What can you do only with Linux?
 

I recently installed an OS on a USB flash drive, and it works pretty well. I used the standard installation procedure without any tricks, and the installer even asked if I wanted to encrypt my home directory. Now I have a USB stick I can put in just about any computer, and it'll just boot up with my OS installs the required drivers on the go. I'm pretty sure this is next to impossible with Windows and OS X systems, which lead me thinking, that what other things are there that you can do only with Linux*?

I think that SSH-connections are also quite magical. They are easily routed through firewalls, secure, and you can do pretty much anything through a tunnel. After battling many days and nights with Windows VPN, I'd choose SSH over it any time :) I know you can get a SSH server in windows too, but it isn't nearly as easy and convenient as in Linux.

I know that here lurk people wise in the ways of the Linux. What else can you think of?

*with Linux I mean all Linux based distributions, not the kernel. Go pick your nit somewhere else ;)

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

One thing only possible with Linux: having a clean conscience.

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

You can use it to fix Windoze...

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

install normal desktop OS to usb-memory...hmm sounds not so good idea if you use it daily :| (maybe tweaked version would be good)

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

In theory, you can modify programs yourself because their inner workings should be easy to view, something you can't do with proprietary programs.

By the same token, some developer can make modifications in programs. When it was discovered that the N800 had an FM Radio chip, it took about one day for someone to implement it so we could listen to FM radio! Now, imagine you had a phone that had an FM Radio chip and the environment was Windows or a Mac. Can you imagine that in one day it would be usable? I can't.

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

With Linux, I can spend more time trying to figure something out, than using it. That's great, except I dun wanna.

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

i use it to run the only disk recovery tool that makes any sense to me: GNU Ddrescue

There's all sorts of drivers and utilities that only run under linux
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPPcgN6PawU&t=0m45s&hd=1
http://www.aircrack-ng.org/doku.php?...bility_drivers

Hardware that runs better on linux:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index
http://www.handlewithlinux.com/faste...tric-superbike

And this just makes me mad:
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ps3...ack,10035.html (i still have 3.15 firmware on mine)


if you need some ideas:
http://lifehacker.com/tag/linux/?p=1&replies=collapsed

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

You can have wireshark + aircrack-ng suite = hell. For example, you can read msn messenger chat packets(even possible on n900) or get yourself a wifi access. You can create a fake AP with the spoofed mac address and name while drinking coffee at some cafe.You can disconnect wifi clients in the crowded areas. >:)

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

Windows doesn't support raw sockets (from xp service pack 2 i think). So no way to use some network tools like nmap. Well, it still works but is unreliable.

Another thing is packet injection. It is impossible on windows with most NIC that linux have no problem with.

Also you can run computer without antivirus software. You are sparing lots of resources.

Above is true not only for linux but most unix based systems.

Re: What can you do only with Linux?
 

+1 to this. You can look at and change the code for a program you use (in most cases). This is the real appeal for me at least.

Indeed the same is also true of the OS - I use Ubuntu and for some reason Qt programs crash when you click on them, but someone worked out what the problem was (to do with xinerama) and released a patch, which I have then applied and I'm back in business. While I'm not overly impressed with the speed of Ubuntu at picking up this patch, at least I can do something about it myself, which wouldn't be possible with closed systems.