Linux or Windows XP?

First off, if you could clarify what kind of advantages Linux actually offers—and whether it truly holds its own against Windows XP Professional? I ended up with Linux bundled with my computer, so now I'm left wondering which one is actually superior, particularly when it comes to gaming and general performance perks.

...if your goal is actually playing games, then you really need to stick with Windows XP...

Tyler Rivera45 said:...if you're looking to play games, then go with XP...

So, look, it turns out Linux isn't really built for gaming, though there are plenty of open-source titles out there if you're into that—stuff like Quake Arena (which actually has versions for Windows and Macintosh too), Tremulous, and Counter-Strike, among others, plus you can usually get your Windows games running through Wine, which is basically this awesome emulator for Windows programs and games.
Linux is just super secure—like, it's totally resistant to viruses and trojans because the system basically demands permission before any program can do anything,
which is such a relief. One thing Windows is seriously missing is having something like Synaptic (for GNOME) or ADEPT (for KDE), which is kind of like those Add/Remove Programs tools in Windows but honestly way better, because as soon as you open it up, you can just check off everything you want to install and it handles the whole process super fast for you.
And most of the time, Linux doesn't even force you to restart after you run an update.
Even big banks love using Linux because it’s so much easier to fix things or push updates while the system is still running.
Plus, Linux partitions don't even need defragmenting.

So, honestly, I’d really suggest just setting up a dual boot with Windows XP and Linux on the same machine, because if you install Linux first and then slap Windows on top, it tends to totally overwrite the Linux bootloader, though you can always fix that mess later if you have to.
Just take your time and really dive into everything Linux can do, you'll love it. 🙂

Bryan Palmer9 said:Look, my suggestion is to set up a dual-boot system—running both Windows and Linux on the same machine. You really ought to install Windows first, followed by Linux; if you do it the other way around, Windows tends to overwrite the Linux bootloader. Not that it’s an impossible fix, mind you—it can be repaired quite easily—but it's better to avoid the headache.
Just take your time and explore what Linux has to offer. 🙂

I was also wondering if you could walk me through the process of installing both Windows and Linux on one computer. I already have Windows XP Professional SP2 running, so I'm curious about how to add Linux alongside it.

It’s actually much easier than you’re making it out to be, especially once you get used to the workflow. Personally, I’d suggest going with Ubuntu—it’s a bit more user-friendly if you aren't looking to fight the OS every single day.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_w...lled_first.htm

But my best advice? Set aside an empty partition first. It makes everything smoother. Most of the process is automated; eventually, you'll just see a boot menu when you start the computer, letting you pick which OS to load. If you have that empty space ready, just select "manual" during the installation, pick your partition, format it as ext3, and you're done. The whole installation takes just a few minutes.🙂

wiredstag51 said:First off, can someone tell me what the actual advantages of Linux are? Is it even better than Windows XP Professional? I got it bundled with my computer, so I'm wondering which one is superior... specifically for gaming and general perks.

It really depends on which Linux distribution you're running. Some versions feel like they're stuck in the Windows 3.1 era, while others actually outperform Windows Vista.

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Now playing on Winamp: Mudvayne - Choices (ChroniX Aggression - Loud & Clear - www.chronixradio.com)

I’ve got a 400GB drive where I split the space between Linux and Windows XP, and everything runs flawlessly. My only setup is running Linux as a virtual machine within VMware, accessed directly through Windows.

So, I've got this 120GB hard drive running my laptop
I'm currently rocking a dual boot setup with Windows Vista and Ubuntu 8.04
I carved out about 20GB for the Linux system itself plus my home partition, which is another 20GB plus a 1GB swap space
Then I've got these two 20GB data partitions formatted as FAT32 just so I can easily grab files from the Windows side, though I'll probably migrate everything over to ext3 down the road once I get settled😁
The rest of the space, about 39GB, is dedicated to Windows Vista.

I gotta say, Vista feels way more bloated than I expected; I don't even have many programs installed yet and I'm already feeling the squeeze on storage.
Honestly, you're much better off going with a dual boot instead of using VMware, because if your Windows installation ever crashes and dies, you don't want your Ubuntu setup to go down the drain with it.

Douglas Phillips4 said:it is actually quite straightforward—both the process and the daily usage. personally, I would suggest Ubuntu, though I recognize it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_w...lled_first.htm

However, your best bet is to prepare an empty partition first. It makes everything practically automatic; you will eventually be presented with a boot menu where you can simply select your preferred OS upon startup. If you have that empty space ready, you just select "manual" during the installation, pick the partition, format it to ext3, and—well, that is essentially it. The installation itself takes mere minutes.🙂

I am doing fine, thanks for asking.

I understand the logic, but I am stuck on how to actually prepare an empty partition. I have a 320GB drive, but there are no free partitions available at the moment. Could you perhaps elaborate on how to handle that?

The installer might handle this automatically, but you really ought to back up your most critical files first: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/partitioning

You could use software like Partition Magic or something from Acronis

Or you can do it right from Windows: http://technet2.microsoft.com/window....mspx?mfr=true

Alternatively, you can boot from a dedicated LiveCD designed for this: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Dumm...x.id-5508.html

There are plenty of options out there, 🤷really

And while you're at it, do something you should have done ages ago—set up a separate partition just for your documents. It’ll make life a lot easier if everything goes south later on.🙂

Grab a Linux LiveCD and give it a shot
but honestly, you can't beat Windows XP

northernjackal37 said:just grab a LiveCD of some Linux distro and give it a shot
though I’d definitely suggest sticking with XP

Alright, I am currently downloading Partition Magic to set up a new partition...

However, I have one more question regarding Linux—I am running version 8.04
which you all asked me about previously

And secondly—can I actually get DirectX 10 running on it, or is that supported...?

wiredstag51 said:Alright, so I'm grabbing Partition Magic right now to set up a new partition...

But I've actually got one more thing I wanted to ask about Linux, since you guys were asking me earlier, I'm running version 8.04
that's what you asked me before

And also, can I even run DirectX 10 on it, like does it even support that stuff...?

You can totally just whip up partitions using an Ubuntu LiveCD, and honestly, you'll have all those Windows formats like NTFS and FAT32 ready to go without even needing to install anything, so it's super quick and easy.

Now, about DirectX 10—that's a Microsoft technology, so it isn't built directly into Linux; instead, Linux uses OpenGL, which keeps getting better and better over time. If you're trying to play Windows games that require DirectX 10, you really have to check if Wine (that emulator for Windows programs) can handle it, and since Wine updates basically every two weeks, they're constantly adding new improvements and compatibility for different games. I can't say for sure how it works with DirectX 10 because I don't personally have a graphics card that supports it, and from what I've heard, you're supposed to be able to play DirectX 10 games on Windows Vista, though most Vista users are actually pretty disappointed with how those DirectX 10 games turn out.

Bryan Palmer9 said:You can handle partitions via an Ubuntu LiveCD—you have access to Windows NTFS, FAT32, and everything else without needing a full installation. It’s quick and straightforward enough.

Now, regarding the technicalities—DirectX 10 is proprietary Microsoft technology, which means it isn't natively built into Linux. Linux relies on OpenGL, which continues to see incremental improvements over time. If your goal is to play Windows games—specifically those requiring DirectX 10—then one must investigate whether Wine (the compatibility layer for running Windows programs) supports them. Wine releases updates roughly every two weeks, typically bringing marginal improvements in compatibility for various titles. I cannot speak definitively on DirectX 10 performance, however, as I lack a graphics card that supports it; furthermore, my understanding is that DirectX 10 is playable on Windows Vista, though many Vista users seem rather disappointed by the actual experience with DirectX 10 titles.

Fine, I will take all of that into account.

I am currently weighing my options between installing Ubuntu or moving to Windows Vista...
The inclination toward Vista is driven by DirectX 10 support, yet I have heard quite a bit of praise regarding Ubuntu Linux.
Then again, there is the matter of Vista itself—I have heard reports that it is quite resource-heavy, taxing both the CPU and the GPU, which arguably negates its supposed improvements...

Can I trust Vista to not wreck my system? Will my games actually run smoothly? My plan is to maintain a dual boot setup with Windows XP and Vista...

wiredstag51 said:so I'm looking at everything right now

and honestly I'm just torn between installing Ubuntu or going with Windows Vista...
I'm leaning toward Vista because I really want that DirectX 10 support, but then again, I've been hearing nothing but amazing things about Ubuntu Linux lately.
But then there's the whole Vista situation too, you know, because I've heard people complaining about how much RAM and CPU power it eats up, like it slows everything down instead of actually making things better...

Can I actually trust Vista not to absolutely wreck my PC, and will my games actually run okay? I'm thinking about doing a dual boot with XP and Vista...

Even though I basically stopped using Windows entirely, I still find myself crawling back to it once a month or so—it kind of fluctuates like that.
If I were you, I'd just stick with XP, mostly because you can actually play both old and new games on it (minus the DirectX 10 stuff), whereas on Vista, you'll be lucky if an older game even launches. Personally, I've found XP to be super stable, and it boots up way faster than Vista ever did.

wiredstag51, what kind of rig are you even running to be worrying about DirectX 10 while simultaneously stressing over how many resources Windows Vista eats up? 🤔

I'm running Ubuntu 1.8 right now—pretty happy with it, honestly—and it's playing nice in a dual-boot setup alongside my Macintosh and Windows Vista. So yeah, Linux👍

Sam Martin10 said:I'm running Ubuntu 1.8 right now and honestly, I am just so incredibly stoked with it because everything runs super smoothly in a dual boot setup alongside macOS and Windows Vista, which basically means Linux👍 is the way to go
.

I've actually never messed around with a Mac before, so could you please let me know if I'd run into any major headaches trying to get it installed on a standard PC?

Just search for "hackintosh." There’s an entire community dedicated to customization, spread across countless websites and forums.