Linux isn't "free" Windoze

[digitalhead]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Wow thats a lot of linux!

Yes it is a lot of Linux. It does make your point stronger, but at the same time, the variety is a good thing because some distros are stronger as a server than others depending on the environment, and some are stronger as desktops. Personally, I use K/Ubuntu for both at my home, but I'm not sure if Ubuntu Server Edition is really prepared for environments like enterprise class servers in a government facility, which is why people that run those systems usually pick something that's been around for a while and has well known server support, such as Red Hat Enterprise Server. So to the typical person, the many options can be overwhelming or even confusing, but once it's filtered down by the user's needs and experience level, it's a good bit easier to choose which distro is right. They have even made little quizzes that can help you decide which one is probably right for you. (Mine was tied between K/Ubuntu and Slackware... go figure)

[kevinc]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Interesting thread.

Linux has its roots in Unix, which was developed to network computers, facilitate communication and make life easier for people using one computer and needing to transfer data to other computers.

At the risk of causing offense and being mis-understood, Windows was developed many years later as a commercial product to make money and was successful. How many anti-trust cases has m$ been involved in how many continents for how many years?

GNU / Linux has a totally different purpose, not to make profits, but to enable the transfer of information, learning, growth and development of all people wherever they may be. I would add that *buntu goes further than many by making free CD's available to those without high speed connections.

I could say much more, but I think that others could say it much better.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

My first experience of computing was with Windows 3.1, 95 98. Then about 4 years ago I discovered Mandriva. and put it on my laptop on a dual-boot basis. I ran that for 2 years but got sick of one or 2 peoples elitist attitudes who actually went so far as to ridicule some of those who asked basic questions. Landed here and haven't really looked back although, I have to say opensuse 11 looks really nice and seems to be raising the bar.

Anyway, to my point: Yes, there was a learning curve when I started using Linux and it was frustrating at times. However I also remembered how difficult it was to accomplish anything in Windows either until I had become familiar with the basics.

My current laptop dual boots with XP and Kubuntu HH. I now actually find XP rather awkward to use maybe a little prettier but pretty lifeless and unresponsive. Even though I use quicken for my bank accounts I run it with wine and I only ever launch XP now for the following reasons:

1. To update the virus scanner
2. To use Dragon Naturally Speaking which so far as Linux is concerned will probably always be a paperweight
3. When Most Haunted Live is on so the missus can watch the web-cams which require IE and Active X

No, it ain't windows and as above it can't do a couple of the things I would ideally like it to do, but it's none the poorer for that. Certainly worth more than I have spent on it

Ian

[Detonate]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Even though I use quicken for my bank accounts I run it with wine

Have you tried Kmymoney? You can import your current Quicken files.

[digitalhead]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Even though I use quicken for my bank accounts I run it with wine

There are programs for Linux that do the same as Quicken, are rather similar, and can even import Quicken QIF files:

KMyMoney2, Grisbi, and Gnucash come to mind rather quickly. All free and no need for wine.

Just think, if you find Linux alternatives for your other Windows based needs, your virus scanner won't need to be updated anymore.

[Fintan]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Hmm.... nice thread...

Just wondering...

It might be worth the experiment and depending on your hardware, to run win xp in a vmware environment and see if your dragon can type and most haunted will come alive.

I say this because I need adobe stuff (PS, DW, FL, FW CS3) for my webdesign needs and use XP on vmware with 256MB RAM allocated. It is more stable and just as fast as the HD install using all 1GB.

No, virus updates or firewall messages every 10 sec.

Kmymoney2 works fantastically and winxp is a click away when I need it (which is becoming more and more seldom).

Just my 2cts towards symbiosis

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Hmm.... nice thread...

Just wondering...

It might be worth the experiment and depending on your hardware, to run win xp in a vmware environment and see if your dragon can type and most haunted will come alive.

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Some interesting ideas thanks. Yes, I have used Gnucash, I used it to maintain the accounts for my role as executor of my mother in laws estate and it did the trick perfectly. Possibly overkill I would think for my needs. At the time IIRC it didn't handle standing orders too well though. Unfortunately my life is complex and there are many. Does kmymoney handle them well?

The vmware option looks interesting too. I've a Dell 630m laptop with centrino processor and 1GB RAM. Even though I didn't ask for them dell gave me DVDs a couple of months after I got the laptop. When I use them unless I'm trying to reinstall windows it does seem they want to wipe everything and go back to day 1 (I deleted the recovery partition when I got the DVDs). I'm therefore not sure whether the DVD would work on a vmware install. My kids have got XP disks so I suppose I could use one of them. However, is product activation required - that could be a problem as their disks are for XP home and mine is for pro or media center.

Assuming my disk (or one of the kids) is suitable, is there an idiots guide to doing it anywhere?

[Fintan]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

The vmware option looks interesting too.

If you have a existing xp installation this may be of interest:
http://www.howtoforge.com/vmware_con..._windows_linux

Then get a copy of the latest vmware player and use that to play with the guest system.

I used that method. Spent about an hour uninstalling all the stuff I didn't need, used a few tools to clean up the registry, etc and got a very lean xp in return.

Then setup samba to share data.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Wow, that is cool!
Looks like my project for this evening.

[Fintan]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Yeah it is. I forgot to suggest getting vmware player from here:
http://www.vmware.com/download/player/

there is plenty on installing it here on this forum.

Doesn't work for Intrepid (yet)


Enjoy

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

By the way, just to correct a faux-pas in my earlier thread:

I wouldn't dream of sticking either of the kids in the CD Rom!

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

By pure coincidence I uninstalled Samba yesterday as I have never used it as my laptop never goes on a physical network.

Currently I can save data to the windows partition in the manner I currently use it by running ntfs3g (I think) but presumably I need samba as effectively I have 2 computers running that will need to be sharing data? Never having worked with Samba before should I find it a straightforward exercise?

Thanks

ian

[Fintan]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

The kids in the cd rom? Didn't even get that part

As for samba, it is straightforward although I haven't dealt with data on a c:\ partition as I always have my data on a separate partition (fat32 or ntfs) but the proceedure is the same as long as your host system can read/write that partition.

If you don't need passwords and login here is a sample smb.conf:

workgroup = yourworkgroup
interfaces = eth0
map to guest = bad user

[Data]

path = /Data
read only = no
guest ok = yes
case sensitive = no
strict locking = no
force user = username



[whatever you want]

printing = cups
path = /var/tmp
printable = yes
guest ok = yes
guest only = yes

[The Liquidator]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

On the windows side I have a c:\ partition(ntfs) and a d:\ partition (FAT 32) . On the latter I keep data such as the my documents folder. It's formatted as FAT 32 as I set it up in the days when there were issues with linux saving to an ntfs partition. Is that likely to need a change in config would you think?

[Fintan]

Re: Linux isn't "free" Windoze

Is that likely to need a change in config would you think?

No that should work fine, it does on mine

Just point your smb.config to the mount point of that partition (in my case /Data) as long as you can R/W from linux you are fine.

I would not suggest using GUI samba configuartion tools.

Just adapt the above smb.config file to your paths, workgrpoups usernames, etc. and restart samba.
Samba takes a while to get rolling but once it is there you can point your xp network to it and you are all set.