Best Linux distro.. "best"..

[flu!d]

Basket is a perfectly reasonable alternative to OneNote.

http://basket.kde.org/

As is Zim:

http://zim-wiki.org/

Of course, like anything, there are going to be slight changes in the way the software operates, and I find that this is one of the things that frustrate Windows users - Change is naturally difficult and as a result people give up. But sometimes, if you just persevere you may find that, give or take, certain aspects of alternate software may actually suit you better.

For instance, so called hardcore users constantly highlight how they believe Photoshop is better than Gimp, but for my usage I actually find Gimp to be a far better alternative to Photoshop - It's what works for me and what has been written off for yourself should not, in any way, be written off for everybody.

 

[heatlesssun]

This is what I mentioned earlier about Linux folks overplaying it. While Basket Pad might be a perfectly fine note app just looking at the features overview it's missing a critical piece of functionality for me, no pen and ink support. Most people that use OneNote do use it with a mouse and keyboard exclusively and I use it much of the time that way was well. But part of the beauty of OneNote is to be able to turn my tablets into a true note pad with a pen for handwritten info and markup.

Again, it's not always about Windows users fearing change. It's not fair to make that kind of accusation when the alternatives lack capabilities that people use.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Meh, OneNote is not a piece of software I have even the slightest bit of interest in.

Tried it once. It allows you to scribble on your screen. Big deal. Uninterested.

 

[heatlesssun]

Meh, OneNote is not a piece of software I have even the slightest bit of interest in.

Tried it once. It allows you to scribble on your screen. Big deal. Uninterested.

With upwards of 1.5 billion PC users around the world not everyone is going to use or see value in the same things. But what may have value to me may have none for you and vice versa. I think many Linux folks tend to forget this and part of the reason it's not been more widely adopted on the desktop. Much thought about the OS, not nearly about the tools and people.

 

[kumquat]

Yeah, Basket has nowhere near the functionality of OneNote. No printing into Basket, no pen support. Those are OneNote's two best features. I haven't tried Zim, but it doesn't even look as functional as Basket.

Yes, there are (almost) always Linux alternatives for these great Windows apps like OneNote, Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Outlook, Acrobat, etc. And they are pretty much, without exception, inferior in significant ways. And the gap between these Linux alternatives and the Windows apps seems to get bigger, not smaller, with time.

 

[Frobozz]

I haven't used Linux in years. I found it was just painful to drudge through it. However, recently I see a lot of posts saying that Linux is much better these days than they used to be. I wouldn't be much of a computer enthusiast if I wasn't interested in trying new things and potentially better systems.

That said, what is the best distro these days? By best I mean the one that's the easiest to transition to from windows and one that is mostly set up out of the box.

Thanks!

OneNote is the best. You need to run OneNote.

 

[flu!d]

This is what I mentioned earlier about Linux folks overplaying it. While Basket Pad might be a perfectly fine note app just looking at the features overview it's missing a critical piece of functionality for me, no pen and ink support. Most people that use OneNote do use it with a mouse and keyboard exclusively and I use it much of the time that way was well. But part of the beauty of OneNote is to be able to turn my tablets into a true note pad with a pen for handwritten info and markup.

Again, it's not always about Windows users fearing change. It's not fair to make that kind of accusation when the alternatives lack capabilities that people use.

I'm not overplaying anything, I'm providing an alternative, you're claiming its not suitable due to no pen and ink support - I don't even care for what that means!

If you absolutely have no alternative whatsoever but to be tied to Microsoft than you have no alternative, doesn't worry me in the slightest.

I still have a Windows machine, I use it for the only thing I think Windows is good for....Gaming. Looks awesome at 4k.

 

[heatlesssun]

I'm not overplaying anything, I'm providing an alternative, you're claiming its not suitable due to no pen and ink support - I don't even care for what that means!

If you don't care about what tools people use then why are suggesting alternatives for things you don't care about? You just said you don't care. Desktop Linux folks make Microsoft look pretty good sometimes.

 

[flu!d]

If you don't care about what tools people use then why are suggesting alternatives for things you don't care about? You just said you don't care. Desktop Linux folks make Microsoft look pretty good sometimes.

Because this is the Linux/FreeBSD forum. If it was the Windows forum and I was attempting to push the Linux alternative onto people you may have a claim to a case. But sadly for you, it isn't and you are stereotyping the typical Microsoft user with such a pointless, not to mention arrogant, remark.

I also use Microsoft, I repair Microsoft machines, get over yourself.

OneNote is also available in web form, although, naturally, one may not always have decent web access which is perfectly understandable.

 

[B00nie]

Sticky notes? That's.. not what OneNote is at all. I use it for note-taking at med school, as well as collecting and organizing other random info.

For school, we have a few lectures every day in PDF format. I print the PDFs to OneNote and then mark them up, draw on them, make text notes on them, screen clip things into them, etc. It's all searchable and organized in a hierarchical fashion (notebook -> tab -> page). I have one large notebook for school, with a tab for each theme (Neuroscience, Gastrointestinal, Respiratory, etc) with each page either a printout of a lecture's PDF, or review/consolidation pages with notes and drawings and clippings of critical info.

Then I have another notebook where I collect and organize random info. I have a tab with a dozen pages for information on residency positions, a tab with pages on info about my network setup, computer configurations, etc. It brings together drawings, PDFs, text, and pictures in a big cohesive searchable way.

OneNote is amazing.

So it's great for students. Thankfully I have no lectures to take anymore so the only thing I would probably use onenote for is a shopping list. And there would be no point in doing that either.

 

[B00nie]

Yeah, Basket has nowhere near the functionality of OneNote. No printing into Basket, no pen support. Those are OneNote's two best features. I haven't tried Zim, but it doesn't even look as functional as Basket.

Yes, there are (almost) always Linux alternatives for these great Windows apps like OneNote, Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Outlook, Acrobat, etc. And they are pretty much, without exception, inferior in significant ways. And the gap between these Linux alternatives and the Windows apps seems to get bigger, not smaller, with time.

Inferior until you look at price/quality. Let's see, should I pay 4000 dollars or spend a few mouse clicks more to have my stuff done. Hmm..

Of course the REAL issue behind all this is that windows users compare warez with linux software and then claim windows is superior.

 

[heatlesssun]

So it's great for students. Thankfully I have no lectures to take anymore so the only thing I would probably use onenote for is a shopping list. And there would be no point in doing that either.

It's great for anyone that wants to store and reference information of virtually any type. I use essentially as a free form database.

 

[kumquat]

Inferior until you look at price/quality. Let's see, should I pay 4000 dollars or spend a few mouse clicks more to have my stuff done. Hmm..

Of course the REAL issue behind all this is that windows users compare warez with linux software and then claim windows is superior.

I've paid for my software. Adobe Creative Cloud at about $100 / year is infinitely better than any photo processing / workflow environment that exists on Linux.

Again, for the premium flagship software, there are generally (but not always) Linux equivalents. They are invariably significantly worse, but yes they are often free where the Windows programs are not.

Linux is great in many ways. Just don't pretend that Linux can do everything that Windows can do, or that people who don't want to use Linux on the desktop are stupid or lazy or something.

 

[flu!d]

I've paid for my software. Adobe Creative Cloud at about $100 / year is infinitely better than any photo processing / workflow environment that exists on Linux.

Again, for the premium flagship software, there are generally (but not always) Linux equivalents. They are invariably significantly worse, but yes they are often free where the Windows programs are not.

Linux is great in many ways. Just don't pretend that Linux can do everything that Windows can do, or that people who don't want to use Linux on the desktop are stupid or lazy or something.

For my needs, Linux and all it's associated applications can do everything I want it to do better than Windows. I run my whole business off a Linux Machine, I even use my Linux machine to RDP into Windows machines for remote diagnosis as I find it faster than Windows.

One size does not fit all.

 

[kumquat]

For my needs, Linux and all it's associated applications can do everything I want it to do better than Windows.

That's fine. It makes no difference to me what you use.

 

[swatbat]

I've paid for my software. Adobe Creative Cloud at about $100 / year is infinitely better than any photo processing / workflow environment that exists on Linux.

Again, for the premium flagship software, there are generally (but not always) Linux equivalents. They are invariably significantly worse, but yes they are often free where the Windows programs are not.

Linux is great in many ways. Just don't pretend that Linux can do everything that Windows can do, or that people who don't want to use Linux on the desktop are stupid or lazy or something.

It is worth adding that with many distro's push for free software paid software in linux can be a bit of an issue. Look at how bad the ubuntu software store went for instance. I feel this has been a big problem for many that otherwise could switch.

In my dads case he has a desktop running mate which he uses to look stuff up and generally he has been happy with it. He has another computer that now is running windows 10(was on 7 pro and he did the free upgrade). You have some random software that just doesn't work right on linux under wine and you don't have free software that really compares to it. Stuff like some engine design software, software for ordering tires from some company he uses, etc. We also use a windows laptop for scanning cars and bikes(its mine but he generally has it).

While his needs are not common they do represent a problem. For a lot of others it is some scrapbook software or consumer photo editing software that works better than the linux alternatives. For others things like netfilx were an issue although html 5 players have fixed most of this.

One needs to be reasonable when talking about linux. I've used what became libre office since it was star office 5 in the 90's on linux and back then solaris. It has always been behind MS office. Depending on what you need it can get the job done but office home and student is like what 150 bucks and home and business is like 200. It is something many buy every like 5 years or in some cases even longer. Sure one can argue free is better but you have to look at your time and office works out to be pretty cheap.

 

[heatlesssun]

For my needs, Linux and all it's associated applications can do everything I want it to do better than Windows.

If this were the case for most with Linux being free I imagine a lot more people would be using Linux. Computers are tools, most people couldn't care less about the OS, it's the software and hardware support that most people care about. And that support just isn't nearly as good for Linux as it is for Windows. Until that situation improves dramatically for Linux it's simply not viable for mainstream desktop use unless you have very basic needs for a PC. And in that case many of people with these basic needs would be as well or better served by a tablet or even smartphone.

 

[jwcalla]

If this were the case for most with Linux being free I imagine a lot more people would be using Linux. Computers are tools, most people couldn't care less about the OS, it's the software and hardware support that most people care about. And that support just isn't nearly as good for Linux as it is for Windows. Until that situation improves dramatically for Linux it's simply not viable for mainstream desktop use unless you have very basic needs for a PC. And in that case many of people with these basic needs would be as well or better served by a tablet or even smartphone.

"Very basic needs for a PC" is the epitome of "mainstream desktop use". <1% of people out there use Photoshop or OneNote or whatever everyone is going on about. And you're right, many of them are using smartphones to do more of their computing since most of what they do is through a browser anyway.

 

[heatlesssun]

"Very basic needs for a PC" is the epitome of "mainstream desktop use". <1% of people out there use Photoshop or OneNote or whatever everyone is going on about. And you're right, many of them are using smartphones to do more of their computing since most of what they do is through a browser anyway.

About a billion people use Microsoft Office which OneNote is part of the suite so your 1% number for OneNote is probably on the low side. But let's say you're right. Then there games or some business app or some other small percentage usage scenario and those "<1%" scenarios start to add up to considerable numbers.

But I tend to agree with your sentiment here. Personal computing devices outside of business use (PC, tablets, phones) are much more consumption that production which is one reason why PCs sales have been in a tailspin for so long. But these factors impact desktop Linux as well. What's the point of moving from Windows to Linux if you don't need the software support of Windows. Just use a tablet or smartphone.

 

[4saken]

"Very basic needs for a PC" is the epitome of "mainstream desktop use". <1% of people out there use Photoshop or OneNote or whatever everyone is going on about. And you're right, many of them are using smartphones to do more of their computing since most of what they do is through a browser anyway.

I think some folks dont even know what OneNote is. Use Evernote? Same thing, only OneNote is evernote on steroids. That being said, I use Evernote. Either way, i just cant stand ignorant statements. OneNote is a great program of anyone who wants tracking of notes/lists/information/etc/etc across multiple devices.

 

[heatlesssun]

I think some folks dont even know what OneNote is. Use Evernote? Same thing, only OneNote is evernote on steroids. That being said, I use Evernote. Either way, i just cant stand ignorant statements. OneNote is a great program of anyone who wants tracking of notes/lists/information/etc/etc across multiple devices.

I always find it interesting how Linux folks will say how ignorant and lazy Windows users are. And I don't doubt that's a lot of them. But then when you point out cool apps that are available on Windows and not Linux the responses are right out the 90s. "So what, I don't care." "Here's an alternative that's not at all the same thing." "Less than 1% use that."

These are just not good arguments that have a lot of history behind them to make the case what they aren't. Show me a platform that does well that has poor 3rd party support. You can't because they don't exist.

 

[Frobozz]

I always find it interesting how Linux folks will say how ignorant and lazy Windows users are. And I don't doubt that's a lot of them. But then when you point out cool apps that are available on Windows and not Linux the responses are right out the 90s. "So what, I don't care." "Here's an alternative that's not at all the same thing." "Less than 1% use that."

These are just not good arguments that have a lot of history behind them to make the case what they aren't. Show me a platform that does well that has poor 3rd party support. You can't because they don't exist.

Sony Playstation 4 has done pretty well. Can you believe that POS can't even run Mario Sunshine? At least it's Halo 5 ready! I'm totally going to dominate in that with my trusty Microsoft Dual-Strike as soon as Microsoft makes drivers.. which should be anytime since they're a large corporation.

If your expectations are for Linux to be Windows, then you're going to be disappointed when it's not Windows. However, things are changing for Linux. Support from 3rd parties is increasing all the time. The 'to the cloud' movement has diminished the need for a dedicated application for a variety of productivity tasks. I've seen more "what are you running" threads mention Linux as an 'also' than 5-10 years ago. It's not going to have parity with Windows overnight (and if Microsoft OneNote is the bar, then probably never), but it's a viable desktop for a lot of use cases.

We really should move this thread to the Linux/BSD/Free Systems subforum...

 

[KarsusTG]

We really should move this thread to the Linux/BSD/Free Systems subforum...

It already is...

And I agree with you. 3rd party support is increasing pretty much daily at this point. It's only a matter of time until it's competitive with windows.

 

[flu!d]

If this were the case for most with Linux being free I imagine a lot more people would be using Linux. Computers are tools, most people couldn't care less about the OS, it's the software and hardware support that most people care about. And that support just isn't nearly as good for Linux as it is for Windows. Until that situation improves dramatically for Linux it's simply not viable for mainstream desktop use unless you have very basic needs for a PC. And in that case many of people with these basic needs would be as well or better served by a tablet or even smartphone.

That all depends on what you class as support.

I've never had an issue under Linux that I couldn't resolve quickly and easily via the assistance of the community alone, the difference is that I didn't have to pay for the privilege.

Hell, if you want to get into rare operating systems, I've had issues with applications running under MorphOS, which is an Amiga like operating system, that were resolved overnight as soon as I highlighted the problems in a public forum.

The belief that a large corporation will rectify issues via software updates faster than a larger open source community motivated by their passion and backed by some of the biggest players in the computer industry isn't necessarily true in all instances.

And I still stand by the fact, that as an enthusiast, there are very few Windows applications that I couldn't effectively replace with Linux equivalents, and in my situation I actually find the Linux equivalents to work better than their Windows alternatives. A professional in a niche industry may find that is not the case and cannot do without Windows, and that is understandable. But for 90% of enthusiasts and average Joe's out there, I think you'll find the Linux alternative will work just fine. As stated, i use my Linux PC for my job, my needs are not simplistic, and I find Linux works better than the Windows alternative and many of the RDP/remote access/diagnostic platforms I use under Windows are equally available under Linux. And as an added bonus a clients Windows system/network cannot infect my system/network and vice/versa.

Hell, many popular applications are available cross platform.

And due to the fact that Linux is not sold as such and web counters are notoriously unreliable at best, there is no reliable way to determine just how many people are using Linux at the present point in time. Windows popularity has more to do with it being installed on almost every boxed system out there than it's effectiveness as an operating system - Because as stated by yourself, as long as people know how to navigate the desktop/file manager and the browser no one really cares what OS their system is running.

 

[Lord Nassirbannipal]

I always find it interesting how Linux folks will say how ignorant and lazy Windows users are. And I don't doubt that's a lot of them. But then when you point out cool apps that are available on Windows and not Linux the responses are right out the 90s. "So what, I don't care." "Here's an alternative that's not at all the same thing." "Less than 1% use that."

These are just not good arguments that have a lot of history behind them to make the case what they aren't. Show me a platform that does well that has poor 3rd party support. You can't because they don't exist.

I don't see any of that in this thread. All I see is you going on and on about how Windows and its software support, etc is superior and repeatedly claiming that what's in Linux isn't good enough.

This is not a Windows thread. This is a thread about Linux and its software. If it were the former and people were claiming that Linux is so much better then you'd have a point but it's not. Regardless of how much better you think Windows is, some people would rather use Linux and the associated software and they are satisfied with their decision. There is no reason to try to convince everyone of the inherent superiority of Windows on every possible occasion.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

Bypassing "the OS wars" as they happen to be, I'll say this:

There is no such thing as a best Linux distro, and by that I mean one that is supposed to be a "one version for all" kind of understanding.

The rest of this isn't pointed at anyone in particular so read it with that in mind:

Can there ever be a best Linux distro for any and all people? Hell no.

Can there ever be a best Linux distro for a specific person, or in a specific situation? Definitely.

So the idea is to find the best distro for you whoever you happen to be.

All this other discussion is moot, entirely, and the only person that can ever find that best distro for you or a given situation is - drumroll please - you, whoever that happens to be.

 

[jwcalla]

I think some folks dont even know what OneNote is. Use Evernote? Same thing, only OneNote is evernote on steroids. That being said, I use Evernote. Either way, i just cant stand ignorant statements. OneNote is a great program of anyone who wants tracking of notes/lists/information/etc/etc across multiple devices.

That's fantastic that you love OneNote. But what does that have to do with the context in which I made my comments? I was talking about "mainstream use". Now if you go into the grocery store and ask 100 random people that use a computer if they've heard of OneNote, you'd probably have no more than 1 person say yes.

Most people use computers for checking their email, facebook, or looking up some information or whatever. Stuff you can now do on your phone.

Which only brings me back to my primary point which is that one should use the tool that works best for them. If that means OneNote for you, then fantastic. I have no desire to take that away from you. I was just pointing out that it is wrong to say that most people -- mainstream users, etc. -- have a dependency on Windows. It's just a false argument.

 

[heatlesssun]

I don't see any of that in this thread. All I see is you going on and on about how Windows and its software support, etc is superior and repeatedly claiming that what's in Linux isn't good enough.

This is not a Windows thread. This is a thread about Linux and its software. If it were the former and people were claiming that Linux is so much better then you'd have a point but it's not. Regardless of how much better you think Windows is, some people would rather use Linux and the associated software and they are satisfied with their decision. There is no reason to try to convince everyone of the inherent superiority of Windows on every possible occasion.

The thread started long before I got into comparing Windows to Linux. Some desktop Linux folks have been doing the same overselling job for nearly 20 years. There's nothing wrong with Linux and for some I'm sure it works better for them than Windows. But the idea that desktop Linux is a true Windows replacement is iffy because of the much better support Windows has. And by support I mean new and top line hardware and software.

 

[Lord Nassirbannipal]

The thread started long before I got into comparing Windows to Linux. Some desktop Linux folks have been doing the same overselling job for nearly 20 years. There's nothing wrong with Linux and for some I'm sure it works better for them than Windows. But the idea that desktop Linux is a true Windows replacement is iffy because of the much better support Windows has. And by support I mean new and top line hardware and software.

No one is trying to sell anything. The people here are stating that Linux is a true replacement for them and not for everyone else. Windows is better for you and Linux is better for them. You seem to be set on convincing everyone here that what they are using just isn't good enough. What do you care?

 

[auntjemima]

Bypassing "the OS wars" as they happen to be, I'll say this:

There is no such thing as a best Linux distro, and by that I mean one that is supposed to be a "one version for all" kind of understanding.

The rest of this isn't pointed at anyone in particular so read it with that in mind:

Can there ever be a best Linux distro for any and all people? Hell no.

Can there ever be a best Linux distro for a specific person, or in a specific situation? Definitely.

So the idea is to find the best distro for you whoever you happen to be.

All this other discussion is moot, entirely, and the only person that can ever find that best distro for you or a given situation is - drumroll please - you, whoever that happens to be.

I feel you. This was more of a thread aimed at getting opinions on Linux distros people enjoy and WHY. that's why I put best in quotation marks. Either way, it went south pretty early lol..

 

[KarsusTG]

Has anyone tried Ultimate Edition? I switched to Mint KDE when I upgraded to 17.2 from the LTS and I am really not liking it. I stumbled across that and thought I would ask. It seems to be based mostly of Kubuntu? I have not used Ubuntu since they threw up unity.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

Has anyone tried Ultimate Edition? I switched to Mint KDE when I upgraded to 17.2 from the LTS and I am really not liking it. I stumbled across that and thought I would ask. It seems to be based mostly of Kubuntu? I have not used Ubuntu since they threw up unity.

Only thing I can say about that is if you have to (or even choose to) use a tool created by someone else to build your own OS (meaning it basically can patch together aspects of a variety of Linux distros that currently exist) then perhaps the result isn't actually going to be your "ultimate" OS in the long run - the only way to do that in my opinion is to do it all yourself and the only real way to do that would probably be Linux-From-Scratch as the starting point.

But then again, LFS is just another tool so, eventually it all leads to "If you want your perfect OS, you're gonna have to create it yourself..." as Linus himself eventually did when nothing he used satisfied him and exactly why Linux exists in the first place.

Funny how that works, ain't it?

 

[Ur_Mom]

If your expectations are for Linux to be Windows, then you're going to be disappointed when it's not Windows.

There is no such thing as a best Linux distro, and by that I mean one that is supposed to be a "one version for all" kind of understanding.

Both of these. Linux is NOT Windows. It's a different tool. Sometimes you need it, sometimes you don't. Don't expect a complete replacement for Windows. If you need Windows, you need Windows. That's fine. If Linux can do what you need it to, great.

Some people do a lot of gaming. Windows is a great tool for that. OneNote? Windows is great. Others need a light weight, open source option (and/or apps that run better on Linux, people that know more than me know some examples) and Linux becomes the better option.

I prefer Windows on the desktop. It's just the tool that meets my needs. But, there is nothing wrong with Linux. Each are better at some things than others, and both have weaknesses. Which is fine. They are different.

Linux has that extra benefit of having multiple distros and can be very customizable from the ground up. There is no "best" distro. There is the "best" for that individual user. What works best for you? For some Gentoo is far from the best option (beginners) and Mint is the best for them. For others, CentOS is great. Depends on your needs and experience level.

What's the best Windows edition? Home? Pro? Enterprise? N? Server? Server Core? It really depends on what you need/want and experience level.

That said, as a somewhat beginner (I'm far from considered a good user, although I know the basics), I prefer Debian for a desktop distro (Gnome). CentOS/Red Hat for a server OS (web/mail server is the extent of my experience there).

 

[michalrz]

Took me six hours in Gimp to do this!

(just kidding)

 

[michalrz]

It would be hilarious if the one guy using ReactOS popped up and started preaching his favourite kernel.

 

[KarsusTG]

Only thing I can say about that is if you have to (or even choose to) use a tool created by someone else to build your own OS (meaning it basically can patch together aspects of a variety of Linux distros that currently exist) then perhaps the result isn't actually going to be your "ultimate" OS in the long run - the only way to do that in my opinion is to do it all yourself and the only real way to do that would probably be Linux-From-Scratch as the starting point.

But then again, LFS is just another tool so, eventually it all leads to "If you want your perfect OS, you're gonna have to create it yourself..." as Linus himself eventually did when nothing he used satisfied him and exactly why Linux exists in the first place.

Funny how that works, ain't it?

It's true and a vicious circle. Honestly I have been pretty happy with Mint. I was getting tired of Cinnamon is all. Maybe it was just an upgrade itch. I really prefer to stay away from mate on my home pc (although I used it a lot on workstations and older laptops at work.) KDE seems to have a lot of the things I like but it's buggy.

For instance no software that I have installed through software manager or otherwise can be found by the search feature. If you click the menu and type Chrome it will find nothing. However I can navigate to it and launch it. It's the same for all software that was not pre-installed.

No icons are loading for non pre-installed software. Installed through Software manager or not. It's weird tbh because the programs all work just fine. It's just annoying because I prefer clean desktops and having to dig for them in a menu is unacceptable.

Maybe it's time to delve into a new form of linux. I feel I have enough experience that I could push into Arch but I like the broad support from the debian breeds.

 

[flu!d]

The thread started long before I got into comparing Windows to Linux. Some desktop Linux folks have been doing the same overselling job for nearly 20 years. There's nothing wrong with Linux and for some I'm sure it works better for them than Windows. But the idea that desktop Linux is a true Windows replacement is iffy because of the much better support Windows has. And by support I mean new and top line hardware and software.

And, honestly, when was the last time you ran a modern distro of Linux in something other than a VM?

Because judging by your generalizations I'd have to say never.

About the only top of the line hardware that has poor support under Linux is AMD graphics hardware, something I believe AMD is working on. As for top of the line software, what determines top of the line? Cost or acceptance in a niche professional community of which there are few?

 

[heatlesssun]

And, honestly, when was the last time you ran a modern distro of Linux in something other than a VM?

Because judging by your generalizations I'd have to say never.

About the only top of the line hardware that has poor support under Linux is AMD graphics hardware, something I believe AMD is working on. As for top of the line software, what determines top of the line? Cost or acceptance in a niche professional community of which there are few?

Ever try to install Linux natively on a Surface Pro 3? I did about a year ago with Ubuntu, that was the last time installed Linux natively. I've installed Linux many times over the years on all kinds of hardware. Works fine on basic hardware. Not so much for things like a Surface Pro 3. Might try it out this weekend on my Surface Book. I have a pretty good idea that the tablet features won't be there. I'll look around to see what people are doing.

As I've said, I do keep up with the state of desktop Linux in terms of its hardware and software support. I have a pretty good idea of what works and doesn't relative to Windows for the things I do.

 

[Frobozz]

Ever try to install Linux natively on a Surface Pro 3? I did about a year ago with Ubuntu, that was the last time installed Linux natively. I've installed Linux many times over the years on all kinds of hardware. Works fine on basic hardware. Not so much for things like a Surface Pro 3. Might try it out this weekend on my Surface Book. I have a pretty good idea that the tablet features won't be there. I'll look around to see what people are doing.

As I've said, I do keep up with the state of desktop Linux in terms of its hardware and software support. I have a pretty good idea of what works and doesn't relative to Windows for the things I do.

I think you're going to get exactly the experience you're expecting with the hardware you've chosen to try it out on.

 

[heatlesssun]

I think you're going to get exactly the experience you're expecting with the hardware you've chosen to try it out on.

I began using desktop Linux in 1997, started out with Red Hat which was all the rage. That thing was easy to install on basic hardware even then. But when it comes to new stuff, it's pretty pointless. I know that Windows Hello cameras are probably not going to work anytime soon.

Spent most of my day setting up this Surface Book. What ever issues one has with Windows 10 or Windows hybrids this kind of device and it's capabilities just don't exist in the desktop Linux world. Sure I can run Linux on it the point of the device doesn't work natively.

I'm not a Linux expert but I don't think some around here do much with the leading edge stuff in Windows either.