hi, i am thinking of running linux on my comp but i am afraid that there will be lots of program that won't run. ie AW Maya. are there any patches or files that i can dl (assuming that i have linux already) that can support these programs? and i don't mean one of them simulate windows program (because i don't like them) thank you...

What alot of people that start on LInux don't understand is that Linux is a totally different operating system. You wouldn't believe it but other things run on an IBM-compatible machine then windows. Windows is an operating system in itself you can't run Linux programs in windows so you can't run programs made for windows in Linux this goes back to the HORROR that has plaged this message bored since I started on this website probably abotu 3 years ago which is better for me Linux or windows. do a search for Linux VS windows and you will see plenty log posts with which is better some of which stared by the infamous linux hater robbo :) but the thing is-is some programs that are made for windows will work in Linux most games WILL NOT. Linux is more and more becoming better for a gaming enviroment BUT it was not created by that. It was created by a man who loned Minix and Unix (Minix of course being an educational version of unix) so he created linux. and Unix created by Bell Labs and AT&T back in the 60's was made to be a work horse nothing else not for Games or FUN work. so to answer your question I would say check the website for the game provider you wish not to lose when you switch to Linux and find out if they have a version for Linux. Odds are no but you never no. Sorry for the history lesson it's just my 2 cents worth on this age old Forum question "I Want to Switch to Linux but...." John

This is not a "all or nothing" question. Establish a dual boot (use search to find tons of postings) and install Linux. You'll probably like it. Use win and linux in parrallel. Take your time.

john: sorry, but i failed to see how your post relate to my question. sorry if i have said something wrong somewhere... but..i really thought there are ways to ''convert'' window based programs to run on linux. or at least there exists some similiar ones (ie photoshop and GIMP) and i am NOT running games. :P (nor do i care for it now) peter4u: you sure there isn't any other way. like a file or anything? thanx you'all

you are confusing with you question too. are you asking if you can run windows programs in linux because you can't do that unless you have wine or vmware to emulate windows for you, and there is not such thing as a converter if that is what you are talking about. but if you are asking if you can run simmular programs, then that is a yes. GIMP is the picture editor for linux just like Photoshop is for windows. Star Office to MSOffice, and Star can open M$ documents so don't get scared that you can't type. A dual boot is what i do with Windows XP and Red Hat 7.3 with grub as the boot loader. if you are scared to leave your windows (which im not, i have it to play games) then do the dual boot but once you know linux, you wont go back to the cracked windows. you can look up how to do a dual boot around the forum because i have explained it to many times, and people always post before reading around.

no, i am not talking about conversion. just patches (if that make any sense -- it's not conversion is it?) and i don't want windows emulator.. so that's out of the question. i know about dual boot, and read some about it. (just having trouble understand what is 'unpartition', 'unformat') but that is still my last plan, if all does not go well. again, I DON'T CARE MUCH ABOUT GAMES YET. so don't tell me about games. just learned that there might exist a linux version of Maya, so gonna take a look :) thx

I don't hate Linux john, it just don't work as good as Windows IMO... But yeah I won't go into that. Robbo