Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[Windows XP]

I like it a lot, but I don't think I'd use it as my only OS...

[Bruce B]

I used Puppy as the primary OS for a long time. Only testing and experiment with other Linux.

I still use Puppy as a primary OS, but not like I used to. This is because Puppy does not fully support my hardware. I guess it never will.

I wouldn't use Windows.

1) they stopped selling XP licenses to the average guy. you can milk the life out of what you have. but the monopoly will be working out how to make the cow run dry. it wants fresh money.

2) notepad isn't that great of a text editor

3) wordpad doesn't even have a spell checker

4) games are, I don't know, about the same as they were in 3.1?

5) the web browser, what version do they do now? did it ever get safe?

6) the media player, is it spyware also? I don't know what vista has

7) i want an operating system to leave lots of resources for applications

8) does the eula actually have a clause allowing the vendor to make changes in the future? if so, am i an utter idiot?

--------------------

i can see what vista costs in terms of dollars and computer resources, but i don't know what it offers, to make it worth the cost

[DaveS]

I feel much the same as Bruce, plus something in my personality makes me want to be different. It might be just as simple as a healthy disbelief in the hype that seems to control the Human race.
I started with Ubuntu, mainly because it is relatively easy to get productive quickly, though it was still tough coming from windoze where so much is automated. Lately though, I am finding I boot Puppy as a first choice. It has been a little harder to get fully productive using Puppy, and has required some lateral thinking and 'different' approaches to problems, but I am there now.
My PC is Linux only. I have a separate Win machine quietly collecting malware, but I have not used it in months.

[Lobster]

[Fossil]

Knoppix was the key to my first real interest in Linux. Running one of the first incarnations on a Pentium 133 with a limited amount of ram was, to say the least, interesting. Then, I discovered one of the early Puppy releases - methinks it was 1.02. With each new release came even more freedom. Version 1.08 was the clincher, from then on, one of my old computers was 'Puppy Only'.
I now have three low-end machines dedicated entirely to Puppy, or one of it's variants - which are used daily. It suits my way of working. After all, what is your primary goal when using a computer? For the most, it's just getting on the Internet and downloading emails, or writing a few letters. If anyone can achieve these aims, then perhaps 90% of the tasks have been fulfilled.
With each new Puppy variant we have seen an expansion of ideas and projects, all have potential. What more is there to be said? If it works, use it.

[01micko]

Last Saturday my accountant came to my house to do my taxes for the year. I frantically got all my files in order. My accounts are stored in Excel, using an accounting macro which my accountant developped. I hit the "Update profit and loss statement" button and got an error. Got the backup file, same error. OMG! No P & L! Will I have to reload the whole years figures?
I had puppy running on my laptop at the time he arrived. I showed him the error. I then transferred the file to my laptop and openned it in Gnumeric. I said to him that this might work, but he said it could never work. I hit the p and l button in Gnumeric and presto! Profit and loss statement recovered! I said to him, you can charge what you like for your fees, but you owe it to your clientelle to hand out puppy when their other OS won't work!
Since then I will not use window$!

[DaveS]

[01micko]

The big (not so secret!) secret is to backup. Any OS, and besides, you could have hardware failure.

[hondasid]

Not only do i use only Puppy, so does my wife, who knows Windows and only Windows. But i customized a Puppy OS for her and she hasn't looked back. And her computer is almost 14 years old, runs like it's new. Really fast and nothing we can't do on it. So, yes, you can do it.

[Diggs]

I agree with Lobster 100%. Use what works for you. Although my main desktop computer runs Windoz due to some of the software I run (remote desktop, games and music recording), my old Presario laptop is 100% full install Puppy and probably gets more use than any other computer in the house (including a desktop install of Ubuntu). I even have a copy of WinXP shrink-wrapped on the shelf unused. Puppy with the Skipstone browser and wireless connection is perfect for our needs. I even have to pry it out of my daughters hands as she more often that not is using it instead of her WinXP machine.

(Now, if I can just get remote desktop stable I can ditch my Windoz machine for a big part of what I am doing. Time to revive that old thread.)

[ndujoe1]

I use Puppy Linux only. I removed my windows partition in nov '05. I do have Wine installed for password vault that the non-profit center uses.

[hillside]

I use only Puppy.

I run my (very) small business on it. Even though the business is small, I still need to comply with all the necessary accounting requirements. Luckily, I used to do it all on huge, paper, ledger sheets. I find a good spread sheet is a step up. If there was a good linux alternative to Quickbooks or even Quicken, I might use it, but a spreadsheet gets the job done.

Outside of my business work, my computer needs are minimal. It's mostly a little browsing, music stuff, and some genealogy.

My wife still insists on using Windows on her machine. I occassionally have used Puppy to recover her data when necessary.

[droope]

I am also now using puppy as my main system. I find the whole Open Source thing fascinating, and I still can't fully believe I can do ANY change I want to MY operating system.

I would suggest, unless you have full intentions on becoming a mad angry geek, to at least leave a Windows 98 on HD for a while, or maybe a Mint, that comes heavily recomended for it's ease of use.

Cheers!

[puppyluvr]

Hello,
I think the key is to get past the "One OS only" mentality M$ has bred for decades..
As Lobster said, use what works for you..but keep an open mind and remember you CAN "Have your cake and eat it too".. My Grub menu looks like a table of contents..I boot according to my needs, and over time, I found I dont need to boot windows at all, So I removed it..
Until a year ago I used only Windows, then I discovered Knoppix followed by PCLOS, and I liked them, but they were missing something.. Personality!!! Sure, Puppy starts out as an Official release, but even a total noob can and will "make it their own" in short time, and end up with an OS that is "a part of them"..
About a month ago, frustration with Doze led my Wife to try Transitions, a 301 Puplet, on her laptop. After a few weeks, she only boots her Doze for 1 thing, and soon wont need it for that either....She has already said she "cant go back" now...

So yes, Puppy can totally replace windows for the average user.. Even my Wife!!!

[DaveS]