why is linux always so pathetically slow?

[illlicittweakin]

Over the years I have tried linux many many times, on many different systems. It is always pathetically slow. It does not matter what hardware or what distro. The magic compile for specific system or not. The alleged "optimization's" that people "chime in with" do not help. Of course I don't expect it to play real games or anything. But...I do expect it to do simple things like boot, display the background, not freeze up for x amount of time. I have always wanted to try mint...but anytime I do it blows...hard! Should I just learn to deal with horrible slow system or is there some magic setting that doesn't make it garish.

Of coarse I expect the linux trolls to chime in with "it's not slow it's the best". Well the best makes a 3000 dollar system seem like trying to play Crysis on a 10 year old system(choppy slow slow slow). And my number one test is the wife. I'm telling you there is no way in hell she would ever consider linux. If I put it on her comp in 10 seconds flat she is saying " why is it so slow?"

Just trying to do the normal things normal people do with computers.

Does anyone have any ideas. I will try them if they aren't the same old troll ideas that do nothing.

ps. install win 7...like 15mins later.. everything works awesome.

[tdockery97]

If that's what works best on your hardware, then use Windows 7. No one here will try to twist your arm to get you to use Linux. You'll find that most real Linux users believe in freedom, and that means freedom to choose your own operating system, even if it is Windows.

[tinca]

illlicittweakin,

thank you for explaining your problems so well, and what you have attempted to do to solve them.

Its a rant, not someone asking for help.

Best regards Keith

[rich_roast]

It's a good point. I will duly move this to chat, now. It can always be moved back here should the OP provide us with information necessary to debugging an actual problem. Just saying that "boot is slow" doesn't provide enough information for this to count as a support request, and the tone of the post is certainly virulent enough.

[Bob E]

...oh well...

[Roken]

OP - If you are happy with Windows, then go for it. No skin off my nose.

[Elmacus]

FUD from someone at Microsoft paybill ?
Just delete whole tread.

[linuxviolin]

FUD from someone at Microsoft paybill ?
Just delete whole tread.

This topic can be a stupidity or something but "FUD", hmm... This is the favorite word used by the Linux/(Free)BSD fanboys when they don't like, are "disturbed" by or "displeased", something or by what someone says, or other things of this kind... Using words such this should be reserved to teenagers, not to serious people.

By the way, the new 3.0 kernel is sluggish. E.g. from a comment by Jesse (from the DistroWatch team) in the last DistroWatch Weekly:

128 • New Linux kernel (by Jesse on 2011-07-22 16:32:06 GMT from Canada)
Anyone else try the new Linux 3.0 kernel? I got it loaded on a machine this morning and it's measurably sluggish compared to older versions. I'm not thinking this is a good sign.

So yes, Linux can be sluggish... Btw, with this new kernel, sluggishness in my case too! Screw Linus and his Politbureau!

[ThistleWeb]

Flamebait on a first post, isn't that the job description of a Microsoft employee? If Linux does not meet your standards, then by all means continue to use Windows, the rest of us who actually use it know Linux is not "pathetically slow".

Maybe 10 years ago this would have been believable, around the same time Windows users had a shared experience of BSOD's. Now it just sounds like the handbook of FUD still hasn't been updated. Maybe whoever is responsible for that has been downsized and it still refers to "Mandrake Linux" among others.

It's like any other scare campaign, it's so wildly inaccurate that it doesn't even come close to "artistic license" for people who actually try what they're scaring people away from. All that does is lose you all credibility on other issues, as they know you're part of the propaganda network and will say anything, regardless of the reality.

If Windows really was a competent OS, Microsoft would be happy with legit competition. Let retailers offer Linux as the customer would see how bad it was in comparison and happily fork over cash for permission to use Windows in ways Microsoft allow. Therin lies the problem, Microsoft KNOW they can't compete, the more Linux is seen by users, tried by users, the less effective their propaganda is, as it doesn't resemble the reality experienced by those who have used Linux.

The stronger that becomes, the more they employ people to post in forums like this, trying to argue, flame etc making all sorts of bizarre claims under the banner of "I really want to be a Linux user but it just doesn’t work". It's just another part of the spreading of propaganda that they hope will influence Windows users who haven't yet seen Linux, into thinking it's some amateur OS that's not worth their time. If they believe posts by Microsoft employees in disguise, they will never actually try Linux for themselves, or that's the plan.

Maybe the concept of running an OS designed for users, customizable in the true meaning of the term "personal computer", a centralized installation and updating system, with no need to have anti-virus and anti-spyware scans sapping every CPU cycle is something that scares Microsoft, it's actually a nice way to use a PC for users. It's the little things like that, which show how backwards Windows still is, despite decades of trying to improve. It also puts cost very firmly into the spotlight, why pay a fortune for something that's still a malware magnet by design, when you can avoid all hassle that for free? That's not even starting on the ownership issue, Windows has always been infested with DRM at every turn, meaning the users don't own it, users are treated as thieves at every turn by their own computer.

Why so scared? As I said, if Windows was clearly better, why not encourage them to experience Linux?

Report card - "must try harder".

[ThistleWeb]

Read the OP "a variety of hardware and ditros" "it's always pathetically slow". This isn't an unlucky choice of distro or hardware, this is a "every time I try it, no matter what I do". It's FUD. I've installed Windows 7 in about 15mins too, then the updates, multiple reboots, more updates, installing drivers etc begin, sapping several hours of click click click click click click click through wizards. In Linux, you can install to first boot in about 15mins too, then a few clicks to refresh and update the entire OS and it's installed applications happens on it's own, letting you sit back and watch a movie as it does it's stuff.

[aes2011]

OP must be chuckling at the thought of people wasting time by responding!

[odo5435]

Not worthy of comment. Skimmed and moved on.

[ThistleWeb]

A quick thought occurred to me, not sure how this would affect modern hardware, but may have an impact on older hardware. If you install without /swap it has to do everything in RAM. My P4 is very slow without a /swap. Modern OS's really should be doing everything in RAM anyway, and only use /swap for hibernating etc. Video card drivers can make a difference too, although again, on modern hardware, I doubt the claim of "pathetically slow" even without the proprietary driver installed.

[Elmacus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_unce ... _and_doubt

Why go here, create account, put time on this, and start flamewar when he already installed win7 ?
Clearly a troll: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29

Moderator, lock and delete.

[exploder]

If Windows 7 runs faster for you, you might want to stick with it. My Wife has a Windows 7 computer with a quad core processor, I have a duel core AMD machine running PCLinuxOS KDE. My computer is noticeably faster than my Wife's even though she has way better hardware than I do. The Windows machine uses more than twice the memory to idle compared to mine, uses over ten times the amount of hard drive space and requires a lot of maintenance to stay running fast. I run Bleachbit once in a while on my system to keep it cleaned up but it never really slows down in between using it.

In Windows it seems like every application wants to look for updates and they all want to do it when you first start the computer so the Windows machine has a lot of hard drive activity long after the desktop is loaded. The PCLinuxOS computer only has the normal journaling after the desktop loads and does not look for updates on it's own, I control that with Synaptic. The Windows computer is sluggish until all the disk activity has stopped but the PCLinuxOS system is ready to use as soon as the desktop is loaded.

I don't think that Windows 7 is a bad operating system but I know that Microsoft would not have extended the support on XP to 2014 if it was light and fast.

[rich_roast]

Moderator, lock and delete.

As much as I enjoy being told how to moderate, I'll take it on advisement, thanks. So long as the thread isn't personally offensive (it isn't) and people would like to post their own views, it serves its purpose here in chat, where it was moved from support.

[Habitual]

Low Hanging Fruit.

[monkeyboy]

This topic can be a stupidity or something but "FUD", hmm... This is the favorite word used by the Linux/(Free)BSD fanboys when they don't like, are "disturbed" by or "displeased", something or by what someone says, or other things of this kind... Using words such this should be reserved to teenagers, not to serious people.

Seriously, this is a classic example of age bias. I know teenagers who are drop dead serious about Linux and lumping them into your "not serious" group is an insult in my opinion.

[exploder]

I have to agree with you rich_roast! I figured the original post might be for real.

[Reorx]

Some random thoughts...

1 - Funny post - keep 'em coming...

2 - "It's not slow, it's the best"

3 - He obviously didn't get the "magic setting" memo...

4 - Who spends $3,000 on a computer system to "do the normal things that normal people do with computers"???

5 - First post and already trolling... not a good prognostic sign...


6 -

7 - Arguably, the best single response to the OP is the one by aes2011... (although this post might be funnier)

8 - Drink more Microsoft Kool-Aid - it builds character and makes you thinner, younger, and better looking...