If you would like to try Linux

[clevemire]

I installed Mandrake (for the first time) on my current PC about a year ago. After configuring the drivers and what not, everything seemed to work fine, but everything also ran HORRIBLY slow. It couldn't have been my PC, cuz I'm running an AMD XP 2600+ operating at 2.13GHz w/ 512 MB RAM. On this machine, XP can run several memory hogging programs without a single hitch. I couldn't figure out why Linux was running so slow for the life of me, so I took that bitch off of my hard drive. I may give it another go sometime, but I don't know.

Windows works for me. As long as you ('you' in general) aren't careless about your web surfing and installation methods, you don't really have to worry about all the viruses and spyware and whatever other overhyped crap there is.

[Mello.as.Hello]

There's a much easier solution here.

There's a file called Windows-Xp "Lite", which is a stripped-bare version of xp. The graphics, sounds, etc.. everything loads up from drivers and is based on your hardware configs, but you avoid all the clutter winxp brings. No virus scans, no startup programs, not even a registration key while you're installing it. (that's right, you pay NOTHING and you never will). This is WAY better than a live-cd linux, because here you can actually store things, and retrieve them reliably, and you don't have to make the switch from windows to linux. It's a free download, it's an iso image, and it works.

I can't quite remember where I downloaded it (Marijuana effects the memory) but I will find it soon, if someone else doesn't first.

[Omun]

This is WAY better than a live-cd linux, because here you can actually store things, and retrieve them reliably, and you don't have to make the switch from windows to linux.

I don't think your allowed to use "reliably" and "windows" in the same sentence. I do believe that there is a way write to you NTFS hard drive with knoppix, but I haven't experimented with it much. It auto mounts the hardrives so having access to my music is basically all I need when I'm playing around with it, or I'll just decide to boot kubuntu. As far as making the switch from windows to linux (or OSX if your lucky ) is something that everybody should do sometime in there life. Quoted from a user on the scopetech.net forms "microsoft has a evil monopoly and plans to take over the world using sucky software to enslave us."

[2600]

There's a much easier solution here.

There's a file called Windows-Xp "Lite", which is a stripped-bare version of xp. The graphics, sounds, etc.. everything loads up from drivers and is based on your hardware configs, but you avoid all the clutter winxp brings. No virus scans, no startup programs, not even a registration key while you're installing it. (that's right, you pay NOTHING and you never will). This is WAY better than a live-cd linux, because here you can actually store things, and retrieve them reliably, and you don't have to make the switch from windows to linux. It's a free download, it's an iso image, and it works.

I can't quite remember where I downloaded it (Marijuana effects the memory) but I will find it soon, if someone else doesn't first.

NOt familiar w.xp lite, but this is what I meant aboutlimitations in running an OS off a CD. I wasn;t talking about install cd;s, that you keep on file.

[clevemire]

Is it a copy, or at least similar to the 'XP Lite' that Microsoft has been sending to less.. eh.. 'refined' countries (for lack of better words) to combat Linux? If so, I think most people would like to be able to run more than 3 programs at a time.

[Etrain]

Omun, which cs do you play? 1.6, Cz, or source? Let's play sometime. Peace man.

[Omun]

I play Cz and I'm pretty bad, but that doesn't stop me from trying

[lateralus]

What's the point of running an operating system from a CD? I guess just to sample it?

There are *many* uses for a live CD. First of all, it can be used to sample Linux for skeptics, or people who think it's too 'hard'. Another use for it is when your os refuses to boot or something, in which case you can toss in Knoppix, or Slax, (or whichever distro has a live version) and fix the problem. I've also heard of servers which were cracked, or crashed somehow, which needed a live CD to bring the server back up quickly in a time of crisis. Live CDs are also good for people who *refuse* to use Windows, so they carry around their CD everywhere they go. I could go on.

[mono repin]

... lots of missinformation here. I love linux don't get me wrong... but it is not the cure all. To say you don't have to worry about viruses is bogus. In fact writing viruses is much easier for linux. I have written several for research/educational reasons, however I can't write windows viruses. The reason windows has a bigger issue, is because more people are running windows and it is a "nicer" target for the virus writer. Also, almost all windows systems are setup in a similar way. By its nature linux has no "standard" configuration. To say it is bug free is bogus... I'm not even going to get into it, but just read linux bug fixes.

Again, not trying to put linux down. I love it to death. I just hate to see people blindly plugging it without really knowing whats going on. It's just like people thinking there is no downside to weed.

... knowledge is your friend, and NOTHING is perfect.

[GHoSToKeR]

I've thought about using linux before because Windows XP pisses me off something terrible, and since we got XP on our family PC it has been the most unstable piece of shit ever. I can hardly play any PC games on it anymore, I have all sorts compatability issues with different software and hardware, it runs slower, and is just an all around piece of shit. I can't even change the resolution of my screen anymore!

The only problem is that I wouldn't want to always boot from a CD (I dunno why), and it's not only me who uses this PC, and I fear I would be the only person able to get to grips with it (it's taken my mum long enough to get to grips with Windows, and every time I change a background she gets confused and thinks i've broken it.. lol). So for now i'm going to stick to Windows until I get a new PC myself (something much faster, too ).