Switch from Windows to Linux

[VF-1A Valkyrie]

Greetings all, first post here, hoping for a good stay.

So i'm looking to switch to Linux, which i have before, but i was mostly put of the bad preformance in games, since i use my rig primarily for gaming.
I'm doing this partly because i'm getting tired of Windows & partly because i would like to have more control of my computer.

I've made a list of program i use daily and checked if they would run on Linux.

*Avast Antivirus - Check!
*Open Office - Check!
*Mozilla Firefox - Check!
*VLC Player - Check!
*Graphics Drivers - Check! (I use ATI cards for now... hopyfulle also later!)
*TeamSpeak - Check! (so my only problem is the overlay)

So the question is which Linux should i go for? People have said: Ubuntu, Fedore, Mandriva & so on, So which should i Take?
I know very little about Linux, so when you answer, explain it so we all can understand. And remember i need primarily as a gaming rig, so i know i need programs like Wine, i've checked Wine and it should handle the game i play, mostly...
But i also dont mind fiddling with it, so it dosen't have to be a fool proof Linux, i'm just looking for the one that gives me the most stable platform for a gaming rig.

Link: http://appdb.winehq.org/ i looked at this list.

*EVE - Check
*IL-2 Sturmovik
*Steam - Check
*StarCraft - Check

So the 2 games i currectly are playing that aren't on the list i'll have to work on is: Oblivion & Pangya.

So i hope you all can help me find a painless solution and switch.

Thanks in advance.

[SamsLembas]

Welcome to the wonderful world of free software, and to these forums (I am new here too, second post).

For what distro you should use, I would say there is little doubt you should use Ubnutu. Apt, the pakage management system used by Ubuntu and all other Debian based distros, is great, and its 12-month release schedule means you always have cutting edge software (there are long-term releases if you don't want to deal with that).

You may want to give Kubuntu a chance (that is Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome. Different desktop environment. It will look and feel much different, most people say KDE is more like Windows, and Gnome more like Mac in a way they cannot even explain). You should be able to decide between those just by booting off the live cd and poking around a little.



You mentioned Avast in your software section. You really do not need that. There [I]are[I] no viruses for Linux. If you feel the need to make sure you are not passing on virus to Windoze users, I would recommend using ClamAV. It is open source, so you can install it via apt. Perhaps it is just me, but I find it annoying to have software that I installed through other means, as you then have to update it individually.

For gaming, things get a little more annoying. You will really want to just dual-boot to play many games. Wine is a pain, if it works at all. It doesn't take long to dual boot, and it is not as bad as it would seem.
There are also some good games with Linux clients, such as Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.


So, to stop ranting and actually answer your question, here is what I recommend you do:
Download a copy of Ubuntu, and possibly Kubuntu as well if you have time to fool around. Pick the one you like best.

Install it (it is easy), but set it up to dual-boot with Windows (once again, it is easy. You will have no trouble).

If any of your games have Linux clients, grab 'em. For the rest, reboot. It is worth it.

Just a few random tips:
Don't be discouraged by the ugliness of Ubuntu. It can be easily fixed in the appearance preferences (for more options head to http://gnome-look.com ).

The best way for newbies to install software is by going to applications-add/remove. It is dead simple. Try to avoid downloading software from websites, it should almost never be necessary.

[Malikith]

Welcome to the wonderful world of free software, and to these forums (I am new here too, second post).

For what distro you should use, I would say there is little doubt you should use Ubnutu. Apt, the pakage management system used by Ubuntu and all other Debian based distros, is great, and its 12-month release schedule means you always have cutting edge software (there are long-term releases if you don't want to deal with that).

You may want to give Kubuntu a chance (that is Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome. Different desktop environment. It will look and feel much different, most people say KDE is more like Windows, and Gnome more like Mac in a way they cannot even explain). You should be able to decide between those just by booting off the live cd and poking around a little.



You mentioned Avast in your software section. You really do not need that. There [I]are[I] no viruses for Linux. If you feel the need to make sure you are not passing on virus to Windoze users, I would recommend using ClamAV. It is open source, so you can install it via apt. Perhaps it is just me, but I find it annoying to have software that I installed through other means, as you then have to update it individually.

For gaming, things get a little more annoying. You will really want to just dual-boot to play many games. Wine is a pain, if it works at all. It doesn't take long to dual boot, and it is not as bad as it would seem.
There are also some good games with Linux clients, such as Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.


So, to stop ranting and actually answer your question, here is what I recommend you do:
Download a copy of Ubuntu, and possibly Kubuntu as well if you have time to fool around. Pick the one you like best.

Install it (it is easy), but set it up to dual-boot with Windows (once again, it is easy. You will have no trouble).

If any of your games have Linux clients, grab 'em. For the rest, reboot. It is worth it.

Just a few random tips:
Don't be discouraged by the ugliness of Ubuntu. It can be easily fixed in the appearance preferences (for more options head to http://gnome-look.com ).

The best way for newbies to install software is by going to applications-add/remove. It is dead simple. Try to avoid downloading software from websites, it should almost never be necessary.

I agree with this, just one thing I'd like to say, is that, if you're going to Linux to play Windows games, I really recommend just running Windows. If you're going to run Linux to use its native apps/games and explore open source, its the best.

But those who become too dependent on Windows games, tend to always go back to Windows. Plus, you're running ATI, this means you're going to run into some problems which also may discourage you, especially when you mix ATI with Wine, very very bad combo.

I also recommend the dual boot, so at least you can play with Linux since you do have some interest in it. But using Linux as a Windows solution is not a good choice. Using Linux for its native apps and to get away from the Windows way, is a good choice. Just my two cents.

[envirotech]

You could also try Wubi and install into windows. You install it like you would any other windows program.

http://wubi.sourceforge.net/

This is a link to screenshots. My friend used this to install his and it worked flawlessly.

http://wubi.sourceforge.net/screenshots.php

This next link is to the Ubuntu link to it.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/install.exe/Prototype

[Tarmael]

I'm a fan of Ubuntu too myself.

I've tried OpenSUSE, SimplyMepis and Knoppix as well.

Ubuntu tops them all.

I've had my share of problems with Linux I must say, but they mostly revolve around ATi's drivers.

Linux's problems itself aren't half as bad as the errors I run into with Windows.

The annoying thing for me is that I'm gonna get into the IT industry in AUS and I'm going to be fixing 99.9% of machines that will be/are running a Windows based OS.

That's what really grinds my gears.

[Mota_boy]

Me instead openSUSE is the best solution, even do i try ubuntu kubuntu and some other disto`s too but they weren`t for me.
openSUSE is good and stble to use, and i`m glad about it

[Tarmael]

Oh yes, I also really did enjoy my OpenSUSE experience.

But I didn't like a few things.

first of all, on the plus side of OpenSUSE is I LOVED YaST.

The interface was easy to work with and YUM was a pleasure.

I liked being able to log into another user using a second screen displayed in the first user.

However, I couldn't change any settings using gedit, and I didn't like how nano wasn't preinstalled (not sure if there was a nano replacement) and I REALLY didn't like the install interface from the disc (However, LiveCD's are starting to piss me off, I'd like to see an option, run LiveCD or install straight from Disc with Ubuntu.)

Cheers.

[ethana2]

..even though I'm an American

I'm running a dual boot Ubuntu/WindowsXP system.
It's working great for me. Don't delete that windows partition if you're going to be relying on any proprietary windows software; it's the only guaranteed way you can run all of it, you know, when windows feels like running.

I wouldn't say you need to bother with the antivirus... I mean, you /could/ but.. I don't really see the point. I don't use one.

I have an ATi card. It's given me its share of trouble-- but don't write ATi off yet-- they've hired agd5f and released open specs for their cards; had they done that two years ago, my life may have been made much easier.

WINE: I have wine installed, but I don't really use it that much. You have to install software on it fresh, and while it says it can use windows .dll files, well.. how the heck are you really supposed to do that? Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but it does get better every week...
Like I said, dual booting is a good idea.

If those games you play use OpenGL, you're life was just made a whole lot easier...
Mostly I just play tremulous, nexuiz, openarena, and the like. I look forward to Apricot.

Linux crushes windows as an OS. Give us 5 years, and the same is likely to happen with FOSS games, especially with the advent of crystalspace.

Before Ubuntu, I tried Fedora and SuSE. Neither worked. I just couldn't figure out how to install software. With Ubuntu, I had to edit my xorg.conf in vim to even get a GUI (ATi card and all), but once I did that, it just worked. It made sense; it was simple. It looked pretty.

I used Ubuntu Studio because
-- it wasn't that nasty orange/tan/brown (insert low frequency color here) stuff, it was blue and black.
-- it wasn't a liveCD. I have neither the patience nor the system resources for that.
-- KDE will be too confusing for people until release 4, which I much look forward to using. (got videos ready that I want to play looping as my desktop background and everything)

Basically, I'd recommend getting Ubuntu Gutsy, but not deleting your windows partition.

My main trick was switching to open source software before switching, but it seems, teamspeak and games aside, that you've done the same... only I took it out to blender, the GIMP, inkscape, etc.

I used skype for talking while playing tremulous. It's not open source, but frankly, it makes linux a lot easier to move to, and I haven't seen an open source app that provides as neat of a communications protocol as skype yet. I look forward to this changing, and have my eyes on pidgin, ekiga, and openwengo.

[Tarmael]

Before Ubuntu, I tried Fedora and SuSE. Neither worked. I just couldn't figure out how to install software. With Ubuntu, I had to edit my xorg.conf in vim to even get a GUI (ATi card and all), but once I did that, it just worked. It made sense; it was simple. It looked pretty.

I run ATi, I've never had that problem before.

What card are you running?

[ethana2]

What card are you running?

ATi Radeon 9200SE PCI 128MB.

The problems I had were on Ubuntu Studio Feisty.
..except when I upgraded to gutsy, I allowed it to replace my xorg.conf, which it promptly mauled, and I had to go through the whole deal again.