Is BeOS dead?

[dfloyd]

No I know how to install and set up drivers. And like I say I have installed Linux and set it up NUMEROUS times. The hardware compatibility is not even close to as good as Win2k and makes (at least in hardware compatibility) WinME look like a god send.

Linux is still there you are correct but my view stands. Until it does something that actually impresses me (like works out of the box without two weeks of editing files, searching for how tos, and just being a pain in the a$$) then I have quit suggesting it to my customers.

Its a shame really as I had extremely high hopes for it. (And it may still live up to those, i just dont see it happening anymore)

 

[MoRRISiRRoM]

I have been using linux for over 4 years (probably not as long as many of you) but I have had more hardware issues and system hangs with linux than with the win98 machine I use at home. Half the "supported" hardware drivers don't work... and although I feel I have greater control over things with linux, I would someday like to be able to upgrade my machine without having to waste a day getting it to work. Right now, I'd rather not upgrade my machine, just because I don't have the time to waste getting linux to like it.

Linux is only free if your time has no value.

 

[ugh]

<< Linux is only free if your time has no value. >>



That's why distros now pre-install a LOT of stuff and they've expanded to 2 CDs instead of one to try to eliminate what you just described

 

[MGMorden]

<< Linux is only free if your time has no value. >>



Windows takes time too. More time for me because I have to download a myriad of utilities: Realplayer, JDK, Quicktime, PowerArchiver, Acrobat, Quickcrypt, Startup control panel, Radeon Drivers, SB Live Drivers, Winamp, ICQ, Cygwin, Prim95, X-Win32, Free Agent, AOL IM . . . (the list goes on). With virtually all Linux distros I install and out of the box I'm ready to rumble.

 

[TimeThrash]

Is there any way to successfully break into this market without appealing to some very specific niche (i.e. server market for Linux)? The more I think about BeOS's fate the more hopeless the fight against Microscrotum feels.
Tt

 

[ugh]

<< Windows takes time too. More time for me because I have to download a myriad of utilities: Realplayer, JDK, Quicktime, PowerArchiver, Acrobat, Quickcrypt, Startup control panel, Radeon Drivers, SB Live Drivers, Winamp, ICQ, Cygwin, Prim95, X-Win32, Free Agent, AOL IM . . . (the list goes on). With virtually all Linux distros I install and out of the box I'm ready to rumble. >>



Agreed... Well, one thing I always have to &quot;tweak&quot; is the true type font in X though Heh...

 

[dfloyd]

Disagree. I back up all my utilites and only had to download them once. For Linux I have to config everything every time I install it and it still does not boot right with my Ati Radeon. You can blame Ati or whoever you want but the fact is Linux's hardware support sucks compared to the competition.

Once Linux has great hardware support....
Great application support....
Ease of setup and configuration....

Then it will be a viable alternative for the majority of users.

Till then its just a niche for home users. (I realize its a good server utility but like the guy above said, Linux is only free if your time has no value. A friend of mine who is a server admin says it takes too long to train people to use, config, and troubleshoot Linux. He says its worth paying for Novell/M$ to get the ease of use)

 

[Workin']

Funny how &quot;Is BeOS dead?&quot; turned into a linux vs. winblows thread.

 

[MGMorden]

<< I back up all my utilites and only had to download them once. >>


Doesn't work very well if you want the latest versions. Lets say you're satisfied with slightly out of date versions though. You still have to go through the install of the applications anyways. For me a Windows installation takes 45-60 minutes + whatever time it takes to install all the utilities and a Linux installation takes 20. Now the Linux system is installed and ready to go (I don't know where all this configuring comes in for you. after I install the only thing I usually have left to do is setup my firewall, which takes virtually seconds, and set my wallpaper). Linux setup comes in quicker for me. Now combine that with the fact that the OS is free and it's a better solution. Even valueing time, if they were equal (and as I've said for myself Linux is much quicker to setup), the actual purchase cost of Linux comes in at $200 cheaper. If you're time is worth $20/hr, then that's a difference of 10 hours. Does it take any reasonably intelligent person 10 hours longer to setup a Linux box than a Win2k box? I think not.

 

[dfloyd]

Ok an example. Last machine I tried to get Linux to work on. I installed an Ati Radeon 32MB card. 75% of the time X windows would boot corrutped. The other 25% of the time it would boot fine. This was with Mandrake 8.0 (A modern installation). Now I know it was configured correctly. I tried every refresh, resolution, and color depth under the sun. It would not stay stable with the card.

And you say every modern card works fine. Well the Ati Radeon is a very popular card that did not work fine. And I have read from numerous people that it does not work fine.

Now the 25% of the time that it did work, no matter which setting I would set it at, the font was very blurry and caused quite a bit of eye strain when browsing the net. So basically making you go blind trying to use it.

In this same machine there was a Razer Boomslang mouse. USB! The usb mouse works fine on Win machine. Does not see it as a Razer Boomslang, just as a USB mouse. Linux will not recognize it at all.

So please dont generalize Linux so much as its hardware support still sucks compared to the competition.

Yes Linux will work fine on the correct hardware but dont try and tell me it is compatiable with all the new stuff out as it is most definatly not.

 

[Workin']

<< << I back up all my utilites and only had to download them once. >> >>



<< Doesn't work very well if you want the latest versions. >>

Not to nitpick or take sides, but honestly, do the latest versions of your Linux utilities just magically materialize on your computer? I know I have to download mine. And with linux utilities, getting the latest version is sometimes an every-other-day affair (which is often a good thing), but you are implying that you never have to do that, which is a blatant lie.

<< For me a Windows installation takes 45-60 minutes + whatever time it takes to install all the utilities and a Linux installation takes 20. >>

That's funny. Well, not the Windows part, but the last time I installed a &quot;full&quot; Linux setup (incl. X, KDE, Samba, etc.) it took WELL over 2 hours, not including the 5 days it took to get X running correctly.

<< Does it take any reasonably intelligent person 10 hours longer to setup a Linux box than a Win2k box? I think not. >>

Well, my mom is reasonable intelligent, and she can set up her Windows machine in about 2 hours with no help. She couldn't set up linux in 5 years of trying. Now I know it seems easy to YOU, but everything seems easy once you have done it a few dozen times!

 

[MGMorden]

dfloyd: Check my rig, I've got a Radeon as well and it works PERFECTLY (I've even played Quake 3 in Linux with this Radeon after installing the DRI sources). I've also gotten my USB Logitech Optical Wheel mouse to work as well. Now I'll admit that the mouse was a bit tricky to get going (had to create a few more nodes in /dev/ and such but after I got it going all was good), but the video card was a snap to get working. Just change the driver to radeon and poof!!, it works (I even wrote a software utility to do it automatically; look for radeonconfig at freshmeat).