Linux as a Windows alternative

**Modulok** · Posted: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 21:05:58 Post Subject: Linux as a Windows alternative

Figured I would start a thread to find out which distro is best for running Windows based apps and game on linux. This Linux thread sparked my interest in looking for a new Linux distro to replace my WinXP I use daily for gaming, internet, email, chat, web design, and other work.

I realize I could always go Linux OS with a Windows virtual machine but would like to get it all in one OS. One other thing is that I am using a DFI Lanparty and OC'd at modest amount of about 400mhz. Somewhere I read Linux being a little unstable with OC'd systems.

**JimBowy** · Moderator Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 1627

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Mon, 01 May 2006 00:06:33 Post Subject:

Gentoo Linux >>> www.gentoo.org

Highly configurable. Completely built from source for your hardware (once you set your make.conf) so it's fast. And it has the best forum community to seek help in. The documentation is not lacking, either. Tons of info in the (unofficial) [url=www.gentoo-wiki.org]wiki[/url] or (official) forums.

It's abit more complicated at first, but once you use it a while and understand what's going on, it's easier than the RPM-based distros (Fedora, CentOS, Redhat, Mandrivia, etc.).

But if you do want to start off with a simple, quick install, few instructions distro - Fedora Core 5 (www.fedora.redhat.com)is a good place to start. It lacks in optimized packages (Gentoo is really one of the few with that), but it's pretty straight-forward from install and on. The only thing that is really disapointing about Redhat-based distros (Fedora, CentOS) is the missing MPEG support. You have to download the RPMs from 3rd party repositories which sometime cause dependency problems. It's a love-hate relationship with Fedora, atleast from my experiences. It works very well, but getting a simple mpeg movie to play was hell.

If you really want a distro that very well but needs some extra patience to get installed and configured how you want it, go Gentoo. You learn alot on the way, too (if you go the Minimal CD route like everyone had to prior to 2006.0, not the LiveCD with the GUI). If you want something that you can just put some CDs in and within an hour have a complete working desktop, go Fedora Core.

BeerCheeze · Posted: Mon, 01 May 2006 00:27:30 Post Subject:

I wouldn't use Linux as a windows replacement, specially if you're trying to run games on it.

Just use Linux for what it's best for, and Windows for what it's best for.

Also, I use Suse as my security scanner platform to run Nessus on at work, and I like it. Installed with no issues on a Toshiba laptop.

knight0334 · Posted: Mon, 01 May 2006 10:55:23 Post Subject:

I agree with EvilCheeze.

I've had some bad luck running Linux for gaming. Whether it be driver issues, API issues, or finding a game that I liked ported to Linux had been a pain.

As a surfing machine, workstation, server or whatnot, yeah Linux is great for that.

But, that is from my experience with it.

**Modulok** · Posted: Mon, 01 May 2006 13:10:35 Post Subject:

I have used Suse, FC2-3, Mandriva, and some Gentoo in school so I am not a total n00b.

Gentoo seemed the coolest yet the hardest to install/configure. I was thinking of doing a dual boot with gentoo/winxp awhile ago but never got around to it. I would like to just add Gentoo to my existing Winxp partition. I will have to do some google-ing for adding gentoo to xp as well as setting up wireless network with a wep...that was a problem I had the last time I tried gentoo, I could never get the wireless config to get the dhcp address correctly on bootup. I also didnt have much patience for it either and never REALLY tried it enough.

If anyone have some good gentoo links or howto's for wireless networking or windows apps on linux I'd appriciate it.

thanks

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Mon, 01 May 2006 17:35:43 Post Subject:

The howtos for wireless networking are probobly on the gentoo-wiki or atleast gentoo forums. As for windows apps on Linux: Wine for productivity and general use apps; Cedega for gaming (requires a subscription of $5/mo, but worth it. IMHO).

acruxksa · Posted: Tue, 02 May 2006 02:44:19 Post Subject:

As B|F says, Cedega on your favorite flavor of linux would be your best option for gaming, but quite frankly if you didn't have the patience to set up wireless networking I think your gaming experience on Linux is going to be quite frustrating.

thePMG · Rated XXX Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 393 Location: Germany

Ubuntu Linux, freakin sweet...