Linux. Good, bad, other?

Question

So I've started toying with the idea of trying out Linux. I hear it has a huge learning curve.

How much of a learning curve is there to be able to use and understand the Linux environment in its entirety?

Will I have anything resembling Movie Maker? Sony Vegas Pro? Sound Forge Audio Studio?

Does DosBox work with Linux? What modern games don't work with Linux?

Will games that have been made by Microsoft Game Studios work with Linux?

What's the adware, malware, keylogger, virus scene with Linux; will I need anti-virus?

I seen a video on youtube that basically suggested with Linux, it's a huge learning curve, you need 3rd party software to be able to install most Windows compatible software.

Do the software and gaming companies recognize Linux as an official OS, or only Windows and OS X?

What would you say is the number one setback with using Linux as your primary OS vs. using a Windows OS?

Please try to answer in as much detail as you possibly can. My main focus right now, is to gather information from current Linux users.

Thank you.

Answer 1

The best thing you can do is, stop gathering information and start playing with it. Most of us learned it that way.



If you are staying in GUI (graphical user interface), on surface, it will look like a cross between Windows and MacOS. The fun begins once you drop down to the command prompt. That's when you hit the learning curb. It will just blink at you and do nothing. You'll have to know the command or you get nothing done. You could destroy it (meaning wipe out everything) in a single command also.



So until you get comfortable with it, it won't be good to have it as a primary PC.



As everyday machine, unless you are really good at it, it won't do you much good. I use it professionally but at home, I have several Windows machines and one Linux box set up as a file server/time server/misc. I may set up another. Everyday software is limited. I know nothing about games.



No, you don't need anti-virus. Unless you allow it or do something really dumb, it'll be fine.



There is something called WINE that runs on Linux and emulates Windows environment. I've never used it but it is there. You could also run a virtual environment and run Windows in it. But, I can almost guarantee you, you will damage it, reinstall it, try something again, reinstall it, etc, etc, etc, few times. So my suggestion is to have a second PC and do it there.

Answer 2

Huge learning curve? Define huge. When you first learned to use windows you went through a learning curve. When you switched to a newer version of windows you went through a learning curve. When you install new software. like movie editors. you went through a learning curve. Linus does have a learning curve but millions of average people use linux, and millions leave linux because they do not want to learn something different.

THere are several levels of learning depending on what you want to do with linux. If you just want a desktop operating system it can be learned easily. If you want to run a server that would take more learning. Programmer-- even more learning. The key in every case is to read the documentation. Linux is different from windows and users can become very frustrated if they try to do windows thing in linux.



Linux has over 99% of all the software functions of windows.:

http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html



Dosbox does work with linux. Many new high end games do not work with linux but linux has many games and is building an inventory of steam games.

http://www.lgdb.org/

http://store.steampowered.com/browse/linux/



You would only be advised to use anti-virus in linux if you are dealing with windows software like running a mail server. Linux has good anti virus software if desired:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus

http://www.howtogeek.com/135392/htg-explains-why-you-dont-need-an-antivirus-on-linux-and-when-you-do/



Key loggers and malware can be a problem but can do very little damage if the users follow safe computing practices: do not routine run a root (admin) only install approved software, do not click on random links, etc. Very similar to good windows safe computing.



Linux itself cannot (and does not want to ) natively run windows software. There are emulators to run windows games in linux (poorly), and virtual machines to sandbox windows software. The VM are not extremely difficult to install and run. Simply read the docs and follow instructions.



Very few gaming companies write or port to linux but that is slooooowly changing, except for steam.



I would not say I have had any setbacks because of linux. For a hard core gamer linux would not be the ideal OS.I have had problems because I did not read or understand the docs, or did not make backups. I see many benefits in linux: free software for the most part, less problems with virus and malware, much more flexibility in configuring the overall computer system and individual software. Linux has many levels of distributions (distros), some for new users that are easy to install and run with less control, very stable dependable distros, and very advanced distros that require much more linux knowledge and give the user extreme control over the configuration for spped, power, eye candy, etc. Linux also has distro designed for special users: scientific, math, graphics, forensics, gaming, education, raspberry pi, privacy, etc.

http://distrowatch.com/search.php



Linux helps you do things windows will not

Answer 3

Yahoo answers has a character limit and my answer realy goes into detial. You can read it on good drive:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_CJO-UuSEGmrsFgl6gEOYFUeDYUG4KDNrSUTk59z2PU/edit?usp=sharing

**** YOU YAHOO AND GET RID OF THE CHARACTER LIMIT!

It is three pages with lots of spelling issues.

Answer 4

a

Answer 5

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