Anyone run Linux?

[Kelly]

So, its finally come to this....

I've got an XP Dell Laptop that was dirt cheap, and I somehow screwed up the OS. It updated itself to IE8 and I tried getting around it by being a retard, anyway, my XP is screwed and I dont have a disk.

I've run pirated XP before, and doing that pretty much toasted my last box too.

I'm not really that compuliterate. Just know enough to do serious damage Luckilly I can't figure out how to mess up my Mac, so it still runs like a champ but I have compatibility issues with school stuff and CAD software.

Is Linux for me?

Does anyone here run it?

Pros/cons?

[Legacy777]

Kelly,

Shoot me an email.

[SiCkSTi04]

I'm real happy running Ubuntu Linux on my Compaq v2410 laptop. most Linux distro's like ubuntu has the option of running straight from the cd/dvd (live cd), this can sometimes tell if most devices on your laptop are compatible before installing with whatever distro you choose from.

have fun

[fishbone79]

I don't own a windows machine anymore, I've switched entirely to linux. I run all the unreplaceable programs (adobe illustrator, ArcGIS, etc.) through WINE, which is actually mostly trouble free with ubuntu 9.10. Booting to the live CD is an easy way to try it out (and great for rescuing your files!!). After 5 years of server admin as part of my job, I've finally settled on Ubuntu/Debian as far-and-beyond superior *nix distros... if you're switching, try out 9.10.

The one thing I can say about ubuntu is that it runs amazing fast on old hardware, and is 100% plug and play on a standard old desktop or laptop. If you have a less common machine, you might run into driver issues, but thats not nearly as frequent as it used to be. You'll also never have to configure supported devices again... wan't to install your printer? Most models will spit out a test-page automatically literally 30 seconds after you plug them into the box... no more screwing around.

Caution, however - linux is highly addictive After 2 months of use, you'll know more about hardware/software interaction than you ever wanted to.

If you absolutely need windows, I can send you an iso of XP pro with a legal key that I'm no longer going to use, if you want it.

[evolutionmovement]

Is it straightforward for everything? I heard it being likened to going to the store to buy a hammer, but having to buy the handle and the head and assembling that first and I'm impatient when it comes to anything computer related. I like the Mac OS, but don't like the price of the shitty hardware. If the price premium went to better quality control, I'd have no problem, but it doesn't.

[Kelly]

Awesome, thanks Morgan.

I think Im gonna go ahead and refresh my XP for now, and thanks for the key, but it turns out I don't need it. I do appreciate it though.

I think I'm gonna go ahead and burn Ubunto too and start playing with it as well. I'm real curious about compatibility issues, as both sides seem to say different things in online forums. I'll just have to find out for myself. Being a Mac owner too, I'm pretty familiar with ways to get around driver issues and stuff. Nice thing about my mac, is it has a PDF maker, and I've found some blanket type drivers that have solved MOST of the printing and other various issues.

I do have to say, that the stability, and sheer processing power of my MacBook is very impressive. I've seen many comparisons to the Mac OS and Ubunto. What I don't like about the Mac, is that changing perimeters and priorities and stuff is a pain because its all hidden and you have to find it. They try to hide it as well as they can so their users (like me ;)0 don't go in and cause Applecare headaches. Last year I broke the screen too, and they wanted $800 bucks to replace it in order to keep my Warranty. Needless to say, after a good ROFL, I found someone to do it for $250. Guess I found out the hard way why you NEVER put your laptop on the floor.

Anyway, I might just do a little experiment here, and if anyone else has anything to add or suggest, I'm all ears.

Gracias Amigos.

[entirelyturbo]

I'm thinking of building myself a high-powered desktop later this year and running Ubuntu... while keeping my W7 netbook.

If you don't mind Josh, I'm gonna email you as well.

[Legacy777]

cool

[fishbone79]

Is it straightforward for everything? I heard it being likened to going to the store to buy a hammer, but having to buy the handle and the head and assembling that first...

It used to be like that, but Ubuntu basically changed everything. The latest release is as flashy as OSX with 10,000 times the functionality. It sometimes runs like crap on old macs (specifically, support for ppc was dropped), but unless you have an unusual machine, it will run flawlessly with no assembly required. Occasionally you'll run into a snarky wireless card that it won't like, but the biggest problem with hardware used to be maintaining strict accordance with the GNU free software license (i.e., not using or automatically configuring proprietary drivers). Now that seems to be mostly solved by taking advantage of a gray area that allows these to be pre-configured, but not installed by default (you'll be prompted).

Currently it runs as smoothly as windows or mac os, but much, much faster than either of those. We have a workstation at work that has four intel i7's; it will crunch the same seismic line 5x faster under Ubuntu 9.10 than it will using Windows 7... why? I really don't know, probably the linux commitment to anti-bloatware and it's more efficient use of multiple threads.

Why the general public continues to _pay_ for crap like OSX and Windows is really beyond me... I would pay 10x as much for *nix, but I just don't have to

[Kelly]

My first impressions with Ubuntu 9.10....

Um yea. Dont quite get the catch yet. It loaded up on my Dell Laptop first try, and everything worked. I love the interface, a lot like the Mac in its simplicity, but there seems to be several different ways to do one thing like Windows. This is free?

It comes somewhat like an Ipod. Has several basic apps already loaded like Firefox and OpenOffice, and if you want more, you just browse through lists of available software and download for free without even having to do it through the web browser. Pretty effin cool. If we used the hammer analogy, it would be like purchasing the hammer head from a vending machine, and then choosing what handle you wanted, and it spitting it out at the bottom fully assembled. Its free right?

Its also very cool that you can burn it, and boot it up from the disk drive without doing anything permanent to try it out.

A huge advantage for me, is that I can have both my laptops run the same current word processor, without paying for two separate licenses.
Finally my PC and Mac will get along together in harmony right? I mean, I could always do that, but sometimes running other then Microsoft stuff on my XP box has created conflicts and I dont know enough about setting up computers to do it correctly maybe. The Mac just assumes I'm an idiot and wont let me really do anything to harm it.

Well see. Imma keep playing around with it, and see how it goes.

[Legacy777]

Cool. Glad to hear linux has gotten better than the bad old days. I might give it a shot.

[evolutionmovement]

And it runs normal Windows applications, like CAD programs and the like without weird issues? I have less than 0 patience for computer issues and I don't bother customizing things, so if it's as simple as a Mac in terms of loading software and as stable running, I know what my next setup will be. It's not that I'm computer illiterate, I just have little patience in general and I don't enjoy fixing computer problems, especially in the middle of writing my books. It's like channeling some story from a similar parallel universe and once I break that path of communication (or something else does), I lose the conversation and have to ad lib (which usually sounds terrible and eventually gets replaced) or junk it and/or replace it later. I've lost too many interesting dialog as it is.

[fishbone79]

If you like glitz, check out compiz. Lets you do cool (but marginally useful) things like:








Don't you hate it when some a-hole posts a bunch of huge useless pictures so you have to scroll side-to-side to read the entire thread?

Anyway, I can run most windows programs without a hitch. It takes a bit of effort for some of them, but there are excellent (often better) replacements for any software I've wanted except Adobe illustrator. That and ArcGIS are the only ones I bother to run through WINE.

[mike-tracy]

My $45 21" craigslist monitor does just fine.

Wow, Linux has come quite a ways. Last time I tried it, it was mostly for the c:\ guys. My netbook optionally came with it, but I opted for XP since I've been running it almost a decade. But I do have a slow-ass Dell I might try it on.

[evolutionmovement]

Sounds awesome. I wish I knew someone with one so I could play around with it a little.

[entirelyturbo]

I wish I knew someone with one so I could play around with it a little.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that...

[magicmike]

I wish I knew someone with one so I could play around with it a little.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that...

i'm not sure thats a good thing lol

[entirelyturbo]

To bump an old thread...

I'm currently running the latest Ubuntu (10.10) on a 6-year-old Dell laptop I inherited from my grandmother.

Morgan speaks the truth. This thing has a 1.4Ghz Intel processor, 512MB RAM, and a 40GB hard drive. Granted, I have virtually nothing on it yet (I dumped Windows when I installed Ubuntu and haven't added any personal files yet) but this computer seems like it's running about twice as fast as my 1-year-old netbook, which has a 1.6Ghz processor, 2GB RAM and a 250GB hard drive... on Windows 7 Starter. It boots faster, and it loads programs and Internet pages faster.

And yes, I plugged my Epson printer in, it automatically found the driver, and in 30 seconds, it printed a test page with Ubuntu at the top.

I've only had it on here for 24 hours, but so far, I'm getting acquainted with it pretty easily as a 15-year Windows user.

The wireless doesn't work, but that's been like that for years, so it's not Ubuntu's fault.

So, two thumbs up so far. I'm still saving up for that high-powered computer, and I'm leaning even more toward running Ubuntu on it.

[fishbone79]

Glad to hear it's working well for you. Hard to believe it's free, right?

[entirelyturbo]

Especially considering the incredibly helpful and intuitive installation instructions on the Ubuntu website. At first, it refused to boot off of the CD drive, but it showed me how to change the boot-up order in DOS and allow it to install the CD. No dialing 800 numbers to talk to someone in India or anything.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[fishbone79]

The only programs I ever miss are adobe's. I really, really wish Adobe would stop being so stuck up and just simply release a Debian linux build of their pro suite (illustrator, adobe pro, publisher, etc.). They have the code, you can compile basically _any_ code under linux as long as you have the libraries, so it would be effortless for them to make a proprietary binary. I would pay for it! The only reason I can think of is that they're being paid NOT to.

Microsoft will never release office for linux for fear it will hurt their bottom line by taking users away from windows. What they don't understand is that it will actually increase their market base that much more. The average joe will always run windows.

[HappyFrog]

I'm currently running the latest Ubuntu (10.10) on a 6-year-old Dell laptop I inherited from my grandmother.

Morgan speaks the truth. This thing has a 1.4Ghz Intel processor, 512MB RAM, and a 40GB hard drive. Granted, I have virtually nothing on it yet (I dumped Windows when I installed Ubuntu and haven't added any personal files yet) but this computer seems like it's running about twice as fast as my 1-year-old netbook, which has a 1.6Ghz processor, 2GB RAM and a 250GB hard drive... on Windows 7 Starter. It boots faster, and it loads programs and Internet pages faster.

If you willing to spend a little you should replace that 6 year old 40gb hdd for a solid state drive. I've replace my work partition at home with a 32 gig OCZ and I've replaced the drives in a couple of machines at work with 80GB Intel X25-M, the performance boost is incredible.
I run Fedora Linus btw

[Apex3]

My $45 21" craigslist monitor does just fine.

Wow, Linux has come quite a ways. Last time I tried it, it was mostly for the c:\ guys. My netbook optionally came with it, but I opted for XP since I've been running it almost a decade. But I do have a slow-ass Dell I might try it on.

Yea, I ran it on my laptop for a little bit when it died a couple years back, but it was a pretty old disc, probably 5 years old or so now, then I ran the newest version when my laptop died a month ago, and wow! Huge difference, so much simpler and more inviting. But I see no reason to switch from Windows, I get 7 free from school anyway.

[entirelyturbo]

Update on this:

My old Dell laptop died, pretty sure it was the hard drive. I'm not going to spend the money on that old of a computer to fix it up, especially not solid-state money, so I'm probably just going to strip it for any useable parts and chuck it.

That said, I bought a second hard drive for my netbook, installed Ubuntu 10.10 on it (I may do the new 11.04 update, not sure yet), and have been switching back and forth between my Windows and Ubuntu hard drives.

The funny thing is... I'm slowly copying all my documents over to my Ubuntu drive, and am thinking more and more about making it my primary OS now. Although I'm not crazy about any of Linux's photo-processing programs and am actually using the Linux version of Google Picasa, the fact that Ubuntu has OpenOffice standard (and free), which is compatible with all Microsoft Office documents, is a HUGE selling point for me.

To use Steve's analogy, I'm finding Windows to be a hammer that comes with a built-in karaoke microphone, TV remote, and back scratcher, that costs $100. Windows just comes loaded down with so much crap that I never use, that it just gets in the way of the functions I actually do use, and it's damn expensive too.

Now, Ubuntu comes pretty stripped, if you will. Just the hammer, the head and the handle, no more. If you want an ergonomic grip, you'll have to go and get it elsewhere. But once you have Ubuntu set up the way you like it, you have all the programs you need and ONLY the programs you need.

And as a result, Ubuntu is just plain faster. It boots up MUCH faster, it processes faster, and it shuts down faster.

It's not perfect; I still have a program freeze up on occasion. But, as much as I like Windows 7, I don't foresee myself putting up another $500 for a new computer with the next Windows OS when Ubuntu seems to be doing just what I need it to for free.

[fishbone79]

Glad it's working out.

The nice thing is that you can add/remove free programs from the repositories at will. They are just sitting there waiting for you to download and use, completely plugged into the GUI of the operating system under the menu. I love that feature.

I got a new macbook pro through work 2 months ago. Benchmarks put Linux at 5x faster processing graphics and 2.3x faster bootup than OSX on the same exact machine. Sad really, and people have been bludgeoned to think OSX/all apple products are somehow better. Also, FYI, I've had more crashes and other program misbehavior with OSX than I ever had with linux or windows XP. I'm not sure what apple is doing, but it is certainly no longer the stable platform they make such a big deal about being. Parenthetically, I give the MBP hardware a 9/10, and apple's intelligence-insulting shit-bag software compatibility a solid 2/10. It's abysmal.

One last note... Apple employs a sizable internet forum troll population, equivalent to the Chinese gov't "50-cent army." I've had several posts removed on other forums with basically the same information. Lets see what happens here.