Comments on: Confessions of a Linux newbie

You don't just install a new OS, you join a community, most of whom take their computing very seriously.

[ProLinux]

Good article. Linux is making some good inroads, even in the Vista Forums I see people discussing dual booting with Windows and expressing interest. Linux many not be for everyone, but it is for nearly everyone.

Ubuntu 8.04 will be released in six days and people are excited about the new upcoming release. And at http://ubuntuforums.org/ one can find free support just about 24 hours a day from Ubuntu/Linux users from all over the world. In addition to Ubuntu, there are forums for other Linux variants as well as Mac and Windows forums.

[TXLogic123]

You write: "The process taught me that Linux is an on-demand operating system that bundles only software that's truly free". No no no! *UBUNTU* bundles only software that is truly free (i.e., open source and under GPL or the like). There are several Linux distros that have no qualms bundling non-open (but cost-free) software like Abobe and the important NVIDIA video drivers. Notably, the Linux MInt distribution (http://linuxmint.com) is basically Ubuntu without the ideological qualms. If you'd used that instead (not to diss Ubuntu, I use it as well) you likely wouldn't have had to go a-hunting for missing software.

[Shannon_VanWagner]

Here's a few sites I'd like to mention for learning more about GNU/Linux:
ubuntuguide.org | gnu.org | fsf.org | linux.com | getgnulinux.org | whylinuxisbetter.net | openoffice.org | humans-enabled.com | ubuntu.com | distrowatch.com | makethemove.net | digg.com

[JonnySpeed1971]

I was new to Linux at Ubuntu 8.10 - installation was smooth and then I discovered quite how unbeautiful, not quite as advanced, not quite as compatible, just as secure, stable and just as 'communal' Linux was compared to OS X. Tbh, I am hard pressed to find a reason for using Linux OS over OS X - though I'm a huge fan for open source apps especially via darwinports. Linux is good but not quite good enough compared to Snow Leopard. There is no cost justification for me so here I stay...

[mrjohnson0123123]

"but many hard-core Linux users stick with its command-line interface, which harkens back to DOS."

*cringe* :-)

DOS was a poorly implemented substitute for the power Unix shell that existed long before it. It's hard to even compare the two, DOS is really limited in comparison.

The reference is cringe-worthy because many of your readers will remember DOS with a mix of disdain and maybe, in some cases, a little nostalgia. But the two have little in common.

[handrewjweber]

Very good article, although like mrjohnson0123123, I *cringed* at your "harkens back to DOS" comment. Linux users are picky about the details because these morals we live by are the only thing keeping Linux free.

[rtddtr]

I was new to Linux about 3 years ago, and I have to admit that I took the time to actually read books and documentation, which really helped me understand how and why things are done differently from Windows. Finding solutions to various problems has always been easy to find, especially if you become a member to the forums for your particular distribution.
The biggest advantage Linux has over Windows for me is the way updates to almost all the software I have installed is done through the package manager update through the repositories.
By the way there are some Linux distributions that do include software such as flash and media codecs that aren't totally free or open-source.