Linux users.

OriginalLadders

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I did a search, but couldn't find anything like this, so I'm sorry if this thread already exists.

I was wondering how many Linux users are here on the Escapist forums, and also what distributions do you use?

For example; I run an Ubuntu Debian dual boot system, with a third (and easily the largest) partition for files, using Debian's GRUB loader.

When I first switched from Windows I ran Linux Mint, which is arguably more user-friendly than Ubuntu. I've also tried Linux Mint KDE and PCLinuxOS, but decided Gnome was an overall better desktop environment (especially with Unity).
 

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
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I run Peppermint on my netbook... The one I'm using to type this as we speak.

Also here is the user group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Escapist-Linux-Users] on this site for Linux users.

I can't help you with anything Linux my friend, I'm very much a n00b with Debian. Mr. Google has helped me through more than a few things.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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I have a copy of ARCH in here somewhere, but I'm afraid to touch it right now.

ARCH is a bad place for beginners.
 

duktapeman90

Fhqwhgads
Aug 16, 2009
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I run a copy of Ubuntu on a virtual machine. Windows 7 is still my main, but I have my uses for it.
 

MrTub

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I'm using Ubuntu on my school laptop (cant recall which version).
 

minuialear

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I've tried a few distros (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Mandriva, a few others); I liked Ubuntu the best until it started trying to pander to Mac users with Mac-ish UIs (*coughunitycough*). I'm planning on going back to Mint if Ubuntu keeps doing it.
 

OriginalLadders

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minuialear said:
I've tried a few distros (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Mandriva, a few others); I liked Ubuntu the best until it started trying to pander to Mac users with Mac-ish UIs (*coughunitycough*). I'm planning on going back to Mint if Ubuntu keeps doing it.
If you don't like Unity, why not try this [http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/classicgnome]?
 

Zantos

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I've started using Ubuntu for my research and have a VM on my home PC to do finish up work outside of Uni. It's really weird though, I'm constantly in situations where using the terminal is easier than the UI. One week in and I know more terminal commands than most of my penguiny friends.
 

minuialear

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OriginalLadders said:
minuialear said:
I've tried a few distros (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Mandriva, a few others); I liked Ubuntu the best until it started trying to pander to Mac users with Mac-ish UIs (*coughunitycough*). I'm planning on going back to Mint if Ubuntu keeps doing it.
If you don't like Unity, why not try this [http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/classicgnome]?
I know about that (and currently do just that). That doesn't change the fact that Ubuntu's obviously trying to pander to Mac users by making its newer interfaces more Mac-like, and that I don't like it, though.
 

OriginalLadders

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minuialear said:
I know about that (and currently do just that). That doesn't change the fact that Ubuntu's obviously trying to pander to Mac users by making its newer interfaces more Mac-like, and that I don't like it, though.
I think you're assuming a bit too much about the motivation behind it, the similarities may just be coincidental as they implement a desktop environment they feel is superior. Even if they are trying to attract Mac users, is it such a bad thing to try and increase their user-base?
 

minuialear

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OriginalLadders said:
minuialear said:
I know about that (and currently do just that). That doesn't change the fact that Ubuntu's obviously trying to pander to Mac users by making its newer interfaces more Mac-like, and that I don't like it, though.
I think you're assuming a bit too much about the motivation behind it, the similarities may just be coincidental as they implement a desktop environment they feel is superior. Even if they are trying to attract Mac users, is it such a bad thing to try and increase their user-base?
Well if Canonical is changing Ubuntu to be more Mac-like because they think the Mac UI is better than current Linux UIs, then that's even worse, IMO.

As for the second point, is it bad to try and increase the user base? No. But trying to emulate another OS for the sake of getting more people to use their product is a bad thing, as I see it. Do it through innovative and fresh new changes that actually make the OS better for EVERYONE who uses it. Not just for people who like the Mac interface.
 

OriginalLadders

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minuialear said:
Well if Canonical is changing Ubuntu to be more Mac-like because they think the Mac UI is better than current Linux UIs, then that's even worse, IMO.

As for the second point, is it bad to try and increase the user base? No. But trying to emulate another OS for the sake of getting more people to use their product is a bad thing, as I see it. Do it through innovative and fresh new changes that actually make the OS better for EVERYONE who uses it. Not just for people who like the Mac interface.
For the most part, I agree with you in principal (though personally, I like Unity), but you're still assuming this is a deliberate conscious move towards the Mac style. It could easily be that they're implementing what they feel is superior, regardless and/or largely unaware of any significant similarity to Mac.
 

gabe12301

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I use linux mint but i'm only using it because this laptop is crap. I prefer windows 7.
 

minuialear

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OriginalLadders said:
minuialear said:
Well if Canonical is changing Ubuntu to be more Mac-like because they think the Mac UI is better than current Linux UIs, then that's even worse, IMO.

As for the second point, is it bad to try and increase the user base? No. But trying to emulate another OS for the sake of getting more people to use their product is a bad thing, as I see it. Do it through innovative and fresh new changes that actually make the OS better for EVERYONE who uses it. Not just for people who like the Mac interface.
For the most part, I agree with you in principal (though personally, I like Unity), but you're still assuming this is a deliberate conscious move towards the Mac style. It could easily be that they're implementing what they feel is superior, regardless and/or largely unaware of any significant similarity to Mac.
I allowed for the possibility that they actually think it's better, i.e.,
minuialear said:
Well if Canonical is changing Ubuntu to be more Mac-like because they think the Mac UI is better than current Linux UIs, then that's even worse, IMO.
However, given the fact that the look AND functionality of the Unity changes scream OSX, the fact that I'm not the only person who thinks it looks Mac-like (pretty much every major tech blog has made the same observation, along with plenty of Linux users), and the fact that the changes are very similar to characteristics that are (and have been) deeply rooted in what makes OSX different from any other OS on the market, I think it's incredibly naive to think they were "unaware" of how similar the UI was to that of OSX. Every person in Canonical would have to have been living under a rock in order to be unable to notice even a slight similarity.

If people who don't even use OSX on a daily basis can look at Unity and think it looks the same, something's up. In my opinion.
 

Zeikcied

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I use Kubuntu, and have since December 2006. I even opted to run KDE 4.0 (none of the betas, though) soon after it came out. (Kubuntu devs provided a PPA.) It was rough at first, but I think the current KDE4 version is awesome. (Well, I think it's been awesome since 4.1, but that's just me.)
 

Willis_D

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Have Mint installed on my Desktop (Mint 10, rarely used) and my NetBook (Mint 11, pretty much all I use).

Still a n00b though
 

Da Orky Man

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Apr 24, 2011
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I've got Ubuntu installed on the SD card that's usually plugged into my netbook. Means I can take it anywhere, and runs almost as fast as from HDD. And I was scared of the partitioning tools.
 

OriginalLadders

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minuialear said:
I allowed for the possibility that they actually think it's better, i.e.,
minuialear said:
Well if Canonical is changing Ubuntu to be more Mac-like because they think the Mac UI is better than current Linux UIs, then that's even worse, IMO.
However, given the fact that the look AND functionality of the Unity changes scream OSX, the fact that I'm not the only person who thinks it looks Mac-like (pretty much every major tech blog has made the same observation, along with plenty of Linux users), and the fact that the changes are very similar to characteristics that are (and have been) deeply rooted in what makes OSX different from any other OS on the market, I think it's incredibly naive to think they were "unaware" of how similar the UI was to that of OSX. Every person in Canonical would have to have been living under a rock in order to be unable to notice even a slight similarity.

If people who don't even use OSX on a daily basis can look at Unity and think it looks the same, something's up. In my opinion.
My point was that you are still assuming a direct conscious move towards Mac style, as opposed to implementing something they felt to be superior that had similarities to Mac, the difference being slight but important, as in:

"Macs are good, let's copy them." vs "Let's use this, it's pretty good. Oh hey, it kinda looks like a Mac."

Having spent a fair amount of time using a friend's Macbook for the sake of comparison, I honestly think that the claims of similarity are exaggerated. Not untrue, just overstated.