CiniO wrote: » I first seen Linux in 1997 when I started secondary school as my school had a Linux server and we used DOS telnet client on pc class lab workstations to log into and check your emails with pine download files with FTP or chat using IRC. That was slackware 3.4 with 2.0.30 afair. I liked it so much that in January 1998 I installed Monkey Linux on my own pc. That was very basic distro where whole root filesystem was in directory on DOS partition and using UMSDOS filesystem kernel managed to mount it. Played with it for a week or two and the installed red hat 5. Then since mid 1998 I sticked with Slackware on my pc and pretty much completely abandoned Windows for many years to come. Again in 2004 I gave up slackware and started with Gentoo which was my primary system until 2012. Unfortunately since 2012 I gave up using Linux on may everyday pc and switched to win8 and later to win10.
Keplar240B wrote: » Knoppix I got a free CD with a book. Knoppix is just for playing, testing and as an utility CD. First proper install was Lubuntu to replace Windows XP on an old computer.
Worztron wrote: » Hi Keplar240B. KNOPPIX was the first distro I tried - as a Live CD. It felt so alien after being so used to M$ Windows. It took a while later before I tried Linux again and eventually installed Ubuntu and am so glad to have entered the world of GNU/Linux and left behind all the restrictions, licenses, keys, and other proprietary nonsense.
mcmoustache wrote: » There's also the lack of crapware, adware and malware. Don't get me wrong, it's not immune but for most users, you would need to go out of your way to install anything dodgy. If you're doing anything dodgy and need to visit dodgy sites, linux is the way to go. It's like a virtual condom.
Worztron wrote: » Slackware and and then onto Gentoo? You really know your stuff there, CiniO. It's unfortunate that you left Linux for Windows. Maybe you'll return someday?
Worztron wrote: » @CiniO The update issues and spying in Windows 10 is beyond a joke.
CiniO wrote: » These days I see Linux more as a server system (which it always was great for) but unfortunately less of a workstation system as it used to be even 10 years ago.
Sir Oxman wrote: » Have to disagree here completely. There's never been a better era for using Linux on the desktop. I'm a (was) a windows man since win3.1 but the complete update/spy shambles in Win10 has finally forced me off my arse into Linux and I'm there now on server and desktop. Easy as falling off a bike IMO there has never been a more inclusive time for moving to Linux for desktop users. Most distros are literally point and click (though I am really enjoying using terminal for most admin tasks) On topic - my first try was about 15 years ago, Fedora. Couldn't understand it. My first real try was a month ago, Debian <--the dogs b*llocks.
PropJoe10 wrote: » As you said, I also think its a fantastic time for desktop Linux users.
igCorcaigh wrote: » New Debian release. Will this be rolled into a release for Ubuntu?
igCorcaigh wrote: » OT, but I'd like to see Linux as the default install on public sector machines. It could really cut down on licensing costs. Especially in these days when so many LOB apps are browser based.
Worztron wrote: » It'd make sense but alas M$ has long since cemented their monopoly.
Tom Dunne wrote: » It's not just a case of monopoly, there are many other factors. (going OT here, but I think it is relevant, maybe split off into a new thread?) I have tried over the years to use Linux as a desktop replacement for Windows in the office, with very little success. It's all good and well using it in a home environment, it works well, but try using Linux on the desktop in a corporate environment. You have multiple factors to consider - legacy apps, hardware, software interoperability, file sharing and the spawn of the demon, printing. And possibly the biggest factor of all is training. You can get your desktop support staff no problem, all MS certified, but try getting any of them with experience of Linux on the desktop in a corporate environment. It's all good an well with your secure, shiny new Linux desktop, but when (not if) something goes wrong, the old reboot won't always work. The bottom line is, unless you are limited to web-based apps, with little or no need for esoteric exercises such as scanning and printing, legacy apps and bespoke apps then you are fine. Otherwise, Linux on the desktop in a corporate environment still isn't there yet.
CoBo55 wrote: » Good points there, I never successfully printed anything using Linux and that's with a printer that has a Linux driver available!!! Never managed to map my network drive either...
igCorcaigh wrote: » Venezuela attempted this back in the 2000'shttps://venezuelanalysis.com/news/827 (getting very OT...)
Tom Dunne wrote: » ... I think Munich was one of the highest profile flops. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/linux-on-the-desktop-pioneer-munich-now-considering-a-switch-back-to-windows/
WikiPedia - August 2014 wrote: Munich deputy mayor, Josef Schmid, and mayor, Dieter Reiter, considering going back to Windows due to productivity problems. Munich city council spokesman Stefan Hauf explained that the majority of issues stem from compatibility issues in OpenOffice, something a switch to LibreOffice could solve. In addition, the city council and Karl-Heinz Schneider, head of municipal IT services, said that most things are fine, they saved €10 million (more than US$13 million), and there is no serious reason to come back. He added that the number of complaints and malfunctions would not exceed the usual number for an administration of this size. Microsoft wants to move German headquarters to Munich in 2016, helped by Reiter who describes himself as a "Microsoft fan"
niallb wrote: » It was far from a flop from what I recall at the time. It started as an attempt to deal with an absolute IT disaster that already existed in the city and it made a lot of progress. They were starting as microsoft was winding down support for NT and Office 2003. Lots of people were watching closely. There was a change of city mayor in 2014 which has had a lot to do with the change back. The wikipedia page for LiMux has a good timeline of what happened. Even the new mayor's report found that a lot of the compatibility problems could have been fixed by swapping openoffice for libreoffice instead of needing an OS change. The costs of continuing to support linux as well as windows systems was the biggest issue in the end.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiMux
