(as J pointed out; the right distro can make all the difference. They are all made from the same Lego(tm) pieces but are very distinct and different OS under the hood and in developer philosophy.)
I read the article title as implying ?when does a Linux based OS become viable for your needs? or ?when will you consider a Linux based OS for your desktop?. I didn?t read it to imply ?when will Linux whoop Windows off your desktop? due too these usually devolving into a X vs Y argument rather than topical discussion. I suspect, we both misread the full intended meaning; I?m surely not one to point fingers too much as I?ve had some monumental mis-interpretations in my own past. It would have been nice if the discussion had stuck too ?when will a Linux based OS be suitable for your desktop needs? but the way it went is far from a surprise.
?Plug and Prey? was a poor choice of wording but it got the point across in three words rather than talking about how PnP framework has evolved from win95 through Vista. The other side of it though is the hardware vendors. In the beginning, they all put effort into a PnP compatible driver and by win98sr2, drivers where not such an issue. Even still, generic and common drivers are all right there or easily pulled from Windows Update by the ?search the internet for driver? feature. The problem is that hardware vendors have all done there own little tweeks leaving PnP broken for some hardware like discreet video chips. I?ve never seen an ATI or nVidia work out of the box without having to manually install drivers and the layers of crapware both include on top of it. Video is a pretty important part being that most people only have one GPU. While they both initially take the generic VGA driver; that?s just enough to get you booted so you can start into the manual labour. In the case of my Linksys gs54 NIC; there was no driver available with the Windows install media or Windows Update library. Windows own Bluetooth stack has to be replaced with the vendor driver and BT stack for my dlink usb nub. These are hardware componets designed for Windows. Baud how I?d love too see hardware vendors stop with the games and just provide driver specs, generic API front ends or driver support across platforms (in that order). That is a criticism I direct at the people making the greenboards rather than at any one OS provider including MS.
I braught up ndiswrapper in response to your saying that a NIC on a Linux based OS wouldn?t work but would work perfectly on other OS by simply hitting OK twenty times. My point, poorly articulated perhaps, was that the very same driver can be installed on a Linux based OS in far less than twenty clicks. The very fact that you can install a completely non-native driver is a feat in itself.
In this specific case; I would have first tried a few different distros through LiveCD too see if the kernel panic was consistent across different OS. My preference is Mandriva so I?d have tried that first. Ubuntu is the public?s darling so I?d try that too see if it just worked then check the forums for help since those will be very active (benefits of being the darling). Due to hardware constraints, I?d also have thrown Knoppix and a few light distros at it just to see. Collecting the ISO can be done in parallel so you spend a half hour or less starting the downloads (ftp-linxu.cc.gatech.edu is a great place to go). The next day or a few hours later the ISO are in my download folder and I spend twenty minutes or less cooking disks. Reboots take about five minutes or less so it?s a quick test to go through the humble stack and see which distros blow up and which don?t. In terms of Mandriva, I?m not sure exactly where the LiveCD boot process and install ask ?should I use a Windows driver?? but it pops up clearly with a simple form during the Mandriva Free install process. I prefer not to install liveCD images when I have the option of a proper clean install but I?m not your average keyboard junkey either.
If I?d seen your posts earlier and spotted a ?Ubuntu is choking on XYZ network card during boot? I?d have suggested looking at how Ubuntu handles ndiswrapper (it must be a simplified process by now if ATI drivers are but a few clicks) with the suggestion too try Mandriva One liveCD as a test then Mandriva Free install disks for your actual build once you confirm that the hardware works well enough to try. Again, I wasn?t motivated to jump into another X vs Y argument until late into it.
I?m actually trying to move to Debian for a few needs. When I checked last, postfix was not the default mailer and I?d rather stick as closely to a distro?s native build when possible. Debian?s philosophy does not bode well for supporting my binary blob loving hardware bits. It would be my pick for a distro to move too and especially in the case of server builds but in the same way as you, I?m comfortable with Mandriva?s layout, included tools and hardware support. FreeBSD would be the alternative to Debian. FreeNAS may be my storage server unless I give in and just get a Datavault box since NAS would be it?s single function and protecting my data is top of the wish-list. Then my pile of spare parts can be put towards a home VM server too host groupware and a few other things under separate systems.
I also get frustrated with having to jump through hoops to get hardware to work. I?d take that up with the hardware manufacturers directly but I?m limited to voting with my wallet. I learned long ago that you check hardware compatibility for your distro before you buy the part. The Mandriva hardware compatibility list webpage is the first stop I make but other distros should have there own lists also. Until the hardware vendors realize there?s a huge market too be gained and development expenses to be saved; we?re stuck with hack-arounds like ndiswrapper and bless some developer for dreaming it up in his spare time.
The choices can also be daunting but choice is the very reason that there are any alternatives so I consider that a strength. I don?t publish a distro so I?m not going to get defensive about preferring less choice. It is a common confusion though. Everyone refers to all linux based OS as Linux; Linux runs my router, Linux runs my server, Linux runs my desktop ? nope, DDwrt or Tomato or OpenWRT run your router; it just happens to use a Linux kernel between software and hardware. Nope, Debian, or Red Hat or CentOS or Suse run your server; they just happen to be built with the same lego pieces. I came from a purely MS background too and it was staggering to realize that my whole world was a very small but popular selection of the greater software world; I?m an OS geek though so that was an attractive joy for me. The confusion is also why I make a point of using ?Linux based OS? or preferably the specific distribution name.
In truth, any group of people will eventually start to divide themselves. You can even see it between Windows users arguing over 2k vs XP vs Vista when in the absence of common target. I hear the Vi vs Emacs and cli vs X wars are raging on and GNOME vs KDE is all over the place with GNOME2 and KDE4 making the news. We just can?t help but categorize ourselves then rationalize why our category is better than the other category.
I also have users I wouldn?t have moved off win32 unless it was towards osX. No OS is perfect for everybody. I was watching it to test with a friend of the family but he?s the type who makes an instant opinion and that?s the end of it. The first flaw he saw in Windows dammed it (not unjustifiably) and he?d have been as quick too judge anything else that wasn?t utterly seamless (so, anything). Discussing Windows flaw in technical terms would be just a rehash of most discussions that crop up and just as likely to blow up into a emotional struggle for dominance instead of technical merit comparison.
My limitations at work are not being in IT and being bound too some webapps which won?t work on IE7 let along away from a Windows base. I?d love to have the IT folk give me a second computer and permission to cut partitions though to see if I could really do it though as most of my work involves juggling data between the databased and the various Office applications depending on the reporting needs I?m addressing. At home, I have a few spreadsheets that require Excel due to overly complicated cell formula but I haven?t tested them recently. I?m even able to pop open XLS with gnumetric on my N810 or create initial worksheets for further editing on a full size system later. There are definitely technical limitations in cases that keep one platform preferred over another but those truly technical limitations are disappearing leaving only the political reasons. The specific cases where any one OS is the only viable choice are all becoming specialty cases. With all platforms, I find my experience is the same; you spend time getting it to work for the needed task (or your users do after you hand off the machine). If your smart, you cook an install image and there is no more fighting to get it working. I had R/C helicopters explained too me the same way; it?ll take some time and fun to learn to fly but after that it?s take-off, move, land over and over again.
Sorry, don?t think I was clear about ?Fair Use? as feature allowable under copywrite. Under Fair User, one may buy media on whatever medium it ships then transfer that media too there preferred medium for consumption provided they are not sharing the converted media or providing it for mass viewing (sharing or showing). I can buy my music on CD and convert it to MP3 for listening on my home system or music player but I can?t distribute those mp3 or duplicates of the CD. This is the concept of Fair Use which has been upheld as legally within the limits of copywrite. I mentioned it because you asked ?doesn?t watching DVD require breaking DMCA?.
DMCA is the problem rather than the solution. If it was initially put in place to make breaking communications encryption and personal encryption illegal then it has been corrupted into a workaround to make copywrite provided Fair Use illegal. That is what makes it an atrocity against fair use and copywrite. It?s not being used to protect encrypted communications over public networks; it?s being used too remove a write provided by copywrite.
In terms of mp3 and other media (I believe including AVI) one can pay for legal media codecs and a few distributions ship with them. In terms of DVD, LinDVD is a fully legal solution. DMCA be damned even if you live in a country that has it or one that has to play nice with such countries. (sadly, we just past something similar up here in the snowy north. I have to read it still but oh how I hope the polititions and our version of RIA didn?t screw us over)
One could also argue that by having the Windows license allowing the playing of AVI and other codecs (it?s paid for in the cost after all), that license extends too playing those codecs on other platforms. My ATI driver disk has the DVD codec on it which Windows must install from so by extension, can that license to view DVD be extended too other platforms provided I retain the hardware and driver media? Someone with more legal background would have to confirm that idea though.
A Mandriva or other distro install can be done in twenty minutes. Include LinDVD (80$ is not unreasonable for a complete OS and software library so we?ll say Mandriva Poweruser) and your installed and watching Sponge Bob in under twenty minutes. VLC is also a good choice since it?s across platforms and is available as a USB portable app but there may be some legal grey area you want to consider with that choice.
I won?t argue that I don?t have some ideals but my idealism doesn?t extend beyond keeping a Windows boot for my gaming needs or a Windows VM for win32 software (no license for 64bit at home). I?ve also suggested people not use a Linux based OS in cases where it is just a solution looking for a problem to solve. While I do have a preference, I do also try to keep perspective. You?ll notice me arguing against people switching to a Linux based OS for there gaming platform if they are happy with Windows and only want the latest DX9/DX10 games. I can?t pretend I don?t have a preference though.
Things like Excel, Powerpoint and watching DVD are the same on any platform; you have to install the program that does it. It?s WinDVD vs LinDVD or OOo vs Office unless you need the advanced functions. The company names I used where heavy hitters but they are also solution vendors; we?d have to see there client lists to really know what?s going on out there. The Erny Ball case is often mentioned but I regularly see similar cases posted over on Linux.com (yeah, not unbias but they cover there topic well). There are definitely cases where you require win32 or Caoca based programs and that decides your underlying OS but I submit that the majority of cases are more political; small European countries and deep MS discounts being good examples. It?d be nice if it was purely based on technical merits but politics has too add it?s shade of nutty brown to everything it touches.
I didn?t ever say Ubuntu Sucks outright but the tone seemed to be the case. Again, I came into the posts late so everybody was already spun up and I didn?t get hints of your technical knowledge until later. We have only the perception to respond too as I?m sure the perception of my posts carries a heavier tone than is meant.
In terms of usage; Word and Excel are fine under OOo or gnumetric unless your into the advanced features that few touch (my work related XLS are in that ?few touch? area so it?s Excel for me still). Outlook; yeah, your boned. On a Windows platform, Outlook is a first pick. If Exchange can be properly documented, more options should mature. For home, I?m moving to eGroupware because it will talk to Outlook, osX, Evolution, Korganizer, my PalmOS and GPE Suite on Maemo. I?ve a business client that keeps asking about it also; it will support his small office and scale as the office grows.
iTunes is only on Windows and osX but alternatives are appearing in that case also and tapping into online music stores is not unique too those platforms. I buy my music on CD and our iTunes resides on an osX machine though so Amarok provides all the functions I need. Manipulating, managing and storing music, image and video media can all be done easily across platforms also. There is a platform specific need for high end video and audio editing and if you can?t live without the 10% that GIMP doesn?t do then Photoshop is your need but there are options. All platforms download so I?m missing something there unless it?s downloading from Youtube or online media stores; that goes back to iTunes and alternatives though. myTube handles youtube search and downloading for offline (not connected to network rather than meaning not in a meeting
) viewing on Maemo. With Firefox 32bit you can use Adobe?s native flashplayer on other platforms though it?d be really, REEEAALY, nice if Adobe would get on with releasing the 64bit flash player (hurray for vendor bias).
IE oriented content, DX, ActiveX and similar platform specific things should not ever have been introduced into an international and standards based network but they exist and it sucks for the people who don?t have IE. That?s not at all by Microsoft?s accident either but we?ll see what happens with IE8 and there new claim for standards compliance. That?s another discussion though and it?s raging on currently.
Playing games.. Playing DX9/DX10 games without a compatability layer requires Windows. WINE does a good job as does Cedega (if you are ok with a month delay in latest game availability). Playing games in general does not lock you into a single platform though. The game library native to Linux based OS is pretty freaking huge actually. There are a few very good flight sims from arcade on up to industrial use. Side scrolling and puzzle games are coming out the repository wazoo. ID publishes cross platform intentionally and they are the bringer of 3D FPS gaming. There are some very good FPS from other publishers also which run cross platform. This is a new area for me as I?ve been limited by ATI?s Radeon 9600 support in past but have a better supported GPU these days.
Your meaning of ?sharing content with other people? is lost on me. I can?t think of a case where I can?t share content across platforms. The content is a saved data file which can be transferd and read between and on any platform these days except with a very few specific file formats. I am curious to know what content will not cross platforms. If it?s back to Excel, Powerpoint and advanced features in the file formats then it?s been covered; 90% of user needs are cross platform, 10% of user needs are Office specific since the other programs can?t make use of advanced Office features. If it?s Napster and the like; that started on Linux based OS if I remember back correctly. These days gnutella covers your file sharing and downloading needs if that?s your preferred transfer method. Bittorrent has a dozen different client programs across various platforms but that?s primarily a one way rather than sharing medium.
Across all platforms, you?ll need to install the correct program for the data file you want to work with and all platforms have complicated and simple options to choose. I don?t even count the ?no cost? advantage except that I don?t have to think about licenses when I need to quickly a VM on a whim. The advantages of choice, online repositories, availability of deeper configuration, richer selection of software, more robust network stack and better support for industry standards all greatly outweigh the ?no cost? advantage. If I where willing to run an illegal Windows network, it wouldn?t be the cost savings that I?d notice so much as the lost functionality; as mentioned, I?m not your average cookie though.
Really, the available Linux based distributions all have there advantages and no one will work for everyone or every need for one person. It would be interesting to see someone take the best features from every distro and build a single distro based on it but then, every distro maintainer would argue that they are the one doing it. If you want tradition; pick Slackware as the oldest surviving distro. If you want stability; Debian is usually the pick. Popularity; *buntu. Ground up flexsability; LFS or Gentoo. Security Learning; Damn Vulnerable Linux. Securty Testing; new BT just released. Generic OS; Debian, Mandriva, PCLinuxOS, Ubuntu. Like the car analogy; it depends on what you need the car for and usually you have to research or ask your car dealer.
I would really be curious to hear how Mandriva treated you. I wouldn?t suggest it if I didn?t think it would help but I also do understand if you?ve no interest in giving a go. Right distro for the right job just like every ratchet bit fits a different screw. FreeBSD, Slackware, Red Hat.. if these are the distributions you?ve been trying for an older notebook then I can guess some of the problems you?ve had. Slack wooped me badly back in the day and almost drove me from trying further distros (I haven?t gone back to try again yet). Red Hat dropped everything that made Linux based OS attractive to me back in the day so I switch to Mandrake rather than Fedora. FreeBSD, can?t comment though I hear some newer GPU and other hardware lack support; it is the BSD I?d start with though. I haven?t an idea why Ubuntu choked but it?s not a distro I touch often either and there are other?s that currently provide better hardware support. Hindsight is 20/20 though; hopefully you?ll give Mandriva a go in future if you?re motivated to try again. Heck, I?ll help as much as I can though there are others more knowledgeable around.
There is definitely room for improvement in all platforms. As someone else said; it?s all crapware.
