What makes you want to try Linux in the first place?

[k273]

So, what is it?

For me, two reasons. Two philosophical, one practical.

~ I like to learn something new.
~ I don't like arrogance. Including one that comes from big corporate entities like >ppl< or M?cr*s*ft.
~ And I am tired of endless trouble I got with Win OS.

[proxima_centauri]

For me it was the lure of the unknown, something new and potentially exciting. Mainly it looked like a neat pet project - who'd have thought I'd actually adopt it as my main operating system. That was three and a half years ago now.

[dante19992]

I just thought that it sounded good and fast and I was tired of windows 7 being a resource hog.

[k273]

For me it was the lure of the unknown, something new and potentially exciting.

Exactly how I felt.

[Suo_Eno]

I just thought that it sounded good and fast and I was tired of windows 7 being a resource hog.

Same...

Actually the gist of it came off from a long rant I could have written about the "progression" I went through since Win 95 -> XP Pro -> Vista (literally ALL SKUs in less than 6 months..don't ask how or why ) -> XP Pro -> Win 7 U 32 -> XP Pro + Win 7 U 32 on 1 better spec'ed rig while the former on 2 older ones.

But all in all it's the above quote that had elicited the definite "Why not?" moment.

[tdockery97]

Most of the above reasons, and being very tired of fighting viruses/malware. I haven't even had to think about those in the last year and a half.

[willie42]

Tired of fighting Windows. I had application crashes and constant updating and restarts. and all the above

[omegaman]

picked up a used laptop to use as a teleprompter (using the web browser) it was a bit sluggish, so I figured it's not a misson critical machine so why not? having some issues with the CPU, but that may be a hardware problem but the OS (Mint Main) works fine.

I've thought about trying it for a while, number of years back tried Freespire on one machine, had an ArtistX Live DVD but the video editing software wasn't quite there yet. Cinelerra is the closest to a pro level app,( I edit on Avid eveyr day) at work and Magix Video Pro X or VegasPro at home) the others are more like Windows Moviemaker. But I wasn't really able to test out Cinelerra, might have a chance in the near future when I build a new machine.

[marX]

After I found out that the Windows XP which was installed by the HP dealership was pirated ones...I decided to delete it and Install Linux.
I thought of Windows 7 but I felt it would be a bit too heavy for the onboard graphics to handle.

So..here I am
But, I never had any issue with windows other than the long shut down time, I just hate to wait (so I just hibernate'' most of the time, takes only 5 or 6 secs) !!

[k273]

After I found out that the Windows XP which was installed by the HP dealership was pirated ones...

What? A company like HP?
That's new for me, as I never heard something like that happened before, at least not in my country (Indonesia that is). Man, everyone in my family circle uses HP laptops. Gotta tell them this.

Is there any other PC/notebook vendor doing this?

As for long startup/shutdown time, and restarts after every update/software install, well, that's just classic My Mint installation (on an HP notebook) starts in just 10-14 seconds. And it recognized all hardwares from the beginning. No boring install and restarts...

[fletcher]

For me it was a few things. First, I was tired of having to run anti-virus and malware programs. Especially since it is so hard to actually find out which one is the best. Second, I was tired of the updates, with the restarts and all. Just got to be too much.

Most importantly though, I got tired of Firefox not responding. At least twice a day, every day, Firefox would freeze in Vista (computer came with it new, I had no choice, but I also did not know any better back then). I would have to restart the computer every time to unlock Firefox. And even then, I knew there was no way I was going back to IE.

I've been on Linux for about a year and a half now, have tried over a dozen distros (no idea exactly how many since I have not kept track), and now pretty much stick with Mint and Peppermint. I am so satisfied I started a company to switch anyone who wants to over to Linux.

[Habitual]

"Linux is Hardcore" was tattooed on this stripper’s thigh. Figured I'd check it out.

[GhoS]

While I usually had no trouble with Windows, I was getting sick of dealing with viruses, things slowing down the OS, etc. Windows 7 I admit I really did like and still have on a partition, but at the same time I felt limited. So I had tried Linux once before and figured maybe this time I'd take the plunge and I haven't turned back for over a year now.
I like the freedom, but more so the choice that Linux gives. You aren't limited in what Microsoft wants, you can do what you want, within reason of course.
Plus I feel someone that I am rebelling against what Microsoft stands for, I don't have to go their way or the highway.

[k273]

"Linux is Hardcore" was tattooed on this stripper’s thigh. Figured I'd check it out.

Did that really happen?

[Habitual]

Did that really happen?

I can neither confirm nor deny... <- Secret Service Sunglasses.

[tatsujin79]

My reasons were two fold

1. Cost, a new version of windows will run you several hundred dollers. About half as much for an upgrade if your computer can even handle it.

2. Desire to learn, I got kind of tired of the "push the button get the pellet" windows experience, especially when the pellet 9 times out of 10 was infested with bugs and other weird nonsense.

Eventually I want to get a job working in the computer industry and choosing linux was like choosing a bright future.

[randomizer]

Windows is boring.

[Dr.m0x]

Like many people, it first started when I was getting frustrated with yet more Windows problems. In my frustration I typed something vulgar in the search browser and came across a site called f**k-microsoft.com.

While that site is now extinct at the time it did contain quite a bit of information about why Microsoft suckand why you should switch to linux. Being quite naieve at the time I rushed out a purchased a copy of Xandros. I installed it and started playing it certainly was an interesting world. My first foray into the linux world didn't last long ... I knew it was more secure, faster etc but I was a big gamer and just wasn't ready to make the move.

Then came the big V. Vista. Possibly the worstest piece of crap I've ever had the misfortune of standing in. Once i realised that XP was going to be phased out and I'd eventually be forced to use Vista I began investigating the world of Linux once again while continuing to dual boot XP. That was around March/April 2008 and the distro I found myself drawn to was Ubuntu Hardy Heron. I enjoyed the experience so much I decided to migrate to Linux and buy a console for gaming. I have tried a fair few distros between then and now before finding my way last year to Mint. Now I'm on LMDE and loving it.

[Habitual]

Windows is boring.

Exactly.

[k273]

Windows is boring.

Boring how?
Because if Windows is boring because there's nothing to work around with it, from what I saw I think that is exactly why it is still the most popular OS, because we have to admit, 'most' people wanted something that 'just' works on their computer. They didn't have a slightest bit of 'adventurousness' in them. Which is why OSes such as Ubuntu and the subsequent Linux Mint are very welcome.

Man, if only those problems with wireless cards under Linux environment could just finished once and for all...