Suffering is comfort in disguise
» 10/04/2006, 15:18:38 / / / Subscribe
Well apart from two specific tasks I need to perform I am now no longer using Windows at home at all. I've always run a dual system with Linux but recently I made the choice to fully switch to Linux and pretty much stop using Windows at all. I still need one Win box to run my Broad-Band which is ironic because that's the exact point on my home network that I want to GET RID OF WINDOWS because it's the point of entry to the network from the Web. Of course I'm not so stupid to use XP on that box so I'm not that worried. I've always done all my web dev on my Linux box using a Linux, Apache, Mysql & PHP (LAMP) install to do it. However that's not the only thing I use any of those three installs for. Mysql is handy for pretty much all database stuff I do away from web dev, it stores a huge table of my mp3 tunes which also have a reference where to find them on the network (I have storage boxes) it also runs the tables for my bot that I use on IRC when I chat. My own web applications like my RSS reader, link stores and I store all my various logs of stuff including a personal journal. Everyone thinks web servers when you mention Mysql but it's way more flexible than that. I use Bash as my Shell and use bash scripts, Perl and PHP to perform crappy tasks that you need to do at various times on a Linux box. My Bluetooth just worked when I plugged it in to my Linux where with Windows I had to mess about getting XP to accept that the drivers were not signed. That's the difference with Linux; YOU are in charge not the OS. I really got tired with the way that M$ were dumbing things down because they felt they needed to. Yeah sure M$, the unwashed masses shouldn't be driving your developments the power users should be.
Suffice to say I've felt no real hit for dumping Windows. I still have my partition for when I feel like using Reason or a few other apps but as far as daily life goes I'm better of without it (though I still need to use it at work I try and use my laptop wherever possible). I didn't use IE, I didn't use Outlook (ever in fact) and NEVER did I ever have Apache, Mysql and PHP running on it because it's just not secure. Ever. I've never been an avid fan of MSN so I don't miss that and AIM is something I've never used (I'll leave that to the A.O.HELL plebs).
Support for pretty much every piece of hardware I own is but a click away and where it hasn't been I've just written it myself. I see the merits of Windows for the none technical, the unwashed masses but I think what people need to realise is that Windows are easy broken. Moving to Linux instantly gives you a de-facto amount of security because it's not the target for the ever growing internet crims with there battalion's of bots. Also patches for security related issues are out within hours unlike with M$ where you must wait for the monthly patch cycle. So many reasons NOT to be on Windows these days, so many reasons...
If you want to have a look at what Debian is like you can download and burn Kanotix or Knoppix. Both are based on Debian and can be run from a CD (no need to install them) and can give you an insight in to the Linux OS and how EASY it is these days to use and benefit from. These CD's are really useful for all sorts of things and run perfectly on most laptops too.
Give Linux a try; you never know you might want to switch :)
Technorati: Linux debian php mysql apache xp knoppix kanotix
Comments:
#1. gurion
11/04/2006, 11:49:17
#1. gurion11/04/2006, 11:49:17
Hey Tek. Long time no speak!
Glad to see you've finally made the switch....I moved my "standard" machine over form dual bootin XP/FreeBSD to a single Ubuntu install now.
I f*cking love it! I got MythTV working after a day or 2 of hacking around.
I don't miss windows at all! 
#2. gurion
11/04/2006, 11:49:57
*spellchecker* 
#3. tek
11/04/2006, 15:07:03
I'll be keeping the dual-boot, but unless I am making some tunes it'll be rather unlikely that I'll be booted in to it. In fact over easter I'll be moving the whole Windows image to another drive completely I think. I've always run either Debian or Slackware (old habbits and all that) - Ubuntu, I dunno, I've looked at it but I just didn't like it for some reason. What is it that made you pick Ubuntu?
I'll always say that Windows has it's uses and it does. It's a bit like the beer, it's just not ready yet... 
#4. gurion
12/04/2006, 09:50:22
Heh!
Why did I choose Ubuntu?
Hmmm. simple answer, a mate gave me a CD 
Long answer...I wanted a Debian base, Gnome desktop and some of the bells and whistles (plus I found Automatix, which was fun)....and finally, because I've been building Edubuntu boxes for the local primary school.
I looked at MEPIS and I'd used various incarnations of BSD over the years, but what really swung it was the release schedule.
I kept my windows partition for about a month, but mainly just used it for Wine (which was a good idea) but zapped it at the end of last year.
I got me a Mac Mini on the way too! I've not had a TV for years, but decided that a nice little HTPC machine would come in handy....most of the people who've stayed at mine have whinged that they did not have an idiot box 
