You can get free RedHat (Fedora) or Suse (OpenSuse) and there is even a free server version of RedHat (CentOS). Ubuntu is probably the best most desktop ready version.
The real issue in desktop distro's seem to be those that are willing to bundle propietary drivers and codes. There are distros based on Ubuntu that do that (Saboyan). When KDE 4.0 starts coming with distros (Kubuntu I think is stilling working on integrating it, Ubuntu won't use it) and when the compositing windows managers are working with the graphics cards, Linux promises to be the future of snazzy desktops. --- Michael Fernando <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > When that happens would the public and advertisers > > > migrate to the MSN product or the Google product? > > > This particular public will certainly be migrating to the Goolge > > product. I've spent a *lot* of time avoiding Microsoft products > except > > for OSes because I'm too lazy to learn Linux and too cheap to buy a > Mac. > > > Well, certain Linux distros have come a long way. I think Ubuntu can > be > used for everyday desktop tasks. Give it a try. After all, it is a > completely free download as opposed to RedHat or SuSE. You just have > to get > used to knowing what application to use. For instance, how do you > know you > need to use Nero or Toast (or your favorite CD writing sw) to burn a > CD on a > Windows machine? You just know ... similarly, you have to get to > "know" > that k3b is a nice GUI based CD/DVD burning app on Linux. On Ubuntu, > spend > some time searching for stuff in the System -> Administration -> > Synaptic > Package Manager and you will be amazed at the wealth of pre-built > packages > available (all free) just a mouse click away. You can also look at > the > library of application software by package popularity via > Applications -> > Add/Remove > > So, you don't have to be a command-line addict to use Linux these > days. > > > ************************************************************************ > * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in > <== > * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <== > * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name > * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST > * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L > * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L > YourNewAddress > * Need more help? Send mail to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ************************************************************************ > * List archive from 1/1/2000 is on the MARC > http://marc.info/?l=computerguys-l > * List archive at > www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ > * RSS at > www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml > * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be > archived > ************************************************************************ > Checkout One Laptop Per Child project laptop.org ************************************************************************ * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in <== * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <== * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ * List archive from 1/1/2000 is on the MARC http://marc.info/?l=computerguys-l * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be archived ************************************************************************
