Linsux and Winbloze - There is no decent operating system for the PC!

[Aloone_Jonez]

Me and my family purchased a PC about 2 months ago (not brill 1800MHz AMD 256MB RAM 40GB hard drive), it came with Microcock Winbolze Xpee already installed. It ran well for all of 3 days, then (for no apparent reason) it started to display stupid error messages when shut down (GUI error blah...), we hadn't even connected to the Internet.

When we did connect all was well for a week (apart from the previous problem) then for some reason we contracted the netsky virus, the latest update for our virus scanner fixed it (or it said it did but we still get messages saying that some non-existent file is infected.). Now every now and again it hangs even when it's not being used!

Someone at work said to me

[Xeen]

Use Windows 2000, not XPee.

[savet]

As stated by Xeen, if you have to use Windows, 2000 is the lesser evil.

That being said...you really can't expect to migrate to a new operating system and not have a learning curve.  Redhat is indeed a good version for getting your feet wet.  You can use the GUI to do things while you get accustomed to the commands.  Another thing to keep in mind...the standard kernel is somewhat bloated, and recompiling the kernel without the things you don't need will speed it up.

Regarding your modem, http://linmodems.org/ has good information on getting your modem working.

[xyle_one]

Maybe you should have read up on Linux before attempting to use it? The 1gig to install Linux comes from installing a shitload of applications that come with the cds. maybe next time, look at what you are installing before saying that it is bloated. I ran a 128mb install of linux for a while, so do not for a minute try to say that it is bloated.

And I am actually surprised that WindowsXP gave you so many errors without you actually fucking something up, or installing some crap ass software.

I have been able to run XP rather solid for quite a while now (amazing, especially reading some of my earlier rants    ), mostly because I am not an idiot. I do not install warez, or misc software. And i certainly do not get online without up to date virus software. I am more inclined to believe that you just do not know what you are doing, rather than its "Linsux" or "Winblowz" fault.

My redhat machine boots up faster than my XP box.

[enjoijeff]

Linux doesn't take near as long to boot up as Windows, after a long usage. Linux stays the same amount of time on loading while Windows gets slower and slower over a month or two. The only reason you probably realized that it was taking "forever" to load was because it's showing you exactly what's happening. Kernel messages tell you if everything boots okay. As with Windows it's a complete secret because they give you the loading screen that just shows a progress bar. I would much rather make sure that my computer is booting 100% okay than never know what's going on.

Linux never locks up persay unless there's a Kernel error or something systematically devistating happens. Which, is understandable as Windows locks up whenever a third party application tries to do a basic task. Let's say typing.

I have had many troubles with XP giving me error messages of blah blah blah must be a bug "End Task." While back in the 98 days there was a message stating an "Illegal Operation." Notice the similarities? Windows doesn't change old habits it just rewords them.

I don't really see any updates in XP from a more stable 95. Unless, you count more failures that lead to uncontrollable shut downs. And the fact that XP is much slower on a 1GHz computer than 95 is on a 133MHz. I know everything I might say sounds cliche, but it's all so true.

Ha, XP's attempt at a "GUI" is pathetic. So much to the fact that if you really want to change the look but it still basically be the same that you have to pay for "Plus!" I mean the look of your PC isn't that important, but that's the only difference in why you would want to switch from 2000 or 95 or something. I mean KDE and Gnome are far more advanced in their GUI.

In another note, you yourself also said that it didn't lock up "as much as winbloze." So I ask you this... What's the point in STILL using Windows?

Edit: Oh and on another note... bloatware. 1GB to install is not that damn bad. If you look at it half of that stuff isn't even needed for the system, yet, extra software that you might want to use. You don't have to install it. Windows XP takes around 3GB on a full install if I remember correctly. Linux will probably take around 2GB if you install all the bonus software... Just something to think about.

P.S. Bloatware doesn't necessarily mean that it's big in size. It means that with everytime they put out an update it seems to get twice as large as the last update, and so forth. Microsoft does that a lot. Also, I would like you to try Linux for a year and see if you get one single Virus. Viruses on Linux are sooo rare that I highly doubt you will get one in 2 to 4 years of usage. By then Linux will be so far ahead of Windows you won't even really think of Windows as a choice.

[ May 31, 2004: Message edited by: enjoijeff ]

[xyle_one]

XP takes 1.2 gigs to install, and to install everything on a redhat distro, including all the exta software, is around 6 gigs. That is alot of extra software though. I know that once I am done updating and installing my software for windows, its around 20-25 gigs, far more than my linux box after the same treatment.

[Predator]

I fucking hate XP with a passion. I mean, what's up with the skinnable startmenu and fucking error messages? XP service pack should be called Demolition pack.  

[Aloone_Jonez]

Thanks for you all your opinions/help on the matter.

 

quote:Use Windows 2000, not XPee.

Good Idea Xeen. We use Win2k at work, but I don't want to send off any more money to Microcock.

Do you think I should borrow a copy of a friend? or Should I dig out my old Winbloze 98 CD?

 

quote:you really can't expect to migrate to a new operating system and not have a learning curve.

Couldn't agree you more Rio, I don't think Linsux is hard to use I just think it sucks, it was hard
enough to migrate my family away from M$ works to OpenOffice.org. Linsux will be impossible, and I don't like to force things on people.

I will however, continue to duel boot me system. I will check out the linmodem stuff too. I'm glad my PC came with Winbloze because if I had bought a blank PC, I would be fucked, unless I installed Winbloze.
How could I have got Linsux to work then?
If I didn't have a Winbloze CD I would've borrowed one and the removed it when I found a driver for my modem. These no legal way to set up a blank PC with Linsux!

 

quote:Another thing to keep in mind...the standard kernel is somewhat bloated, and recompiling the kernel without the things you don't need will speed it up.

How the Fuck do you do that?
I'm a newB remember.

 

quote:Maybe you should have read up on Linux before attempting to use it?

Well xyle_one, I did but obviously not enough, when my colleague recommend duel booting he also told me to read the Redtwat linsux manual CD on a Winbloze machine before I installed.

It was so fucking big!

I just briefly scanned through the relevant bits.

 

quote:maybe next time, look at what you are installing before saying that it is bloated.

You're right I should.
 

quote:I ran a 128mb install of linux for a while

How the fuck did you do that?
What settings did you use?

 

quote:and I am actually surprised that WindowsXP gave you so many errors without you actually fucking something up, or installing some crap ass software.

Perhaps it's my PC vendors fault!

 

quote:I have been able to run XP rather solid for quite a while now

You're  obviously joking of course.

 

quote:I do not install warez, or misc software.

Be more descriptive, what do you mean by

[KernelPanic]

quote:Originally posted by xyle_one:
Maybe you should have read up on Linux before attempting to use it? The 1gig to install Linux comes from installing a shitload of applications that come with the cds. maybe next time, look at what you are installing before saying that it is bloated. I ran a 128mb install of linux for a while, so do not for a minute try to say that it is bloated.

And I am actually surprised that WindowsXP gave you so many errors without you actually fucking something up, or installing some crap ass software.

I have been able to run XP rather solid for quite a while now (amazing, especially reading some of my earlier rants     ), mostly because I am not an idiot. I do not install warez, or misc software. And i certainly do not get online without up to date virus software. I am more inclined to believe that you just do not know what you are doing, rather than its "Linsux" or "Winblowz" fault.

My redhat machine boots up faster than my XP box.

PS This guy is a Mac Bitch  

[Col]

I use Windows 98, and it ran fairly smoothly for about 3 years when we got it in 2000, but now it's ran into so many problems. It's really doing my head in! Maybe I'll list a few of the error messages and problems when I get time...

[Col]

quote:Originally posted by enjoijeff:
The only reason you probably realized that it was taking "forever" to load was because it's showing you exactly what's happening. Kernel messages tell you if everything boots okay. As with Windows it's a complete secret because they give you the loading screen that just shows a progress bar.

It's never worked for me, but apparently if you press the SHIFT key while that splash screen is displayed, it'll disapear. It's never worked though. I read that in the help files of Winguides Tweak Manager.

[ June 01, 2004: Message edited by: Col ]

[WMD]

quote:Originally posted by Col:
It's never worked for me, but apparently if you press the SHIFT key while that splash screen is displayed, it'll disapear.

Nope.  You have to edit c:\msdos.sys, and add a line called Splash=o to it.  Can't remember what section, though.

[xyle_one]

quote:Originally posted by Tux:
PS This guy is a Mac Bitch    

lol, true  

 

quote:You're obviously joking of course.

No, I am not joking. My XP install is working perfectly right now, and has been for a while. Of course, I do not use it as much as my mac or redhat box, and that might have something to do with it.

[enjoijeff]

Okay, everyone seems to be quoting me on the booting up part. My ideal is simple if you have something to read then you "feel" like it's taking "FOREVER!" But if you have something nice and pretty to look at going back and forth or something then you are like wow that went by fast... I think you should try to time which goes faster you might be surprised or you might prove me wrong both of which I don't care.

Oh and have you ever realized how long it takes Windows to run the start up applications? Gee whiz. You can't just start using your computer right away because you are waiting for all your applications to load... That always made me mad because I always had to wait an extra like 30 seconds to a minute sometimes more for that...

[ June 01, 2004: Message edited by: enjoijeff ]

[xyle_one]

Fedora has a nice little screen like XP when its booting up. I prefer to see what is loading, and the status as it loads though. I am also under the impression that even though windows gets to the desktop quickly, it still has to load a bunch of other shit, like those items you have in the start up folder, and all the items that show in the task bar next the clock. When linux boots to the desktop its ready to use, windows is not. Get it.