What flavor of linux to replace windows?
-
With all this discussion about linux, what would be a good distro to experiment with if I am coming from purely windows background? I have dabbled with a few different ubuntu versions, but that was several years ago and I did not get very much into it.
But I have taken to heart the information presented here on ML and from conversations with @scottalanmiller and I am going to look into our dependency on MS. Any suggestions on what could be a suitable desktop replacement for my users who only know windows7/10? There are still several workflow areas where I have not found any suitable replacement applications, or other workflow modifications that would allow me to abandon windows, but I need to start evaluating the incorporation of linux where applicable.
The two main workflows we have that I have not found viable solutions for yet are ERP and CAD. The ERP is dependent on both windows and SQL. CAD, specifically both Autocad and Solidworks, are both dependent on windows at this point, but I hear that cloud versions are in development and that may eventually allow both to be run in browsers, removing the windows limitation.
Practically all my users fall into one of those workflows, but I've got to start somewhere.
-
Ubuntu or Fedora with Cinnamon Desktop.
-
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
The two main workflows we have that I have not found viable solutions for yet are ERP and CAD. The ERP is dependent on both windows and SQL.
It doesn't matter what the ERP runs on (Windows + MS SQL).
It matters how it is accessed.
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
CAD, specifically both Autocad and Solidworks, are both dependent on windows at this point,
Pretty much screwed here without changing solutions. To what, I have no idea as no one has asked me to look.
-
Fedora Cinnamon and Ubuntu are really the main contenders. Best range of support.
-
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
The two main workflows we have that I have not found viable solutions for yet are ERP and CAD. The ERP is dependent on both windows and SQL.
It doesn't matter what the ERP runs on (Windows + MS SQL).
It matters how it is accessed.
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
CAD, specifically both Autocad and Solidworks, are both dependent on windows at this point,
Pretty much screwed here without changing solutions. To what, I have no idea as no one has asked me to look.
our current ERP has to be accessed from windows. It needs SQL on the back end, and windows endpoints for the clients. I am already looking into my options for what might replace it, but I cannot at the moment.
what about wine, is that still a thing? In a similar vein, I had been talking with @scottalanmiller about video games and he mentioned something about steam basically reverse engineering windows to be able to play games without windows. I had wondered at the time if some sort of emulation like that may be able to run these types of applications. Honestly, I doubt it.
-
@Donahue HOW are you interfacing with your ERP? Client programs on client computers? RDP? VNC?
-
a mix of client programs on the computers, and client programs on an RDS server.
-
I woudn't bother even trying until you work out your ERP solution to not be dependent on Windows.
-
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
I woudn't bother even trying until you work out your ERP solution to not be dependent on Windows.
I want to start looking into it now, by getting used to it from personal use. I know we are a long way off before we could run linux at any sort of scale, but I can personally start.
-
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
I woudn't bother even trying until you work out your ERP solution to not be dependent on Windows.
I want to start looking into it now, by getting used to it from personal use. I know we are a long way off before we could run linux at any sort of scale, but I can personally start.
You can run Fedora + Cinnamon and use a Windows 10 VM for your ERP needs. I assume you do not need CAD.
-
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
@Donahue said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
I woudn't bother even trying until you work out your ERP solution to not be dependent on Windows.
I want to start looking into it now, by getting used to it from personal use. I know we are a long way off before we could run linux at any sort of scale, but I can personally start.
You can run Fedora + Cinnamon and use a Windows 10 VM for your ERP needs. I assume you do not need CAD.
unfortunately, I do use CAD. I still make drawings from time to time. back in the other thread, when I explained where we were 4 years ago, I was a mechanical engineer with this company. I have been doing the IT thing full time for only the last two years or so.
-
@Donahue I like Fedora and Suse but what you need will depend on your environment.
-
If you can move all of your apps into RDS or hosted desktops, then you could put Linux on the desktop, but the users wouldn't spend any time there, so not sure it would really matter.
-
@Donahue : Steam uses their own implementation of Wine called Proton and it's OSS.
Perhaps this can be compiled for other applications?
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton -
Thanks guys, I will check fedora cinnamon and ubuntu out. One question, cinnamon with just fedora, or both?
-
I love linux but linux can't replace Windows. There are many thousands applications that are only available on Windows. Some of them are available on macOS.
It's almost impossible to run a company of size without windows. People who think you can are just not aware of everything.
-
@Pete-S said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
I love linux but linux can't replace Windows. There are many thousands applications that are only available on Windows. Some of them are available on macOS.
It's almost impossible to run a company of size without windows. People who think you can are just not aware of everything.
No, I think you are just deluded, or refuse to see reality only because you are paid to push Windows solutions.
It is easily and simply possible to be completely OS agnostic in the modern era for any size of corporation.
-
What are the ERP application's dependencies?
.Net requires a Windows licence, but I believe Mono is supposed to be able to replace .Net 4.5 with feature parity
-
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
@Pete-S said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
I love linux but linux can't replace Windows. There are many thousands applications that are only available on Windows. Some of them are available on macOS.
It's almost impossible to run a company of size without windows. People who think you can are just not aware of everything.
No, I think you are just deluded, or refuse to see reality only because you are paid to push Windows solutions.
It is easily and simply possible to be completely OS agnostic in the modern era for any size of corporation.
I hope that was sarcasm. In that case it was pretty funny.
-
@JaredBusch said in What flavor of linux to replace windows?:
No, I think you are just deluded, or refuse to see reality only because you are paid to push Windows solutions.
It is easily and simply possible to be completely OS agnostic in the modern era for any size of corporation.
Completely Agree