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Those little Linux annoyances that prevent you from switching

edited July 2007 in Technology
I want to hear all the reasons why you don't use Linux. Personally I can't for the life of me get surround sound working on any audio source that isn't 48000Hz.

Comments

  • edited July 2007
    The only three valid reasons for someone not switching to Linux.

    1. "I am not informed of this Linux you speak of."

    2. "I play PC games."

    3. "I'm too lazy."

    You fall under category number 3.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • Sail, what about "I actually like Windows"?
  • edited August 2007
    Sail, what about "I actually like Windows"?
    That falls under all three categories. Learn to read between the lines.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • Personally, I would switch to something like Ubuntu in a heartbeat, and just dual boot to play games. Unfortunately, I listen to a lot of music, podcasts, audiobooks and such. Creative, due to their "hard work" on vista drivers, has neglected Linux drivers for their X-Fi series cards for about 2 years. Thus, I wouldn't be able to run Linux as my main OS. I'm fine staying with Windows (It does what I tell it to, with a few minor annoyances) until Microsoft ends support for XP, at which time I shall migrate to Linux. Also, I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors I missed. It's 4:00 am, but I had to check the forum before going to sleep. I haven't checked it at all today.
  • I'm not sure why everyone has problems with running games on Ubuntu/ Linux. Counterstrike and Battlefield 2 worked instantly with wine and even my crap software for my guitar worked fine. The only reason I see for not switching is if some piece of your hardware doesn't work under Ubuntu or the one game you really like won't work in wine.
  • edited August 2007
    If your wanting to test how well games will work in Linux is recommend Winedoors.
    I'm a Linux user almost all of the time, keep a minimal windows install for games and the occasional strange app I need. Linux has a lot of short comings but I find it remarkable that some group of freelance coders can build something that can stand up to the richest company in the world.
    I was personally thinking of writing an application to easily configure sound in Linux as the sound card support is lousy.
    Aside from games I'd love some support for professional apps as I have to boot into windows to use pageplus which is a major problem.
    When pre-installed Linux computers become more widespread the issue of "being lazy" (or resistance to change) should begin to clear up.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • Obviously no annoyances prevent me from using Linux because I use it almost exclusively. However, my number one annoyance of all time is sound support. Rather than deal with the bullshit state of audio in Linux, I bought some speakers and use an optical output so that Linux can't possibly screw up the sound.
  • Option number three. Soon though . . . maybe.
  • How about, if you have to use photoshop, the only reason I switched back.
  • The fan on my laptop runs 24/7 under Linux becomes the 'nix can't deal with my BIOS.
  • Sail, what about "I actually like Windows"?
    That falls under all three categories. Learn to read between the lines.
    How so? I know of Linux, I don't really play PC games, and I'm not to lazy. So I fit in NONE of those categories, yet still use Windows.
  • edited August 2007
    Sail, what about "I actually like Windows"?
    That falls under all three categories. Learn to read between the lines.
    How so? I know of Linux, I don't really play PC games, and I'm not to lazy. So I fit in NONE of those categories, yet still use Windows.
    Perhaps you know of Linux, but you are not informed enough in the ways of it. And you may not be lazy in regards to other things, but you are in regards to switching OSes.

    Lol, I'm pretty much just stretching at this point. But that doesn't make my arguments any less valid. But it probably should. I retract my original statement.

    Post-Script: Why is it always Linux vs Windows? Why is OSX never compared to Linux?
    Post edited by Sail on
  • edited August 2007
    Because they're so similar is my theory.
    Post edited by Andrew on
  • Cus they're so similar is my theory.
    This was my Digg #1 for a long time.

  • Post-Script: Why is it always Linux vs Windows? Why is OSX never compared to Linux?
    I think I just saw an article today or yesterday that compared the two. They are basically completely different from each other.

    Also, remember that putting Linux against either Windows or OSX is an apples and oranges comparison. Linux is just a kernel. It is a software bridge between the hardware and userland. Windows and OSX are fully complete user-oriented operating environments from top to bottom. Linux is just the bottom, and you can put millions of different combinations of software on top of that.
  • edited August 2007
    Also, remember that putting Linux against either Windows or OSX is an apples and oranges comparison. Linux is just a kernel.
    I understand completely that it would be more correct to compare it to a specific distribution rather than "Linux" as a whole, but is that not being just the slightest bit picky? If you want to get down to it, the actual piece of software that is Linux is not a functional operating system by any stretch. You run Ubuntu, but in casual, non-technical conversation you would refer to it as Linux. I can't see how it would be anything but counterproductive to not call linux-based operating systems "Linux". It's almost identical to the classic "Japanese usage of terms vs. American anime fan usage of the same term" debate. Everyone knows what you mean by that word, and arguing it is useless.

    It was today on Slashdot where you saw that article. I saw it within minutes of adding my post.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • If we wanna talk Linux annoyances, how about the fact that playing DVDs is a major pain in the arse?
  • I've found that with the last couple releases of Ubuntu Linux handles most big things very very well. Like the topic of this thread however...there are little annoyances that alone are not a deal breaker but when smashed together as one...is ultimately not worth my time to struggle with when windows "just works". (granted a large part of windows just working is that I've been using it for 10+ years and just know where shit is and how to manipulate it)

    Couple small things I've had trouble with: Sharing network drives. Sharing printers. Networking between Linux and Windows. (seeing a trend yet?) I know they can be done, I also know most linux users balk at trying to do such things proclaiming that I should just switch all PCs to Linux but that's not a practical solution as I'd then have to deal with usability issues with wife and visiting friends and family. Ultimately I find that Linux will only serve my needs as an alternate OS on a fully alternate computer...say a laptop where it's used for casual things rather than my everyday all day type use.
  • Sharing things on the network is really easy in Ubuntu. Like, stupidly easy. We do it, and it just works.
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