Handle With Linux

1. Without connecting to the Internet what day of the week was 14 October 1066?
   Answer: $ cal 10 1066
2. What was the time in Perth (Australia) on 2 January 2009 at 14:00 in Melbourne? Elaboration: you're looking at an invite for a meeting that took place 18 months ago at 14:00, sent out by someone in Melbourne. I betcha Winblows will say 11:00a, but the true answer is 12:00noon.

   The trick is that there was daylight saving in both places at the time, but since then, Perth has abandoned daylight saving. Linux keeps all daylight rules since the beginning of time (or more practically, since about 1850), but Windows only keeps the current and one previous rule (if you're lucky).

3. I log into my linux system in Melbourne, my parents log in from New Zealand. We can each see our local timezone (except, of course in ASCII log files and similar). If I create a file at 11:00am AEST, they see it as 13:00am NZST. But if they need to see things my way ...
   $ TZ=Australia/Melbourne ls -l ...

One more is that makes Linux special is that the Linux OS is more secure than Windows systems If we consider the virus Attacks and in case of data lost the operation of Linux recovery Is much easier than recovery of Windows based systems.

11th: VLAN support.

...is let the user easily setup a multiple monitor configuration of different resolutions(easily being the operative word). Linux runs very well, but without programs like Adobe CS4, Camtasia, excellent video editing, good native printer and scanner drivers, excellent video card drivers(this one is a show stopper for many potential users). Take for instance my Dell Inspiron E1505 with an ATI X1400 that runs at 1650x1080. With Vista ATI drivers I can plug my analog(!) monitor output into my 52" LCD flat panel TV monitor and it automatically recognizes the monitor and resets the output resolution to full HD, not just full screen, full HD! Linux ATI drivers are incapable of handling that task or easily setting up multiple monitors of differing resolutions.

I would love nothing more than to use openSUSE with KDE 4.2 everyday because I think it is the best desktop OS available. Unfortunately, the people who write the programs I use to earn a living don't believe supporting Linux is a good use of their development funds. What I don't understand is with the similarities of OS-X and Linux, how hard is it to release a Linux version of any program available for OS-X? Until these companies join the party by releasing Linux native programs and Linux users accept that purchasing some applications is acceptable, or Linux developers write professional level apps for video editing and multimedia then Linux will remain in third place behind Windows and OS-X.

That live 'nix'es are more than cool, they're freely downloadable, keep old boat anchor boxes and lappys out of landfills, in some cases load right into ram and of course all work is easily backed up up wherever you wish to portably move it (along with the live cd os) to other boxes or laptops as you so desire. I travel a great deal and whether at work, home or on the road absolutely love live Linuxes.

The pure pleasure of -not- paying money for an os that is massively BLOATED beyond my wants or needs is to me one of the finest things about so many versions of Linux, certainly a long list of live ones.

Lastly, I listen to a webtech show on WGN radio (Chicago) most every Wednesday night... all pc people but for one Mac guy. Nice techs, really helpful to people, but it's like I'm listening to massochists calling in all night long talking about all the slop that trashes their boxes, things that I've nearly NEVER seen in my 15 or so years of Linux use. It's a sick pleasure listening to a continuum of on-going misery with Gate's Folly.

In truth I feel genuinely sorry for these people as the learning curve seems to me the actual reason they just don't "get" Linux. If Tux is our mascot, I suggest a lemming for M$'s os.

Several of these techs have admitted to liking 'nix but don't say much about it likely for fear of losing the cashflow linked to fixing so many problems Windows so regularly offers the average computer user.

One poster hit on it -- the real big thing you can do with Linux that you cannot do - at all - on a Windows machine: relax.

The next up, for me, is to operate without the OS getting in my face. Linux is practically transparent as I work and or play it. On Windows I had to deal with the OS in order to get stuff done. Vista is the worst! Not always, but at all is too much and it was far more than "at all".

Another important one to me is to be able to compute in my manner. If I want to kill X and play in tty3 all day, I can. And speaking of tty3, or 5 or 2. If my desktop goes awry, for whatever reason, I can ctrl+alt+F1 and get to another tty where I can log in as me or root and fix the issue.

Linux is still an OS, things can and do go wrong. However, Linux's ability to gracefull recover is legendary and well deserved. Graceful and Windows don't belong in the same sentence.

If one application fails on a Linux machine it doesn't take your system down with it.

Linux loads only the modules necessary for your hardware. Windows loads all kinds of crap in order to provide "functionality". Well, I get all the functionality I need on Linux and it still only loads a light system based upon my actual hardware. I'm certainly not spartan. Moreover, if I feel like it - I can recompile the kernel to be even more customized to my machine or needs. lol, try that one time on Windows.

But I can certainly get owned quickly on a Windows box. I can get fleeced for shoddy software. I can be made to agree to rediculous licenses in order to use it. I also get to "register" my copy of Windows with the manufacturer, because, ya know -- then need to know that it's really me using it.

I gotta say, I think your list included some pretty silly things. For example, number 3. Please. If people are choosing operating systems because of that...woe is us. That example was pretty lame. Numbers 7 and 8 are simply wrong, they are working on number 9 and number 10 is pretty weak, too. Windows does "automatically" update to the newest version. They do that at least once a month on a Tuesday ;)

Also, some of what you claim Windows cannot do is easily dooable in that OS. Windows has its good points. Not many, but at least 1 or 2.

I'm a Debian guy as well as an old Windows sysadmin and in all honesty, Microsoft should be ahamed of itself. Any fool that tries to say with a straight face that Windows is "better" than Linux is just a fool. They are different and Windows fills the needs of many ignorant people and teenaged fanbois (lol, just like Ubuntu), which is fine. But stacked up next to Debian - Windows is complete crap. lol, and they actually charge for it.

There are crappy Linux distributions. Ubuntu is one of them; duct tape and paper clips, but still -- orders of magnitude more robust, safer, freer, less intrusive, completly customizablem, inherently manageable, most things are automatic, etc., etc., etc. than any version of Windows. Actually, there are many crappy Linux distributions. There are also Linux distributions that run the most important things in the world, like Debian, or a customized red-hat. People can actually rely on Linux.

Oh, another really good one: How many times has Windows let you down, been unreliable? Linux won't let you down. When you're not just looking at porn, playing games, or bothering your 4 online friends with your mindless chatter, you tend to use an OS that can meet other needs. These people tend to run Linux.

Linux may not be "maintenance-free" but ask me how much time I spend maintaining my servers or desktops. lol. about 5 minutes a week. If that. Try that on your Windows box, kid.

--machiner

Yes, it is possible to move your entry to a different URL while keeping the effect of all incomming links.

First make a new post, be sure to migrate all from the original post, including coments and datetimes.

What??? Don't know how to do this? Post a job request at "link to scriptlance.com removed" or somewhere similar. You can also give them these instructions.

Second, you would cause the following reply to any web browser or bot fetching this stupid URL:

• HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently error.
• Location field that will contain the fixed URL.

That way, when Googlebot (or other inferior bots) stumbles upon a http://www.handlewithlinux.com/10-cool-things-you-can-do-with-windows-an... wrong URL, it will request it. It will get the 301 permanent redirect error as a reply, and it will fetch the document from wherever pointed to by the Location field. For all practical purposes, the source page points to where you want the new page to go to.

There you go, the page is now stored at a more appropriate address, and you still get to keep all the incoming links.

• Symbolic links (real, not just some icon)
• Loop device (mounting any file as a file system)
  e.g. using a downloaded cd or dvd without burning it
• Software RAID1 (with the possibility to use the devices independently without the RAID
• LVM (logical volume manager): changing volumes without changing physical partitions

I can think of many many more each time I'm on a Windows machine. (which happens less and less ;-))

1 thing id like to add is, linux is less stress, when i had to constantly fix my wifes WINDOWS pc, for malware virus or just operating system wear and tear, she used to blame me, so i gave her no choice and installed linux, now she knows microsoft product cheap crap and slap a pricey sticker on it. she wants software she asks why its not on her computer, i log in remotely and a few seconds later I tell her to check her menu again (while she was still using it - and she has no idea, i log in and install it) and all she says is i swear that wasnt there before.

Your URL is slightly awkward.

http://www.handlewithlinux.com/10-cool-things-you-can-do-with-windows-and-not-with-linux

The only thing I need Windows for is Netflix watch now movies. As soon as you can do that on Linux Windows is gone!!!!!!!!!!

Does not work proper in most distributions.

Ever tried the Global IME of Windows? That thing works !

using a memory with bad sector. Linux can use memories with bad sector with flagging bad sectors in ram. This never ever existed in any other system.

It's also possible in Windows to transfer files over the network. And you have never heard of Windows Media Center? About #1. Did you try this on a p2 366Mhz with a 8MB gpu???

Some things I can do with Windows: Browse the internet with proper fonts, use wireless networking, place icons on the desktop (unlike KDE4), play mp3, wma & wmv by default (unlike any non-ubuntu distro), install software just by doubleclick an .exe.

You can change hardware without worrying about drivers and activation. Last week a friend of mine switched from a CD-ROM drive to a DVD-ROM/CD-RW and had to activate his (retail) Windows XP again.

My girlfriend is Chinese, I'm French and my Clients work in english. I can start a session at modifying the user interface language at logging.

This is not exisitng at all for windows.

11. Virtual desktops completely native and ready to use -- even in command line mode. Instead of buying that expensive 40 inch LCD monitor, or using 2 monitors, just switch to a different desktop. I usually have 4, but you can have as little or as much as you like. Windows has third party downloads, but none of them compete with Linux's native use.

12. Run older hardware with a new and up to date mini-distro of Linux. Maybe when Windows 7 debuts some 'older' hardware will be able to run it, but I am talking REALLY old hardware. You can run mini-distros like Puppylinux or Damn Small Linux on the really old stuff, and still use it securely. You would have to use Windows 98 or even Windows 95 to get that old hard drive to even fit a Windows operating system, let alone any extra software.

13. Interoperability. At least Linux can run a whole heap of Windows native software with Wine. Can a Windows partition even 'see' a Linux partition, let alone run software from it? You might have to download Cygwin to get the job done. With Linux you just mount the partition and --BOOM!-- it is there to use.

14. You can use your computer EXTENSIVELY for 16 hours a day, and you will get tired while your computer just puffs away happily. Unless you like to test Alpha or Beta software, you can count on your Linux box to run the way its suppose to. My Wife's Windows PC runs Windows XP with a 1GHz CPU and 256 MB RAM, and sometimes just by sitting idle it will start to churn and churn, while my Pentium III 650 MHz Linux machine will have this constant hum quietly carrying out its tasks or just sitting still.

15. You don't have to be scared when you leave you Linux machine connected to the internet for extended periods of time. We have to keep telling our daughter to cut off the internet connection every time she uses my wife's Windows PC, for fear of what it's doing over there churning and burning when its supposed to be in idle mode. A Windows machine still is not as secure a machine as a Linux one is.

nice list, but you forgot one more thing, which actually makes all the above thing possible: linux is free (as in libre).
not only you can download it freely without braking any laws, but you can do anything you want with it. you can install it on as many machines you want, you can copy it and lend it to your friends, you can change the system behavior, etc...
because the software is libre it can be inspected and checked what it actually does, so this eliminates the possibility of installing malware, which is a common thing in the windows world. together with crapware, spyware, viruses and so on. this is simply not possible in the world of free software.

linux gives you the freedom of choice, whereas windows is like a prison or a drug. even if you get it free of charge (illegally of course), you will become dependent on it: on its applications, on its files and the system as a whole. windows users' are microsoft's slaves, whether they know it or not.