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Thread: Linux Advice

  1. #11
    Forum Master billsstamps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Linux Advice

    I happily used Linux Ubuntu for years.

    The only problems I had was missing Photoshop and Dreamweaver and the occasional problem finding the right drivers for scanners.

    The advantage was faster startup and operating, and fewer virus concerns.
    Rev Dr Bill Hopkinson,
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    BillsStamps

    around 50000 stamps listed, based in London

  2. #12

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by jcjigs View Post
    If I were to use Linux I would dedicate a drive to the OP system, I plan on doing this in the future.
    My preference would also be to have a Linux system on it's own computer, again just my preference.
    I agree with that, at least while getting to know the system. It's a big confidence boost to know you can do absolutely anything, without any risk of wiping out your precious Windows system. And (tongue in cheek), of course I'd add that over time you'll find your Windows system becomes much less precious to you!

    If you absolutely must put Linux on the same pc, well, lots of folk do it successfully, but I would still say find someone else experienced and trustworthy to help you through it the first time.

    I agree with Cheaver, your local LUG is a great source of contacts and help. If you're not close enough to one of their meetings, or the times don't suit you, it's well worth joining their mailing list and introducing yourself. Sure, you can get wonderful help from worldwide forums such as askubuntu.com and ubuntuforums.org, but a local mailing list will feel less intimidating.
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  3. #13

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by billsbooks View Post
    I happily used Linux Ubuntu for years.

    The only problems I had was missing Photoshop and Dreamweaver and the occasional problem finding the right drivers for scanners.

    The advantage was faster startup and operating, and fewer virus concerns.
    Gimp is better than the crippled Photoshop Elements (e.g. it has 'curves', which Elements omits) and in most respects compares with the very expensive full Photoshop. Gimp's scriptability actually makes it able to do things that Photoshop can't, but now we're talking about very serious designers, so that's not a consideration for most of us.

    Does Dreamweaver still have a business? I used to use it 10 years or more ago, and it was a wonderful tool, nothing else to touch it. But I think of it as a tool for designing web sites that are 'brochureware'. These days I would want to use a content management system, such as Drupal, Wordpress, Joomla or many others. And of course those are independent of the operating system on your PC.

    I agree, it can be a pain finding recent Linux drivers for old scanners and some other old devices. Though, to be fair, the same is true of Windows. I know lots of people who have been forced to buy a new printer or scanner because it worked fine on XP but support has been dropped in 7 or 8. The manufacturers are to blame -- even if they don't want to write Linux drivers themselves, if they published their interface there are plenty of volunteers who would step in and create open source drivers. Some manufacturers are better than others. HP has been consistently good over the years. Canon is getting better than it was.
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  4. #14

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by cheaver View Post
    One concern I have: I wouldn't want anyone to think it is a simple matter to download & install linux just like that. The hard drive needs to be partitioned so that each OS is accommodated in its own space.
    If the HD isn't partitioned then any other OS anyone has (eg Windows) would be annihalated.

    re Ubuntu - it was my main system for 5 years but the latest upgrade with the fixed side screen icons ruined it for me. The side icons take away vital screen width - I got sick to death of scrolling left to right to read a full page width..... hence Mint is now my preferred choice.

    (I know the icons can be hidden, but then when you need them you have to reinstate them, then get rid of them, then reinstate lol! No thanks!)
    Well, you can make the Unity launch bar (the icons) auto-hide, just as you can make the Windows taskbar auto-hide. However, personally I don't like auto-hide behaviour in either system.

    I can see your point, particularly if you have a traditional monitor with 4:3 screen ratio. If you have a modern 16:9 monitor (which personally I hate, because if I want to watch a film I'll use a TV, dammit, but I suppose I'm in a minority) then the Unity launch bar at the side makes a lot of sense.

    What doesn't make a lot of sense, to you Cheaver, to me, and lots of others, is Ubuntu's attitude of "we got it right, and no, we're not going to add an option to let you move the launch bar to the bottom/top/right/whatever of the screen". Admittedly it's open source, so we could just program it ourselves, but my life is too short. In recent years there's been a number of such examples, and Linux Mint has gained a lot of fans by listening better to its users.

    That said, I teach Ubuntu Unity to new users because I think it's a very easy introduction to computers, and I use it myself because I can't teach what I don't use. But I tend to recommend Linux Mint to people already familiar with Windows. And for people who have a 10-year old PC in the attic with only half a gig of ram, I recommend Crunchbang, which is wonderful, but few first-time Linux users would like it unless they're unphased by an old-school command line!
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  5. #15
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    Default Re: Linux Advice

    I just use Ubuntu now on my main pc but will be buying a pc with windows 7 pre-installed as I have been unable to install and run Internet Explorer using Wine with Ubuntu....just get a frozen version of IE which doesn't work at all.

    I have had to change webhosts because my old one has a site builder that only works with IE so have been unable to work since installing Ubuntu.

  6. #16

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by moonwitch View Post
    I just use Ubuntu now on my main pc but will be buying a pc with windows 7 pre-installed as I have been unable to install and run Internet Explorer using Wine with Ubuntu....just get a frozen version of IE which doesn't work at all.

    I have had to change webhosts because my old one has a site builder that only works with IE so have been unable to work since installing Ubuntu.
    I hope you told your webhost that they're losing business?

    Likewise I've complained to my local council because their planning dept is running software that only allows the public to view plans with IE, and they're going to fix this.

    Presumably you need IE because you're designing web sites? In which case I agree you have no choice, you need to run Windows and check with IE6 through to whatever the latest is. And you also need a Mac so you can check with Safari.
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  7. #17
    Forum Master Posbear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by johnwash1 View Post
    Presumably you need IE because you're designing web sites? In which case I agree you have no choice, you need to run Windows and check with IE6 through to whatever the latest is. And you also need a Mac so you can check with Safari.
    That is a bit of a concern for me, I now have 5 e-commerce websites running, all put together by myself using Zen Cart software. I also experiment on other domains with different/newer software. I use responsive templates that adapt themselves to being used on smartphones, but IE is an unpredictable beast and needs monitoring for changes.

    It could be a good excuse for me to get a second PC
    Graham


    Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.

  8. #18

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Poscar View Post
    That is a bit of a concern for me, I now have 5 e-commerce websites running, all put together by myself using Zen Cart software. I also experiment on other domains with different/newer software. I use responsive templates that adapt themselves to being used on smartphones, but IE is an unpredictable beast and needs monitoring for changes.

    It could be a good excuse for me to get a second PC
    Or use virtual machines. Depends whether the PC you have is powerful enough versus whether having extra PCs takes up too much physical space.
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  9. #19

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by johnwash1 View Post
    Or use virtual machines. Depends whether the PC you have is powerful enough versus whether having extra PCs takes up too much physical space.
    Another method is to use a memory stick, if your PC supports booting from one. You can go from an experimental setup of Linux to "get the feel", right through to a complete OS with storage etc if you have a large enough stick. Currently I run W7 Ultimate on one PC, which allows for a Virtual Machine (mine is XP), another running Ubuntu and a 32Gb stick with Mint. The stick is set up to behave as a regular PC, to which I may save files, etc, in a normal way. Most forms of Linux will run from a stick. i use "LiLi" to set the systems up when experimenting. All the info you need is on this site: pendrivelinux.com/

    Don't get too involved though or you'll find yourself spending too much time experimenting and not enough time doing something useful!

    cambrensis
    Last edited by cambrensis; 21st January 2014 at 03:35 PM.

  10. #20

    Default Re: Linux Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by cambrensis View Post
    Another method is to use a memory stick, if your PC supports booting from one. You can go from an experimental setup of Linux to "get the feel", right through to a complete OS with storage etc if you have a large enough stick. Currently I run W7 Ultimate on one PC, which allows for a Virtual Machine (mine is XP), another running Ubuntu and a 32Gb stick with Mint. The stick is set up to behave as a regular PC, to which I may save files, etc, in a normal way. Most forms of Linux will run from a stick. i use "LiLi" to set the systems up when experimenting. All the info you need is on this site: pendrivelinux.com/

    Don't get too involved though or you'll find yourself spending too much time experimenting and not enough time doing something useful!

    cambrensis
    True, it's a good way. And even the largest distros will install on an 8GB stick with room to spare. Something like Puppy or DSL would fit on a tiny stick. A virtual machine would normally run faster though, so it's the method of choice if you have a good PC. And if you have an old PC (as some of mine are) they won't even boot from USB.

    "...and not enough time doing something useful!" ??? You mean there are other things I could be doing? Noooooooooooooo!
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