they used a unix based network

All ethernet networks in general are based on Unix.

I latter tried multiboot linux for maybe 6 month on free distrib of linux, and it was . 6 months of hours spent figuring how to make either the printer or the modem work after

Depends on the printer and modem, not Linux. The first time I tried Linux was in 2004 and those things worked right out of the box.

Depends on the printer and modem, not Linux. The first time I tried Linux was in 2004 and it worked right out of the box.

that comment right there explains a lot of the issues many have with linux :)

Tis fine for the linux cogniscenti , closed loop sealed devices, but for stuff requiring exec action from none too expert fumblers(moi) maybe not

Again, it has little to do with Linux. Most of the time it's because the printer or modem manufacturer didn't supply drivers that work with it. So some developer somewhere cracks the code and creates his own drive. Most of the time that works fine but sometimes it doesn't cause they're not privy to the real inner workings of the hardware.

Hi!

Linux isn't pathetic, but it serves a specific market: you need specialist skills to use it.

I do not advise using Linux for your desktop unless you are an expert level Linux person, or you buy harware that has Linux desktop preloaded.

The problem is chicken and the egg related and is to do with hardware drivers: hardware makers do not write or test drivers properly for the Linux desktop because not enough people use it. The reverse is also true: people don't use Linux desktop because there are problems with drivers for their hardware.

I've been using Linux on the server for over a decade. It works fine for the stuff I need (web) because I know what I'm doing.

I recently came back to try the Linux desktop and like you gave up after finding numerous problems that require endless forum browsing, configuration changes, fixes that I need to download, and stuff just plain not working. It's a huge time sink!

If you want something that's easier to use for your desktop use Windows or Mac.

I do not advise using Linux for your desktop unless you are an expert level Linux person, or you buy harware that has Linux desktop preloaded.

Rubbish ..I install linux ( mint ) on desktop machines and laptops for 80 year olds who have never touched a computer before in their lives ..they have no problems..

Printer drivers are difficult with any OS..I have had more trouble getting HP printers to run under win Xp 64, win vista 64 and win 7 64..Than with any linux distro..except recent ubuntu..

Ubuntu used to be OK..then they went the try to make it look like win 8 route ( with the horror "unity" )..now it is an abomination..

Because something does not work with one particular distro ( unbuntu ) does not mean that linux is "pathetic"..anymore than because many things do not work ( even now with win vista SP1 ) that all windows OSs are "pathetic"..

Never let anything "auto-update"..

All my updates - windows, linux, apps - are "tell me and I'll do it myself when I'm ready" - usually as soon as I know but it saves the updates a) interfering with what I'm doing and b) allows me to remove items from an update that I do not trust (eg windows malevolent removal tool).

As to printer drivers: a few years ago I bought a Brother printer/scanner. Since Windows was then my everyday machine I tried to install the drivers on a Windows desktop. I could get either the printer OR the scanner working, not both. Moved it across to Linux, read a couple of forums, downloaded suitable drivers as per instructions thereon and it all worked - and has been working virtually trouble-free ever since. I say "virtually" because the remaining windows machine tends to lose its login to the linux machine when it's re-booted: not a problem because we know about it.

On a recent installation on a new machine I switched to Mint from Ubuntu (because of the nasty new desktop on ubuntu 12) and installed and was running within a few hours. Of course, it took a couple of weeks before I had everything I needed installed, but that's always so on all machines I install for my own use.

Early in the new year I will be switching a desktop and a laptop from ubuntu lucid to Mint (probably wait until v14 is more stable rather than 13 which I'm using now on the new machine). I would like to dump windows completely but there is one problem with a foot pedal that I still haven't solved for one machine's usage and another is required as a local web site test server (my online web server is windows).

If anyone knows a good app for linux that runs web server ASP scripts I would really like to know!

Don't use asp or Windows servers. The web was created on Unix and runs on Unix. ASP is a paid for app that people use to do what *nix people do for free. You might be able to do it with Mono but Mono is an abomination. A square peg trying to fit a round hole.

The thing about drivers is it's not a problem unless it's a problem. I use FreeBSD and Linux people will always tell you no drivers run on it yet here I am, for 9 straight years, running on every box and notebook I have. ATI doesn't supply drivers so I use Nvidia who does. Broadcom isn't nice either so I use others. It's not hard and it's no big deal and I've never spent hours or days trying to get anything running on my hardware.

I do not advise using Linux for your desktop unless you are an expert level Linux person, or you buy harware that has Linux desktop preloaded.

Expert is an exaggeration: reasonably familiarity is all that is required.

You also fail to mention a third option: get someone to install it for you. It is not difficult to find someone to do the install and config for you, perhaps even free through a Linux user group.

I would buy hardware with Linux pre-loaded, but its not available where I live.

another is required as a local web site test server (my online web server is windows)

Why not use a VM?

Don't use asp or Windows servers. The web was created on Unix and runs on Unix. ASP is a paid for app that people use to do what *nix people do for free.

So you are suggesting he re-writes an existing site? That tends to be expensive and risky.

I do not see what is wrong with Mono: its not something I use, but, apart from the risk of submarine patents, I do not see what is objectionable. Its just another VM like Java.

It's a warning to others about asp and Windows and not that he rewrite everything even though I would (and once did).

Mono is for people who have Windows code they wrote on and for Windows and now they want it to run on *nix. If you are stuck with that then go ahead but Mono is always far behind .NET versions and it's still Windows code trying to run on *nix. The natural environment for the web is *nix and the tools there are all geared toward networking and the web so it's always best to be where the hand fits the glove.

I first started my web dev company 9 years ago with .NET. I will never make that mistake again. While .NET changed/upgraded/deleted/charged me over that short time, I am still running all the same *nix/BSD code from then and for free.

Why don't we all just be friends,

linux/apache/mysql/php a great o/s combo for the linux knowledgeable

windows/Ios/iis/mysql/mssql for the not knowledgeable of linux folks :) :)

linux/apache/mysql/php a great o/s combo for the linux knowledgeable

!=true

See what I wrote above about 80 year old newbies having no problem with mint linux..the problem is ubuntu..which is but one "distro" amongst many..as win ME was one win OS amongst many ..( yes I know they did it again with vista and win8..but we are trying to be kind ;) ..

I personally run linux mint ( for my 3 machines that are "webfacing" ) win7 64 ulti for two dev machines, win7 64 ulti for a machine which just runs DxO and "crunches photos"..my son runs XP pro...linux mint ( "web facing" ) vista 64 SP1 ( dev ) ..win7 64 Ulti ( dev)...some of his old software runs on vista but will not run on win7..my wife ( totally non "geek" ) runs linux mint..and loves it..as do all the old folks that she has me install mint for on their machines..and they think Google is the internet ( most of them are actually moving to tablets over Xmas bought by their adult kids for them )..they want it to "just work" ..mint on a desktop does just that..and more :)..and no "shiny tax" ..

The OPs problem is not "linux"..it is allowing auto-updates ( on any OS ) , and choosing Ubuntu..which has moved very very far from being "friendly"..now it is a "win wannabe"..without the benefit of being able to roll back to previous drivers as one can in win 7..

drhowarddrfine - When I was web-raw I was persuaded to use windows as a server - that was back in 1998. By the time I realised my error I had a large library of ASP code I'd built up and translating that was cost and time prohibitive.

I've looked at mono a couple of times and it's not something I would run commercial sites on. I see no advantage in running VM when I already have a suitable windows server sitting on the floor doing very little else apart from acting as a backup mail server.

I do not run .NET nor do I intend to - a long learning curve with no obvious value at the end; classic asp does everything I need.