Anyone use Linux?

[Glogg]

Well I've messed around with a couple of different versions. But just today decided to install Ubuntu 8.10 and i gotta say I'm quite impressed with it so far. Grant you i have it installed as a dual boot with Vista so i can still play all my games but I'm loving it so far. I even skinned it so my start menu still looks like Vista just cause I'm so familiar with it, lol.

[Tåndêm]

If you have a good enough system, VirtualBox ("sudo apt-get install virtualbox" in Terminal) can run Vista IN Linux. And it won't be illegal either - it'll read from ISO or your CD drive.

'Course, none of my machines are good enough, so I run XP on one, and Linux on the other. (My laptop's stuck with Vista because my roommate loads games on there) If commercial developers would support Linux (i.e. game companies) I'd go full-on Linux.

I'd post a screenshot of my Ubuntu desktop, but my wallpaper might raise a few BFM eyebrows. But if you want to see it, PM me.

[Glogg]

Well i did get Halo to work, even multiplayer . I just gotta try to fix the mouse lag. Man if i can get halo to work properly i may never boot over to Vista again, lol.

Just a quick screenie . I'm still trying to fix mouse lag. Oh yea i had to turn everything down to try to make it play better, but it does work .

[BFM_saes]

I've tried a couple of distros (Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Fedora), and definitely prefer Ubuntu.
Things just seem to work better, and the 'unofficial' codecs actually work. The RH/Fedora ones don't.

The reason I stopped using it was because I kept running into annoying issues with things needing to be tweaked for hours on end to get things (such as software, media and hardware) working well enough.

[KuchikiZero]

I've used VirtualBox in Windows and have dual-booted Ubuntu (since 7), OpenSUSE 11, Fedora 9, and a few live only discs.

I love the out of the box functionality, having loads of programs ready to use right after installation. If I encounter a dying Windows box at work I just fire up Knoppix.

Ubuntu 8.10 is nice (dual booted), they improved the free (the default) graphics driver. I can use 3D screensavers now! 

[AR~Archon]

I haven't done more than mess around with it.  I got it running and then said, "great, what do I do with it?" 

Does VirtualBox have half-way decent 3D support on Linux?  On my Mac VBox worked pretty bad on 3D.

[KuchikiZero]

I haven't done more than mess around with it.  I got it running and then said, "great, what do I do with it?" 

Same thing here,  though I guess how open you are to a full Linux solution depends on the situation. I work in a student support position, and people are pretty happy to hear I can get them their files even though Windows won't boot. Linux has its uses. Another good couple are partitioning or memory testing.

Does VirtualBox have half-way decent 3D support on Linux?  On my Mac VBox worked pretty bad on 3D.

I can only tell you my experiences with the Windows Version...

I just ran the "glxgears" command and got a pretty good framerate (according to the guest). I'm sure you've noticed the graphic lag that can occur with using VMs.

Those programs usually only focus on 2D, though for VirtualBox I'd recommend installing the additions.

It will allow the VM to adjust to any resolution (by window resizing) and it unlocks the "seamless" mode, which puts the guest OS on top of the host, allowing you to use your Linux programs and Windows at the same time.

Not sure how well that makes the 3D graphics work, though...