"Linux" anyone.....

[Serpo]

Sounds like they have come a long way........

http://lunaticoutpost.com/Topic-How-to-Install-a-Linux-Operating-System-on-your-PC

[mick silver]

nope but i was think about getting a bobcat

[Dogman]

Played with it in the past, good system for they that want to "tweak" and mess around, for sure better control, and does not have the super bloat of ms/crap. But it does lose, when it comes to overall plug and play, without tweaking.

Very solid op system, mostly very tight code, and not the diarrhea ms markets.

[chad]

does it still look like the interface was coded by a 12 year old with aspbergers & add?

[Dogman]

does it still look like the interface was coded by a 12 year old with aspbergers & add? Can not disagree, In many ways have gotten spoiled with "gui's" and am happy to stay away anymore from "command line" did my time with dos, and the shells of the past. Still have the 3.5 disks of near every window incarnation from the first 3.0 up nt 3.5. Fun times back in 3 or so mhz 10 to 20 mhz clocks. Linux gives control that they than need or want the control, I have not yet seen any Linux gui that I liked.

But Linux is for sure a class act when it comes to anything command line, just need to know the syntax and language. Had several machines that ran on "UNIX" that at one time I used to understand. Which linux is based on.

It is all in the open source bunch of great minds, make the flavors world class.

[ShortJohnSilver]

Linux Mint is a version of Linux that is pretty usable.

[vacuum]

I recommend having two laptops: one with windows, in case you need it for something, and one with linux, which is used for all web browsing and anything else that you're able to figure out. If you need to transfer files between the two, use dropbox or something similar (a usb stick can also work). Have the two laptops side-by-side on your desk, sort of like a dual-monitor setup.

[Hatha Sunahara]

I have nothing but good things to say about Linux Mint. I installed it on a netbook that had XP on it previously. My main computer is a desktop running Kubuntu. Mint is more user friendly than Kubuntu. The best thing about Linux is that you don't have to buy software to run on it. I think Microsoft is making a big mistake by ending support for Windows XP. I read that 29% of all Windows installed worldwide are Windows XP. If all those XP users discover either Ubuntu or Mint, then Microsoft's market share will start an irreversible slide.

And Vacuum--On my desktop computer with Kubuntu, I run Virtual Box, which allows me to run Windows XP simultaneously with Kubuntu on the same computer. I suppose that can be done on an adequately equipped single laptop as well.


Hatha

[Dogman]

I have nothing but good things to say about Linux Mint. I installed it on a netbook that had XP on it previously. My main computer is a desktop running Kubuntu. Mint is more user friendly than Kubuntu. The best thing about Linux is that you don't have to buy software to run on it. I think Microsoft is making a big mistake by ending support for Windows XP. I read that 29% of all Windows installed worldwide are Windows XP. If all those XP users discover either Ubuntu or Mint, then Microsoft's market share will start an irreversible slide.

And Vacuum--On my desktop computer with Kubuntu, I run Virtual Box, which allows me to run Windows XP simultaneously with Kubuntu on the same computer. I suppose that can be done on an adequately equipped single laptop as well.


Hatha

Your numbers could be very close. Xp is and still is a good system. Bar none..

Made the move to 7 and for this old man in training, am happy and will keep for life.

But for the ones that like to play, xp crap, tons of software written for it that did not make the jump.

Linux, I would tackle again, if I was maybe 20-30 or so younger, back when playing computer was cutting edge and hard ware was changing in a blink. Have storys. Still Linux is tops that want to have a very personal result using the "command line" Which in many ways is iirc, more robust than dos.

[monty]

I have been running Debian Linux since the Windows 95 days. I have one desktop that dual boots with Windows 7 only because I need Silverlite for one part of my business. I have used Kubuntu and Ubuntu, both derivitives of Debian Linux. But I prefer Debian. I love my Linux.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[Norweger]

They've come a long way in later years in terms of user friendliness. Recently the gaming platform called steam got ported for Linux, so more and more games become available for it as well, ensuring a stream of younger users. Ubuntu works pretty good from the get-go, but the GUI "unity" sucks. Only problem I've had so far is with drivers for my HP printer, everything else works just fine without the need for any drivers or tweaks.

[monty]

. Have storys. Still Linux is tops that want to have a very personal result using the "command line" Which in many ways is iirc, more robust than dos.

Dogman, you should try the newer releases of Linux, they are pretty much plug and play. Very seldom do I use command line any more. When I installed Debian 7.0 it loaded all the drivers, even the wireless card flawlessly. It will run out of the box without tweaking. Nothing like the old Debian 2.0 where it was hell to get a sound card to work

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[monty]

They've come a long way in later years in terms of user friendliness. Recently the gaming platform called steam got ported for Linux, so more and more games become available for it as well, ensuring a stream of younger users. Ubuntu works pretty good from the get-go, but the GUI "unity" sucks. Only problem I've had so far is with drivers for my HP printer, everything else works just fine without the need for any drivers or tweaks.

I have a Lexmark wireless printer on my home network. Works beautifully with CUPS. The linux drivers are on the Lexmark website. The Cannon was a different story, but I finally found custom (64 bit) drivers that solved the problem. The 32 bit drivers were readily available.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[Dogman]

I have been running Debian Linux since the Windows 95 days. I have one desktop that dual boots with Windows 7 only because I need Silverlite for one part of my business. I have used Kubuntu and Ubuntu, both derivitives of Debian Linux. But I prefer Debian. I love my Linux.

Sent from my iPad using Forum RunnerMonty I have never needed linux, my days of playing on a personal lever, moved on from the early days of messing with boxes. I just recognize as from, my experiance.

Anywhoo....I met a guy from Canada, that moved down to gladewater, ge interlogic plant that interduced me to Linus. His wife hated east texas, (did not blame her) she left took the kids, he stuck for abt 6 more months and booked.. He was a pure linux nut ant introduced me to the penguin. But I have never really invested any effort, was tired of command line crap,

Just back history of me..But that was in 1996 or so, did not care much of anything else than what I was doing at the time.

Tho unix I did as I said have played in the sandbox..

[monty]

Monty I have never needed linux, my days of playing on a personal lever, moved on from the early days of messing with boxes. I just recognize as from, my experiance. Anywhoo....I met a guy from Canada, that moved down to gladewater, ge interlogic plant that interduced me to Linus. His wife hated east texas, (did not blame her) she left took the kids, he stuck for abt 6 more months and booked.. He was a pure linux nut ant introduced me to the penguin. But I have never really invested any effort, was tired of command line crap, Just back history of me..But that was in 1996 or so, did not care much of anything else than what I was doing at the time. Tho unix I did as I said have played in the sandbox..

It was about 1996 when I was using Quicken software with Netscape Navigator as a web browser. The next Quicken upgrade said I must use Internet Explorer. Well I resent being told I can't use this or that so I hacked into the program and got Netscape to work as my browser of choice. The next release Micro$oft came out with the Windows 95 and the new Quicken wouldn't work with Netscape Navigator. My son told me about linux. I downloaded the boot discs and installed linux by hand. I managed to learn to use It and after about six months managed to get X window installed and working. Quicken and Micro$oft told me what I must do, I told them to kiss my a$$ and haven't looked back since. I use gnucash for my accounting software and libreoffice for a word processor.

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[Dogman]

It was about 1996 when I was using Quicken software with Netscape Navigator as a web browser. The next Quicken upgrade said I must use Internet Explorer. Well I resent being told I can't use this or that so I hacked into the program and got Netscape to work as my browser of choice. The next release Micro$oft came out with the Windows 95 and the new Quicken wouldn't work with Netscape Navigator. My son told me about linux. I downloaded the boot discs and installed linux by hand. I managed to learn to use It and after about six months managed to get X window installed and working. Quicken and Micro$oft told me what I must do, I told them to kiss my a$$ and haven't looked back since. I use gnucash for my accounting software and libreoffice for a word processor.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner Have to post this and edit, I still have abt 6 Netscape navigators t's with the light house on the back, with the logo on the front..done wore one out. but still have 6 that well..

had to post, not finished with your post in this thread. Net scape was prime back then, one had netscape ifirc or ie or having a major mind lock, huge ...It will come to me, no joke I have not thought of this crap in more than some here reading this have lived,

the first internet "gated community" crist on a cruch ,,, america on line, along with geni, and others...break..need to read the rest of your post, never messed with quicken..Some swear, and some curse..

Dial up, 300 baud , less or more, 1440 think was when single line dial up maxed.

[monty]

Have to post this and edit, I still have abt 6 Netscape navigators t's with the light house on the back, with the logo on the front..done wore one out. but still have 6 that well.. had to post, not finished with your post in this thread. Net scape was prime back then, one had netscape ifirc or ie or having a major mind lock, huge ...It will come to me, no joke I have not thought of this crap in more than some here reading this have lived, the first internet "gated community" crist on a cruch ,,, america on line, along with geni, and others...break..need to read the rest of your post, never messed with quicken..Some swear, and some curse.. Dial up, 300 baud , less or more, 1440 think was when single line dial up maxed.

Compuserve on a 300 baud modem! It was when Windows 95b (Windows 95 OSR2) came out with active x and Quicken's next upgrade required active x which the Netscape Navigator didn't have that I switched to linux. I remember the first 1440 modems. We' e come a long way since those days.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[Dogman]

Compuserve on a 300 baud modem! It was when Windows 95b (Windows 95 OSR2) came out with active x and Quicken's next upgrade required active x which the Netscape Navigator didn't have that I switched to linux. I remember the first 1440 modems. We' e come a long way since those days. I do know I switched to firefox from netscape, I have never liked or trusted Ie..to this day..

Hell I use 7 as an op system, but that is all.

Nuff said

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner He he brother, yes we have , now we have


Magic!

I forgot CompuServe, think I still have the setup disks for both aol, which was a huge setup ifirc and compsev which not so much.. dial up, crap major bucks, depending..

But aol at the time and probably onward, seeing I never was one to be 'gated" which is why I went and rejoiced Netscape navigator. for sever generations until it started to get bloated.want to say in the 1990's Mid ? not sure can not remember or so, But my brain , every now and then needs to be squeezed out so I can accept new stuff ,, out with the old , in with then new..heheh.

Blast from the past..

Cpm..dos..windows.etc. ets.

Night and Kudos in life.

Quit editing these posts,

Note, think someone is having fun..anyond replying quot the one replying.

Paranoia, can rub off

[Norweger]

I have a Lexmark wireless printer on my home network. Works beautifully with CUPS. The linux drivers are on the Lexmark website. The Cannon was a different story, but I finally found custom (64 bit) drivers that solved the problem. The 32 bit drivers were readily available.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

I could not get CUPS to work because it wanted a username and pass other the usual, but i got the printer working. I think it was as easy as removing it and then adding it again.

[monty]

I could not get CUPS to work because it wanted a username and pass other the usual, but i got the printer working. I think it was as easy as removing it and then adding it again.

In the later releases of CUPS many of the operations such as adding and configuring printers now require the root password. That changed was implimented a couple of years ago.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[Norweger]

Felt pretty good about myself after managing to get the printer to work once again after some trouble, then today ubuntu can't even find the damn thing. Tried the same process with removing everything and then installing it again, but no. Doesn't even show up under "printers" this time.

[JohnQPublic]

I have used Linux to save an older PC. I am running Kubuntu 12 (32 bit) on a Pentium dual processor with 4 Gb ram. We use it as a second computer. It works fine.

[PatColo]

Germany's gov was also designing it's own OS...


China will move to Linux by 2020 in 'de-Windowsifying' process (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2378820/china-will-move-to-linux-by-2020-in-de-windowsifying-process)

http://sqwabb.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/win8-china.jpg (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2378820/china-will-move-to-linux-by-2020-in-de-windowsifying-process)


CHINA HAS DISCLOSED plans to move its systems to a state-endorsed version of Linux by 2020.

The Red State, which earlier this year denounced Microsoft Windows 8 as a spyware tool on the lunchtime news (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2348456/china-lambasts-windows-8-saying-it-steals-data), has been developing its own flavour of Linux (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2345814/china-says-an-emphatic-no-to-windows-8), based in part on an earlier attempt based on Ubuntu, called Kylin.


'NeoKylin', as the OS is understood to be called, is already due to appear on a range of Dell machines manufactured for the
Chinese market.


It has now been confirmed that Professor Ni Guangnan, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has designed a rollout programme that has been passed by the government and will see all government servers, mainframes and individual machines being replaced.

***Read full article here*** (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2378820/china-will-move-to-linux-by-2020-in-de-windowsifying-process)

[JohnQPublic]

I was talking to an expert in clusters. He does not even take Windows seriously for something like that. Linux is today what Unix was 20 years ago. For any kind of performance computing, I think Linux is the only choice (as well as the few remaining Unix distributions).

[Glass]

Interesting to see the discussion on CUPS back in March. Did not see that before. Tried getting that running myself but gave up. Last week or so I find myself back at the same place. might need to have another stab at it. we'll see. I think Linux is a viable alternative for some as a desktop. Without the install and config method they use now I would struggle to get a linux computer going.

[ShortJohnSilver]

I was talking to an expert in clusters. He does not even take Windows seriously for something like that. Linux is today what Unix was 20 years ago. For any kind of performance computing, I think Linux is the only choice (as well as the few remaining Unix distributions).

I agree. Windows is trying to have some clustering stuff, but the performance is just not there, unless you want to run Windows VMs.

[PatColo]

Jim Stone: http://jimstonefreelance.com


Linux Mint/Ubuntu are PERFECTLY HACKED You may not want to believe this, but it is absolutely true. Yesterday, when I was doing the report about how to shut Ferguson down, they used remote desktop access on Linux Mint Maya LIVE to perform the web site hacks. I have not looked into what Linux Mint is supposed to have or allow, but I can flatly state with absolute certainty that they had remote desktop access IN FULL, and always do when I log on, they proved it yesterday.

The myth: Running linux live keeps you safe. Reality: Linux was rewritten by funding from Microsoft in 2007 as a "charity" from Bill Gates. Prior to this, the program size was small. After this, it was over 700 megs which is an awful lot of code to audit, even if it is open source.

FACT: I have paid attention to people who have claimed they were going to audit all 700 plus megs in current Linux distros and watched their web sites. The audits never get completed and the web sites just go stale. I beg to question WHY.



FACT: Yesterday, when running Mint Maya 14 live, it was obvious someone had remote desktop access. This is because the first iteration of yesterday's Ferguson report was complete, ready to be posted and it highlighted itself and deleted itself right in front of me. I watched it happen. It highlighted green and vanished. None of the other front page text vanished along with it, only that report vanished. This could only happen if someone highlighted it via remote desktop access and wiped it while I was running live from CD, which is supposed to be totally immune to hacks. This proves beyond all doubt that NSA hackware is built into Linux Mint Maya and resident on the live CD.



That was not the only hack that happened over that report. I had the current version completely rewritten and already posted on the web site, was making small changes, and on my desktop the entire front page of the web site highlighted and deleted itself in the editor and if I had hit save, even the current report would have vanished. Another hack (which caused me to wipe the entire front page myself) put about 80 K of machine code into the web page below where I could see it in the editor, and when I hit save the front page of the web site began behaving strangely so rather than pick through it all to fix it, I deleted the entire front page and posted the re-typed Ferguson report from back up. That is why the page looked the way it did yesterday, I wiped it to protect people who hit the site and had to do it quick because thousands of people hit this site in a very short time (I knew the page was whacked and could not waste time fixing it while people got nailed by whatever that code was.)


What does this say? Well, they hate the topic of Israeli trained police being put in place to prevent righteous backlash from the American people over all the damage the Jews have done to this country, and the fact that Ferguson is the new staging ground for police state tyranny. They hate that topic so much that they were willing to blow a huge linux secret - that Linux live, running from a burned disk has built in remote desktop access an intelligence agency can use to rape your machine at will. THAT would be a huge secret to throw away, would it not?



I am sure a well trusted debunker is going to call B.S. on this and say, LINUX IS OPEN SOURCE, ANYONE CAN AUDIT IT, THIS CANNOT BE TRUE, JIM STONE IS FULL OF BEANS. My response? Why have all the people who have claimed they were going to audit the whole thing from start to finish mysteriously gone silent?


Here is the problem with Linux now - lots of distros exceed a gig. And back in 1993, I had the entire New Testament on a searchable 1.44 meg floppy that also had on that same floppy the application that tied it all together. How many New Testaments are in a gig then? How could anyone audit that when it is all program code and not just simple reading? Linux will NOT be audited. Anyone who tries will take years on a single distro and die in the process, the NSA will never allow it to happen.


Yesterday I had it proven to me that Linux Live, (at least all Ubuntu derivatives) are NSA hackware that is as barn door open as anything from Microsoft. A computer will not highlight and delete its own screen by itself, and in this case it was not me. WHO DID IT THEN?

[mick silver]

http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/daily-cartoon-122314-rickroll-2-690.jpg

[Hillbilly]

Jim Stone: http://jimstonefreelance.com


Linux Mint/Ubuntu are PERFECTLY HACKED You may not want to believe this, but it is absolutely true. Yesterday, when I was doing the report about how to shut Ferguson down, they used remote desktop access on Linux Mint Maya LIVE to perform the web site hacks. I have not looked into what Linux Mint is supposed to have or allow, but I can flatly state with absolute certainty that they had remote desktop access IN FULL, and always do when I log on, they proved it yesterday.

The myth: Running linux live keeps you safe. Reality: Linux was rewritten by funding from Microsoft in 2007 as a "charity" from Bill Gates. Prior to this, the program size was small. After this, it was over 700 megs which is an awful lot of code to audit, even if it is open source.

FACT: I have paid attention to people who have claimed they were going to audit all 700 plus megs in current Linux distros and watched their web sites. The audits never get completed and the web sites just go stale. I beg to question WHY.



FACT: Yesterday, when running Mint Maya 14 live, it was obvious someone had remote desktop access. This is because the first iteration of yesterday's Ferguson report was complete, ready to be posted and it highlighted itself and deleted itself right in front of me. I watched it happen. It highlighted green and vanished. None of the other front page text vanished along with it, only that report vanished. This could only happen if someone highlighted it via remote desktop access and wiped it while I was running live from CD, which is supposed to be totally immune to hacks. This proves beyond all doubt that NSA hackware is built into Linux Mint Maya and resident on the live CD.



That was not the only hack that happened over that report. I had the current version completely rewritten and already posted on the web site, was making small changes, and on my desktop the entire front page of the web site highlighted and deleted itself in the editor and if I had hit save, even the current report would have vanished. Another hack (which caused me to wipe the entire front page myself) put about 80 K of machine code into the web page below where I could see it in the editor, and when I hit save the front page of the web site began behaving strangely so rather than pick through it all to fix it, I deleted the entire front page and posted the re-typed Ferguson report from back up. That is why the page looked the way it did yesterday, I wiped it to protect people who hit the site and had to do it quick because thousands of people hit this site in a very short time (I knew the page was whacked and could not waste time fixing it while people got nailed by whatever that code was.)


What does this say? Well, they hate the topic of Israeli trained police being put in place to prevent righteous backlash from the American people over all the damage the Jews have done to this country, and the fact that Ferguson is the new staging ground for police state tyranny. They hate that topic so much that they were willing to blow a huge linux secret - that Linux live, running from a burned disk has built in remote desktop access an intelligence agency can use to rape your machine at will. THAT would be a huge secret to throw away, would it not?



I am sure a well trusted debunker is going to call B.S. on this and say, LINUX IS OPEN SOURCE, ANYONE CAN AUDIT IT, THIS CANNOT BE TRUE, JIM STONE IS FULL OF BEANS. My response? Why have all the people who have claimed they were going to audit the whole thing from start to finish mysteriously gone silent?


Here is the problem with Linux now - lots of distros exceed a gig. And back in 1993, I had the entire New Testament on a searchable 1.44 meg floppy that also had on that same floppy the application that tied it all together. How many New Testaments are in a gig then? How could anyone audit that when it is all program code and not just simple reading? Linux will NOT be audited. Anyone who tries will take years on a single distro and die in the process, the NSA will never allow it to happen.


Yesterday I had it proven to me that Linux Live, (at least all Ubuntu derivatives) are NSA hackware that is as barn door open as anything from Microsoft. A computer will not highlight and delete its own screen by itself, and in this case it was not me. WHO DID IT THEN?

I've believed for a while now that microsoft must have infiltrated Ubuntu because it did get super bloated and started running like shit, I went back to running 10.10 but now I cant view youtube or other videos but it does run much faster.

[PatColo]

^ so what's the flavor to get now, which gets good reviews AND isn't "bloated" aka compromised?

I went with ubuntu 14.04 64-bit last summer; and was impressed on the one hand with its "windoze-like" ease of installation, modern interface, etc.

Skype (read: msft) for ubuntu was a disappointment; opens everything (concurrent chats, user profiles, etc) in separate windows rather than integrated into one window ala the MS-windoze version; and the smiley animation needed to be left turned off (as it is set by default when you install it... seemed odd to me at the time but I turned the animation on and...), otherwise they suck up all the processor time for some reason, and make skype run unbearably slow (IE letters you type don't appear in the compose box for several seconds, ditto for everything, changing windows, calling up menus, etc :( ).

Skype offers a version for 5 linux dist's:



Ubuntu 12.04 (multi-arch) & 10.04 32-bit;
Debian 7 (multiarch);
Fedora 16 32-bit;
OpenSUSE 12.1 32-bit;
Dynamic


^ a little birdie tells me, MSFT/Skype limits skype to those linux flavors coz they're sufficiently compromised? I wouldn't want to be without skype... :-[

And I hate to say, despite unix/Linux rep for "stability", I had the thing freeze/stop-responding on me more times then I could count, forcing a hard reboot, which I understand normally costs you a few HD clusters or some shit? Well, after around 3 months running only ubuntu (no dual boot...), one day powering on the laptop (new in July) lead straight to the BIOS... in short, BIOS couldn't "see" the HD, coz the HD was wasted, and needed replacement; and I suspect the 2-3 hard reboots a week had everything to do with that??

I upgraded to ubuntu 14.10 a couple weeks ago when it came out; and was immediately finding bugs. Now I'm having an issue I'm too lazy to describe in proper detail, but safe to say, I'm considering going back to win-7, with all the security/privacy browser add-ons.... in hindsight, that was a good setup.... and I may just have to suck-up being "open as a barn door" to NSA & friends. Well if JStone is correct above, I've been wide open with ubuntu the whole time anyways! :(

[monty]

Running Linux from a live cd probably has the Remote Desktop packages installed. It probably has most of the tcp/udp services enabled too.

I have run Debian Linux since the second release of windows 95. I install my distro from the servers. I select only the packages I will be using. I shutdown the services I don't need or use. I update my system every few days with the new security updates.

Ubuntu is a derivative of Debian, but runs on the unstable Debian releases which gives it faster performance and some bells and whistles Debian stable doesn't have. Because Ubuntu is running on reaelse's that are not yet included in Debian stable it has bugs and security issues not found in the stable release.

No computer system is completely secure or unhackable. But if you do the security updates and turn of the running services you don't use Linux is still more secure and is more stable than windows.

Read these links for more insight on Linux security:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2859122/your-linux-pc-isnt-as-secure-as-you-think-it-is.html


http://www.tecmint.com/linux-server-hardening-security-tips/

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[monty]

More security information for the technical folks:

https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/securing-debian-howto/

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[steyr_m]

Been using Linux since about 97. It was my primary OS as soon as I was very comfy with it, and more especially, when my interest in gaming waned.

Linux is more secure than any M$ product. I think FreeBSD, or better yet, NetBSD are more secure than Linux.

I started using SuSE in the 03-04 time-frame and continue to use it now [but as openSuSE 13.1]. What burns my bacon is when I say that I'm a linux user and they'll say, "Which version of Ubuntu are you using?" [I've never used it, you retard]

[Shami-Amourae]

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit is currently the best OS available as I type this.

Then again I'm a video game developer and PC gamer so that works best for me. Your needs are your own.

[steyr_m]

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit is currently the best OS available as I type this.

Then again I'm a video game developer and PC gamer so that works best for me. Your needs are your own.

What do you think of Valve's Steam?. Again, I'm not a gamer, so I don't really care. I think competition is a good thing... and if there is more things that makes M$ work harder to stay on top [as a gaming platform] everyone wins

[Shami-Amourae]

https://images.encyclopediadramatica.se/thumb/b/b4/Gabencorner.png/250px-Gabencorner.png

I use/play Steam religiously. I absolutely love it. I've played with a forum member here too.

There's a competition with EA's Origin and both companies give away games for free and do insane deals. Steam has awesome Summer and Winter sales where you can get games from 25-95% off. I'll get fairly new games for just dollars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUo1PgKksgw

All Hail the Gabe! Here's a literal meme.
(https://encyclopediadramatica.se/Gabe_Newell)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr2GdRBDOmU

http://www.adamr.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/gaben.jpg

[Hillbilly]

^ so what's the flavor to get now, which gets good reviews AND isn't "bloated" aka compromised?

I went with ubuntu 14.04 64-bit last summer; and was impressed on the one hand with its "windoze-like" ease of installation, modern interface, etc.

Skype (read: msft) for ubuntu was a disappointment; opens everything (concurrent chats, user profiles, etc) in separate windows rather than integrated into one window ala the MS-windoze version; and the smiley animation needed to be left turned off (as it is set by default when you install it... seemed odd to me at the time but I turned the animation on and...), otherwise they suck up all the processor time for some reason, and make skype run unbearably slow (IE letters you type don't appear in the compose box for several seconds, ditto for everything, changing windows, calling up menus, etc :( ).

Skype offers a version for 5 linux dist's:



Ubuntu 12.04 (multi-arch) & 10.04 32-bit;
Debian 7 (multiarch);
Fedora 16 32-bit;
OpenSUSE 12.1 32-bit;
Dynamic


^ a little birdie tells me, MSFT/Skype limits skype to those linux flavors coz they're sufficiently compromised? I wouldn't want to be without skype... :-[

And I hate to say, despite unix/Linux rep for "stability", I had the thing freeze/stop-responding on me more times then I could count, forcing a hard reboot, which I understand normally costs you a few HD clusters or some shit? Well, after around 3 months running only ubuntu (no dual boot...), one day powering on the laptop (new in July) lead straight to the BIOS... in short, BIOS couldn't "see" the HD, coz the HD was wasted, and needed replacement; and I suspect the 2-3 hard reboots a week had everything to do with that??

I upgraded to ubuntu 14.10 a couple weeks ago when it came out; and was immediately finding bugs. Now I'm having an issue I'm too lazy to describe in proper detail, but safe to say, I'm considering going back to win-7, with all the security/privacy browser add-ons.... in hindsight, that was a good setup.... and I may just have to suck-up being "open as a barn door" to NSA & friends. Well if JStone is correct above, I've been wide open with ubuntu the whole time anyways! :(

Ubuntu used to be great, been using it for a couple of years now but it is really dodgy on the new releases and bloated worse than Oprah, was going to run linux mint until I read this thread, don't know where I'll go now, I'm not tech savy but I'm not stupid enough to keep giving Bill Gates my money either.

[steyr_m]

On the post that Pat Colo made that you quoted, there were some of the biggies. Of those try, Fedora, openSuSE, and Debian. Get a spare machine if you have one [or borrow one] Try some common admin tasks, see which is the best. Other good ones are Mint, Arch and CentOS.

What sold me on openSuSE was yast -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YaST

[steyr_m]

I use/play Steam religiously. I absolutely love it. I've played with a forum member here too.

Since there is Steam for Linux, I may start gaming again...

[Shami-Amourae]

Since there is Steam for Linux, I may start gaming again...

Some games are cross platform too.

[Serpo]

Yes my appetite for gaming waned some time ago ................

My niece is a gaming expert reviewer........

[sorryjoker]

I didn't like it at all.. :/

[monty]

If you were going to put together a new Linux desktop what componets would you suggest, ie: motherboard, graphics card, ram, cpu (amd) etc?

[JohnQPublic]

If you were going to put together a new Linux desktop what componets would you suggest, ie: motherboard, graphics card, ram, cpu (amd) etc?

What do you want to do with it?

If I were puttng together a new system, to be honest, I would probably go with Windows (unless I wanted to build a number crunching cluster or a server of some type, but I am talking about home use). I tend to use Linux to extend the life of older systems. Then again if you really like Linux, it has gotten pretty good overall, and you can get most if not all your software from free (you can do that with Windows also, other than Windows).

[Glass]

Ubuntu desktop is very good these days. The installer is straight forward and makes it as simple as installing windows. There is enough software out there now to make it quite usable.

I think Asus brand is good and reliable. Other brands might include more cutting edge fruit but they're still up there.
Gigabyte also proven reliable to me. More fruit usually.
AMD or intel? There are more mainboards supporting intel CPU. AMD often gives more tweaking options.
I run AMD for some and its reliable but so is intel. I bought on price a long time ago. Not sure there's much in it these days.
Graphics unless you are gaming I'd go middle of the road model. Best bang for buck. Again Gigabyte or Asus are good.

HDD. Still not trusting solid state. Like things that spin. Used seagate and WD. Both good. Get as much as you can afford. BUT disk makers have many level of drives. Entry level through to business grade. Look at the warranty offered. This is how long the drive is good for - FACT. If 1 year expect no more. If 3 years warranty should last that long. If you get more great, otherwise do backups.

If you can split Os and files onto different physical drives also good to do.

RAM. get a reputable brand. Kingston or Corsair are 2 options. Again like HDD, you get strictly what you pay for.

Do you need a full blown PC? There are a lot of options now for basic computing through to the power stuff. Tablets, laptops, stick PC's if requirements are really basic - browsing or streaming - intel compute stick or rickomagic MkV for example . intel NUC's - just add hard drive small PC.

I do searches on best pc spec/specification for gaming PC or graphic or 3d or music production etc. Look for recent forum discussion or article and go from there.

[monty]

I won't use windows anything. I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 that I instaled linux on. I have replced the keyboard and the mousepad. It is still working well. Also I have a Dell Hybrid 140g that the hard drive may be getting ready to die. I used to assemble my own boxes then load linux on them. When Dell began selling pc's cheaper than I could buy componnents I bought the 2 I have now and loaded Linux on them. I only use them for home use.

Now I am about to lose a hard drive I am toying with the idea of assembling another desktop from components. It has been about 10 years since I bought any pc stuff. Technology has left me behind

[Dogman]

Tried it long ago, still have the disk here somewhere, what doomed it for me at the time was it did not recognize my 1x speed CD ROM at the time! Tried again a few years ago, but by then brain cells that used to love programming must have fled me! Besides have used micro crap of every flavor from the first edition till now, cussing them/it all the way!

Go figure!

[JohnQPublic]

I won't use windows anything. I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 that I instaled linux on. I have replced the keyboard and the mousepad. It is still working well. Also I have a Dell Hybrid 140g that the hard drive may be getting ready to die. I used to assemble my own boxes then load linux on them. When Dell began selling pc's cheaper than I could buy componnents I bought the 2 I have now and loaded Linux on them. I only use them for home use.

Now I am about to lose a hard drive I am toying with the idea of assembling another desktop from components. It has been about 10 years since I bought any pc stuff. Technology has left me behind

In that case, I would go for an Intel i7 system (regardless of whether you go Linux or Windows). You could look into multi-CPU (each CPU is quad core if you get the right ones). The next level up is Xeon, but that gets pricey, and is really no longer a "home" system. For home-use 8 Gb RAM is plenty, but I would probably go up to 16 Gb. I would also go with a 128 Gb or 256 Gb flash drive, plus perhaps a terabyte or so normal hard drive as a second drive. I would try and go all Intel boards, but there may be better out there (I am not sure). The graphics card is the next important thing. If you want to run any professional graphics based programs (like Solidworks for example), be sure to get a professional graphics card (not a gaming card) that supports OpenGL and other standards. If you are not going to run professional graphics based programs, then any good gaming card would be fine. You could probably have someone build it for you for $100-200 over the cost of the components.

I just put together specs on a laptop for my kids who will be studying engineering, and I had to go to a mobile workstation to meet all the specs. The graphics card was the most important consideration (RAM is obvious, and a SS-drive helps also). Mobile workstations are less glamorous then some of the newer offerings, but they have the horse[power needed to do the job. I would hate to buy a really cool portable computer-tablet combo that 1-2 years from now could not run Solidworks or other programs needed in engineering (there are computer labs on campus, but sometimes it helps to have your own copy and student versions are pretty cheap).

[gunDriller]

I just put together specs on a laptop for my kids who will be studying engineering, and I had to go to a mobile workstation to meet all the specs. The graphics card was the most important consideration (RAM is obvious, and a SS-drive helps also). Mobile workstations are less glamorous then some of the newer offerings, but they have the horse[power needed to do the job. I would hate to buy a really cool portable computer-tablet combo that 1-2 years from now could not run Solidworks or other programs needed in engineering (there are computer labs on campus, but sometimes it helps to have your own copy and student versions are pretty cheap).


I run Solidworks on an HP Envy (sort of Cheap) laptop. i7 processor (4 core 8 thread), 8 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, with the 17 inch 1080p screen.

Cost about $950 2 years ago, about the same price today.


Normally, the workstation graphics is just a CHA-CHING moment for the seller.

You don't need it.

I have had the Le Primo ATI FireGL video cards purchased for me by employers.

And then used medium fast gaming cards at home.

Never noticed a difference.


When I recommend gaming cards for CAD, it's with a caveat ... you wait a year and buy the best,
most stable, according to user feedback (e.g. at Newegg or Zio-Anandtech.)

I have an nVidia (sort of garden variety) in the laptop, "630M" I think. Plenty good for 100 part+ models with industrial-strength detail.


One possible example of where you might need that extra video card horsepower is when you are working on a large model with a team, and parts count is getting into the thousands.

Maybe one of the young CAD students in your family would like the 3D model library at
http://www.traceparts.com/

Basically most manufacturers are putting CAD models of their products on-line. Probably millions of models there, detailed and accurate. :)

[Jewboo]

I started using SuSE in the 03-04 time-frame and continue to use it now .




https://forums.opensuse.org/forumdisplay.php/669-Applications







:rolleyes: [B]forum of the frustrated...lol.

[PatColo]

I dumped Ubuntu Linux from my Asus laptop about last Jan. It just wasn't stable, crashed maybe 3-4 times a week, forcing a hard reboot. I seldom reboot the box without a reason, or when I take it somewhere. The ubuntu crashing cost me a hard disk, around $60 for a 500 GB toshiba drive, installed... maybe encrypting the old HD played some role in the crashes? I encrypted the new HD too, and when it was still crashing routinely, I reformatted and installed windoze 7 ultimate, & firefox with several privacy add-ons. I hate to give windoze credit, but it's very stable now.

[Ares]

I dumped Ubuntu Linux from my Asus laptop about last Jan. It just wasn't stable, crashed maybe 3-4 times a week, forcing a hard reboot. I seldom reboot the box without a reason, or when I take it somewhere. The ubuntu crashing cost me a hard disk, around $60 for a 500 GB toshiba drive, installed... maybe encrypting the old HD played some role in the crashes? I encrypted the new HD too, and when it was still crashing routinely, I reformatted and installed windoze 7 ultimate, & firefox with several privacy add-ons. I hate to give windoze credit, but it's very stable now.

Give Linux Mint a try. They are proving to be better than ubuntu. Better GUI and extremely stable. I had my 60GH Bitcoin miner running that for months without a single hiccup. The only time it went down was when I lost power during a thunderstorm. Booted back up and went right back to mining without a hitch.

[Jewboo]

windoze 7 ultimate, & firefox with several privacy add-ons. I hate to give windoze credit, but it's very stable now.



That's exactly how I will continue to roll. Windows 7 will be supported until 2020.


:D Linux blows...lol.

[Shami-Amourae]

Almost everyone I know in the video game making industry (basically were I work) uses Windows 7 64 Ultimate.

People are making high end computers and using that still to this day. It's by far the most stable and best operating system to date.

My rig can run anything at full settings without a hiccup.

People who use Macs are just SJW hipsters. They say "It runs the video fast". Like somehow it's special since it also runs Photoshop and Quicktime player. I don't think Mac users realize computers are capable than more than that.

Linux only makes sense if you're on an extreme budget or running servers.

[EE_]

Windows 10 anyone?

[Glass]

happy to be able to skip 8. not sure I like what I'm hearing about 10.

[Ares]

People who use Macs are just SJW hipsters. They say "It runs the video fast". Like somehow it's special since it also runs Photoshop and Quicktime player. I don't think Mac users realize computers are capable than more than that.

Most Mac users also don't realize that all Mac hardware since 2007 is now intel based (Just like PC's). So no difference with their intel counterparts other than the almost double price you pay for the same hardware that has a stupid Mac logo on it.


Linux only makes sense if you're on an extreme budget or running servers.

Or if you're security minded and don't like having an NSA backdoor into your personal computer then Linux is also good for that since the source code is open source and is openly reviewed often.

[PatColo]

Or if you're security minded and don't like having an NSA backdoor into your personal computer then Linux is also good for that since the source code is open source and is openly reviewed often.

Not sure where the thread went now, but Jim Stone had a report saying (ubuntu by name) is blatantly compromised by the spooks now. This after his ubuntu box was plainly getting remote controlled before his eyes.. He also noted how bloated it'd gotten, in terms of the MB size of the OS.

[Ares]

Not sure where the thread went now, but Jim Stone had a report saying (ubuntu by name) is blatantly compromised by the spooks now. This after his ubuntu box was plainly getting remote controlled before his eyes.. He also noted how bloated it'd gotten, in terms of the MB size of the OS.

I've seen threads about that on the internet by Jim Stone claiming that Mint and Ubuntu are compromised. I'll admit I have not taken the time to audit the multi-million lines of source code that are in those distributions, I'd lean more towards a trojan (Yes Linux can get infected by virus, malware, trojans just like Windows and Macs) than the entire OS compromised.

Jim Stone also claimed that intel chips were NSA compromised. Not discounting them but you would need an SOC (System On a Chip) in order to remote in. CPU's do instruction sets at a very basic level. It would need to go out and "advertise" to somewhere what it's IP address is. What instruction set would that be using? They only have so much space on dies to program instruction sets for it's current task.

You would see people reporting firewall statistics of their computers attempting to go to such and such location. I've got my own firewall setup behind my NAT where I get a weekly report of the IP addresses my computer attempted to go too. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has set that up. You also cannot hide that traffic through encapsulation as the router / firewall needs to know where the destination is.

Without going through the complete source code (which I admit I'll never have the time to do) I don't think the Linux distros are compromised and lean more towards Occam's razor in this instance.. (That Jim's machine was infected).

[Glass]

I think Jim's comments on Ubuntu are realistic. I don't know how to confirm or deny it. It's reasonable that if it were poorly configured with extraneous services it could be easily compromised remotely. I think these Linuxes have matured now to a point where for simple use they are capable. Browsing, blogging, writing, corresponding they can do it reliably. If you are a web site designer builder database maker they can be useful as a development platform. Graphic and 3d design software is improving. They are more than competent at media streaming, file stores.

I like the idea of those $9 PCs where you can make something very focused in purpose for a very low cost. I guess that is what the project is about. You can get very focused linux distributions to fit that purpose giving you more efficiency.

Jims comments on Intel Chips relates to some of their server platforms IIRC. They deploy additional PowerPc based computer on a board which runs independent of the server and I think has a separate off line power source. No indication it is deployed for regular PC's.

[gunDriller]

When I try to move much content (1 TB+) from a Win7-64 system to a WinXP-64 or Ubuntu system,
I get lots of "file-name-too-long/ path-too-long" type messages.

I looked for a file/path name shortener.

Found "Ant Renamer".


Can anybody suggest a file/path name shortener, to run on Windows 7, to clean up back-ups that I'm trying to transfer to another system ?

[Glass]

Don't know if this is the cure to a problem or not. Sounds good, but one relies on the other.

How Debian Is Trying to Shut Down the CIA and Make Software Trustworthy Again
In response to the Snowden revelation that the CIA compromised Apple developers' build process, thus enabling the government to insert backdoors at compile time without developers realizing, Debian, the world's largest free software project, has embarked on a campaign to to prevent just such attacks. Debian's solution? Reproducible builds.
In a talk at Chaos Communication Camp in Zehdenick, Germany, earlier this month (full text here), Debian developer Jérémy Bobbio, better known as Lunar, told the audience how the Linux-based operating system is working to bring reproducible builds to all of its more than 22,000 software packages.


Reproducible builds, as the name suggests, make it possible for others to reproduce the build process. "The idea is to get reasonable confidence that a given binary was indeed produced by the source," Lunar said. "We want anyone to be able to produce identical binaries from a given source."



Link to story (http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-debian-is-trying-to-shut-down-the-cia-and-make-software-trustworthy-again)

[Ares]

When I try to move much content (1 TB+) from a Win7-64 system to a WinXP-64 or Ubuntu system,
I get lots of "file-name-too-long/ path-too-long" type messages.

I looked for a file/path name shortener.

Found "Ant Renamer".


Can anybody suggest a file/path name shortener, to run on Windows 7, to clean up back-ups that I'm trying to transfer to another system ?

No need too, just use robocopy which is built into the Windows Operating System.

Here is the command to ignore long file names:

robocopy "C:\Source-Directory" "Z:\Destination-Directory" *.* /COPY:DAT /E (Copy DAT with : between Copy and DAT Forum makes it a smiley face)

[vacuum]

Don't know if this is the cure to a problem or not. Sounds good, but one relies on the other.


Link to story (http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-debian-is-trying-to-shut-down-the-cia-and-make-software-trustworthy-again)

That's just a good idea all around, NSA or not.

[monty]

Linux for beginners, a website I had forgotten ~ LINFO

http://www.linfo.org/newbies.html