I feel that Linux has found a pretty nice home, or at least a decent adoption rate, in scientific research if nothing else. Obviously HPC is Linux, but even the daily desktop environment of many researchers I know is some flavor of Linux.
The easy access to source code makes it easy for researchers to customize for their needs.I feel that Linux has found a pretty nice home, or at least a decent adoption rate, in scientific research if nothing else. Obviously HPC is Linux, but even the daily desktop environment of many researchers I know is some flavor of Linux.
The funny thing about this discussion is Microsoft, more than ever, is jumping into Linux big time.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-and-canonical-partner-to-bring-ubuntu-to-windows-10/
http://news.softpedia.com/news/micr...-linux-with-ubuntu-16-04-support-509477.shtml
https://mspoweruser.com/windows-binaries-can-now-be-invoked-directly-from-the-wsl-command-line/
https://code.visualstudio.com/
Let's say that Linux does become illegal to possess without paying for a license , just how would MS even be able to get anyone to pay up?I wonder if this is an attempt to try to take it over. Like if they use and understand a lot of Linux stuff they could technically start filing patents on stuff within Linux and basically force distros out of business. The IP laws are retarded enough that they would probably allow for something like this. The open source nature of Linux would make it hard enough to actually stop, but they could potentially make it illegal to possess.
I wonder if this is an attempt to try to take it over. Like if they use and understand a lot of Linux stuff they could technically start filing patents on stuff within Linux and basically force distros out of business. The IP laws are retarded enough that they would probably allow for something like this. The open source nature of Linux would make it hard enough to actually stop, but they could potentially make it illegal to possess.
That's pretty much how I feel too about windows and is one of the reasons I switched to Linux.I wish Linux would take over or at least become more usable from a software support perspective. I don't like the direction MS is going with Windows 10, but half the reason I have a decent computer at all is for Lightroom/Photoshop and video games, neither of which are supported well or at all. Other than that, I like the direction distros like Mint are going way more than where Windows is headed and have really enjoyed using it during brief stints of dual boot. Eventually I always get tired of restarting to fire up a game or edit some photos and go back to Windows only.
Linux is for total dolts using the simplest of programs or knowledgeable nerds customizing the living crap out of it, like I said before. For a user who needs more, wants to customize or start delving "deeper", but does not have the "computer intuition" some people have, a book and sometimes wine(the software) IS necessary. You parent and step parent fall into the former. They likely just fire up their web browser and Open Office when they need it, and since the print drivers are already set up, pretty much everything is done. Android is basically Linux for dolts using a phone.You guys are whining awful lot. Linux is easy to use these days, hell my dad and stepmother use Linux and both of them can barely use a computer. Very rarely do I have to use the CLI.
Piss poor drivers when the "generic" Windows driver gives a decent display consistently. Badly prepared software is still badly prepared software. Bad software is like Harbor Freight's hose clamps. They'll break and that proneness to breaking outweighs the supposed benefit of acquiring the product in the first place.That isn't an example of Linux being glitchy. That's an example of a piss poor driver.
You can make the point that hardware support isn't as good under Linux as Windows and that would be true. Still, if Linux is going to be your OS of choice making good hardware decisions has to be part of it. I could say the same thing about myself and my Creative sound card. I wish I had researched Linux compatibility before I bought it.
Yes I'm aware Linux is just the kernel while distros are the full OS.Linux is for total dolts using the simplest of programs or knowledgeable nerds customizing the living crap out of it, like I said before. For a user who needs more, wants to customize or start delving "deeper", but does not have the "computer intuition" some people have, a book and sometimes wine(the software) IS necessary. You parent and step parent fall into the former. They likely just fire up their web browser and Open Office when they need it, and since the print drivers are already set up, pretty much everything is done. Android is basically Linux for dolts using a phone.
Technically, Linux is a "misnomer" since it is the various distros that turn it from a mere kernel into an "experience", whatever that experience actually is.
Linux is for total dolts using the simplest of programs or knowledgeable nerds customizing the living crap out of it, like I said before.
Sort of matters, yeah. For every graphic designer using Photoshop, there's about a hundred "Rich Uncle Bob" hobbyists (prosumers!) who buy every other new version, even though they only use three features that were all in a ten year old version of Photoshop Elements. And for every Uncle Bob there's a dozen or so church basement types who are hacking it with a ten year old (pirated?) version of Elements, Office 2003,* and MS Publisher.**Whenever there is a topic about linux and desktop, there will be a bunch of comments about the lack of photoshop, autocad, or some video editing software. Just how many people use those tools? I understand gaming, since the number of people who play games is massive, but graphic designers and video editors?
Sort of matters, yeah. For every graphic designer using Photoshop, there's about a hundred "Rich Uncle Bob" hobbyists (prosumers!) who buy every other new version, even though they only use three features that were all in a ten year old version of Photoshop Elements. And for every Uncle Bob there's a dozen or so church basement types who are hacking it with a ten year old (pirated?) version of Elements, Office 2003,* and MS Publisher.**
Same is true for other stuff. (Video editing, audio editing, etc.) As a sort-of-hobby-musician, among other things, I buy new "prosumer" music software/gear on a pretty cheapskate 5-10 year rotation. Driver support and backwards-compatibility are thus important for me, and that will largely dictate what kind of OS/platform I have as my primary computing setup. I don't think I'm terribly unique.
I'm still not convinced that they make up a big part of computing world. If i would have to make an uneducated guess, i'd say they are a miniscule amount compared to MS Office and gaming users.
As a side note, for simple audio manipulation i found Linux to be pretty good with qjackctl, audacity, hydrogen, pure-data and a plethora of other great free tools. My audio card and midi keyboard work pretty well too. Though setting up jack could be a bit easier.
Maybe it's the "retail tech support" experience talking, but I assume anybody over the age of 45 has a home computing environment that involves a 5 year old Dell and some bargain bin graphics design software with pretty fonts. And it's very definitely a more common usage model than PC gaming, especially as you go down the income quintiles.
I've been using Audacity for years for audio recording. My dad is actually more into the music stuff than I am. (it's his vocation, it's just my hobby.) He started the switch to Linux about a year ago and I'm waiting for him to find a piece of notation/arranging software that he can stand to use. Finale is basically the shiznit.
** Or Broderbund Print Shop. May god have mercy on their souls.
I wish Linux would take over or at least become more usable from a software support perspective. I don't like the direction MS is going with Windows 10, but half the reason I have a decent computer at all is for Lightroom/Photoshop and video games, neither of which are supported well or at all. Other than that, I like the direction distros like Mint are going way more than where Windows is headed and have really enjoyed using it during brief stints of dual boot. Eventually I always get tired of restarting to fire up a game or edit some photos and go back to Windows only.
Same here, except instead of graphics software, I rely on a lot of DAW/audio software that just doesn't work on Linux.
When you end up having to reboot into Windows several times/day, dual booting just isn't worth it. If I'm already in Windows 10 and want to play a game for a bit or browse Facebook or whatever, I might as well do it in Windows and not waste time rebooting into Linux first. The experience will be exactly the same. This is especially true if when I'm done, I know I'll be using some Windows-only DAW, which would require yet another reboot.
Also, all my scheduled backups etc. are set up on Windows, so they won't run if I spend too much time noodling around in Linux. I could run them under Linux instead, but then I'd have the opposite problem when running Windows. Dual booting is like owning a second house that you have to maintain.
It's only free if you disregard the concept that time isn't money.
Oh yeah, backups and storage sharing are another thing. I'm really liking storage spaces in Windows 10 for quick and easy mirroring of a couple 4TB drives, which obviously Linux can't access. And anything similar for Linux, windows won't be able to natively access. I was going to build a mini file server / ZFS type of setup that can present the network share such that it's accessible to both Windows and Linux, but it seems so unnecessary for what is essentially a 4TB RAID1 ...
I personally find windows to be a huge waste of my time; and strongly prefer linux. The only reason I run windows on a system is due to gaming (and those games not supporting linux). If all the major games supported linux I would drop windows and never go back.
It is so much easier for me to modify hardware; adjust the filesystem layout; define the security model et all on a linux box (compared to a windows box). The only thing windows seems to do better is for those folks who require integrated mail/calendar.