Ten things Linux distros gets right (that Microsoft doesn't)

A developer speaks to us about the things Linux has gotten right(that Microsoft has not).

[toughNAME]

boo hoo Microsoft sucks...

once I finish this Word document, and send a couple emails on my Hotmail account, close IE and take a break from N4G, and watch my pirated movies on WMP...

I'll continue b!tching about Microsoft

[tfur]

Its all about what you are used to... If you started with Windows, and are used to the interface, then you probably will never change.

FYI...

I can read/write Word docs, pdfs, xml etc in OpenOffice.
I can have an assortment of mail applications, but if you want web email, google is superior to hotmail.
Firefox is more stable, and has more extensions available that IE.
Mplayer on linux can play more formats than the Windows Media Player. Try it out, it is even available for Windows.

But again, its what you grew up with and are used to... and also what you do with computers will drive what OS you use...

[Poisen]

I personally would never use linux, im too used to windows.

[Cartesian3D]

its your opinion.. so put it on COMMENT section not report.. u said : Gaming news?

its a question not a report..

@toughNAME :If u love microsoft dont approve this.. and u used to Windows thats because ur dad buy a Computer with Windows for u .. it wasnt your choice .. (right now Im in safari browser in MAC OS,then I will go to make a DVDmovie on iDVD,then... u see? Iam a apple b!tch like u (MS b!tch) .. so its just our opinion.. )

Im a gamer.. and Im intrested in this news.. read Guidelines another time..

[WilliamRLBaker]

*whispers* heres a tip if your not able to spell out the entire word without using an symbol or something to bypass the word censor...then your not supposed to say that word here... *whisper*

[Cartesian3D]

my bad.. I called myself apple ***** too .. anyway sorry.. :)

many kids here didnt even try any other OS and say why u hate MS.. i dont hate MS.. I just find sth better than that..

few weeks ago I did buy a Laptop, open it for the first time, connect it to Internet via WiFi.. open Internet explorer , went to Google , typed NOD32 Download , download the trial, install it, update it .. and run it..

I found 15 trojans,3 adware... in my computer.. thats my point..

when MS has 95% of market share.. go and use other OS for safty.. and use Windows just for games like me..

[Kholinar]

Hmmm... I agree with about half of the list. I think the rest depend on what sort of user you are. Powerusers certainly benefit from some of those.

1. Most users have never opened a terminal on their XP/2k/Vista box.

2. Repositories are a nice feature and updates/patches are very much less dangerous than on Windows.

3. Cutting and pasting is all about what you're used to. I use the keyboard almost exclusively for it.

4. Addressed in 2.

5. Multiple desktops are a definite plus. Though windows apps are available that do this well. Not as well as compiz, but well.

6. Free tools. Plenty of these are available on every major os.

7. Reboots. Less and less a problem on every OS. Though windows still tends to do this on every software install or update which is tres annoying and unnecessary.

8. Open formats. This is just a matter of using the right apps, not any OS's fault. Proprietary apps mostly need to be installed by the user. Change the user's mind and you change the world.

9. Malware, etc. Definitely the biggest issue. And no, it won't be as much of a problem for linux if they get a bigger user base.

10. Respect. I don't need Bill to respect me.

[WilliamRLBaker]

Lets see
1.Doesn't count towards the consumer, and thats who counts in the 95% dominance of the OS scene that Windows currently has.

2.Really? I build computers as a hobby and help people fix there computers, I have a 10 gig USB/dvd/cd that has all the needed aps, Antivirus, Anti spybot, anti spyware, word processor,fire wall, media players...ect so as to load them, I also have an cd/dvd containing every security and other update for every microsoft ap for windows 98, me, xp, wista, 2000.

3.~_* windows doesn't have cut and paste? and or doesn't do it right? um...ctrl+c and ctrl+v Or right click...ect Focus? I am gonna assume that he means app focus on windows that pop up...ect....Yeah ummm windows handles it fine, and you can set it up your self with...power toys...

4.I have no problems with patches on xp, I have mine setup automatic so it takes place every day at 3 am no problems, New stuff? i go out find new stuff and download it...

5.Have no problem useing a single desktop, and If I want more then one I use my 2nd monitor to extend my desktop, Most consumers work with one desktop and need no more then that.

6....Um yeah most of the programs I use are free, and wordpad works just fine for most users.

7.....Lets see the only time I ever reboot my XP or my VISTA is when I get a big update, Of the past 10 times I've updated i've rebooted once, Linux ubuntu...twice.

8.Open Formats and Protocols of which there are many available for XP, Or Windows in general, And your stuff ins't yours on linux, Create any thing to do with linux or that using linux and its every ones you cant copyright it as your own.

9. Linux is not 100% secure, It is possible to gain rights to your entire system, and causing 100% damage, regardless of what the linux pundits say, And Last I checked, Windows didn't cause the paranoia...It was users and the media, I've not had a virus in over 5 years, Or spyware, or Bots of any kind because I dont download any thing and every thing, and I actually have my anti virus set to scan once a week at 3 am when its not in use, as well as my antispyware.

10. LOL respect *laughs hard* Yep because windows has disrespected me...I love how hes attaching disrespect and says linux does that better...Last I checked I didn't have to pay for linux last I checked they dont make money off consumers with it, and Last I checked any one can make a linux distro with the know how as long as its free...ect

So this is a null in point opinion because linux doesn't do it better they dont do it at all, And windows hasn't disrespected me or microsoft for that matter, if he has a problem with microsoft once in a while *last I checked about once a year if that* checking to see if his install is legal then maybe hes doing something iffy?

P.S: It seems that all his points are from a devs point of view...which is weird because last I checked a vast more ammount of aps we're created on a daily basis for windows then linux...

[Kholinar]

Seems like you have a good time at it.

Windows can be setup well and be secure and Linux can certainly be hacked, though it's not nearly as easy.

The thing is... why bother. Most people just need a word processor and a web browser (the 95% you quote). Linux, Mac, BSD and many others do that fine and without any major security issues by default.

It's much more peaceful. I manage windows boxes all day. At night it feels great to boot into linux or open my ibook and not worry. There's no windows os available that gives that sort of peace.

[tfur]

1) If you do not know the power of a terminal, and a shell, then it means nothing to you.

2) In the UNIX or Linux world, we jumpstart or kickstart. From bare metal to everything installed. Also, no registry...

3) Not cut and paste with keys... In Xwindows (the UNIX/Linux window standard) you just roll your mouse over text, click, then move the mouse wherever you want the text to go, and click the middle mouse button. No keyboards are involved in the process.

4) Patches are patches... The Solaris patch system is superior to Windows and what most Linux distros have, because of version tracking. But also because there is only 1 Solaris, but multiple Linux distros... There is no escaping the fact the engineers design Solaris, for engineers.

5) Virtual desktops are mandatory for me. Once you use them, you will never go back to the silly filled Windows bottom bar. Major pain in the butt once you are used to desktop real estate. Compviz is kinda cool, your desktops are basically on each side of a cube. You rotate the cube to each desktop. Also ALL windows have adjustable transparency, with the mouse wheel. Real transparency, even overlay video, on top of video.

6) Wordpad is not free... you bought it with Windows. There are soooo many more applications available in a standard Linux distro...

7) XP has gotten more stable... it only took 7 years tho... Vista is a joke, and it will not be deployed corporately for many years.

8) You are completely wrong about your ideas about Open Source. Its understandable, as the FUD and misinformation has been going on for years.

quote:
"8.Open Formats and Protocols of which there are many available for XP, Or Windows in general, And your stuff ins't yours on linux, Create any thing to do with linux or that using linux and its every ones you cant copyright it as your own."

Phew...
a) Linux IS open formats, Windows fights against TRUE open formats and protocols.
b) Stuff isn't yours on Linux? What? WTF? Create anything on Linux, and its everyone's and you cannot copyright it as your own????? WTF?

Everything you create IS copyright of the writer. The Linux kernel is full of copyrights held by each contributor. The GPL IS a copyright license.
It is when you modify Linux code, you must give your modifications to the public. There are many closed source applications, that run on Linux.

9) Linux is more secure than Windows, no contest. SELinux is now part of the Linux kernel. Developed, and open sourced by the NSA.

But again... its all about what you do, and what you are used to...

[Gizmo_Logix]

WilliamRLBaker, you said "Last you checked." I think you need to check again. Because you are misinformed.

[Poisen]

Some people are getting angry at this... I don't even know why. Its just a developers opinion. And TnS has reported my post like 4 times! Whats with the chit-chat in the reports section?? TnS you should be ashamed at yourself for being a FANBOY of MS.

[ShiftyLookingCow]

he is not being MS fanboyish, the fact is there are thousands of more articles about Windows/Linux debate that are as well written as this one(many probably supporting Linux). Does N4G really need them?

[BIadestarX]

As a developer I tell you... never trust the word of a developer. Most developers are religious about their bread and butter... The Linux vs Windows debate is being there for many many years... a Developer making most of their living of a specific set of tools, OS or technology will always bias... this guy is no exception...

You want a game developer opinion about linux?

http://www.extremetech.com/...

"I am a game maker, and although I do respect Linux and BSD (hell, all of our servers run these), we believe with most of the industry that Linux is only merely "interesting".

The big problem with Linux is most people are not interested in buying the game. How many people bought any software for their Linux box? Not many, I'm sure. One or two sharewares maybe, for everything else, there's yum... and torrents are your friend.

Here's the downward spiral:

Why installing games on Windows when I have Linux?
Why installing Windows when I have Linux and it's free?
Why buying the game on Linux when I have other cool games for free?
How can I play this game when there is only a binary version of it and it's not for my distro?
The game source code will not compile on my distro... why?
Why bother getting all these libraries and tools to compile the game and graphics?
No matter what will be done, up until the plain vanilla source that would be totally given away for free, there will always be people who will complain for more. That for a meager percentage of the population who would be happy to run that particular version of the game on a particular distro. Hell, it'd be much more convenient to spawn back the era of the bootable disks to create the game and sell these... anyways, that would be for what? a small fraction of still-unhappy people?

Not that I like Windows, not at all. I hate it... but you need to face the truth, the tools, people, infrastructure and money are there."

I think this guy break it down very well.. when it comes to the linux installbase, "Got that? Let me repeat it for those "special" Linux users unable to put down their bongs and focus on reading for a moment...stop being parasites and start coughing up some money."

Freaken people want everything for free... which is why though I personally make software for larger corporations using linux and unix OS (because they pay and we get to milk the crap out of them when it comes to support).... I will never waste my time making programs that the regular joe user will simply download and I will simply get spam being asked for support.
The first thing a linux fanatic will tell you is... linux free.. programs free... download free... balls.. tell me how a game developer would want to make a game for a platform that by default are a bunch of free loaders..

That's the reason why Linux will never be on every home.