Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
Here's the text Or, consider something else entirely. If you really want a new operating system, there are plenty of options out there for experimentation. And they’re free. Yeah, I’m talkin’ ‘bout Linux. I know what you’re thinking: no applications, spotty hardware support and lots of command-line typing. I can’t honestly tell you that Linux is free of these disadvantages, but it’s easier than ever to try out Linux without a lot of pain. Various Linux distributions have long been available for free download. All you needed was patience and a CD burner and a willingness to futz with your hard drive’s partitions. That was too much commitment and risk for some people. Now, many distributions let you download what’s called a Live CD. There’s nothing to install — once you download the operating system and burn it to CD, it runs right from that. In some cases, you can even download to a USB flash drive. Best of all, a few distributions have been made a lot smaller for a quick download. Take SLAX. Based on the hardcore Linux geek’s favorite distro, Slackware, SLAX comes in a few compact sizes. Frodo Edition is 53MB, but it’s just a text console. Popcorn Edition is twice the size at 115MB, but includes a graphical user interface, the Firefox browser and AbiWord document editor. Damn Small Linux packs a graphical desktop, a music player, three browsers, spreadsheet and word processing programs and a bunch more into just 50MB. Like SLAX, it can run from a mini CD or a USB drive. There are literally too many other options to list here, but try looking at www.livecdlist.com. Or just buy a Mac. --- I think he's a bit off the mark. Ubuntu, Fedora, Etc. are all VERY easy to install (easier than Windows at this point). Also, I don't know any desktop linux that -requires- you to mess around with partitions during the install. He also fails to bring up really quality desktop linux distros like I mentioned, focusing more on LiveCDs (and not very popular or widespread ones in my opinion). Talking about a Frodo edition that's only 53MB but is only a console is going to have people worried about trying Linux running for the hills. On Jan 18, 2007, at 11:18 AM, Mark Mcsweeney wrote: Saw this article in the Hippo Press: http://www.hippopress.com/techie.html mentioned was the option of switching to alternative OS when Vista comes out. I also wrote an email to him recommending that he look at some of the current distros and review them in his columns. It will be interesting if and how he responds. Mark ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
On Jan 18, 2007, at 11:18 AM, Mark Mcsweeney wrote: Saw this article in the Hippo Press: http://www.hippopress.com/techie.html mentioned was the option of switching to alternative OS when Vista comes out. I also wrote an email to him recommending that he look at some of the current distros and review them in his columns. It will be interesting if and how he responds. Looking forward to a followup. FYI, the archival URL for that column appears to be: http://www.hippopress.com/070111/techie.html Ted Roche Ted Roche Associates, LLC http://www.tedroche.com ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:34:11 -0500 Subject: Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows Here's the text Or, consider something else entirely. If you really want a new operating system, there are plenty of options out there for experimentation. And they're free. Yeah, I'm talkin' 'bout Linux. I know what you're thinking: no applications, spotty hardware support and lots of command-line typing. I can't honestly tell you that Linux is free of these disadvantages, but it's easier than ever to try out Linux without a lot of pain. Various Linux distributions have long been available for free download. All you needed was patience and a CD burner and a willingness to futz with your hard drive's partitions. That was too much commitment and risk for some people. Now, many distributions let you download what's called a Live CD. There's nothing to install — once you download the operating system and burn it to CD, it runs right from that. In some cases, you can even download to a USB flash drive. Best of all, a few distributions have been made a lot smaller for a quick download. Take SLAX. Based on the hardcore Linux geek's favorite distro, Slackware, SLAX comes in a few compact sizes. Frodo Edition is 53MB, but it's just a text console. Popcorn Edition is twice the size at 115MB, but includes a graphical user interface, the Firefox browser and AbiWord document editor. Damn Small Linux packs a graphical desktop, a music player, three browsers, spreadsheet and word processing programs and a bunch more into just 50MB. Like SLAX, it can run from a mini CD or a USB drive. There are literally too many other options to list here, but try looking at www.livecdlist.com. Or just buy a Mac. --- I think he's a bit off the mark. Ubuntu, Fedora, Etc. are all VERY easy to install (easier than Windows at this point). Also, I don't know any desktop linux that -requires- you to mess around with partitions during the install. He also fails to bring up really quality desktop linux distros like I mentioned, focusing more on LiveCDs (and not very popular or widespread ones in my opinion). Talking about a Frodo edition that's only 53MB but is only a console is going to have people worried about trying Linux running for the hills. On Jan 18, 2007, at 11:18 AM, Mark Mcsweeney wrote: Saw this article in the Hippo Press: http://www.hippopress.com/techie.html mentioned was the option of switching to alternative OS when Vista comes out. I also wrote an email to him recommending that he look at some of the current distros and review them in his columns. It will be interesting if and how he responds. Mark ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ I agree that he is a little off the mark. I appears to me that it has been a long time since he tried a Linux distro. In my mail to him I specifically mentioned Ubuntu and all of the other buntus and that they have come a long way and are much more mainstream now and are very easy to install. In addition I encouraged him to attend a the MerriLUG meeting in Nashua tonight and to check out the GNHLUG website to see all of the LUGs we have here in NH and how to get involved. Mark ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
I know him, I'll rattle his cage in person, see if I can get him to try installing Ubuntu. --DTVZ ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007, Travis Roy wrote: Here's the text Thanks for posting the text. For everyone's benefit I've trimmed it down to a single framented sentence: Or just buy a Mac. I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes and thinking Ugh mac fanboy! I really do like my linux machines. At my home they're like the red headed step children of the family. Here's why: I have DVD burning issues. Once, when I was running an early SUSE 9.x release I was able to burn DVD's. Ever since moving to Ubuntu (Dapper/Breezy now Edgy) the system wont recognize blanks. Yanked the drive the other day and it burns fine under another OS. I have yet to really dive into why there is no love for the dvd burner. I may run cdrecord to see if I'm having a similar issue here as Paul, but at this moment I don't recall what error was coming up. On the same machine I've tried to get beryl working to no avail. At one point I did get it loaded but it was absurdly slow so I don't count that as working. Even without beryl I swear that gnome seems sluggish. The simple act of dragging a window around the screen isn't quite fluid. Tried both the 'ati' and 'fglrx' drivers with no noticable improvements. I'm starting to be an ATI hater so to top it off... Upgraded my MythTV box to a newer ubuntu release and with the new release I'd tossed on the newest ATI drivers. Now mplayer no longer works correctly to display full screen video unless I use the -vo x11 option which results in some playback choppiness and inability to zoom/scale the video as it's playing :( However after some research I guess ATI is to blame due to some issues with their driver. Here's a word of advice for anything building a myth box and will be attempting to use composite or s-video out directly to their TV: Get a Nvidia-based card. -Kenta ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Linux at least mentioned in passing as an alternative to Windows
On Jan 18, 2007, at 12:21, Drew Van Zandt wrote: I know him, I'll rattle his cage in person, see if I can get him to try installing Ubuntu. Do you have half an hour to hold his hand for an install? Seeing is believing. If not, maybe somebody down in Hippo territory does. -Bill - Bill McGonigle, Owner Work: 603.448.4440 BFC Computing, LLC Home: 603.448.1668 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cell: 603.252.2606 http://www.bfccomputing.com/Page: 603.442.1833 Blog: http://blog.bfccomputing.com/ VCard: http://bfccomputing.com/vcard/bill.vcf ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
