Operating Systems > Linux and UNIX

Anybody know about WinLinux?

<< < (2/3) > >>

Centurian:
Hey Karen,

 
quote:Originally posted by Karen:

SEEMS like the perfect "transition" program... what's the catch? (OK, I've been known to be cynical sometimes.)

Has anybody heard anything - good or bad - about this?


--- End quote ---


WinLinux was my first step into Linux software. I bought WinLinux 2001 and found it a major waste of both my time and money. The distro was based on Redhat 5.2. The windows configuration program works fine the first time through it but if you should make a mistake you may as well remove WinLinux and reinstall because once configured the the configuration program won't change most of the settings a second time. Further WinLinux runs slower than windows. Additionally once Winlinux is installed DON'T run Windows defrag program EVER again on the drive it is installed on. If you do WinLinux instantly becomes garbage.

Fortunately for me I did not assume that all versions of Linux were crap just because WinLinux is crap. I am now running Mandrake 8.1 on a dual boot system with W98SE. I use W98 for games only. W98 does not even know that the internet is connected to it on my system.

Anyway if you want a very LIMITED GENERALIZED feel of linux with little or no control then go ahead and check out WinLinux. It will work but it does require alot of effort to make it work and keep it running. Basically IMHO Winlinux gives decent Linux distro's a bad name. The WinLinux website make you feel as if it is the perfect ticket to move away from Windows without really leaving it. WinLinux tries to put in all the bells and whistles of Linux without the underlying support leaving it unstable. A windows user who wants a first feel of Linux and tries WinLinux may assume that all Linux products are simular and that certainly is not in Linux's best interests. Hmmm wonder if Microsoft owns it.

You might try ZIPSlack it is a slackware distro that runs on a fat drive. It does not include any desktops or even Xwindows I don't think but it is a stable fully working distro. It will give you a much better feel for Linux than WinLinux offers.

iancom:
It's not Linux, it obviously doesn't run the Linux kernel, but if you're stuck with Windows and really want to start learning about the power of real scripting in Bash, Perl etc before taking the plunge into Linux proper I can very highly recommend Cygwin.

http://sources.redhat.com/cygwin/

It free, installs on all x86 versions of Windows, doesn't need its own partition or file system, only takes up about 200MB and with a little experience can completely replace your Windows command/cmd shell and .bat/.cmd scripts with all the same functionality and a hell of a lot more...

It's not a replacement for the Windows GUI, and isn't intended to be, but after a couple of months using it as your command shell on Windows you'll feel an awful lot more confident about tackling a real Linux/Unix shell.

I still use it regularly on my servers that still run WinNT/2K for scripting, the invaluable access to the VIM text editor and use of tab-completion (which incidentally I was amazed to accidentally discover is now included by default in the otherwise serverly crippled WinXP shell).

voidmain:
Yeah, MS is usually about 20 years behind on implementing command line stuff, and then the MCSEs think it's a hot new Microsoft innovation.  

Calum:
i met a guy from NZ, and he told me about a program which you execute, and it kills your running OS and then boots from your Linux partition. In effect, this means you could leave the shortcut on yr desktop in Windows, and when you open it, it boots to whatever proper Linux you have installed, none of this Virtual Machine emulation, or dual application style Lindows/Winlinux stuff, a proper Linux on yr computer just like that.

He couldn't remember what it was called, except he thought it was called LinLoader. Now, the URL if ound for LinLoader was:

http://www.reinhouse.freeserve.co.uk/riscos/linloader/

Is this what he was referring to? anybody else heard of this program? sounds like it might be better than WinLinux, as you can have a real up to date Linux OS in yr box.

voidmain:
Calum, I can't tell you about LinLoader, but I *can* tell you that "LOADLIN.EXE" will do exactly what you mention.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page