Confessions of a Linux Fan: 10 Things You Might Want To Know Before Switching Over To Linux

<H3 class=post-title>Confessions of a Linux Fan: 10 Things You Might Want To Know Before Switching Over To Linux </H3><DIV class=post-header-line-1></DIV><DIV class=post-body>



Linux fans (myself included) love to argue to Windows users how much better the Linuxes are than Microsoft Windows. Now don't get me wrong, I am not posting this to disprove that Linuxes, <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_0>BSD's</SPAN>, or any of the *nixes are better than Windows, they really are. However (and there's always a however) we tend to be very selective on what we tell you when it comes to the minor details. Take this as a confession, as an admission of those details you might not necessarily like about Linux.

<SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">1. The basic installation of most mainstream Linux distributions is very easy, but a first time user might run into trouble when trying to depart from the defaults.

</SPAN>Some Linux distributions have Live <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-corrected id=SPELLING_ERROR_1>Cd's</SPAN>, others have very user-friendly <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_2>GUIs</SPAN>. However you might find that sometimes the Live CD installer, or the pretty GUI does not work because the installer does not have the right graphics drivers. In that case, you either need to find an alternate installation <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-corrected id=SPELLING_ERROR_3>CD</SPAN>, or change the options at the boot screen. We don't tell you that this might happen because 90% of the time, the installer will work fine out of the box.

<SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">2. If you want a proper Linux installation, you are going to have to mess around with the partition table.

</SPAN>I see a partition table, and I know how to read it, for a new user, it might as well be written in [name exotic language of your choice here]. Yes, there are tutorials out there, but if you miss a step, for example forget to flag the /boot partition for booting, you might find yourself with a Linux install that does not want to boot up. We forget to tell you this because most installers either create a partition table for you, or just install everything into one partition, and Linux will still work either way, and chances are you will not be able to tell the difference.

<SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">3. You will have to learn how to use the command line.

</SPAN>Regardless of how <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_4>GUIfied</SPAN> Linuxes have become, a lot of operations still require the command line, so you better be ready to learn how to use it. Besides, in the strange occurrence of a system crash, chances are it will revert to a stable command line interface. We don't tell you this because we, hardcore Linux users, *love* the command line, and the power of the command line is one of the major appeals of Linux. We truly believe everyone should love the command line as much as we do.

<SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">4. All those pretty effects of wobbly windows and cube desktops require some work from the user.

</SPAN>In most distributions, you will need to install Beryl/<SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_5>Compiz</SPAN>/<SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_6>Compiz</SPAN> Fusion in order to get those effects. <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_7>Ubuntu</SPAN> Feisty comes with a slightly-watered-down version of <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_8>Compiz</SPAN>, with wobbly windows, transparencies and a cubed desktop. For burning window <SPAN class=blsp-spelling-error id=SPELLING_ERROR_9>pl