PCs & Mobiles Forum - RE: Freespire( Linux or any other versions being used out there) - Page 6

currently using livecd of PCLinuxOS on the Dell D610.

impressive. started up and asked me if I wanted wired or wireless networking, chose wireless, knew I has Intel 2200bg and asked if I wanted to use driver for that or ndis wrapper.

so I said used proper one. it told me what routers it could see, and asked which I should connect to, asked for key, and asked if it should do that automatically in future

so far so good.

it's automatically mounted NTFS and Fat32 partition. has played a divx, a wmv an mp4 no problem.

opened Firefox, installed adblock, came here and am writing this.

as I said above, I'm happy with fedora 7 at the mo, but if I had installed this 1st, this would be a potential keeper. Fedora better not upset me

One thing it doesn't do, that Fedora doesn't either, is that the volume buttons and mute button by power button don't do anyhting, ,and the led for wireless on doesn't show. All those things have been hit or miss on most of the Linuxes I've tried. I forget which ones worked like Windows, ,was probably Ubuntu and Knoppix.

If I was that bothered I could probably find some-one who has written the mobo drivers which take care of those things, or in the true spirit of Linux write some myself, but that would be like being back at uni!

So I think if you give it a go, you'll like this. I'm logged in as root, so I'm happy, you can log in as guest so you'll be happy

In Fedora I logged in as me, rather than root, but got annoyed 'cos I had customised my browsers when logged in as root, so had to do it all over again!

Al

Well, it sounds like my mate was right and PCLOS is a very good Linux. I've had a quick tinker with the live CD and it seemed good; pretty enough and user friendly. I'm quite lucky with our PC, as we have an Ethernet connection and usually Linux has no bother with those. What's usually of more concern is user-friendliness, security, stability and software availability. I've heard that the repos aren't so good, but 3 out of 4 is still good and I'll definitely be installing this at some point.

Do you still prefer Windows to Linux then Admars, or do you see a time when you might switch over (or back)? I ask because you seem quite happy to tinker with Linux, and that's usually one area that puts off potential Linux converts. Are you like me and currently have a dual boot setup with XP?

The only reason I keep Windows around at the moment is for the superior emulators for the old games. What a crap reason to stick with an OS eh? Just to play through old games I've already clocked countless times before. Stupid really, because otherwise I have no real use of it which is why I think I should dump it. I've already had the MS police telling me I have an illegal copy, in spite of the fact that it came pre-installed from the store. I got that WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) thing from the Automatic Updates thing some months ago. It told me I had a naughty XP copy and locked me out of the PC, which p*ssed me off greatly.

I would never have touched Linux if it wasn't for that, so I'm glad it happened really.

Sorry, I'm walloping on about nothing! I do ramble a lot in my posts...

When I was at college, I did a computing A-Level, we used PCs, windows 3.11, seemed ok, did the job.

Went to Uni, did a Computer Science degree, used Sun Sparcs, and Dec Alphas. As I had only used Windows for a couple of years as a user, I happily switched, and immediately loved multiple desktops, using an xterm for some things, gui for an other. eg I'd use emacs for writing a C++ program, then compile it using the xterm. would use xterm for copying files moving them etc, as it's what we were taught.

In final year, i did a modual on Visual C++ programming, and did my final year project uising, so spent most time on PC, really missed the lack of flexability with MS Windows compared to XWindows.

It would eb good going into the Unix lab, seeing someone had a different windows manager, asking where it was, so you'd fiddle with some files, and go from FVWM, to FVWM95 etc. Funny, back then in late 90s they were trying to copy MS look and file, it's take a whiel to get it "right"

MSc I used SGIs using IRIX, and PCs, still preferred IRIX, got my own PC beginning 1999, had that 95/NT4 dual boot, as most of my MSc work was on the PC. tried Linux a couple of times but got fed up with no sound drivers, or no dvd playback, so gave up.

First few jobs at of Uni used PCs, until this one, but we use PCs, and just telnet to a couple of Unix servers to do daily tasks. But the few ties i actually had to go to the server room, I'd play with multiple desktops, and really missed it, i still can't believe it's not part of Windows! I've seen windows hacks you can do to change windows interface, but for some reason that seems more scary/dangerous than editting your .cshrc file

So, must have been a year or 2 Knoppix came on the scene, so I borrowed a work laptop, gave it a go, and was really impressed by the fact you could do everything from booting up a CD, drivers were complete. A lot had moved on in 6 years!

So, when I switched at work from having a desktop PC to a laptop, I found a use for LiveCDs. When I take work laptop home, to access network I still have to go through work's web proxy, so I'm blocked from webmail, games sites etc. as I have to use an RSA fob to access network.

However, if I use a Linux Live CD, i just connect the wireless router like normal, and go wherever I want

Obviously a bot of a pain not having bookmarks etc saved as laptop was 1 big NTFS partition, and I never got round to buying a usb stick to keep with laptop for saving files. I didn't really do it that much. My own PCs are upstairs, the old PII450 is just used for torrents etc, the newer one, is used for me to surf, and gf to play sims.

So it would just be annoying if I woke up at 6, couldn't get back to sleep, couldn't go on PC, so laptop was ideal. Also comes in handy if she wants to play Sims, but I have PC stuff to do.

So, as you remember a while ago I spent a bit of time Linuxing the old PC, as I thought I'd get better performance out of it. That was since I had played with knoppix and (K)(X)Ubuntu a bit I had seen how Linux had come on leaps and bounds, also they get mentioned in main computer press, ZDNet etc.

Recently had to rebuild work laptop, so seemed sensible to partition and Linux it

seems a lot of hassle to just check webmail if I wake up an hour before gf will do, but I've quite enjoyed it

main PC was bought a year or so ago with WinXP from Mesh, so I know it's legit. May as well keep using Windows as it does what I want (apart from mulitple desktops) and I've paid for it, gf needs it for Sims 2. I just surf internet and watch movie and games trailers on it, which is why I'm happy to tinker with Linux.

Next time I get a PC, I'm tempted to buy one from somewhere like Novatech, where you have option to buy with/without OS, and just put a Linux on it. If it wasn't for the few games gf plays there would be no reason to have XP on this one. i could maybe use Wine to play them but that's unnecessary hassle.

So, in short, I want to prefer Linux to Windows, as that's where I started my proper computer knowledge, and it's kind of funny at work when "the PC Boys" find a new feature in a new windows, and go on about how great it is, and I say something like "You mean Windows didn't do that, oh, when I was at uni we could do that" it's fun to play at being a Linux evangelist/elitist/snob.

I also admire they way that a lot these Linux ppl are spending their free time developing something which they're giving away for free, which for most ppl is just as good as the windows they unwittingly pay the extra £100 on a PC for without realizing.

Kudos to the Linux massive

A bit thanks to you Viewtiful Mark as well, for pointing me in the right direction on various occasions and being the only Linux person I have

wow, sorry, that really was quite long ramble!

Cheers

Al

This item was edited on Friday, 17th August 2007, 06:44

Jeezuz look at your background in computers! I presume you work as a programmer nowadays then? I would have loved to do something like that. In fact it'd be an achievement for me to just find a Linux course or something. I certainly don't have the computer experience you have. I'd never even burnt a DVD until about a year ago! And I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for a mate pointing me in the right direction.

But even with my lack of knowledge in mind, I have had little or trouble getting the various Linux systems I've used to operate as I want. So as you say, Linux has really come on in leaps and bounds. My missus looked into using it about ten years ago when she bought a P75. After a bit of research into Red Hat it proved too geeky, and almost useless from a practical point of view, with little or no hardware support. So she had to cough up for Win 95. That wouldn't be the case these days.

The nice thing about using Linux now is that it has demystified the PC for me. It's gone from something that I was quite scared of, to me opening up the case to put new bits in, installing various OS's and just generally farting and tweaking to get what I want. There may be a learning curve, but you benefit so much and that has to be good for desktop users, who for the most part are still terrified of their PC's. Another point: next time I buy a PC I'm going to build it. I would have never dreamt of that a couple of years ago, and using Linux has had a hand in that. I'd have to build it to get a Linux spec.

It's been great having Linux conversations without zealous Windows users chiming in hasn't it? Usually if you mention Linux on other forums you get instant ridicule. I can't actually believe though, that you've found anything I said of any use, especially considering your background!

Smashing talking to you. Keep me up to speed on your experiences in the Linux world, I always pop in here. Don't worry about the long posts, I always read 'em!

Dual boot? I took the decision to go Ubuntu and just wiped the drives, formatted all the space and havent looked back. Admittedly I have a winXP games machines, but that is only booted for games. Bit of a waste of machine being a dual core AMD with 3GB of ram though.
Internet, email, chat, music, video, bit torrent etc is all done in Ubuntu. I thought the best way to get to grips with it would be to force myself to fix any issues. To be honest I cant think of much that has caused me an issue. I had to edit the X file for my screen settings. and my webcam is detected as a usb raw device and V4L looks for another device but I hardly use it so will fix it one day. But thats about it.
Havent got around to making my wireless work yet, but not sure if I will. As more people use it and there is more software for cracking encryption it seems like a very insecure way of connecting to a router the other side of the wall. I will probably run a phone line through the wall and connect both PCs to the router with a cat 5.

I was a C programmer for a few years, did a bit of this and that, now look after a couple of servers, do a bit of tech support, and some database development.

The funny thing is, when I was at Uni, if non Computing course friends had a problem with their PC, whether it was a physical problem, or a problem with Word formatting etc, they'd come running to me for help. 99% of the time I wouldn't have a clue, as I had never looked inside a PC, and software wise I just knew how to use a text editor, a makefile, Mosaic and Netscape I used to tell ppl I'm learning how to create things like Word, not use them!

Like when I first had to install the dual boot on my 1st PC, I was 1/2 way through my MSc, but a mate held my hand and did all the work showing me what to, it's from that and owning my own and fiddling you learn the useful every day stuff. Not very often some-one want a C++ program to say "Hello World" or tell you how many spaces, or capital letters there are in a line of text

It's really good that you've got a lot more PC confidence from playing with Linux, and the fact that you've not just stuck with one, has helped both of us

Cheers

Al

Quote:
Dual boot? I took the decision to go Ubuntu and just wiped the drives, formatted all the space and havent looked back.

You're quite privileged there then. I wasn't so lucky. This is a family PC, so my tinkering is limited at the mo. When I first started tinkering with Mandriva the missus wasn't really interested in moving to Linux, as the perception was that it was very difficult to use. Now, after having Ubuntu set as the default system, she's gotten nicely acquainted with it and won't go back to Windows. Thanks WGA!

The unfortunate downside has been that my playing with Linux has now been limited because Ubuntu is the default family OS. I'm not allowed to break anything! I've had a bit of fun with it and learned more about Linux than ever really, but I need two Linux systems on here so I can start to get my head round some of the more technical bits. Since no-one here really uses XP anymore, I've been getting the missus used to the idea of removing it with the next Ubuntu release (since I know we all love it), and sticking PCLOS on as my "play" Linux. I couldn't just do it now, because she has a load of music and documents on here that I have to back up. Also I don't fancy re-installing Feisty and sitting for hours while all the updates from the last four months download all over again. Far better to wait for the next release and start afresh.

Had I known that Ubuntu was this good, I would've nuked Windows there and then.

This item was edited on Friday, 17th August 2007, 14:50

Sashenden,

what persuaded you to go to Ubuntu? Curiosity, or did you need to go anti m$

Are you the only user of it in your household?

my gf only plays games on PC, doesn't care much for internet. If she wants to look up somethhing on IMDB, she usually stands behind me, and tells me what to click on, and tells me off for scrolling up and down the page to quick

Funny, cos she looks up stuff at work, so I know she knows how to use the internet at work, just doesn't want to at home. When I was using linux the other day, and she was watching me she didn't say anything about it looking different, I guess that's a good thing

So there's at least 3 of us penguins, maybe more lurkers

Al

Not anti M$, I use 2K3 server and XP at work all day. I didnt used to have the time and patience to come home from my old job and then try to get earlier versions of Linux working. Just had too many problems installing so it would come back off. Ubuntu pretty much worked out the box and I like it enough to just stick with the one distro for now. Not really worried about trying others unless they do something mind blowingly good.

I am the only one in my household so can do what I like.

This item was edited on Friday, 17th August 2007, 16:28