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]

I want to setup a Linux machine at home.  I will be using it for gaming.  

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...

[SirPeale]

Yeah, Howard, where DID you get that?  I used to play Quake/2/III all the time.  There were a ton of other games I played as well, but lost interest in PC games about that time.

There's nothing wrong with 3D applications either.  OpenGL is fully supported.

[NoBonus]

So, now I am confused. Linux does support DirectX and OpenGL?  And which version? and is Wine a good program?

[NoBonus]

Or would a dual-boot computer be the best option? Linux for e-mail, word processing and what not and a version of Windows for games?


NoBOnus

[barvaz]

Linux has a native OpenGL implementation that can work directly with the hardware and it does this pretty well. OpenGL games that were compiled specifically for Linux will run just great.

DirectX isn't natively supported in Linux but can be done with winex. But note that this is an emulation with all the limitations that come with that. You will be able to run some Windows games on it but more often than not, you will run into problems. If you just want to install and play Windows games without too many worries, winex won

[NoBonus]

Do other emu's work in Linux? Like Zinc or Kawaks?

[NoBonus]

What set Gentoo apart from the others?

[barvaz]

What set Gentoo apart from the others?

Gentoo is defined as

[GadgetGeek]

To get an idea of how your machine would work as a linux mame machine, go to the AdvanceMame website and get AdvanceCD.  Follow the directions and you soon will have a bootable CD with your favorite games on it.  Stick it in the test machine, set it to boot from CD and reboot.  Makes a great portable gaming system as well.  Reminds me, I'm going to the in-laws this weekend, best get that cd out.

[NoBonus]

I may sound lame, but how do I get my machine to boot from cd?  Just through BIOS settings?

[Buddabing]

I may sound lame, but how do I get my machine to boot from cd?  Just through BIOS settings?

Yes. Set the boot order so that the CD boots before the hard drive.

[Lilwolf]

and a quick note.  Wine is NOT and emulator...   "Wine Is Not an Emulator" is what it stands for.

Its an alternative win32 libraries.

IE, you run native..  And when you try to access a win or win32 api (or X calls for winex) it loads them from Wine or WineX instead of loading them from Windows dll files.

So it only works on Linux with an intel/amd processor...

BUT is also has problems.  Not all games run.  I think the only problems at this point are security...  But goto their webpage and see if games you like are listed.

but again again... if its a game machine...

XP is the way to go.

BUT... its still not