Why do you use linux?

[Expeto]

give 3 reasons, except the open source and freedom

I use linux because;
its default tools are awesome
easy setup, no fucking drivers!
full control over my system

[masteri]

I use it because its stable it does what I want.

I also use it because its a playground for me I have servers running the same software as my home pc.

[popin]

I use it because its stable it does what I want..

I agree with you

[lightshow]

I use it because it's dumb for a real admin to spend thousands of dollars on tools that run on windows, when the Linux based tools do the same thing, have more options, and cost nothing...

Oh, when I say thousands of dollars, I actually mean some half a million dollars a year on support licenses annually for these products, since their Windows Admins don't bother asking the Unix admins for help to implement a *free* solution with a maybe small support license cost that does the *exact* same functions or even better..

</rant on corporate america>

[JackKeller]

Easy setup
No searching the web for apps
I have control over my system

That said - the open source and freedom are really the most important aspects for me. They weren't when I first switched, but over the years this has become most important.

[Expeto]

I use it because it's dumb for a real admin to spend thousands of dollars on tools that run on windows, when the Linux based tools do the same thing, have more options, and cost nothing...
I makes me chuckle when some introduces himself as windows admin. Why should an serious admin would want to use something that he can't compile from source...

[CQ1ST]

because my hard-drive failed?
no viruses.
runs damn fast too.

[WolverineDK]

I use Linux , basically because I was sick and tired of having not enough ram on my mini laptop. And when I installed Peppermint OS One on the fucker. Then the shit just worked, and everything from updating, to installing the Danish language pack to anything has been so piss easy that I would not bother with any kind of windows on a machine. That works perfectly. I do not know if that was three reasons. But it was more than enough reason, and well it works :)

[Cabalo]

I use Ubuntu on my netbook. Both due to the need for speed and HDD space restrictions.
It works nearly flawlessly, and the few problems I've come across I solved by googling them.
Its power management features are inferior to those provided by windows 7 though, no matter how much I've tweaked the installation.

[sbglobal]

I can contribute to this discussion. I have a Linux HD and Windows HD. I use Windows for most stuff, Linux for experimenting because as you said, there aren't all that many advantages. However, I just got a nasty case of the Aurora spyware that I couldn't kill, so I went to reformat the HD after backing things up. Apparently my hard-drive is partially fried and neither windows nor Linux will install on it... So I'm using Linux now exclusively until I get a new HD to put Windows on.

I'd honestly dump Windows entirely if it weren't for lack of game support/lack of good ATI drivers on Linux.

[rdtphd]

1. learning tool
2. integration and automation of tasks
3. I get frustrated when I can not get something in windows to work as smoothly as i know it does in linux

[domz]

Stable/speed and open source :)

[ronaldnelson75]

I use it on my hosting server because it is much more stable than windows os...

[Blackbeard]

I use both windows and linux as dualbooting and viritualbox. Anyway, I use it since it's open source / free not loaded with bloatware unlike microsoft, but I do wish it had steam support.

[The_Martinator]

Because my computer is pretty old and when running a certain Linux distro it does not show its age at all. And because open source kicks ass!

[Artemis]

I use both windows and linux as dualbooting and viritualbox. Anyway, I use it since it's open source / free not loaded with bloatware unlike microsoft, but I do wish it had steam support.

You need to check out codeweavers application crossover games. Although this is a paid application it supports steam and therefore the valve games that need steam to launch into online mode.
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxgames/ . I have used crossover apps for years to run Win32 emulations within Linux.

[Funkin']

Because my computer is pretty old and when running a certain Linux distro it does not show its age at all.

Same here. But even when I eventually get a brand new beefy computer I'm still going to stick with Linux.

[The_Martinator]

Same here. :P Linux fo' life. Fo' LIFE!!

Unless they screw it up somehow. Unity is a step in that direction, for instance. :S

[Artemis]

I have many uses for Linux, but one of the main reasons is as a mediacenter. XBMC runs natively under Linux ( & MacOS too) making it a truly crossplatform mediacenter application, but there is also the added bonus that you can use MythTV as a backend for a TV card under Linux which of course you cannot under Windows, thus adding live TV to XBMC.

[Xizie]

I use Linux because it frees the machine and it allows you to do anything that you want to do.

[ranger]

i use linux becasue very easy setup, no fucking drivers.

[Human_Being]

I scrapped Windows 7 for Ubuntu, go me! lol
i just dived in headfirst
screw microsluts
best desicion ever

[LemOnzoo]

i don't :)

[crepito]

Some people use linux because they want to be cool.

I've used it when Windows sucked. Now with Windows 7, that's another story.

[kallieb]

I love linux.

I still find dl'd by terminal/sudo command to be a bit confusing at times, but otherwise the pluses are fantastic

1. No need to run virus programs - always a bonus
2. Loads of free software available from synaptic package manager or Ubuntu software center. Click install voila
3. Reliable upgrades and new versions
4. Superb support available through the ubuntu community
5. WINE - allows many windows based apps to run within linux, so no need to complain that you can't use your fav windoze app while in linux
6. Last and certainly not least - it's free

Loads more reasons but enough for now :)

[Artemis]

I love linux.

I still find dl'd by terminal/sudo command to be a bit confusing at times, but otherwise the pluses are fantastic



....... WINE - allows many windows based apps to run within linux, so no need to complain that you can't use your fav windoze app while in linux


Loads more reasons but enough for now :)

Although WINE is an adequate virtualbox there are other alternatives which offer far more compatibility. Codeweavers Crossover Professional runs a huge range of Windows apps while Crossover Game gives DirectX game emulation within Linux. I have used Crossover Pro for years and have yet to find an app that I use that will not run within a container in Linux. (I use Debian/Ubuntu distro's but RPM based is also supported natively).

[kallieb]

hmmm... Good link. thanks for the suggestion

[ZANKAR]

i use it, because its virus free and easy to boot and fast, but i use it very rarely because wine doesnt have that compatibility with normal software's like auto cad, staad and ms office or tekla

[joshuatim]

First its free, second its some feature are great like multiple work screen and finally its security modules are better than any other operating system.

[harrydresden]

No Virus

[isabellajames]

It's secure. Or because it's free, because it's customizable, because it's free (the other meaning), because it has excellent community support...

[thewizeard]

..because I don't like to be used by Windows! ..Except for today, coincidentally! :)

[Il_Professore]

Less memory,awesome in terms of stability and is more important it doesnt make u lazy like windows,there is always smth to learn.

[A]

Less memory,awesome in terms of stability and is more important it doesnt make u lazy like windows,there is always smth to learn.
Yes, because something won't work to keep you busy always.

[lportho]

i use it because it's real time operating system it provide the freedom and fastest service.

[gnuCyclist]

I use it mainly because I support GNU free software philosophy. I also use it because I hate Microsoft, and because the GNU development environment is the best you'll ever find. (programming NASM assembly on Linux and interacting with the kernel is much easier than on Windows).

But I would never say that you don't have to mess up with drivers. Most devices don't have a driver on linux, only a more general open source driver. Sometimes you need to program your own drivers.

[MrFleur]

there 2 reasons to use linux :
> like lot of people : the concept of Open-data/Open-source philosophy.
> and there are the most efficient tools of all OS. if you begin to work really on the network, you must use a linux distribution.

[OlegL]

but there is also the added bonus that you can use MythTV as a backend for a TV card under Linux which of course you cannot under Windows, thus adding live TV to XBMC.

MythTV is actually a great application, and I use MythTV's backend/frontend combination (on FreeBSD) for watching live TV, Blu-rays, and other stuff. I don't use XBMC. MPlayer is also good for watching videos.

[Ronhall]

i do not use linux because i don't like it and its very complicated ...not user friendly like windows xp....

[Stabber]

I will say something that it will annoy most linux fanboys , but most the linux users use them just to brag of it . "I use linux which is hard , and geekish , therefore i feel nice with myself"

This is not general , but most of them use it for this reason . I use them on my old pc , because they ran just with 60 mb of ram (archlinux + openbox) , i do believe that linux will get great in the future if they manage to add more game support .

[OlegL]

Well, you can't exit the Windows GUI and go to a command prompt. But with BSD/Linux, you can choose what GUI you wanna use; whether you wanna use a GUI at all, and... you know what I mean...

[malek05]

1. Because i am an ESX admin and I have to know it to work the command line.
2. Because windows admin jobs are a dime a dozen in my area. The Linux/Unix jobs are easier to get and keep.
3. Because, on an administrative level, for me, it is easier to manage than windows.
4. When I first started in IT, it was the only training my company sent me to since no one else wanted to learn it.

[ItsFixed]

Viruses are less of a threat on Linux. The very way a Linux system is designed makes it very difficult for a virus to function as it does in Windows. This also applies to spyware, malware, etc. The fact that almost no viruses are written for Linux also adds a nicer sense of warmth. Wouldn’t be nice to read the almost endless stream of security holes in Windows and know it does not apply to you?

[Sporkk]

Viruses are less of a threat on Linux. The very way a Linux system is designed makes it very difficult for a virus to function as it does in Windows. This also applies to spyware, malware, etc. The fact that almost no viruses are written for Linux also adds a nicer sense of warmth. Wouldn’t be nice to read the almost endless stream of security holes in Windows and know it does not apply to you?

Even linux requires security patches and they are just as important as they are for windows. While their may not be many viruses made for linux most of the issues are browser exploits which I think a lot of are cross platform. Fwir noscript is a huge bonus to security no matter what system you use. Under windows I use sandboxie + firefox + noscript. On ubuntu I enable the default app armor profile for firefox and use noscript as well. With this setup I don't think browsing the web is anymore secure on linux than it is under windows. As for the security of your privacy things might be slightly better with linux and firefox vs chrome or anything windows.

I can do most of what I need under ubuntu which is browse the web and listen to music. I used to be a gamer but mostly stopped playing because most of the stuff out now doesn't impress me. So games aren't to much of a issue for me. I also just wanted to tinker with something different than windows. As everything becomes more browser based I find that I need to use windows less but unfortunately I haven't been able to get rid of it completely or even go virtual box as some software requires a real install like anydvd.

[Expeto]

With this setup I don't think browsing the web is anymore secure on linux than it is under windows.
You are comparing a configured windows app in sanbox and anti-virus to an linux app in almost default security. The equivalent of that windows setup would be something like SElinux+ sanbox, in such even terms linux kicks the shit out of the windows in terms of security.

[Sporkk]

I think I read somewhere that some distributions may start using selinux. I would like to create my own apparmor profile when I have time to learn how. One of the security pages I've been reading encourages noscript as your primary defense no matter what os you use and also configuring the outbound firewall which I guess is not enabled in ubuntu by default.

[Expeto]

I think I read somewhere that some distributions may start using selinux. I would like to create my own apparmor profile when I have time to learn how. One of the security pages I've been reading encourages noscript as your primary defense no matter what os you use and also configuring the outbound firewall which I guess is not enabled in ubuntu by default.

there is reason for that, even with hotkey addict like me, surfing with noscript is and unpleasant experience. Yet its also pretty educational, you get a deep understanding how how webpages work. If ubuntu makes it default it will lose users.

About disturbitions starting using SElinux, I don't think so. Enabling SElinux is painfully hard for developers, I don't think any volunteer based project is willing to spend precious resources on it. Afaic, only distro packs SElinux decently is fedora, as it has the support of redhat enterprise linux which allows its to spend time on SElinux. Unlike apparmor of grsecurity, SElinux bloody hard to operate too, which is understandable keeping in mind the flexibility and power its policies can offer.

[froz5]

Linux helps you get rid of viruses, worms, and other computer infections..Although it is possible to get infected even with Linux (malware is mainly written for Windows), its system architecture, based on a server-client relationship makes it difficult for a virus to do any damage..

[Stabber]

I don't mind using linux , i've been using arch for years . But i do hate when people use them just to brag about it "Hey look , i 've linux which is harder than windows " even though they are using ubuntu which my grandma could use them . Each OS has it's pros and cons , i use linux on my ancient pc because they are light on resources , and makes my system more stable and faster

[Frankthetank1]

I use it on my laptop. Duel boot with winblows. I am learning and trying to figure out how to hack my neighbors wifi at the same time. I have to say I am not doing a good job.

[froz5]

I use linux as a database server at work because it is free and has all the things I need built in to properly manage my UNIX database server..It also doesn't get infected by all the silly windows virus..

[applepie94]

1. it's free and all the programs you need are open source
2. runs lightening fast. ubuntu is so much faster than my windows.
3. fully customizable and i have full control over my system
4. no viruses!

[c_woolley]

I use Linux because certain apps run better specific to Linux. I use Windows because certain apps run better on Windows. Don't have a problem with either. I avoid using a hammer as a screwdriver. Pick your tools and use them.

[vserve]

of course your right

[iStatiK]

1. *NIX is superior simply because it's open source
2. It runs on just about any hardware
3. It's not a resource hog
4. ..........Do i aboslutely need one more?

[Bugsy99]

I use linux
simple
easy
full control

[klonengan]

I'm using linux for security reason

[chitra19]

I prefer linux because it is the very customisable Operating system one and everything works on CGI here. It's the relevant one as per my concern.

[ameliewakelin]

I use because of its security.

[Dostoevsky]

Mint is very easy to navigate along with having far less headaches.

[froz3]

I primarily use Linux, because I find it handy for doing my computing science assignments. The built in terminal memory leak checkers, g++ compilers, and other goodies really come in handy when you want to do scripting, programming, or anything else along those lines. I also use Linux for the fun of it , but when I'm not doing one of the things I listed above, I'll most likely switch off to Windows 7..

[swatihotels]

I totally disagree with you crazy... I have been using Linux on my desktop and Laptop and other computers since an year now and I never had any complaints from any user of the computers.. Ubuntu is a distro made for beginners though it is getting worse day be day.

[Artemis]

Mint is very easy to navigate along with having far less headaches.

A warning for new players: Since the discontinuation of development of the Gnome desktop by it's developers there have been offshoots by other developers. Since Linuxmint was developed on the Gnome desktop this has left them in a quandary and they have released Linuxmint 13 in two flavors. The most stable and widely used is NATE based on Gnome desktop environment 2.0 but with improvements. Linuxmint and others though have been developing an eyecandy GUI based on Gnome called Cinammon. Cinamnon is currently up to development release 1.4, but it is a development release, it REQUIRES a 3D hardware accelerator card and is still buggy and bleeding edge. So before we rush off and download the latest wizzy desktop be warned!
If you are going to download Linuxmint 13 your safest bet is to download the NATE 1.2 image.

[hamasha]

it's free :D

[putul54]

Thanks for the searing I also use linux because
Its default tools are awesome
Easy setup, no fucking drivers
Full control over my system.