Windows XP Vs. Linux
 

I read the Thread about Vista and was thinking. I have XP and haven't really had any issues. I have Many Programs like Adobe CS2, Nero, Studio Pro and a few add ons like. DVD-DL burner, Graphics Card, Mem., 350G harddrive and so on... If I wipe out XP and install Linux. Will I lose my Programs? Would I still be able to use my Graphics Card.

When I was in College I was using a G4 Mac. Would Linux kind of give the best of both Worlds. Price and performance wise? I think this summer we are getting a Mac, but till then...

It depends on the version of Linux you run, but for the most part you will lose the ability to run your programs unless you either have a dual boot system or run an XP emulator. It is the only reason I stayed with a PC for my last computer purchase. I didn't want to rebuy cs2 and all of my other programs for web development.

Yeah... especially since CS2 is not available for Linux...

One advice... stick with XP on your current computer. If it's working, don't try to make it... not work... Going back to the Mac plateform will (after you found all the software and utilities you need) make your life a lot more easier.
Linux is awesome, as a server operating system. I would not use anything else (aside from freeBSD) for this task. But on the desktop... not so great... Too much 'little' quirks that are easy to solve if you are investing yourself on the OS. But if you just want your computer to -DO STUFF- not the way to go.
If you are a gamer (of the patient kind) stick with a PC and invest in some aspirin.
If you need your computer as a tool and not an end by itself, go with the Mac. (*)
Linux... unless you plan to become a sysadmin... forget it...

(*) some people will say that with a Mac they can't choose the components 'they want' yadda yadda... Don't listen. You have less choice with a Mac, but what you choose will always work. The so called 'choice' of the PC world is a game of russian roulette where you never know what kind of incompatibility will arise from the mix of random components trying to work together. The combination being infinite... Nobody will never have the solution to your problem beside 'reinstalling Windows'. On the Mac... when problem arise. They hit a lot of people, in the same manner. And solution are found quite fast.

Thanks guys.. I'll stick with XP. Then when I get my Mac I'll have both..:)

The one real disadvantage about linux is that most mass market programs do not run easily, and there are some hardware support issues. For the most part, there are good open source alternatives to popular programs, but there are a few holes, one that pops to mind is that there aren't any really good graphic design programs. The gimp is the closest I know of, but I'm not a graphics guy and I can't really make a good comparison. Hardware support for linux just keeps getting better, so all your hardware should work. The one real gaping hole in linux hardware support is in wireless network cards, they are consistently a massive whore to set up right. Linux also still has a pretty steep learning curve, so getting everything set up right is hard for a new guy (hell, I've been using it for 8 years and I still sometimes have trouble.) The bottom line is that linux is still best for very nerdy people and server applications. If you want to try it, download knoppix http://www.knoppix.org/ and burn it to a CD. It's a live cd, that your computer will boot off of, allowing you to use linux (in a somewhat limited form) without installing anything. You can play around with it, and see if you like it any. If you do want to try a full installation, you can partition your hard drive and dual boot, allowing you full use of your windows apps, and if you screw up the install, you can still use your computer. The mac still seems to take the cake as far as graphic design goes.

I was just reading Coligny's post, and something occurred to me. A big part of why mac "just works" is because apple controls the hardware side entirely, and they don't have to make a ton of drivers. One big problem with both windows and linux is that they have to work with such an incredible variety of different sound cards, vid cards etc... that the os gets clogged up to some degree, or getting the hardware to work just right becomes difficult. The software designers at apple only have to deal with a handful of different device drivers, so they have more time and resources to devote to making it work right. Definitely, if you want a computer to -do stuff- rather than to have another hobby, mac is a great choice. Also, the new macs will run windows, so you can dual boot mac os and windows on the same computer, and windows seems to run a little better on a mac than on a pc.

Wow... Thanks guys. I knew there was a lot of Computer geeks on here, but WOW...:) j/k....

Ya my wife does photography for a living and wants a Mac as well.

We have been looking at these two computers. Depends on how much cash we have at the time.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...amily/mac_mini

and

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...ac/family/imac

The main problem is getting another CS2 program. I don't feel like dropping a few more $$$ for it.

I run Ubuntu, and personnaly, its much better than XP, but if your HD is 350 GB, you could do a 50GB partition, or even get a another HD for linux, and then you have options. The only reason i kept XP was for games, and Itunes, and Photoshop. but i prefer The Gimp now, you can try it at www.plasticbugs.com, its free, and a photoshop a like.

Also, try Ubuntu, or Kubuntu, they have little to no desktop quirks, but you have to check if your hardware is linux compatable.
Also, Ubuntu has a 3D desktop, and the option to have 260 sompthing desktops (little extreme, but there if you should need it) so you can switch between desktops, and not have to minimize onto one desktop, like windoze or mac.

Here's a picture od the 3D desktop....
http://hughs-space.com/wp-content/up...screenshot.png

My problem is GIMP is an ok Photoshop program, but I own CS3 design, which is more than just a lame program. Personally I use Illustrator and In Design for most of my work, heck even my cad work for wire is easier in Illustrator.

When I switch to Mac, buy the Intel one and Boot Camp the XP in and its all good. Mac will run XP faster and will run PC CS3 without issues.

While I love Linux I love it for what it is...a great OS. It is still not a great GUI OS like people think. Linux is nothing more than a (to put it basically) DOS style operating system. Adding a graphical side greatly reduces performance and security.

I think Linux needs to join a tighter community to truely compete with say MAC's BSD or Windows. Linux is my first choice for a server and I do not install XWindows or KDE, Gnome. I use Linux which is a command line Operating system.

dual boot computers can be quirky at time's i wouldnt do that if XP is working I love my Mac book but i still have to keep a windows machine for alot of software. I f i had a choice I would run freeBSD over any of them I never had a problem with GUI on it and there is plenty of free software to do the job.

understood, but how many viruses are there out there for linux? none, i think, as it has only 0.6 of the market share, so im not to concerned about compromising security.

Also, in a year and a half i am getting a mac for graduation, and i am going to boot camp linux on it for a virus free comp
:D

Instead of being called viruses for Linux we call then security issues or vulnerabilties. Every week a new Apache vulnerability is found but goes patched by smart developers and IT professionals. This is true for all types of Linux and its programs. Ever notice why they keep updating the source code? Vulnerabilities are being found and the developers are like Microsoft scrambling to fix the vulnerabilties.

Here is a full list of worms and viruses in the common sense that have/do effect Linux: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...mputer_viruses

Notice this line and you'll see what I mean about vulnerabilities: While few Linux viruses exist virus scanners such as Clamav & Avast! do exist. The major source of threat to Linux systems at present seems to be exploits on browsers such as Firefox and Opera, just as in the Windows world the exploits are on Internet Explorer and Firefox.

While being Virus free is one thing, being vulnerability free will never happen as long as people love technology. Some white hat hackers do this to make programs more secure because sitting writing code gets tedious things fall through the cracks, this is still a vulnerability.

Like I said I like Linux and use it at home and work, but I also baby sit its programs to ensure I'm safe. Do I think its a good home OS or a office OS no not yet, not until all these developers stop making 500 versions and start thinking more about each other and the future of Linux. Join together in ideas and plans to help people WANT it and be happy with it. Don't go copying Windows or Mac, do something new and yet supported.

I read that sun corporations bought up a open source company recently, so its going in the right direction, hopefully in the future apple will support Linux with Itunes, and then i will have no reason to hang on to XP, but we will see

i do agree, that linux developers need to join up and make ONE distro of linux, and that will help them in getting new customers, and a larger market share, it also is nice to know that dell sells some of their computers with linux, but again, it needs to be more redefined to get more people to like it, and also, it would be nice to see a OS break out of the box, as both mac and XP are a little boring, but at least linux is fairly easy to skin...

Nah you'll never see Apple support iTunes for Linux...no need like I said its not just linus they have to make it compatible with. It's the 400 versions of xWindows and themes (Gnome, KDE and so on). Another thing hurting Linux...too many cheifs without an indian.

Mac just took existing BSD (Unix) code and made many changes and did what Linux and Unix needs, make 1 system with 1 set of goals and standards.

yep it would be nice... also, they need to work on the install process its a b!tch on my laptop, took me two days to get it right.....

Thats fixed pretty good now, depending on which version of Linux you prefer...

ha.... not when you have to defrag, restart, find out it dosent work, mess around with partitions for an hour or two, still dosent work, as my computer did not give me the option or automatic partition, just the entire disc, or manual. and i got hung up on the no root file system error

Sounds like user error there. Though depending on your distro things can be hidden quite deep.

I install Windows first, then Linux (Fedora Core) and have yet to have a problem like that...defrag?

no, im sorry that was a preliminary thing, duh...just to make sure windoze would not get messed up from the install.... it was ubuquity that crashed, the GUI installer, the alternate CD installer did the trick..
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...reenshot-2.png
EDIT: HA! i just noticed that the date there is todays date.... just it wasn't.... lol thats funny