I need the Linux to run something, however I dont want to delele my Windows Vista. It there a linux that i can open like a program. Like a shortcut. Thanks.
Damn dude.. why don't you want to delete vista?? You need rid of it before the spring update enforces all the drm... As for running linux like a program.. you can live boot a cd, depending on what you want to run. Here is the list. Pick one, but read the whole page first to find out which one you want to fill your needs. http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php
If you want, you can maybe investigate Cygwin, but it is probably far, far more trouble than it is worth. You might also want to get some sort of virtualization software and load up one of the livecds that varnull has linked to. Otherwise, some distros have a preconfigured virtual pc image I think, so you can use Microsoft Virtual PC free edition and do things that way without even needing to install anything but Virtual PC. Either of those ways you don't need to reboot, but may have issues transferring data between the two still. But the best option you probably have is to just get a live CD, stick it in and reboot the computer, if you're set to boot from CD you're up and going a few minutes later. Still don't expect great performance, you're running from the disc/ram and not the hard drive. And yeah, Vista blows. Hard. Deleting Vista was practically the first thing that happened when I got my girlfriend's new laptop. Hasta la Vista, baby! Try living from a Linux live CD for a couple of weeks and see if you can make do without having to relapse into Windows.
Just wondering ... but what are the advantages of having linux. It seems like Windows is a bad thing.
Control :: Muahahahahaha.. but it isn't easy to get the power. Freedom :: No drm, most software is free, and you can modify it to suit your needs. Support :: we seem like a pretty mean bunch, but we ain't (we tend to give direct answers) Not many games :: but that is changing radically now with the virtual machine software.. anyway.. most linux users don't really seem that interested in playing games on PC (is that because we spend all out time pratting about with dodgy software trying to get it working??).. or is it because we buy consoles and hack them instead... Back to your software problem.. what do you need to run? It's very likely that there is a linux distro that comes with it already installed.
oh ... i see. I only need Linux is for the CONTROL! It just that a need to hack my game console, and linux is the only OS that lets me hack (view and write) files on the game console. THX though. I got the Nimble X Linux.
Think you misread me.. I was having some fun quoting all the old cliches.. You can hack about with games consoles with anything you like... The point I was making was about PLAYING GAMES!! which linux isn't good at. It's all about choice and freedom. There are things which come as standard with linux/unix which often need expensive closed source programs with windows.. Like the ability to read/write i2c bus components (just an example) Then there is the foul being cried by independent software developers.. this is an old article, but a lot of the push recently seen with linux has been from small software companies looking at a different platform for their products http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/28/ms_kernel_security_controversy/ Also not to forget the lessons of the past.. sco/unix (who??) locked developers out with restrictive licensing arrangements, and attempted to tie customers to only their "approved" applications.. Apple nearly made the same mistake in 94/95 and only by remodelling the whole business plan (allowing unix and linux applications to be run on the apple hardware platform) did they survive.. CBM/Amiga.. failed to get applications that were cross platform, and failed to see the need to open files, disks and data made on their machines on other OS and hardware.. The commodore64 is the biggest selling home computer of all time.. 10 years and millions sold. Most of us have owned one at some time or other.. but that didn't save them either. Now we see M$ also thinking they are so big and dominant they can dictate to customers what they will and will not do... Sounds very familiar to me.. could well be that in 10 years M$ are another of the "who?" names of computing. Choice.. A Microsoft only world would be a very sad world with no freedom to do anything for yourself.. Tied in, locked down and "approved".. They would be after your wallet at every turn, just like others thought they could back when... and we know how history has treated them! ;-) in closing.. The standard linux boards response to a n00b.. RTFM first, then google, then ask!.. because we are far too 1337 to actually give a toss what anybody else uses ;-)
