Not sure what version of Linux you are referring to. I have used/played with Ubuntu, SuSE 9.0-10.2 (latest); and most recently Simply MEPIS. Simply MEPIS is the simplest, fastest, and by far easiest to use. Download the DVD for Simply MEPIS 6.01 (or the set of CDs) and you are good to go. You can try it from the CD (and it boots as fast from that as my Windows XP does) and if you like it, install it. I have had no problems getting it to recognize/find my network, all of the files on my computers, etc., etc. It simply works. (By the way, the feed from the Penn State Computer Site was the fastest download for both CD and DVDs.)

Let me know how it works for you and/or if you have any problems.

Everywhere I turn, it seems, I am never out of ear shot of the OS holy wars and the continual preach for for a free linux based world. Somehow, working for MS seems to minimize my opinion, always being chalked up to some imposed loyalty. Windows is no doubt my OS of choice and I’m the first to jump on the Vista band wagon, but my software loyalty is directly tied to things like: usability.

I installed Fedora on a test box, played around with it for a while and got my hands dirty. It still sits there, on my rack at home and gets no love. I simply have no practical use for it and the return on my time investment is minimal at best. I often tease my OS agnostic counterpart (currently emmersed in his dual boot linux/vista machine) that it’s primary function is woblely windows. Case in point: I just got a message saying “I found a tutorial for using my wirless card on linux.” Imagine the casual user needing a tutorial for every little thing.

I don’t like to participate in the OS Jihad had so I’ll climb off the soapbox, but I have to say I totally agree with you. Linux is not a desktop OS and won’t be anytime in the near future.

I agree with your point about installing programs, at least the ones that are not in an automated installation utility, like Linspire has, and rpmfind was. Installs regularly FAIL due to some Dependant libraries missing, and it becomes a circle-jerk, en endless search for one after another. Very frustrating. The lack of some popular software is also a pain, not that it is Linux fault. Microsoft and others intentionally keep newer win media codecs incompatible with Linux (though the Real player and Quicktime work well). There are 3 games for Linux, because the makers of the games think we all use xp. They are wrong.

On the bright side, most dists come with just about everything you need to get going, and are easier to install than XP or Vista. I see no reason why anyones “mom” couldn’t use Linux. Mine does, and so does my woman (who is not very computer-savy..) They know how to do everything they need to do, and definitely don’t want to PAY for any software! After all, it’s just a matter of clicking the icon to run a program, and if they understand a windows desktop, it is the same thing generally.

Over all, I love Linux. I have been using it on and off since 1996 or so, when it took like 40 hours to download and setup “Caldera Linux” after rebooting with the floppy.. I was using “PC Linux” for the last year, and redhat before the change. I prefer the lightest OS possible. Presently I like Mandrake.

Once you get used to it, I’ll bet you will not want out. Little things like being able to copy several things to clipboard and choose which to paste you will miss. In addition, you can customize the kernel to only load the things you want it to. A “light” OS is a fast and reliable one. Firefox, Thunderbird, both way better than that new disaster of IE and Outlook. Did I say I HATE the new version of I.E.?? I REALLY cannot stand the thing, and windows automatically “updated” to it. Where is the stupid STOP and RELOAD buttons? Why must the interface be so bloated and HUGE while claiming to save space? Nonsense. I used to use IE when I had to, but now I will not update it, even if obsolete! Firefox definately won that war!

Please don’t give up on Linux just because Ubuntu is a pain. If you would try a Red Hat based distro you may have a better experience. i.e. Fedora, CentOS, etc… In those cases all you have to do to install a package is open a shell as root, and enter the command “yum install . It’s really quite easy. And to update all of the packages enter the command “yum update”. To do this unattended add “-y”. “yum -y update” and it will continue without any further input from the user. There are also GUI apps that interface with yum, Kyum and Yumex.

I sadly agree that linux for the desktop is not as easy as the M$ OS.
Both OS got a completely different point of departure and are still developing parallel, IMO not growing towards each other.

As an (electronic) engineer i love the fact that linux is a like my toolbox.
It gives me free access to all the tools i need and the inner parts of my computers hard- and software. Something windows sadly lacks, I know!!!

As a desktop user who just wants browsing typing gaming e.a. who’s not interested for what is under the hood, or for what makes it tick M$ windows is all he needs.
If it crashes and the friendly salesperson says it’s dead, he spends his money and goes on home with his new machine and lives happy ever after. That’s what he calls money well spend.

You could do just the same for free with knoppix, linspire, macosx…

It is different if one starts connecting different system together. If it were dead easy networking wouldn’t be a profession i always think. And i do know that samba sometimes doesn’t dance to my rythm either.

Falgouze, Belgium

But I WILL drop M$. XP update blew my usb drivers on 2 machines and even M$ in it’s newsgroup agrees there is a problem and no solution as of 2007 !! This is worse than anything linux ever did to me.

PCLinuxOS. There is nothing on the face of the planet like it…I’d be lost without the PCLinuxOS Control Center…only Suse and Mandriva have the equivalent and not in such a fantastic package. Give it a whirl and find out why it’s went from being close to the top ten at distrowatch to #4

I recently installed Ubuntu on my laptop in a dual boot situation. I tend to agree on the PITA aspect of getting some things working, though using the package managers to install stuff helps a lot. I’ve also found that judicious use of google supplies sufficiently detailed instructions for correcting most of the problems I’ve run in to.

As for your problem seeing your XP systems, all I did was install Samba and of course have them shared on the XP side and I can see all the other XP PC’s in the house with no configuration needed on the Ubuntu end.

You are right, though, if “regular” people are to use Linux, someone needs to come up with a distribution that works out of the box with all the normal stuff people do, music, web, e-mail, etc. It isn’t quite there yet and requires too high a level of technical expertise to figure out problems.

It’s interesting to learn the of the ups and downs of other users who have migrated (or tried to) to Linux. I have recently done the same, (CentOS5) which is a very stable disto of Linux. I too have had some frustrations getting it to work as I would like, but - the trick is: stay with it if you want an alternative to Windoze (produced by Micro$od). I have a Windoze network; so, Samba came to the rescue - I can print from a printer on a Windoze network computer, access drives on the Windoze network (and vise versa) so keep trying to make it work! - It’s worth the effort.