Windows to Linux

[Blane]

I would like to know if it is worth switching over to Linux from Windows. I have heard hat it is an amazing OS I just don't know how easy it is to switch over, how easy to obtain drivers once the switch has been made and so on. I would like to see if it would be easy to switch from my OS to Linux. I have windows 8.1 and here are my specs


GeForce 340.52 Driver
Version: 340.52 WHQL
Release Date: 29.7.2014

 

[bazz2004]

You can install Linux as a virtual OS running in something like VMWare Player (free). If you do that you'll see what you're getting without making radical changes. It's wonderful value because it's free but I'd prefer Windows over Linux. Is this curiosity or is it that you don't like Windows 8.1?

 

[mike1959]

The safe way to try Linux but still keep your Windows unchanged, is to get hold of a 'Live' Linux CD, usually on Linux magazines.
You run it in your CD/DVD drive, it lets you use Linux, all from the disk, nothing installed to your C: drive.
A few issues are; it's slower than it would be if installed to hard drive, and
you can't save any mods or changes to Linux, as you will lose them once you power off.
I have a spare PC with Ubuntu and Mint installed, the drivers are really not a problem as they are installed automatically to suit your system.
I have had a few driver issues with wireless 802.11g card in an old HP laptop, but plugged in a TP Link USB adapter, Linux picked it up straight away, connected to the net just by opening Firefox.

 

[SNGX1275]

@mike1959 nothing wrong with your post, but I would suggest making a live USB stick instead. Still slower than hard drive but better than cd/dvd

 

[paulds]

With Ubuntu 14.04 you can easily install a dual boot system. Simply have it install along side Windows. The Ubuntu install disc does everything for you. Nothing hard to figure out. You can then select at start up which system you want to run (Windows or Ubuntu). It is also fairly easy to select which system starts up as the default system (Windows or Ubuntu). Ubuntu is user friendly. As with just about anything, each system has its' pros and cons. I like the option of booting into either one at start up.

 

[ravisunny2]

Every dual-boot with linux (regardless of the flavor) has left a sour taste.

 

[ravisunny2]

I would like to know if it is worth switching over to Linux from Windows. I have heard hat it is an amazing OS I just don't know how easy it is to switch over, how easy to obtain drivers once the switch has been made and so on. I would like to see if it would be easy to switch from my OS to Linux. I have windows 8.1 and here are my specsView attachment 79111


GeForce 340.52 Driver
Version: 340.52 WHQL
Release Date: 29.7.2014

Installing Linux is easy. Sorting out the problems (or, getting help) in quite another matter.

 

[paulds]

Installing Linux is easy. Sorting out the problems (or, getting help) in quite another matter.

It all depends on which version of Linux you install. There are many distributions that are directed towards power users and you really have to know your way around Linux. On the other hand, Ubuntu is very user friendly. You can download just about any program you like through their free program installations very easily. Many people love Ubuntu/Linux others don't. You could say the very same about Windows. The only way to find out is to try it.

 

[bmaytum]

I have multiple dual- (or triple-) boot PCs with various Windows OSes plus PCLinuxOS. I use Boot It Bare Metal (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com) as my boot manager (and partitioning tool).

PCLinuxOS lives up to their tagline: "Radically simple". PCLOS is available in several X-windows flavors in 32- and 64-bit architectures, see here http://www.pclinuxos.com/get-pclinuxos/. I use KDE Desktop, it has thousands of free apps and is quick & responsive when installed on a hard disk (or SSD). PCLOS' forum has many enthusiastic and knowlegable users and developers if you have a problem or even just a question. "LiveCD" is a good way to test it out, alternatively use a LiveUSB (advantage of being updatable) - here's how to make the PCLOS LiveUSB
http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/201203/page13.html .

[BTW: I'm writing this post from my Windows 10 Tech Preview OS installed as a VirtualBox virtual machine running on my PCLOS host OS, on my triple-boot HP laptop (PCLOS2014, Win7Pro x64, Win8.1Pro x64)].

 

[bluejolls]

Windows 7. No contest.
You'll have a hard time getting most games to run under Linux, let alone worrying about FPS.

 

[KayCee]

Guys to be honest when you want an OS you have to sit down and think of your day to day usage its not every one that uses their pc for extra activities, most of us are happy if we can platy music,videos, surf the net and view our photos -
I switched from windows to linux 5years ago and I found from my personal experience that both os are similar and will serve you as a user in a similar manner.
since I made the switch I have never had a single complain, never a single blue screen or a failed boot.

if you are a gamer - then windows is good for you
it entirely depends on which linux you use but as for drivers I found it to be the opposite, linux has most drivers and will pick up most devices without any hastlle.

I made the switch to linux because I could not afford to buy windows out of my own pocket, lets face it many of us have a pirate copy of windows.

I got tired of having to chase after virus cleaning instead of getting straight to buisness
I got tired of having to format and reinstall once in a while.
As a power user I did not want to live my life with knowledge of just a single os out of many, I wanted to broaden my experience..

in my opinion there are many things that linux does that windows cannot, how ever there are few things that windows does that linux cannot "my opinion".
I use Ubuntu linux for the following
Image editting (photoshoping) in linux its GIMP
3D design - using blender3d
Audio Production
Music
Videos
Internet

for gaming ihave a gaming console

 

[KayCee]

Hahah most of the time though people are just worried about games and it seems like the worry stops there hahaha as for user friendlynes there is nothing more user friendly than an os that barely getts attacked by virus, an os you never have to worry when some one plugs an external device into it, an os that works out of the box without any extra cost, an os that is free.

well for me that is

 

[DelJo63]

Understand your need and/or motivation before you consider changing your OS. If Linux is a candidate, then Mac OS X should be too.

Windows and Mac OS X are desktop systems - -

• meaning they are intended for the single user and daily tasks like email, writing documents, spreadsheets, Powerpoint presentations - - oh, even games.
  
• Linux has a GUI, in fact multiple flavors, but is basically a server system - - for web pages, email, DHCP, DNS, and active directory (aka LDAP).

There are major changes to master system administration when you change the OS - - even in how you add users.
If your system is a fundamental tool to earning your bread-n-butter, then such a change can be monumental and disruptive. If however a change is sought as an academic exercise, it can be very interesting and broaden your horizons.