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Linspire Linux

I

igucl

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 11, 2003
569
17
I don't know if this has been brought up before. I was looking for a version of Linux to put on an old PC, and I happened upon this Linspire site. I am really impressed. Some of the features are so powerful and useful that they are Mac-like: such as in-line spell checking. Here is a link to the very well-done tutorial site: http://media.linspire.com/howto/test/kiosk.swf

I think this is what I'd be running if I were using a PC. What do you guys think? I know there are Linux users on this forum. Which distributions have you found to be the best, and do you have any misgivings about Linspire?
 
Somebody shoot that tutorial narrator

I don't understand, it looks just like any of the dozens of other Linux distributions out there that try to rip off Windows XP and end up with something even worse. What makes this one different?
 
There are free, legal ways to get Linspire by the way...

Do some google searches for coupon codes which take $50 off of the price so its ultimately, free.

But, Linspire sucks. I would and COULD never reccomend it unless you are a total n00b with all computers.

They CHARGE for OpenOffice.org and Firefox!
 
What exactly makes it suck? Are you basing this on previous versions? Have you tried version 5?

btw, how could it be worse than XP?

edit: re: charges for free software. Yes, I see that the CNR feature charges for those programs, but would a Linspire user not be able to get them from other sources if he desired? I don't know. I'm asking.

edit: here is a way to disable CNR: http://applications.linux.com/article.pl?sid=05/04/10/2143214
 
Linspire doesn't charge for OpenOffice, Firefox or anything else, they charge for is the CNR service that works as a graphical installer for Linux apps which often don't have them. Its a good service for newbies and since its basically Debian you can apt-get stuff if you don't want to use CNR, especially since they are a bit slow to update on some of their apps.
 
igucl said:
What exactly makes it suck? Are you basing this on previous versions? Have you tried version 5?

btw, how could it be worse than XP?

edit: re: charges for free software. Yes, I see that the CNR feature charges for those programs, but would a Linspire user not be able to get them from other sources if he desired? I don't know. I'm asking.

edit: here is a way to disable CNR: http://applications.linux.com/article.pl?sid=05/04/10/2143214
Click to expand...

Yep I tried 5...

Also, my install wasnt smooth but thats a different story
 
Linspire (and any linux for that matter) is the worst of all Linux's it just, oh, its not worth paying $40 for, I'd rather go with *looks around* *whispers* windoze than linux */whispers*, unless of course its redhat Linux, which then I'd go with that.
 
I appreciate your comments, but I'm looking for more specifics. What is it, in particular, that makes you shun linux?
 
I've used a bunch of Linux distros, and Linspire is definitely great for those who aren't very computer literate. However, since the work I do on Linux machines tends to be programming/scientific, I've just been using Fedora. It's stable, has a good set of configuration tools, and it's too flashy.

MP
 
just through some light searching, I was able to find a link to the official Linspire torrent, without paying a dime... you just gotta know where to search ;)

For the hell of it, I tried installing it in VirtualPC... installation was smooth, but the product ran like utter garbage. All I did was try and open the 'config panel' or whatever the 'control panel was called' and it basically froze up in VPC. requirements say at least a 800mhz PC, so thats probably why.
 
igucl said:
I appreciate your comments, but I'm looking for more specifics. What is it, in particular, that makes you shun linux?
Click to expand...
EDIT: Comment withdrew

I have had a bad experience with SuSE Linux 8.1 that has lead me believe all Linux is that bad.
 
slooksterPSV said:
Remember, Linux is getting sued for using Unix code?
Click to expand...

Actually, you might want to read up on that. Let me see if I can simplify this without butchering the details...

"Linux" isn't being sued for anything. SCO is suing IBM. SCO alleges that IBM illegally contributed code to Linux. IBM, of course, says they didn't. SCO believes that even though IBM wrote the code, IBM doesn't have the right to do what they want with it. SCO believes they have a right to prevent IBM giving access to their own code because SCO says they own the copyrights to Unix.

There are two major problems with SCO's case:

1. SCO can't actually prove they own the UNIX copyrights. Novell also claims to own them. And Novell seems to have a stronger claim.

2. And SCO hasn't been able to demonstrate any examples of the stolen code that they're suing about. So they have no proof.

So the SCO case is in trouble. You can read up on Groklaw or Slashdot about it if you're curious.

Back to the original question...

Linspire is a fine way to get introduced to Linux. It's not a favorite among Linux fans, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It just goes after a different target audience than the average Linux geek.

You might also want to check out Ubuntu. I've been using it on a laptop, and it's been excellent. Very user friendly, with a nice GUI software installer system.

Mepis has also gotten a lot of attention lately as a user friendly distro. I've never used it, but I've talked to a few people who have raved about it.

Don't get too tied into which distro to pick. Anything you can do on one, you can do on another. The process might just be slightly different. They're all just linux under the hood. Just pick one and go. Odds are that as you learn, you'll want to try a different distro along the way anyway. So don't lose a lot of sleep over which one to start with.
 
slooksterPSV said:
...I don't like Linux cause its a cheap knock-off to Unix...Mainly, I don't like Linux cause its like Microsoft, they steal, they plunder, and they cheat there way with others' code. Remember, Linux is getting sued for using Unix code?
Click to expand...

Isn't there a rule about not posting if you have no idea what you're talking about? :confused:

Anyway, if you want to use Linux you're going to have to get your hands a little dirty. You're going to need to learn to fend for yourself on the command line, and you're going to need a savvy friend (or to spend a lot of time on Google). Unless you are seriously committed, you will need a secondary system, just in case something goes wrong (and believe me, something will). There is no newbie friendly distro. :eek:

I prefer Slackware, since it has no really unique "features", is highly customizable, and doesn't feed me any foolishness I don't want. Despite Slackware's reputation as a cryptic, difficult distro, what you learn under Slackware will be applicable to other distros, to other OSs, and to Mac OS X.

It is not easy, but it is worth it. :)
 
Well, I really want to try these different distribution suggestions that you guys have mentioned.

But first, I need some help. I have downloaded iso images for Ubuntu, both for x86 and PPC, and I can't get either one to boot up on its respective hardware. I think I must be missing something in the download and burning stage. What I've been doing is dragging the file from my desktop onto the blank CD, and burning it. It all goes well, but it won't do anything when I try to boot from it. What's going on?

Please help. I'm wasting CDs. Thanks.
 
igucl said:
Well, I really want to try these different distribution suggestions that you guys have mentioned.

But first, I need some help. I have downloaded iso images for Ubuntu, both for x86 and PPC, and I can't get either one to boot up on its respective hardware. I think I must be missing something in the download and burning stage. What I've been doing is dragging the file from my desktop onto the blank CD, and burning it. It all goes well, but it won't do anything when I try to boot from it. What's going on?

Please help. I'm wasting CDs. Thanks.
Click to expand...

LOL, boy you're in for a big pile o' trouble. Linux ain't friendly.

With that said, what you're doing wrong is that you're burning an ISO of an ISO. You have to burn the ISO ITSELF. And that ain't gonna happen by dragging and dropping it into a blank CD. You have to go into Disk Utility, and do a Burn Image, then direct it to the ISO, and then it'll burn the CD with the ISO.

Linux is unfriendly, did I mention that? This is likely gonna be the LEAST of your problems down the road.
 
They're ISO files, you'll have to burn them with Toast (or Nero on the PC). (Edit: Didn't know you could do it with Disk Utility, that's worth trying if you don't have Toast.)

I've run several Linuxes on VPC. They are all fairly sluggish. I find SuSE 9.1 Personal to be the best so far. Linspire has very smooth installs, and everything works, but I'm not crazy about the Click'N'Run idea, and it's very sluggish. Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora and FreeBSD (not a Linux) all have problems during installation. Debian hasn't been updated in a while, and installation is incredibly painful - reminds me of the antique Slackware releases. (Quick, what clock frequencies are available on your video card? You don't know? You stoopid noob, you should have them tattooed on your wrist.) I haven't yet tried Gentoo or Mandrake. Looking forward to trying OpenBSD.
 
Thank you all for your help.

I now have Ubuntu up and running.
 
Linspire Lindows.... I had a terrible experience with it once, but its a really long story.... basically i tried to set up a dual boot with linspire and windows xp, except that I was only able to boot into linspire and not into xp anymore, which at the time presented a serious problem....
 
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