Linux

[95.0mark]

So my laptop got the blue screen of death over a yr ago. well a friend at work said its done so he pulled everything off and reinstalled xp on it and it works now but he said my xp is no longer being updated and he uses Linux so he asked and recommended it tome. so im getting Linux. I guess its safer and streamlined. do any of you brahs use it. wiki said only 1.1 % of home computers use linux. but that over 60% of servers use it. im just glad to get a working laptop back. jelly?

[Biff Tannen]

Do I use it? Yes. Am I jelly of you? No.

I guess I don't understand what you're trying to retain from this thread.

[Fernanernie]

Do I use it? Yes. Am I jelly of you? No.

I guess I don't understand what you're trying to retain from this thread.

This

[95.0mark]

Dont be jelly

[Biff Tannen]

We already established this. So are you just wanting to know who on TCS uses Linux?

[95.0mark]

Yes and how you like it.

[Outrun]

Windows xp still gets updated and will continue to do so until April 2014.

Just get 7. Never had one single problem.

[95.0mark]

I like the idea of Linux. I will go with linux damn you!

[Drunko McMoppo]

I haven't used Linux since 1998 or so. I wasn't tech savvy enough back then and I'm even less savvy now.

[Fernanernie]

I haven't used Linux since 1998 or so. I wasn't tech savvy enough back then and I'm even less savvy now.

Main distros have come a long way since then. All but gone are the fun times of having to hand edit .conf files to get video or a modem/NIC working.

To OP, sans the small Windows partition that I keep on my laptop that I have to use to be able to remote into work, the two desktops and laptop have been exclusively booted into some variant of Linux for quite some time. I don't see myself ever switching back to Windows.

[95.0mark]

I haven't used Linux since 1998 or so. I wasn't tech savvy enough back then and I'm even less savvy now.

I heard it used to be that way but not anymore.

[xjfish]

I have a "LinuxXP" disk somewhere, used that for a while, was pretty bad. No issues with XP or 7 but I wish I was more tech savy and Linux experienced. Linux just seems so much cleaner.

[Scorpner]

You can throw something like Ubuntu on a USB drive if you want to try it out (as long as your laptop can boot from one). It would take 5 min or so. You could also do a dual boot set up if you want to have the option of running either from the same drive, but it's a little more complicated.
IMO, you'd have to try it out yourself to see. Ubuntu comes with office type software so it is somewhat similar but I'm not sure if the files are transferable back to MS Office. Depends what you do on your laptop and who you interact with I guess. Drivers can also be an issue at times, probably not as much for a laptop though. From what I've read, you can't run MS software unless you install special software and when you do it opens up the possibility of viruses again which puts you back to square one.

Otherwise you could try XP with a hardware firewall (Ie. router) and Kaspersky (free from Newegg/Frys using a rebate).

[OrangeCrush 86]

I run Linux OS's on my android phone. Mostly Ubuntu and Debian.

[Stormwalker]

I'd recommend either Mint or Ubuntu for someone looking to start using Linux.

You can always switch or add on desktop environments after the fact (i.e. KDE, MATE, Cinnamon, etc).

I actually recommend Linux as a desktop OS for home users unless they do a lot of gaming. I always recommend Windows for business use.