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If your Linux-using mates suddenly disappear for a day or two, we can explain why: Netflix has just revealed it's fully and formally available on the OS
As the streamer points out, Chrome's worked for in-browser playback since 2014. But not officially.
As of Tuesday, however, "users of Firefox can also enjoy Netflix on Linux."
Netflix reckons this is "a huge milestone for us and our partners, including Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla that helped make it possible."
HTML 5 had a lot to do with it, too, because by enabling plugin-free video playback it meant Linux users were spared the the recurring security nightmare that is Adobe Flash, which recently made a meaningful Penguin-land after ignoring Linux for years.
The reason you haven't switched to Linux is:
- 1. Games
2. Netflix
[editors note: the game situation isn't all that bad now, with over 3,000 games now available for Linux on Steam]
(Score: 3, Informative) by bzipitidoo on Thursday March 23 2017, @04:51AM (14 children)
1. games
2. income tax software
3. FUD over MS Office specific files
4. viewing or ripping copy protected DVDs
5. hardware support, especially support for 3D acceleration in open source, libre graphics drivers.
Netflix was never on my list. The Pirate Bay has always been fully functional on Linux. 3 and 4 are not for me, but for other family members still stuck on the idea of watching movies on DVDs, and afraid that LibreOffice can't handle MS Office files absolutely perfectly.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @05:16AM (3 children)
Most of what you're after can be done with wine or even a vm (sure, you're still running windows at this point, but it's a lot more convenient than waiting for it to shut down and reboot). The only things you're really held by are the gaming (it's getting better, but if the games you want are windows only, you don't care how many thousands of OTHER games are on steam for linux) and the gpu support.
(Score: 3, Informative) by mhajicek on Thursday March 23 2017, @05:42AM
OpenGL CADCAM.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by FakeBeldin on Thursday March 23 2017, @01:06PM (1 child)
Sure, but setting up dual boot is easier than extracting the preconfigured windows into a virtual machine.
A typically live-boot distro will cater for this.
I'm sure that converting the install into a vm isn't unbelievably hard, but it's not as push-button upon install as dualboot is.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @06:40PM
Provided you install Windows first.
(Score: 4, Informative) by mechanicjay on Thursday March 23 2017, @05:56AM
4. viewing or ripping copy protected DVDs
VLC with the right libs will let you watch just about any DVD out there and HandBrake will rip em. I haven't watched or ripped a DVD on Windows since about 2009...
My VMS box beat up your Windows box.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @06:05AM (4 children)
5. hardware support, especially support for 3D acceleration in open source, libre graphics drivers.
I take it you don't see linux + closed source, proprietary graphics drivers as an acceptable solution; fair enough.
So your solution is... windows + closed source, proprietary graphics drivers?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @08:08AM
Makes good sense. I have a desktop running open source software, and a laptop running closed source software. Guess which one is running Windows... If I need a closed source driver, guess which one it's getting installed on...
(Score: 2) by Pino P on Thursday March 23 2017, @03:36PM (2 children)
Graphics drivers aren't the only hardware issue keeping users off Linux. The other issue is Linux's poor support for things like the camera, Bluetooth, and suspend in Bay Trail laptops such as the ASUS T100TA and X205TA. And that's after years of improvement; it used to be even worse, with not even backlight brightness, audio, WLAN, and the T100TA's detachable keyboard working.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @10:30PM
Everything in my Asus X551M works with Linux...although it doesn't have Bluetooth and I seldom use the camera or suspend.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 24 2017, @04:15AM
Bay Trail is terrible on Linux and a complete anomaly. Intel basically gave up on it while usually they offer all sorts of patches for the chips to run well. There is no x86 system with worse support than Bay Trail, and it does boot and mostly function...
(long time Linux user and not so happy T100 owner here)
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @07:37AM
Posting AC, for obvious rebuttal.
I have to use Windows, because they pay me to. Not only do they pay me to use Windows, they only pay me to use Windows if I post about how essential the Windows operating system is on forums like this one. It really has nothing to do with games, with "office" software, or with DRMed video, it is because they pay me. So now I beg of all of you Soylentils, since I get bucks from trying to convince you that Microsoft is still relevant, when it is obvious (rebuttal) to all and sundry that it is not, I only ask you to consider my kids! Without the money that Microsoft gives me, I will not be able to afford Rice Crispies for my kids, and make the payments on my Lambhorgini. So if my kids starve, it is all on you, you free software commies, you!
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Thursday March 23 2017, @02:44PM (1 child)
2. Everyone's moving to web-based tax software these days.
4. Viewing DVDs on Linux has worked fine for many years now with VLC. What are you talking about? Besides, since you like Pirate Bay, you can do better by just downloading Blu-Ray rips from there; you'll get better resolution and quality than a DVD rip.
As for other family members, don't worry about them. If they insist on using Windows, let them, and let them deal with all the problems that come with that platform. They can call Geek Squad or whatever when they need help. It's not your job to be their unpaid IT support.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 24 2017, @02:51AM
At the Linux Mint forum recently, phd21 had a good answer for this.
So, pretty much all changed over to Linux Mint, but... [linuxmint.com]
My usual lotsa-answers place [alternativeto.net] was disappointing on this one.
.
family members [...] If they insist on using Windows, let them, and let them deal with all the problems
The line is "I don't do Windows."
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 24 2017, @02:25PM
1) your priorities are screwed up.
2) sounds about right. funding the IRS is treason but, hey go ahead.
3-5) horseshit.