Converting to Linux ?

[BraggSurvivor]

I'm seriously considering this.

I have XP Pro and MS Office Pro, and tons of MS Word docs and Excel spreadsheets.

I need more than just an OS, I need biz apps and compatability with my existing documents. I also need drivers for various printers, scanners, fax machines etc.

What are your recommendations on this?

[Alpine_Sapper]

I'm seriously considering this.

I have XP Pro and MS Office Pro, and tons of MS Word docs and Excel spreadsheets.

I need more than just an OS, I need biz apps and compatability with my existing documents. I also need drivers for various printers, scanners, fax machines etc.

What are your recommendations on this?

I run a homogenous linux environment for my network, but I'm also an RHCE.

If you're not familiar with linux, I definitely suggest starting with a dual boot environment. If you've only got one drive, it may take reloading your windows system first. It may be easier to buy a new drive to install linux on. There's some decent tutorials on how to set this up here:

http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux/grub-w2k-HOWTO.html
http://www.linux.com/feature/113945

It also doesn't take a large drive to do it. Most linux distro's will fit on a 10gb drive or less, depending on what all you install with it.

There's a pretty significant learning curve going from Windows to Linux, but if you're willing to spend the time to learn what you need to, it's well worth it.

As for the business apps side of things linux has come a long way in the past few years. In comparison with the MS Office suite, at a pretty high cost, there's Star office from Sun Microsystems for a LOT cheaper:

http://www.sun.com/software/star/staroffice/index.jsp

Open Office is free, and comes with just about every linux distribution:

http://www.openoffice.org/

Both are compatible with MS Office file formats and have the ability to save files in those formats for exporting to MS systems. They have all the apps you're used to, such as PowerPoint and Excel, only under different names.

Regarding your drivers, those are written by the linux community as new tech comes out. Some of the stuff is ONLY microsoft compatible due to the way the corporation has integrated itself with the industry since Windows 3.1 came out. However, most of the tech released in the last few years is linux compatible, although the drivers may take a month or so after the device is released to the market to be available. The only thing I can really say is before you go to a total linux solution check the models of your devices to make sure the drivers exist for linux first. Same goes for buying a new piece of tech. Make sure it's compatible with Linux before purchasing it.

With Xwindows, the standard linux window manager, many of the desktop environments are amazingly Windows like, to facilitate people migrating from windows to linux. The flexibility in linux is one of the things that makes it spectacular.

What you need to remember, though, is that linux is simply the kernel, and not the operating system itself. The operating system will be determine by the distribution. I personally use RedHat software solutions, the current free community version being Fedora, as a desktop. Most of the "n00bs" I know LOVE Ubuntu, as it pretty much does anything Windows will do "out of the box". The difference is that Fedora uses a redhat base, while Ubuntu uses a debian base, so there's some differences in the CLI commands and the location of certain configuration files. Once you learn linux, it's not hard to learn the difference between the distro's. Also, there's a significant differenece between the attitudes of the linux users vs. microsoft, as you can pretty much drop into any linux forum and recieve the help that you need/want as long as you do a little research on the issue yourself, first. Otherwise you get answers like:
"google motherf*cker...do you use it?" or "www.justf*ckinggoogleit.com"

Just kinda FYI, I am configuring a dual boot system so that some of the games my kids and their friends want to play will run. You can run some applications that are Windows proprietary under WINE, a windows emulator, but some require the .dll library's of Windows and simply need a windows environment. It's always a good idea to have the dual boot around for that reason.

Windows systems aren't inherently bad, except in the area of security, so if you have a network with windows systems on it, they are best protected by linux, so linux based firewalls are second only to pf based, or BSD style firewalls, but that's a WHOLE nother ballgame. :)

Incidentally, I'm writing this from a laptop in the middle of a state park, piggy backed into my home system using VNC, which gives me a virtual desktop into my home system, kind of like, but better than, the Windows RDC solution for remote administration.

If you've made it this far and I haven't totally lost you, if you want more information from me on this, you can contact me here: shinobi AT whitetigerjutsu DOT org.

Good luck.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Oh, and all the normal windoze-y extras like bluetooth (why?) and other stuff you may be using should work as well.

[BraggSurvivor]

computing...computing...computing...


Thanks Sapper, I may need to contact you.

[JRJ]

I would recommend Ubuntu for a beginning linux user. Great OS with excellent support.


-JRJ

[mitch.chesney]

I would recommend Ubuntu for a beginning linux user. Great OS with excellent support.


-JRJ

I agree. I run Ubuntu 7.1 and it was bar far the easiest ditro to install and use with my hardware. SuSe, Redhat, Fedora and CollegeLinux didn't last a week.

[crashdive123]

I gotta hand it to you guys. I typed those words into my language translator.....it didn't have a clue what you were talking about either.

[canid]

i'm a linux user aswell. i still keep a dual boot on my notebook for my family's sake, as they still won't even try. a willingness to get to know the environment and a decent reference is really all there is to it. for me it's biggest benefit is it's flexibility.

i love the way the support base for desktop users has grown over the years. my first distro took me weeks to configure properly, even to get an x server running. these days, almost everything is autotyped/autoconfigured and works right out of the box.

[Alpine_Sapper]

There's a "pwn to own" hacker contest (pwn is "hack-speak" for owned, or hacked, if you don't know.) It's basically a hacker challenge where if you hack a laptop you get to keep it. Out of a Mac, Vista ultimate, and ubuntu linux, the sony vaio running ubuntu is the only one that did not fall:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=networking_and_internet&articleId=9073258&taxonomyId=16

[Rick]

Bragg - The other question you have to ask yourself is location. Where you are and how much time you're willing to invest in learning a new OS is going to be a key factor. Either you'll have to know how to support Linux or pay someone to do it. If you can't or don't want to spend the time to learn it then is there someone in the vicinity that can support your system. And, as Canid pointed out, the family will have to adapt unless you run dual.

Or....find the youngest member of your family. Two or three years old is generally best. Then ask them to show you how to use it.:confused:

[Assassin Pilot]

One factor is if you are willing to download programs illegally (aka free). Personally I use a Mac, which limits the software that I can use. It is also harder to illegally download programs, because not as many people use them. Linux has a larger community of hackers (mainly because they were the first to use it), so the amount of software you can download illegally on it is immense. If you are familiar with torrents, you can get pretty much everything you need free on them.

[Alpine_Sapper]

One factor is if you are willing to download programs illegally (aka free). Personally I use a Mac, which limits the software that I can use. It is also harder to illegally download programs, because not as many people use them. Linux has a larger community of hackers (mainly because they were the first to use it), so the amount of software you can download illegally on it is immense. If you are familiar with torrents, you can get pretty much everything you need free on them.

Torrents have nothing to do with linux or, really, illegal files. They are a mainstream method of transmitting files and media, and while yes, they are used to share copyrighted data, their primary use is legitimate. You can use torrents on ANY platform, typically via a java (platform independant) based client, but you can also get something that is OS proprietary for your system. Remember, anything that can be abused will be.

Now, if you want to download illegal crap from the internet, get Usenet binary group subscription and go to town.

Sheesh, what are they teaching you kids these days? :cool:

[Alpine_Sapper]

Linux has a larger community of hackers (mainly because they were the first to use it), so the amount of software you can download illegally on it is immense.

Oh yeah, and...

Yes, linux has a large community of hackers. That's because we understand the underlying operating system, and don't have to rely on point and click to make a system work, and like control over our machines.

The only reason that you can download more MEDIA, not SOFTWARE, on a linux system illegally is because since it's guys like me creating the operating system, there is typically NO DMCA COMPLIANT SHACKLES.

See, the software is typically free, and the ones that aren't, which are rare, are CHEAP. Because it's written by hackers for the community.

However, most of us disagree with the RIAA shoving the DMCA down everyone's throat, so we refuse to implement their crap into our applications. So yeah, you can play that iso-busted DVD. That sony rootkit fiasco? I was unaffected. I play sony discs in my machine for my kid all the time. You can download the media. *shrug* A linux box will play it every time if you know what you're doing.

Still doesn't mean the RIAA's not gonna sue you for a few million $$$'s over that copy of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands"

[Rick]

Hey, Alpine. Ever find it odd that you can watch just about any program you want without knowing how a TV works or you can turn on the lights in your home without knowing how power generation and distribution is employed? Yet you have to understand how a PC works and have at least some software skills to make the da**ed things function? Beeeezar!

[Assassin Pilot]

Yeah, this is a bit of a long post. Oh well, you all know the saying "quality, not quantity"

@ Alpine:
I can say from experience that if anyone under the age of 20 is using torrents, the primary use will be for hacked programs / games. I know that it doesn't have to be illegal, but from my experience it very easily is.

@ Alpine #2:
Media can be downloaded illegally in pretty much the same exact way between linux / windows / mac. I have tried all 3 and see absolutely no difference what so ever (but I use torrents + opensource mainly, so it may vary in other methods). Also, I have no credit card so anything that costs money, even $5, is a lot for me cause then I gotta bother someone I know who does have one.

But it really depends on what kind of software you use and how. Like commerical vs opensource vs freeware (non o-s). Or how you download it (torrents vs physically from friends vs http download). And as you've stated the OS differs a lot as well (Mac vs Linux vs Windows). That's 27 different combinations right there that all change the effects. Can't really divide it into 2 clear groups there now can we? ;)

But you bring up a very good point in that the different OSes can play a huge role depending on how you use them.

@ Rick:
thats probably the best question I've heard all week.

[Alpine_Sapper]

But you bring up a very good point in that the different OSes can play a huge role depending on how you use them.


Just quoted the bit for brevity, but in response...

lol. To true, bro. I forget about games. I don't have time for them anymore, unfortunately. And I basically break it down into media and software because it either runs as an app or gets loaded into one as far as I'm concerned.

[mbarnatl]

I use Gentoo and SUSE. SUSE has the most up to date drivers. Gentoo is easy and you can run it off a CD.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Hey, Alpine. Ever find it odd that you can watch just about any program you want without knowing how a TV works or you can turn on the lights in your home without knowing how power generation and distribution is employed? Yet you have to understand how a PC works and have at least some software skills to make the da**ed things function? Beeeezar!

heh. Yeah, and it's getting more so that way. It's almost to the point that you need a degree just to get email up and running. *sigh* sometimes I wish I could unlearn some of the things I've learned. Might stop being so paranoid. Then again, probably not. If anybody needs me, I'm in the faraday cage I made out of the golfball hanging in the tree. :p

[Alpine_Sapper]

I use Gentoo and SUSE. SUSE has the most up to date drivers. Gentoo is easy and you can run it off a CD.

Wow. Not many SUSE users around. I know a lot of guys doing the Gentoo thing. Stage 1 all the way, baby. :)

[Assassin Pilot]

lol. To true, bro. I forget about games. I don't have time for them anymore, unfortunately. And I basically break it down into media and software because it either runs as an app or gets loaded into one as far as I'm concerned.

Actually, now they have Battlefield 1942 for Mac, so I'm fine game-wise. Won't be too long till they start pushing the market to Linux. They always want more money, and a group of people who are until now (future) limited to internet games are an excellent market.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Actually, now they have Battlefield 1942 for Mac, so I'm fine game-wise. Won't be too long till they start pushing the market to Linux. They always want more money, and a group of people who are until now (future) limited to internet games are an excellent market.

Sweet. I know of a few forward thinking game manufacturers, namely blizzard and the US army. World of Warcraft and America's Army (which is free!) are available for linux. I think a few others as well. But the online games will always be available across more platforms before the stand alone installations, which are pretty non-existant now anyway.

[Assassin Pilot]

WoW is also on the Mac, as well as Age of Empires III (which is made by microsoft :confused: )

There is a game there for everyone. But yeah, the online games are pretty dominant for entertainment. I think it really depends on the person, like if they have a gameboy / game console / PC. Too bad my original xbox barely works and I don't have the will to buy a newer xbox 360 (too much $$)