MandrivaThis Forum is for the discussion of Mandriva (Mandrake) Linux.
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Hello everyone....just started using Mandriva 10.1 coming from windows xp. I know it's going to take some time to get used to it but comparing the two right now I would have to give the edge to xp for overall ease of use, appearance. It's a good thing that there are these forums or I would never have gotten very far without downloading urpmi. I'm still lost (wondering where all my files are, how to get icons on the desktop, etc) but I'm sticking with it cause I enjoy learning new systems. I have to work on Windows machines at work so this is giving me some new challenges (like windows wasn't bad enough). Anyway I'd like to thank this forum for making some of the transitions painless and the good information and general helpfullness of all the people here. With cooperation like this, linux will continue to grow. Thanks again.
One thing I notice about ppl thinking windows is easier, they didn't have to install and setup the thing... the IT department did, or Dell did.. then they come from a windows machine with all the work allready done to make it work and think it was like that the day it was born (hardware setup, drives partioned, network setup, video drivers, java, flash,etc,etc), and credit M$ for all the work the IT/IS/Dell did. Learning linux install will help you learn any OS's install.
well, Im in the same boat as woodworker97: Im new to Linux (Mandriva/Mandrake LE 2005 in particualr). I have installed and set up windows at least a few hundred times. Now if i thought windows was the better system, I wouldnt be here, but i do have to say i think it is OVERALL easier to use.
The way I break it down: Installation:
Mandriva pretty much whips through easily enough for a monkey. (provided it has enough training to operate a keyboard and mouse)
XP's Installation is almost as easy, but it takes longer ands installs about 1/4 as much. (not an actual figure)
after XP
s main install, you basically have to go through hours of updates and installers......oh and if you werent behind a firewall before you connected to download these updates......well.....you might as well just start over...
Mind you however, it is a piece of cake going through those installers...... USE
Here is where i find XP gets it's edge, Any idiot can use it, it probably wont last long, but they can still use it without having to type at a command prompt..
Of course you have more power if you can, but still, it is more complicated.
essentially, i think if someone had not used either one ever before......they would have greater ease learning to use Windows. (not install)
easier isn't necessarily better....but i dont see how you can deny that it's easier.
I also think, for those of us seasoned in Windows have more frustration with linux at first, because we aren't used to not knowing what we're doing.
After completely moving to linux and using it for all daily activities, i find windows more and more frustrating to use. It boots up slower, takes time to load the desktop and the startup applications(forget the spyware and virii ). There are rare ocassions when i HAVE to use windows so I have to live with it. I moved to linux mainly because I have an old machine and linux is way faster and more stable than windows. Though, when I installed my first distro RH(I dont remember which version, it was abt 4 yrs. ago), I was bored with linux, the gnome interface, the default wallpapers that came with RH.Then I installed SuSE 9.1 then Mandrake 10.1.After using kde, the apps that come with it(especially superkaramba), I have never looked back. I boot into windows only for some programming needs.Now I am going about showing off my desktop to friends and installing mandriva in their PCs.!!
I wasn't speaking of you specifically, just that I hear that a lot lately.
I ran into an old computer / gamer friend I hadn't seen in like 4 years.. he asked some windows fix-up type Qs, I told him to switch to linux like I did.. he said a remark on the line of if there's no gui.. it's too hard. LOL
I said, sure.. if you want to really learn.. use the cli, but if you just wanna surf, e-mail, and get stuff done w/o getting infected w/nasties.. use the gui. There's like 10 or more to choose from. He couldn't believe it.
Another thing I have about windows is the *total* vulneabilty. I just don't feel safe on a windows box with a cat5 cable attached.
I never got a virus, not due to my lame virus software (it couldn't tell a strange new .zip attachment that's just like the other 100 (literally, I admin a site) attachments sitting in outlook was a virus), but because my spidey sence was tingleing when the first one came from someone I didn't usually exchange files with.
Windows, the install from the CD is only the first step, then you gotta go hunting all over the web for 3rd party stuff for a week, and when it's done (cross fingers) it still takes more and more time from there just to keep it clean, forever.
Linux, install can be tough at times, tweaking can take some time, but from there.. it just works 'till the hardware dies.
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