Well should we?

[beezlebubsbum]

With a little searching, I found that a lot of our treasured Linux programs are available for microcrap windows. Now, when people ask me, "why linux", my first reaction is to tell them what great things I can do with it. I tell them about GIMP, KDE, GNOME, gaim, xmms, mplayer, and other great programs. You see, that is Linux's trump card. Turns out, that these are all available for Windows users too! I know I should be embracing the open source philosophy, but I am wondering what everyone else thinks about our favourite programs being available for windows.

Should people install Linux to use these programs and get the "real" experience, or should they be available for windows users, and help keep windows useful, our only real competition for the desktop market.

[Fatal Error]

FOSS

FOSS at least twice a day!

[maccorin]

how many times are we going to have this thread? ;P

[comtux]

Just tell them about how many viruses and spyware and worms and trojans and popups that you dont get then tell about how much more customizable and free linux is.
End of storie.
Most dont use linux for the programs.
Being apart of linux is being apart of a sister/brother hood.
There are thousand of differant reasons for people useing lnux hell linuxfoo is one of them.
The linux community in general offers free support unmatched by any thing microsoft has.
I have used linux programs ported to windows and they are not always the same.
Personaly i find windows hard to use.
When it comes down to games i play what linux has to offer and i play the 1,500+ Visual Boy Advance Roms that i can find but mostly i play the playstation 2 i just bought.
Linux is the fasts growing os in history.

[postlogic]

Linux is completely customizable, easy to make your own, more secure, is an interesting learning experience and tons more.

[jro]

I use Linux for more than just the great apps. Its the community, the stability, the CLI that make me love it. At work I am forced to use Windows, but its nice to be able to use familiar apps when I am on an unfamiliar OS.

[snct]

I agree that it's more than just the applications that make Linux great, though I know that the same apps don't run the same between Win and Linux. But it really is the Open Source community AND the open software licenses that are important on the Linux side.

Heh... When, or if Linux ever does get targeted for virii and the like, like Windows does now, there's a whole host of programmers that can, and will fix the problems and plug the holes in the software ASAP; instead of Windows/Mac users having to wait for only one solution, and get that solution when the OS company's good and damn ready to offer it.

[N0thing]

its the community primarily for me, i find it great to be able to run open source apps on windows, but once the windows crowd realizes how great these apps are they are easily going to see linux as a viable solution
its a mixed bag but overall its a pretty good thing. at least windows users can get some great programs for free

[comtux]

Virus writers won't be targeting us very easy we know what all of the apps we use are and do soo unless some one hacks kde or gnome ect ect we will be safe.
Example kde is going to distributing kde from kde not from p2p.
A viruses spreading from machine to machine via email is highly unlikely to work.
If windows was opensource they wouldnt have these problems because i think linux/unix users are writeing the viruses lol.
I just dont see a linux virus epadimec happening.
I mean why would you write a virus for linux if you have such skill write an appt and sell it.

[maccorin]

I mean why would you write a virus for linux if you have such skill write an appt and sell it.

Bad argument. Why would you write a virus for windows if you have such a skill and could write apps and sell them.