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I'm going Linux and need guidance
NoBonus:
I want to setup a Linux machine at home. I will be using it for gaming. I currently am running a Windows 98se machine and hate it. So what would be best for me? I will only be using this machine for games (the more compatible with Windows games the better), Internet access, and word processing. I would, however, like to keep all or most of the files currently on my harddrive... there are about 10 million distributions of Linux, what is the best option for me?
Oh, and I do not want a dual boot machine; I have a second, Windows only machine for that.
NoBonus
Tilzs:
I like Gentoo linux. The setup is pretty invovled, and takes maybe a few days to complete. Once it's setup though it's really easy to keep up to date. I was a redhat person before gentoo but I'm glad I switched. Redhat is dead now anyhow.
The easiest way to keep all the stuff on your harddrive is to get a 2nd HD to install linux on, or backup all the files you want to keep onto CD or your windows machine, Install linux then copy the stuff you want back onto your new linux machine.
Howard_Casto:
--- Quote from: NoBonus on May 26, 2004, 02:51:23 pm ---I want to setup a Linux machine at home. I will be using it for gaming.
--- End quote ---
Heh....listen to what you are saying man. Linux is the most "ungaming-est" os ever devised. There is no hardware acceleration to speak of, so all 3d games will be slow, have graphical errors, or overall perform like crap. Speaking of games.... there aren't any. Unless you count emulators and crappy homebrew games of course.
There used to be a company that was devoted to porting pc games to windows. They went under. Why? Well first off, it took up to 2 years to get a game ported, so by then everyone was sick of the game. After all their efforts they got about 12 games, tops ported. That's not enough to justify a gaming machine. Lastly, even if you manage to get a great game ported to linux quickly... the hardware will fight you every step of the way. There is not really a linux evuiveelent of directX. What hardware acceleration you get is usually integrated into the game. As most game developers aren't the best low-level programmers that generally means you get 0 hardware acceleration.
Long story short, for gaming specifically, linux is the worst possible choice for an os. I never say this, but you'd be better off using dos. At least there is a vast library of dos games to play as opposed to the 40 linux games (39 of which involve penguins and bad rip-offs of classic games you can play in mame anyway).
NoBonus:
Thanks for the info. Sounds like Linux does have some severe limitations.
Lilwolf:
Linux and 3d work well together (Howard, where did you get that?)
For gaming... look at WINEX.
but... if you are doing it for gaming....
Windows XP is probably what you want.
I'm guessing you will spend MUCH MORE time trying to get games working then actually playing games.
VERY few games are really released on Linux directly...
oh... and wine is not an emulator.. So many games run near full speed... but others work like dog meat...