Linux

[Heathen Dawn]

Your definition of free software is pretty screwed up...

My definition?! The link leads to the Free Software Foundation’s stance on the matter.

you mean to say open source.

Big difference between free and open source.

There’s free software, there’s open-source software and there’s zero-priced software. Free software is free for everyone to contribute in development. Open-source is usually free, but some open-source licences are restrictive and the FSF warns against them. Zero-priced is just that, with a tag price of zero, and may be free, open-source, shareware, proprietary or anything else.

 

[godscreation8888]

I think it goes the other way. Open-source software allows everyone to download and everyone has access to the source code. Everyone may rewrite the code and then redistribute, for free, for everyone, no restrictions on anything. Free software is just software thats free, but it doesn't allow a person to edit. Yet looking at the three, they are all basically the same thing. One last thing, thanks everyone for posting, this definitely changed my decision on whether to get Linux or not.

 

[simchat_torah]

godscreation is correct.

 

[simchat_torah]

So what's the decision godscreation?

 

[Heathen Dawn]

Open-source software allows everyone to download and everyone has access to the source code.

Allows everyone to download, or to receive for a fee.

Everyone may rewrite the code and then redistribute, for free, for everyone, no restrictions on anything.

Not necessarily “for free.” And some open-source licences do impose restrictions.

Free software is just software thats free, but it doesn't allow a person to edit.

Incorrect. Free software comes with permission to download, or to receive for a fee; with an obligation of source-code availability; and with permission to modify the source-code and produce derivative code. Open-source includes free software but not vice versa (ie some open-source software is not free).

One last thing, thanks everyone for posting, this definitely changed my decision on whether to get Linux or not.

What did you decide?

 

[Egroeg]

I built my system on Linux From Scratch 5.0 and Beyond Linux From Scratch. If I ever have free time, I'll probably build another, even cleaner distribution.

I run:
Desktop environment: XFce
Web browser: Mozilla Firefox until I can find something smaller, faster, and more stable
Office suite: OpenOffice.org
IM client: Gaim
Media player: MPlayer
Graphics: The GIMP
Samba for sharing files with my parents' computers.
F-Prot for anti-virus, just because I'm paranoid.

I like my GNU/Linux system because I can control exactly what the computer is doing at all times. I'm not forced to install any unnecessary software, and my system is only as bloated as I choose to make it. (Right now, my Pentium II system from 1998 outperforms my father's Pentium 4 system -- same amount of RAM, three times the CPU speed, much better BIOS -- for Web browsing, office applications, even media playback on a good day.)

Add that to the fact that it's cheaper than buying (or subscribing to) M$ products.

 

[pgp_protector]

Just starting to play with linux again,

Running it on an AMD 1600+, 1Gig ram & 140Gig of HD space & an old Nvidia Gfx card.

Got SUSE 9.1 installed (FTP Download Version {app 7 Gig download. Thank God for broadband})

Got appachie , PHP , and MySQL running, still need to configure the E-Mail, SAMBA, and a DNS for inhouse work.

Would like to get it running properly so one day I might be able to get a better connection & stop paying for hosting
Right now my current sites use about 1 Gig of bandwith a month (peek)

 

[Swart]

Fedora Core 1.

I have used Suse, Mandrake, OpenLinux and Knoppix. I have yet to try Lindows. I struggle with Debian.

Red Hat/fedora is best all round IMO. Suse is best for servers. Mandrake is a better desktop distribution. Debian is good for embedded systems, routers, VPN etc. Lindows is for those who'd rather be using Windows. Knoppix is excellent for booting from a CD - it allows you to run Linux on any Windows system without prior setup. Put in the CD, off you go! Combined with a USB pen drive, and you can use anyones Windows system as your own personal Linux box!

 

[godscreation8888]

I have decided to wait, live out Microsoft for a little longer, see how the new versions look. Once again, thanks everyone.

 

[Swart]

I have decided to wait, live out Microsoft for a little longer, see how the new versions look. Once again, thanks everyone.

There has never been a better time to make the switch. When you buy a new system, specify "No Windows please" and you will save a bundle. For your existing system, download or get a copy of a Knoppix bootable CD, then you can run both on your system without any modifications!