The [Main] 'Why did YOU choose Linux?' Thread

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07-09-2005, 01:51 PM
ArtVandelay

Morpheus:
Actually, there were things like gnome-media that
I wanted the current version of and could I couldn't seem to
get them in FC3. (I had 2.8 and wanted 2.10 for bug fixes)

I couldn't find it in repositories and I was getting dependency
hell the old way.

Other than that, and one or two examples I'm not remembering,
up2date was indeed doing the trick. Could it have been pointed at some
FC4 repository(!) and effectively turn FC3 into FC4 by getting the
packages? If so, I'll keep that in mind when 5 comes along instead
of being an idiot.
07-09-2005, 03:27 PM
MorphiusFaydal

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtVandelay

Morphius:
Other than that, and one or two examples I'm not remembering,
up2date was indeed doing the trick. Could it have been pointed at some
FC4 repository(!) and effectively turn FC3 into FC4 by getting the
packages? If so, I'll keep that in mind when 5 comes along instead
of being an idiot.

I believe that is indeed the case. But I'm not sure, call on one of your resident FC experts to confirm.
07-09-2005, 04:42 PM
Piko

A. Faster
B. Cheaper
C. 1000x Better to work with
D. All the software I could ever need
E. Video Games run better on it, and never lock up
F. I've never had this thing crash
G. KDE makes Windows look, and feel like it's from the stone age
H. I don't have to worry about Spy Ware, Viruses, and Script Kiddies
I. It can transform into what I need, i.e. File Server, Web Server, Team Speak server...
J. Support exists!
K. I have a solid, fast enviroment to work in, and all the tools I need to program, and script.
L. If something goes wrong I can figure it out on my own, and not feel hopeless, and resort to reformatting every 3 months.
M. Rebooting is for putting in new hardware.
N. GPL is my one true love, and breeds the real computer scieance
O. Most devices are pre-installed, and already have drivers to support them.
P. I can get it to run on most anything that's a computer, Nintendo DS, PS2, and Macs.

There are a million reasons to dump Windows! Since Kernel 2.4 I haven't looked back at Windows, I know where the future is.
07-10-2005, 11:35 AM
cudaman73

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorphiusFaydal

I believe that is indeed the case. But I'm not sure, call on one of your resident FC experts to confirm.

I notice you corrected him in the quote :D
07-10-2005, 12:55 PM
MorphiusFaydal

Quote:

Originally Posted by cudaman73

I notice you corrected him in the quote :D

yes indeed sir, i did.

bad thing about this new forum software: doesnt do nested quotes :(
07-10-2005, 02:42 PM
cudaman73

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorphiusFaydal

yes indeed sir, i did.

bad thing about this new forum software: doesnt do nested quotes :(

It's still a huge leap forward from the old software. I love the new search function :) But we digress.
07-11-2005, 08:14 AM
Stupid Boy

Why I never argued that Linux was stupid

About five years ago, I was in the White Plains CompUSA (a store that I absolutely hate) looking for something (although I'm not quite sure whether I actually was looking for something), and a man with gray hair (I think) who was probably about 50 years old came up to me and explained how good Linux was.

I didn't start using it for a while because my computer was still an old Dell with a P233 processor and 32Mb of RAM and a broken CD drive, my mother wouldn't get a new one, and my mother wouldn't let me install Linux over the newer computer that was running Windoze ME. It did have a great effect, however; when my cousin discovered that the path to Enlightenment was not through Windoze but through Linux, I quickly agreed. As he started learning about Linux, I started learning about computer hardware, and I built a computer. I saved $100 on this computer by not buying Windoze.

Had the guy at CompUSA not told me about Linux, I would probably still be using Windoze, and I would probably not know what Enlightenment is.

So, if you see a 10-year-old kid in the software section of a computer store, explain to him how one can reach Enlightenment by installing Linux. (You don't actually have to tell him about the window manager.) Like your friends, he probably won't install Linux for a while, but your lecture will convince him to use it later.
07-11-2005, 08:29 AM
sharth

mmm... if I was 10 and some guy with white hair came up to me while I was chilling in a computer store... Isin't that one of those "don't talk to strangers" moments?

:mod-ness: Oh, and I'm merging this with the main why chose linux thread. :end mod-ness:
07-13-2005, 06:16 AM
JSimmons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stupid Boy

and my mother wouldn't let me install Linux over the newer computer that was running Windoze ME.

See, this is precisely what I was talking about. Why don't you guys get over yourselves, and start typing "Microsoft" and "Windows"? It's not that hard to not try looking like a "gangsta geek".

I bet you wear your pocket protector backwards as a sign of rebellion, too.
07-13-2005, 11:34 AM
cudaman73

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSimmons

See, this is precisely what I was talking about. Why don't you guys get over yourselves, and start typing "Microsoft" and "Windows"? It's not that hard to not try looking like a "gangsta geek".

I bet you wear your pocket protector backwards as a sign of rebellion, too.

....Chill much? Jesus man. Let us have our subtle ways of rebellion. winders.
07-13-2005, 12:51 PM
d-kam

Hi. I only started to take Linux seriously as a desktop OS replacement for windows after I recently tried out Fedora Core 4. I love it! Before that I had tried out RedHat8 and Suse 9.2Pro but managed to muck-up the kernels by installing ATI drivers. I thought it would be like installing something on Windows but with a command line rather than a double click! Learnt a lot from trying to ressurect them, even though I didn't succeed. The reason I tried out linux is because I like the ideaology and philosophy of it, and the fact that I really detest Microsoft as a company.
07-13-2005, 02:46 PM
JSimmons

Quote:

Originally Posted by cudaman73

....Chill much? Jesus man. Let us have our subtle ways of rebellion. winders.

Isn't using Linux enough of a rebellion for you? Afterall, you're not support Microsoft, you're not supporting Windows applications manufacturers (especially the spyware and a/v companies), and you're not buying hardware based on it's compatibility with Windows. You've saved yourself countless thousands of dollars simply by using Linux, and THAT has an impact on Micorosft and its partners.

Voting with your wallet is effective, but "me-too" tactics like using "Windoze" and "M$" is wholly ineffective in the fight against Microsoft's monopolistic practices, and makes everyone that uses Linux look like a bunch of peurile illiterate morons.

When I tell people I use Linux, I almost always get that oh-you're-one-of-them looks. I've even been asked as few times if using Linux makes me feel like a "l33t haxor". My only response to that is that I am spyware and virus free, and Linus Torvlads doesn't know I exist because Linux doesn't need to phone home whenever the temperature in my case goes up a degree.

Being a revolutionary doesn't give you the right to be un-educated or disrespectful of your opponent. Rise above the mindless hoards of propeller heads looking for some inane way of poking Microsoft in the ribs. You people are enlightened. Show the way for the others.
07-13-2005, 03:12 PM
janne_oksanen

Heh, I've told this a couple of times before. Believe it or not, the biggest reason was the fact that it's free. I had heard good things about it, but I didn't really know anything about OSS ideals or anything. All I knew was that I was putting together my first own box and that I couldn't afford a Windows license. So I decided to give "that free OS I keep hearing about" a try and never looked back. Didn't take me too long to realize that the free thing was actually superior to the leading brand on the market.
07-13-2005, 03:18 PM
janne_oksanen

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSimmons

Why don't you guys get over yourselves, and start typing "Microsoft" and "Windows"? It's not that hard to not try looking like a "gangsta geek".

I really, really hate people who tell other people what to do like they are smarter, better or just plain superior. Probaby the reason why I have the religious zealots knocking on my door too...
07-13-2005, 03:23 PM
je_fro

peurile illiterate morons

Is that the new gangsta spelling?

I choose linux because it's the best tool for the job.
07-13-2005, 04:59 PM
cudaman73

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSimmons

Isn't using Linux enough of a rebellion for you? Afterall, you're not support Microsoft, you're not supporting Windows applications manufacturers (especially the spyware and a/v companies), and you're not buying hardware based on it's compatibility with Windows. You've saved yourself countless thousands of dollars simply by using Linux, and THAT has an impact on Micorosft and its partners.

Voting with your wallet is effective, but "me-too" tactics like using "Windoze" and "M$" is wholly ineffective in the fight against Microsoft's monopolistic practices, and makes everyone that uses Linux look like a bunch of peurile illiterate morons.

When I tell people I use Linux, I almost always get that oh-you're-one-of-them looks. I've even been asked as few times if using Linux makes me feel like a "l33t haxor". My only response to that is that I am spyware and virus free, and Linus Torvlads doesn't know I exist because Linux doesn't need to phone home whenever the temperature in my case goes up a degree.

Being a revolutionary doesn't give you the right to be un-educated or disrespectful of your opponent. Rise above the mindless hoards of propeller heads looking for some inane way of poking Microsoft in the ribs. You people are enlightened. Show the way for the others.

I don't feel like a 'revolutionary' just because I happen to use Linux. I happen to use Linux because I gave it a shot one day, and decided that I liked it better over "Windoze".

Yes, we've all been asked if using Linux makes us "l33t h4x0rs". If you recall, there's a "h4x0r" subculture to the Windows userbase as well. There will always be people who are merely followers, people who swear by taking potshots at both Linux and Windows, merely because they use the opposite operating system. The point is, I don't say "Windoze" or "M$" because I feel the need to take a potshot at Microsoft. I use them because I can.

If you can believe it, "They" have nick names for our operating system too. I'm not, in any sense, speaking for the entire subculture of Linux users who use these "atrocities". I'm speaking on my behalf, and on my behalf alone. I don't do it to fight against Windoze users and Microshaft.

To end my little rant, where I got sidetracked many times, I just don't see it as something really worthwhile enough to argue about. You'll never be able to get rid of it completely, as even the literate of us (no offense intended, seriously.) use it from time to time.
07-13-2005, 05:07 PM
Dr. Shim

I chose Linux because I want to get good at C++, and it's cheap. I chose Linux not just because it's a cool piece of software, but primarily for the Free software community behind it. They provide me excellent, inexpensive tools for me to learn and work with, as well as occasional support when I have trouble. All in all, a r0x0r combination. :D
07-13-2005, 05:47 PM
zeke676

i use linux because of the open source movement. im allowed to look at the source of peoples work and edit it at my will. I dont have to pay for a freaking firewall or anti-virus subscription every year. Plus i like how everything structured.
07-14-2005, 02:31 AM
ArtVandelay

ethereal

Another big thing that got me on board was ethereal.

The windows version just died on me, and after all the effort
of digging around on the net for a required DLL.

The Linux version didn't die, and thus I was able to complete my
little mozilla spoof program based on ethereal output.
(I was too damn lazy to actually learn http for real).

Better web server to. IIS does this horrible thing that results in
one of those "send / don't send" message boxes every third time or
so. Plus, lots of ill intent ISS exploit based requests are flying around!
07-14-2005, 04:07 AM
eskaypey

I didnt choose Linux, Linux hunted me down and ambushed me behind its vast walls.
07-15-2005, 11:56 AM
MorphiusFaydal

Quote:

Originally Posted by eskaypey

I didnt choose Linux, Linux hunted me down and ambushed me behind its vast walls.

not that you're complaining, right? :)
07-21-2005, 08:12 PM
tcarradine

on a dingy monday morning working a helpdesk job for a 350 user windows network i stumbled upon userfriendly and ended up reading the entire four year (at the time) archive in two days...

i guess it just made me curious.

Tim
07-31-2005, 12:43 AM
Flashes of Sky

I chose Linux 'cos Tux told me to.

Actually I chose Linux because I was sent a Ubuntu CD as a magizine CD but I didn't get too use it because my old laptop's hard disk was too small. I've only just installed that disk two days ago, since I got a new pc, but I don't regret taking XP off.
I was actually worried that I would hate Linux. Now I laugh at myself for thinking that.

Another factor in the equation to install Linux, having used Windows 95/98 all my life, and keeping them stable, I felt that their was nothing to learn in them.
08-07-2005, 05:26 PM
rowdy235

I just wanted to try it and it stuck.... Still run winxp on 1 pc though
08-15-2005, 10:18 PM
billie

The reason i use linux is to try something different so far i like it quite a bit.
I have no problems with windows never experienced a crash or virus mainly because i have never used internet explorer only Opera or firefox.
So far i only use linux for internet and email and use windows for everything else i just like windows software more and am more than willing to pay for software that is equal to my experience, gimp is just not working for me i really like the windows photo printing programs.Anyway it's called freedom of choice.
Bill
08-28-2005, 08:41 PM
pecolapuddin

i always felt like it was a job to use my pc when i had windows. the security was absolutely horrible. holes everywhere. the most unstable OS i've used. even though i've only used 2 lol :P still i've used it basically all my life and i always felt dirty lol metaphorically like i was doing something i shouldn't be doing. i was constantly trying to change the look and the way it operates but it wasn't doing the trick. i landed on linux and read a little about it. i heard that linspire and suse were more of the easier to convert from m$. so i went with suse and in a few words " I WILL NOT SURRENDER!" lol it's so much fun to figure out problems and learn as i go. i also start ITT Tech in a few days so i'm excited to learn even more about linux. linux linux linuxe lol :P thanks guys
-pecolapuddin
08-30-2005, 07:03 AM
GmarAppledude

I second the notion about the use of windows and feeling like being at work. Like I am now!! hee hee I guess I should do something.
08-30-2005, 03:47 PM
saikee

I chose Linux because I wanted to see it it could boot XP,
then fellow Linux,
then DOS,
then win9x,
then Win2k,
then Win3.x,
then FreeBSD,
then Solaris,
then Grub itself

Now I haven't got any operating system in the PC that isn't bootable by Grub.

Worst of all, I found out every system can be booted just by a floppy, using the same three lines of Grub command.

Give me a kick every time I hear the Windows users mentioning "dual boot".
08-31-2005, 09:32 AM
yacc_deno

i choose linux for many reasons except giving up starcraft
08-31-2005, 12:25 PM
MorphiusFaydal

Starcraft and Brood War run beautifully under WINE and/or Cedega.
08-31-2005, 10:36 PM
yacc_deno

i prefer to run a pure linux game better.
i tried run starcraft in wine ,it was much slower than native windows.
09-01-2005, 02:18 PM
MorphiusFaydal

heh...... i never noticed any slowdowns.....

that old adage, 'your milage may vary' really must apply :D
09-02-2005, 06:06 PM
MastaShake57

I'm not sure what the mean age is around in these forums, but I chose Linux because I LOVED DOS.

Yes, I said it, I loved the pure black and white joy that was DOS. I can do ANYTHING under DOS and Windows 3.11, still true to this day with Windows XP/2003.

I've played around with Linux here and there, until that fateful night of July 2001. I got a call from my THEN boss....

Boss - "Hey, how good are you with Red Hat?"
Me - "I'm O.K. with it, why?"
Boss - "Well, our sister company just got bought out and we're not in compliance..."
Me - "So you want me to...."
Boss - ".... convert our NT 4.0 domain into a Red Hat Linux one"
Me - "Um, sure... I can do that..."
Boss - "Excellent! We need that done by this Friday."
Me - "Cool." (It was friggin' tuesday).

Pfft, YEAH RIGHT. Before that, I have NEVER heard of SAMBA, postfix and the likes, but I wasn't deterred. I had a good buddy of mine help me out, cause he too was linux savvy. Together, not only did we get the domain migrated over, but we re-joined the client PCs into the SAMBA NT domain, re-established the file shares, and for kicks, installed Lotus Domino Server for them. I've got 4 words for you linux junkies out there, R - T - F - M. Ah, those were the days.

Ever since then, linux was it for me. I made it a mission to completely mirror my Windows set up at work which runs Lotus Notes, Microsoft Office and the likes. You'll all be glad to know that Ubuntu runs all that like a champ. My work PC (Windows 2000) is now mostly my MP3 jukebox simply because it has the speakers connected to it.

My distros of choice:
Ubuntu - personal laptop with wireless / Lotus notes / OpenOffice / CiscoVPN
ArchLinux - server desktop for my Asterisk PBX server
FreeBSD - production DNS servers
Slackware - pretty much for everything else!
09-03-2005, 05:21 PM
A2JC4life

Hate MS

Well, I'm still working on switching to Linux (if I could ever manage to get online that would be a big step, since internet/email is most of what I do on the computer), but my reason is an extreme distaste for Microsoft. Honestly, I am not particularly unhappy with my software (Win98SE & Office97), but I don't like the company. They're money-hungry and power-hungry and they're after way too much of our information. When hubby's new computer came with XP, and we discovered how it works, that was the last straw. It's constantly connecting to the internet, sending and receiving heaven-only-knows-what. It constantly needs updates. And - here's the biggie - it can't be uninstalled without major technical expertise. Seriously, if you uninstall it, it resurrects itself. We call it a preinstalled virus. When I saw that MS was heading that strongly in that direction, I said forget it. If it takes the rest of my life, I am going to figure out this Linux thing so I can ditch MS.
09-07-2005, 08:07 AM
graza

I started using Linux cos:
a) sick of having to contantly re-install Win98
b) my Win98 PC got hit by a virus that corrupted all my files and inserted the words "you are s**t" into them. More like "your OS is s**t" ;)
c) it's much more fun than Windows
09-10-2005, 07:23 AM
noVus

First time to this forum, so I figured this was as good a place as any for a first post. I switched to Linux this week (SuSE 10.0 b4)

Windows chose Linux for me. Honestly. I chose Linux because all of the reasons for NOT using Linux evaporated. Why didn't I use Linux? Configures. Learning why something something had to be done a certain way, and why it was different from "Linux to Linux" as I called it (From distro to distro). Not being able to play the games I wanted.

But over timeI was sick of reconfiguring everything in Windows, reboots, reinstalls, licensing, insane costs, constantly having to learn why something didn't work with something else, and thus having to jump through asinine hoops every time I bought a new game or app.

Then it just hit me last week. "Wait a minute", I thought. "I hate to reconfigure things in Windows, but I'd have to do it in either OS (compilings), and Linux is more stable. Reinstalls in Windows are out of hand, but in Linux, I'd probably be reinstalling to find either a) the new verion of what I have, or b) a fun new distrobution. There is no licensing, like there is with Windows. Costs is how much I pay for the CD's they're on. And now my brother is playing all the games in Cadega, that I play in Windows (Guild Wars, WoW, MxO). Why am I not using Linux again?"

That, and the Validation Tool (Yet ANOTHER red-tape hoop that causes problems for some people who have legally bought the game) and M03.

So I began my search for a distrobution this week.
09-10-2005, 09:07 AM
Parcival

Quote:

Originally Posted by noVus

But over timeI was sick of reconfiguring everything in Windows, reboots, reinstalls, licensing, insane costs, constantly having to learn why something didn't work with something else, and thus having to jump through asinine hoops every time I bought a new game or app.

Yeah, I know the feeling. Back when I was using Windows I reisntalled the OS twice a year, so until I had everything up and running again with all drivers and apps installed it was a good two days' work.

Now with Linux I reinstalled twice a year again - but not out of necessity, but curiosity. Too mayn distros out there to try. :D However, now I have settled with Debian that runs just smoothly and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Must be the effect of age. ;)
09-11-2005, 09:33 PM
factotum218

friend recommended it as an alternative to my low budget general computer use. Gave it a shot off and on for about 6 months became comfortable after a while, haven't looked back since.
09-12-2005, 10:12 AM
FhaeTon

LinuX has chosen me.

Hello to all, for the past couple of days I have been trying to research my Options for a new OS to run on a PC I plan on building once I recieve all the parts I ordered. Fact is I'm totally new in both areas but yet I have already committed myself to building it.->http://homepage.mac.com/jymac/The_Fh...toAlbum31.html Yes I am a Mac User searching for alternatives, not from Mac but from the WinOS. Sorry to the Win faithful no pun intended but I have read enough to know that I don't want to get into security issues and reinstalling every 6 months, after all I'm in a MacOSX TiGer environment and I forgot what a crash feels like. I know I will have my initial problems and supernatural learning curve but I think it will be worth it after reading the post. Thx for your testamonials I am convinced I wanna use Linux as my first OS outside of Mac. Only problem I have is I don't know anything about windows or linux, I have no code skills whatsoever and although I'm getting all these comp parts I have no clue what is compatible or not and I have never built a comp before. I am happy with the mac environment but I game alot and want to take advantage of all this interesting knowledge. So I'm in a committed pickle and I hope someone sees my thread and needs and can help me get going.
09-15-2005, 03:27 PM
cuiq

Back in 2000 I got my first computer. I happened to be in staples one day and saw Mandrake 7.2 on the shelf. It was an os that I had never heard of, I was feeling adventurous so I bought it. I've been using linux ever since and am currently using Debian Sarge. I'm about to embark on the installation of Debian testing and Slackware, also muLinux on some old laptops.

peace V

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