I started with redhat 5.1 and used it as a simple windows file/print server, aside from samba there was NO extensive tuning. I use ubuntu for the desktop and my servers now, but have used redhat, suse, mandrake, debian,vector, ipcop, astaro and gentoo. Gentoo didn't last long though, talk about compiling, I just want to use my computer....
I have not compiled a kernel in years, the last I recall was to use a 486 as a firewall. But that was years ago.There are way more advantages to linux than being able to compile a kernel too.
I agree on commercial software, for some reason photoshop comes to mind, I am sure there are others but I don't really know. I don't have a need for them.
My work laptop is win xp, my office is all windows, and the laptop is provided to me. All of the software I use for work only works on windows. Thats ok, I can deal with that.
But at home I get to call the shots. I am running 7 machines, 4 of which are running apache with mysql. I have all of the low end plumbing stuff too, dhcp, dns, ftp, ssh, vnc, etc....
There are too many cool tools that come with a base install to mention, but rsync, cron, ntp, autofs, nfs, did I mention rsync?, mdadm, vim, cups.......
I have no idea how much money it would cost me to do all that I do with windows, but something tells me that the price is somewhat higher than the 0 dollars that I spend now. And as a bonus, I don't have to phone home to verify my license, and I get the updates for free.
So sticking with windows is simply not an option. The cost is prohibitive, and the performance/reliability is just not there for me.
As a side note, my work laptop, which has the uber, special,battlestar galatica, enterprise edition of Symantec still did not stop my laptop from getting a raging infection that had the IT shop wiping the drive and re-installing the OS. This has happened to me twice in 3 years.
This is a work laptop, connected to a customers network, no less...when I believe the virus's struck. The second time was when I downloaded a windows file manager program that supported dual panes, I am such a wanker, the software had some kind of malware in it, poorly written it seems, as it trashed my laptop.
This is such crap. I don't ever have these problems with linux. My linux machines have yet to be compromised either. And I KNOW the outside world is knocking, I run snort on my firewall and use portsentry to block the worst offenders. The port scans are never ending and people are always trying to get in. And yet my apache server has never failed, the mysql server has not fallen over, and my boxs would have higher uptimes but my UPS's only last so long, and I live in Florida where power outages can be common during the summer months.
Sorry for the rant. I just don't like being spoon fed a line of skata.