Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

Would you have switched to use Debian or any other .... ?

Here you can discuss every aspect of Debian. Note: not for support requests!
Message
Author
runfrodorun
Posts: 202
Joined: 2013-06-19 05:09

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#41 Post by runfrodorun »

Been trying to get my old ma to switch for a while. She cares about not having her data stolen, so I'm like well... that does seem to be the goal of windows 10.

But since that's not enough to make her switch I don't know what is. Good luck converting users to linux! :twisted: :twisted:

edit: OP post is a bit confusing, can't really tell if you're asking if users would switch to linux or from it. I interperited it as to linux. from linux? hell no they're trying to make me use windows at work and I'm not having it. I'm beating down my own path with linux, running the very few things I need with a virtual machine with fake names and stuff

-RJ
Much opinionated.
Some abrasive.
No systemd.
Wow.

Randicus
Posts: 2663
Joined: 2011-05-08 09:11

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#42 Post by Randicus »

runfrodorun wrote:edit: OP post is a bit confusing, can't really tell if you're asking if users would switch to linux or from it.
Oh yeah, real confusing.
Would you have switched to use Debian or any other distribution if you were to decide right now with the current stability, quality and dependability of MS Window 7, 8 and 10?
Would you have ... (Past tense.)
switched to use Debian (How can switch to be confused with switch from?)

User avatar
GarryRicketson
Posts: 5644
Joined: 2015-01-20 22:16
Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#43 Post by GarryRicketson »

edbarx wrote:Would you have switched to use Debian or any other distribution

I think, my switch from MS Windows was partly due to the fact that at the time of my switch MS Windows was plagued with insecurity and scumware. By scumware I mean, viruses, malware, etc. Open source projects exist for MS Windows as well, this would have meant, the probability of switching would have been far lower. But I am a tinkerer to a limited extent and that also adds to the motivation of using something that allows tinkering.
When I started looking for a unix like system that could run on a PC, I was using MS DOS,
Windows 3.0 was released, but the computer I had could not run it, later I got a newer computer, it came with ms dos 6.22, and also the install disks for windows 3.1, but did not like it, it crashed, so I re-installed the ms dos 6.2, but did not bother with the "windows", I liked the way unix systems appeared and worked, when I was connected , online to a unix system, so I started looking into a unix like system, at that time,
however due to certain circumstances, I completely stopped using any computers, for several years, this was about 1997, about 4 or 5 years later, 2002, aprox. My boss at work bought me a laptop, it came with windows XP pre-installed, I did not like it, it seemed even worse then the earliest versions of windows, and was disappointed, with it, "Where is the Dos prompt ?",..I did find a "terminal" of sorts, but any way, windows xp crashed, I installed "FreeDos", then a friend after reading a comment I made about I would prefer unix, but there were no versions for a PC, well the friend suggested trying linux, so I did, the first "distro" I tried is/was called "knoppix"
then later I tried xubuntu, mint10, when they discontinued support for mint 10, I reluctantly installed mint 13, never really liked it, so that is what led me to try Debian, Squeeze was the current stable release,.. any way, based on what I read when doing searches etc, and also from what I have seen on the rare occasion that I have to use a computer at a library or internet cafe, where they are using windows,
""if you were to decide right now with the current stability, quality and dependability of MS Window 7, 8 and 10?" There is nothing to show or convince me that these most recent versions of windows are stable, and they do not appear to be of quality, nor dependable,...they seem to be as bad or even worse then the earlier versions.
I know most people seem to like windows, and it is the "most popular", but if I had to decide right now, I still would not use a MS windows OS, ...they are bad news, it is malware.

runfrodorun
Posts: 202
Joined: 2013-06-19 05:09

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#44 Post by runfrodorun »

Randicus wrote:
runfrodorun wrote:edit: OP post is a bit confusing, can't really tell if you're asking if users would switch to linux or from it.
Oh yeah, real confusing.
Would you have switched to use Debian or any other distribution if you were to decide right now with the current stability, quality and dependability of MS Window 7, 8 and 10?
Would you have ... (Past tense.)
switched to use Debian (How can switch to be confused with switch from?)
It seemed like a lot of people were answering as switch from... plays games with your head. plus where the question's being asked- context matters ;)
Randicus wrote:
runfrodorun wrote:edit: OP post is a bit confusing, can't really tell if you're asking if users would switch to linux or from it.
Oh yeah, real confusing.
Would you have switched to use Debian or any other distribution if you were to decide right now with the current stability, quality and dependability of MS Window 7, 8 and 10?
Would you have ... (Past tense.)
switched to use Debian (How can switch to be confused with switch from?)
No need to get sassy man, totally unnecessary. Even if I'm having a bad day and said something totally wrong, you wouldn't want me to treat you like this... and this isn't one of those cases ;)

-RJ

P.S. had an excrutiating experience with windows 7 the other day... something was up with the power management on a friend's laptop or something. From boot up to shut down, all of about one hour, the PC was so excrutiatingly slow it would take upwards of ten minutes to open things like the file manager or the start menu. I teared up a little bit because I was so proud of microsoft for trying, even if they tripped and crapped their pants!

edit: Totally quoted the wrong person.
Last edited by runfrodorun on 2015-09-15 20:21, edited 2 times in total.
Much opinionated.
Some abrasive.
No systemd.
Wow.

User avatar
@zephyr
Posts: 18
Joined: 2014-09-17 21:34
Location: Apache, Oklahoma USA

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#45 Post by @zephyr »

I keep a copy of Windows 98, 2000, XP,Vista & windumb 7 as coasters for my coffee or beer. -zephyr
ZephyrLinux

spacex
Posts: 637
Joined: 2015-01-17 01:27

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#46 Post by spacex »

pendrachken wrote: Let's actually be fair here:

That isn't Windows, that is OEMs. If you install from Microsoft Install Media you don't get any of that ( at least on versions prior to 10 for 100% sure ).
Unless you look at the Windows Store as commercial crap, and also all the Windows apps that tries to get you to pay for games, music, videos etc... This crap started in W8, and has continued in W8.1 and W10.

millpond
Posts: 698
Joined: 2014-06-25 04:56

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#47 Post by millpond »

spacex wrote:
pendrachken wrote: Let's actually be fair here:

That isn't Windows, that is OEMs. If you install from Microsoft Install Media you don't get any of that ( at least on versions prior to 10 for 100% sure ).
Unless you look at the Windows Store as commercial crap, and also all the Windows apps that tries to get you to pay for games, music, videos etc... This crap started in W8, and has continued in W8.1 and W10.
\

Can you chop it out?

I have a Win7-64 machine that looks and acts much like Win2K.

spacex
Posts: 637
Joined: 2015-01-17 01:27

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#48 Post by spacex »

millpond wrote:
spacex wrote:
pendrachken wrote: Let's actually be fair here:

That isn't Windows, that is OEMs. If you install from Microsoft Install Media you don't get any of that ( at least on versions prior to 10 for 100% sure ).
Unless you look at the Windows Store as commercial crap, and also all the Windows apps that tries to get you to pay for games, music, videos etc... This crap started in W8, and has continued in W8.1 and W10.
\

Can you chop it out?

I have a Win7-64 machine that looks and acts much like Win2K.
You can chop out some of it. You can uninstall some of the apps, others can only be hidden, but the Windows-store remains. Another issue is that there is no decent free mediaplayer, as MS has wanted to get rid of WMP. I ended up installing VLC. You don't get Windows Movie Player either, and there is no decent replacements in the store. But in the end, with a lot of tweaking and the use of free software like VLC, Gimp and others, I'm finally satisfied...

But the startmenu are rather pointless. I have removed all the tiles, and shrinked the startmenu as much as possible.

dcruse2
Posts: 1
Joined: 2016-04-20 22:31

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#49 Post by dcruse2 »

Would you have switched to use Debian or any other distribution if you were to decide right now with the current stability, quality and dependability of MS Window 7, 8 and 10?

I see this as a question for current users of windows. Yet all I see are replies from current Linux/Unix users. Many of whom are using the opportunity to rant about how bad windows is.
That being said,
I as a current windows user, I will reply with a valid answer to the OP.
Would I have switched to use Debian or any other Distro, If I was to decide right now, with the knowledge I have right now as to the dependability stability and quality of windows?
The answer is no.
Let me explain why.
I started using computers in the days of DOS 6.22. I went from there to Win 3.1 and 3.11 but kept DOS because most games in that day were DOS only and had there own .bat to run them.
I went to Windows 95 and it had DOS compatibility for games and more games were coming out for windows than DOS. then I went to windows 98 and eventually windows xp. I now run Windows 7 and have windows 10 installed on a partition so I don't miss out on the freebie of windows 10 install.
I have always been looking and keeping my eyes on Linux since the days of windows 95, and I even have Ubuntu/ mint/ and Gnewsense installed on my older computers just in case Linux finally decides to get serious about gaming.

Now 99% of my friends all have computers, of those 100% has their computer for email, web, and gaming.
I am the only one who seems to have an interest in Linux for the simple fact and the average normal user of computers are just that, computer users. not programmers coders or script writers. All of us game and that is our reason to buy and build computers. in windows you click a button to download and install a game. you wait a while and then click the icon on the desktop to play that game . and It works no muss no fuss. In Linux, you browse the entire internet for something called a binary. then you get to the list of 40+ files you have to click and download individually and then there is still nothing to click and run to play until you compile and create your own thing to launch the file. and then your driver don't work correctly and you have to tweak and turn down settings just to play it at best with no sound and at extremely low FPS.
So would I switch? no . because Linux just don't work with games. and everyone I know that has a computer will not use it either because of that very reason.
I love how Linux is free and more secure and faster and more streamlined as an operating system.... However me and everyone I know use computers for gaming and until Linux gets serious about gamers and gaming, I will just sit in the background and keep my eye on Linux and wait. Linux has a very small piece of the pie of computer users and they will explode into the biggest when they finally decide on getting serious about ease of use packaging, 1 click installations and gaming. Microsoft has already pissed everyone off to no end and everyone is just waiting for someone with the balls to start filling the same role that winblows has right now.
So will I switch in the future? that depends on how high up on the to do list the Linux gods put gaming and ease of use.

montagdude
Posts: 26
Joined: 2016-03-19 22:18

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#50 Post by montagdude »

If I wanted something slow, virus prone, with a crappy command line shell, that assumes I'm an idiot, that reverts my settings every time I update, that collects information about me without notifying me, and in general refuses to let me do what I want with it, I'd go back to Windows. Since I don't want my computer to do any of those things, I don't use Windows. Sure, it lets you play more games, but I have more worthwhile things to do anyway, like posting on Internet forums. ;)

User avatar
GarryRicketson
Posts: 5644
Joined: 2015-01-20 22:16
Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#51 Post by GarryRicketson »

by dcruse2 »
I see this as a question for current users of windows. Yet all I see are replies from current Linux/Unix users. Many of whom are using the opportunity to rant about how bad windows is.
That being said,
I as a current windows user,---
Well your wrong , in more ways then you may realize, but the main thing you are wrong about, the question was asked on a Debian forum, directed toward current Debian users. And so it only makes sense that we would be taking the opportunity, to discuss our reasons for using Debian or a Linux system.
The question was NOT addressed to current windows users,...that have nothing better to do then troll linux forums, posting overly long ,RANTS and play games with their pathetic windows, which is use less for any real work, or useful purpose.
My kid uses Xbox for his games,.... but for serious things of value and use, like his school work and home work, it is all on his Debian powered laptop.
by dcruse2 »All of us game and that is our reason to buy and build computers.
Not "us" , speak for your self and your fellow windows users. Games are a waste of time, and disk space, I don't have any use for them.
Nobody really cares if you switch in the future, and no I still would not switch to windows, for the same reasons I never started using it, it is crap, un-reliable, and useless. Besides that, when windows first started, it was not even a real , complete operting system, it could not even boot by it's self, and as far as I know it still is not a real OS, it depends on some kind of DOS to boot, and now some "cloud" on the internet for it's programs.
So as far as I am concerned windows is not even a real OS . It is just a useless game, program.

MALsPa
Posts: 678
Joined: 2007-12-07 19:20
Location: albuquerque
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#52 Post by MALsPa »

I found out about Linux after (and, I think, because of) running various open source apps in Windows XP. XP wasn't so bad for me -- I kept the system running pretty well. I don't think it would have made any difference, in my case, if I had already used Windows 7, 8, and 10. I think I was gonna be attracted to open source and Linux anyway.

Interesting comments above about gaming. A lot of the things I hear/read from gamers make me glad that I'm not one. Well, I guess I was a different kind of "gamer" back in the day -- going to pinball arcades back in the 70s, playing basketball, tennis, etc., playing cards, and board games (chess, backgammon, and many others). 8)

After I'd been using Linux for a while, I put my XP computer in a back room, and about the only thing I did on it was maintenance, bringing in Windows updates and so forth. The kids used it to play games. They got older and I got rid of Windows. Except I have to use it a bit at work.

User avatar
NFT5
df -h | grep > 20TiB
df -h | grep > 20TiB
Posts: 597
Joined: 2014-10-10 11:38
Location: Canberra, Australia
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 43 times

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#53 Post by NFT5 »

Kind of interesting that this has resurfaced just now.

I've just finished a build for my sister who's old 2 core machine was struggling with vast photo libraries, insufficient RAM and HDD space and Vista! The new box isn't state of the art, but 4 cores at 3.2GHz coupled with 8GB RAM and 2TB HDD space will solve her problem. She wanted Windows, so I installed Win7.

Wasn't that an eye opener? Nice slick looking interface but slow as a wet week and constantly behaves as though it's freezing. Isn't, but just doesn't tell you that it needs a couple of minutes to open a window. Windows Update? How about 2 days to download and install. Seriously, XP was better than that..

I've had 8.1 and just hated it. Doesn't work the way I do.

So, to OP's question. Would I have made the switch? Yes, I believe so. Windows looks slick and one thing I really do like is the consistency in the GUI interface. But it's clunky, slow and uncommunicative, with the later versions getting worse, not better.

Oh yeah, and bloated. 25.8GB for a basic Win7 installation without any programs to actually do stuff.

User avatar
GarryRicketson
Posts: 5644
Joined: 2015-01-20 22:16
Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#54 Post by GarryRicketson »

Yea, and that is just windows 7, windows 10 is even worse.
Recently, I visited a brother of mine, he has been using windows all along, ever since it started.
When I showed him the difference in what I can do with Debian wheezy on my lap top, compared to the piece of mal ware they have (windows 10),...he got real interested in learning more about Linux, I have no experience with windows 10, and very little with the older versions, even when the earliest versions were released I noticed immediately it was not a good program.
I did try them, after all the advertising, etc. they made it sound like they had come up with "Gods gift to the computer world",...however it is not a "gift", it is a gimmick, and very expensive one at that.
How ever it was not that hard to see how bad the new MS software, called MS windows really is, and I did not continue with it. It was and is just a "gimmick"
I did not have any need for it any way, besides that unix had multi tasking, and windows managers, before MS even started to think about it.
Linux started using windows managers as well,... there is no real use or need for MS windows, nor their other products.

So I did not switch from the OS I had, which was DOS, and later I switched from the MS DOS, to "Free Dos", and then Linux, at first Linux combined, "dual boot" with Free Dos, once I became more confident in Linux, and could see that it is a very REAL OS, and can run just fine independently .
Plus it can be built on, programs, and apps, are easily created, and can be easily installed, via a excellent packaging system .

My brothers wife, went straight from Unix to Mac, and OSx, any way, she also does not like MS and would not switch, to it even if you paid her .
Another thing that impressed my brother was how easy it is to maintain Debian, and keep it clean,secure and virus free,..from what he told me it is a monthly affair updating the ant-virus software, and it is expensive.
He all ready was aware of the Mac , also not needing all the additional support software, like Windows needs. It is not a complete OS, and can not be kept secure and up to date with out additional software, that you have to pay more money, and keep paying,...money money money, that is all MS and their Windows mal ware is about.
No way, would I switch to it., never , never , never. But there are tons of reasons for those that have not yet switched to something better, and are still ignorantly using the expensive mal ware, there are tons of good reasons to switch to a Unix like OS, or linux distro of their choice, and it is well worth the trouble of taking the time to learn how to install, and maintain a REAL OS.
Set their selves free, nobody is being forced to be owned and controlled by MS, the "majority" go into bondage ,ignorantly but voluntarily, due to the deception , and misguidance that is from a massive propaganda, advertising, and marketing scam.
The goal of MS is to produce a world wide monopoly, controlling all of the software and computer systems , world wide. MS wants to become the "One World Power" People just do not see that, or do not want to.

User avatar
Danielsan
Posts: 659
Joined: 2010-10-10 22:36
Has thanked: 5 times

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#55 Post by Danielsan »

I am still thinking to switch on freebsd... Since systemd I have a lot of weird issues with my computers and actually I have never heard anyone make an appreciation on systemd...

User avatar
edbarx
Posts: 5401
Joined: 2007-07-18 06:19
Location: 35° 50 N, 14 º 35 E
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#56 Post by edbarx »

Danielsan wrote:I am still thinking to switch on freebsd... Since systemd I have a lot of weird issues with my computers and actually I have never heard anyone make an appreciation on systemd...
Ssssssssssssssh, don't blaspheme! Defragmenting GNU/Linux, as in repairing a broken object, is the new Holy Grail.
Debian == { > 30, 000 packages }; Debian != systemd
The worst infection of all, is a false sense of security!
It is hard to get away from CLI tools.

lukas
Posts: 87
Joined: 2011-07-30 15:43

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#57 Post by lukas »

Danielsan wrote:I am still thinking to switch on freebsd... Since systemd I have a lot of weird issues with my computers and actually I have never heard anyone make an appreciation on systemd...
Well: you could use sysv instead systemd while using debian. You could also use one of the distros which gives you the option to avoid systemd altogether, including the libs (refracta being one based on debian, devuan seems to be close to release too, etc. So no need to learn new tricks). FreeBSD ist a good option, of course, just saying.

btw and back to the OP: since systemd i wouldn't hesitate to use windows. Seems like the choice between this crap or that crap. Thing is: i would have to relearn some things, which i don't want (that is: i didn't switch from Windows to Debian or Gnu/Linux ... ).

SavoyRoad
Posts: 9
Joined: 2016-02-27 15:20

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#58 Post by SavoyRoad »

I used to be a huge Mac guy back in the day, and only in the past few years have turned to GNU/Linux after increasing dissatisfaction with how Apple was treating Mac OS. With that, I've never been a fan of Windows either, and my use of it at work and past times as a dual boot have cemented me not going back to it.

There would be no way you could ever get me to use Windows on any of my personal computers, and although I have no choice at work with what I use (yay business world...), my past dislike and especially all the privacy issues they're swamped with now will never convince me to try them out.

User avatar
HuangLao
Posts: 485
Joined: 2015-01-27 01:31
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#59 Post by HuangLao »

My two fav. GNU/Linux distros are Slackware and Debian, also fav. OS's of any kind. Only use Windows once per year for tax purposes since the program is not ported to Linux and I abhor the idea of inputing info. like that through a browser.

So, I guess my answer is I would still use Debian and Slackware/Salix. Windows is a no go, don't care for Apple too much either, although I do appreciate the iPad that was a gift. ;)

User avatar
sjukfan
Posts: 386
Joined: 2010-03-01 19:39

Re: Would you have switched to use Debian or any other ....

#60 Post by sjukfan »

I mainly used OS/2 from '96 to '01. Then it was XP and I thought it was OK-ish because it didn't get to much in my way and I could swap out parts that I didn't like. '09 I tried Windows 7 for a week before I did the final move to Debian. Stability is just one part for me, I also want to be able to chose how the operating system should look and behave.

When I think of it I still use the button order from OS/2.
Image
Bullseye amd64, AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Buster amd64, Intel Xeon E3-1240 v3
Sid ppc, PowerPC 7447a
Sid ppc64, PowerPC 970FX

Post Reply