Linux Applications.

barneysplash · 15-03-2011 07:14PM #1

Hi all

I am new to the whole Linux scene, but am curious as to what it can do.

I mean in the line of applications, what can Linux do better than Windows?

Can anyone recommend any pages or articles on Linux applications for general use?

Thanks

Khannie · 15-03-2011 07:40PM

It's a tough question. The answer is: not much. Windows is a pretty decent OS. I have a strong preference for linux for a few reasons:

- finding and installing new software takes about 3 seconds
- I'm more productive on linux than windows (this takes some time to achieve)
- everything is configurable

the list is longer than that, but I'm tired.

If you're interested, give it a lash. Live CD's are available so you don't have to wipe windows to try it out.

Johnboy1951 · 15-03-2011 08:31PM

barneysplash wrote: »

Hi all

I am new to the whole Linux scene, but am curious as to what it can do.

I mean in the line of applications, what can Linux do better than Windows?

Can anyone recommend any pages or articles on Linux applications for general use?

Thanks

Download an ISO file and burn it to a CD. Boot your PC using it and use the OS in 'live' mode, where it does not touch your existing install, to get a feel for the OS.

Do NOT expect another Windows or a different Windows or anything that relates to Windows.
It is a different opersting system.

You could start here by downloading one or more of the ISO files from the download section, to try out ....... the KDE version is a good start for a Windows user ...

http://www.pclinuxos.com/

Stuxnet · 15-03-2011 09:08PM

i find http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/ a good site for info and applications

barneysplash · 15-03-2011 10:54PM

I posted this in a similar thread last week:

I know a PC repair shop that uses a machine with several Virtual
OS running for diagnosing and fixing computer problems, that sounds
very cool.

Some of the virtual Operating Systems are apparently Linux based.

I think they use that Virtual Box program to contain all the different
Operating Systems.

Anyone know what kind of applications does this?

tadcan · 15-03-2011 11:05PM

Virtualbox made by Oracle has a windows, mac and linux version. I've used it on windows and linux (ubuntu) and it was the same layout in both OS's. Was that the question you asked, I wasn't 100% clear.

Johnboy1951 · 16-03-2011 11:12AM

http://www.virtualbox.org/

barneysplash · 16-03-2011 11:21AM

tadcan wrote: »

Virtualbox made by Oracle has a windows, mac and linux version. I've used it on windows and linux (ubuntu) and it was the same layout in both OS's. Was that the question you asked, I wasn't 100% clear.

Thanks for the reply, I was wondering what are the programs you would use on Linux to do stuff like diagnose and repair computers (my hobby)
or get dead hard drives working again (my nemesis)

And in general just cool applications that you can use Linux for, from a
computer hobbyist or amateur tinkerer perspective.

Thanks

tadcan · 16-03-2011 12:39PM

I have found that a livecd of ubuntu is helpful. If a system is not booting, I can browse the windows file system and copy the data to another drive.

There is also clamav which you can run in ubuntu and set it to look for malware in windows. It doesn't come by default, but you can install programs into ram. Or use something like susestudio to make your own custom distro. suse is an alternative to ubuntu and studio id their build service.

There are data recovery/undelete tools that can be installed, they are basic command line tools however.

The disk utlity is handy because it shows you the state of a harddrive at a sector level, which is helpful to check for bad sectors.

There are also specialist live cd's such as the one below. Never got that far into data repair. Should be enough info to get you started.

http://trinityhome.org/Home/index.php?content=TRINITY_RESCUE_KIT____CPR_FOR_YOUR_COMPUTER&front_id=12&lang=en&locale=en

Johnboy1951 · 16-03-2011 10:37PM

http://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+CD#distrosearch

Use that search for a list of suitable Linux distros and use their own pages to see what they offer.

One I like is

http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

but there are many others

human 19 · 17-03-2011 01:14AM

Better than windows? You pay for programs with windows which means they have more resources and incentives to write programs. Linux programmes are mostly free so dont expect whizz-bang programmes to beat windows equivalents. But they are free, mainly do the same job, and , if downloaded from within a linux operating systems "package manager" guaranteed safe. no trawling around the net to find a program and then worrying if it is going to trash your computer. couple of clicks and you have it installed. The ethos is more about making donations than paying up front. I have a linux system rescue "operating system" installed to a USB stick in case I ever need it. Haven't had to yet.

BopNiblets · 17-03-2011 05:06PM

iPwnage wrote: »

i find http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/ a good site for info and applications

Good site, but they can't seem to shut up about Natty recently though:
"This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing!" - Yoda

Linux Applications.

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