The Best OS?

Started by Kekerusey, October 07, 2012, 06:51:14 AM

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Irtaviš Ačankif

#20
http://www.debian.org/releases/testing/

LOTS AND LOTS of work to set up though. Debian is pretty much a server OS. There are some post-install bugs too - wifi for example is hardcoded into networkmanager and you need to manually delete config stuff to make gnome's manager work. It is debian TESTING...

also i recommend to switch repos and immediately upgrade to "unstable" from testing after install. Unstable fixes lots of bugs, the most annoying being that changing mouse touchpad settings on Testing corrupts the ~/.config folder completely and gnome settings daemon would refuse to start, causing win95-style GTK stuff. Also, Unstable is a rolling release while Testing is the alpha version for the next stable release and does not get updates after the package version freeze.

If that seems a bit too much, you can always download plain old 2-year-release-cycle Debian Stable from the main home page. It is super stable (every package has been carefully tested by the Debian people) but the software is...old...
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Tirea Aean

Aw I like fun. How much harder than Arch is it? It cannot possibly be harder than Gentoo.

Edit: hmmmmm... Yeh basically have been trying to ditch Ubuntu for a while now but no idea what I should switch to...

Irtaviš Ačankif

#22
Well way easier than Gentoo. You get a nice GTK+ installer on a CD. I recommend the netinst CD if you have a fast net connection. It always installs the newest packages.

Also, to upgrade to unstable just "su", enter root password, and "nano /etc/apt/sources.list", change all testing or wheezy to sid, and then exit nano with ctrlX, then do "aptitude update && aptitude dist-upgrade".

I recommend XFS or JFS as the file system. They are more power-efficient than ext* and XFS especially is very very fast.

I'd say on the same level as Arch.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Kekerusey

Quote from: Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng on October 10, 2012, 08:38:48 PMI just absolutely adore Debian Unstable (sid).

Nice desktop ... I could never install any of the "big boys" like Debian, dunno why, something always went wrong :(

EDIT (for Tirea): Or Gentoo, I mean not really ... I followed the long set of instructions as to how to build it and the only version I ever got working (as I recall) was some kinda live CD.

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)

Kemaweyan

Nìrangal frapo tsirvun pivlltxe nìNa'vi :D

Niwantaw

I personally feel that linux would be so much better... If they actually focused on working together and putting out ONE distribution at a time. Mebbe it's just me but if they ALL worked together making one version surely you'd end up with one better OS that does everything all the different ones could do but better.

Until then I'll stick to windows. I play a lot of games and personally... I hate wine. Why get a linux computer and install software to use windows stuff when you could just use windows? Just seems backwards.



...Then again I'm not a coder or even particularly hard core computer user. (I wanna install stoof and have it work. Then tweak it if I want to. Not have to tweak to get it to work or in mac's case be screamed at for daring to open the options menu)

Also linux hates me.  I tried it and it was just like: BEGONE FOUL FIEND! /bricks hard drive. Didn't want to try that one again.
Only mostly AWOL.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

I am hoping to build a new 'bridge server' to go between two major LANs at work, provide services for one of them, and keep them happily isolated. I may go with Fedora for this, as I know that distro best (but I am not at all happy with Gnome 3!). There is also Linux Mint, which looks intriguing.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Tirea Aean

The mods that Linux Mint has made to GNOME 3 are interesting. I do like Mint myself. It's never let me down in all my time using it, but then again my needs are quite basic.. It's also basically Ubuntu after tons of cosmetic surgery. XD

Irtaviš Ačankif

Beware, though. Mint has very, very messed up repos. Don't even try to make major upgrades on it if you like messing around with your system.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

MaTe

Well, I've been using different versions of DOS and windows since... long time ago..., and I never had a need to learn a different OS - Win platform satisfies all my needs. for Linux VS Windows - I don't really have an opinion :) Just heard that windows servers are way easier to manage in a big org.
Where is my NDD fix?
some people juggle geese...

Kekerusey

Quote from: MaTe on October 19, 2012, 03:51:10 AMJust heard that windows servers are way easier to manage in a big org.

Probably true, in part because of the consistency of utilities/features across the platform, but probably mainly because of the fact that trained staff are easier to come by on account of the all-pervasiveness of Windows on the desktop (you use essentially the same thing on a server) and the standardized training and qualifications associated with it. None of which, of course, inherently means Windows is a better or Linux a worse platform just easier to support ... that is an entirely differently argument, LOL.

Indeed I've just bought a tablet (JooJoo Fusion) that can be upgraded to Linux or Windows and given my concerns on Windows 8 (the logical Windows choice given the new one-size-fits-all Metro interface) I am seriously considering a Linux alternative ... my problem is I don't really know which one or which gives me the best chance of support from the associated community.

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)

Irtaviš Ačankif

Ubuntu bundles lots of drivers for tablets - though if you like to tweak your system, you would probably break Ubuntu. Also, Ubuntu's default interface is a Mac ripoff.

You might want to look at Kubuntu. It automatically uses the netbook interface on tablets, and the netbook interface is an amazing interface for touchscreens. It is still as untweakable internally as Ubuntu, but at least it isn't a Mac ripoff. http://www.kubuntu.org/

Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Kekerusey

Quote from: Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng on October 19, 2012, 04:09:18 PMYou might want to look at Kubuntu. It automatically uses the netbook interface on tablets, and the netbook interface is an amazing interface for touchscreens. It is still as untweakable internally as Ubuntu, but at least it isn't a Mac ripoff. http://www.kubuntu.org/

Thx ... I'm looking at buying a 120GB mSATA drive and 4GB memory (I know they support that much and I assume that's the max an Atom CPU will handle) but do you happen to know if Kubuntu will install dual boot with Windows 8? That way I can test both :)

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)

Irtaviš Ačankif

It does dual boot perfectly. First install Win8 though. Win8 installer messes up with every single other operating system. Kubuntu's installer is smart enough to have an automatic dual boot install mode.

One thing to consider though is that Kubuntu's boot selector is keyboard-driven. You definitely don't want to need to plug in a keyboard to select an OS...though there are way around it (using Win8's bootloader, which does support touchscreens IIRC) that is messy.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Kekerusey

Quote from: Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng on October 20, 2012, 12:06:05 PMOne thing to consider though is that Kubuntu's boot selector is keyboard-driven. You definitely don't want to need to plug in a keyboard to select an OS...though there are way around it (using Win8's bootloader, which does support touchscreens IIRC) that is messy.

Yeah ... I see what you mean. I guess that means I should test separately.

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)

Taronyu Leleioae

I haven't tried it... but wondering what would happen if you installed Linux, then installed Windows in a pre-sized partition?  Then downloaded something like Easy BCD Editor and played with the dual boot settings.
http://download.cnet.com/EasyBCD/3000-2094_4-10556865.html

Kekerusey

Quote from: Taronyu Leleioae on October 20, 2012, 12:41:16 PMI haven't tried it... but wondering what would happen if you installed Linux, then installed Windows in a pre-sized partition?  Then downloaded something like Easy BCD Editor and played with the dual boot settings.

Don't know for that particular distro but for quite some time as far as I know Linux installs seems to be able to estimate a good size for a partition for their install and then will shrink your Windows partition to suit and provide a dual boot facility to boot (geddit? "To boot"? Ah, my humour's lost on you guys ;D) ... that might sound a bit dubious but I've never known it go wrong. I have have some significant issues removing Linux but that's a different story and I'm guessing even that is much improved these days.

One thing I will say (anti-MS which isn't my usual stance) is that they have made no attempt whatsoever to make it easy to have Windows coexist with other OS's which is why you have to (and I assume this is still true) install Windows first THEN Linux and not the other way around.

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)

bommel

Quote from: Kekerusey on October 21, 2012, 04:29:59 AM
One thing I will say (anti-MS which isn't my usual stance) is that they have made no attempt whatsoever to make it easy to have Windows coexist with other OS's which is why you have to (and I assume this is still true) install Windows first THEN Linux and not the other way around.
This is the crucial part - Windows doesn't mind replacing your other OS' bootloader and you'll have to fix it on your own.

Human No More

There is no one best OS, but I'd say there is one per category.

Windows 7 is the best desktop IMHO, as it has a great interface, the most software of any platform ever, and scales well to high performance hardware on a consumer scale. Its stability and security are sometimes maligned, but the truth has been that foir a long time, problems have been more the fault of third party software than the OS itself (particularly Adobe with Flash and Acrobat).

Linux is the best server OS. It's stable, very secure, still has a wide base of available software (much of which is open source), extremely customisable, quick to fix bugs and implement new protocols and versions, and doesn't need licensing no matter what it's used for (commercial support e.g. Red Hat, SLES, Canonical, et al is a special case). It also scales extremely well from the low end hardware (raspberry pi, etc) to the extreme high end (clusters, or >= 128 core systems with hundreds of GB of RAM). Linux also has some usable desktop environments, and although they lack the software support and polish of Windows 7, they are still better than most others, including Windows 8, and are a good choice for older hardware and extreme budget systems.
*BSD also deserves an honourable mention on the server. It's even more stable than Linux, has possibly the best security record of any OS, and is very good at the comparably fewer things it is commonly used for (e.g. firewalls and gateways).

Android is the best mobile OS. It's open source and free, has excellent features, is open in its APIs, allows user customisation and modification while at the same time providing standard reference implementations and allowing a medium with OEM-customised versions. It also has a large base of available software, and allows users to install their own rather than be limited to a market of approved packages as competitors in the mobile space do. Although I'm mostly thinking of phones there, the same applies for tablets.
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Kekerusey

Quote from: Human No More on December 12, 2012, 02:53:19 PMThere is no one best OS, but I'd say there is one per category.

Broadly speaking I'd agree with 1 (desktop) and 3 (mobile) ... my experience of server OS's is limited to Windows so I couldn't give an objective opinion on that. I can only say that I think Windows is a good server OS and that almost every corporate I know of uses Windows more than Linux (my employer is an outsourcing company so broadly speaking does whatever its clients want, Linux, Unix and other *nix OS's are in use in the client base, Windows is by far in the majority, Unix next then Linux) but that's just the one's I know of ... everyone else's experience probably differs.

Keke
Kekerusey (Not Dead [Undead])
"Keye'ung lu nì'aw tì'eyng mì-kìfkey lekye'ung :)"
Geekanology, UK Atheist &
The "Science, Just Science" Campaign (A Cobweb)