# Finally Switched to Linux



## riverc0il (Oct 22, 2006)

not sure what took me so long, but i finally stepped up to the plate and installed a linux distro for my main system. after doing an install on a seperate older system, i was sold and decided to setup a double boot on my main box. still gotta use windows for a variety of programs that have no linux port and don't work with WINE/crossover, but with exception of some multimedia apps, i am booting into linux 90% of the time and loving it. i had no idea how far the GUI on linux has come. my desktop runs off the kde environment. i know there are quite a few other linux users on AZ, how about a show of hands?

i did have some issues after install including monitor sizing issues, time clock issues, and a printer issue. my impression is the OS is still not quite to the point that someone that needs to install an OS and have it work 100% with no tinkering would appreciate it. but for someone looking to expand upon their geeking out aspect and tweak a few things, it is pretty damn cool! i already ordered a text to better learn the command line, looks like a steep learning curve for someone that has no unix experience. eventually, i think i might be interested in setting up a server on my spare box, it would be nice to cut out web hosting fees! but that is a ways off.


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## bvibert (Oct 22, 2006)

I fooled around with Linux for a while several years back.  I didn't have to time to put in to it to re-learn the things I already knew how to do so well in the DOS/Windows world.  I keep saying that someday I'll give it another shot, but I haven't gotten around to it yet....


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## hammer (Oct 22, 2006)

Did you do an install on a clean machine or did you set up an existing Windows machine for dual-boot?

I wish I could install Linux on my work laptop...one of the software products I work on was ported from UNIX to Linux but my laptop only runs Windows.


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## riverc0il (Oct 22, 2006)

i did both. first i did a clean install on an older computer to basically give it a test run and make sure i was satisfied with the OS. once i decided i wanted to use the OS as my primary system, i installed it on my main machine with a dual-boot option for both linux or windows.


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## Greg (Oct 22, 2006)

Windows guy here. Been supporting Windows full time since 1999. It's what I''m most comfortable with.


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## riverc0il (Oct 22, 2006)

i had been using windows since 3.1 and was definitely comfortable with it. one of my life themes though is trying not to be too comfortable. usually when i get too comfortable, it means i am not pushing myself to learn new things. expanding my horizons in computers is currently one of the ways i am pushing myself to learn new stuff. i already tackled CSS which was fun. after i learn how to use a shell in linux i would like to learn PHP as well (ummm, so i guess you can expect another redesign of the snow way within the next two years :roll: ). when i first installed my linux distro, i was doing it more to learn and geek out than i was to swear off windows. after i started using it a bit, i knew i would never purchase another microsoft product ever again. nice knowing that linux can provide almost every app you need for free! including the OS itself in most cases (though i ponyed up $25 to get a distro that had some support).


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## Greg (Oct 22, 2006)

riverc0il said:


> i had been using windows since 3.1


I go back to DOS myself. Windows 3.1 and then 95 was like a giant leap. W2K has been the most stable MS OS I ever worked on, but I like some features of XP Pro, most notably RDC.



riverc0il said:


> after i learn how to use a shell in linux i would like to learn PHP as well (ummm, so i guess you can expect another redesign of the snow way within the next two years :roll: ).


You don't need to run Linux to program in PHP...........but I know what you meant...


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## riverc0il (Oct 22, 2006)

yea, i wasn't thinking i needed to know or run linux to learn PHP. one project at a time though, heh! from what i understand, knowing the basics of a linux/unix command line would be beneficial to learning PHP.  though i could just as easily have taken on learning PHP first, i am so sick of looking at web design right now :lol: i have absolutely no programing language knowledge, so it should be a fun project to work on.


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## Marc (Oct 22, 2006)

Good job Riv.  What distro did you end up with.


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## riverc0il (Oct 22, 2006)

i'll probably get some slack about this (especially considering i actually dropped $25 on it), but i went with xandros. it has essentially been designed as one of the easier transition distros from windows to linux. my primary concern was going in with no knowledge and screwing up the install somehow. the xandros OS install was easier than win2k. once i learn the command line stuff and file system, i'll probably install a more hands on distro on my spare box to better learn things from the ground up.


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## Marc (Oct 22, 2006)

You'll pick up the file system and drive mounting quickly, it's more intuitive than people think, and I think makes more sense than Windows once you learn it.

And hey, the Linux kernel is the Linux kernel.

Give Ubuntu a try (or Kubuntu, if you prefer KDE over Gnome).  It's a good mix of user friendliness while retaining a lot of more advanced abilities.


As for the ease of install, well, I was using fedora core 2 quite a while ago, and even that was an easier install than winblows.


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## kbroderick (Oct 23, 2006)

When people talk about Linux being tough to install, they often overlook how tough it is to install Windows.  And the Windows Updates.  And the right drivers for the video card that was released after the OS and still doesn't have WHQL certified drivers.  And Office.  And AIM.  And antivirus software.   And a personal firewall.  And all the other software that makes the computer actually usable.  If you compare a bare-metal (i.e. no partitions on the hard drive) Linux vs. Windows install, the Linux install doesn't seem as hard anymore.  In the Real World, of course, most people don't install Windows--they buy a PC with Windows already installed.

For anyone who wants to play with Linux without reinstalling, I'd recommend downloading either VMWare Server or VMWare player and grabbing some of the ready-made images off of VMWare's site.

For those who are more interested in having things Just Work yet still be fixable if they don't, I'd recommend a Mac.

(Personally, I've got a Powerbook and an XP box on my desktop, but we've got a pair of Linux boxen in the server room.)


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## catskills (Oct 24, 2006)

Hey Steve good for you.

My IBM Laptop 42P is setup to dual boot Linux SLES 9 and Windows XP. There are times I need to build stuff on Linux.   I use FireFox browser 100 percent of the time on both Linux and Windows.  I also have another machine with Windows 2000 that I am using right now. 

I use free download of OpenOffice.org on both Linux and Windows, which can also work on many of the MS Office  word, excel, and power point documents. This is a great option for students and teachers rather than shell out the big bucks for MS Office.  

I also use free ThunderBird for email and Sunbird for calendar that runs on both Linux and Windooooows. 

:flame: MS Windows just came out with their new browser IE7 to compete with FireFox.  Unfortunatly they don't have a version of IE7 that runs on Windows 2000. 

Go FireFox and OpenOffice.org  :beer:


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## dmc (Oct 24, 2006)

I have a Linux VMWare thingie on my laptop...  i use it to test a file encryption product that our company has...  It's pretty cool...   total transparent encryption at the kernel level..


Also use a bunch of Redhat servers for testing and demoing...

It's cool - runs great - nice desktop(gnome)...  I''ve just invested too much into software on windows to make 100% switch...


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## riverc0il (Oct 24, 2006)

catskills, i am no stranger to firefox! been loyal to that browser for years. not much of a thunderbird fan. i used it for a while but never liked it. currently using kmail which has done well by my standards. openoffice came standard with my distro, nice to be 100% MS free!

dmc, i hear you about having too much software invested in office. i am still booting into windows for multimedia applications but am using the linux boot primary since i generally only work on multimedia editing apps once a week at best.


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## smitty77 (Nov 2, 2006)

I installed RedHat on a machine just for yucks about 6 years ago, and it was way easier than I imagined it would be.  It sure seemed daunting at the beginning, but I had some college friends that were Linux and Unix geniuses so I knew where I could get help if I screwed up.  It turns out I didn't need any help at all.  I only had to tweak one monitor parameter and I was up and running in like 25 minutes.  Any Windows install takes me 3 ours + to get _everything_ working.  Sure, I can have a Win machine boot in 25, but my printer doesn't work, my modem's f-ed up, nothing's optimized, and it's so unsecure (not in an emotional ense either) until I can find hours upon hours of time I'll need to download all of the updates over a 30k dial-up connection.

I'd go back to Linux, but I have other users in the house to train, so my next step is a Mac.

Good job Steve.  Anything that takes Micro$oft down a fraction is all good in my book.


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## catskills (Nov 6, 2006)

Novell and Microsoft collaborate - The two companies also announced an agreement to provide each other’s customers with patent coverage for their respective products.

Not sure what this means in the long run.  :-?


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2007)

Pulling this thread out of the basement...

I recently installed Ubuntu server on one of my old machines to use as a file server and to serve as a local web/PHP server so I can work on website projects without having to upload files to my host.  I mostly did it so I could play around with Linux though.  It really has come a long long way since I played with a distro of RedHat a while back (10 years??).  I've found the Gnome desktop environment pretty easy to use so far.  If anything the installation was too easy.  I was hoping that I'd be forced to learn more about the under-pinnings of Linux during the install process.  But it actually installed without any glitches that I know of yet, that is once I got it to installed the Gnome environment since it's not included in the server install.  Even that was really easy though.

I had intended to install Linux as a dual boot on my Wife's old Mac laptop to play with it first, but apparently the HDD died in the process... 

I guess the next step is to install it as a dual boot on my main machine too.  Though I just recently re-installed XP and got it working good so I'm a little hesitant to monkey with it just yet...


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## Greg (Aug 20, 2007)

bvibert said:


> I guess the next step is to install it as a dual boot on my main machine too.



No. The next step is to get to work on that season ski vid... :roll:


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2007)

Greg said:


> No. The next step is to get to work on that season ski vid... :roll:



:lol: Actually I started collecting all the footage I have the other night.  I think I still have some that I haven't gotten off the tape though, so I have to find that first...


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## skibum1321 (Aug 20, 2007)

I tried to install Ubuntu a couple of weeks ago, but my keyboard wouldn't even work on the install screen and it would just freeze up. I have too much on my plate right now to try and get it up and running. Maybe after I finish designing my blog, I'll find some time and get it installed.


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2007)

skibum1321 said:


> I tried to install Ubuntu a couple of weeks ago, but my keyboard wouldn't even work on the install screen and it would just freeze up. I have too much on my plate right now to try and get it up and running. Maybe after I finish designing my blog, I'll find some time and get it installed.



I find that surprising after how smoothly it went for me.  Were you able to boot off of the CD into the desktop environment?


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## andyzee (Aug 20, 2007)

Greg said:


> No. The next step is to get to work on that season ski vid... :roll:


 
Season hasn't started yet! :roll:

Me, I've been doing my best to learn Solaris lately.


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## Greg (Aug 20, 2007)

bvibert said:


> :lol: Actually I started collecting all the footage I have the other night.  I think I still have some that I haven't gotten off the tape though, so I have to find that first...



Sweet! So we'll probably see the finished product by what, September?








September 2009, that is...


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## bigbog (Aug 20, 2007)

*....linux....*

...efficient and well thought out kernel...environments/tools.(EDIT: just not enough of them making friends with a portion of the maze of hw/sw out there).
Any of you guys have a speed-demon running from your freezer?....:lol:


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## skibum1321 (Aug 20, 2007)

bvibert said:


> I find that surprising after how smoothly it went for me.  Were you able to boot off of the CD into the desktop environment?


Nope, I couldn't get anywhere when I tried to boot. It is even the Ubuntu CD straight from Canonical - not the burned one. I still haven't tried to burn the alternative install.  I have an old USB keyboard so maybe it couldn't recognize it. I also have a 6 year old computer that I got before freshman year of college. I'm really state of the art for a web developer .


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## riverc0il (Aug 20, 2007)

Oh man, I never updated this thread :lol: :lol: :lol: 

My Linux experiment ended a few months ago. After geeking out and having fun trying to make things "Just Work," I finally tired of the novelty and started getting really upset when certain things like my scanner, MP3 player, java, etc. wouldn't work. No amount of searching online in the Linux forums would solve the problem and I even noticed that some pro linux users essentially gave up trying to make certain peripherals work. The double boot grew old and I found myself being less productive because I hate double booting. So I am back on WinXP...... for now. 

I really really really want to buy my next computer without an OS and toss on Kubuntu but that is still two years off so hopefully the driver and peripheral situation will improve by then. I don't even require that Linux "Just Work" when it is first installed. I do, however, require that I should be able to have all my peripherals work with minimum to moderate investigation and that a solution actually exists. To not be able to upload data to an MP3 player or have a scanning function on a printer not work is unacceptable. I will accept having to do a couple days worth of research and fiddling to get my printer online. I will not accept sub-par web browsing because the damn java plug in doesn't work right. I love Linux but when it doesn't love me back I get frustrated. It has come a long way but still not quite there but I think it may have enough momentum to turn the corner. The recent pre-installs from major comp distributors like Dell is a huge step forward.


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## andyzee (Aug 20, 2007)

riverc0il said:


> Oh man, I never updated this thread :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> My Linux experiment ended a few months ago. After geeking out and having fun trying to make things "Just Work," I finally tired of the novelty and started getting really upset when certain things like my scanner, MP3 player, java, etc. wouldn't work. No amount of searching online in the Linux forums would solve the problem and I even noticed that some pro linux users essentially gave up trying to make certain peripherals work. The double boot grew old and I found myself being less productive because I hate double booting. So I am back on WinXP...... for now.
> 
> I really really really want to buy my next computer without an OS and toss on Kubuntu but that is still two years off so hopefully the driver and peripheral situation will improve by then. I don't even require that Linux "Just Work" when it is first installed. I do, however, require that I should be able to have all my peripherals work with minimum to moderate investigation and that a solution actually exists. To not be able to upload data to an MP3 player or have a scanning function on a printer not work is unacceptable. I will accept having to do a couple days worth of research and fiddling to get my printer online. I will not accept sub-par web browsing because the damn java plug in doesn't work right. I love Linux but when it doesn't love me back I get frustrated. It has come a long way but still not quite there but I think it may have enough momentum to turn the corner. The recent pre-installs from major comp distributors like Dell is a huge step forward.


 

hmm.... sounds like you need Mac :-D


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## riverc0il (Aug 20, 2007)

I have been a mac hater since my first experience 15 years ago. Got no problems with WinXP, I just wish there was something better and cheaper and open source that performed as good if not better in all categories. Linux just isn't quite there on certain areas though it certainly has Windows beat for server applications. Just not quite there for typical home users. No reason to go out and buy a mac though


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2007)

skibum1321 said:


> Nope, I couldn't get anywhere when I tried to boot. It is even the Ubuntu CD straight from Canonical - not the burned one. I still haven't tried to burn the alternative install.  I have an old USB keyboard so maybe it couldn't recognize it. I also have a 6 year old computer that I got before freshman year of college. I'm really state of the art for a web developer .



Bummer.  For the record my install was on an old machine that originally came with Windows 98, my wife says it's 9 years old.  It's had a few updates over the years but is still a pretty damn old machine.  I also have an old USB keyboard on it that I was afraid would give me trouble, but it was recognized with no problem...  This makes me glad that my install went so well.


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## riverc0il (Oct 16, 2007)

Decided to give Linux another shot a year after my first failed experiment. Due to improvements in the system and choosing a better distro, I am having a remarkably better experience. All previous issues I had with my first Linux distro have been resolved except for the dreaded printer/scanner driver issue, but I easily got my printer up and running. I went with Kubuntu this time around and highly recommend it for those with a KDE preference. I don't think I will be going back this time as my current usability experience is drastically better than my first bout and I much prefer the KDE environment and customability to WinXP. Soooooo much faster, too. Still dual boot option for one or two Win Apps that do not yet have an equivalent Linux program. But other than GPS and movie editing, I may be sold on Linux permanently.


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## bvibert (Oct 17, 2007)

Keep us updated Steve.  I haven't played with my Ubuntu much recently, I know it's still running with no interaction from me though.  That's more that I can say for my XP machine. 

I might need to install the KDE environment just to compare it to gnome, which I'm pretty happy with.


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## riverc0il (Oct 17, 2007)

Give KDE a shot. I don't like Gnome. IIRC, KDE has release 4 coming out soon with some nice new features. Ubuntu just released RC1 for 7.10, IIRC, so that is out there as well if you want the not ready for prime time version to see what's new.


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## BushMogulMaster (Oct 20, 2007)

KDE kicks Gnome @ss, imho.

riv... what distro you on?


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 21, 2007)

BushMogulMaster said:


> KDE kicks Gnome @ss, imho.
> 
> riv... what distro you on?



Kubuntu


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## BushMogulMaster (Oct 21, 2007)

BeanoNYC said:


> Kubuntu



Aha... I see I should have read his post more clearly.

I'm still dual booting with Mandriva, just because of the number of bundled packages.


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## bvibert (Oct 26, 2007)

riverc0il said:


> Give KDE a shot. I don't like Gnome. IIRC, KDE has release 4 coming out soon with some nice new features. Ubuntu just released RC1 for 7.10, IIRC, so that is out there as well if you want the not ready for prime time version to see what's new.





BushMogulMaster said:


> KDE kicks Gnome @ss, imho.
> 
> riv... what distro you on?



OK, based on recomendations I installed KDE to my Unbuntu install, now I can login to either Gnome or KDE.  I don't really see the big deal, they both seem pretty similar for the limited time I've used both.  KDE has some slighty more Windows like user interfaces is all I can see.  I've found two strikes against KDE though; On my computer it seems like KDE runs much slower and KDE doesn't seem to have a built in VNC server like Gnome does.  I know I can install one, but that's more work than I've had to do with Gnome, which I simply had to turn on (if even that).  This is a big deal because I have limited desk space and only have room for one monitor and I'm too cheap to buy a KVM so I use VNC from the Windows box to work on the Linux box.


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## riverc0il (Oct 27, 2007)

From what I understand, KDE is slightly slower than Gnome. But it is so much faster than Windows to begin with, that the slight difference doesn't even factor for me. As far as the GUI, I instantly liked KDE better and I can not say for sure why. I tried both for a few minutes from a live CD and the GUI for KDE just popped out at me. Can't speak for the VNC server issue but I have KVM'd a windows and linux box with some success, though keyboard typing was a bit 'slow' I guess you could say. KVM's are pretty cheap but I suspect you get what you pay for after my experience.


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