Is as good as Windows, better of worse dependes on the use that you are to make of it.

One of the best things of a Linux distro is that is ready to uose out of the box, with a full range of applications installed by default, but this is also one of it hightest weakeness, since this if well if your are to use those applications, but if your like anothers instead of the default ones, is such an OEM Windows, your need to uninstall all the crap to install those that your like to use. Can be great if their put the option to select whats applications your like to install and whats not.

^ This guy is weird, he recently PM'd me to say

"Linux though can get hacked easier and faster than Windows because Linux is a open source Operating System (OS). I know it can get patched the same day but hackers can hack it everyday. It's why I hate Linux."

I know Windows inside and out, professionally and have no intention of going near Linux but even *I* facepalm at these kind of arguments - just because you have details plans of Fort Knox doesn't mean its suddenly easier to break into than a wood hut you're never seen before!

(sorry if anyone thinks its a major Faux Pas to publically reproduce something someone else said in a PM but as this guy is shooting his mouth off, I couldn't resist letting you all in on this howler!)

So why is it that on my PC which I had Linux installed for 1 month to mine BitCoins I got hacked?

That PC had a firewall installed the same firewall I have on my Windows PC.

My main Windows PC I have not formatted for 2 years 7 months and never got hacked 1 time.

Can't explain that now can you? I always update so don't mention updates.

One bad experience = All Linux Operating Systems must be terrible

I didn't say that now did I? No. I just don't like Linux I tried Arch, Mint, SUSE, and Gentoo I only got hacked once on Linux. Only once.

Nobody can explain since a proper post-mortem can't be done on the system. If it shows anything though is that no OS can save people from doing stupid stuff. Follow the wrong howto from some site on the net and you can expose yourself to a world of hurt.

An example of this is Leo Laporte which has taken bad advice from his chatroom while onair and borked his Ubuntu install with the "logical" conclusion that Linux sucks. Never mind the fact that what he did was simply stupid.

I don't really understand how you would be running the same firewall on Linux as you do on Windows unless you're behind a router doing (at least) NAT on an IPv4 connection.

Over the time, as one gains experience with one thing or another they learn what they can and cannot do...

I used to assemble coffee vending machines at some early point in my adult life. Those things had so called base-cabinets and one could really could get nasty cuts while trying to fix the screws that linked the actual machine to the cabinet. I could not really use protection gloves since I have small hands and I could not find a size that would fit properly. So, over the time I simply developed an "instinct" of what and how I could do things so as to not get nasty cuts.

It's kind of the same with computing :D

Hmm. Actually you did:

Ok you didn't read carefully did you?

You said "One bad experience= All Linux Operating Systems must be terrible"

I said I did not say that because I did not say that the guy I replied to who I said Linux is a bucket of piss and trash because he insulted Windows and said it's a bucket of piss to a toilet.

So read slower next time maybe? So you can understand what someone says?

Enough of the flaming FUD. Millions of people use Linux without a problem. It is still the backbone of the internet, and is fine for home use if you have at least a modicum of intelligence. The only question the OP really needs answered is whether it is right for them. Until they detail what exactly it is they hope to gain from Linux over Windows, the rest is moot.

Yeah, your right. Sorry everyone. I get carried away sometimes.

No problem, you were trying to make good points at least. I just hate to see a request for help get mired in trolling, as these things seem to inevitably attract.

Yeah, not a surprise really though, it's an emotive subject, up there with
"I'm thinking of getting a next Gen console but I can't decide - which one is best?"
Or, to take it right back to our playground days - "I' want to check out some old 8-bit games - which is best C-64, Spectrum, NES or Master System?"

Alright, thank you.

Well... main pros are:
- linux is free. I means, it costs nothing.
- linux is open source. if you are a programmer - you can change anything in your system. If not... well, then you don't care about open source.
- almost no malware and viruses. Not because linux is protected, just because this bastards that make malware don't care about OS which has only 1-2% of users.
- highly configurable.

cons are:
- highly configurable. And you will need to configure it, you want it or not! And, by configuring - I mean editing configuration files, not some checkboxes)
- linux is free. It's mean no support. You are on your own. But support for windows is lame too, so this is not really a big deal.
- it has very few software. Especially talking about games. You should check first, if there is linux version of all you need, you can don't worry about it.
- incompatible with windows software. Yes, there are WINE, but it's simulation, so it's slower and often buggy.
- often it has problems with hardware, especially new. And it will be your problem to make your new videocard work under linux, not manufacturers of it)

So, first of all you should make a list of software you use, and check, if it has a linux version, or if there is alternative solution for linux with similar functionality. Then, check if linux fully support your hardware. If you satisfied with this steps, you should also ask yourself "am I ready for situation where I can't start a game I want to play?". And, if you answer yes - then linux is good for you!