Ubuntu Linux [Archive] - LongRangeLocators Forums

Qiaozhi

06-07-2009, 03:13 AM

This topic originally started within Tinkerer's PI Project, and has been moved here.

..... I have the schematic to post but the Geotech1 website is not accomodating me. The attachment process is so very SLOW. It was like that last time I posted something. Only now it's even slower.

I suppose that means I'll need to reload my PC operating system because it is mmmmMY problem. :angry: Tinkerer, I could email the schematic to you and then you could post it, OK?

Oh, joy. The last time I re-imaged I lost a bucketful of good music and movies I had downloaded.

"Preview Post" takes forever so I'll just pickle this off and hope it makes sense.

Perhaps it's time to move to a better OS? ... i.e. Ubuntu Linux.
You might be surprised to know that LTspice runs just fine under Ubuntu using WINE.
Say goodbye to slow bloatware, constant crashes, and the need for expensive antivirus protection. Say hello to opensource. :cool:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_linux

I'll try Ubuntu. I've tried using Linux in a dual boot system, and I even used two different store bought versions (Redhat and SuSe). I also tried Mandrake.

All versions I've tried so far did not support my video card. I could not use the dual monitor feature. Ackk!! That was a long time ago so I'll give it another try.

I'm using a top reated antivirus but I suspect that is what's slowing my sytem down, or is at least part of the problem.

I'm not so quick to fiddle with my OS as I was at one time. I've found that you can try and direct where a new OS or an old image will be installed, the indicated preference is often ignored or misinterpreted. WHAM! :frown:

The current LTS (long time support) is Ubuntu 8.04 (hardy).
The best solution is to download the iso and burn a CD. You can test Ubuntu directly from the CD without removing Windoze. This way you can check if the video card is supported.

What is the make, model and spec of your machine?

If you're interested in giving this a go, I will move these OS posts to a different thread under Off Topic.
I have also used RedHat and several other distros, but Ubuntu is the best. That's why it's called "Linux for human beings."

I've gotten off to a bad start already because what was supposed to be a 698MB download ended at 85MB. I tried a second source and it hanged at about 84%. I'll try again tomorrow.

I have a home-built AMD XP2500+, and MSI KM4M MB. ATI Radeon 9000. Nothing cutting edge here. My HDs have been running for over two years so that will probably be my next big headache (that, or the laser in my OTHER DVD burner).

So, am I making a mistake downloading v9.04 instead of v8.04 or was that a typo? Maybe you should move this off topic stuff! I don't want to use this backup partition much longer or it'll get corrupted like the other one did, but I dread making major OS changes.

Thanks, Qiaozhi

Qiaozhi

06-07-2009, 03:40 AM

You can download Ubuntu from here -> http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

Both Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop or Ubuntu 8.04 LTS are available.

The LTS (long term support) is the most stable one.

J_Player

06-07-2009, 08:33 AM

I recommend Ubuntu Linux if you have had problems with other versions of Linux. It is designed to be easier to install than the others, and to be more user friendly. All Linux versions I have used are much faster than Windows. Ubuntu V9.04 is a big improvement over v8.04 for a lot of reasons. See here: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=707

If you are using two HDs, you may want to install Ubuntu in the manner I did. I cleaned the spare data disk of all downloads and data files and moved them to the Windows disk. Then I installed Linux on the empty disk with no partitions. When the install was done, I set up the computer bios to boot from the Linux disk. When I boot, Linux knows there is a Windows disk on the computer, and it presents a 15 second screen with a menu that allows me to choose to boot into Linux or Windows. If I don't choose, then it defaults to boot in Linux. This allows me to use Windows on the occasions when I need a Windows program. After installing Linux, I copied my data to the Linux disk, and kept a copy on the Windows disk as a backup for files I did not want to lose in case something happens to the Linux disk. You will find that when you are running Linux, you have access to all the files on the Windows disk in case you want to copy, move or delete things from there.

I use Linux more than 90% of the time because it is faster. But I still have Windows on the other HD for a backup.

Best wishes,
J_P

Mustafa

06-07-2009, 10:47 AM

I recommend Pardus. It is one of the fastest developing Linux distros. Even Ubuntu is porting some of the features of Pardus for next releases.

http://www.uludag.org.tr/eng/download.html

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=pardus

Pardus (scientific name for Anatolian leopard) is a Turkish Linux distribution started and developed by the Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). Ensuring that it is an operating system which can be installed and used more easily than the existing distros as well as other competitive operating systems is one of Pardus' main goals.

Qiaozhi

06-07-2009, 01:30 PM

Personally I use Ubuntu Linux on my laptop and Windows on the desktop machine. If I need to use a Windows program on my laptop, that will not run directly using WINE, then I start VirtualBox and run XP in a virtual machine. This enables me to run two operating systems at the same time, without having to dual-boot.

There are many Linux distributions available, and you will probably get many different recommendations, but Ubuntu Linux is without doubt the most popular and easy to use. You can even buy machines from Dell Computers pre-loaded with Ubuntu.

Max

06-07-2009, 03:29 PM

Why don't use a live cd or live dvd ? E.g. knoppix live is a good solution for the simple average user... just reboot computer and let it load from cd or dvd: that's all.

No installation, no mess... then you'll have full internet access, full device auto-detection etc

Everything to post stuff or surf easy...

PS: knoppix is debian-based... so think about...

Kind regards,
Max

J_Player

06-07-2009, 05:02 PM

Why don't use a live cd or live dvd ? E.g. knoppix live is a good solution for the simple average user... just reboot computer and let it load from cd or dvd: that's all.Ubuntu can be run from the CD as well. You do not need to install it to hard disk unless you want to. The difference is Ubuntu is a debian based distribution that is a lot easier to use than knoppix. And it has a lot more support for "add on" program packages to do nearly anything you want to do. One good thing I like about knoppix is small enough to run it from a camera memory card or USB memory drive. This means you can carry your computer on a memory card and run it on anyone else's computer that will allow booting from a memory card or USB drive.

Most versions of Linux require a computer geek to get properly installed and to keep updated. I would recommend these versions to programmers and people who maintain apache servers, because they can modify the operating system files using C to customize their personal distribution. But for most common users who want to browse the internet and use their computer the way they use Windows, There is nothing more easy than Ubuntu as a substitute for Windows. There is very little learning curve needed. Ubuntu Linux is much faster and efficient than Windows, it has an update every 6 months, auto notifications for updates, and it is all free. Other versions require you to figure out which add-on packages to add, and you usually must do this manually using command lines. Ubuntu can be updated in a manner similar to Windows.

What's nice is your browser is immune to most of the viruses that attack Windows, so minimal OS protection needed. This keeps things fast.

Best wishes,
J_P

Max

06-07-2009, 06:13 PM

Ubuntu can be run from the CD as well. You do not need to install it to hard disk unless you want to. The difference is Ubuntu is a debian based distribution that is a lot easier to use than knoppix. And it has a lot more support for "add on" program packages to do nearly anything you want to do. One good thing I like about knoppix is small enough to run it from a camera memory card or USB memory drive. This means you can carry your computer on a memory card and run it on anyone else's computer that will allow booting from a memory card or USB drive.

Most versions of Linux require a computer geek to get properly installed and to keep updated. I would recommend these versions to programmers and people who maintain apache servers, because they can modify the operating system files using C to customize their personal distribution. But for most common users who want to browse the internet and use their computer the way they use Windows, There is nothing more easy than Ubuntu as a substitute for Windows. There is very little learning curve needed. Ubuntu Linux is much faster and efficient than Windows, it has an update every 6 months, auto notifications for updates, and it is all free. Other versions require you to figure out which add-on packages to add, and you usually must do this manually using command lines. Ubuntu can be updated in a manner similar to Windows.

What's nice is your browser is immune to most of the viruses that attack Windows, so minimal OS protection needed. This keeps things fast.

Best wishes,
J_P

That's why maybe I don't like Ubuntu... I don't like simple things...that's why I'm focused... on Gomer...ops Dell at now! :lol:

Complex case...:rolleyes:

Kind regards,
Max

Qiaozhi

06-07-2009, 10:33 PM

What's nice is your browser is immune to most of the viruses that attack Windows, so minimal OS protection needed. This keeps things fast.
I discovered at the beginning of this year that there is a Linux version of AVG. Consequently I downloaded a copy and ran a complete virus check of my system. Guess what? After more than a year of running Ubuntu on my laptop, the system was completely virus-free. Compare that to Windoze. On average it takes only 12 minutes to contract a virus, if you don't have anti-virus software.

ivconic

06-07-2009, 11:09 PM

"...On average it takes only 12 minutes to contract a virus, if you don't have anti-virus software...."

Oh man! Than my XP system is nest of all possible viruses!:lol:
I dont have antivirus software installed all the time cose it slows down much. Also i do not worry to much on that. The hell..if something goes wrong it will take only 2 hours to format hard disk and reinstall all the needed soft again. My docs and works were already backuped regullary on CD's...so? Why worry?
Most easiest way to catch virus is to surf along "unknown" and unchecked sites, usually unofficial and private servers.
So...having same old habits to visit only proven and already checked places will reduce chances to infect own system. Ain't not that good antivirus software to protect your pc anyway.

Recently i tested Ubuntu. Not bad at all! I like it! Problem is cose i am very dependent on some software which runs only on Win. Until those appears under Linux....
But also live CD is very good solution. There are also some memory stick (flash) versions too.

J_Player

06-08-2009, 03:22 AM

Recently i tested Ubuntu. Not bad at all! I like it! Problem is cose i am very dependent on some software which runs only on Win. Until those appears under Linux....
But also live CD is very good solution. There are also some memory stick (flash) versions too.Hi Ivconic,
I also like some Windows software that will not run on Linux. This is why I kept a second Windows disk on my websurfing computer.

The solution of using CDs and flash memory to save data also works, but you are limited in the size of the CD or flash memory. Another solution is to buy a spare hard disk to store data, These are inexpensive, and the data disk can be used by the Linux disk or the Windows disk for most of the files you save on it. You can also keep this data disk separated from the computer until you need to see the saved data, by using a USB drive hard disk that you plug in when you want to use it. USB hard disks can be plugged into the computer and removed while Windows or Linux is running.

Another solution is to run a program called WINE in Linux, that will let you run Windows software. This WINE program uses Linux resources to emulate Windows. This will slow down Linux a little, but not nearly as bad as running plain Windows with all the security updates and virus protection.

Whatever solution you use, you will find that your browser always runs faster under Linux. Not a little faster... a lot faster.

Best wishes,
J_P

J_Player

06-08-2009, 03:37 AM

I discovered at the beginning of this year that there is a Linux version of AVG. Consequently I downloaded a copy and ran a complete virus check of my system. Guess what? After more than a year of running Ubuntu on my laptop, the system was completely virus-free. Compare that to Windoze. On average it takes only 12 minutes to contract a virus, if you don't have anti-virus software.Hi Qiaozhi,
I believe most adware, spyware and other malware is written to attack Windows because this is the OS that most people use online. Windows OS is also written in a way that has many holes for hackers to explore compared to Linux. I think this condition exists because of Bill Gates early attempts to make Windows incompatible with any other software by adding all kinds of unneeded software and proprietary code, and OS instructions that were designed to make the OS ready for many different intended uses.

In Linux, everything is open source, so we have the whole world full of programmers who find the vulnerabilities, and continually re-write the code to be very difficult for hackers to get past. It looks like very tight clean code to me, that gets the job done with minimal unnecessary overhead. The user is free to install more "add on" software packages as he sees fit for his particular situation. ie: you can add on audio production packages, or design/cad packages, video application packages, etc, without being stuck with unneeded memory-sucking sortware that is part of the OS. And these packages are all written for Linux, and mostly open source.

This seems too good to be true for a free OS.
But it is!

Best wishes,
J_P

Fred

06-08-2009, 04:21 PM

Hi all,
I have been following this thread with interest.
What would be your advice to install unbutu if you have only one HD and windows installed, wanting to keep it of course ?
Thanks,
Fred.

Qiaozhi

06-08-2009, 05:25 PM

Hi all,
I have been following this thread with interest.
What would be your advice to install unbutu if you have only one HD and windows installed, wanting to keep it of course ?
Thanks,
Fred.
What is the specification of your PC?

Qiaozhi

06-08-2009, 05:32 PM

Hi Ivconic,Another solution is to run a program called WINE in Linux, that will let you run Windows software. This WINE program uses Linux resources to emulate Windows. This will slow down Linux a little, but not nearly as bad as running plain Windows with all the security updates and virus protection.
Interestingly, WINE stands for "Wine Is Not an Emulator".
It is actually a translation layer that allows Windows applications to run on Linux. The programs run as fast as they do on Windows, although some programs will not run with WINE.

ivconic

06-08-2009, 07:10 PM

Fred

06-08-2009, 07:20 PM

What is the specification of your PC?

A fast Pc :q6600 with 4g of memory etc.
At work a P4 3ghz.
Maybe a laptop too?

Fred

06-08-2009, 07:27 PM

J_Player

06-08-2009, 07:31 PM

What would be your advice to install unbutu if you have only one HD and windows installed, wanting to keep it of course ?
Hi Fred,
I once installed Ubuntu on a PC that had Windows XP home installed on a single 120 MB disk. During the Ubuntu install procedure, you begin with some menus that permit you to add a partition to the hard disk. This allows you to install Ubuntu in a separate disk partition without disturbing the Windows installation. You must allocate enough disk space in the new partition to run Ubuntu and whatever extra space you need for "add on" software packages and data. I used 20MB partition of the 120 MB disk.

After Ubuntu was installed, then each time I booted the PC, Ubuntu recognized the Windows partition during boot, and gave me a menu screen to choose to boot the Windows partition or the Ubuntu partition. If I chose to boot Windows, then Windows would run as usual without knowing there is Ubuntu installed on the other partition. It only knows it has a smaller disk (100 MB, not 120 MB), and some mysterious 20 MB partition that it cannot access.

But if I boot into Ubuntu, Ubuntu runs, and will show the Windows partition, and will allow me to look through it and read and use files that I saved on the Windows partition. I can also copy any Windows files I want into the Ubuntu partition, or create new files in either the Windows partition or the Ubuntu partition.

After awhile, I decided to remove the Ubuntu partition and run pure Windows on that computer. This was easy to do using Ubuntu. I was back to 120 MB hard disk for Windows after uninstalling Ubuntu.

Best wishes,
J_P

Max

06-08-2009, 07:44 PM

Qiaozhi, how about XT Turbo 4/10MHz, 32Mb hard disk and 5.25" floppy and Hercules graphic??? Any chance Bubuntu will work on that platform???
:razz::D:lol::p:D:razz::lol::p

Oh yes! Also have Hayes Hidden modem 1200 baudrate...

Dang... museum stuff...

Horror museum I mean...:lol:

Maybe Ubuntu will not run... you could always try with some macumba instead! :rolleyes:

Don't tell me... you have also a magnetized and LOUD green-phospors monitor... :D

Kind regards,
Max

ivconic

06-08-2009, 07:50 PM

Nice PC Ivconic,
In a few years worth a fortune on ebay :D

If only i had enough brains to keep it.I reassembled it long time ago searching for scrap material....But i do keep Atari ST520 and Schneider CPC6128 as brand new! Ebay...here i come!

About Ubuntu (not Bubuntu - it was a joke);
during installation process i noticed it is better your dsl to be present and than all the process are going faster and better without to much asking questions and bugging. Actually Ubuntu automatically download all neccessary drivers (packages) and updates in no time. I am plain novice in Linux so i will not talk to much on that subject, because Qiaozhi might die laughing when read my words. Just noticed that benefit from dsl and was pretty amazed with speed and how all installation was done without any problem or hitch.
"...my 2 cents..."

ivconic

06-08-2009, 07:56 PM

Dang... museum stuff...

Horror museum I mean...:lol:

Maybe Ubuntu will not run... you could always try with some macumba instead! :rolleyes:

Don't tell me... you have also a magnetized and LOUD green-phospors monitor... :D

Kind regards,
Max

That kind ...yes. But my was amber not green! 14" !!! :razz:

J_Player

06-08-2009, 07:59 PM

during installation process i noticed it is better your dsl to be present and than all the process is going faster and better without to much asking questions and buging. Actually Ubuntu automatically download all neccessary drivers (packages) and updates in no time.
Hi Ivconic,
Yes, very nice how Ubuntu recognizes most hardware and auto installs the correct drivers.
Maybe you can try installing Ubuntu on your Turbo-XT. -- Probably has the needed drivers, but will take a long time to download with the Hayes modem.. :lol:

Best wishes,
J_P

Fred

06-08-2009, 08:23 PM

Hi Fred,
I once installed Ubuntu on a PC that had Windows XP home installed on a single 120 MB disk. J_P
Hi J_P,
Thanks for explanations!
I have already downloaded it and will try it some day.This one think i want to do from long time.
But you mean Gb, not Mb , right ? I can´t imagine xp on a 120mb disk...
Regards,
Fred.

Qiaozhi

06-08-2009, 09:18 PM

A fast Pc :q6600 with 4g of memory etc.
At work a P4 3ghz.
Maybe a laptop too?
Should be no problem. Check first by running Ubuntu directly from the CD. Be aware that it runs slower that way, but is much faster after a proper install.

Fred

06-08-2009, 09:33 PM

Should be no problem. Check first by running Ubuntu directly from the CD. Be aware that it runs slower that way, but is much faster after a proper install.
Ok, i´ll try,didn´t know the same version runs directly on CD :cool:
Thanks!
Fred.

Qiaozhi

06-08-2009, 09:33 PM

If only i had enough brains to keep it.I reassembled it long time ago searching for scrap material....But i do keep Atari ST520 and Schneider CPC6128 as brand new! Ebay...here i come!

About Ubuntu (not Bubuntu - it was a joke);
during installation process i noticed it is better your dsl to be present and than all the process are going faster and better without to much asking questions and bugging. Actually Ubuntu automatically download all neccessary drivers (packages) and updates in no time. I am plain novice in Linux so i will not talk to much on that subject, because Qiaozhi might die laughing when read my words. Just noticed that benefit from dsl and was pretty amazed with speed and how all installation was done without any problem or hitch.
"...my 2 cents..."
I think that might be asking for too much. But you can turn it into a dumb terminal that connects to your Linux box ->
http://www.sorgonet.com/8086/8088_linux_dumb_terminal/

Then .... just when you think it's not possible ->
http://www.minix3.org/
http://fixunix.com/minix/28315-minix-8088-640kb-20mb.html

Who knows? I've never tried it. :cool:

J_Player

06-08-2009, 11:37 PM

But you mean Gb, not Mb , right ? I can´t imagine xp on a 120mb disk...
Yes. GB 8)

Best wishes,
J_P

ivconic

06-09-2009, 12:28 AM

I think that might be asking for too much. But you can turn it into a dumb terminal that connects to your Linux box ->
http://www.sorgonet.com/8086/8088_linux_dumb_terminal/

Then .... just when you think it's not possible ->
http://www.minix3.org/
http://fixunix.com/minix/28315-minix-8088-640kb-20mb.html

Who knows? I've never tried it. :cool:

Eh...this will "itch" me enough to try it! I dont have my XT anymore...but i can find something even better; some 386 or 486 notebook...just for playing and learning command prompt mode. At the time when informatic era knocked at our doors i was deciding which way to go. DOS 3.30 was to tempty for me. So i choosed that way. But from time to time i had chances to see real UNIX. I liked it much at the time. Than i started to write some bussiness software on Cobol and you know...once you "catched" in a Cobol - you are lost for good. So...i hadn't time to learn unix. By inertion i adopted DOS...and that's how all started.
But now , modern Linux is something much different, i like it much. Although i feel pretty lost in it still. It's logic is so strange to me from time to time. I am to tied to win i guess. Will need some time to adapt to Linux.
But also intend to obtain some 386/486 notebook and than to search through my floppy disks archive to admonish on some code i wrote long time ago. It sounds trivial nowdays when there are easy software for everything man can need, but it is nostalgia..nothing else.
BTW i have Virtual PC 2004 installed on my system. Very nice thing!

J_Player

06-09-2009, 04:06 AM

Eh...this will "itch" me enough to try it! I dont have my XT anymore...but i can find something even better; some 386 or 486 notebook...just for playing and learning command prompt mode. At the time when informatic era knocked at our doors i was deciding which way to go. DOS 3.30 was to tempty for me. So i choosed that way. But from time to time i had chances to see real UNIX. I liked it much at the time.Hi Ivconic,
The history of Dos is rooted in UNIX. Dos was a derivative that Bill Gates had sitting on a shelf at the time IBM was looking for someone to sell them an OS. When IBM bought Bill Gates Dos, this was the beginning of the rise of Microsoft.You have seen the limitations of Dos, and how UNIX has much more power. This is because Dos was intended to remove a lot of UNIX features that were not needed for basic data processing on a desktop computer.

Today's Linux is written to work similar to UNIX, but is developed for desktop computers instead of mainframes. The code in Linux, and Unix is written almost exclusively in ANSI C language. There are some Linux applications that contain Python, C++, and a few others, but it is mostly C, which allow Linux programs to run very fast in their native environment.

Modern Linux still uses command line instructions to accomplish nearly any task a programmer could want to do. Many of these command line instructions are almost identical to UNIX, only adapted for desktop usage. But there are many Linux distributions that have become more user friendly, to look and act like Windows. Ubuntu is the leader in this area. It allows you to work with a desktop and install most software in a similar manner to how Windows works, using the mouse to drag and drop things, or click on install buttons. Of course, you can still do all these same things on the terminal command line with greater control. But most users like the convenience of a Windows type interface, without the slow speed and high cost of Windows.

For those who are interested in the command line operation, you have a lot of freedom to write your own code to modify nearly any part of Linux you want for customizing your installation. You will also find a lot of code that was written by other programmers to modify Linux the way you want, and you can download at no cost to install on your PC.

Best wishes,
J_P

hobbes_lives

06-09-2009, 04:27 AM

ivconic

06-09-2009, 08:42 AM

I'm partial to openSUSE for Linux on the desktop. Check it out if you get a chance. It's a nicely refined package with better hardware support that Ubuntu, at least in my tests. I was testing both out at work, and openSUSE installed flawlessly on a couple of machines that Ubuntu wouldn't, at least not without jumping through allot of hoops.

Different opinions? Maybe because of different machines? Maybe one is more suitable for one type of platform and another is for another. Anyhow, Linux is good system.

........

J Player yes i know history. Just ..it was long time ago and i do forget details. First code was written in line editor in Gates garage. He suffered from low memory in comp and than for the first time showed how he was shifty (Bill). His first works under those conditions are real proof he was real genius. I dont have problem to say that. He was and still is genius.

Qiaozhi

06-09-2009, 09:06 AM

Different opinions? Maybe because of different machines? Maybe one is more suitable for one type of platform and another is for another. Anyhow, Linux is good system.
You are correct. There are more Linux distributions than you can shake a stick at. :lol:

But you have to start somewhere. The easiest and less frustrating route is Ubuntu. Once you become hooked, you will of course want try some of the others, such as these -> http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity

This is a really interesting list of Linux distros ordered by popularity. As you can see, Ubuntu has been #1 for the last 12 months.

Max

06-09-2009, 12:38 PM

Different opinions? Maybe because of different machines? Maybe one is more suitable for one type of platform and another is for another. Anyhow, Linux is good system.

........

J Player yes i know history. Just ..it was long time ago and i do forget details. First code was written in line editor in Gates garage. He suffered from low memory in comp and than for the first time showed how he was shifty (Bill). His first works under those conditions are real proof he was real genius. I dont have problem to say that. He was and still is genius.

Hi,
but sure he's a genius! :D

He is really! I laugh at people that everytime compare some windowz bug with his talent...:lol:

He's genius at marketing, he's genius as entrepreneur, and also was real genius at beginning of personal computer era!

Dang... I don't know why silly guys told of him like an idiot or something... where exist in all the world a number of really IGNORANT AND ARROGANT TYCOONS that deserve nothing apart some dark jail or worse! :rolleyes:

He's a good example of how the american dream works... no matter of silly jokes about that.

Same for Apple people, same for some ex-Xerox guys and many others.

The real suckers are those who don't understand we are talking of true genius here... and before these guys were just IBM and people that still made calculations by hands or some grandpa's slide rule. :D

I suggest those have a look at the movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley" to have a (distorted) idea of what they realized.

Kind regards,
Max

Fred

06-09-2009, 12:45 PM

It seem i should have tried it sooner, i liked very much to have control over the PC with Dos, and not the other way around.
Also even with its limited commands you could often find alternative solutions to resolve problems.

Fred

06-09-2009, 12:52 PM

Hi,
but sure he's a genius! :DMax
That´s true,
the problem is that he was better genius at marketing than making good software.
So he could sell very well a not very good OS.And every new version of windows need one year or 2 before it is usable.
But lately he gave a good use to his fortune, so why not to take money from those who had enought of it to those who don´t ...

Max

06-09-2009, 05:35 PM

That´s true,
the problem is that he was better genius at marketing than making good software.
So he could sell very well a not very good OS.And every new version of windows need one year or 2 before it is usable.
But lately he gave a good use to his fortune, so why not to take money from those who had enought of it to those who don´t ...

"so why not to take money from those who had enought of it to those who don´t"

Uhm... you talk like Lenin now! :lol:

I don't know... maybe human beings are not made for that kind of stuff...
communism... I mean. :rolleyes:

At least... seems there aren't good examples of it in the practice.:D

Or not ?

Kind regards,
Max

ivconic

06-10-2009, 12:16 AM

Academic question!

If he didn't took the money at the first place...than he wouldnt invest in next of his works. DOS 3.30 was ok...but not perfect. DOS 6.22 was perfect. WIN 3.11 was a joke (but at the time nobody laughed), than WIN95(97) was the REAL THING (my best memories upon that period). Than first version of WIN98 was very problematic. Next i used was WIN98SE - excellent. Than i hated WIN2000 and short time after i loved it much! Now i am very dependant on XP SP1. SP2,3..4...are just the same thing with patches. What i really dont like was Longhorn and now damn, stupid Vista. Looking forward to see something more stabille than Vista soon.
But...in this kind of bussiness money is obligatory and never enough. You cant go further in your work without huge sums of money.
Dont blame Mr.Gates. If i was in his skin i would be much worse rellating to money. Also...put yourself in simillar position and after that you can judge. Remember Biblic story about throwing stones..?
God thank for having Bill Gates - that's all i can say.

J_Player

06-10-2009, 01:52 AM

Dont blame Mr.Gates. If i was in his skin i would be much worse rellating to money. Also...put yourself in simillar position and after that you can judge. Remember Biblic story about throwing stones..?
God thank for having Bill Gates - that's all i can say.
Sure he was a genius at making software and at marketing. There is no reason to deny that. The problem is the way he designed Windows, with everything incompatible with non-windows software, and including the browser and music player etc., etc. in the OS. This is what made a slow system that caused lots of crashes over the years. How much money was lost by businesses after buying his Windows because it crashed and lost data, or kept factroies from running, or brought down entire networks? How much money have people spent to hire computer geeks to figure out what is wrong with their Windows? As much money as Microsoft earned in profits by selling Windows and its problems?

Knowing how smart Bill Gates is, I would think he could easily have designed an OS that did not cause the problems that Windows caused. He may have had to sacrifice some of his profits by removing a lot of un-needed code that made Windows incompatible with other software, but that would have saved the consumers billions in repair bills and wasted down time.

This is the attraction of Ubuntu. It is easy for the average person to use like Wndows, and does not have the problem of running slow, or crashing, or needing reformat periodically. And it is free!

But Bill Gates still is a genius.

Best wishes,
J_P

Fred

06-10-2009, 02:33 AM

"so why not to take money from those who had enought of it to those who don´t"

Uhm... you talk like Lenin now! :lol:

I don't know... maybe human beings are not made for that kind of stuff...
communism... I mean. :rolleyes:

At least... seems there aren't good examples of it in the practice.:D

Or not ?

Kind regards,
Max
Hi Max,
No Lenine,and i agree that even if comunism has a good base is it not compatible with human mentality.But Bill Gates was the RICHEST man on Earth! this is an amount beyond imagination (well...) , even by burning bills he couldn´t spend his fortune for his entire life.
But then he gave the most of it to many humanitarian institutions etc...
So much that he is not any more the richest man.
So after all , it may be a good example, and even if i still don´t like the way he make his business (like JP says), knowing that the money came from people that had enought of it (if you can buy Windows you´re one of them) is like a relief :).

About OS, i agree with Ivconic: Dos6.22, win95 (great one), (win98 was barely acceptable from sp2 (usb support)), then XP SP2 and +, wich to be fair is quite good.
Vista is awfull and may be the chance fo linux(es) to emerge.

J_Player

06-10-2009, 05:05 AM

I agree with all...
I liked DOS 6.22, and I liked UNIX better, but it did not run on PCs. Windows 98SE was my favorite for a long time until I saw XP SP2. I still am running XP SP3 on most of my business computers. Very nice OS for Windows.

But I use Windows because most of my business associates cannot use anything different than Windows, ie: I must have Microsoft Office to read their files and modify them correctly without errors. If I didn't need to use Windows to conduct business, then I would quickly switch to all Linux computers. Linux for a desktop can do everything Windows can, and more. The only problem is it does not work 100% accurately when working with Windows files that you receive in emails. This means you will send back reply files that are not 100% perfect for your clients that use Windows. In some cases, they will not be able to use what you send them. For example, modify a Microsoft Excel file using Star Office, then send it back to a Windows user. See what kind of comments you receive.. :rolleyes:. In order to work well in the busiess world, the people you communicate with should also have Linux on their desktops, so there are no errors due to different OS and software.

With this in mind, there are a number of organizations that have installed Linux on all the workstations in their networks. Many schools are using Linux as well. These systems work well as long as the data movements are kept within the network where Linux is installed. In some cases, provisions are made in the software area to allow outside communications without problems. But for most desktop users, the problem exists ... most of your friends and associates use Windows, and you cannot always depend on the data to be readable that you send them from your Linux PC.

The obvious solution is for everyone to switch to Linux. How long do you suppose that will take? Currently, there are maybe 1% of people using Linux desktops on their PC. The numbers are growing, but it will take awhile before Linux is a serious contender to Windows.

See statistics here for market share of different operating systems: http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8

It is interesting to note that while Linux has 1% of the market, the MAC operating system has 9.8%. And iPhone has 0.6%, or nearly 2/3 of the users that Linux has. In any case, 1% is not much for Linux users. The low usage of Linux desktops is probably caused partly because there are so many distribution choices, and so much user intervention needed to install and use it. With Windows, there is only one choice, and one system to learn. Maybe in the future, Ubuntu will fill the role that Windows has held for an easy system that any average user can install and use. If enough people think so, then maybe we will have a viable system that does not require dual booting for the "other OS" that most others use.

Best wishes,
J_P

Qiaozhi

06-10-2009, 09:44 AM

..... But I use Windows because most of my business associates cannot use anything different than Windows, ie: I must have Microsoft Office to read their files and modify them correctly without errors. ..... For example, modify a Microsoft Excel file using Star Office, then send it back to a Windows user. See what kind of comments you receive..
OpenOffice could definitely improve their Excel equivalent (Calc). It can be extremely slow to load an Excel spreadsheet, and it often fails with macros.
The Microsoft Word equivalent (Writer) also has different default settings to Word, which can cause formatting problems. In general, if you create a document in OpenOffice, it is also formatted correctly for Word, but often the other way round there are problems.

However, to be fair, documents are not freely interchangeable between Microsoft Word and Microsoft Works either ... and I'm not talking about the features. Often a simple letter will look different in these two packages.

Qiaozhi

06-10-2009, 11:20 AM

If you find that you're using Ubuntu the majority of the time, and only need to use certain Windows occasionally, then try running these programs in WINE. If that fails, then the best solution is to install Sun Virtual Box, which is free-of-charge for personal use and evaluation. Make sure you download the closed-source version from www.virtualbox.org (http://www.virtualbox.org) and not the the OSE (open source enterprise) which gets installed if you use Add/Remove or Synaptic Program Manager.

The cool thing about VirtualBox is that it can run in Seamless Mode. :cool: This means that the Windows programs are on the Linux desktop, and appear to be part of the same enviroment. The only evidence of Windows is the Start menu tool bar at the bottom of the screen. The Windows background is completely missing.

Of course you are now running two operating systems at the same time, and you need to have enough memory for both. My laptop has 1GB of RAM, with 384 allocated to WinXP / VirtualBox and the rest to Ubuntu. You should also do the usual tweaks to Windoze to stop the disk thrashing and consequent wasting of CPU time. This solution is very useable, and removes the need for, and frustration of, a dual-boot system.

J_Player

06-10-2009, 11:37 AM

Hmmmm...
After reading through all these posts, I feel fortunate that Bill Gates never released MS-Metal detector, MS-VLF, or MS-PI. :rolleyes:

Best wishes,
J_P

Qiaozhi

06-10-2009, 11:59 AM

Hmmmm...
After reading through all these posts, I feel fortunate that Bill Gates never released MS-Metal detector, MS-VLF, or MS-PI. :rolleyes:

Best wishes,
J_P
Or MS-LRL !! :lol:

J_Player

06-10-2009, 01:30 PM

Hmmmm...
After reading through all these posts, I feel fortunate that Bill Gates never released MS-Metal detector, MS-VLF, or MS-PI. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Qiaozhi
Or MS-LRL !! :lol:
J_PAre you sure he didn't? :rolleyes:

Best wishes,
J_P

Qiaozhi

06-10-2009, 03:48 PM

Are you sure he didn't? :rolleyes:

Best wishes,
J_P
Perhaps this is how he really made his fortune, and was able to subsidize the development of Vista. :lol:

J_Player

07-05-2009, 08:01 PM

I just installed Ubuntu 9.04. My browser got twice as fast using this distribution. :cool:

Best wishes,
J_P

WM6

07-06-2009, 12:29 PM

That's why maybe I don't like Ubuntu...

I don't like simple things...! :lol:

Complex case...:rolleyes:

Kind regards,
Max

So Max, this is probably reason that your response constantly include kilometers of quotations, picture including, of others forums user (thread multipliing, server space consumption ....)?

Please, try simple way!

Max

07-06-2009, 03:23 PM

So Max, this is probably reason that your response constantly include kilometers of quotations, picture including, of others forums user (thread multipliing, server space consumption ....)?

Please, try simple way!

Well... that's my idea of making things simple... maybe if I wanna make longer posts... I could also multiply by factor ten the lenght!

No... you're right... I'll save server space... for future generations! :)

Anyway... don't you know that hard disc costs fallen in last 10years... and capacity increased to hundreds and thousands of Gbytes ??? :rolleyes:

Uhm... I like illustrated posts! What's wrong with them ??? :shrug:

I waste space... cause I like consumerism maybe ??? :???:

Sorry... have to go now... for shopping! :lol:

Kind regards,
Max

J_Player

07-06-2009, 09:42 PM

Sorry... have to go now... for shopping! :lol:Hi Max,
You don't need to go shopping for Ubuntu Linux, it's free! :)

But maybe a good idea to go shopping for some more terabyte hard disks to put more images on, now that they are cheap. :cool:

Best wishes,
J_P

SVEN1

07-07-2009, 12:23 AM

I just installed Ubuntu 9.04. My browser got twice as fast using this distribution. :cool:

Best wishes,
J_P
I have been using Ubuntu 8.10 now for about 6 months. Works great, no real problems that I couldn't fix in short order.
There are a few Windows programs that I really liked that do not work with Ubuntu, so I run Windows XP in Ubuntu's Virtual Machine.

Glad I switched to Ubuntu, no more Microsoft headaches, no more maintenance, firewall, virus scans, adware protectors and slowdowns. I spend all that extra time surfing or playing with my hobbies. My computer no longer feels like a second job.
http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu

Qiaozhi

07-07-2009, 12:52 AM

There are a few Windows programs that I really liked that do not work with Ubuntu, so I run Windows XP in Ubuntu's Virtual Machine.
Are you talking about KVM?
I'm using Sun VirtualBox, and was wondering if you've done any speed comparisons?

SVEN1

07-07-2009, 03:39 AM

Are you talking about KVM?
I'm using Sun VirtualBox, and was wondering if you've done any speed comparisons?

I am using Sun's VB. XP pro runs faster in VB
Only main problem is I can't seem to get Microsoft Office 2000 to load up, it runs about halfway thru set up and said two flies maybe missing. The files are clearly on the CD.

I also tried loading up a second Xp (Home) OS in Sun. It loads up fine but has a small desktop screen. When I try to add guest add-ons, the desktop gets totally messed up. Not sure what the problem is.

J_Player

07-07-2009, 05:46 AM

I am using Sun's VB. XP pro runs faster in VB
Only main problem is I can't seem to get Microsoft Office 2000 to load up, it runs about halfway thru set up and said two flies maybe missing. The files are clearly on the CD.

I also tried loading up a second Xp (Home) OS in Sun. It loads up fine but has a small desktop screen. When I try to add guest add-ons, the desktop gets totally messed up. Not sure what the problem is.Perhaps the problem is it is trying to interpret windows without using the windows source code. At best, you can expect a loose interpretation. Do you suppose it is also trying to interpret the windows bugs too?

Best wishes,
J_P

PS Thank you , Bill Gates

Qiaozhi

07-07-2009, 11:14 AM

Perhaps the problem is it is trying to interpret windows without using the windows source code. At best, you can expect a loose interpretation. Do you suppose it is also trying to interpret the windows bugs too?

Best wishes,
J_P

PS Thank you , Bill Gates
This is not the problem. Sun VB is a virtual machine, so it looks like real hardware to Windows.

Qiaozhi

07-07-2009, 11:16 AM

I am using Sun's VB. XP pro runs faster in VB
Only main problem is I can't seem to get Microsoft Office 2000 to load up, it runs about halfway thru set up and said two flies maybe missing. The files are clearly on the CD.

I also tried loading up a second Xp (Home) OS in Sun. It loads up fine but has a small desktop screen. When I try to add guest add-ons, the desktop gets totally messed up. Not sure what the problem is.
Which version of Sun VB are you using?
There are also two types available - source and binary.
Here's my About window:

SVEN1

07-07-2009, 11:24 AM

Which version of Sun VB are you using?
There are also two types available - source and binary.
Here's my About window:

I am using the same version.
I have tried a bout a dozen (on XP) times loading Office 2000, no success. I really don't need it, can get away with Open office in Ubuntu.

Also tried about the same amount of time loading XP home. Works perfect if not adding Guest Add-Ons.

Qiaozhi

07-07-2009, 11:33 AM

I am using the same version.
I have tried a bout a dozen (on XP) times loading Office 2000, no success. I really don't need it, can get away with Open office in Ubuntu.

Also tried about the same amount of time loading XP home. Works perfect if not adding Guest Add-Ons.
I'm running XP Home with the the Guest Add-Ons ... no problem. I also have Microsoft Office '97, not 2000. Personally I use Open Office most of the time.

Qiaozhi

07-07-2009, 11:42 AM

I'm sure you've probably done all this, but here's an excellent guide to loading XP in Sun VM, together with the Guest Add-Ons. Might be worth a look.

http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~arh04d/anthonyrhopkins/documents/Tutorial (http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/%7Earh04d/anthonyrhopkins/documents/Tutorial) Manual_Hopkins.pdf

The link has a <space> in it, so you may have to cut and paste to your browser.

J_Player

07-20-2009, 05:04 AM

I just rebooted into Windows XP, and I noticed my firefox browser is running about 1/3 the speed as it does in Linux. Well at least it beats Windows IE browser that takes up to 30 seconds to load this page. But I found some cool stuff in Google earth for Linux.

I just installed Google Earth in Ubuntu 9.04 and it has things I haven't seen before in Google Earth. But then, I haven't used Google Earth for awhile.
To start, I found the download menu shows Linux: Google Earth 4.3. And the bin file is also named as release_4_3/googleearth-linux-plus-4.3.7284.3916.bin. But when it runs, the screen displays Google Earth 5. I suppose this is a stable beta that will soon become version 5. Anyway, it is similar to the Google earth I am used to except I found a menu for flight simulator where you can fly an F16 or a propeller plane and watch Google's earth pictures below as you fly by. Careful with the controls or you will crash.

As far as usefulness, I compare Google Earth to Bing Maps (the Microsoft competition to Google Earth). Google has a number of features that make it the best. But Bing maps has some things that you just can't get from Google Earth. To start with Bing Maps does not require a downloaded application to run. Just click on their web page and the world map is there. A download is only needed for some advanced functions.

The best tool I have found on Bing Maps is the Bird's eye view. When you zoom in on a regular view, Bing maps looks similar to Google Earth. But once you arrive at street level, you can click on the Bird's Eye view, which will take you even closer for a view from one of four directions looking down at an angle. This view is very high resolution compared to the best without using bird's eye. I have been able to see people eating lunch on under their patio covers from this view. But there's more to it...

If you switch to 3d view in Bing Maps, it will make a quick download, and allow you to view in 3d like Google Earth. Then when you zoom in close, you can switch to bird's eye view, and you will find much more than 4 different views, There can be hundreds of angle views of a particular area, depending on how many low-altitude photos were taken at that area. The places with the most bird's eye views are highly populated areas. In the countryside, there are many places with no bird's eye views at all. And some countries have no bird's eye views due to their security policy, or perhaps no photos were taken and made available.

The good news is any Windows or Linux computer can use Bing maps for these bird's eye views by simply opening a browser to their web page. But if you want to see the the extra bird's eye views in the 3D view, only Windows can do this, because the download only works for Windows. So if you want to see all, you need Windows. -- Another reason why I like to dual boot.

Best wishes,
J_P

J_Player

08-17-2009, 09:32 PM

I am running Ubuntu 9.04 i386 version, and I just upgraded the browser to Firefox 3.5.2. This version is definitely faster. I see pages loading in less than half the time. But there are drawbacks, as some of the functions like flash player do not work properly, and some extensions/plugins don't work. Luckily, the previous Firefox 3.0.13 is still active, and I can choose which I want to use from the applications menu, or from the terminal.

Firefox version 3.5.2 has proven very good for fast web surfing and searching, but I use version 3.0.12 when I need all the bells and whistles. Firefox 3.5.2 will be included in the next Ubuntu distribution 9.1.0 to be released in late November, with the OS bugs and browser bugs fixed. But you can use Firefox 3.5.2 now by using the Synaptic Package Manager (System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager), or by downloading and installing firefox-3.5.2.tar.bz2 directly from Mozilla. When installed, you will notice the help screen shows at the bottom of the menu "About Shiretoko" which is the code name for version 3.5.2.

Another recent Ubuntu compatible browser is now on the scene... IRON from SR ware. This an exact copy of Google Chrome, but with all the "Report back to Google" code removed. The resulting browser works the same as Google Chrome, as it was built from the same engine as the Google version, with only the spy code removed. I will be trying this browser in the coming weeks when I see it is a more stable version available for Linux. SR Ware Iron also has a version for Windows and Mac that are stable: http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php

Best wishes,
J_P

Qiaozhi

08-17-2009, 09:50 PM

I am running Ubuntu 9.04 i386 version, and I just upgraded the browser to Firefox 3.5.2. This version is definitely faster. I see pages loading in less than half the time. But there are drawbacks, as some of the functions like flash player do not work properly, and some extensions/plugins don't work. Luckily, the previous Firefox 3.0.13 is still active, and I can choose which I want to use from the applications menu, or from the terminal.

Firefox version 3.5.2 has proven very good for fast web surfing and searching, but I use version 3.0.12 when I need all the bells and whistles. Firefox 3.5.2 will be included in the next Ubuntu distribution 9.1.0 to be released in late November, with the OS bugs and browser bugs fixed. But you can use Firefox 3.5.2 now by using the Synaptic Package Manager (System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager), or by downloading and installing firefox-3.5.2.tar.bz2 directly from Mozilla. When installed, you will notice the help screen shows at the bottom of the menu "About Shiretoko" which is the code name for version 3.5.2.

Best wishes,
J_P
I see that you're an "early adopter". :cool: Personally I like to stay with the current stable Ubuntu release 8.04 and Firefox 3.0.13.

I'll leave the bugs for you. ;)

J_Player

08-18-2009, 09:54 AM

I see that you're an "early adopter". :cool: Personally I like to stay with the current stable Ubuntu release 8.04 and Firefox 3.0.13.

I'll leave the bugs for you. ;)Hi Qiaozhi,

The current stable Ubuntu release is not 8.04. Ubuntu 8.04 was the stable version released in April 2008, which was superseded by two newer stable releases afterwards. The distribution I am using (Ubuntu 9.04) is the current stable version released in April 9009. A newer release 9.10 is still in the alpha phase, about to go to beta, and will not be released as a stable version until late October.

The instability I was referring to is not in the Ubuntu distribution, but in the browsers I have been using. The Firefox 3.5.2 browser is not recommended by Ubuntu because the current distribution is not fully compatible with the new version of Firefox. Instead, they recommend to continue using the older Firefox browser included with the Ubuntu package, and use the browser updates. This is what I have been doing until I discovered the new Firefox 3.5.2 browser is about twice as fast for loading pages. So I kept the new browser installed as an optional browser I can choose when I want very fast browsing, but without the full-features of the older version. The next stable version of Ubuntu to be released in late October will include the latest Firefox browser in a fully functional form, and will have some interesting new software features not found in earlier Ubuntu relaeases.

I have found that any stable version of Ubuntu is faster than Windows in general. My current version 9.04 with the packaged version of Firefox loads pages faster than my friend who uses Windows Vista and XP on his T1 line, compared to my ASDL connection. And the Ubuntu packaged software runs faster than the Windows software. The only disadvantage I can see in Ubuntu is some of the features found in Windows are not there when you need full compatibility to interact with other people using Windows systems. The times when I need Windows includes answering emails that send Windows applications, and visiting some websites that require loading clients that are ported only for Windows and Macs. I also miss Irfanview multimedia player/editor. For these, I usually boot into Windows XP and tolerate some long delays for applications to load and slow web browsing. Of course it might work to use WINE or a Windows emulator, but I have not tried this.

Best wishes.
J_P

Qiaozhi

08-18-2009, 10:19 AM

Hi Qiaozhi,

The current stable Ubuntu release is not 8.04. Distribution 8.04 was the stable version released in April 2008, which was superseded by two newer stable releases afterwards. The distribution I am using (Ubuntu 9.04) is the current stable version released in April 9009. The newer release 9.10 is still in the alpha phase, about to go to beta, and will not be released as a stable version until late October.

The instability I was referring to is not in the Ubuntu Distribution, but in the browsers I have been using. The Firefox 3.5.2 browser is not recommended by Ubuntu because the current distribution is not fully compatible with the new version of the browser. Instead, they recommend to continue using the older Firefox browser included with the Ubuntu package, and use the browser upgrades. This is what I have been doing until I discovered the new Firefox browser is about twice as fast for loading pages. So I kept the new browser installed as an optional browser I can choose when I want very fast browsing, but without the full-features of the older version.

The next stable version of Ubuntu to be released in late October will include the latest Firefox browser in a fully functional form, and will have some interesting new software features not found in earlier Ubuntu relaeases.

Best wishes.
J_P
The latest Ubuntu release is 9.04, and it contains many new features, but is still buggy when compared to 8.04, which is also known as Ubuntu 8.04 LTS ... where LTS stands for "Long Term Support". There is also an intermediate release called 8.10.

If you're an early adopter then go or 9.04, otherwise 8.04 is the one to use.

From the Ubuntu website:
Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop (the latest version): Includes the latest enhancements and is maintained until 2010
Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop: Released April 2008 and maintained until April 2011 – ideal for large deployments

J_Player

08-18-2009, 10:38 AM

The latest Ubuntu release is 9.04, and it contains many new features, but is still buggy when compared to 8.04...Hi Qiaozhi,
What is buggy about version 9.04? I have not found bugs in this OS, but then I have installed all the updates that were sent. Maybe there are bugs that can manifest in other hardware that I don't use?

Best wishes,
J_P

Qiaozhi

08-18-2009, 11:07 AM

Hi Qiaozhi,
What is buggy about version 9.04? I have not found bugs in this OS, but then I have installed all the updates that were sent. Maybe there are bugs that can manifest in other hardware that I don't use?

Best wishes,
J_P
If you look at the release notes for 9.04 you will see a number of issues. However, I'm not saying that 9.04 is buggy. Only that it has more bugs than the 8.04 LTS.

Here's the difference between the releases:

LTS Desktop and Server
Long Term Support releases for desktop and server. There are deployment platforms with wide hardware and software support and ideal or individuals and businesses making a longer term investment in Ubuntu

Standard release
These are the 6 monthly release that contain the best of the new from the Open Source and commercial worlds and suited to users happy to upgrade regularly.

Point Release
These are 6 monthly updates to the long term support cycle. These are primarily bug fixes and patches with occasional feature enhancements that maintain the integrity of the release over a long cycle. The point releases continue up to the next LTS release which then offers an obvious upgrade path for users

LTS Server
This is the extended support period for server.

Obviously different people have different requirements. Personally I like my OS to be a stable as possible. I'm not so concerned about the latest and greatest features and widgets.

For your info, here's the release cycle:

Note that the next LTS release is not until Q2 2010.

J_Player

08-18-2009, 11:30 AM

Back again in Windows. I just installed Firefox 3.5.2 in Windows XP. This is definitely at least twice as fast as the previous Windows Firefox. I also tried the SR Ware Iron browser, which seems a little faster than Firefox 3.5.2. For me, loading web pages in Windows with Firefox 3.5.2 takes a little longer than twice as long as it does using Ubuntu/Firefox any version.

I should qualify this by stating I booted Windows, and opened Firefox without starting any other applications. MSN instant messenger is running since boot, and other background programs like Avast Antivrus, which has already finished checking for updates. So there are no memory-hog programs running at the moment. After running Windows applications, I usually see all the browsers slow down a lot. This is especially true after viewing a lot of flash videos like seen on Youtube. or when running Windows programs from the program files.

I think in Windows, Firefox 3.5.2 is my browser of choice. But I have not added any extensions to this browser. Maybe it will run noticeably slower with add-ons and extensions. For now I will be watching SR Ware iron, and comparing it with Firefox. If I ever see some slow browsing in Firefox, I can easily open an SR Ware browser. However, Iron is a speed browser without the bells and whistles of Firefox or IE.

For Ubuntu, I will consider reverting back to the older version 8.04 LTS instead of installing the next stable version 9.10 when it is released. After all, who wants those new features if they are considered to have more bugs than version 8.04?

Best wishes,
J_P

J_Player

09-07-2009, 02:52 AM

:cool: Another reason why I like my Ubuntu desktop....

SVEN1

09-19-2009, 01:59 AM

Managed to load it into XP guest on Ubuntu VM. Used an old version of office Home 2000 then ugraded it to 2003 using upgrade disc I found. I'm good to go.

J_Player

12-15-2009, 06:48 AM

I checked the statistics to see how many people are using Linux these days. Here is what I found:

2009 Win7 Vista W2003 W XP 2000 Linux Mac
Nov 6.7% 17.5% 1.4% 62.2% 0.7% 4.3% 6.7%
Oct 4.4% 18.6% 1.5% 63.3% 0.7% 4.2% 6.8%
Sep 3.2% 18.3% 1.5% 65.2% 0.8% 4.1% 6.5%
Aug 2.5% 18.1% 1.6% 66.2% 0.9% 4.2% 6.1%
Jul 1.9% 17.7% 1.7% 67.1% 1.0% 4.3% 6.0%
Jun 1.6% 18.3% 1.7% 66.9% 1.0% 4.2% 5.9%
May 1.1% 18.4% 1.7% 67.2% 1.1% 4.1% 6.1%
Apr 0.7% 17.9% 1.7% 68.0% 1.2% 4.0% 6.1%
Mar 0.5% 17.3% 1.7% 68.9% 1.3% 4.0% 5.9%
Feb 0.4% 17.2% 1.6% 69.0% 1.4% 4.0% 6.0%
Jan 0.2% 16.5% 1.6% 69.8% 1.6% 3.9% 5.8%

I found this chart here: http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp
You can see there is a steady increase in Linux users, while XP is still the number one OS in use. We see the people who always buy the latest and greatest in the department stores are moving from Vista to Windows 7. I suppose the percentages are small because nobody trusts the new Windows OS as much as they do XP, which has a history of stability after years of removing bugs and adding service packs. From what I read, the current version of Vista with all the updates is almost as good as Windows 7, which is said to be a very stable system that adds a few nice refinements to Windows 7. I guess Windows 2000 is still alive because it is free. It works, but is missing a lot of drivers found in XP.

But it's nice to see the steady increase in Linux. I think this is largely caused by the release of Ubuntu, which created a bridge between Windows users and Linux users. The Ubuntu distributions are much more user friendly than other versions. And it seems there is a lot more software written specifically for Ubuntu, as well as a very large support organization. The final product has all the power of Linux that allows geeks to compile programs in their terminal, or it can let novices run it as a simple desktop with drag and drop features like Windows. I suppose it will never be as simple as Windows for the technically challenged, but then it is an OS of a special pedigree optimized for extreme performance.

So why am I using Windows XP now?
Because I need to check some website pages I built to see how they render in the different browsers that run under Windows. I already tried the Debian Linux Firefox and found that the Windows Firefox browser does not render the pages the same. So I made some changes in the pages to allow them to work properly in all the common Windows browsers as well as Linux.

This brings us back to the table above showing the current OS usage. Since browsers all display web pages slightly differently, I need to make pages that focus on the most used browsers. So guess who keeps tract of browser usage?
Yup, you got it.... W3Schools ...http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

2009 IE8 (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_explorer.asp). .IE7 (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_explorer.asp) .IE6 (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_explorer.asp) Firefox (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_firefox.asp) Chrome (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_chrome.asp) Safari (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_safari.asp) Opera (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_opera.asp)
Nov 13.3% 13.3% 11.1% 47.0% 8.5% 3.8% 2.3%
Oct 12.8% 14.1% 10.6% 47.5% 8.0% 3.8% 2.3%
Sep 12.2% 15.3% 12.1% 46.6% 7.1% 3.6% 2.2%
Aug 10.6% 15.1% 13.6% 47.4% 7.0% 3.3% 2.1%
Jul. 9.1% 15.9% 14.4% 47.9% 6.5% 3.3% 2.1%
Jun. 7.1% 18.7% 14.9% 47.3% 6.0% 3.1% 2.1%
May. 5.2% 21.3% 14.5% 47.7% 5.5% 3.0% 2.2%
Apr. 3.5% 23.2% 15.4% 47.1% 4.9% 3.0% 2.2%
Mar. 1.4% 24.9% 17.0% 46.5% 4.2% 3.1% 2.3%
Feb. 0.8% 25.4% 17.4% 46.4% 4.0% 3.0% 2.2%
Jan. 0.6% 25.7% 18.5% 45.5% 3.9% 3.0% 2.3%

As you can see, my pages need to work for Firefox, and IE6 through IE8. I will check to make sure chrome works too. This takes care of about 93% of the browsers in use. So I won't waste time on special coding for obsolete browsers like Netscape navigator 4 or even modern fringe browsers.

Best wishes,
J_P

WM6

12-15-2009, 09:48 AM

Thank you J_P.

I am surprised that Vista is rising?

PS: Your reasons why you like your Ubuntu desktop seems a little roundy..

Qiaozhi

12-15-2009, 10:03 AM

By the way, Google Chrome is now available for Linux -> http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=linux&hl=en

J_Player

12-15-2009, 11:16 AM

Thank you J_P.

I am surprised that Vista is rising?

PS: Your reasons why you like your Ubuntu desktop seems a little roundy..Actually, Vista has started to decline (down 1.1% from October to November). I think this is because the mainstream computer buyers are finding more new PCs with Windows 7 installed, or upgrading because they don't like Windows 7. The word must be out that Windows 7 is buggy. This trend will probably continue as we enter the holiday season where people will be buying PCs for gifts. But XP still has more than half the users, and will probably continue until it dies a slow death like Windows 98 did.

Keep in mind, these statistics are only what are reported by W3schools based on visitors to their webservers. This website has visitors who are mostly computer nerds who want to check the rules for making web pages, or to have their web pages validated. We might find different statistics from a large website that sells merchandise such as ebay, because the visitors will not be mostly computer geeks. Maybe the best way to forecast the future is to look at what is selling in the retail sector on new computers. It seems to me most new computers come with Vista or Windows 7 installed. It is interesting to note that Dell is selling a lot of new computers with Ubuntu Linux installed. This may be helping to drive the Linux usage up. With the worldwide recession, a free OS will lower the cost of a new computer to the consumer and attract more buyers. I suppose some people who buy new PCs with Linux will notice it is faster and more stable than the Windows they are used to. This could help future growth of Linux.

P.S. Roundy is good

Best wishes,
J_P

SVEN1

12-15-2009, 11:35 PM

By the way, Google Chrome is now available for Linux -> http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=linux&hl=en
I refuse to use Chrome, it is loaded with tracking features that report back to google every website you visit etc.

Love Ubuntu, 11 months now, don't miss Windows.

J_Player

12-16-2009, 01:16 AM

I refuse to use Chrome, it is loaded with tracking features that report back to google every website you visit etc.

Love Ubuntu, 11 months now, don't miss Windows.Hi SVEN1,
Many people refuse to use Chrome because of the tracking features. It constantly reports back to Google where you are surfing on the internet, and a lot of other private information. This is why I don't use it. Wouldn't it be good if you could use Chrome with the spy features removed?

Guess what... You can!

There is another version of Chrome available that uses the same open source browser engine, but the hidden "report back to Google" spy features have been removed. You can find the no-spy version for Linux here: http://www.srware.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=835
This version released on Sept. 8 is called SR-Ware Iron, and It has some plugins added for Linux that make it more functional than the original beta release.

Before you install the Iron browser, you may want to read the details of what spyware they removed from the same open-source browser engine that Google uses: http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php
You can also read their pages in German, which are a little clearer to understand than the English page translations.

You will see they have no spyware, and they are also using a newer version of the browser engine which is significantly faster than the Chrome browser uses. You can download the Iron browser for Windows, or Linux. The Windows version comes with a full plugin pack, and there is also a windows version that can be run from a flash memory stick that does not need installing. For linux, you must install the Iron browser, and not as many plugins are available. But the good news is Iron browser is fast, and no reporting any spy information from your PC.

You will find that Firefox works better than Iron or Chrome browser because Firefox does not have problems using plugins like Chrome and Iron do. I find a few web pages that have error messages with Iron browsr, but not with Firefox. Iron is still good for most web pages, and it is very fast browsing.

Best wishes,
J_P

SVEN1

12-16-2009, 03:23 AM

Will give it a try

SVEN1

12-16-2009, 03:42 AM

forgot how to install a tar file in Ubuntu, it's been about 7 months since I did one, usually use the repositories..
Thanks.

J_Player

04-03-2010, 11:48 AM

Ubuntu 10.04, is scheduled to be released this month. This is a long-term support release, which means that the focus during the current development cycle has largely been on stabilization and refining the existing technology. But the next release after 10.04 is destined to be a bit different than the usual releases.

The developers at Canonical have already started the process of planning for the next major release (Ubuntu 10.10), which is scheduled to arrive in October. We can expect to see a return to experimentation in the 10.10 release, with the potential for some radical changes.

Some of the most important goals include delivering a new Ubuntu Netbook Edition user interface, improving the Web experience, boosting startup performance, and extending social network integration on the desktop. They also hope to advance Ubuntu's cloud support by simplifying deployment and making it easier to manage cloud computing workloads.

Mark Shuttleworth at Canonical announced: "This is a time of change, and we're not afraid to surprise people with a bold move if the opportunity for dramatic improvement presents itself. We want to put Ubuntu and free software on every single consumer PC that ships from a major manufacturer, the ultimate maverick move".

Ubuntu 10.10 will coincide with the launch of GNOME 3, a major overhaul of the open source desktop environment that provides significant parts of the Ubuntu user experience. Shuttleworth's statements about bold moves and opportunities for dramatic improvement suggest that we could potentially see Ubuntu adopt the new GNOME Shell if it proves suitable. It's possible that we could also see the new default theme evolve and benefit from experimental features that were deferred during this cycle, such as RGBA colormaps and client-side window decorations.

The upcoming 10.04 release sounds impressive.
But what will they call it? Malodorous Mongoose? :eek:

Best wishes,
J_P

SVEN1

04-03-2010, 01:44 PM

http://lifehacker.com/5498799/first-look-at-ubuntu-1004-lucid-lynx-beta

Ubuntu 10.10 to be codenamed:

Maverick Meerkat
http://www.google.com/#q=ubuntu+10.10+release&hl=en&tbs=nws:1&tbo=u&ei=qDe3S9rAHMP98AbB-4WZDg&sa=X&oi=news_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CA4QsQQwAA&fp=bcdf8cbbf06dc4f

J_Player

04-04-2010, 03:39 AM

Hmmm...
In your link for Ubuntu 10.4, it says:
"One of the first things any user will notice in the pic above, whether new to Ubuntu or a veteran Linux user, is the button layout. Ubuntu 10.04, also known as "Lucid Lynx," has opted for a left-side, Mac-style lineup of maximize/restore, minimize, and close buttons, but switched around the order, so that the close/kill button is the right-most button on a left-hand button panel. That is certainly new, and will take some getting used to. An alpha-testing friend of mine said it took "a few hours" over one or two days to start using the buttons without thinking too much about it, but he still occasionally catches himself mousing toward the wrong side of a window. Time will tell whether this was a smart long-term move for Ubuntu." Getting used to a MAC style window layout? Ewwwwwwwww :barf:
And they are using colours that remind me of a colour called fuscia. I guess it's easy enough to change the default colors on the open windows.

But I am sure the new Ubuntu 10.10 that is scheduled for October will be much better. In fact they are calling it Maverick Meerkat.
If you look at the photo they posted of maverick meerkats, you can see they are busy eating the brains out of a pumpkin as we speak....
So we know there will be a lot of smart computing power in this build.

SVEN1

04-04-2010, 03:16 PM

I am waiting to upgrade from Ubuntu 8.10. Won't go to the 9.0 versions, too many problems. Thought about 10.04, hear there are still some problems. Will just wait until 10.10.

The color schemes don't really do it for me, so I switched to my custom themes and colors that make me happy.

I only have one major problem with Ubuntu 8.10 that I can't seem to get resolved even with posting at the Ubuntu forum----
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1442896

Any techies here have an answer?
==========================================
Help get DVD burners to work right
Still can't get Ubuntu 8.10 to burn CD or DVD dics. Doesn't matter what burner I use, tried them all.

The best I can with a couple per example K3b is to do a slow burn using a DVD disc at 4x. Appears to burn onto the disc. But, what is burned will not open, see pictures of disc contents and error messages.

Picture files show up blank on any viewer or photo editing program. Adobe cannot open .pdf. file, open office cannot open open office file
http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=151903&d=1269973834

http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=151904&d=1269973834http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=151905&d=1269973834

Qiaozhi

04-04-2010, 06:10 PM

SVEN1

04-05-2010, 02:55 AM

I am using the same specs as yours.
Brasero doesn't work either get the same or it errors and will not burn.
I have tried all the fixes people have used to try to get their burner to work. It's a common problem for many using Ubuntu.

Qiaozhi

04-05-2010, 09:57 AM

SVEN1

04-05-2010, 05:02 PM

Qiaozhi

04-05-2010, 06:07 PM

J_Player

04-06-2010, 06:53 AM

Custom built by myself

BIOSTAR T POWER I45 motherboard

MEMORY 2Gx2| OCZ OCZ2RPR10664GK R

ATI Radeon x1900xtx, Pci-E, 512 GDDR3

Antec earthwatts EA500 500W ATX12V v2.0 SLI Power supply

SAMSUNG HD642JJ 640GB Hard drive

2 DVD rewritable drives---Sony and Toshiba
================================================

Just wondering if the two drives hooked up together master/slave is the problem. But, it's the same drives in the same set up that I pulled
from my previous computer that worked fine with Windows XP. Had no problems burning the same DVD's or even making copies from one drive to the other.Hi SVEN1,
I am also running two drives in my distribution of Ubunu. I have a hand-built computer that is configured as a Windows system on the original drive. Then I added a second drive with the Linux OS. I use grub boot loader to choose whether I boot into Linux or Windows. When running Linux, the second drive is not a data disk, but it is accessable for retrieving data after entering the password.

I have never been able to operate my DVD drive correctly from Linux when using several different distributions of Ubuntu. But it works fine in Windows. In my case, I read where others had the same problem when using the same motherboard I have. I never bothered to figure out exactly what the problem was because it is easier to boot into Windows for DVD operations. But I suspect it is a driver problem or some conflict with the motherboard or bios and the Linux DVD drivers. I suppose it could also be a configuration problem, or even a hardware problem depending on the chipset and firmware of the DVD drives.

As I recall, there are other options for alternate Linux media software. Maybe there is another Linux driver set that would work better for the DVD drives.

Best wishes,
J_P