Linux!

So, are there any ld4allers who are users of this most enlightened of operating systems, so much more functional then Windows, a superior alternative to Windows than Mac, and so much less corporate greed then either big company, with the beauty and function of free software and such delights? :happy:

Well, overdramaticness aside, who uses it around here? I run a Debian 6.0.2 laptop. I wish I could’ve been a free software purist but I installed Firefox 5 (which can be argued is not free software) and I installed proprietary Broadcom drivers because I wanted to get online from somewhere besides under the desk in my living room.

Currently, i’m running XP, because the computer i bought had it, and it suits my needs. I stopped building my own computers a few years ago.

I started with Linux in Slackware in 97, and use it on my server, i use Debian now. If i get a new computer, i may just go back to Linux if i can’t get used to Windows 7, though OS X is very tempting, with its underlying.

I was thinking about building an alternate computer and running Linux on it, primarily because of this freeware that is only compatible on Linux that allows you to pretty much use your rig as a means of controlling every aspect of your network :content: I thought this was pretty cool seeing as I live in a house of torrenters

I’ve got a Slackware 13.0 box (I haven’t had the chance to upgrade yet) that I use for most things. I’m no free software purist though :tongue:, I just like how I can set it up to do exactly what I want…for the most part.

I do have a Windows XP partition that I keep around to play Starcraft II since it seems to run slower on Wine.

I’m lucky enough not to have that issue :wink:.

I love Starcraft II! :smile: Play it everyday! By the way you are a lucky guy, I haven’t found many solutions to my household torrenting problem primarily due to the fact that there isn’t much you can do outside monitoring the traffic with windows :tongue:

/me is a Gentoo user
I have a windows dual boot on most of my machines, I.E the one that came pre-installed. For those times when I feel like using my computer as a toy. :tongue: In all seriousness I use Gentoo for all day to day computer usage, and windows for games or when some program maker for a program I want/need to use decides that only windows and maybe mac exist. (Outside of games this seems very rare now, the bigger problem is with trying to fill voids on windows when helping relatives.) I also have used Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Slackware and Linpus and I use Kubuntu on my netbook, but I settled on Gentoo around 3 years ago and haven’t looked back.

You’re lucky you were able to decide on one; I always feel like I’m missing out on other distributions :tongue:. I tried Gentoo around six years ago and had some issues with Emerge’s dependency resolution. That was a long time ago though, so maybe it’s time I gave it another try… :plotting:.

After a quick craze around FreeBSD I’ve returned to the safe port of Debian. (After that still, I toyed a bit with Plan 9, but that was for the sake of toying, I never had the intention of using it for everyday computing.) At work I use Windows 7 because.

Back to Linux. What window manager/desktop environment do you guys use?

I use Gnome, generally, but i am tempted top try ratpoison, assuming its still around.

fvwm95 and its ilk were great in their day.

I’ve never had any problems with dependency resolution in the past 3 years give or take, and I’m using x86_64. If its blocks a quick google search usually lets you see what package needs to be removed. If its because they come up masked then you can unmask them, if for example they are still being tested on your architecture. To me it’s just Gentoo asking you, “Do you really want to install this, because there is some stuff you should know…” it’s very much about choice.

I use Xmonad. I have 3 monitors and a TV connected, I can shift programs between them by pressing 3 keys. I can’t stress how powerful its keyboard oriented approach is when dealing with more than one screen. It’s method of handling the screens. (Each screen displays a different virtual desktop from the same set of virtual desktops.) Is nothing short of genius in my opinion. You can throw everything from one screen onto another with again, just pressing 3 keys. It’s also very minimalist, no icons, no taskbars and no titlebars. (unless you want to add them) It can also tile windows automatically so you can have many programs open and it’ll place them so all are visible and the screen is filled. It really makes the most out of the space on the screen in my opinion and focuses on doing what a WM should, letting you put stuff where and how you want it rather than looking pretty, but then again, I’m biased. :tongue:

@GreenDragon - I’m definitely going to give Gentoo another try soon.

I use Awesome as my window manager. It’s similar in functionality to Xmonad. I was going to explain how awesome tiling window managers are, but GreenDragon took care of it :tongue:. The fact that I have a “normal” amount of monitors doesn’t diminish the usefulness of the concept.

As far as I know Ratpoison isn’t actively developed anymore (I used to use it, then switched). It’s not like there is a shortage of tiling window managers though :content:.

Fvwm was my first window manager! Classic.

I use Vista and am currently upgrading to windows 7, but I really like Ubuntu and I would most likely use it instead if it weren’t for compatibility issues (and no, Wine just isn’t the same). I also perfer the unix based terminal on *nix systems to windows’ DOS.

I WANT to switch to Ubuntu, but Dell is hell-bent on making sure I don’t; I’ve tried several times to install Linux on my Inspiron, but it doesn’t work. So I’m unfortunately stuck with Windows XP. I’m gonna get a System76 laptop at one point, though. They run Ubuntu out of the box. Since you’re not paying for Windows, they’re cheaper, too.

I wanted it for its keyboard support. Something Windows is to be praised for. If i go back, i’ll definitely have to take a a hard look at it.