Software
Review of: |
 I
know, I know. Anyone attempting to use anything other than windoze is playing
a Quixotic game. If I were trying to convert others to trying LINUX, I
might agree. This review is, however, just for me, myself, and I! You are
just along for the ride. My experience with Windows over a long time, has
been one of frustration and irritation. Frustration from an application
that is only somewhat functional, and irritation with myself for accepting
this as the way it is. UAE (Unrecoverable
Application
Error),
BSOD
(Blue
Screen
Of
Death),
Windows Protection Error... .The list is LONG and not so distinguished,
and I am sure you have seen these crash and trash messages from Windows.
Calling it unstable is the kindest thing I can say about it (at least in
print). While I personally know of NO operating system that can be accurately
called stable, there are alternatives to Windows that are far less unstable.
UNIX, Be, BSD, and LINUX are a few that come to mind.
The main reasons I hear for not trying an alternative to Windows are; too difficult to install; no drivers for my equipment; no applications; and my favorite, it won’t run on my machine. Taking the last first, LINUX is happy on a 486 machine. Whereas Windows has become such a bloated resource hog it requires a really powerful machine, LINUX functions just fine on just about whatever you have. Adding more resources to a Windows machine simply feeds Windows, while doing the same to a LINUX box increases the functionality of your machine. Saying there are no applications is not true. There are no Windows applications that currently run under LINUX, but there are hundreds of comparable programs. If you absolutely demand Windows apps, stay with Windows. If you are willing to consider alternatives, then you are in for some pleasant surprises. Drivers, the software that has the commands to operate various devices, has indeed been and continues to be, somewhat a problem. The newest LINUX packages are much better at dealing with this, and unless you are using some really old, or non mainstream equipment, this is less an issue now. The one area still needing work is in the installation. Once again, the newest versions have made terrific advances in the installation process, and it is now almost equal to a Windows installation. I said almost, but not equal. This is mostly due to the aforementioned drivers. Windows has drivers for many more devices than LINUX, and this is still the single biggest problem to getting LINUX on and operating. My main reason for looking for an alternative to Windows is the instability of Windows, and the loss of productivity due to that instability. LINUX is a derivative of UNIX, and as such, has many years of use and improvements. Much of the Internet runs on it, as well as many businesses, so it is likely you have already been exposed to it. A common concern is the belief that it uses only a command line prompt, like DOS. Most of us have become accustomed to a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that really started with Apple, and continued in Windows. This is the desktop environment on the monitor, with icons, and operated generally with a mouse. LINUX has two popular desktop environments, KDE, and GNOME. They look enough like the Mac and Windows desktops, that you will be hard pressed to find differences between them. Kernel 2.4, the latest core of LINUX, supports a broader range of hardware than earlier versions. Now it includes support for USB devices, software modems, and 3d video cards. It is my understanding that it also supports multiple processors. The combination of this new kernel, and the GUI environments make LINUX as easy to use as Windows, and you have the added benefit of a far more stable operating system. You can install directly from the CD if your CD-ROM has that capability.
There is an included floppy disk that you use if it does not. Be aware
that there is an important caveat to this, which I quote below:
To use the boot floppy:
I used a new drive, so the above info did not apply. When your machine boots up, you are presented with a GUI interface that guides you through the installation process. The single most important aspect here is the formatting and partitioning of the hard drive. Fortunately, this is one area where the LINUX installation process has made great improvements. It is as near an automated procedure as possible, but requires that you follow closely the onscreen directions. This takes most of the time involved, and once this is done, the rest is really easy. The plug and pray part works about the same as Windows, i.e. sort of. If your particular components are not found, you can choose a generic setting to accomplish the installation. After the installation, you can go back and reset for the specific item. The CD’s included have enough drivers to set up almost any device you have. If you want the capability of booting into either Windows or LINUX, be sure to install the included LILO (LInux LOader), as it allows exactly that. You do need to pay attention during installation, especially if you are doing a dual boot install, or you likely will trash your Windows setup.  The requirements for LINUX are:
No computers or supporting equipment were harmed during this review. Russell Albach |