Linux Performance

[jadewillow]

My computer is getting a bit long in the tooth (purchases in 2002), so I was considering installing Ubuntu and running Layo from it. Are there any noticeable performance improvements when running on Linux?

Thanks.

[miltonyorkcastle]

If you have the same video card, you'll have about the same rendering power, so you won't see much change there. And to be honest, you'll find some things are easier to do on linux, and some things are easier to do on windows. Like anything new, I might take a bit to get used to Ubuntu. One of the nice things that will free up resources (for things like games) is that you won't have to install and run some beefy anti-virus/anti-spy-ware programs.

[Leanthar]

"...One of the nice things that will free up resources (for things like games) is that you won't have to install and run some beefy anti-virus/anti-spy-ware programs...."
 
 Get NOD32. Best on the market(in my opinion) and the least overhead. Heck, you don't even see a performance hit when compiling. It just plain rocks!!

[Weeblie]

One can actually be rather surprised how great performance impact (application launch and/or boot-up times) anti-virus program do have a tendency to inflict. Not talking about 1% or 5% here... but more like 50% to 200%.

I concur that NOD32 is excellent (the only one I have found to be good for the 64-bit Vista), especially if you configure it to scan dangerous executable files only (it's perhaps only because of my usage patterns that "scan everything" do give noticeable increased latencies, even more so for network file access)!

ps. Running Linux without an anti-virus is in practice like running Windows without an anti-virus. As long as you have a firewall blocking most incomming things and you are not running any type of web/ftp/mail/you-name-it server program, it's highly unlikely your computer will ever be affected, even if you are using Windows. Unless, of course, the fault is simply "human error".

[Eyvind]

Eyvind has run Windows for years with no antivirus software and never been infected with anything but transient stupidity and the occasional cold.

[Link092]

Eyvind has run Windows for years with no antivirus software and never been infected with anything but transient stupidity and the occasional cold.

and a low wis stat?

[jadewillow]

Thanks everyone. This is very helpful and confirms what I thought. There is no replacement for old hardware

By the way, I never run anti-virus on my Windows. I'm behind two firewalls, and I don't run EXEs I don't trust. Never had a problem. So unfortunately, it sounds like its as good as it gets with my current rig.

Thanks again.