UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hello

to help me with my studying of unix/linux outside of work I was thinking of installing Linux at home aswell as using Windows XP.

Im pretty new to Linux and Unix, could someone tell me the possible benifits or even negatives of running Linux at home as an opperating system as opposed to Windows XP.

the sort of stuff Id like to know

Can I run all my favorite programmes from Linux?
Can I still run all my files such as MP3's and MPEGS?
How can I better monitor my computer and it's resources?
And any other day to day examples would be great

Thanks guys

From my perspective, Linux and XP are very different. I use both every day. I use Linux for our server functions like Apache Web Server, Sendmail, DNS, etc.
I use XP for Microsoft Office, playing DVDs, and other desktop applications.

I personally would not use XP for my server functions and don't use Linux to run MS Office applications. Hence, when I use Linux and XP (or BSD and XP) I get two operating systems that shine in different areas.

So, for me, I don't compare XP and Linux, just like I don't compare my motorcycle to my truck. They are better at doing what they were designed to do. I love both my truck and my bike. Ditto for XP and Linux.

**Can I run all my favorite programmes from Linux?

No you can't because most programs are written for windows, this is because windows is a commercial OS and only an OS. All the extra's you need to buy or download (like Office, ftp client, irc client, ssh client and so on).

Games are mostly only for Windows or MAC (Linux is almost never supported by the gamesupplier)

BUT this isn't so bad because Linux is NOT a commercial OS and has all the software you need (if you install it).

Example: I have installed Red Hat 8.0 once with just the packages (software) I needed and it was 300 MB, another time I installed this same Red Hat 8.0 but I selected almost ALL additional software and that was 2.6 GB. I think this is a PLUS because you can choose exactly what program you want and what program you don't want AND, all these programs are FREE :d

I have like 5 emailclients, 4 ftp clients, 3 ircclients, an instant message client (for icq, messenger, yahoo, ...), spreadsheetprograms, databaseprograms, serversoftware, and so on and on and on.


**Can I still run all my files such as MP3's and MPEGS?

In order to run MP3's you can use winamp (wich is xmms in linux, most of the times provided with the linux installation cd's or free downloadable on the net). There is only this one problem with MP3's wich requires an update so don't forget this (look in google: mp3 linux xmms or something like that).

In order to run MPEGS download mplayer from mplayer.org (this is not very easy but I really like the program, it never lags (like the new Windows Media Players) and it plays almost all formats no matter what codec.


**How can I better monitor my computer and it's resources?

Linux is one big monitor, u can monitor whatever you want with standard tools and offcourse the internet provides more monitor tools for linux than any other OS.


**And any other day to day examples would be great

Linux is not easy, but it's a whole different approach than most OS'es. If I can give you one tip, hang on, TRY TRY and TRY again, keep searchin on the inet and if u haven't found a solution yet, than you can ask someone else

I think it's the most interesting OS there is and offcourse it's free.