linux as the o/s in 2013

[barry-potter]

to all those linux users, what is the current state of play regarding the best distro? i have been reading about it as a platform on this site but things move on rapidly in computing. currently i use windows but would like to see if linux is better and less hassle - i can't get kernal streaming to work with my new usb/spdif converter when i could get it to work with my previous soundcard.

for me the best would also mean most convenient too ie plug and play if poss. i use cplay and spent a bit of time optimising windows for this but i have zero experience of linux except for a little play with ubuntu1.5 years ago and don't want to ponce about with it if i can avoid it.

[richie60]

Take a look at this thread on head-fi.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/561961/bit-...dio-from-linux

As for the best distro to use, you will get a lot of different answers depending on people's preferences, but have a look at the latest from Linux Mint. I am happily using it with the cinnamon desktop and being Ubuntu based, I find it runs a lot faster than Unity on Ubuntu and you get the added bonus of the Ubuntu software repo's.

[barry-potter]

weirdly, after i posted my original question i went into foobar and to cut a long boring story short, k s was working despite untold unsuccessful previous efforts and me not actually doing anything at all. still quite fancy linux though.

had a look at the head fi thread and that is quite old...

[richie60]

It is an old thread, but still relevant. I myself have used Deadbeef and it makes a fine player.

[synsei]

Many Linux aficionados will tell you the OS is more stable than Windows and that these days it is very much 'Plug & Play'. Don't believe a word of it. I am a long time Windows user and about a year ago I was persuaded to try Linux after having experienced loads of issues when attempting to set up my PC to stream HD audio into my Caiman DAC. Having acquired free distros of both Ubuntu and Mint it quickly became apparent that Mint was by far the easiest to use but even so, it was not plug & play. What's more, if you ask 10 Linux users the same question you will get 20 completely different answers. I gave up in the end and armed with good advice from some knowledgeable bods on the forum I persevered with Windows, and as a result I've had a year of hassle free top quality streaming

[walpurgis]

I've tried Linux a couple of times. A few years ago I put Ubuntu on an old PC I bought just to try it out and it all seemed to work OK, but I only used that for internet browsing. I recently picked up a copy of Puppy Linux on CD which I admit I have yet to try. It's a boot disc and the entire O/S is tiny and runable direct from the disc without firing up Windows at all. Must give it a whirl actually.

[lurcher]

What's more, if you ask 10 Linux users the same question you will get 20 completely different answers

Yep, but all 20 may be correct. That what happ4ens when you have openness and choice.

[synsei]

Yep, but all 20 may be correct. That what happ4ens when you have openness and choice.

My old maths teacher used to say; "Mathematicians are lazy, they always seek the easiest solution to a solve problem"

[Welder]

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=662902

[Krisbee]

Do you use your computer as a dedicated “audio server” or as a more general purpose machine connected to your hi-fi? What is your new USB/SPDIF converter?

The mpdPUP distro John (Welder) has linked to is probably more suited to “audio server” use. A little reading will give you a handle on current Linux distros:

http://mylinuxexplore.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html#linux

http://distrowatch.com/

After that, just try out the LiveCD/DVD of whatever Linux distro takes your fancy. You can burn a CD or DVD sized iso to a DVD-RW. Or if your PC can boot from a USB memory stick most modern distros will have instruction on to get the LiveCD onto a memory stick etc.

Will it be “better and less hassle” than Windows? You can expect some post-install configuration, just as you would with Windows (things like graphics drivers and networking). But I'd suggest you can get excellent audio out of Linux with far less need for the sort of optimisation you've had to do with cplay and Windows.

That headfi link is relevant and I can also recommend the “deadbeef “ audio player.