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Linux is a decent operating system. |
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Sunday, 23 January 2011 |
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Linux is a decent operating system. This is not a revelation to many but
for some it is still not an operating system that you would be prepared
to dive into. I have made the dive because I knew I would have to at
some point and because my experiences with Windows have started to leave
me seriously scarred. I am looking for alternatives.
My laptop crash has required me to use my desktop system to
clone/rebuild the laptop hard drives. The laptop crash may have damaged
the original discs so I decided to upgrade the drives at the same time.
When I plugged the laptop hard drives into my desktop, the Windows
decided to deactivate as it determined that I had made too many changes
to the desktop system and therefore I must be trying to re-use an
existing licence. Bloody Windows had decided to stop working. I had to
reactivate Windows just because I was using my desktop to rebuild my laptop.
I had removed a scsi card and the two CDs as they both were interfering
with the disc cloning. SCSI card was slow to boot and the CD cables were
getting in the way. The result was that I had made too many changes to
the system and Windows deactivates itself.
While I was trying to get my laptop working the last thing I needed was
my desktop to disable itself as well! Bloody Windows.
So, I switched to Linux, at least for a while so I could partition and
clone the hard drives. It occurred to me that as I am using Linux tools
already to perform a lot of these operations (Gparted to make
partitions) I might as well consider using full blown Linux for the
final o/s.
I looked for an easy to install version of Linux then, tried Ubuntu, it
failed to install due to a known bug in the installer that no-one could
be bothered to fix... Ubuntu is not for me! I tried Slax as it is
purported to be an easy to install/run Linux o/s and could run from a CD
to test. It worked.
Slax boots to KDE on a 1.5ghz system with 1gb ram and a 60gb HD in one
minute. From the CD it boots in a minute and a half, still not bad. It
is an impressive and usable system though the application download
principles need to be understood (installed 'modules' don't always
survive a reboot). Slax has recognised my USB wireless mouse, works with
my various graphics cards, runs quickly on old hardware, gives a future
to dead PCs. It should NOT be neglected by Windows users.
I already use Thunderbird, Firefox, Gimp and other open source apps that
are freely available for both Windows and Linux so I have largely taken
the plunge to leave the Microsoft environment. The Linux GUI is really
very similar to the Windows GUI in operation, it just has it's own ways
of doing things.
I have waited for ReactOS for years and it does not look like it is
going to be here any time soon. It is still in Alpha form and is
unusable for anything like normal use. Linux however, has been here for
a while and is fairly mature. It does however have a lot of immaturities
that can scupper your attempts to migrate. If you are lucky though and
not pushing the envelope too far then it can work for you.
I have two dead-ish laptops. One has a dodgy motherboard, two keys
missing, won't recognise the hard disc nor the battery but it boots Slax
and is fine for my five and three year old boys. The other laptop is a
1.5ghz single core, 1gb memory, 60gb system which ran slowly on Windows
but flies pretty well on Linux. My daughter will be happy with it. It
has Google Earth, Opera, Firefox, Thunderbird, Skype, Filezilla, Super
Mario... as well as all the integrated applications that come with Slax.
Why have I taken the plunge to Linux? because Windows has frightened me
into it. I cannot be at the behest of an company that has such
restrictive licence conditions on its o/s. I have a full and genuine
licence of XP Pro. I want to use it on any system I desire. This should
be fine as long as I don't duplicate the licence onto other machines. To
know that Windows might just choose to stop working is not a risk I want
to have hanging over my head. If I migrate to Win7 then I have the same
worry. I can't use Vista/win7 as a lot of my apps are legacy apps that
will only run on XP and may not run on Windows 7 and frankly I don't
even have the time to find out.
I am being pushed to accept a new o/s by Microsoft (Windows 7) and also
by annoying Windows features such as the "Windows Genuine Advantage"
tool. If I have to go for a new o/s it really might as well be any o/s
that has a graphical interface and runs the apps I am familar with - and
Linux does that.
I am starting to switch. Windows will be there on my rebuilt laptop, and
also on my reactivated desktop, however this feels more temporary than
ever before. Due to the windows activation tool coming into play I have
been stimulated to convert two Slax laptops. My next desktop may also be
Linux...
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