Forum Moderators: bakedjake
I am also looking to go freelance web designing in the next 6-8 months. Will the change help me at all?
In essence, why would I switch and will it be an inconvinience?
Why should I change?
If this is your only machine and you need it to earn a living, don't switch 100% right now. Get your box back up and running, then experiment with a 'LiveCD' version of a few different Linux distributions (distros).
Will all of my programs (some games like BF2 as well as photoshop, dreamweaver, etc.) still work on it?
No. It is a different operating system. Some of the programs may work, however you may need to get new Linux versions of others. There are many free and commercial programs that can do much of the same stuff as the programs you mention (GIMP ~= Photoshop, for instance). You will want to consider a program like 'Crossover' or a 'virtual machine' or a 'dual-boot' setup to run your Win apps.
Is it harder to get virus' when you have linux?
It's not any 'harder', per se ... but 'Nix variants like Linux have a lot fewer holes for that junk to crawl into, and since each Linux installation is tailored to the machine it is installed on, there are fewer common avenues for virii to travel.
(I have to reformat my harddrive because I have this evasive addware on my comp that I just cant get rid of... tried EVERYTHING).
All computer users go through this at one time or another, although I have never had a virus/worm/spyware incident on any of my Linux machines. Windows users go through it a lot more often than everyone else.
I am also looking to go freelance web designing in the next 6-8 months. Will the change help me at all?
No. It would be handy to learn how to work a 'Nix box if you are planning on moving into web system administration, as there are lots of 'Nix servers out there, but for web design ... no.
In essence, why would I switch and will it be an inconvinience?
You should switch because you like the results of your experiments with the 'LiveCD' versions and you are looking for an operating system that provides the things 'Nix provides.
You should switch because you want to expand your computing experience to include a non-Microsoft perspective, and to experience for yourself the joys of a computer that isn't reliant on expensive software.
You will definitely be experiencing a major learning curve, if you have never played with a Linux box before, so you might consider that to be an inconvenience ... I considered it to be a glorious opportunity to expand my skill set and marketability.
I switched over to Linux full-time (except for managing the Winboxes at my office ... not my decision) 7 years ago and have been very very glad that I know what it's all about.
Re-build your Win box, get a copy of a 'LiveCD' (Debian or SuSE are recommended for beginners), get to know Linux ... and make your decision from that point, when you are not under pressure to get your money-maker back up and running.
I got open source replacements for most of the apps I was using, firefox/thunderbird/open office which do most things I need - some complex excel spreadsheets dont open quite right but it is generally pretty good.
Then I picked up some .NET contracting work which meant I needed to dust of my Visual Studio, not wanting to get another box and stick Windows on it I bought a copy of VMWare which runs on Linux, this enables you to create virtual environments, so now I have linux as my OS, but can fire up windows whenever I need to use a specific application.
Works really well, even running Visual Studio in the virtual environment has no performance problems for me.
My motivation was similiar to yours - it was a huge problem dealing with malicious software and having to rebuild my hd from scratch every 6 months for one reason or another. That process always took me two days of hell. I haven't had to do that since I switched to linux - and don't expect to ever have to.
Most apps have a free counterpart under linux. Some niche apps won't, you'll have to find a way around this (like a dual boot or livecd or whatever). And administering your desktop computer is a bit tougher (it's also more flexible).
Expect a steep learning curve (stick to it even when it gets frustrating) but also expect the results to be worth the the time spent.
Thanks again for the very detailed responces.
The same holds true of any application for which there is no 'Nix 'port'.
Install Win flavor of the month in first partition or drive.
Install 'Nix flavor of the month in second partition or drive.
Modify GRUB boot loader (or whatever you're using) so the Win installation is an option.
Boot.
Pick OS to use.
Voila.
Thanks for all the help :)
The only prep work you've got to do IIRC is defrag windows so that all the MS stuff is nice and tight so that that section of the drive can be repartitioned smaller. Google for a tutorial, this is not a difficult process. If you're still nervous, the linux on a cd options are good choices too.
Ill defrag my drive tonight and try it out :)
Thanks for the info.
I now use Kubuntu [kubuntu.org] on my new machine, but Mandrake (now called Mandriva [mandriva.com]) is a great distribution for a first-time Linux user. I am obliged use Windows at work, but at home I would never go back - Linux is almost boring in its stability and consistency: it never crashes, it never gets viruses or worms or spyware, it is brilliant for efficient working, and best of all it never has to cost a penny! It is only when running Linux that I feel that I control the computer rather than the other way round.
***Just for references for people (like me) can we start a list of linux programs that are a great or (near great :-> ) replacement for windows programs?
I.E. Photoshop, Dreamweaver, a flash program, a bookkeeping program, etc?
For Word/Excel/Powerpoint, use openoffice. I've been using it for years, it's basically transparent to most office users. Oh, and it's got the fabulous 'print to pdf' button -great for creating pdf's for the web.
For graphics, I use the gimp. Perfectly fine for most web stuff, though apparently doesn't have the features of high end photoshop stuff; stuff I've never needed or missed.
Have your choice of browsers, firefox sure works nice in linux too. For email, I use thunderbird that comes with a built in spam filter.
DVD/CD burning, all easily available.
Automated updates from the web, no problem. (at least in mandrake. Other distro's do better or worse jobs here). I just run a check once a week or so and it auto updates my desktop and all my web servers with all the latest security fixes.
As for mandrake, I started using it on my desktop on version 9.0 or so. They're at version 'december 2005' now which is really something like version 11 I think - and in terms of installation ease, hardware support, etc, it's come a long ways since 9.
I'm running a couple person office here with plenty of clients, and I have no problem interfacing with anyone - it's transparent that I'm not on MS. I boot into windows about twice per month to run a niche industry application only available on windows. I could run it inside an emulator, just too lazy to set it up.
Any other popular programs that people use for linux? Both for webmasters and general users?
I felt linux is refreshing (first to redhat 2 years ago, freebsd, then to ubuntu about 1 month ago, enjoying ubuntu ever since)
It needs some tinkering to get working smoothly, though, with ubuntu, you don't need much..
there are tons of software, equal amount of equivelence charts that you can make use of (just do a search online, prob spelt equvilence wrong).. Quite pointless to do a run down of linux softwares here..
