Hi everyone. So in the past, my relationship with Linux consisted mostly of running distros in virtual machines or dual-booting. But I finally decided to get a little more serious — I purchased a refurbished Dell OptiPlex and put Ubuntu on it, so it’s a dedicated machine.
The Dell came with a Core 2 Duo, 4 GB of RAM, and a 160 GB traditional (platter) hard drive. I put an additional 4 GB of RAM in it and also installed a dedicated (but entry-level) graphics card.
I’ve got to say, setting up was very easy and Ubuntu has been running well. The only criticism is it would be faster with an SSD, obviously, but I had to stop somewhere. Doing basic gaming on it is a piece of cake (I even have Steam installed).
I’m pleased with how popular apps are becoming more available. Spotify, for instance. And I can access other things via the web, like my OneNote notes.
So what’s the point of all this? Tech curiosity, mainly, and to be able to say I’m familiar with more platforms than just Windows. Linux’s UNIX underpinnings are quite fascinating the more I study it.
I’ve even started porting some of the games I’ve written to Linux. So this is the farthest I’ve ever gone with it. How about you guys — are you curious about Linux, or do you use it yourself in your own life? How about those of you that prefer it and use it at home, and just Microsoft stuff at work? Any, heh, “switchers?”
Some pics:
skane2600
<p>If you do port your games to Linux, I'd be interested in how the experience of making your games available to the general Linux public goes (assuming your games aren't just for your personal use). </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#191330"><em>In reply to ErichK:</em></a></blockquote><p>Thanks for the response. So currently potential users need to know about your software page or find your programs on MediaFire (which I didn't know about). It's good that there are methods for making Linux software available outside "official" channels.</p><p><br></p><p>I appreciate that you make your software available for free, although it would be nice to know that people can make a living writing software as an independent (I'm sure there's a few).</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#191364"><em>In reply to ErichK:</em></a></blockquote><p>It seems like succeeding would be like winning the lottery. I doubt that the level of effort put in would make all that much difference. I suspect that most people who make a living writing apps are being paid to create business apps that the company offers to the public for free.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#192119"><em>In reply to jimchamplin:</em></a></blockquote><p>There's no technical definition of "underpinnings", but there's no doubt that Linux would not exist if there hadn't been Unix. While kernels are obviously important ultimately an OS is judged by it's overall characteristics. </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#194921"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>I fail to see the relevance of your questions to the issue at hand. I'm not making any claims here with regard to those other OS's. </p><p><br></p><p>I'm not sure what you were getting at in your last paragraph but Wine is failure as a general purpose way to run Windows programs on Linux and its failure was inevitable. </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#196458"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>WTF does "portable" have to do with it? Success would mean being able to run ALL Windows programs. It never has and never will. That's why the developers have a database of Windows programs that can run using it.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#200751"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>I didn't say that there aren't uses for wine. I said "Wine is failure as a general purpose way to run Windows programs on Linux" which it is.</p><p><br></p><p>Backward compatibility is a different issue, but wine can't run all Windows programs no matter what version of Windows those programs were targeting.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#201244"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>Please read carefully "Wine is failure as a GENERAL PURPOSE way to run Windows programs on Linux" emphasis added. </p><p><br></p><p>Your personal experience running some Windows applications on Linux using wine is not in any way in conflict with my statement. </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#203233"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>"For you general purpose means able to run any & every piece of Windows software? If so, only Windows itself would be general purpose."</p><p><br></p><p>That's why I said the failure was inevitable. It's not a knock on wine developers. Windows Services for Linux would also fail given the same criteria (i.e. run any and every Linux program). The only difference is that users of WSFL for the most part only care about a fixed subset of Linux anyway. </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#204128"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>First definition on Google of "general purpose":</p><p><br></p><p>"having a range of potential uses; not specialized in function or design."</p><p><br></p><p>I would consider targeting specific Windows programs while not supporting them all "specialized in function or design", but you might disagree. </p><p><br></p><p>The point is that if someone asked you if they could run their Windows programs on Linux using wine you couldn't answer definitively without knowing which programs or perhaps trying it out. Early PC clones had the same problem with partial incompatibility with the IBM PC and it was only after they achieved true compatibility that the market took off.</p><p><br></p>