I was thining of making my pc a purely linux pc, any thoughts?

Question

I am concerned about compatibility with games and other programs I use, I know theres a lot of open sourse out there and I want to know if everything can work.

Answer 1

If you play PC games, stick to Windows. Linux is good for many things, but it's not a gaming platform.

Answer 2

Most games do actually work on Linux with Wine, the biggest problem with most games is that they don't have sound. If you want to run games, just stick to a Windows install next to a Linux installation (Dual Boot). For Linux beginners you might pick Ubuntu or (if you want media support out of the box, Mint Linux).

Answer 3

Linux runs on lower end of processor/ram etc. unlike Windows. If you have an older system, you can install Linux and still run decent programs with respectable speeds.

Disadvantage is that - not all the games are available in Linux version.

Answer 4

Hi. I bet that this question stems from your curiosity about an alternative operating system. If you're a home user, you'll be thoroughly dissapointed with what linux has to offer to you.

Upon installation of Ubuntu, you must have an internet connection, so that Linux can download proper media codecs. Without that, you cannot listen to music or watch movies. Linux has terrible preset screen-resolutions. In today's time, when we have resolutions much higher that 1024 X 768, Linux still supports that as the maximum. Plus, you won't be able to adjust your refresh-rate (monitor flicker rate) if you're using a CRT monitor. This'll hurt your eyes after ten minuted of usage. After you're tired of this initial glitch, you'll trawl linux forums searching for how to fix this. You'll be forced to mess with system files, change settings, which might result in total blackouts on reboots. Linux has no proper program installers. Everything is third party. Imagine, installing an application and not knowing where it is. Installers don't tell you where they install applications. They just go somewhere. If you happen to stumble upon the application somwhere on your system, you'll be able to run it. Otherwise, you can spend another hour on the legendary Linux forums.

Applications designed for Linux are buggy and second grade. I downloaded Audacity for Linux. After two hours of searching through linux forums, I found out where Audacity was installed. I had a horrible time configuring my microphone settings. At the end, I ended up uninstalling the application(after two more hours of searching how to uninstall applications). This is the procedure for any application. You'll have to search for an alternative, open source application that will match your reuirements. Hope that it comes with an installer(Yes. Some applications don't. So you have to compile the source code to install them. Imagine, compiling the source code of Yahoo Messenger just to install it). If you do a lot of webcam communication, Linux is useless. Yahoo messenger for Linux was last used by the dinosaurs. It doesn't even have voice chat. There's a messegner called AMSN, that allows video conferencing. But you'll have to spend two hours configuring your webcam. In the end, you'll end up uninstalling the application. Coming to your issue of gaming. If Solitaire and hangman is what satisfies your requirement, Linux is okay for you. Otherwise, don't even think about installing it. In short, Linux is not for home users, who just want to accomplish tasks like drafting an error-free letter (OpenOffice.Org is there, but the spell check is buggy. So is the grammar check), recording music, voice-chatting, connecting to a security enabled wifi network, etc. Linux is a killer of productivity, because most of a Linux user's time is spent on Linux formus asking other people how to accomplish simple tasks like installing a messenger (which windows can do inseconds), incidentally, the people on the forums don't have a clue, too. Linux can be used if you want to show off having another operating system, or are a geek who is ready to sacrifice productivity for appearing to be an expert at things that are not even important. Stay away from Linux.

Answer 5

Hi, first of all Linux is not Windows and Windows is not Linux. If u r a gamer then don't leave Windows. Its possible to use some windows software on linux using wine but its not perfect and never will be cause if it was then there would be no use of windows.



I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu cause currently its unstable and they don't pay attention to bugs until the next release. I recommend opensuse.



http://en.opensuse.org



Good Luck!

Answer 6

There are very few games for Linux, for the most important programs there is always an alternative open-source

Answer 7

Just run both... Use a virtual machine and install Linux in that (Windows doesn't run well in VMs if your purpose is to play games... since you won't be playing too many games in linux, it's the better choice for the guest OS).



Virtual PC (www.virtualpc.com) and VMWare (www.vmware.com) are both free and will allow you to do this.

Answer 8

Some people on here are misleading you. It borders on lying.



Linux CAN run on lower memory/processor, but systems with a GUI of equivelant capabilities, ability to render 3D games, etc, the requirements on Linux tend to be higher. Just look at the required RAM on recent builds of OpenSUSE.



However, they are correct in assuming that if you like Windows games it will be more pain than it is worth to get them goin' in Linux.

Answer 9

You'll be disappointed. Windows games won't run on Linux (you may be able to fiddle around with the windows compatibility stuff -- WINE -- but don't bet on it).



Best home user distribution is Ubuntu.

Answer 10

You are not linux-only material. Try a dual-boot setup. When you get fed up, you still have windoze. If you don't get fed up you will have windoze or linux depending on what you want to do.

Answer 11

I would say about 70% of stuff would work etc.. but most games your gonna have to have windows to play thats just how it is =(