Linux

[mike9h29]

Hi,

Whats the best linux to convert from windows please?

I will use the pc mainly to copy data from one hdd to another (take a backup before a format), run file recovery software and virus / spyware scanning.

The pc is a AMD Athlon 64 3200 S939, 1GB DDR400, 500GB HDD

Thanks

[ratdude747]

Re: Linux

i would say ubuntu 10.10 or fedora 14 (or 15 when it comes out). ubuntu's upcoming release is kiddie krap... i've switched to fedora since.

[mike9h29]

Re: Linux

i would say ubuntu 10.10 or fedora 14 (or 15 when it comes out). ubuntu's upcoming release is kiddie krap... i've switched to fedora since.

Thanks

Just one last question, are Ubuntu / Fedora able to run a MSDos Software using network pls?

[seanc]

Re: Linux

I run a combo of Ubuntu and XP Pro for data recovery/malware scanning.
Would be handy if I could stop Xorg hanging the machine.

[mike9h29]

Re: Linux

I run a combo of Ubuntu and XP Pro for data recovery/malware scanning.
Would be handy if I could stop Xorg hanging the machine.

I can no longer use windows xp, as I dont have original windows on this particular pc. buisiness is not so great at the moment, and i am not ready to spend more money in ms software. So i decided to go Linux

How reliable is Ubuntu pls?

[seanc]

Re: Linux

More reliable than Windows.

[Rulycat]

Re: Linux

What hardware are you using?

[ratdude747]

Re: Linux

I can no longer use windows xp, as I dont have original windows on this particular pc. buisiness is not so great at the moment, and i am not ready to spend more money in ms software. So i decided to go Linux

How reliable is Ubuntu pls?

for dos, use dosbox. i know ubuntu has it in the software center area (where you find and select software to install), not sure on fedora.

for windows, use wine... it works a good amount of the time.

[mockingbird]

Re: Linux

For a true Windows feel go for Kubuntu and not Ubuntu (The difference being that Kubuntu uses KDE, which has become far superior to Gnome IMHO). I can't wait for 11.04 to come out next month.

[yyonline]

Re: Linux

I will say that Ubuntu is very easy to install, and is probably one of the best distributions to use if you're new to linux.

[NxB]

Re: Linux

Learn with ubuntu then move to debian/fedora,etc. Run windows programs with wine.

A live CD will do what you want without installing anything.

[mockingbird]

Re: Linux

YAST/RPM is inferior to Aptitude. Stick with Debian/(K)ubuntu.

Debian and Ubuntu are nearly identical. If you want the cutting edge stuff, go with Ubuntu. If you don't mind being a year behind, use Debian. I personally have the latest Debian on a second partition, but I plan on moving to NAtty Narwhal (Kubuntu 11.04 I think) when it comes out because I want the latest KDE/Dolphin.

[ratdude747]

Re: Linux

For a true Windows feel go for Kubuntu and not Ubuntu (The difference being that Kubuntu uses KDE, which has become far superior to Gnome IMHO). I can't wait for 11.04 to come out next month.

actually, there will be no gnome ubuntu in 11.04. gnome by then will be in the 3.0 state, and since it was not compiz, they dumped it. instead the will be using the unity interface, currently used in ubuntu netbook remix 10.10.

it sucks... it is pure kiddie krap. it is like a smartphone interface on a computer. for who they are selling to, noobs, it may be a one of their best ideas. for me, it isn't a fit.

another beef i have with all 'buntu's is the lack of fixing bugs. as one blogger once said, "the best ubuntu to come will be one with no new features but bugs fixed." they put so much energy into new features but do little to fix bugs... they are marketing a 18 tool swiss army knife where 10 tools don't work right when they should be marketing one with 9 tools that all work.

As for kde, i hate it. why:

1. too much like windows. for noobs, it might be good. for me, gnome 3 rocks my boat (it is way different...)

2. all my favorite programs are gtk. i know you can use gtk in kde, but it hogs memory and is not a very elegant solution to an easy problem

3. every program seems to start with or revolve around a k or a q. i swear, if kde had a dictionary, it would start with k followed with k. aside from amarok, those would be the only two letters in the glossary. this k and q fetish really annoys me.

I personally use:

laptop: dualbooted fedora with gnome 3 and windows xp (for FIRST robotics software)

main rig- fedora x64 with gnome 3

server (in the works)- ubuntu server 10.04 (designed so my parents can easily use it without much hassle)

other stuff- fedora (gnome 3 if there is enough graphics power) if x86, latest mac os supported if mac (imac g5 and an emac)

[mockingbird]

Re: Linux

actually, there will be no gnome ubuntu in 11.04. gnome by then will be in the 3.0 state, and since it was not compiz, they dumped it. instead the will be using the unity interface, currently used in ubuntu netbook remix 10.10.

This is a common misconception. Actually unity runs on top of Gnome.

it sucks... it is pure kiddie krap. it is like a smartphone interface on a computer. for who they are selling to, noobs, it may be a one of their best ideas. for me, it isn't a fit.

I agree. I actually used to love Gnome and loathed KDE, but as time progressed Gnome became more and more outdated and the subsequent updates just weren't as breathtaking for me as KDE's transformation was. In the end, it was KDE's sheer flexibility that one me over.

another beef i have with all 'buntu's is the lack of fixing bugs. as one blogger once said, "the best ubuntu to come will be one with no new features but bugs fixed." they put so much energy into new features but do little to fix bugs... they are marketing a 18 tool swiss army knife where 10 tools don't work right when they should be marketing one with 9 tools that all work.

You're right, but you can forget about them fixing the minute stuff. They consider it moot. Why? Because the Linux developers don't care about desktop users. The ubuntu userbase is nothing more than a large beta test. I suspect that most of the developers work for the big companies. Most of the 'good stuff' is most probably highly-custmized proprietary software that you nor I will will ever get our hands on. One example is a boot-time logger like bootlogd. It was deprecated a long time ago but eliminated is more like it because nothing was offered in its stead. You can bet HP's programmers have written them their own boot time logger.

Another recent problem I had was full-screen with VLC. The new X updates changes the way applications use fullscreen. So now the mozilla-vlx-plugin doesn't maximize divx movies anymore. The guy stopped developing the plugin years ago so I doubt anything new will come to fix this.

1. too much like windows. for noobs, it might be good. for me, gnome 3 rocks my boat (it is way different...)

I *like* Windows and I wish KDE would update their Redmond theme. The first thing I always do is customize KDE to look as much like Windows as possible.

2. all my favorite programs are gtk. i know you can use gtk in kde, but it hogs memory and is not a very elegant solution to an easy problem

I agree, running GTK programs on KDE isn't pretty (Though it is possible), and I miss running 'gedit' from the shell (You used to be able to use 'kedit' but it's been deprecated and is now difficult or impossible to compile in newer versions so you have to use 'kwrite' which is a bit inconveniant), but otherwise, which GTK programs do you mean?

I always dualboot Debian or Ubuntu (Debian on the rare occasion when they're ahead of Ubuntu) on both my laptop and desktop. I always use the Windows boot loader to load Grub or LILO (LiLo as of late because Grub isn't working properly for me with the latest Debian), by copying the bootsector (dd if=/dev/sdaX of=boot.bin bs=512 count=1) and then adding it in XP to boot.ini or in Vista with bcdedit. I do it this way because I do not want Grub taking over my MBR.

[sofTest]

Re: Linux

Over the years, I've had various Ubuntu and Kubuntu installs on older hardware. Lately I've found them both a bit bloated to be useful. My latest install was therefore Lubuntu, and I rather like the lean simplicity of it.

[ratdude747]

Re: Linux

This is a common misconception. Actually unity runs on top of Gnome

I know. but it ain't gnome's interface. it uses gtk and gnome programs... but it is not the same.