Which Operating System is Your Favorite?

[TheStatutoryApe]

Who said anything about 'playing'? I use *nix on a PC because it's very functional - I have LaTeX and Perl and gcc, as well as the usual office apps (FREE), and a heck of a lot fewer bugs than Windows. Trying out RH, I didn't even have to install anything extra, other than Firefox.

I have a friend who uses Linux. He says that it takes forever to figure out how to run certain programs that aren't readily compatible. Ofcourse that may also be because he doesn't have it set up in the basic configuration (or what ever it's called).
Not to savy on computers myself but I would definitely like to learn more and one day run my computer on an OS other than windows.

 

[rachmaninoff]

There is no doubt FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD (and not Linux) is great for most workstation and server applications - memory management, disk access, multiple CPU, etc, but for everyday browsing and mp3 listening its a waste of time.

Well that's *BSD was mostly intended for. I'm just saying it also works just fine for PC users - and I don't see anything wrong with the web browsing. I don't do any gaming, so it's practical.

 

[JamesU]

who changet the voting? it was upposed to be a joke

 

[Moonbear]

I have a friend who uses Linux. He says that it takes forever to figure out how to run certain programs that aren't readily compatible. Ofcourse that may also be because he doesn't have it set up in the basic configuration (or what ever it's called).
Not to savy on computers myself but I would definitely like to learn more and one day run my computer on an OS other than windows.

I've never played with Linux. I'm going to have to get my paws on someone's computer with it just to see what it even looks/feels like. The transition from Windows to MacOS is pretty easy, and I used to use both regularly. Then again, I've been using both for ages. I actually had a harder time switching from OS 9.2 to OS X than I've had going between Mac and Windows. It took me a while to figure out where things were in OS X because they all had different names and very different places. But I haven't a clue what Linux even looks like let alone how easy it is to use.

 

[Kakarot]

ive used a mac for years as my first computer. then i got a pc and it blew the mac out of the water. they both crashed about the same so macs arnt more stable imo. the main thing that sucks about macs though is the limited software. there are no good games on macs lol :(. and they still keep making them with 1 button mice. i couldn't live with less then 5 buttons on my mouse. i still have the old mac in my room and i think I am gona blow it up one day rofl

 

[dduardo]

who changet the voting? it was upposed to be a joke

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Not me.

 

[Nylex]

I've never used Mac OS, but I like both Windows and Linux.

 

[Gokul43201]

For true multitasking capability, there's nothing to match OS/2

 

[Moonbear]

For true multitasking capability, there's nothing to match OS/2

Gokul, do you know how to use OS/2? We have old equipment here that requires software that only runs on OS/2. Our only back-up is a second hard drive that our IT guy gets to babysit in his office to restore it in case of catastrophe. I've done my best to avoid needing to use the equipment in the hope that it'll crash and die before I need to learn OS/2.

ive used a mac for years as my first computer. then i got a pc and it blew the mac out of the water. they both crashed about the same so macs arnt more stable imo. the main thing that sucks about macs though is the limited software. there are no good games on macs lol :(. and they still keep making them with 1 button mice. i couldn't live with less then 5 buttons on my mouse. i still have the old mac in my room and i think I am gona blow it up one day rofl

If your experience on Macs was with an OS prior to OS X, I'd agree. I didn't have a very strong opinion of one over the other prior to OS X, and leaned toward PCs at the time just because the software selection for Macs was abysmal. And if you're into games, then PCs still offer the best selection for those, but I'm not buying a computer to play games, I'm buying it to do work. But, unless you need to run some custom business application, pretty much all the standard software you could want is available for Macs now; at least I haven't run into any problems finding the software I've needed.

I really don't know why they continue selling them with only one-button mice. They can support more buttons, and since this is such a silly gripe people have, they should just sell them with a two-button mouse; not that there's any shortage of mice you can buy separately that are pretty cheap, and most people I know who are picky about their mice want to buy their own one that's better than factory stock anyway.

 

[moose]

Well I usually use windows and linux x_x

 

[Danger]

Ha! I have a mouse with 6 buttons and a wheel. pwned

Is the wheel there so the mouse can run around it for exercise?

 

[Moonbear]

Is the wheel there so the mouse can run around it for exercise?

Just in case you don't know what it is, he's talking about a scroll wheel. Instead of having to move the whole mouse to scroll down a page (and face the inevitable problem of running out of desktop before you've gotten to the bottom, and having to pick it up and move it up to continue scrolling down), you can just dial the wheel with your fingertip without moving the whole mouse. Even when I have them, I never remember to use them, so it's rather a non-issue for me. On that 4-button trackball I have, it's already 2 buttons more than I know what to do with. I rather miss the days when you just stuck the template at the top of your keyboard that told you what to use each of the function keys for in whatever software you were using and you didn't need a mouse at all. (Okay, maybe not. )[/size]

 

[JamesU]

How else do you move down a page besides the scroll wheel? highlight it or something?

and I have been puzzled a few times when I was doing something and my mouse was at the edge of the desk

 

[Smurf]

I can't live without scroll wheels.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I've never played with Linux. I'm going to have to get my paws on someone's computer with it just to see what it even looks/feels like. The transition from Windows to MacOS is pretty easy, and I used to use both regularly. Then again, I've been using both for ages. I actually had a harder time switching from OS 9.2 to OS X than I've had going between Mac and Windows. It took me a while to figure out where things were in OS X because they all had different names and very different places. But I haven't a clue what Linux even looks like let alone how easy it is to use.

Generally people don't just use Linux. Most people have a windows emulator. But unless I'm mistaken the way Linux "looks" is pretty much the same as DOS unless you're using the windows emulator. You have a command prompt and type in your commands.

 

[Gokul43201]

Gokul, do you know how to use OS/2? We have old equipment here that requires software that only runs on OS/2. Our only back-up is a second hard drive that our IT guy gets to babysit in his office to restore it in case of catastrophe. I've done my best to avoid needing to use the equipment in the hope that it'll crash and die before I need to learn OS/2.

We run OS/2 on our data acquisition computers. I know just enough to get by. My boss just did a complete reinstall - there's a (German) website out there, where you can still find OS/2 kernels/updates/etc. I can find it if you like.

 

[mattmns]

Generally people don't just use Linux. Most people have a windows emulator. But unless I'm mistaken the way Linux "looks" is pretty much the same as DOS unless you're using the windows emulator. You have a command prompt and type in your commands.

People who use linux are not stuck with a command prompt. When I used linux I used gnome, which is a graphic interface, looks similar to windows.

 

[Moonbear]

We run OS/2 on our data acquisition computers. I know just enough to get by. My boss just did a complete reinstall - there's a (German) website out there, where you can still find OS/2 kernels/updates/etc. I can find it if you like.

That's pretty much what our computer does...it tracks running wheel activity. But, no, I don't want to know anything about it. The only way it will ever get upgraded is when nobody knows how to use it or it breaks and nobody knows how to repair it. If I'm ever desperate, I'll give you a shout, but seeing as how I'm out of here in 2 months, I don't think that's going to happen. If I ever need to buy this stuff for my own lab, I'll have the new version.

How else do you move down a page besides the scroll wheel? highlight it or something?

and I have been puzzled a few times when I was doing something and my mouse was at the edge of the desk

You just reminded me of a nearly computer illiterate lab tech I worked with once. She was entering data for something and started hollering she didn't know what to do now, she was highlighting something and kept running out of mouse pad!

Haven't you ever wondered what that nifty scroll bar is on the side of your screen? They work just fine, and if you park your mouse inside the bar, you can just click the button and page down, or use the arrows at the top or bottom of the scroll bar.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

People who use linux are not stuck with a command prompt. When I used linux I used gnome, which is a graphic interface, looks similar to windows.

That's what I said isn't it? At least that's what I meant when I said windows emulator.

 

[mattmns]

Sorry I took windows emulator as in "wine," or "crossover office" -- programs that allow you to run windows software.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I should learn this stuff so I stop using the wrong terms when I talk about computers.

 

[Moonbear]

I should learn this stuff so I stop using the wrong terms when I talk about computers.

That's okay, I understood what you meant.

While we're on the topic of computers...anyone have a good idea of how to get a caraway seed out of my keyboard? I had rye bread the other day, and a seed fell in...it keeps moving around but doesn't want to come out...I know where it is by whichever key sticks. There might be a mashed gnat in there too...I watched one crawl in and never come back out the other night too. I'm rough on keyboards. I wonder how hard it will be to replace this one when I kill it. At least I finally taught myself not to BANG on the keys when I type - the dangers of learning to type on an old 1960s typewriter where you had to BANG on the keys to get them to type, but my finger position still results in gouging out the letters with my fingernails...and I don't even have long fingernails...nobody can ever steal my computer and think I won't be able to identify it...mine has identifying scars.

 

[rachmaninoff]

anyone have a good idea of how to get a caraway seed out of my keyboard?

Do you have ants? I have ants sometimes go in and out of my keyboard, I think they clean stuff up in there. If you don't have ants, with most keyboards you can pull individual keys off.

 

[Moonbear]

Do you have ants? I have ants sometimes go in and out of my keyboard, I think they clean stuff up in there. If you don't have ants, with most keyboards you can pull individual keys off.

No ants. I think then I'd only have mashed ants to add to my problem. I'm not even going to try pulling keys off. I tried that once before on another keyboard and they apparently weren't supposed to come off. Maybe it'll just get crushed to smaller pieces as I type and come out as smaller pieces. I think it's just big enough that it gets caught on the keys and won't just fall out when I tip up the keyboard.