From about 1998 to 2007 I was a Linux fanboy. Always praising the positive aspects, ignoring the negative, trashing Windows, saying “…desktop Linux is only a couple of years away..”, and running Linux on very computer I had (but using VMware to run Windows, or dual booting). I used Gentoo four about 5 years and became an advanced user, even going so far as to write a how-to on embedded Linux for the x86 (that page makes up about 90% of traffic on my website and even got me mentioned in an article in Linux Journal). I eventfully got tired of the constant attention Gentoo required and moved to Ubuntu; a much more polished distro.
I am no longer a Linux fanboy, thus changing my philosophy on Linux and operating systems in general. I changed because I really asked a fundamental question about operating systems, “What should an desktop OS do?”. Here is the answer :
- boot the computer to nice easy to use GUI
- provide multitasking, preemption, filesystem, memory management, interrupts, device drivers, and networking
- provide a standard GUI toolkit for software
- provide a stable API for software
- provide hardware abstraction for software
After that is done then the OS should get out of the way and allow the user to use his/her software.
Linux does most of the things very very well, but one it does not really kills it. Linux does not run most of the software out there. Granted it written for Windows and not really Linux’s fault, but users don’t care. For me it is the following software : Altium Designer (electronics engineering software), iTunes, AnyDVD, games (currently that’s Team Fortress), Autocad. I run a lot of other software, but those have Linux ports or alternatives that work as good or better in Linux. If the Linux guys (Linus, Ubuntu, Redhat, Suse, etc..) really want Linux to work on the desktop then they should speed most of there time on Wine. Wine allows Windows software to run under Linux, but it only works on a small selection of software.
I still think Linux is a great OS, and superior at some tasks then other OS’s such has servers, supercomputers, and embedded hardware. Actually in the embedded market (smartphones, GPS satnav, cable/video boxes) Linux will most likely dominate the market in the next few years. I still run Linux on my home server, dual boot on my desktop (just to check out Ubuntu), and run Linux on all work servers (file and web server) but on my desktop I run Windows XP.
For the desktop Windows and Mac OS X will continue to the only real choice for the majority of the computer users. For some users that only use a computer for e-mail and internet access then Linux might work for them. But as soon as they want anything else (iTunes, videos, games), then they will have problems. Actually the next computer I purchase will be a Mac, and I can’t wait!
UPDATE
Now with fewer misspelled words.
I need to add that this is not a knock of opensource. I actually prefer open source when it is possible (Firefox, Thunderbird, Openoffice, Miro, VLC).
I consider myself an advanced user, but not a programmer.
Even with Mac, I will have to dual boot with Windows for games and other applications. Macs are generally more restrictive than PCs, I just want to learn the “other” major computer system (Windows, Linux, Mac).
I partly agree…
I will always have an installation of windows because of iTunes…
But I think that people to “restrict” themselves to 1 OS is doing themselves a disservice…
At work I have Linux servers, Windows Servers, Solaris Servers, and Mac Servers…
Being “Multivendor” has really helped grow the company
-C
So, instead of complaining about the lack of commercially available software that is written for use on Linux, it seems one so ‘advanced’ as yourself could very well have gone into helping port existing apps or helping put together Linux versions of those types of apps, thus further helping Linux desktop usage overall.
In terms of the apps that are available for Linux, I beleive there is a lot of less than honest comparisons in terms of what is avialable.
Thee are no ports of MS software of those of the big names that write targeting to Windows. But if you just want usability, there are many suitable and productive alternatives existing now.
The pool of apps that aren’t specialized in terms of gfx preparation or gaming is shrinking.
Also, who really cares.
Linux is Linux and Windows is Windows and Mac is Mac.
If a person finds there is an app or select group of apps they just cannot do without, then use what works best for you.
This incessant comparison and “my dog is better than your dog” one upsmanship is juvenile and accomplishes nothing.
You like Windows, I’m glad to hear you found something that works for you. There has yet to be a need that I use a computer for that Linux can’t meet, so I will continue being happy using Linux.
If one didn’t get so caught up being a ‘fanboy’ in the first place and just focused on being a computer user, these pendulum swings wouldn’t happen the way they do.
Quit being a sheep and make your own decisions.
Sorry – I stopped reading at the 5th misspelled word.
I often wonder while poeple feel its necessary to flash some barge that says .. oh i ran linux for 12 years.. oh i once wrote a guide about linux that won an oscar.. just to create the impression that what they say must be fact.. well for all your linux experience must of what u talk about is mere FUD. if you left linux for windows i would understand, but most of the short coming u complained about linux on the desktop also affect OSX which doesnt have as much application for the desktop as linux. i use banshee for music and its more than enough for my needs, average users dont use autocad, or some of the softwares you talk about. i find many of the softwares in linux as quite capable for everyday use which is what a desktop computer is all about.
to bad u were a fanboy soo much time,too god u are not one anymore ,cuz fanboy are all ignorance and talk(ranting and flaming),but gaming o a mac???…mac are much more restrictive(hardware and sofware)also the most insecure os(they were cracked on a couple of minutes),but i think you will be ok.Ranting aside i will feel the same as you if i were using a buntu.LOL no pun intended.
at lest on appearance(hey im a mac).
and welcome to the Mac club on this economically troubled times when the best we can do is spend on a overpriced low quality just blink on the outside so our ego can be upped and we can be a better person
You can apply this logic in all possible directions: “Linux does most of the things very very well, but one it does not really kills it. Linux does not run most of the software out there.”
It all depends on what you need and what you like. Several things I like and need are either impossible or a nightmare to set up in Windows (Mac could be a half baked compromise but since I’m a system builder Mac doesn’t appeal to me). I don’t have to be a “Linux fanboy” to admit to this, because it’s a just a plain fact concerning my computing habits.
The universe isn’t equal to you or I, we’re just a fraction of the totality. Hence what we do isn’t an objective observation of the true state of software. Nevertheless if you feel that Mac is right for you it’s a good enough reason, a reason I respect.
As a man who has to earn a living, and to do so in the business world, I find that for the desktop, linux is a hobby for me. I cannot take it seriously.
So many little glitches, from inability to get webcam or video card support, flash, to severe problems with office applications (such as OpenOffice) in the areas of stalls, lockups, or just incompatibilities.
For the student, and perhaps very soon, linux is a godsend. With all code open, the student can study, learn, improve existing applications, and learn what is not possible to learn with commercial stuff.
For governments, open source is the answer, with xml as a definition. Then the operating system will not make a bit of difference.
As a server, linux is lean and mean. No complaints here.
Closed source has to be embraced. Is not the pc bios that starts the system a closed source program? So why not accept other binaries too.
www.coreboot.org/ – Open source bios
@ Leslie Satenstein
Why do some of you feel the need to point out that your decision is linked to a general rule of thumb for business use, by some labelled as “serious work”? Fine, for you that might apply. Since my situation is the opposite should I then write: “Windows is great as a gaming station but not for serious work since I depend on a good operating system to earn a living”?
Play with these sentences from different user perspectives and you’ll realize how absurd it sounds to puff up one’s own work as “real” and “serious”, and hence another system must be for “hobby” and they who use it must likewise be amateurs and not professionals. Yes, I’m talking about the desktop. Isn’t it time to show slightly more humbleness and look beyond one’s own desk and use?
Some write long reports in MS Word; some of us are convinced that something like LaTeX is better suited for such work (yes it does work on both Windows and Mac, but frankly it might become a pain to set it up). What approach is serious and which is not? Is one of these options a hobby? We could go on and on like this, which proves that user preferences and need decides what operating system might suit you best, not because one is a serious and another is a hobby system.
I guess that by writing this post you are trying to convince others to stop trashing users of proprietary software and treat them respectfully.
I know myself that being a Linux fan-monkey is very unproductive.
I have not problems with Linux. I like linux. But it is not my OS of choice.
That’s Mac OS on Intel.
Because with that combination I can have ALL OS’s and not limit myself to one or two (or perish the thought) dual booting — eeech!!!
The vast majority, the VAST MAJORITY of users perform these tasks:
1. Email
2. Word processing
3. Spreadsheets
on a day to day basis. THE MINORITY perform oddball tasks (like ripping a DVD). Linux fulfills the VAST MAJORITY. As does Mac OS and Windows.
However, what it comes down to is how much pain are you willing to suffer with. Windows with its daily updates? Virus of the week? Or the inability to update Linux in a clean, orderly fashion (yes, I know it can be done, but the big users install on new partitions).
Mac is the best of the *nix systems out there. Life is good.