[snoopy]

So I've been a user of Windows for the past 18ish years and recently I've finally gotten bored of using it.

In the past the main reason for sticking with it was because I had built up some weird fear of both Linux and OSX not to mention that my job roles were Windows based support etc. But towards the end of last year I suddenly found myself owning a MBP as well as playing around with Linux.

Now as we speak I've installed Linux server on my media server and I'm currently copying across my large media library, I will then be looking to install a flavour of Linux on my gaming rig ( possibly SteamOS ). As an experiment I will also be setting up some VM's for Windows so that I can play the Windows based games that I also enjoy. I have no idea if this will work but I'm going to give it ago anyway.

My questions to anyone willing to read this far down is have you attempted this before?
What are your views on the various Operating systems I've mentioned?

I will also update the post once I've completed the transition and inform you of the results to whether it was successful or a complete failure, incase anyone in the future is looking to do something similar.

[Yung Lean]

I am tired of windows as well but sadly all the things that I need on computer works only for Windows and is not supported for Linux and is not going to be.
Even tho I like Linux how it works and how it looks sadly cannot completeley move to it due reasons mentioned. If all the things I need would work on Linux I'd say bye bye to Windows. Anyways I still play with Linux from time to time just not to forget it completely and how nice it feels. So I have Linux with Dual boot.

As you mentioned you will run VM for Windows for some games that you enjoy playing my thought is that you won't get as good performance on VM than you would on Dual boot
Would suggest dual boot Linux and Windows keep Linux main boot so when you turn computer on first choice it boots on is Linux and if want windows second choice.

[snoopy]

Well I had intended on running it as a VM using VTd but I've just checked and my CPU doesn't support it and I don't think my mb supports it either which is annoying. They do support VTx which enables me to run VMs so as an experiment I'll give it ago anyway knowing that it will most likely fail and I will have to move over to dual booting instead, but me thinks next time I come round to upgrading I'll be looking out for supported hardware.

[charles]

I've used Linux for a few years now. If your doing a media server migration you really don't have much to worry about.
What flavor of Gnu/Linux are you using on this Media server?

On Debian based operating systems i recommend the following (Debian based being Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Trisquel)

Clementine (media player)
To play some file formats you will need to do the following in terminal.

sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad

sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg

(You won't see your password as your typing it in)

If your on ubuntu you can also install the ubuntu-restricted-extras Package


I Wouldn't advise Steam OS. It's still in beta IIRC.

For gaming check out Ubuntu Gnome.

[snoopy]

I've used Linux for a few years now. If your doing a media server migration you really don't have much to worry about.
What flavor of Gnu/Linux are you using on this Media server?

On Debian based operating systems i recommend the following (Debian based being Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Trisquel)

Clementine (media player)
To play some file formats you will need to do the following in terminal.

sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad

sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg

(You won't see your password as your typing it in)

If your on ubuntu you can also install the ubuntu-restricted-extras Package


I Wouldn't advise Steam OS. It's still in beta IIRC.

For gaming check out Ubuntu Gnome.

I'm using Ubuntu server for my media server, which really is more of a storage server as I have a roku running plex that interfaces with it for all of my media.

I know SteamOS is still in it's infancy but I'm always one for pioneering and fancy giving it ago

------------
Update

Okay so I've read that Xen might offer a way to achieve what I'm trying to do without needing VTd support hardware. So I'm going to give that ago!

[m0dem]

I'm using Ubuntu server for my media server, which really is more of a storage server as I have a roku running plex that interfaces with it for all of my media.

I know SteamOS is still in it's infancy but I'm always one for pioneering and fancy giving it ago

------------
Update

Okay so I've read that Xen might offer a way to achieve what I'm trying to do without needing VTd support hardware. So I'm going to give that ago!

So, what is better about SteamOS than any other operating system? Is it just because Valve made it?

[charles]

So, what is better about SteamOS than any other operating system? Is it just because Valve made it?

It's a "Gaming Experience" Operating system. It will be deployed on valves Steam Machines.

It's Pretty much steam big picture mode but with Debian as a base.

[Dismas]

It's a "Gaming Experience" Operating system. It will be deployed on valves Steam Machines.

It's Pretty much steam big picture mode but with Debian as a base.

Is it actually Debian, though?

[charles]

Is it actually Debian, though?

Because it is a fork of Debian, and not Debian itself, it is not Debian.

[m0dem]

It's a "Gaming Experience" Operating system. It will be deployed on valves Steam Machines.

It's Pretty much steam big picture mode but with Debian as a base.

It is kind of weird. They're selling PCs that are sort of dedicated to gaming. PC gaming is good, not because it's more powerful than consoles... but because you don't need another machine to game on.
I guess that's what the xBox/PS4 basically is.
I wonder how well they'll compete with the big game console vendors.