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Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

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Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#21

Post by kiallmacinnes »

buckbova wrote: post #8
wtbob wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity, what sort of issues do you have using Linux as a 'daily driver'? I ask because I've been running Linux-only on a daily basis since '99, and (obviously) haven't had any major issues to cause me to change that decision.

My experiences . . . Things like setting up dual monitors used to be such a major pain (for me) or hardware support like for a bluetooth dongle. I had some problem with an intel chipset that kept crashing a laptop in 2005. I tried debian and suse varieties with no luck. I have a newer laptop with #! that works well now but I can't do things like VPN into my job because the software needs windows or mac. Basically thi…

> Things like setting up dual monitors used to be such a major pain (for me) or hardware support like for a bluetooth dongle.

Dual monitors have got much easier over the last 3 or 4 years, at least on ATI. No clue about nVidia. .. and Intel graphics have always been rock solid on Linux.

Before I got my 30" screen, I had 3x 19" spread over 3 different ATI cards. It worked like a charm once I allowed Ubuntu to auto-install the ATI proprietary drivers.

> I had some problem with an intel chipset that kept crashing a laptop in 2005. I tried debian and suse varieties with no luck.

Ugh .. That sucks.. Not sure that would have had a (reasonable) workaround :)

> but I can't do things like VPN into my job because the software needs windows or mac.

Another, that sucks. I've had no problems with OpenVPN, Cisco IPSec, Cisco AnyConnect, Juniper NetworkConnect and probably a few others on Linux.. But I'm sure there's still hundreds of pieces of VPN software that don't have linux versions (or re-implementations)

---

Sadly - 99.9% (plucked from thin air) of Linux issues are due to proprietary software/drivers/etc. Of these, a good majority are easily replaceable with cross platform solutions. Pity :(

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#22

Post by caiob »

selectodude wrote: post #12
VeejayRampay wrote: post #7

It's way too nice to Apple to call their piss-poor Spaces "Virtual Desktops". Call me when I can finally arrange them how I want (i.e. 2 rows, 2 columns) and not have them in line, which is stupid and inefficient. I'd also like a call when Apple finally implements maximize for windows. And don't get me wrong, I am a Mac user, just a highly frustrated one when I see people praising them as the second coming of the pro…

Agreed. Spaces circa 10.6 was so much better than the crap we have now. But it seems like Apple is at least fixing their regressions for the first time since 10.7.

It was indeed, but the usage was much lower. At least people use that feature now.

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#23

Post by patmcguire »

encno1s3 wrote: post #19

This is in no way a bashing of Linux. I love linux, I use it daily, but it's the desktop that I have issues with.. I've used Linux as a Desktop exclusively from 1999 to circa 2008. When I finally gave up. I think it was Ubuntu releasing buggy PulseAudio which broke the sound for me that was the last straw. I still use Linux as a desktop occasionally but I just don't have the patience to deal with the weird quirks any…

Audio is one of those things they've never figured out. There's a good "truth in graphs" about that:

http://blogs.adobe.com/penguinswf/files/penguinswf/linuxaudi...

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#24

Post by wubbfindel »

ardemue wrote: post #5

What I enjoy the most on my Linux desktop is how it handles installing/upgrading software. It's just easy, and it works. When I'm on Windows I can't stand the google-download-execute-untick boxes-next-next cycles. This post is more about UI features though.

You should try out "chocolatey" on windows. It enough people adopt it, more packages will get on to it.

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#26

Post by farresito »

I've been using Arch Linux for a little more than two years, and it's probably one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Once you get used to the terminal, you will never want to touch a Windows computer (unfortunately). I have i3wm (tiling wm) + (rxvt + tmux + vim) + luakit (browser with vim keybindings), and some other stuff, and my productivity went straight up. Of course you might not want to go to that extreme, especially if you are not used to the terminal, but it's worth giving it a try.

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#27

Post by Nux »

I love the linux desktop, especially Gnome2. For me it's a godsend.

I make heavy use of workspaces (got 6 of them atm), very handy to organise work/tasks, even on dual monitor setups. It's very easy to move applications on another workspace or monitor, even without the use of a mouse.

"Always on top" and "Always on the visible workspace" are great features that I use even right now (mplayer running in my upper-right corner while I type this).

I use a distro based on RHEL6 that's super stable and don't have to put up with annoyances like rolling-release specific breakages and so on.

All my laptop's hardware is well supported and just works.

Firefox, Thunderbird and Libreoffice are excellent applications that more than meet my requirements. Virt-manager & kvm rock and Gnome-terminal is pretty damn awesome.

I use Windows rarely and it feels like having my hands tied at the back.

I know it's not for everyone, but for me, it has been the decade of the linux dextop. :-)

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#28

Post by VeejayRampay »

alayne wrote: post #14
VeejayRampay wrote: post #7

It's way too nice to Apple to call their piss-poor Spaces "Virtual Desktops". Call me when I can finally arrange them how I want (i.e. 2 rows, 2 columns) and not have them in line, which is stupid and inefficient. I'd also like a call when Apple finally implements maximize for windows. And don't get me wrong, I am a Mac user, just a highly frustrated one when I see people praising them as the second coming of the pro…

It's best to just have keyboard shortcuts for each space (Control 1-4) rather than move left to right. Even if you are moving in a 2x2 virtual screen you usually still have the inefficient diagonal case.

You're absolutel right about that. I should have mentioned that I mostly use 3 virtual desktops (browser in the first one, vim in the second and some messaging app on the third) so I do arrows for 99% of my moving anyway.

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#29

Post by samspenc »

Nux wrote: post #27

I love the linux desktop, especially Gnome2. For me it's a godsend. I make heavy use of workspaces (got 6 of them atm), very handy to organise work/tasks, even on dual monitor setups. It's very easy to move applications on another workspace or monitor, even without the use of a mouse. "Always on top" and "Always on the visible workspace" are great features that I use even right now (mplayer running in my upper-right…

Chromium, Thunderbird and Apache Openoffice for me ... but otherwise I could have written the rest of your post! :D

(Yes, the newer versions of Openoffice are actually really good, and their UI is really comfy for someone coming in from MS Office on Windows/Mac.)

Re: Why I Stick with the Linux Desktop

#30

Post by bluthru »

VeejayRampay wrote: post #7

It's way too nice to Apple to call their piss-poor Spaces "Virtual Desktops". Call me when I can finally arrange them how I want (i.e. 2 rows, 2 columns) and not have them in line, which is stupid and inefficient. I'd also like a call when Apple finally implements maximize for windows. And don't get me wrong, I am a Mac user, just a highly frustrated one when I see people praising them as the second coming of the pro…

They're not "stupid" and "piss-poor". Linear desktops are a huge usability win for a multitude of reasons:

* It's spatially an easier mental model.

* This mental model is consistent with iOS multitasking and iOS home screen.

* It allows for simple gestures to switch between desktops.

* In western society, we read from left to right. New is to the right. Fullscreen a new desktops are added to the right.

* This also sets up a linear "Forward/back" model similar to web pages.

* You can easily add ONE desktop on the fly. No need to make it a grid for no reason.

* The biggest reason: Spaces and expose are unified into Mission Control. One action to see EVERYTHING. This is a huge plus, as people don't have to check two different locations for a window. A grid of desktops wouldn't fit up above in mission control.

* There's nothing below the dock and there's nothing above the menubar. Simple mental model.

Regarding "maximize for windows":

* It's a "fit window to content" button. A window shouldn't take up more space than is necessary in a multi-tasking environment. Regardless, there is a fullscreen mode and windows also remember their position and dimensions if you drag them.

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