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Solve : Linux compatability??

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I've been thinking about kicking Windows for several months now, and Linux looks nice, but I'm not too sure how compatible it is with my existing software.

I primarily use my PC to surf the INTERNET and play games (rarely online). I've heard rumors of emulators that let you play Windows-only games on Linux, but I haven't been able to find much to CONFIRM this. I've read that Linux is more efficient at using available system resources, which sounds nice. Unfortunately, I've also heard that Linux was a command-line operating system, which is one of my biggest concerns; I'm lost without a GUI...

Basically, I'm looking for a solid Windows alternative: something that I can use to free myself from Micro$oft's iron grip, but which won't have any impact on the things I enjoy most...

Nobody I know has Linux, so I have no example to play around with, and no way of knowing what I'm getting myself into. I certainly don't want to hose up my computer: it took long enough to get it running this smoothly in the first place! I have a few old hard-drives that I saved from my last PC, so I could install Linux on one of those. My biggest concern is that I'd be stepping into a completely unknown world, and I'd be much more comfortable if I had a guide to take me up this river, without which I'd probably find myself stuck on a sandbar, or downstream without a paddle...


So, those of you who have Linux, can it be adapted to work flawlessly with programs designed for just Windows?
Can Linux use Direct-X 9 or 10?
Can it look and function like Windows (without the annoying bugs)?
What else should I know about Linux before making a switch? (Does it have any weird quirks I should watch out for?)Quote

Unfortunately, I've also heard that Linux was a command-line operating system, which is one of my biggest concerns; I'm lost without a GUI...

Definitely not so.






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Basically, I'm looking for a solid Windows alternative: something that I can use to free myself from Micro$oft's iron grip, but which won't have any impact on the things I enjoy most...

I think you'll have to wait a bit longer. Running some Windows apps on Linux can be done, but it is not a no-brainer.

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My biggest concern is that I'd be stepping into a completely unknown world, and I'd be much more comfortable if I had a guide to take me up this river

There are squillions of online guides, such as this one

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows

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So, those of you who have Linux, can it be adapted to work flawlessly with programs designed for just Windows?

Not exactly.

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Can Linux use Direct-X 9 or 10?

There is something called "wine" (Wine Is Not an Emulator)

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Can it look and function like Windows (without the annoying bugs)?

Similar to, not the same as.

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What else should I know about Linux before making a switch?

The switch works best for people who are interested in computers and are willing to give it a shot.
I think you'll have to wait a bit longer. Running some Windows apps on Linux can be done, but it is not a no-brainer.

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(Does it have any weird quirks I should watch out for?)

Do bears sh*t in the woods?

Quote from: Hunter484 on January 24, 2009, 03:40:34 PM
Basically, I'm looking for a solid Windows alternative

Every Linux enthusiast has his own favorite distribution, but for Linux newbies coming in from the XP/Vista world, I don't see how you could recommend any other distribution besides PCLinuxOs or Linux Mint KDE.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=com_ionfiles&Itemid=28

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=28

Yes, PCLinuxOS and Mint are more user-friendly than Ubuntu, Fedora, and all the rest. And for people who are used to the XP/Vista GUI, KDE is easier to learn and offers more familiar functionality.Crunchbang Linux http://crunchbanglinux.org/

CrunchBang Linux is an Ubuntu based distribution featuring the lightweight Openbox window manager and GTK+ applications. The distribution is developed from a minimal Ubuntu install and has been designed to offer a good balance of speed and functionality.

Also it comes with a lot of GUI config tools and the SVN package manager, so installing stuff is a cinch!

But when installing stuff be careful what you go to install, for example if you install a KDE application like Amarok, you'll suddenly find it wants to install the whole KDE desktop, which completely defeats the point of the OpenBox desktop which seems to like Gnome applications in preference to KDE.

You can still play games on Linux, Wine-Doors is a package specifically targeted for doing that... However, their are loads of alternative pretty good 3D games already on linux, namely.

Alien-Arena http://icculus.org/alienarena/rpa/aquire.html
Blood Frontier http://www.bloodfrontier.com/
Tremulous http://tremulous.net/

P.S: I completely FINISHED the battle for Wesnoth with cheats anyone want the spoilers?

If you have an ATI graphics card check the Wikipedia on how to install the FGLRX graphics driver before performing any graphic card driver updates or you could find yourself getting caught out.

It caught me out and I had to do a few re-install's before I twigged what I was doing wrong.. I wasn't reading the manual http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Main_Page

My Desktop

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Do bears sh*t in the woods?
LMAO!!

If you swap over to linux with no prior experiance of how it all come's together, I can promise you you'll hate it!

But once you've got the experience of using it and you realize how it all works, you'll fall in love with it!


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