Linux? + Flash game making?

[ThermalReaper]

With the recent things I hear about windows 8, my attention turned to Linux. I've been hearing a lot of praise, and because I'm interested in learning more about computers, I've been thinking about switching to Linux.

Now, what I need answered for me, is:

A) What games/programs are going to work well with wine?
B) Considering a specific one doesn't, would I need to use a dual boot with windows 7?
C) If so, How do I dual boot, and what do I need for it?(Hard disk space, ram...etc)
D) About the command prompts, this is one of the main reasons why I'm considering a switch. Is there a guide or something similar that I can see what all of the command prompts are?
E) I've heard somewhere that Ubnutu, is somewhat resource intensive. And that there are other variants of Ubnutu. Is this true or not?
F) Again, I've been hearing that the Gnome interface isn't exactly the best. Is there a reason why? And if so, what are other good alternatives.

_________________

Now with that out of the way, I need a guide, a tutorial or somewhat of a course to flash game making. This is the third summer wasted where I am determined to find a guide, but 2 days later I get lazy and the entire vacation is wasted. Another thing, would Linux work good with this?

Thank you for answering in advance.

[Goku]

It amazes me how much people are scared of Win 8, shows you people do not like change. No one is forcing you to upgrade. Just stay with Win 7 till Win 9 or 10 if you must. I've been a computer nut for years and years and never once had any interest in using Linux.

[Greeniegriz]

Ubuntu 11.04 is my favorite so far. I have not tried the other distros, but I'm sure they have their ups and downs. I do not find Ubuntu to be very resource intensive.

There are several guides online that well give you common commands. On my phone right now or I'd link done of the ones i have bookmarked. Just try google, you'll find a lot.

Also, dual booting is incredibly easy. If you decide on Ubuntu, they have instructions on their website. Is very easy. Yes, you just need hardddive space, i usually give my Linux partition 20ish gigs(course I don't play games on it).

Cheers,

GG

Sent from Auraxis using Tapatalk

[Mutant]

It amazes me how much people are scared of Win 8, shows you people do not like change. No one is forcing you to upgrade. Just stay with Win 7 till Win 9 or 10 if you must. I've been a computer nut for years and years and never once had any interest in using Linux.

The reason all these devs keep popping up complaining is they see win 8 and specifically the built in windows market place as hurting their profits, if it was my bushiness and my profits I would be up in arms too.

[Goku]

How exactly? Looking at companies like Valve and SOE here. Isn't the Windows store meant only for apps that work on both x86 and ARM?

[Mutant]

How exactly? Looking at companies like Valve and SOE here. Isn't the Windows store meant only for apps that work on both x86 and ARM?

Microsoft take a 30% cut from everything in windows marketplace.
from what I gather WinRT can only install apps from the marketplace.

while the desktop windows will be able to install programs like normal since windows marketplace is built into windows it is likely to be popular and provide an noncompetitive advantage (a la IE6 bundling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Microsoft_competition_case))

[Goku]

Well makes sense thats the case for tablet version. Pretty sure Apple and Google do the same. No idea on their cut however.

I still don't see it as a major issue for desktop however as more then likely its only going to be optionally. Retailers get anywhere from 20% to 30% of the box price from a game being sold. Again I don't see the issue here. I see why Gabe maybe mad however as it can be a potential competitor to steam for games sales or even Origin. SOE doesn't have its own store like either of those companies, so I don't see the issue for them as it would be going out to a retail store or even steam taking a similar cut.

[Mutant]

I don't think it is a big issue either but seems to be the crux of Gabes complaints. Although it could lead to bad places in the future, maybe Microsoft will decide its more profitable to close down the desktop version in future too.

Gabe Newell:
"I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. I think we'll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that's true, then it will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality."



I have had windows 8 on my gaming PC for several months now, once I learnt the new interface I have found it pleasant enough, it is crashing more than win7 but those have been reduced a lot with the latest patches for win8 and drivers and that's to be expected for a pre release OS.

[Rbstr]

Alternative to Windows 8? Stick with Windows 7.
Functionally, on a desktop or laptop, I'm not seeing how anything is going to be vastly different with Win8 anyway. The metro bits can be pretty much ignored and then: Holy crap, it's the same as it ever was.
Which itself is a decent reason to not bother upgrading.
I simply don't see Gabe's doomsday vision at all. He's not whining about Apple's App store.

My experience with ubuntu is mostly on my work laptop. It was a perfectly decent replacement, as long as I didn't want to do anything as well as I could on a windows machine.
Frankly, Open Office sucks nuts if you use some of the more powerful MSOffice features. Games that are supported are fine, everything else is a PITA. Performance benefits are tiny in day to day tasks.
If you use a computer to browse the internet, and nothing else, it's interchangeable with Windows/OSX.

Every year is lauded as the year of the mas market Linux desktop...every year also isn't.

[ThermalReaper]

Hey Goku? Can I borrow some C4? I just learned that the Windows 8 minesweeper will have Xbox live achievements. :lol:

Thanks everyone for the comments. I was hoping to just get famliar with Linux so when Windows 7 gets outdated(Hopefully after many, many, many more years), I'd switch.