Dabbling with Linux. The good, the bad and the tuxy

**melvbot** · 13-05-2010, 03:16 AM

As I’ve started to use Linux on a desktop I’ve bought and a few people rumbled about a Linux thread but didnt start one

, here it is, a(nother) Linux thread.

The desktop Im running it on is a Dell Optiplex small looking thingy with a 2.6ghz Intel P4 processor and not very much RAM, an ideal candidate for experimenting with Linux.

So, what to expect from this thread? I’ve got a few favourite apps on my Macbook which Ive found/will be looking for on Linux and as Im sort of a new Linux user all the good and bad stuff I come across will get stuffed in here if I remember to keep it going.

To start I ran whats called a Live CD which is a fully working version of Linux but doesn’t actually get installed on the hard disk, its a great way of trying out a version of Linux or “distro” as they’re known without installing it over or next to your Windows/Mac system and getting in a mess. Distro is short for distribution as there are 100’s of different variations of Linux, Ubuntu being the most popular one at the mo.

I used the latest version of Ubuntu which you can find here Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu but there are loads of different variations you can try by having a quick look at DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD. which lists all the popular ones with links to the sites and plenty of info.

There are Live CD versions of most distro’s but I used a program here Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3 | USB Pen Drive Linux which will make a bootable version of Ubuntu/whatever and install it on a USB flash drive for you to play around with. You can just burn the Live CD to a CD/DVD as well if you don’t have a flash drive or if you still live in the 1980's

Most of the downloads will fit onto a 700mb CD. Nice and simple lemon squeezy and I’ll try and explain the whole process in a few posts time.

It can seem quite daunting to start as theres some geeky sounding terms that come with using Linux but I’ll try and explain them as simply and as clearly as possible, once you get your head round a few new terms and words you’ll find things a lot easier. Anyway, heres a few screenshots of what Ubuntu looks like to see if it takes your fancy before getting down to the nitty gritty of Live CD’s and installing it.

As you can see its pretty similar to the Windows Start menu where you navigate with the mouse by rolling over the menu and you get more options, better illustrated by this video with possibly the worst music for a demo of a computer system I've ever come across. I may be a bit of a geek but I pride myself on having a half decent taste in music.

**Gerbil** · 13-05-2010, 04:03 AM

Still not ready for the desktop then I see.

**melvbot** · 13-05-2010, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by Gerbil

Still not ready for the desktop then I see.

Ummm, not sure what you mean by that.

**Butterfly** · 13-05-2010, 06:48 AM

it's actually quite ready for the desktop IMO, but not for the majority of idiot users out there who don't seem to think outside MS or Apple,

Ubuntu has a nice version that can be installed on the top of your Windows NTFS partition, basically it's disk file being used for a boot. It's great, clean, and you won't fuck up any of your disk partition. It's also very easy to remove if you are fed up with Ubuntu and want to return to your reliable and usable WinXP

**harrybarracuda** · 13-05-2010, 01:56 PM

It's very easy, and it's called WUBI.

Wubi - Ubuntu Installer for Windows

Perhaps you should try it Gerbil? It might make you look less of a troll.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-05-2010, 01:59 PM

Oh, and if you have a Netbook, this is an excellent, and fast distro:

Netbook OS | Internet Operating System for Netbooks - EasyPeasy

**melvbot** · 13-05-2010, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

It's very easy, and it's called WUBI.

Wubi - Ubuntu Installer for Windows

Perhaps you should try it Gerbil? It might make you look less of a troll.

Cool, an easier way to try it out. I'll still waffle on about how to use the Live CD way for anyone who's interested

**Butterfly** · 13-05-2010, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Netbook OS | Internet Operating System for Netbooks - EasyPeasy

yes, nice link very useful. This is what computing should be about for the majority of users. An appliance.

Originally Posted by melvbot

Cool, an easier way to try it out. I'll still waffle on about how to use the Live CD way for anyone who's interested

I have it on my laptop, it's very fast. Earlier version had a few bugs that will make impossible to use, I suspect a bad NTFS driver. As for LIVE CD, they are nice, but it's more useful as a Rescue than anything else. The WUBI is absolutely fantastic.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-05-2010, 02:06 PM

No worries Melvbot, it's an excellent thread. I've been using Linux alongside Windows for a long time, so am more than willing to chip in.

My favourite distro was actually DreamLinux, but they seem to be a bit short of developers at the moment so it's stalled. I'm using PCLinuxOS2010.1 at the moment, dual booting with Win 7 on an ASUS eee.

Anyway, this area of the board is called "Computers can be Fun", so:

Linux: Install a million games in one click!

**slackula** · 13-05-2010, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by melvbot

heres a few screenshots of what Ubuntu looks like

Technically that is what the Ubuntu implementation of the Gnome desktop environment looks like.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-05-2010, 05:08 PM

Good point Slack, but it's worth telling the newbie that you can start off with a conventional looking desktop and then once you've lost your training wheels you can customise Linux anyway you like (and that includes making it look like a Mac or Vista if that rocks your boat - can't really see the point!).

**Cenovis** · 13-05-2010, 09:13 PM

Yes, Linux works fine till you want to connect to something exotic like your Nokia Mobile phone and then you are screwed. As long as its not fully plug and play like Windows I will not touch it. Why bother with it when you can buy Windows 7 for 400 baht.

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-05-2010, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Oh, and if you have a Netbook, this is an excellent, and fast distro:

Netbook OS | Internet Operating System for Netbooks - EasyPeasy

Is it worth trying on an old laptop? I fear the wireless card isn't supported though.

**slackula** · 13-05-2010, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I fear the wireless card isn't supported though.

Post the details of the wireless card.

**Fuzzy Bob** · 13-05-2010, 09:54 PM

I tried Ubnutu but there are too many glitches - sound & video problems for example which are left unresolved, no decent media player, you can download vlc amongst others but it's no KMPlayer

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-05-2010, 09:57 PM

Smc 2632w V2

**slackula** · 13-05-2010, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Smc 2632w V2

What distro and kernel version do you want to use this antique on?

**melvbot** · 13-05-2010, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

No worries Melvbot, it's an excellent thread. I've been using Linux alongside Windows for a long time, so am more than willing to chip in.

That might be handy as Im not dual booting and dont have much experience doing so with Linux/Windows.

**melvbot** · 14-05-2010, 12:39 AM

Lets assume you've got your Linux distro on your flash drive. What do you do with it now? Just plug it in and it just works?

Nope, it does need to be plugged into a USB port but you need to change the order that your computer looks where to boot from. You might have to watch your computer start a few times and look for the key to press on the black screen, its usually one of the keys like "press F2 to enter BIOS setup" but it can be different depending on which computer you're using.

There isnt a standard setup screen thats on every computer so you'll have to look for text relating to boot order, boot sequence etc.

How to change the boot sequence in the BIOS

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromCD

Might want to skip to about the 13 min mark to get to the part about BIOS

If its booted properly you should then have a prompt screen with a few options such as "try Ubuntu without any change to your computer" and others like "install to hard drive" select the run without changing anything and sit back.......

**Marmite the Dog** · 14-05-2010, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by slackula

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Smc 2632w V2

What distro and kernel version do you want to use this antique on?

EasyPeasy 1.6

**slackula** · 14-05-2010, 11:29 AM

I didn't know netbooks had a PCMCIA slot.

What does dmesg say when you plug it in?

**Butterfly** · 14-05-2010, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Smc 2632w V2

the older the device, the more likely it will be supported

the dev lib in most distro is huge, it will literally install on everything

try that with MacOS or Win7

**harrybarracuda** · 14-05-2010, 11:50 AM

Yes, Linux works fine till you want to connect to something exotic like your Nokia Mobile phone and then you are screwed. As long as its not fully plug and play like Windows I will not touch it. Why bother with it when you can buy Windows 7 for 400 baht.

Funny that.

Apart from

TuxMobil: Linux Applications for NOKIA Mobile (Cell) Phones

Nokia have their own Linux called Maemo.

Next?

I tried Ubnutu but there are too many glitches - sound & video problems for example which are left unresolved, no decent media player, you can download vlc amongst others but it's no KMPlayer

That is one downside of a free OS - support is sparse for old or obscure hardware. But if you post your sound and video card details we can take a look - generally the generic settings should work.

SMC fall into the category of old and obscure, I bought an SMC PCMCIA card and Vista simply didn't want to know about it.

**Marmite the Dog** · 14-05-2010, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by slackula

I didn't know netbooks had a PCMCIA slot.

I don't suppose they do. As I said before; I want to try it on an old laptop.

**slackula** · 14-05-2010, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

As I said before; I want to try it on an old laptop

Sorry, I didn't see that before.

EasyPeasy is designed specifically for Asus (?) netbooks so you'd probably be better off with a more general purpose distro for your laptop.

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