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Author Topic: Alternative OS  (Read 766 times)

bananafodder

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« on: 23 August 2003, 01:58 »
Hello, I've just recently been converted into hating Microsoft. I've been having a lot of trouble lately with my Windows XP Pro, and after numerous times of fixing, updating, trying to make it faster, I'm just really sick and tired of doing this. A month ago, IE started screwing up on me, taking forever to load, and just sucking up tons and tons of system memory (process runs at 100% all the time, loading, opening a page, etc. etc.) and i got so pissed off, I just changed to Mozilla and I found it really great. runs smooth, flash java everything loads up like a dream... And my XP is also giving me a pain in the ass now...

I just want to know, for  a newbie like me, what other alternative OS should I use, I've had exposure to linux and unix OS-s before cuz I'm in college, and I really want to change my OS cuz it's just realy pissing me off. Can anyone help the poor n00b?

I've often though of changing it earlier on, but I have a laptop... is this a feasible idea?
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bananafodder

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« Reply #1 on: 23 August 2003, 02:01 »
oh, and i've been a solid windows user for a very long time, 5 years to be exact starting with 3.1... so i'm really used to windows operating enviroments.. will the transition be difficult? and also will i lose alot fo the programs that i currently have? i mean i play alot of games and i'm a pretty hardcore PC user.. it's just that i don't have a lot of exposure to any other OS other than windows, and neither do my peers. we all agree that microsoft's programs are getting worse and worse, but i've been so sucked into it, that i'm afraid that changing OS might screw me over..
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slvadcjelli42

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« Reply #2 on: 23 August 2003, 03:22 »
quote:
Originally posted by bananafodder:
i mean i play alot of games and i'm a pretty hardcore PC user.


games... That could be a problem if you don't want to do a lot of fiddling around or your hardware isn't 100% compliant (I don't mind the first, my problem is currently the second. And I think that'll be fixed when I get around to upgrading). You mention some Linux exposure... why not try that? If you have a fast connection and a CD burner you can burn it yourself, and if not there are a ton of other ways to get it really cheap. For Linux there's a project called WineX that (sort of) gets Windows programs, specifically games, to run on Linux. Check that out ( http://www.transgaming.com ). You might know already that native Linux games aren't exactly level with the ones for Windows right now... As for the laptop part of it, I know people do it all the time (Install their own OS, like Linux) but I can't help you there as I've never owned a laptop in my life.
The switch doesn't have to be very tough in terms of the GUI. Gnome and KDE provide all the basic stuff windows does and then some. Generally there isn't as much eye-candy (although it doesn't have to be that way) but most people consider that a good thing (I'm sure you've heard references to the "fisher-price look"). I use KDE.
I recommend Redhat Linux, that's what I'm using now. SuSE also looks very good but is harder to obtain for cheap, which is why I haven't tried a real install yet. Knoppix runs off a CD, which is VERY handy to have with you. The RPM package system for Redhat is also very good, I'd be lost without that.. or at least a bit behind.
Then there's that thing "ReactOS"... anybody following that? I wish it was further along, I'd like to give it a try (it's in that list on the left side of this site's main page I think). Oh, yeah, and you should give that list a look! Some very interesting stuff there.
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suselinux

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« Reply #3 on: 23 August 2003, 04:55 »
Post your computer specs

and what you want to get out of an OS

SuSE Linux is a good choice  ;)
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Unforgiven1

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« Reply #4 on: 23 August 2003, 07:58 »
I don't know about SuSe
but Rehat 9.0 and Mandrake are really user friendly...and good for a Linux n00b like myself.
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Microsoft is not the answer.
Microsoft is the question.
"No" is the answer!
The nice thing about Windows is - It does not just crash, it displays a dialog box and lets you press 'OK' first.

WaWAR_FA

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« Reply #5 on: 24 August 2003, 10:04 »
morphix.

cd boot, just use it to get the feel of using linux until you are confident enough to go all the way.

or damn small or peanut or tinfoil hat.....

i friggin love tinfoil hat.
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Windows. Whats going to screw up today?

Linux.  Compiling, please wait...........

Mac OSx Are you sure you want to do that?  Are you sure your sure?  Are you really sure?  If your sure please hit Enter to continue.  You hit Enter are you sure you want to continue?

kibawarior

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« Reply #6 on: 24 August 2003, 12:09 »
please dont use mozilla to download any iso's please just use getright
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linux is wayyyyy cool
windows plain sucks

suselinux

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« Reply #7 on: 24 August 2003, 12:27 »
quote:
Originally posted by kibawarior:
please dont use mozilla to download any iso's please just use getright


Opera has a great download manager,
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bigsleep

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« Reply #8 on: 24 August 2003, 13:11 »
Mozilla has a download manager as well, it just doesn't (yet) resume failed downloads - that are larger than the browser cache (I believe). Which is the reason, I assume, for that strange post by kibawarior.
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bananafodder

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« Reply #9 on: 25 August 2003, 06:00 »
Intel Pentium 4-M 1.8 GHz
256 MB (DDR SDRAM)
and a 40G HDD

well i use my computer mostly for irc, internet, i host my own website with apache, i fiddle with halflife pretty often, i map occasionally, but i'm also going to be a EECS student (comp eng.) and i play alot of halflife...  :\
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