Friendly than Windows is Linux? | Page 2 | Daves Computer Tips

[quote="ozbloke":2u3iz78p]Again…..agree 100% Harold.

So please tell us:
I see you are running a dual boot system with Linux and XP. What do you specifically use Linux for (to do)? And what do you use XP for? How would you describe your usage on each OS, as a percentage (e.g. 50/50)?

Cheers….Jim[/quote:2u3iz78p]Sorry to have taken so long to reply. Sometimes I don't get the email that someone has replied to a post of mine.

I use Linux for a large percentage of my computer work. Over 90%, I would guess. I use it to keep up with my finances; email; forums about Linux; word processing and spreadsheets using either Open office or Libre Office; and searching the web for computer answers. Why do I not use it all the time? I am involved in bookkeeping for more than one entity and I use Quickbooks for that because I have used QB for years before entering the Linux world. That is the only thing that I use Windows for. Another reason to keep Windows around it that most other people have Windows and ask me questions about how to do things. I understand that Windows 7 is a good OS but I have no plans to purchase and use it. People that ask for help sometimes have Windows 7 on their computer and I can get around some in it but I don't spend a lot of time trying to learn the intricacies of it. Usually when you ask someone what their operating system is they have no idea. They don't know what a browser is either. I am by far not a computer guru and there is a lot that I don't understand and know how to do but I try. I will soon be 68 years old. If someone has the desire to break away from Windows then they can if I can. It will take some time. I won't say that all Linux is friendlier than Windows but some are, but different. It will take some time for a person to learn how to get around in Linux. A lot of people don't have the time or desire to learn LInux. Actually, they have never learned any version of Windows either; other than memorizing how to do what they want to do. When they have a problem, they either ignore it if possible or they get someone that knows more than they do.

I keep several distros updated and replace some of them from time to time. I keep one distro for my daily work but keep another or two ready just in case. I like to look at different distros to see what is being turned out. Not everything that I look at is for me. I use both Gnome and KDE. I don't care for Gnome 3 and Unity but then I don't even have a smart phone or a tablet. I never have really like using a laptop. I just prefer a desktop. I have no desire to know how to program or compile packages for Linux; I just want it to work. I am mostly a gui person but I can use the command line when I have to. Usually, by the time that search, find the commands, and understand them, I have about forgotten what I was wanting to do. Gui is just easier for me. Someone else has done the command line work for me if a gui exists to do what I want to do.

Presently I am using a Ubuntu remix (superos 10.10). I find it quick and it works. I am really partial to Mepis, and PCLOS, too. I have two versions of Mepis on my HD and the latest PCLOS. I have used Crunchbang for a while, liked it, and still keep it updated. PCLOS was my first endevour into Linux. I have always like Mint but have never used it on a daily basis. KDE4 takes some getting used to. I prefer Grub legacy over Grub2. My boot menu is Grub legacy kept on Mepis 8.5. The menu has some distros that use Grub2. Sometimes it is a challenge for me to get them to boot from the menu but I work it out.

Didn't mean for this to be so long. Hope it helps someone wanting to make the move to Linux.

Or you could just install OSX… Then you're running Linux with the best GUI available.