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Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

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Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#571

Post by FullyFunctional »

MayeulC wrote: post #454
forgingahead wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 to this -- invested in a desktop earlier this year to tinker more with ML projects, and dual-booted Windows and Linux (Ubuntu 18 LTS) on separate SSDs with separate HDs for data storage for each system. I have spent 95% of my time in Linux, and only get into Windows for a game or two that I haven't bothered to figure out a Windows VM setup for. Definitely recommend Linux for those looking for dev machine alternati…

> I have spent 95% of my time in Linux, and only get into Windows for a game or two that I haven't bothered to figure out a Windows VM setup for. Have you tried Steamplay/proton ( https://www.protondb.com/ ) or Lutris? ( https://lutris.net/ )

I second that. It's oddly under-advertised and not installed by default, but it works amazingly well. However, I still pay Ferral for their full ports to support the effort (most recently Shadow of the Tomb Raider).

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#572

Post by bariumbitmap »

marcan_42 wrote: post #268

It's worth noting that these days you can move Windows installs across hardware/VMs and fix issues from a live image. I'm a longtime Linux user and every time I have to do this on Windows I find the documentation poor, but it is possible to do things like load kernel modules (drivers), partition a drive, format a new NTFS filesystem, copy all the files over preserving special filesystem features, reinstall the bootlo…

That's quite interesting, do you mind if I update the article and cite you as a source? (OP here.)

One a Linux LiveCD, I've sometimes connected to the internet and installed non-default packages; is something analogous possible with Windows 10 installer image, or is it only the tools that come on the disc?

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#573

Post by whatch »

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #501
whatch wrote: post #408

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have the same effective level of support which is to say none-at-all or via the community of volunteers. I find community support for linux much much better (askubuntu, superuser and numerous blogs rather than official ms forums). Not sure if this is because I am software developer and am used to stackoverflow-like kind of support or windows "community support" is a mess.

Official (free) support from Microsoft is pure garbage, but at least in my experience it is much easier to get support from the Windows community than Linux for a few reasons: 1) no ideological bullshit, 2) there aren't 100 different distros, 3) the way things are done doesn't change drastically every few years.

1) I agree, but it is quite easy to ignor. I do not see it often though.

2) Agree, but with popular distributions it is relatively easy to find help. With unpopular ones not so much, but you can always choose more common one. If you need to use some special distro experience can be worse.

3) Sorry, cannot disagree more. For me OS utilities in Ubuntu are dead simple and this works for me quite well. But once upon a time windows 10 decided that for some reason I must have 3 different English laouts (UK, US and Latin or smth like that). I did manage to remove redundant ones by performing some unobvious actions in unobvious settings sections. And extra layouts kept returning after reboots. I had other similarly annoying problems and they were difficult to resolve because solutions posted literally month before had completely different settings layout on screenshots compared to mine. In windows 10 settings do change drastically every few... months?

Command-line-based interfaces seem more stable. And most common issues are already have accessible solutions if you use stable release of popular Linux distro. At least in my experience.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#574

Post by einpoklum »

eeZah7Ux wrote: post #499
einpoklum wrote: post #407

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Linux is getting better while Windows and macOS getting worse. Well, some things are arguably not getting better. > Flatpak That's part of what's getting worse: Fracturing/deterioration of the use of distribution package management, instead of improving and expanding it. > web applications Another part of what's getting worse: Instead of having compact apps you have to load a behemoth of some web browser/app framew…

> That's part of what's getting worse: Fracturing/deterioration of the use of distribution package management, instead of improving and expanding it. Indeed, the popularity of docker, flatpak and hobby/fad distributions and language-specific package managers is leading to many security nightmares and harming traditional distributions. There are reasons for painstakingly vet and package software: - security - stabilit…

> language-specific package managers

I wouldn't include those on the same list. It makes sense for various (source-form) libraries to be maintained and updated and made available independently of the OS and uniformly across operating systems. I don't see this as undermining Linux distributions - as these are used when you're making your own builds anyway.

Otherwise - yes, agreed, and it's also about redundancy and bloat when installing software; and some entities writing software that can only run on their own docker image; etc.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#575

Post by einpoklum »

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #508
einpoklum wrote: post #404

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> that's not true.... I keep using Windows A counter-example doesn't disprove a general point. You're describing a strong tie-in in your work environment to specific commercial software articles that are unavailable on Linux. This does not characterize most people (or even a large enough minority). Now, you could make the argument that people interact with others using MS-Office documents, and that support for them i…

> In general, it _is_ true that people use the Operation System that came installed on their system. Most people are unable, or feel unable, to install an OS themselves and would not feel comfortable taking responsibility for choosing a different OS for their computing. Most do not even see this as a choice they are making. This suggests that, if given the option, people would buy a computer with Linux preinstalled i…

> This suggests that, if given the option, people would buy a computer with Linux preinstalled instead of Windows.

No, what I said does not suggest that.

> no real binary compatibility, for instance, means that you need this army of maintainers and packagers to keep software working.

It's a smaller army than the army you need in order to keep Microsoft Windows working, and even smaller compared to the army you need to keep the Windows software equivalent to what you get as part of a Linux distribution.

> There are an uncountable number of specialized applications for niche workflows available on Windows that are not available on Linux.

That's not relevant to my argument.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#576

Post by __MatrixMan__ »

dmitriid wrote: post #330
__MatrixMan__ wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

≥ Except there's 100 times more software in Windows Really? I bet dockerhub alone has more linux-capable software than windows has anywhere. I also expect that a randomly chosen GitHub repo is more likely to support Linux than it is to support Windows. Maybe these aren't fair comparisons, but I'm not sure what would be. The ecosystems are so different it's hard to know how such a count would go.

> I bet dockerhub alone has more linux-capable software than windows has anywhere. I also expect that a randomly chosen GitHub repo You are confusing a subset "developers who use linux-compatible tools" with the set "users".

Is the userbase size relevant?

I'm not saying "I have more tools than you have cars" because I think it makes me win at something. I'm trying to point out that the ecosystems are so different that it's hard to quantify which side has "more".

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#577

Post by boomboomsubban »

db579 wrote: post #553
boomboomsubban wrote: post #439

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds like you're trying to buy brand new laptops and then slap distros with years old kernels on them. With most laptops, the network card is the only area where support is still not solid.

I think in general there is just very little hardware as attractive as a MacBook Pro that supports Linux well. If we take the requirements as being roughly: HiDPI screen, thin and light all metal body, USB C charging, tenkeyless keyboard with centered trackpad and reasonable expectation of mostly working out of the box with a standard Ubuntu iso. Your options are pretty much just the Dell XPS/Precision line and the L…

No hardware provider really uses a standard network adapter, and as I said that's the main thing to check when purchasing a laptop. You can't have a reasonable expectation of just working, but that's all you should need to check.

Though, isn't the issue more that your listed requirements show a strong personal preference to macbooks?

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#578

Post by [deleted] »

jamaicahest wrote: post #489
jamaicahest wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> as long as you buy a system with known good Linux support And that is where the problem lies. With Windows I can buy pretty much any laptop and expect it to work with. With Linux I have a limited selection of laptops, if I want it to work fully. I'm a developer and I know my way around Linux pretty well, still I usually run into "missing drivers", "package management is broken", "hardware working mostly but not ful…

Did any of you replying actual read my comment or did you just auto-reply "buy a supported Linux laptop"? I said ". With Windows I can buy pretty much any laptop and expect it to work with", and you are saying "Just research if the laptop you want to buy works with Linux", you are completely missing the point. I do not want to have to bother researching if a specific laptop will run Linux and research if all the hard…

[deleted]

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#579

Post by MeinBlutIstBlau »

rubyn00bie wrote: post #214

I just moved to Linux as my primary OS; been fucking great. 11/10 Overall, everything seems to "just work" at least as well as on MacOS and is not quite (for me) as endlessly frustrating as Windows. Gaming has also been effortless and honestly just the most delightful surprise about the whole thing. I can write code AND play games... on the same machine... and it's running Linux?! I would've lost that bet ten years a…

Linux is an acceptable alternative. In reality, when you have to interact with the "real business world," you need windows.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#580

Post by sitzkrieg »

its very amusing to me to see people say "its great it just works!" and in the same breath explain in detail all of the intricacies they had to go through to get basic stuff to work.

i use linux on a desktop every day but cannot even after trying for many years, develop blinders for all of the shitty parts

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