretty objective in my pursuit of primary OS. There was a time that I considered Windows superior as a desktop OS and also for development. At this point in time, I consider Mac OSX to be superior and I develop primarily within that OS, but also have a Windows partition.

Linux is great... it has many strong points and weak points, but I think it's terrible as a primary desktop OS for someone with no heavy Unix experience or that is new to computers. Those that say different, I've found... are most likely Linux "fanboys" who will defend the OS with every dying breath. I used it primarily in my past tech career to run various network services at our company. It's been a few years since I used it as one of my desktop OS though. I think Linux, with all its various builds and distros is the wrong choice as a desktop OS. Can it do it? Of course, but c'mon guys... that is not an OS for non tech heavy individuals and especially for power users with no experience with a unix environment.

To the OP: If you want it as a secondary OS to get your hands dirty and see what the OS is all about then I think that's great, but if this will be your primary OS, pick something more popular and better supported. I can think of nothing more harrowing that you having something break in your Linux distro and being left to your own devices and countless google searches, to "open the hood" so to speak and "fix your car" which can be very intimidating in the Linux environment for a computer novice.

Your only reasons were Openoffice (multi platform, so no reason to use Linux just for open office....) and is it easy for a computer novice? (Overwhelmingly....NO)

The things that make Linux great, are what prevent it from becoming a mainstream OS. It will never become a mainstream OS for your average desktop user for a multitude of reasons that I won't get into right now, but honestly... most die hard Linux users don't want it to be. They want to be the elite group of adopters that has always been considered one of the most difficult operating systems to master and very easy to break.

If you think you might enjoy Linux at some point, get an Apple. MacOS is a heavily bastardized version of FreeBSD, an older desktop Unix variant so to speak and even though the Apple GUI and proprietary layers "protects you" from the under workings of your OS, they are easily accessed and all Unix based. Once your used to operating in a Unix like environment, you will be more comfortable with working in Linux. And if your OSX breaks... it's a simple phone call to Apple or stop by your local Apple store and you're up and running again versus reading page after page of support docs for your Linux computer trying to figure out what broke and how to fix it. There's no "Geek Squad" to drop off a broken Linux box. You're left up to your own devices. You most definitely will break something eventually in your Linux OS which will lead to frustration, intimidation and ultimately will make you give up the OS and write it off forever which is the opposite of what any Linux fan would want. Get used to Unix, then try Linux out, but you don't need Linux for any of the things you mentioned.