I am always amazed that Linux isn't more popular. It is a free operating system, is more reliable than Windows, and has many of the advantages of Macintosh. To be sure, Linux used to be more difficult to install and use than the other "big two" operating systems, but that is no longer true. Anyone who has used a recent version of Ubuntu Linux or Xandros Linux or Freespire will attest that those Linux distributions are even easier to use than Windows, especially when installing new programs. Installation is a breeze. For instance, Ubuntu Linux does a better job of discovering my networking and sound boards than does Windows. Ubuntu Linux is significantly faster and easier to install than Windows; it even asks fewer questions.
So what's the problem?
I have always blamed inertia: most computers come with either Windows or Macintosh operating systems pre-installed. Most people will use whatever is installed and will become familiar with whatever is given to them. They won't switch later, even if something else is clearly better. After all, that means unlearning present habits and learning something new. Most people are uncomfortable with learning something new, so they stay with what they have, regardless of its strengths or weaknesses.
An article by Vlad Dolezal in "An Amazing Mind" blog offers a different reason. Dolezal claims that the reason is simple: Linux is free, and humans tend to equate free things with being worthless. Humans tend to think, "One of the operating systems is worth over three hundred dollars, while the other one is worth nothing."
That's financially correct but very misleading. The one that is "worth nothing" may well be more valuable than the so-called "three-hundred-dollar operating system."
You can read Vlad Dolezal's article at http://blog.anamazingmind.com/2008/02/why-linux-doesnt-spread-curse-of-being.html.
By the way, GRAMPS is an excellent genealogy program for Linux, and it is also free. It is more powerful and a more complete program than the now obsolete Personal Ancestral File for Windows that is also free. It is nearly as powerful as the free version of Legacy Family Tree for Windows. You can learn more about GRAMPS at http://www.gramps-project.org.
Did you recently replace a Windows computer with something more powerful? Try installing Ubuntu Linux or Xandros Linux or Linspire on the old one. I bet you'll be impressed. Take a look at:
Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com
Xandros: http://www.xandros.com
Freespire: http://www.linspire.com
Once you become familiar with Linux, you may want to experiment with still other versions. However, I'd steer beginners to any of the above three.
By the way, Sears now sells a $199 (after rebate) computer with Freespire pre-installed. Take a look at http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00373907000P?vName=Computers+%26+Electronics&keyword=freespire. It must be popular. When I looked, it was out of stock and on backorder. However, Sears is accepting “raincheck” orders for future delivery.
The wildly popular Asus Eee tiny laptop computer that sells for $299 to $499 (depending on included options) uses a customized version of Xandros. This unit has become very popular as a low-cost and very portable “mini-laptop” computer. I own the $399 version and love it. It weighs two pounds, slips into an overcoat pocket, includes wireless “Wi-Fi” networking, and is very powerful. For details, look at http://event.asus.com/eeepc/microsites/en/index.htm and at http://eeepc.asus.com/global/product.htm.
Linux isn't worthless. However, you do have to use it for a while in order to appreciate just how valuable it is.
Where is Vlad's analysis on Television? Napster? BitTorrent movies? Nah, I think Vlad's barking in the echo chamber. My non-scientific but correct analysis is that most people are stupid. Really. Take the most recent book I checked out at my local library as a stand-in for proof. "Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness of Crowds" was written in 1842 or so, yet still accurately describes today's population.
People believe what their confident-sounding leaders (a.k.a. conmen) tell them to believe. Silk suits sell more vapor than Linus Torvalds can give away because sleazemeisters and scaremongers on TV sound authoritative -- and most people fall for it every time.
Vlad's take implies a calculated, considered analysis of the OS situation. Do you really believe that most people operate that way? I don't think so. Most people just follow their leaders and/or the person in front of them.
Posted by: Matt Platte | February 21, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Matt,
I don't agree that most people are stupid. I think that you'll find that most credible studies have shown that only half of them are below average.
As for the reason why Linux isn't more popular ... it's viewed as a geek OS.
As for it being more reliable than Windows. I can't remember the last time my XP system crashed (of course, I'm careful about what I install, etc.).
Most people are not computer hobbyists. Even those of us who work in IT don't want to come home and dink around with a computer. We just want one that we can turn on, get our stuff done and turn off. We don't want to worry about drivers, ubuntu, xandros, or whatever version of the OS is the hot one at the moment and then try to find software that will do what we need it to do.
Linux had a shot of getting to the tipping point and becoming accepted in the home market, but the same thing happened to it that happened to Unix. It became fragmented. No sane person wants to sit down and try to figure out the differences between 6 distributions of Linux.
Most people are happy with a choice between Windows and Macintosh (Unix with a fancy front end.)
As for free equating to useless ... just look at the lines when free samples are given out, free trial offers, free magazine subscriptions (OK, those are useless), free shipping (how many times have I bought an extra book at Amazon just to get the free shipping?)
The long and the short of it is that Linux offers the average person no compelling reason to go through the extra effort of learining it. After all, it's only an OS.
Posted by: Dino (All Dino, All The Time) | February 21, 2008 at 05:47 PM
"I don't agree that most people are stupid. I think that you'll find that most credible studies have shown that only half of them are below average."
But that's only relevant if stupid is relative, which it's not. Dick, your occasional Linux evangelism is admirable, but I don't think there's much chance that people will switch. I do think that you have to be at the "power user" level for Windows or OS X to be able to transition successfully to Linux, because you will inevitably run into things that, let's face it, the average user couldn't do.
I use GRAMPS exclusively and it certainly is very powerful. But I think it has shortcomings in the interface, ease of data entry, and quality of reports that will prevent most users of commercial programs from using it. From what I've seen, GRAMPS 3.0 will begin to address these deficits, but not nearly enough.
Posted by: Michael White | February 21, 2008 at 07:41 PM
> "Linux ...is more reliable than Windows"
FUD.
> "...even easier to use than Windows"
BS.
> "Ubuntu Linux does a better job of discovering my networking and sound boards than does Windows"
ROFL. You're funny.
> So what's the problem?
Lying would-be techno-evangelists that set would-be users up for gigantic disappointment.
> Linux is free, and humans tend to equate free things with being worthless
Oh sure, that is the entire reason. And nobody uses Firefox either?
> GRAMPS is an excellent genealogy program for Linux
Your concept of excellent is obviously somewhat different from mine. It is a crappy, unreliable command-line program with cryptic commands.
> It is more powerful and a more complete program than the now obsolete Personal Ancestral File
What have you been smoking?
Oh, wait, I get it. Your blog has not been controversial enough recently, so you troll your readers.
Posted by: AntiFUD | February 21, 2008 at 09:19 PM
I might have a fiddle with Linux on my old P3 700Mhz when I get some spare time, but I will not change over to Linux for my genealogy unless The Master Genealogist comes out in a Linux version. It is the apps we all use that do not work on Linux that is IMHO the big detractor from changing. Like Dino I have no problems with my very stable Win XP so what is the incentive? (now if I was forced to use Vista, then, well, maybe ...... LOL)
Posted by: Graeme Simpson | February 22, 2008 at 03:38 AM
Haha. Linux has about 0.6 percent of the market share. Do you think maybe there is a reason for that. There are a few hundred different iterations of Linux. That's one of the drawbacks, no one can agree on anything in the open source world. Windows applications that people have will not run on Linux unless you want to try using Wine and that is very suspect. The major geneaolgy programs will not run on it. Gramps is the only choice and a poor choice it is. Linux could be a viable alternative but it has a long way to go before it can go mainstream.
Posted by: Randy Palmer | February 22, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Well............ I think it's pretty obvious that someone hasn't tried a Linux OS in quite a number of years. Oh, there are some people that are "Command Line Commandos" in Linux but today Linux has some of the best user interfaces out there. Personally I prefer KDE Desktop to the others but everyone has a choice in what they use [ unlike another major operating system (OS) ].
I've been a full time Linux [ OpenSuSE and Kubuntu ] convert for about three or four years and I LOVE it. It gives me back control of MY computer. I can customize it in about any way I want to. AND, it's getting even better all the time.
Gramps is about as slick and polished as any genealogy program out there. I won't say it's perfect because there are a couple little things I would like it to do a bit different, like adding in places for instance. But, it IS a very good program.
For anyone interested I would HEARTILY recommend Kubuntu to set up with dual boot on their machine. I recommend dual booting because it allows you to still have your old system while you become comfortable with the new. I would venture to guess that after a few months you will not be using your old OS near as much as you think.
Operating system
complete with two (2) office suites
CD/DVD burning software
and all the bells and whistles................$0.00
Antivirus Software...........................Not Needed
Having control of MY computer.................Priceless
Posted by: Billie Walsh | February 22, 2008 at 08:42 AM
I'm with Graeme Simpson. I won't even try Linux unless TMG will run natively. No reason to. XP is stable for me. I do use Firefox and Thunderbird though.
Dave S.
Posted by: Dave S. | February 22, 2008 at 09:01 AM
Ubunti looks pretty good for this beginning user. But I am not able to import GEDCOMS into Gramps from PAF and/or Legacy. That settles it for me. I will remain a Windows user. I would not sit and reenter years of work to accomodate any operating system.
Posted by: A. J. Rawls | February 22, 2008 at 09:39 AM
If you want to move to Linux with Ubuntu and want to be green at the same time, check out the Koolu thin client ( http://koolu.com ). a powerful little computer that uses less than 10 watts, has no fan, and plenty of other features. Google Apps is included for free as well.
Posted by: Rob Glendennng | February 22, 2008 at 09:55 AM
It is not tempting to develop software for Linux because it it 'free', no-one will want to pay for the software either.
Posted by: Paul | February 22, 2008 at 10:36 AM
I also own an ASUS EEE -- an amazing little computer that's a great second or travel machine.
I've installed GRAMPS; however, I've found that my entire database does not perform well on the little guy. The functional limit seems to 18000 to 20000 people. Also, there are many functions that I cannot access because the menus extend beyond the 400 pixel tall screen. Have you found any way to bypass this issue?
For the next research trip, I'll rely on using my TNG database with the ASUS. As long as I have web access, performance is good and I can use my entire database. This definitely beats Palm access of PAF database.
Posted by: Walter Betts | February 22, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Let's see the Macintosh operating systems (2nd most popular) is a User Interface over UNIX 4.2 bsd base and costs $$$. Linux is UNIX system 7 based and costs 0. With several of the free Linux-based distributions having very good GUIs now.
You can go to local stores - Best Buy, Circuit City, ... - and pay $$$/hour for support or go to free wikis, blogs, ... for Linux support.
You can buy Microsoft Office (every couple of years for the latest and greatest) for $$$ for Windows or Macintosh for $$$ or you can download OpenOffice (which is compatible with Microsoft Office) for 0 and run it on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux.
But the genealogy program I prefer - Roots Magic - does not run on Linux
Posted by: Harry Benson | February 22, 2008 at 11:00 AM
I do have to correct one comment: GRAMPS is not a command-line program. It is an easy-to-use fully GUI (graphics user interface) program designed for newcomers and experienced users alike. More information is available at http://www.gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
You can see screen shots of the program's user interface at http://www.gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php?title=Screenshots
You won't see a single command line in GRAMPS.
It has more features than Personal Ancestral File (automatic generation of web sites, fan charts, the ability to create your own custom charts, etc.)
As to P.A.F.: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced nearly a year and a half ago that Personal Ancestral File was not being developed any further although the Church continues to support the old version (last updated several years ago). See my 2006 article at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2006/10/the_end_of_paf.html
Posted by: Dick Eastman | February 22, 2008 at 11:04 AM
I have been a Mandriva user for 6 years. It is an extremely reliable OS with great hardware support. There is a user forum that offers excellent support. Mandriva 2008 is the current version with 2008.1 due for release in April. Gramps works very well. I also have Win98 as a dual boot. Haven't used it in a very long time.
I am strictly a home user. I use OpenOffice as my word processor. Mozilla Thunderbird and Firefox for email and internet. GIMP and Gwenview for photos. All programs are free, usable and supported by various user forums. The OS can be reinstalled or updated as necessary without any loss of personal files. Probably most important is that they are virus free.
Posted by: Gary | February 22, 2008 at 11:15 AM
>> My non-scientific but correct analysis is that most people are stupid.
Rubbish - except for your statement that your analysis is non-scientific
The rest is purely your subjective OPINION.
So you think people who keep using software that does what they want ie. TMG, Legacy instead of switching to a less powerful product that doesn't do what they need simply to play operating systems wars are STUPID?
ROFL
Posted by: A linux AND XP user | February 22, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I have an ASUS eee; a little guy running Linux. It boots in 7 seconds, my desktop XP is at least 2 minutes. The GUI on my eee is just as easy to use as XP or any version of Windows. At 1.8 lbs, I place my eee in my pocketbook, and go. Traffic jams??? no problem, I just pull out the eee, and more times than not, I find an unsecured 802.11 and I log on!! Love it!
Posted by: Karen | February 22, 2008 at 11:57 AM
>> Antivirus Software...........................Not Needed
To large part because at the moment linux market share doesn't warrant the time and investment needed to develop virus. If linux reached anything like the share of ms windows then the hacker factories would start targeting it. Most viruses/trojans are produced for commercial purposes and the backers expect a return on their investment.
Anybody remember the arpanet worm - the first virus to reach public consciousness which brought down unix based systems across the states was partly unix based?
Before anyone mentions Macs - In my early days of personal computer support we had more problems with Mac viruses that MS-DOS viruses simply because Macs were more common as personal computers than PCs.
The message is don't be complacent
Posted by: Chris | February 22, 2008 at 12:04 PM
As someone who works in the IT field, I have come a realization when it comes to operating systems. They are a tool. To understand what I mean, look at cars and trucks. What is a truck designed to do? It is mainly designed to haul stuff, not necessarily to haul people. What is a car designed to do? It is mainly designed to haul people comfortably. Sure each can do the work of the other to some degree, but you wouldn't take your Cadillac STS to a gravel pit to load up a ton of stone to put in your yard. Similarly you wouldn't necessarily want to drive your F-150 across the country if you could drive a car. So relating back to the OS discussion, Linux and Windows are tools. Linux was initially designed as a strong IT infrastructure tool. It does an amazing job of doing the heavy hauling for IT infrastructure; providing web services, name resolution, etc. Windows has from the start been designed as the tool for the "average" user. It is the car with nice plush seating and it looks pretty. Does it some some ability to do the heavy hauling? Not XP. The car analogy continues though. Over the years car makers have tried to meet the needs of people by creating hybrids of cars and trucks. Thus the station wagon, the El Camino, and SUVs were created. They do a reasonable job of heavy hauling and people hauling at the same time. They don't do either really well though. Windows Server, Ubuntu and the other new and easy to use Linux versions are the SUVs of operating systems. They look good and handle both the heavy hauling and people hauling, but don't do either especially well. Will Linux ever reach the level of ease of use and cleanness that Windows desktops enjoy now? Tough to say.
For me personally, I use computers at home to play games first (linux is not an option), do family finances second, do genealogy research third, and other mundane tasks. Since I'm a gamer, Windows is the only option. Without that, I'd have not problem considering Linux as a reasonable alternative.
Posted by: Don | February 22, 2008 at 12:13 PM
>>To large part because at the moment linux market share doesn't warrant the time and investment needed to develop virus. If linux reached anything like the share of ms windows then the hacker factories would start targeting it. Most viruses/trojans are produced for commercial purposes and the backers expect a return on their investment.
Sorry, but you are way off base here. Limited market share of linux in _home applications_ (linux/unix has greater market share in servers) has less to do with the number of viruses written for linux (over 1,000 last I read) than you might think. The biggest issue is that Windows users typically run their system at the admin level meaning that viruses and trojans have easy access to root allowing them to run at start-up indefinitely via scripting. Linux users on the other hand typically operate their systems with limited access thereby preventing viruses and trojans from unlimited propogation. They don't have access to root (hence limiting their destructive potential) and typically peter out or are excised long before they have a chance to propogate from a single user.
And, no, I don't run linux from home and have not done so for a number of years, but I do know the facts. The main reason I don't run linux is that I'm too lazy to jump through the hoops required for a switch and way too many of my programs and games don't run natively on it.
Posted by: Greg Matthews | February 22, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Linux is not the only free Open Source OS. I use FreeBSD with Gnome. It optionally includes binary compatibility with Linux for programs that are distributed as Linux binaries.
As an IT guy who does do IT stuff at home after hours I am a counter example of the claim that even IT people don't want to have to fiddle with the OS. I am one who got into computers not because IT supposedly pays better than other fields, but because I like math and logic. I follow my curiosity. My entertainment is learning new things.
FreeBSD can be found at: http://www.FreeBSD.org
Posted by: Lorin Lund | February 22, 2008 at 01:10 PM
I have been using and writing software for Linux since January of 1992 when there were only about 600 users worldwide. As such I'm still a little amazed by how it has grown. In those days building UNIX software on Linux typically took significant effort, now most Unix software is written for Linux, and can take some serious effort to build on other UNIX platforms. Don mentions that, "Linux was initially designed as a strong IT infrastructure tool". This is not the case, if anything it was initially designed as a Minix replacement, and initial development took place on Minix.
Linux has succeeded where it getting to where it is rather than NetBSD/FreeBSD/OpenBSD because it was the first one out there. Work was being done by different people on getting 386BSD and Hurd out the door, but Linus Torvalds succeeded at getting the first easily obtainable, and bootable OS out there. In the early days, Linux was actually distributed a lot on BBS's (remember those?).
It is my personal opinion that much of the fault for Linux not having succeeded better is its own userbase. While Mac users are often considered fanatical, they can't touch some Linux users for vocal rabid fanaticism! The whole, "software must be free" mentality, and rabid hostility towards non-free software is a problem with the community. An additional problem is of course the bundling of PC's with Windows. Still in the past year several PC's in the $200-300 price range have come bundled with Linux, and due to the low prices have been fantastically popular. I recently bought an "Asus eee PC" myself, while it's slightly smaller than I want, it does everything I need a laptop for. Though you do not want to know the lengths I had to go to get the three fonts I needed installed on it.
Don exhibits the correct view towards Operating systems. They are a tool to do what you need. If one of your primary uses for a computer is to play games, then Windows is your best choice. If your primary use is Genealogy then you're better off choosing Windows or a Mac. There are different reasons to choose different OS's. Personally my main system at home runs Mac OS X 10.4, and my secondary system runs OpenVMS 8.3 (I like to keep my data secure).
OS advocacy wars are a waste of time. Having said that, "AntiFUD" you seem to be the one trying to spread "FUD" (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt". I'm responsible for a large number of UNIX, Linux and Windows servers at work, and Linux tends to be far more reliable than Windows, even if the Windows system is dedicated to a single task (the best way to get a reliable Windows system). Linux is far easier to manage. I do not doubt that on some systems Ubuntu does a better job at recognizing hardware than Windows. At the same time, buy to new of hardware and you'll likely have headaches getting Linux to boot on it.
Now for a Free Software project that is BSD UNIX based, and I suspect likely to be of use to people here. If you have more than one computer in your home, they are networked, and you'd like some disk space out on the network, then I'd recommend checking out FreeNAS. Simply buy some bare disks, install them in an old PC, and boot & configure FreeNAS. http://www.freenas.org I recently gave it a try, and am actually booting it from a USB flash drive on the Windows XP system that I use for games. It is a great way to backup some of my UNIX and Mac OS X data to another system.
Posted by: Zane Healy | February 22, 2008 at 03:16 PM
----> Linux was initially designed as a strong IT infrastructure tool.
Not really. Inventor Linus Torvalds says that it was originally designed as a personal desktop system, then later was adopted to many other uses. "I have never, ever cared about really anything but the Linux desktop..."
Details may be found in the lengthy interview with Linus Torvalds at http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2008/02/linus-torvalds.html
Posted by: Dick Eastman | February 22, 2008 at 05:59 PM
The GRAMPS project can put up pretty pictures, but when u donwload and install u still get a command line program. Import is unreliable, and performance is poor, almost as slow as TMG.
Posted by: TriedGramps | February 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM
I am a GRAMPS user for 2 years and I have never needed to use the command line. Yes I use it on Linux and I have never had problems importing gedcoms from PAF, FTM, TMG or downloads from Ancestry.com or GenesReunited. Many people are zealous about their operating systems, there is no need to be. Just be comfortable with what you have and do not criticize others for their choices.
For me LINUX has been a liberating experience, but I still use MS to help others. I agree with Dick, that you need to use it for a while before the benefits become apparent. And with GRAMPS, I have not found yet found another mainstream genealogy program that I can talk directly to the team developing it to seek help and offer suggestion for development.
Posted by: GRAMPS User | February 23, 2008 at 05:53 AM
I have been playing around with Ubuntu a bit for about a year now. There is a lot to like about it (and I am not a fan of UNIX systems). I agree with the statement that the biggest holdback for Linux is the applications written for it. Yes, you can find and application written for almost every kind of application, but most don't have the bells and whistles yet than many MAC and Windows apps do. If/when the marketshare of Linux has grown to 25% then I think you will start seeing commercial vendors taking notice. While free programs will fuel Linux for a long time, I think the commercial market must enter the Linux field for Linux to achieve its potential.
As for GRAMPS, I have played with it also. I would probably enjoy it more if I could really see my full 47,000 person database in it which I have serious doubt that I can given that GEDCOM is the only transport mechanism (re-enter 47 thousand people? Don't try to be funny!). When GEDCOM no longer loses data during a transport then I will start trusting it.
But in playing with it, I also find that GRAMPS is tedious for data entry. It reminds me very much of Philip Brown's Family History System that was written in Basic back in the '80s -- a lot of nice ideas, but very slow at data entry.
Command Lines? I didn't see any. At least no more than with almost any "modern" (whatever that is ) program.
Posted by: Lee Hoffman | February 23, 2008 at 09:38 AM
To the people who are saying GRAMPS is command line, I don't know what _you_ are smoking. It may not be perfect, but it right up there with the big commercial programs. And it imports GEDCOM just fine. If you have any problems it is because your program doesn't support full GEDCOM standard import. I imported my database from Family Tree Maker and in the process did lose some data that FTM GEDCOM export didn't support like "preferred spouse" ordering... come to think of it that is the only thing I lost, as far as I know.
Oh, and it is basically a myth that you can't run games on Linux. Wine or Cedega work quite well, I believe most games are supported, and I read a study that found that Linux was actually _better_ for playing games than Vista (but not XP). There are also plenty of great Linux-native games.
No, the real reason people don't switch is FUD and inability to undertake the small amount of technical work it requires. Oh, and I also have Compiz Fusion (http://compiz-fusion.org/), which gives me much better 3D desktop effects than OS X or Vista, at a fraction of the resources of Vista's resource-hogging, sucky Aero.
Posted by: Michael White | February 23, 2008 at 09:51 AM
To settle this debate, I downloaded GRAMPS a few months ago. I needed to start a DOS Box to use it. Enuf said. Oh yeah, I has trouble reading 10.000+ GEDCOM made by PAF. Seems a toy, much like FTM, not ready for the major league.
Posted by: WindowsUser | February 23, 2008 at 03:25 PM
Having recently purchased a new computer loaded with Vista I can think of any number of reasons for abandoning that OS for any previous version of Windows down to and including Win 95. About six years ago I decided to check out Linspire, liked the potential it offered, and switched to it to handle my on line work. Since I was still very involved in genealogical software evaluation at the time I had to continue running Windows. Having several computers available this presented no problem. I simply networked the two desktops, one dual booted with Linspire and Win 98, the other with XP, and my laptop, which was also on XP. Networking to the Linux machine required no effort on my part, Linspire automatically set it up. While Windows can't read Linspire files the opposite is not the case. This allowed me to recover a file from Windows, work on it in linux, and restore it to Windows.
About a year ago I discovered a little gem of a program called Parallels. It sets up a virtual machine in to which I loaded XP as the guest OS. This allows me to run XP and Linux simultaneously on the same computer. With this setup I can now run those Windows programs I'm familiar with and from which there is no way I'm about to give up. The two OS's use a common data folder so data exchange is no problem. I now have the best of both worlds. Setting up Parallels is easy to set up and when I installed it on a new MacBook a couple of months ago the most technical thing I had to do was put the disc in the CD. BTW my linux OS can handle my 1920 X 1200 monitor, something my new Lenovo with Vista can not do.
My point is why not switch to another OS be iy Mac or Linux? You can still keep your favorite Windows programs
Posted by: Suddie Bill Mumford | February 23, 2008 at 06:57 PM
I've been using GRAMPS for the last couple of years as my main genealogy program, and I will still do so. If you download package for your Linux-distro, you won't need to use the command line at all. I use Ubuntu, and when I install a deb-package GRAMPS shows up in the menu ready to launch.
Command line and GRAMPS? Yes it exists. It is possible to do batch-operations from the command line, but I assume most users will never ever actually use it. The graphical user interface is also well organised and efficient to use. My personal database consists of more than 30.000 individuals, and GRAMPS doesn't have problems to handle that. Another benefit of using GRAMPS is the number of languages supported. For me it would look a bit odd to create reports in English when all my personal written work in the program (comments, notes and so on) are written in Norwegian. Then I want to be able to have the reports in Norwegian as well. Yes - that is possible. I know other genealogy programs offer different locales as well, so this is only to emphasise that it is also offered by GRAMPS.
But this was my personal thoughts about GRAMPS. I like it and will continue using it. What other people prefer is their business. If all were alike, we wouldn't have this huge amount of programs to choose from.
For those of you want to have the complete source code for GRAMPS - it is there.
Posted by: Espen Berg | February 24, 2008 at 12:54 PM
We've used Ubuntu Linux for over a year now, and have been developing some auxiliary genealogy tools in java. (These are for our personal use and not designed for sale). Our Linux machine is the file server for our home network. We have been able to expand some of the capabilities of The Master Genealogist (TMG), which we have running on Windows machines. Specifically, TMG does not maintain a table of exhibits showing when and where and by whom each photograph was taken, when and from whom we obtained a copy, as well as information about those depicted. We have added tables containing this image information to our Linux server, and constructed an interface with TMG by exporting the TMG information with its report generation capability.
Our feeling is that Linux is more robust, more secure, and that the operating system is more user friendly -- IN THE SENSE THAT the user can more easily control the system. The commercial operating systems are written to provide a simpler interface, but actual users almost always run into difficulties which they have difficulty solving. Linux is especially nice because virtually any system issue is well documented online, and so it's fairly straightforward to "read the book" and see what needs to be done. So - for one who does not wish to feel limited by his or her computer, Linux is a good choice. Ubuntu is a very user-friendly version of Linux.
The fact that it's free is a plus.
There is a Windows Emulator ("WINE") for Linux machines, but most of the more powerful genealogy programs don't run under WINE. So one will still want Windows machines in the network.
Posted by: Bob Pendleton | February 25, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Well.. I'm a gamer and I personally prefer Ubuntu. I have installed a windows emulation program called Cedega and Crossover, and they run Microsoft Office and programs like that, plus many popular games, and all the old ones(ones older than 3 or 4 years). point is, hackers don't target Linux because its more secure and reliable than windows. I've been using Linux for 6 years and windows 15 years.. I've used Ubuntu for 1 year now as i switched from red hat to fedora to Ubuntu.. Its better. the only reason micro$oft is $till in business is because of ignorance. I was ignorant that Linux is better than windows, now I feel like i.. saw the light.. lol.. seriously, windows drivers didn't even work right right my laptop i mean come on. windows is for people that can't switch.. and i mean can't, like.. too stupid or they don't have the willpower to switch.. idk... it seems stupid to me to use windows, unless you really really can't switch, in which case you could just use vmware anyway... but whatever this isn't a dictatorship.. nobody can control ignorance, like they say ignorance is bliss.... not
--Mit Freundlichen Gruessen, Eric, Master of the SKies
Ubuntu--"get more done"
Posted by: Eric Stoesser | March 23, 2008 at 04:21 PM
I read the comments above but the really, really scary thing is that countries around the world are surpassing the US because of the notion that Linux is just an operating system--it's for geeks--it's for the elite Windows users who want to go to the next step etc. This worries me because it's the same attitude that permeates who we pick for President, who plans for retirement, our current educational views of no child left behind. I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone but an operating system is only as good as the software you can run on it and that's precisely why Linux is great! Most of the 23,467 applications can be installed with two clicks and upgraded with a couple of more. These applications have a wide diversity and are free to experiment with--some costing thousands of dollars and untold volunteer time to produce and test. Those who are to steeped in their ways not to make Linux a part of their life--will soon learn that our next door and overseas neighbors will be all the future Engineers and will lead the world--it's already happening.
Posted by: ad | May 07, 2008 at 09:17 PM
I started using RedHat 5.2 back in 2000. It took several weeks to get it working. I switched to Kubuntu several years ago; the last install took less than an hour and found all my hardware with no problem. It is easy to use linux these days! In fact, it has been at least 5 years since I had Windows of any kind for personal use. So when I decided to revist genealogy, I found that I had made a Family Tree Maker backup but not a gedcom. So I installed Win98 on an old machine, installed Family Tree Maker, exported the gedcom and imported it to GRAMPS 3.0 on my primary linux machine. I'm perfectly happy with GRAMPS and the Win98 box is back in storage.
By the way, I noticed that the Win98 box running on old slow hardware loads and responds faster than the XP and Vista machines I use at work. This is considered progress in the Windows world!
Posted by: Robert Schmidt | July 02, 2008 at 08:38 AM
I've got an Eee PC running Xandros and I want to install the Gramps genealogy program on it.
I've had a go but it didn't work because when I read the readme notes it asked for other files and programs to be installed as well and as I'm new to computers, I don't know what I'm doing and I didn't want to mess up my system.
So can anyone tell me in laymans terms how to simply get this program installed so I can just press install and click a shortcut button to get up and running.
Posted by: Ivor | January 19, 2009 at 03:22 PM