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Zorin os

Be sure to let us know how it goes. Like everything the commentary on it is on both sides of the fence. So it will be nice and helpful to get a firsthand viewpoint.
 
<shrug> It's still based on the standard Debian kernel. The rest is window dressing.

Anyone know of a recent Linux that supports the VIA 8237 chipset? Support was dropped sometime around "Squeeze". OpenBSD/NetBSD/FreeBSD still supports it.
 
Has anyone ever hear of the ZORIN OS? It's supposed to be a replacement for Windows XP. I'm in the process of downloading the free "Lite" version and plan to install it on my PIII tweener in a separate partition.

Yes, I used it for a bit on later a 3GHZ Prescott (Space Heater) :cool: P4, it's basically just re-skinned Ubuntu with a theme changer with a windows 7, xp and 2000 'look changer' option. Performance wasn't bad (XP/ 2K felt better though) but I preferred Ubuntu, but thts just personal preference. ;)
 
A "Windows-lookalike" version of Linux is useless without the ability to run Windows applications as smoothly and easily as Windows itself does. That's why Wal-Mart's attempt at selling PCs with "Lindows" instead of Windows a decade ago was a failure.

This video discusses the problem of attempting to pitch Linux to PC users as an "ideal replacement for Windows" (warning: British guy with a foul mouth :) ):

 
This video discusses the problem of attempting to pitch Linux to PC users as an "ideal replacement for Windows" (warning: British guy with a foul mouth :) ):
Quite amusing and of course the points are valid. I've never considered Windows as a one for one replacement being able to run Windows applications but as an alternative to it and it is doing the job quite nicely for my humble needs. Maintenance tasks have dropped quite a bit since the change over.
 
WTF is that supposed to mean? :)
I don't use Linux to RUN Windows programs using wine etc, refering to vwestlifes post re Lindows et el. Quite simple really.... I'm sorry that went over the top of your head.

Xandros was another distro that boasted "unrivaled compatibility with Microsoft Windows "
 
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You need to read this statement of yours at least one more time:

I've never considered Windows as a one for one replacement being able to run Windows applications but as an alternative to it...

There absolutely *no* mention of Linux or Lindows in it.

And it just doesn't make sense, at all.
 
He obviously meant to type "never considered Linux..."

And I would agree. Ten years ago linux wasn't so great for the average home user. Driver support was marginal and it was easy to accidentally muck things up. Now the only reason your average home user needs Windows is for games. Linux is fine for surfing the web and the occasional doc/spreadsheet. (Yeah I wouldn't trust LibreOffice with an important business presentation, but it's "good enough" for most things.) Netflix even works natively in Chrome now.
 
Never had the problem the guy in the video has, even with frequent hard shut downs. Not saying I don't believe him, but your sample size is one guy.

I don't think it's any easier to mess things up in Linux than in Windows nowadays. Although I will admit fixing them in Linux can be more difficult for a novice if they do go south. But you have the added bonus of no adware or other drive-by crap installing from uneducated users just clicking "yes" to whatever pops up on the screen.
 
I've never had much problem with Linux. The guy in the video may be surprised to find out that the servers he's connecting to are probably running Linux. If you want to do something special, the web is your friend--otherwise, it can be a case of "If you lived here, you wouldn't be lost".

He's just whinging.
 
Zorin OS-9 Lite update:

Downloaded the ISO for the 32-bit Lite version this afternoon and burned it to a CD. One of the options was a trial run via the CD, so I shoved it into my W7 laptop and it loaded without any issues. I kind of got the impression that I was looking at XP Lite from the Hirens CD. It connected to the network with no problems and Foxfire became available. Browsing was as you like it - looked at ESPN, SI, Fox, Moscow Times, and a few other sites with no issues - fast and efficient. It come with a word processor which appears to be very basic. Since I was running off the CD, I didn't bother with WINE. When I get time I'll make a partition on my PIII tweener's 1st HD, and see how it goes on a 1.4 GB CPU with 512 MB of RAM. First impression: it's okay but not overwhelming.
 
Zorin OS-9 Lite update: First impression: it's okay but not overwelming
It'll be even less so on the PIII I'd imagine.

I've never had much problem with Linux. The guy in the video may be surprised to find out that the servers he's connecting to are probably running Linux. If you want to do something special, the web is your friend--otherwise, it can be a case of "If you lived here, you wouldn't be lost".

He's just whinging.
It might be a case of apt-get upgrade breaking things. Seems it still happens even after all these years. Of course some Windows patches can screw that up as well.
 
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I also managed to break Linux Mint by switching from a proprietary ATI/AMD graphics driver to the "recommended" open-source driver. That totally bombed the graphics hardware, locking the GUI into software rendering mode and 800x600 resolution, with no option to revert to or reinstall a functioning graphics driver. As far as the OS was concerned, I had "manually installed" a faulty graphics driver (even though all I did was attempt to use the "recommended" driver) and it offered absolutely no logical way of getting myself out of that mess. Here was my video rant documenting that disaster:


At the very least, Linux shouldn't blindly recommend open-source drivers just because they're open-source. That is putting ideology ahead of usability, sometimes with disastrous results.
 
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