Linux?

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AuthorTopic: Linux?
Warrior
Member # 3978
Profile #0
Hey, I don't use linux at the moment, but I'm probably switching soon. Is there any chance of more games being converted over to Linux in the future?
Posts: 125 | Registered: Friday, February 13 2004 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #1
Jeff certainly won't do it, and he won't release the code for his games either. Thus, all signs point to highly unlikely.

—Alorael, who will repeat the mantra that Spiderweb games run under Wine. Since he knows nothing about Linux or Wine, he'll just assume that it's true.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #2
quote:
Originally written by Solodric:

Hey, I don't use linux at the moment, but I'm probably switching soon. Is there any chance of more games being converted over to Linux in the future?
Word of advice from Djur by way of me: there are several good reasons for switching to Linux.
1. You are using your home computer to host a webserver for some reason, and require the extra security
2. You are a programmer and a wealth of tools and an efficient, stable background would directly benefit you
3. You need the extra shortcuts given by a terminal environment.

If those do not strongly apply to you -- at least one, let's say -- there's not an awful lot of reason in getting Linux.

He advised against me getting it, because I use my computer almost exclusively for games, browsing, and AIM; for each of these, Linux can be treated as essentially inferior to either of the other major OSes. So far as I was concerned, its only advantage was a marginal increase in stability, counterset by general inconvenience, user-hostility, and (most importantly) a lack of products and support so far as games are concerned.

WinE is improving, but a lot of excellent titles are still PC- or sometimes Mac-only, and cannot be emulated at all. Bear all that in mind.

Also, amateur Linux conversions tend to suck. Take Exile 3, for example; Djur reports the Linux-native version actually runs worse on his system than Windows-native Exile 3 run through WinE.

[ Sunday, February 06, 2005 11:28: Message edited by: Bad-Ass Mother Custer ]

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Guardian
Member # 2238
Profile Homepage #3
What we need is a WinXP-Gamer edition...

You'd think Bill Gates would've paid someone to think of a better memory usage system by now.

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The critics agree!

Demonslayer is "a five star hit!" raves TIMES Weekly!

"I've never heard such thoughtful comments. This man is a genious!" says two-time Nobel Prize winning physicist Erwin Rasputin!
Posts: 1582 | Registered: Wednesday, November 13 2002 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5482
Profile #4
For what it's worth, Solodric, BAMC's opinion on an OS he's never used and once got advised not to shouldn't hold so much weight.

The SWsoft games all run in Wine, or at least all those tested do (which is the Avernum series and one of the exile games...I'm sure some googling would turn up that they all work fine). As for commercial games, Cedega (a WINE derivative) runs the majority of games worth playing. You can find out more about that at transgamer.com

The real issue of actually running Linux is a bit more complicated, though. It is true that you might need to learn a thing or two if you're going to be running your own Linux system. I'd say this has more to do with the fact that Windows is just more common than with the usability of Linux at this point. Distributions like Ubuntu and Mandrake are easier to install than Windows (and faster), and sites like Linuxquestions.org and the #linuxhelp channel on EfNet mean that even illiterates can get up to speed.

So you won't have any problems running it. There's still the question of whether you should. You're not going to be able to get 'the guy down the street' to fix anything you mess up, you'll need to fix it yourself. As for the perks: if you've never dealt with the apt system before, you're in for a treat. With a decent internet connection, you can be set up for anything you want to do in next to no time. Last week I had a friend ask if I could do some 3D models for him and, after a web search for program names, I was set up and ready to go with a 3D modeling program (Wings3D) and an image editor (The GIMP) for texturing.

The short of it, though, is that the only reason to run Linux is really if you're going to do more with your system than play games and sit around on instant messenger. If you want to learn to program, produce content (graphics, 3D stuff), or tinker with your system, then Linux is much more conducive to it than Windows.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Monday, February 7 2005 08:00
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #5
quote:
Originally written by Drassk:

For what it's worth, Solodric, BAMC's opinion on an OS he's never used and once got advised not to shouldn't hold so much weight.

...

The short of it, though, is that the only reason to run Linux is really if you're going to do more with your system than play games and sit around on instant messenger. If you want to learn to program, produce content (graphics, 3D stuff), or tinker with your system, then Linux is much more conducive to it than Windows.

quote:
Originally written by Drassk:

Don't take what the unwashed idiot says seriously; he doesn't know what he's talking about.
The truth is more or less what he said it was, only it needs to be framed in such a way as to make me feel superior.

FYT

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 5482
Profile #6
The unwashed idiot needs to back up and look at the wider picture. While I almost agreed with the list of points at the start of your message, I took exception to the the majority of it.

Correcting bad advice from a source who admits that he hasn't any basis on which to give said advice is sort of a moral obligation. A counterbalance to those who like to speak for its own sake even if they don't quite know what they're talking about.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Monday, February 7 2005 08:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #7
Drassk, you might want to point out your points of disagreement with Alec, since your posts look pretty darn identical to me.

EDIT: For the purpose of giving clear advice, rather than starting an argument, of course. :P

[ Tuesday, February 08, 2005 09:17: Message edited by: Kelandon ]

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.

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The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Warrior
Member # 3978
Profile #8
Who are you kidding, Kelan? An argument has already been started so lets sit back and enjoy the show, while I go ahead and download Lindows with a Winux update and try it out :) maybe. Only if the people on the Linux boards think it's a good idea. Either way....I have to say Drassk seemed to pretty much agree with the other guy, but he did highlight it as superior.

This is likely to lead to a heated argument, and that is likely to turn out some info about Linux we might not have had before :)
Posts: 125 | Registered: Friday, February 13 2004 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 5482
Profile #9
I'm not going to bother with the whole flame war thing, so you'll need to find some other entertainment. The main reason I made a post was that the information was second-hand and some of it was stuff I disagreed with. This post is just the list of points that I thought were off in the original post.

The list of reasons to use Linux was given as if the OS was only used by coders and network admins. For many people, it's just their desktop OS. It saves students a few hundred bucks on a Windows license, and they don't have to worry about a page fault or the latest macro worm setting them back a weeks work on their thesis.

"essentially inferior to <other OS>" - This is just straight wrong. As for browsing and IM, Linux would count as superior. It's faster, has more choice of clients, and is less likely to have a browser exploit ruin your day. For games, it's actually much more debatable than you'd suspect. The premise is this: Linux can run a larger number of the best games ever made than Windows can. My proof is that Cedega will run any sufficiently popular game as equivalent to Windows and, actually, 90% of unpopular games. But, it will also run games that were released on Win95/98 which were broken by later versions of Windows such as Interstate 76. So, unless you want to dual boot with Win95, Linux can actually run more -great- games than WinXP (or 2K) can. (I didn't include DOS games here because DOSBox, the current best DOS emulator, is on both WinXP/2K and Linux).

He also talked about general inconvenience and user-hostility. It's sort of hard to swallow when my mom (a near comp. illiterate) can pop in the Ubuntu CD and have a net-connected system with a GUI and office suite (everything she needs) in 20 minutes. That sounds pretty convenient and friendly to me. Being able to update every piece of software on your system to the latest version by typing one command (or using a GUI tool) is also pretty convenient.

I already addressed the lack of products as far as games are concerned. And, well, amateur ports of games to all OSes suck. It's not a Linux thing that some people write bad software. But, since the example runs in Wine, I don't see what the issue is. (Note: "But, you have to run it in an emulator!!" is not a valid response, if in doubt go look up what WINE stands for).

That's all I've got.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Monday, February 7 2005 08:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 1152
Profile Homepage #10
quote:
Originally written by Solodric:

Hey, I don't use linux at the moment, but I'm probably switching soon. Is there any chance of more games being converted over to Linux in the future?
teh best game in teh world is: kBounce, which installs with the K Desktop Envoirment.

and for thoose too lazy too look up Wine ( http://www.winehq.com/ ) it stans for WINE Is Not an Emulator.

and the E3 for Linux is pretty bad, but i never got WINE to work exactaly right under linux because i had to compile its source becuase of the distro. speakign of distros, i suggest either Fedora or Mandrake if your new to a UNIX based OS. Also, look into gettign a Linux book, this will help you ALOT.

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-Sylak
Proud Member of the Church of Devine Luchere
Posts: 319 | Registered: Tuesday, May 14 2002 07:00