Thoughts on Linspire Operating System???

[Elgin Clock]

I found a nice computer that is relatively cheap in price, and was just wondering if anyone used the Linspire OS that it says comes with it.

I'm currently watching the tutorial and introduction to this, (http://www.linspire.com/products_linspire_whatis.php?tab=screenshots) but just want to know anyone's personal experience in using this if they would share.

Thanks in advance!

[Morgan Gillespie]

While I have not used Linspire it can't be that hard to figure out, it is also probably made to have essence of Windows Xp (shudders). Yet just because a computer comes with a preinstalled OS doesn't mean that is the OS you have to learn how to use.
I personally for Linux would take something from the Ubuntu line. (kubuntu, xubuntu, ubuntu, or edubuntu) The are free, good user support and user friendly.

[neo]

If it is coming preinstalled, then I would use it. Then once you get more acquainted with Linux (or if you already are), installing a real distro would be the way to go. A suggestion on another distro would be Ubuntu (http://ubuntu.com) (as mentioned before) or Slackware (http://slackware.com) (only if you want to go to the simple, yet advanced side of Linux).

Linspire may have the presence of windows while being Linux, it still is a good way to start out with Linux without having to install and configure.

[Billfred]

My advice: Give Linspire a go. If that doesn't work, I can also vouch for the joys of Ubuntu (AMD64 version, in my case).

[Matt Krass]

My advice: Give Linspire a go. If that doesn't work, I can also vouch for the joys of Ubuntu (AMD64 version, in my case).

I can support the 32-bit Dapper Drake here, just use the alternate install CD, the LiveCD gets a bit funky.

[sanddrag]

I've never tried it but from what I've read Linspire seems to be a nice easy to use linux distro. However, for the desktop user, this is a Windows world. Windows has its faults, but overall it's tough to beat.

[Chris Marra]

Having been with ubuntu since its inception, and having used (too) many other distros, I can vouch for how simple it is. The new live-cd installer offers an excellent way to give it a try without any effort, although I do agree with Matt that you should use the alternate CD to do an install, since the live-cd installer has a habit of hanging on systems.

I still have a free Linspire CD sitting on my desk that I've never installed on a system yet, or a virtual machine. I have been tempted to try it, but what has probably skewed me the most from is that it is so like windows. Ubuntu doesn't modify the KDE or GNOME desktop managers too much beyond their basic style, and it really is something distinctly different from Windows and Mac OS. It's refreshing to get away from the same Start Menu, list of windows, and system tray style.

Try out the ubuntu live-CD for fun if you don't want to be destructive to your hard drive, or find the ubuntu zealot near you who ordered free CDs from them when the last release came out, and get a copy from one of them.

[artdutra04]

Windows has its faults, but overall it's tough to beat.http://images.apple.com/getamac/images/windows_parallelsimac20060612.jpg
http://www.apple.com/getamac/windows.html

Yes, you can beat Windows. With all the new Apple computers having Intel processors, you can run Mac and Windows at the same time. So you get all the great features and applications that come with a Mac, with the addition of being able to use your Windows-only software on the same computer. :)

[Matt Krass]

I've never tried it but from what I've read Linspire seems to be a nice easy to use linux distro. However, for the desktop user, this is a Windows world. Windows has its faults, but overall it's tough to beat.

That's really not true. Right out of the proverbial box Ubuntu detected and installed drivers for everything on my laptop. Windows can't even do that, for a Windows reinstall I have to sneakernet several drivers over just to get online to get the rest. I'm much more productive in native GNOME then I ever was in Windows and since I use all free Open-Source Software the transition was seamless. Ubuntu has made great strides in making Linux a desktop competitor and I think it beats Windows nearly hands-down. Games and CAD software are the only thing left I keep XP for, and Cedega is catching up by the day on that. My Ubuntu install exists happily on a USB Hard Drive, 80GB with most of that a shared FAT32 partition for both OSes. It doesn't care....try to do with Windows...it'll freak out on you. Linux just works, and it can do nearly everything Windows can, many things it can't. Plus the notion of multiple releases (Breezy Badger, Hoary Hedgehog, Dapper Drake and Edgy Eft) is much better than releasing a whole "new" OS every 3 or 4 years. The package management system means you can install what you need easily without cluttering up the system as well. Overall it's got Windows beat already, with free CAD alternatives in the works as well. Hopefully Autodesk and Dassault Systems will look in to porting their popular CAD packages to Linux in the next few years, as the hardware and support for it in graphics cards is already there.