OK, my personal take on this: I've been using a linux box for a couple of weeks after the PS in my windows macihne died (well, using *only* linux). I used that time to learn a whole lot of stuff about linux, and also see just how many apps I could replace from my windows box. I'd honestly like to use the windows CPU for the linux box (overclocked celeron), but the fact it, Linux is lacking in a few VERY important things:
1. A "killer-app" X-windows e-mail client. Unless someone knows about something I don't, both 'Balsa' and 'M' don't cut it when compared to Eudora. As bloated as the latter may be, it still does thigns that no other mail client does...things I need done. And no, I'm against using Netscape's mailer as it's nont intuitive, and I don't like suite apps. Pine is out of the question also, as I quickly get tired of arrow keys for navigation. 2. You mentioned music composition...I dabble in it, and after doing more of the same searching, linux is NOWHERE near windows (or Mac for that matter) in this arena. First off, there's very little support for specialized sound cards (not just your regular sound-blaster compatibles, but ones with DSP and other goodies). Second, there are no sound manipulation apps like Sound Forge...add to it plug-ins, and you quickly realize that it's going to be YEARS until linux can even think of catching up to Win/Mac in this department (it took Win a long time to catch up to Mac, and that's still arguable)...and to top it off, Winamp, 'nuff said. for just about everything else, I'd say that there are viable alternatives, but needless to say, in a world where the biggest use for the 'net is e-mail, and 'multi-media' is a buzz-word, these two categories are huge. the question is tho, other than electricity consumption, what's so wrong with running more than one computer? my two cents. -lev On Sun, 28 Mar 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [snip] > However, can I ask people what they would use for "music composition, > accounting and personal finance"? I'm aware of good programs for > creating musical scores which can also generate MIDI output, but I'd > hardly call them top-flight composition tools; and it does seem that > the accounting/finance area is thinly served. > > Now that vmware is out ( http://www.vmware.com ) people who want to
