How many times have you heard the arguments about operating systems and why mine is better than yours etc? Now I admit to even starting a few of these talkfests myself.. things quiet at work or new guy starting.. asking what OS they use and watch the smackdown begin (its almost as good as UFC). There'll be your Mac people espousing how "everything just works" and your Windows types saying "the world uses Windaz" so its the best. And then there's the "you should use Linux because its free man" tech guru wannabe hippy types looking all smug and self righteous because the rest of the clowns paid for their OS and he's using his for free. Or is he? In my experience these people are all PC gamers therefore Windoze users.
I've met a few characters that are living the Linux dream or at least claiming to. But here's the rub... is there anyone who's exclusively using it? I don't mean "I've got Linux installed on my USB stick" or "I dual boot". Is there anyone who is actually using Linux as there sole operating system. Booting into everyday to check their email, write their documents, develop their code, surf the web and yes.. play their games. I fear there is not.
Maybe I'll concede and say having a Windaz virtual machine is still living the dream. Is there anybody doing that? I know of one bloke (who we'll call 8Ball to protect his privacy) who uses Ubuntu for work because "its got all the tools I need to get things done". But even he has to use a Windows VM to run iTunes to sync his iPhone.
Now before you fire up your email clients to deluge me with hate mail, I'm no Linux hater, far from it. Currently I'm using a Mac but my Mac fanboy-ism has really worn off since my first iMac and with the price of PC hardware so good, my next purchase will be a beige box. My next OS will be linux.. not sure what flavour yet.. and I'm going to see if I can live the dream. Can I do all the things that I currently do on my Mac? Will the temptation of slick PC gaming be too strong? My new hardware is probably going to be a few months away yet but I'll be sure to update you when it happens and we'll see if I can live the Linux dream.
45 comments:
Dean, mate, I exclusively use linux every day, have so for many years actually.
I have a windows virtual machine simply for testing on, oh and that stupid livescribe smart pen.
My *mother* exlusively uses linux every day too... so I live the dream and I'm no wannabie :-)
Well, there's always *me*...
I've been using Linux exclusively for years. I do have a dual-boot system, but only for my sister; I never, ever use Windows. Not because I'm "self-righteous", but because I have no need of Windows. None. Period. I handle email, office tasks, multimedia (including multichannel audio recording) and web development using exclusively Linux and free software.
And I know of many, many others. I don't know where this idea of the "Linux dream" came from; for most of the folks I know who use linux, the "dream" is not of merely individually using Linux exclusively, but of Linux supplanting Windows and OS X in the OS market. That dream may well be a myth, but this (referring to this post)?
This dream has been a reality for a long, long time.
At home I exclusively use Linux (Ubuntu) - for my media center (MythTV) and my Laptop (for the last 2+ years). It does everything I need.
I still have to use windows at work, but for no good reason other than draconian policy. Linux could do the job much better.
I get incredibly frustrated now when having to help friends with their windows computers. So much harder.
My Parents are on Ubuntu now too. Much better for them (browsing, email, skype etc).
I also have been using Linux as my primary OS at home and at work for the past 2 years (1.5 at work). I dual-boot Linux and OSX on a Macbook Pro. VMs for Windows testing.
Basically I'll only boot up OSX to to sync my iPhone and to play with the iPhone SDK.
I do have an older dual-boot Windows/Linux machine around that I'll occasionally (every couple of months) boot windows on to play an online game or two.
I spend over 97% of my time running Linux typically doing development work. I guess I am living the dream. It is definitely much more achievable than it was a couple years ago.
I know a number of developers who run Linux full-time at home, even a few .NET developers :-)
For heavens sake. What do you think is so good about windows. I only use Linux and dread any contact with M$. You need to get out more. Linux is an easy to use everyday OS.
Three openSUSE systems in the house. One is able to dual boot into XP, but that wasn't done for at least two years.
Henk
well, the fact is i used Win3.1 and switched to OS/2 in '94, never bought or used Win95 or later (except in net cafes on trips, etc)..started trying to learn Linux in about '98 and in '99 bought a used machine to run Red Hat exclusively .. by 2001 i realized i hardly ever ran Warp and have been exclusively on Linux since sometime in 2002...everyday, does everything i want it to do, and that is lot...but, i do not dual boot, i have run other linux distros in a VM, but don't have and don't need Windows or Mac...the dream is alive, really!
I never used Win at all, I started as a kid with several Commodores, then had an IT-break for more than 15 years and started again with Linux. I am not a gamer, but there are some neat native games for Linux too (Nexuiz, World of Goo, Toribash...), plus there's always wine, which supports a lot. Emails are no problem of course (Thunderbird, KMail), so is writing documents (OOo, KOffice), surfing too (Firefox, Konqueror, Opera, Chrome / Chromium) and hey: Linux is a dream for every coder...
Beside those basic tasks I also use Linux as a Digital Audio Workstation (Rosegarden, Ardour, Hydrogen, Bristol, Renoise...), which used to be quite a hassle to be set up - but even that is getting easier with every month.
Seriously.
I run a 3 Gentoo machines, one for a router at home, my laptop, and my workstation at work. I occasionally have to work with Windows boxes via rdp and maintain a Windows VM at work. Otherwise, I run exclusively on Linux.
Dean, I have been running straight Linux since XP SP1 came out. I abandoned Windows for Linux. In fact, this last computer I bought came with Linux pre-installed. I only have one computer currently, so all I have is Linux. As I said, I have been Windows free for about 10 years, running straight Linux. My 11 year old daughter prefers Linux, as does my wife. We are a Linux family.
I have used linux exclusively for about 6 years now, I like it, it works, and I cant imagine ever going back to windows.
OpenSUSE 11.2 FTW!
As I use OpenBSD on my router/server, I cannot say that I only run linux, but I am not running Windows or Mac at my home, and not at uni either.
As of last month, all Linux on both my PC's. No VM either. I don't know about a dream, but definitely less headaches. *does the snoopy dance
Dear Naked Coder,I'm 13 years old and I use Linux only,for gaming,surfing,coding,email and making absurd parodies of songs etc etc.
I have been using linux exclusively for 3 years now. There is no way in hell I'm
going back. Linux has everything I need, and I'm a power user. I just stay away from hardware that is supported only in windows.
7 machines in my house. All running openSUSE linux. I have not used any other OS since 2001/2002.
There's one dual boot, my son's PC, it has an entry "Windows: the Game".
I've been using Linux exclusively for years now. I have a VM of windows for testing that my cross-platform code really is cross-platform, but I don't think that really counts towards not being an exclusive Linux user.
I've been using Linux exclusively since the end of 2005. I consider it easy to use and uncomplicated. I do not study or work in the field of computers.
A few members of my family use it exclusively too.
I found your comments amusing, especially considering some of the people I know who have tried Linux or use it, exclusively.
Been using Linux exclusively for 3 years. Had a windows partition just in case for a year or so but not had windows on my machine for at least 2 years.
I use Internet apps, Second Life, Savage games, prey, and penumbra. Not a huge gamer though so mostly loiter in second life.
I've used Ubuntu linux exclusively for the last 3 years.
I've been using Ubuntu as my sole OS at home since the release of 9.10, was dual-boot prior to that. At work I dual-boot, but can't remember the last time I loaded XP that way. I prefer to load it in a Virtual Machine when needed, which isn't often I am glad to say.
I've been using Linux exclusively since 2000. I don't use MS for anything.
I haven't even bought a MS product since the 90's; since Windows 98, Office 97, and Pinball Arcade.
I've used Linux exclusively for more than five years. It isn't for everyone, but it is perfect for some of us.
I'm a law student in the US, and I do all my work on a Thinkpad X61 running Debian Lenny. Linux was not mentioned at orientation; but we were told unequivocally that things like Mac OSX were fine for playing around, but the legal world uses PCs, so Windows is the de facto standard, and we should be using it.
I've had no problems so far. My classwork is all done with OpenOffice. I have a small Windows XP partition for the proprietary software we use for exams, and I have an XP virtual machine that I run in VirtualBox solely for the purpose of modifying PDF files. When I just need to read PDFs, I use the Evince viewer that comes with Debian; and if I just need to type a quick comment on one, I use PDFedit.
Most of the games I like are older, so I have no problems there. For SNES emulation, I use Zsnes. For NES and GB Advance emulation, there's Mednafen. For PS1 emulation, there's pSX.
The OS works better for me than Windows. By that, I don't mean that it's more responsive or has apps to do everything you can do in Windows; it's just that when you run into compatibility issues in Linux, and it's a hassle, the hassle is based on workarounds and learning curve. In Windows, the hassle has usually been constructed on purpose (e.g., driver packages that install as bloated programs instead of just giving you the functionality you sought).
Workaround and learning curve hassles are useful; they help build knowledge of your OS, which helps you use it more efficiently. DRM/built-in hassles are just tedious. Linux all the way.
The more the person is computer illiterate, the easier it is to make the switch to Linux.
Parents and Friends are using Linux for up to 4 years - only Linux, yes!
No maintenance required - I have never been called for such problems. An Ubuntu update every 2 years, and my family and friend's boxes run just fine :-)
By the way, have a look at my Ubuntu guide if you feel like...
I suppose that by your definition I am not "living the Linux dream", as I do have a dual boot set up on both me and my girlfriend's computer. Still, I'd say that >99% of the time we both spend in Linux (currently we're both using Ubuntu 9.10), as it can do everything that Windows can, only better - with the exception of gaming and possibly word processing (the latter is quite subjective though). I have to admit that MS Office 2007 has a very slick UI, and I usually use that format reports for uni. But when I actually write them, I do so in OpenOffice.
I dabble in both programming and graphical design/digital illustration, and Linux has been able to simplify and facilitate that for me for about... 4 or 5 years now.
Exclusive to GNU/Linux except for my wife's laptop is dual-boot, and one of my 5 computers does have an XP virtualbox install for some work stuff.
Debian and KDE make it all wonderful.
I have only used linux at home now for almost ten years. I only touch windows machinges at work. I have PS3 and I have only really used it to play Netflix. Just don't need a windows machine nor do I want one.
you're an idiot for thinking that. Get a clue or just STFU if you don't know what you're on about, instead of making your self ridiculous and showing your ignorance by writing stuff like that
I use ArchLinux exclusively. Web, email, irc, open office, multimedia, graphics, and yes GAMING.
It isn't about getting a free (gratis) operating systems and software, it is about being free as in freedom.
I used to dual boot with Ubuntu and Windows but i found i hadn't logged into Windows in over a year, so i reclaimed my hard drive space, including the removal of Ubuntu, and installing Arch/Linux.
I have 2 MS XP discs which i broke in half and threw in the garbage. I own my operating systems (1 pc, and a netbook), not Microsoft or Apple. They cannot dictate to me the terms of my computer use, they are of no consequence to me. If those corporations vanished from the earth today, i would not even notice, or care.
What is it about Windows users that they cannot accept that others have no interest in Windows whatsoever, can't they get it through their heads?
I use Linux. So is the case with my wife and kids. No dual boots... No VMs...
The latest Windoze I used was Win95.
Since my work is Windows administration I can't really be 100% Linux at work. Despite that I work 100% from a Linux workstation, and bit by bit we've implemented Linux and BSD solutions in the office, both server and desktop.
At home only one of five computers have Windows installed, a computer I never use. It's not so much that I try to avoid Windows, it's just that my best tools and desktop environments only work and are well integrated on *nix systems. Personally I prefer tiling window managers with nearly exclusive use of the keyboard, something that's pretty hard to achieve in Windows, and while it's possible on MacOS it's quirky and several pieces of software available aren't up-to-date. You could say I haven't got a choice but to use either Linux, BSD or some other close relative. I use Linux for music system solutions as well, as a full blown desktop system would be crazy anyway, and who would really want to work with Windows Core to avoid it? At work I've noticed that I quite often send over some office related work to my Linux desktop, since I've got better tools there.
Conclusion: I don't have a choice so I don't think in terms of it being a "dream". It's just an unexciting reality.
I'm currently using Linux full-time for everything. I'll admit that I also own a Mac, but so far there is nothing I do on the Mac that I can't also do on the Linux PC, and often I use the same application in both cases.
dis
As for gaming, yes, Windows is king there, mostly due to DirectX. But since when is gaming an important measure of an OS or its available applications? If you want to game, consoles are increasingly becoming the better option anyway.
I'm actually kinda surprised to see a post like this, considering the state of modern Linux. I would have expected and agreed with something like this back in 2005 or so, but not in 2010.
I use linux mint for over than 3 years now on the same laptop!!!
Now that I am gonna buy a new one, I will tempted with the fancy new windows and its support for GAMES that now my machine will be able to run!!
Using linux is like being married to an ugly wife, she is ugly but she loves you and never ask you for money!
I've been using solely Linux for years now. I admit, not the same distro, I'm a hopper, but Linux none the less.
I use it exclusively at home even for games. I play Urban Terror, Wolfenstien: ET, ET: Quake Wars, Quake 4, Nexuiz, Unreal 2004, Savage 2... no issues with any of it, and they all run native.
I use it almost excludively at work, you see, I use it to fix Windows machines (I'm a tech). So I kinda have to use Windows when fixing their computers, but I don't think it really counts =D
I don't understand what's so hard about it, really. Sure, a lot of us use VM's or dual boot for the odd program that just won't play with Linux, but all my "core use" (surf, email, games, documents, etc) has been on Linux since about 2004-2005.
What's really the problem for you?
It's not that complicated.
If you don't rely on Windows-only programs, you can use Linux exclusively.
I don't rely on Windows-only programs, so I use Linux exclusively, quite happily.
P.S. I don't game. Not everyone games, you know. My wife games, but she prefers to do so on the PS3, not on her Mac.
Add another user to the Linux fold. We have five machines in total running various configurations.
My wife has a newish laptop (dual core) running Ubuntu 9.10 and Windows 7 (came with it). I think she has booted Windows 7 once but otherwise everything is done on Ubuntu.
My kids computers (both dual cores) are dual boot XP and Ubuntu 9.10. the only reason the XP partitions remain are so that they can play some legacy Windows games they have. But then these don't even get used now. They use the PS3 or play the games from the repo's.
Down to me, my main machine (quad core) is running Ubuntu 9.10 which also acts as the print and file server. Then there is my laptop which is a rather old Celeron machine but is dual boot Ubuntu 9.10 and Windows 7 RC. Windows never gets booted on this machine and will get scrubbed probably when the Mar 1 deadline happens. The only reason it was installed was so I could play with to and see what it was like.
So at the end of the day 99.9% of things get done on Ubuntu 64bit with the only exception being the Logitech Harmony Remote software which is Windows only (I should try this on Wine). I think have used this software on 3 occasions since we bought it 2 years ago.
So yes you can live on Linux quite easily, this family does 99.9% of the time. This has been the norm in this household for almost 3 years.
Lots of responses, clearly the dream is no myth and plenty of people are living it. I'd have to say that based on the comments, people who are using it are passionate.
I'll be sure to update this rant with my experiences when I switch. Next post to be coding related!
If you need recommendations on a Linux OS then openSuse is the way to go. I am using it exclusively on a desktop and a Thinkpad every day, in every way.
I am yet another of those people who have been using Linux on a daily basis for years. I started with Slackware 4, drifted into RedHat 5.0, 6.1, then back into Slackware 9.0/10/11/12/13. I've installed SME Server for 2 companies now. They love it. Linux is the gift that keeps on giving. I hope someday you appreciate that too. Good luck with your Mac.
I'm currently using Ubuntu Linux and nothing but Ubuntu Linux for all my computing needs. Why you would fear nobody is using Linux and only Linux is beyond me.
Linux does everything the vast majority of computer users need from their PCs. Why you would come to the conclusion nobody is Linux exclusively is beyond me.
I could equally assume Microsoft paid you for this blog-post running down Linux. But then again I don't know you. So that might be an unfair assumption to make.
Using it personally for two years, and as a CIO testing and using Ubuntu for my org. over the last year (Boss is on it now) w GApps and OO. Works well. Much easier then I thought and I'm a KISS GUI guy. Plan on roll out over next year or so. 250 hosts that will be using it (hopefully) in short order. Will use Vbox and XP for the M$ only Apps. Estimate 250G savings over MS$ cascade of products W7-S2008(10) and AD in the near term.
I've been using Ubuntu at home for 3 years (including games for windoze through Cedega), Fedora at work for 2 years, all my database servers run on Redhat for 5+ years. Never going back to M$.
Here via a link in the openSUSE forum.
I've been using Linux (mainly Ubuntu) exclusively for about a year now - before that I dualbooted with Vista, rarely using Vista.
I can do everything I need to in Linux - browsing, image manipulation (Gimp <3 !), netbanking, text production, watch dvds, listen to music, etc. - and I can do it faster and more customized to my likings than in Windows!
However, I'm not a gamer, so I don't care about all the PC games I'm unable to play. I do imagine the situation is different for gamers; while I'm positive there are exclusive Linux-gamers out there, they probably don't number that many.
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