nerds......

[pentode]

I ran Ubuntu for a few years in high school when I first built my pc.

Biggest complaint was that because I built the pc for playing computer games, I had to run wine ( windows emulator ) to run anything.

It also seemed to hog a lot more resources just doing basic tasks like internet browsing.

Honestly, most people just use computers for basic internet browsing, email, maybe some word processing or spreadsheets. That’s all easily done on a Linux OS.

from my point of view, the main reason people don’t use Linux, is because if you buy a pre built laptop or desktop at a store it will come with windows. Requires much more effort to end up with essentially the same thing with Linux.

look at the chrome books, it’s essentially a cheap laptop with Linux on it, and they are pretty popular.

All true, and games would be the one thing you’d have to put some effort into, although even there great strides have been made with Steam, Playonlinux, etc.

Edit: oh, on the resources point- I think Linux is generally way better on resources, but I have seen certain web browsers eat up a huge amount of ram (Firefox, but I still use it) Ironically, Chrome (chromium) is way better on resources. Thanks google!

 

[JoshT]

Also your complaint about user-friendliness is the one I’ve heard by far the most over the years and all I can say is it has gotten _much _ better over the last several years. I’m certain anyone on here regardless of computer knowledge could boot up a live Linux USB drive and be posting on this site within 15 minutes.

There can be exceptions but if your computer is relatively typical, Ubuntu will just work out of the box. I would argue that on normal hardware its actually easier to get running than windows now.

The fact that someone found their way here and joined, would ususlly put them in the above average category. Yes, even bots and spammers are above average, that's kind of sad when you think about it.

If all someone wants to do is surf the web and check emails, I agree. Install the OS and most everything you need for that is ready to go. Most people that only do that will just use their phone, or would be well served by a chrome book.

I was referring to people that want to do more than that, or that may need to install other software packages down the road. Some are as simples as point and click, others require knowing how to use command line to install. Lets be honest, even a simple OS install is well beyond many people's capabilities when it comes to computers. Yes they could so it if someone were holding their hand, but if they had to do it on their own it would never get done, or it would be brought to someone like us to fix their mess up.

Honestly I wasn't even considering the hardware aspect when I said that.

EDIT: why bother? I think selling point #1 is that you can suddenly stop worrying about every virus, Trojan and malware currently making the rounds, as well as anti virus software, updates etc. That alone is worth it to me.

I've used every Windows OS (except 8). I haven't used a dedicated antivirus in over a decade, only what the OS provides. Not to incriminate myself, I spend plenty of time poking around websites one shouldn't visit looking for software, information, etc. I haven't had any viruses or malware on my system in that time. IMO if a person is smart about what they are doing, that is not something they need to worry about anyway.

I know I'm somewhat unique in this, but even if they did breach my system with something it wouldn't matter more than an annoyance. I don't keep valuable or confidential information on it, and I have no problem wiping everything and starting over.

I'd be willing to bet all of that medical equipment is network connected so It can be monitored form the nurse's station up the hall. Far simpler that way. Although I'd say a hospital should have 2 separate physical networks in that case. One which connects to all of those things, and another for admissions/insurance claims. It doesn't even need to cover the whole building. just those 2 offices.

That's easy to fix. Employ more nurses to monitor that information in person. It'll create more jobs, and a warmer environment in the medical industry.

I wasn't really taking about patient monitors. Let them be networked. That isn't what I would condiser to be critical. Devices I was referring to would be that dylasis machine previously mentioned and life support systems. Medical equipment where people could die as a result of it not functioning properly. Most monitoring devices are reactionary, just reporting information. The morphine drip probably shouldn't be tied into that monitoring system though, and there should be a redundant system to set off a localized alarm in event of emergency.

Remote surgery robots, not at all. IMO they shouldn't exist, surgeon should be on site. The only places and situations I could even consider that to be a good choice, wouldn't have the infrastructure to use that type of equipment anyway.

 

[pentode]

I've used every Windows OS (except 8). I haven't used a dedicated antivirus in over a decade, only what the OS provides. Not to incriminate myself, I spend plenty of time poking around websites one shouldn't visit looking for software, information, etc. I haven't had any viruses or malware on my system in that time. IMO if a person is smart about what they are doing, that is not something they need to worry about anyway.

I know I'm somewhat unique in this, but even if they did breach my system with something it wouldn't matter more than an annoyance. I don't keep valuable or confidential information on it, and I have no problem wiping everything and starting over.

I agree with everything you said; however, I can't tell you how many house calls I made over the years for people who didn't know quite enough to avoid risky situations, as well as data recovery for people who didn't know what was safe to keep where.

 

[sgtsandman]

Windows is a horrible operating system and more and more, companies are putting everything "in the cloud". It's cheaper and great as long as everything is functioning properly but when something like this happens, poo hits the rotating air moving apparatus. Even the military is doing it. A very short sighted move that sooner or later is going to bite everyone in the rear end.

Except for one computer to update GPS, operate the service manual for the 2019 (since I can't get a printed copy), and Forscan, I don't have a windows computer or device.

 

[pentode]

From the nerd news:
Southwest Airlines escaped the outage because they’re running… Windows 3.1.

Comcast also avoided trouble because they’re running…. DOS

 

[Curious Hound]

From the nerd news:
Southwest Airlines escaped the outage because they’re running… Windows 3.1.

Comcast also avoided trouble because they’re running…. DOS

Both of them obviously conform to the "KISS" principle.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

 

[pentode]

Both of them obviously conform to the "KISS" principle.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

I tip my cap to them. To quote the cliché, “it ain’t stupid if it works”

 

[SenorNoob]

LOL. I laugh, but a company I worked for upgraded from a system that relied on punch tape to one that ran on windows 3.1 in 2012. Soo...

 

[sgtsandman]

Windows 3.1 was one of the last decent operating systems Microsoft put out. 95 and XP weren't bad but were less stable. Things really started going down hill after that.

I guess when you own over 90% of the market and people keep coming back, you only have to be mediocre to keep the market.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I tip my cap to them. To quote the cliché, “it ain’t stupid if it works”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Southwest_Airlines_scheduling_crisis

 

[pentode]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Southwest_Airlines_scheduling_crisis

Yes, I remember that- that would be the counter-argument to using 40 year old software. Better make sure your greybeards are awake and have had their coffee

 

[superj]

I used to run ubuntu, also. Had to use use wine, too. Now, ybuntu is just like windows and so easy to use

 

[97RangerXLT]

I'd be willing to bet all of that medical equipment is network connected so It can be monitored form the nurse's station up the hall. Far simpler that way. Although I'd say a hospital should have 2 separate physical networks in that case. One which connects to all of those things, and another for admissions/insurance claims. It doesn't even need to cover the whole building. just those 2 offices.

interesting thread... full disclosure: I am in IT and work for the insurance section. so yes you are correct, we do have two separate networks and setups, but both are interconnected. Our company does a pretty decent job on keeping the laptops and end user workstations updated. I have Win 11 on my laptop, and if you havent upgraded yet, count yourself lucky and tell Microshaft to pound sand when they ask you if you want to upgrade... That being said, our backend stuff that really gets things done, some of that is pretty old for software. We do upgrade to keep in service to keep security upgrades.

As for Crowdstrike, we were not horribly affected. a few of our vendors were zapped which took out their sftp servers, so we could not send or recieve files, but beyond that, pretty much nothing. My thoughts are this was an untested release, and I am not sure why it was put into production, but my guess is someone is going to be answering some hard questions in the next few days.

say it with me now...."you do NOT test in prod"

Linux. been playing with it off and on for over 25 years. first taste of it was Mandrake Linux 8.0. that was in the late 90s, got it at WalMart for 25 bucks. came with install cd and a pretty big manual. fiddled with it and dual booted it with Win 98 on a spare computer. took a lot of work to get it all working, it was not a simple set up like any windows installation, and installing any software was really difficult.

Ubuntu really changed how Linux worked. over the years it has been refined and made much simpler, and installing it on a pc/ laptop is everybit as easy as installing windows. I fyou have a newer computer, you might have to do more command line stuff to get drivers to work, but most computers that are even as new as 6 months old will be pretty straight forward install. last release I messed with was 22.04, and it was stable and easy to work with and use. I have played with WINE, got Plants vs Zombies to run pretty seemlessly on release 20.04. bigger programs are a bit more trouble. don't expect Call of Duty to run on WINE lol Ubuntu can also be packaged with a pretty decent office suite such as open office, download Chrome and you can pretty much do anything net wise, including Netflix.

some of the other flavors of Linux are also neat, but not quite as userfriendly. CentOS did not play well with a Compaq laptop that i had, could not get the wireless card to work or the printer to work, but that was back in 2014, so they might have worked those bugs out, and the laptop was old even by 2014 standards. SuSe is another one, both CentOS and SuSe are more for enterprise level, so that makes them a bit more difficult.

If you want to get started and want to play with it without ditching Windows or do a dual boot, get an 8gb USB drive and use the free program RUFUS to format and make it bootable. Download the latest stable long term release of Ubuntu, which should be 24.04, install the ISO on the USB. set your computer up for booting to a USB drive, and boot to it instead of your C:\ Windows drive. play around with it, have fun. some facts on Linux, there are three major types of kernal or styles. Debian (Ubuntu is a good example) Open SuSE (SuSE) and Red Hat (RHEL Redhat Enterprise Linux, which CentOS is a good example. all are very similar, but the way to install software and packages is different. Ubuntu will be much more like Windows.

If you do nothing more than surf the web, write a few emails, letters and basic spreadsheets, you don't need Windows, Linux will be more than enough and the OS is free. Any serious gaming, Windows is probably still your best bet. With the giant turd that is Windows 11, plus all of Microsoft's policies on privacy and even mandatory updates, I am strongly considering Linux for my next PC build.

So @fastpakr what are your thoughts for all of this, or are you being crowdstruck?

AJ

 

[superj]

ubuntu is my go to when a windows run laptop goes down. i don't do online games or anything like that so its fine and, as noted, free.

when my kids would crash their laptops, i would put ubuntu on them and they used it for school stuff. all the programs worked for turning in all their reports, even for my oldest son while he went to texas a&m while working on his bachelors.

so if you lose your os and don't want to buy another windows cd or key, just request an ubuntu cd and they will mail one to you. it used to be free but probably not anymore. still going to be cheaper than windows though.

it looks like its still free to download

Ubuntu Desktop PC operating system | Ubuntu

 

[JoshT]

ubuntu is my go to when a windows run laptop goes down. i don't do online games or anything like that so its fine and, as noted, free.

when my kids would crash their laptops, i would put ubuntu on them and they used it for school stuff. all the programs worked for turning in all their reports, even for my oldest son while he went to texas a&m while working on his bachelors.

so if you lose your os and don't want to buy another windows cd or key, just request an ubuntu cd and they will mail one to you. it used to be free but probably not anymore. still going to be cheaper than windows though.

it looks like its still free to download

Ubuntu Desktop PC operating system | Ubuntu

I'd just like to point out that, at least for Windows 10 & 11, licensing is tied to the hardware. You can reinstall no problem without having a key. The OS software itself is free to download.

For 7 and earlier, if the computer was an off the shelf unit the license code was on a label on the case. Again the OS software could be downloaded for free through MS.

I understand that it wasn't always that easy to get the software, but you could use almost any installation media you could borrow for a reinstall. It seems like at least the last 20 years you could download the installation software from Microsoft and create your own media. I recall downloading the ISOs on my parents DSL connection back in the early 00s to make master install media. It would take a day (or more) to download, but it didn't cost anything.

Not saying you have to or should keep Windows, just that "losing" or needing to reinstall an OS isn't a very good reason cause it doesn't cost anything extra.