12-07-2009, 03:32 PM
Well, you won't get MS office on linux, however there is a brilliant alternative, not just a mockup. It's Open Office, you can download it and run it in windows. Just go ahead and try it, it's free and if you don't like it, just uninstall it. I prefer it because it has some extra features I actually use while it is sparse on the features I do not use making the whole feel more "to the point".. I only miss the outline view of MSWord for regular use... The alternative to MS Draw is especially much more intuitive to me. I would not dream of making my coding diagrams in another program.
Check it out at
http://www.openoffice.org/
It's totally free and has no strings attached.
Many programs run on both linux and windows, but many also do not, in those cases there's usually a good alternative for anything you want to do on the computer. But to be sure you can of course name your favorites and we can see if we know alternatives and tell you how good they are.
The last remaining bastion of linux compatibility issues are in scanner drivers. They are still a bit of wild west. Producers don't apply to standards and many of them act as if their protocols are trade secrets. Essentially breaking linux users ability to use their scanners. There are scanners fully supported there is a list if you happen to own a scanner and want to check let me know I will find the list for you.
My personal primary reason for using linux are philosophical choices. I don't want to support M$... And I don't really want to steal from them either. So I prefer to ignore them as much as I can and use the more humanity oriented software. In practice as a programmer I've got a lot of unique itches to scratch and I hang out in the console a lot. But thats not required at all I know people happy in Linux without ever touching the console. It's going to be cool if you eventually get there though. It's like old fashioned Dos but decades more advanced and usable.
At any rate, Open office is also included on the live ubuntu cd. If you intend to download that you can wait with installing openoffice on windows and just try it out from the live cd. Keep in mind that the live cd feels a bit sluggish. It's doing everything from CD so it's going to be limited in speed. An install feels much more snappy.
Check it out at
http://www.openoffice.org/
It's totally free and has no strings attached.
Many programs run on both linux and windows, but many also do not, in those cases there's usually a good alternative for anything you want to do on the computer. But to be sure you can of course name your favorites and we can see if we know alternatives and tell you how good they are.
The last remaining bastion of linux compatibility issues are in scanner drivers. They are still a bit of wild west. Producers don't apply to standards and many of them act as if their protocols are trade secrets. Essentially breaking linux users ability to use their scanners. There are scanners fully supported there is a list if you happen to own a scanner and want to check let me know I will find the list for you.
My personal primary reason for using linux are philosophical choices. I don't want to support M$... And I don't really want to steal from them either. So I prefer to ignore them as much as I can and use the more humanity oriented software. In practice as a programmer I've got a lot of unique itches to scratch and I hang out in the console a lot. But thats not required at all I know people happy in Linux without ever touching the console. It's going to be cool if you eventually get there though. It's like old fashioned Dos but decades more advanced and usable.
At any rate, Open office is also included on the live ubuntu cd. If you intend to download that you can wait with installing openoffice on windows and just try it out from the live cd. Keep in mind that the live cd feels a bit sluggish. It's doing everything from CD so it's going to be limited in speed. An install feels much more snappy.