Linux that looks like windoze?

[cobain1crt]

Hi, I have liked Linux for a while, everything about it, but 3 things:

1. X Windows actualy runs slower than real windows 95.98

2. Normal Operation is not very easy (as it is on a prompt)

3. Installation is a pain in the ***

I do not mind #3 that much, but is there a Linux version that does not default to the command propt, and runs at full speed in an X windows like enviornment?

[Dominus]

Red hat 6.0, Caldera OpenLinux 2.2 and Debian 2.1(?) all have the option of booting straight to X.

I can't say I've even seen a case where X wasn't as fast or faster than windows 9X on the same box, but then again, Linux was designed for less-than-ideal hardware, and therefore doesn't utilize enormous ammounts of RAM or processing power as well as windows.

BTW, if you have 64MB+ of ram, you have to specify it to the kernel on install.

ex = linux mem=128M

Most likely you know that, but few people pick up on that point right away.

[usual]

using the program xdm will boot into a graphical login instead of a console one...KDE and GNOME have there own versions of xdm also...i personally hate xdm...but alot of people say if you use X you should use xdm(gdm,kdm)

[cobain1crt]

I know I can boot dirrect to X, I wanted to know if there is anything that uns like that normal, and not just a program on top of the OS, on my 486 windows 95 runs like 4x than Red Hat and X.

[800XL]

Anyone else ever had Win9x crash to a DOS prompt? Running a program on top of the OS indeed...

I never had troubles like this when I ran Linux on a 386. Win 95 would barely run at all, much less be usable. Linux running X on the console while at the same time serving a client win95 machine running Xwin (a win9x remote Xwindows client) was just fine. Sounds like you may not quite have the right X server for your video card, or perhaps some other misconfig. Could also be that you are running a crappy window manager.

[Josh]

You should install only the servers that you want to use and uninstall everything else. I have run RH 5.0 on a 486-66 w/16mb, and it ran much faster than windows could ever hope to.

[cobain1crt]

Tired re-installing, no help, perhapse I should get the new version on RedHat, but I hate being on line for like 20 hours downloading.

[Joel Kleppinger]

Well, you could just check around at a few different stores for Linux Mandrake 6.0. It's practically RedHat 6 with a few improvements (and no manual) for $5-10. I think I remember Sams Club having them, but I haven't seen my Best Buy carrying them.

I know there's an online vendor that sells it for like $7, but I don't remember the name. Just give "Linux Mandrake" a search, and you should find several different things.

It blew me away when I realized that someone had downloaded RedHat6, added some stuff to it, has repackaged it as Linux Mandrake 6, and is selling for such a low price. How I love open source.

[buitenb]

He cobain linux kicks *** !!
it runs smoother than every other OS !
ok the installation is a pain in the ***
somethimes but with yast (suse 6.1) life is
easy ! One good thing to Cd copying and recording runs better then on windows
more realible and a little bit faster
I have a scsi recorder and hd .
its a nice os but it needs care !

[geekd]

www.cheapbytes.com has RedHat 6 for $1.99.
Mandrake too (that's what I use)

XFree86 3.3.3 (the one in redhat6) IS slower than Windows. Not much, but some...
GNOME and KDE are also slowed by Themes...

But the most noticable is the file manager in KDE.. slow as mollasas.. GNOME's is MUCH faster...

ANYWAY... XFree86 4.0 is due out by Fall and it is a complete re-write of the whole X system.. many improvements.

Also.. Win95/98 IS a program running on top of DOS.. Just exactly the same as booting right into X. MS hides it a little better, is all.

So... imagine the functionality of Win98 sitting on top of the power and stability of Unix? That's what Linux will be in a short time.