I need a help from Linux users

[slobo]

I think about the possibility to change my OS and start using Linux, but I would like to know:
- is there any word processor similar to Word in Linux?
- will I be able to open and read Acrobat Reader files?
- is there anything similar to PowerPoint in Linux?
- What chess GUIs exist for Linux?
- what chess engines are available for this OS?
- is there any chess data bases for Linux?

Thanks in advance for your answeres.
SL

[markboylan]

- is there any word processor similar to Word in Linux?
- is there anything similar to PowerPoint in Linux?
http://www.openoffice.org/

- will I be able to open and read Acrobat Reader files?
Yes. There are lots of PDF readers.

- What chess GUIs exist for Linux?
xboard. Arena will run under Wine.

- what chess engines are available for this OS?
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Software/Game ... ndex.shtml

- is there any chess data bases for Linux?
http://scid.sourceforge.net/
http://jose-chess.sourceforge.net/

[Kurt Utzinger]

I think about the possibility to change my OS and start using Linux, but I would like to know:
- is there any word processor similar to Word in Linux?
- will I be able to open and read Acrobat Reader files?
- is there anything similar to PowerPoint in Linux?
- What chess GUIs exist for Linux?
- what chess engines are available for this OS?
- is there any chess data bases for Linux?

Thanks in advance for your answeres.
SL

1)
What do you mean by "word processor"? The Open Office package contains more or less the same packages as Windows Office
http://www.openoffice.org
2)
You will be able to open and read Acrobat Reader files

4)
There are many chess GUIs for Linux
-http://www.linuxchess.org/category/chess/
-http://www.shredderchess.com/chess-software/linux.html
- the windows chess GUIs Shredder, Arena, Aquarium runs with wine

5)
I am running the following chess engines under Linux Ubuntu
- Deep Shredder 12 Linux
- Bright 04.a
- Deep Sjeng WC 2008
- Doch 1.2
- Fruit
- Hermann
- Hiarcs 11.2
- Loop MP
- movei00_8_438
- Naum 4.0
- Phalanx
- Ruffian
- Rybka 3.1
- Stockfish
- Tao
- Toga
- Yace
- Zappa Mexico
- and some more (UCI)-engines

6)
There is a great database SCID
http://scid.sourceforge.net/download.html

[Jim Ablett]

I would recommend you try Linux Mint distro. I am running both 32 bit and 64 bit versions, co-existing with Windows.
Works very similar in operation to Windows (more so than Ubuntu on which it is based) so you will not be lost.
Install not latest version 8 (Helena), but version 7 (Gloria) http://www.linuxmint.com/release.php?id=11
which comes with a'Mint4Win' Windows installer so you can install/uninstall it from inside Windows just as normal Windows
app (no partitioning needed) and it will add an entry to windows boot menu, so you can select either Windows or Linux at boot up.

Jim.

[michiguel]

I think about the possibility to change my OS and start using Linux, but I would like to know:
- is there any word processor similar to Word in Linux?

OpenOffice
Abiword

- will I be able to open and read Acrobat Reader files?

Yes! and much faster! (evince comes preinstalled with Ubuntu)
I do a lot of searching/reading for my work and I like linux better for that very reason.

- is there anything similar to PowerPoint in Linux?

OpenOffice

In fact, you can start looking at OpenOffice right now because it is available for Windows too

- What chess GUIs exist for Linux?

Xboard!

- what chess engines are available for this OS?

Gaviota!!!

And many others, and the ones that do not have a linux version, you can run then with WINE. They run just as fast.

- is there any chess data bases for Linux?

Scid

Miguel

Thanks in advance for your answeres.
SL

[markboylan]

Yes! and much faster!

QFT

[bnemias]

Regarding engine use, it's possible to run most Windows 32-bit engines in GNU/Linux using Wine. You can run 64-bit Rybka using microwine, and of course compile many open source engines into either 32 or 64 bit native binaries.

I generally prefer to use Wine instead of native GNU/Linux engines because the engine binaries are usually better optimized. However, if you have access to ICC for GNU/Linux, then the native GNU/Linux route is just as good.

If you can live without a GUI, then running engines to compete online is preferable under GNU/Linux. You can install Wine without X, and have a system completely Windows free running engines faster and with a smaller footprint than under Windows itself.

[kingliveson]

Since most of your questions have been answered...I would personally recommend openSUSE Linux. Coming from Windows, you might prefer KDE. I would also advice not to just give up Windows cold unless you are ready to spend a little time reading. You can dual boot. If you have difficulties, I can always assist.


Franklin

[markboylan]

I would also advice not to just give up Windows cold unless you are ready to spend a little time reading.

I won't recommend a distribution since I've been using the same one forever and I'm not familiar with the newer, more user-friendly ones. However, I would say that, if your goal is to switch, and you don't have a pressing reason to keep windows, just go for it and install Linux -- with one caveat -- make sure you get a web browser running ASAP so you can look stuff up.

[kingliveson]

I would also advice not to just give up Windows cold unless you are ready to spend a little time reading.

I won't recommend a distribution since I've been using the same one forever and I'm not familiar with the newer, more user-friendly ones. However, I would say that, if your goal is to switch, and you don't have a pressing reason to keep windows, just go for it and install Linux -- with one caveat -- make sure you get a web browser running ASAP so you can look stuff up.

Not a bad advice...at times cold turkey is the way to go.