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Radically
Simple Linux for the non-geek! |
Part Seven:What is missing
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Well you might think so. I will make no bones about it, there are things in Linux which mean that it is not the right Operating System for everyone. Two reasons, Games (and some specialist software) and Hardware Support. And a third, perceived Installation Difficulties, though as we'll see, that is no longer the case.
Games
Well as a Free, OpenSource, Operating System, many commercial software companies do not publish software for Linux. You might think that it's obvious, but just because an Operating System is Free, doesn't mean that you can't run Closed Source programs on top of it. So there are also plenty of software companies that DO provide software for Linux!
But, when you're talking about the latest and greatest of all the super-duper action games, many are not produced for Linux. Some are. Some appear with Linux versions a few months later. Some are based on OpenSource engines, it's only the data that forms the plot and graphics that are "owned". Some may be made to run on Linux using a Linux engine but the data from the CD.
I have to admit that this area of gaming isn't my "thing". At my age, the card games and board games that come
with Linux, and there are loads of them, far more than Windows, are
more than enough of a challenge for me. But don't let that put you off.
There is a free program called Wine, which enables a number of Windows
Programs to run on Linux. At the cutting edge, this is in part funded
and sourced by a subscription program called Cedega, where all the
newest stuff goes. Cedega is from Transgaming and the Linux page on
their Website tells you what you need to know.So, you have a free Operating System, stable and virus-free, and for a small subscription you can play all your Windows games as well! I've read that due to the system overheads and the very direct way that Wine/Cedega work, Windows programs can run faster via Wine/Cedega than in Windows itself!
There is another solution which is becoming popular. Given the resources hogged by Windows, and the cost of software, what some people do is build a computer (or buy one to order without an OS) especially for Linux, because you can buy one that flies along in Linux much cheaper than if you want to run the latest and greatest games in Windows. Then use the money saved to buy a specialist games console, which of course runs the games much better anyway! This has the added advantage that someone can use the computer whilst Jimmy is taking hours getting to his highest ever score.
Just talking about the games you get free with Linux, there are SOME arcade games, you can also get things you would pay for in Windows, like Chess and stuff. Have a search on the net under Linux Gaming, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Hardware Drivers
The great bugbear of the Linux world. But again a double edged sword.
Getting Technical for a moment: Please bear with me. PCLinuxOS the operating system is based around Linux the kernel. The kernel is a small but crucial program that links your input, output, storage devices, and every piece of hardware to your programs. So the driver that runs your mouse is part of the kernel. In Linux, the kernel consists of parts which have to be part of the central "kernel" file, and parts which can be loaded as and when needed, called "modules".
Now in Windows, when you buy a piece of hardware, you get a disc with it, that has to install some drivers, and you often have to reboot. In Linux, hardware manufacturers don't provide drivers on disc (normally), they contribute code to the Linux kernel to run their device. In some cases they don't which is why some hardware runs badly or not at all. In some cases, people reverse-engineer the hardware independently, because the manufacturer's won't play ball. My scanner is an absolute belter in Linux, the old Canon LiDE20. As far as I know, Canon did nothing to help create the driver it was done by opensource programmers with no help. I'll correct the page if I'm wrong.
Some manufacturers, and a good example is NVidia, keep their drivers closed, but do make them for Linux. They do this by creating an opensource program that "links" their driver to the kernel. PCLinuxOS uses a system called "dkms" to build kernel modules whilst the kernel is running. Many modules can be added and in most cases you don't need to reboot, the running kernel can just find the module and start using it.
So the disadvantage is that there is the possibility that your bit of hardware won't work, though these days it generally does, and often, if it doesn't, it will, it's just that the Linux guys are working behind all the time. The advantage is that if your hardware is supported, that support is already there in the kernel, or that the mysterious "dkms" program can build a kernel module for you without disturbing the running kernel. Most hardware is detected with little or no user intervention, but you can use the Control Centre to do the rest or fine tune.
No searching for driver disks. No rebooting after every driver is added. And no upgrading to the new Super-Duper version (called Vista?) which suddenly has no support for half your hardware! You see we don't have to abandon drivers for older hardware from the kernel, because they are only loaded into memory if needed by the running hardware.
One area where Linux has problems is in the area of Dial-Up Internet. Unless you have a serial port connected to an external serial modem (cost about £20 if you shop around), or your internal modem is a Hardware type (some Intel cards), you'll struggle. What you will find is that the serial modem, as well as working on Linux, will actually also improve your connection on Windows, because it runs itself without your computer's processor having to do two jobs at once, which is what happens in cheap software modems, it has to run the computer AND the modem.
Whilst we're discussing Hardware and Internet, always try to get any wired internet connection via your computer's Ethernet socket. It's often crucial in Linux, and, guess what, it's more efficient in Windows, too! In most cases, Wireless connections work pretty well, too. PCLinuxOS has some of the easiest tools for setting up Wireless Internet, there is hardware that needs extra attention in Linux (plenty of help at the forum) but there are the occasional chipsets that just won't play.
PCLinuxOS is Hard to Install and Set Up?
So I load PCLinuxOS onto my desktop, it takes 15-20 minutes. I reboot from the harddrive (as it was running off the CD). It recognises my Scanner and all my motherboard stuff immediately. The printer (HP PS7760) has to be selected through a dialogue in the Control Centre, but again it's there. Finally, to get my nvidia graphics 3D acceleration working, I add a program called dkms-nvidia using Synaptic which installs the necessary driver for me. Done. No more reboots. Now try to install Windows (any version) from scratch with a proper Windows Disk and a pile of Driver Disks. Windows is only easier to install than Linux when it's pre-installed!
What's next? Well maybe I need to drop the "narrative" and start listing some info. Like: Where do I get PCLinuxOS? What programs does it have, and what Windows programs do they replace? Where can I find whether my hardware will work? Like a factsheet. I'll work on it ...
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