"Linux has proven amazingly flexible: after nearly 10 years of use, I'm still impressed by how the Linux operating system does exactly what I want on any type of hardware. Desktop customization is no exception; from the ultra-modern KDE and GNOME window managers to with the likes of Fluxbox and AfterStep, there's a Linux desktop to suit everyone."
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Member since:2005-09-13
Thanks to all who modded down my honest question to a -3. Perhaps what I've heard about most desktop linux users is true (blind hatred for MS, elitist bigots, etc.)?
At lm2mst and diogob attempted to answer my question.
lm2mst and diogo, which 'distrobutions' do you suggest i try.
Those who modded me down can ... do whatever continues to make you feel powerful, while sitting behind your computer screens.
Member since:2005-07-01
While, I didn't mod you down, I imagine the reason for others to do so was that your post was off-topic.
The article was about desktop environments for Linux. If you had talked about how the Windows XP desktop is really good, that would have been on-topic, albeit unpopular.
To just pick a very well-worn fight on a flimsy basis in a loosely related article is not going to win you many friends. This is generally considered trolling, to which the best response is, of course, no response.
Member since:2007-09-06
I think I've touched the mod button once in my short time here and it was +.. I have noticed that these forums are pretty sensative to tone though so anything that is missread as being critical is going to get a reaction.
That's beside the point though.. if your intersted.. the real hot tip os liveCDs.. grab any distribution that catches your eye and offers a liveCD.. boot.. play with.. if you don't like it.. eject and push the power button.. nothing touches your hard drive and everything is there on the disk to give you a pretty good start.
Check out Ubuntu or Kubuntu.. the later is KDE which feels more like windows these days (Gnome/KDE have flopped back and forth between osX and Windows feels over the years)
Check out Mandriva 2008 One. this is the liveCD version of the newest release. I'm a Mandriva fan though so that's always the first thing I consider.
Check out Knoppix.. it usually only comes in a liveCD
Check out Mint.. it's a nice liveCD distro which uses Enlightenment window manager if I remember correctly.
Fedora liveCD is probably worth looking at.
What distro do you use on the server boxes.. that would be the first thing I'd look at to test on a desktop unless it's CentOS.
Basically.. grab any liveCD for a distro that sounds interesting and have a look. That's really the best way to start these days.
Member since:2005-08-27
Depends on your current or target hardware and what the purpose of the OS is.
Give some specs and I'll help you to pick the right distribution.
As many confirm, *BSD and GNU/Linux have a lot to offer over Windows XP.
On let's say a Pentium IV CPU with 512 MiB RAM, the Desktop Environment isn't an issue. I for example run KDE with Compiz-Fusion on a Dell Optiplex GX240 (P4 1,70 Ghz), 384 MIB RAM and old school nVIDIA Geoforce 2 MX/400... And that's a general purpose desktop on which I love to play FPS like Alien Arena and the likes. A typical server system, requires less.
And for the modding down part: I HAVE NEVER MODDED DOWN EVEN ONE COMMENT on OSNEWS, in all those years and never will!
++ BTW, it's ML2MST, the callsign of my old school MS-DOS based CB Packet Radio station ;-)
Cheers!
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Member since:
2005-08-27
Agreed, beside that, you can get rid of the resource hungry antivirus and antispyware scanners and think of working with multiple visual desktops. Once your used tho that, you'll miss it on a DE that doesn't support it.