Be assured that I am running and will run Xandros unless there is a major glitch, but now one of the "original" "problems" that I had with Linux in general has, again, reared it's ugly head.

In my deepest heart of hearts....... I REALLY DO think that a major reason why folks don't "do" Linux is lack of games..

First a "rant" and then a "question"...

the rant---

I, WOULD THINK, but then it's just me, that if my boy could write a major game in plain ol' basic and get it sold 15 years ago then major programmers should be able to at least come up with......

Not just a game..... Tux Racer is a great game, it comes ready to play with Ubuntu, which I used to install on computers I donate before Xandros.

Well,..it's not on Xandros so... I go to the Tux Racer site and have to download TWO "modules" and a BIG manual on the dozens of "quirks" to MAYBE get to run......

So....... It would seem, in my estimation, that if the distros want their distro to REALLY have major distribution, or even be the top dawg.... they would ALL include a "really neat" game with the distro......

And, if they don't want to do that, they would AT LEAST, have an instruction set for installing something like Tux Racer with THEIR distro, so that they would pick up, what I think at least, would be a major number of people....

so now the question......

Can anyone actually tell "the folks" why it is: answer either or both, a) Tux Racer comes in two modules and has to have a multipage instruction manual..... b) why is it that "most"(not including the basic falling bricks) Linux games don't install without having to go to "way too much" length to get them to run.

Like I've said, I'm a Linux convert, unless something comes along that walks on water more than Xandros in terms of ease of installation and similarity of file structure to Windows then I'm going to install Linux from now on out.

As a note: the people I donate to almost won't take a computer that they THINK has a massively different approach than Windows. The folks I donate to are: a) "older" they don't want to have to relearn an operating system if they move into another nursing home that has computers with Windows, b) or are usually in a life/family situation that requires way more of their intellectual/emotional resources than the average person normally expends. They don't want to "shift gears" too much, AND they have kids in school that use Windows machines......

I'm in for the long haul with Linux now... but I really do think that the "gaming" thing needs to be addressed somehow.....

woodsmoke

I agree wholeheartedly. There was a company called Loki, that did release Linux versions of several popular games. They went under. You can still find these "boxed" games on some auction sites, and occasionally on Amazon.

There are alternatives. I find that RPM based distros install software much more easily than other types. Let's face it. The average user is NOT going to learn how to compile from source.

Debian packages are nice too, though I am unsure of what Debian is doing these days.

For ease of use and installation, Mandriva is by far the best . IMO.

There are hundreds of small games either in development, or already available for download if you know where to look.

WineX provides support for 100's of windows games also.

Hi xfdrak,
thanks for the quick reply.
I tried wine and the solution is almost as bad as the problem, but then I was trying to install fedora and mandrake.
In thrashing around about tyring to install a linux on a laptop a couple of days ago I came across a reference to a program that I THINK was something like "gen or ged"xxxx that was an interface module to play windows games. It was a reference in a laptop forum, but I can't find it now, any ideas on it?

I had an idea while taking a nap on the couch.... what if "we" or "somebody" collected a dollar per person who wanted to donate get together a couple of thousand dollars and pay someone to program an "interface" or "shell" to play some of the "older or simpler" windows games under Linux and let it go at that.

Pay some cash the job gets done, it's given to all the distros...

thanks again for the comments
woodsmoke

Awww,
I just discovered the "registration" part of Xandros networks and downloaded Tux Racerl! download went flawlessly, as does everything so far with Xandros, but, unfortunately Tux Racer is jerky on a PII.
However, the new game Battle for Wesnoth plays great.
So. since the computers for the next week will probably be "back to school" computers the kids will just have to put up with those or somehow wheedle the parents into spending big bucks for a Windows machine.

I'm going to try Tuxracer on a PIII that I assembled a few days ago.

Again, thanks for the comments!
woodsmoke

I rediscovered the SAM live CD to put on really old worn out machines and found the Christmas 2004 games CD!
Great Games.
No HD installer.
Otherwise, give it a try!
woodsmoke