I am a long term Mac user who had an old PC lying around and decided to put linux (Mandrake) on it. I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and I wanted a machine that would serve files to both my Macs, and my girlfriends PCs, serve web pages, and be an FTP server. I figured it was also a good way to learn a little unix without F*ing up my mac. And what the heck, it was free. I approached it with open mind to see if I wanted to maybe switch.
Being a Mac user I will try to be unbiased, but as its what I know (I also know Windows well, but won't go there), it will be part of my perspective. I am not a programmer or administrator (just a serious user), so go easy on any misinformation I unknowingly spread.
Getting the thing working on a basic level wasn't too bad (considering I knew nothing about it). Not as easy as a Mac mind you, but not bad. I could run applications, change settings from the GUI, etc. Getting the thing to recognize the ethernet card and see the internet took me an extra day, though.
Now to add some services. Being a GUI person, the command line was pretty foreign to me (just figuring out to use VI to edit took me a bit). After a couple of days I could get around fairly well, and could edit config files and the like (but not without a manual). After about six days and only one shower, I had SMB, NFS, FTP, and Apache working reasonably well. I still use this server! It runs without complaint 24/7.
Then I ran it through its paces as a desktop machine. I wanted to know if I could switch to free linux. After downloading and running every piece of (yes, free) software I could, I tried to see if I could comfortably switch. I use my computers extensively for my business, and would certainly be considered a power user. I have a lot to get done.
Would I switch? No. I found nearly every important app to be inferior to what I was using. I found I was totally spoiled by the consistency of the Mac Human Interface Guidelines. Every linux app I used seemed to have an interface unlike any other. Even the OS was inconsistent.
Yes, it does everything one would need a computer to do (for the most part), and it is stable, fast, and free. However, in my business, I bill directly for my time. I must look at it like every hour I waste on the computer, is an hour of lost wage (in the week I spent figuring out linux, I could have bought a Ti book fully loaded). The time spent under the linux hood, and the lost productivity from inconsistent and often confusing applications, make linux TOO EXPENSIVE for me to run.
I think the open source community is to be respected and applauded, and I see OSX, linux, and unix side by side (by side) as alternatives to Monopoly. However, I also think too many chefs spoil the dish. Without a more singular approach to user design, I don't think linux will ever be a really viable desktop, its too much of a hodgepodge of conflicting ideas and ideals.
That said, I think linux has a definite place. Both in the enterprise and in the geek set. As I said, I am still using my linux server. The only problem I have with it, is that when something actually does go wrong, its been so long since I've messed with it, that I have to resort to manuals and notes to figure out what I did to it originally.
I understand that full time linux user will know far more about the machine than I ever did. And those whose job it is to tinker with an OS all day will have a far different need and perspective. However, my bottom line opinion is this:
Linux as a server? Yes. Linux as a desktop? No.
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Linux as a server, not as a desktop. I second that motion.
I am a long term Mac user who had an old PC lying around and decided to put linux (Mandrake) on it. I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and I wanted a machine that would serve files to both my Macs, and my girlfriends PCs, serve web pages, and be an FTP server. I figured it was also a good way to learn a little unix without F*ing up my mac. And what the heck, it was free. I approached it with open mind to see if I wanted to maybe switch. Being a Mac user I will try to be unbiased, but as its what I know (I also know Windows well, but won't go there), it will be part of my perspective. I am not a programmer or administrator (just a serious user), so go easy on any misinformation I unknowingly spread. Getting the thing working on a basic level wasn't too bad (considering I knew nothing about it). Not as easy as a Mac mind you, but not bad. I could run applications, change settings from the GUI, etc. Getting the thing to recognize the ethernet card and see the internet took me an extra day, though. Now to add some services. Being a GUI person, the command line was pretty foreign to me (just figuring out to use VI to edit took me a bit). After a couple of days I could get around fairly well, and could edit config files and the like (but not without a manual). After about six days and only one shower, I had SMB, NFS, FTP, and Apache working reasonably well. I still use this server! It runs without complaint 24/7. Then I ran it through its paces as a desktop machine. I wanted to know if I could switch to free linux. After downloading and running every piece of (yes, free) software I could, I tried to see if I could comfortably switch. I use my computers extensively for my business, and would certainly be considered a power user. I have a lot to get done. Would I switch? No. I found nearly every important app to be inferior to what I was using. I found I was totally spoiled by the consistency of the Mac Human Interface Guidelines. Every linux app I used seemed to have an interface unlike any other. Even the OS was inconsistent. Yes, it does everything one would need a computer to do (for the most part), and it is stable, fast, and free. However, in my business, I bill directly for my time. I must look at it like every hour I waste on the computer, is an hour of lost wage (in the week I spent figuring out linux, I could have bought a Ti book fully loaded). The time spent under the linux hood, and the lost productivity from inconsistent and often confusing applications, make linux TOO EXPENSIVE for me to run. I think the open source community is to be respected and applauded, and I see OSX, linux, and unix side by side (by side) as alternatives to Monopoly. However, I also think too many chefs spoil the dish. Without a more singular approach to user design, I don't think linux will ever be a really viable desktop, its too much of a hodgepodge of conflicting ideas and ideals. That said, I think linux has a definite place. Both in the enterprise and in the geek set. As I said, I am still using my linux server. The only problem I have with it, is that when something actually does go wrong, its been so long since I've messed with it, that I have to resort to manuals and notes to figure out what I did to it originally. I understand that full time linux user will know far more about the machine than I ever did. And those whose job it is to tinker with an OS all day will have a far different need and perspective. However, my bottom line opinion is this: Linux as a server? Yes. Linux as a desktop? No.