[a2l1]

I noticed in the topics that it mentioned windows, macs and unix. Nothing about linux. Well I am and have been for some time a mac user but I have been a linux user even longer. I am a registered linux user from pack in 92 and am still using it.
My wife had to get a new laptop for her job windows 7 was a requirement so we got her a new asus a killer laptop. That means I got the old toshiba. I just finished loading blackbuntu on it. Simply ubuntu with a black theme. I would prefer pure debian but I am getting lazy in my old age.
So now I am either on the mac or the linux box whenever I am onsite here and was wondering just how many members here are linux users.
I havent had a computer for my use with windows on it since win95. Didnt like it then and Im guessing I wouldnt like it now. Its all good if you like windows and all I am not trying to start a flame here just stating my opinion, your opinion may differ and thats fine with me.
Is there another linux user in the astrosafari world??

A J

 

[JaxSPL]

I dual boot PcLinuxOs 2010 and window 7 on my desktop. My netbook uses PcLinuxOs 2010. Wife's netbook uses win 7 ultimate

 

[a2l1]

Dennis,
Great to have another penguinista here.

 

[chevymaher]

I have tried to get it to start up but never could get it to run.I hear it great though.Uses less computer to run and needs no virus protection yet anyway.Cant find a good copy online it seems.

 

[a2l1]

Randy try Ubuntu. Its an easy download and easier install. Works great. I can give you a hand if you run into problems. use the website to walk through the system to be sure you will like it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

 

[Phantom]

Linux is very good , Windows 7 is very good , There are a lot of flavors of Linux to choose from and most of them are free , If you want to try Linux just go to some Linux forums to learn about them , you can get a free download of any of them , Try the Compiz add-on it has some cool features ,
Red Hat and Fedora , Suse and Novell are more corporate business oriented , strong security and firewalls , they can be made to be pretty but you have to add the fancy features , whereas the Ubutuu versions have a more home user appeal version 10 and older still have the Gnome while version 11 is going to some other interface called Unity which is causing a stir , but they all have the ability to be customized for those who like to make their own :mrgreen:

 

[JaxSPL]

The only reason why I dual boot windows 7 and Linux is there are a couple programs I used for speaker box designs that will not run in Linux. They won't even run using wine or anything like that. I started to run Linux as my main OS and use windows 7 in a virtual machine, but figured it'd be easier to dual boot.

For those that are thinking about it, get a LiveCD or LiveDVD distro. These will allow you to run Linux off your CD or DVD drive without installing the OS on your hard drive. You won't have to worry about any changes taking place until you decide to install it. It's a little slower running it from a cd or dvd drive, but it's worth it until you get used to the distro. This is how I got started with Linux. I've tried Ubuntu, Kubuntu, PCLinuxOS (from 2007 to current), Slack, Mandriva, Mint, and Mepis. I even tried Redhat and Fedora (ugh!!!!), as well as Gentoo.

Gives you a whole new meaning of working with computers.

 

[tedanderson]

I'm a Linux user also. Over the last 2 years I've been slowly migrating my office over to Fedora and Ubuntu but in the latest edition of Linux Format (LXF) Magazine, they provided a distro of Sabayon so I am going to see what I can do with that. Also, I am in the process of fooling around with TinyCore which they claim will run on a 386 with 4MB of ram.. which would be good for reviving some of these older laptops that I can set up for Internet/email usage.

I dual-boot most of machines being that there are some things that (as Jax stated) will only run on Windows. But for the most part, I prefer Linux in spite of some of the faults, quirks, and soforth. What I like about Ubuntu is that it works right out of the box with very little configuration but the only thing that I am having trouble with is the command prompts when installing software. I've gotten so spoiled by DOS commands and being able to double click an EXE file to install something that I gotta unlearn all of that crap so that I can get a better understanding of sudo getapp and so forth.

And I guess we've never discussed it because everyone one of us who are self-proclaimed Penguinites are in the minority and probably don't think that anyone else uses it. Just the other day I took out my laptop at a social event to show someone a youtube video and some of the people wanted to know why I had Mac OS in my PC. Others wanted to know what version of "Windows" this was.

 

[JaxSPL]

It was MacinDows.. hehehe

 

[JebusKrist]

I'm a long time Linux user probably dating back to 95 or so and I've tried just about every distro out there since I always did and still do have a lot of spare machines for toys usually not the fastest but more than suited for Linux. I think my favorite distro of all time probably has to be Gentoo for the sheer customization options given but I think it probably is the most difficult to install, upgrade or fix when something breaks for whatever reason especially if you've got a completely custom compile since more than likely your machine will be unique unlike the cookie cutter U/Kubuntu distros where the packages, use, make flags etc are all the same unless you changed them. I'm not trying to bash U/Kubuntu or the like in any manner I think they're great and definitely have a place sometimes its your foot in the door to introducing someone to the fact that something just as good as Mac OS X and Windows exists and its FREE and totally customizable by them. I think my second favorite distro is Sabayon since its Gentoo but but with a U/Kubuntu treatment for more uniform and easy installs for people getting lazy in old age like myself after so many years of editing config files and operating solely in the command line realm sometimes you just don't want to fool with it anymore. I've rambled enough but its definitely good to see fellow Linux users around.

 

[a2l1]

Sabayon is a fits all version of Gentoo. With Sabayon you dont have to compile to get optimum performance because it is set for best overall use. If you want to tune Sabayon you probably should just go to Gentoo and set it up. I still love Debian just pure, Sidux is the testing version and in itself is good but it is the testing and not really the best for daily use in a business sense.
Personally I prefer Gnome so tend to drift towards that but I do find E17 to be really nice and use that about as much as Gnome now. Ubuntu is a no brainer that sets itself up (like windows) and the default is Gnome but you can load any windowmanager you care to. I dont really like Suse anymore although I used to get every version as soon as it was released 5.0 etc. When Suse went to the KDE setup even with Gnome it still uses the KDE type platform for program selection,etc I decided I could do without it. I just use Ubuntu now except on the desktop box. That is Debian and smooth as ever.
My daily box is a Mac though G5 tower.
Just thought I would throw that out there. I am surprized at the number of Linux users here. Just goes to prove that astro people are above the curve !!

A J

 

[JebusKrist]

Sabayon is the lazy man's Gentoo just how I like it these days and yeah we're above the curve with our computers AND vans.

 

[RECox286]

I tried but couldn't get Ubuntu to go, so I use what came with my machine.

Bob

 

[tedanderson]

So I guess the next step is to start running Linux in our vans.

I really considered getting a magnet made to go on the side of my van with the Ubuntu logo just to see how many people on the street would recognize it or if people would just pass it off as a generic logo on a company vehicle but I am glad to see that I am not quite as much in the minority as I thought I was.

One thing that I like about it, (as previously mentioned) is that the possibility of getting spyware or viruses is very remote. So when I allow kids to get on my machine, Linux gives me the advantage in that:

1. They can't screw up the machine with spyware, games, or any other crappy program that I can't get rid of.
2. They can't install any software that I disapprove of such as Limewire, or do bit torrent downloads without any degree of advanced knowledge.
3. Because the machine will work regardless of what they try to do to it, it will keep them from jumping to another computer after screwing up the first one.

 

[sambalayne]

rockin a dual boot windows 7 and ubuntu 10. before 7 i was running ubuntu solo but ever since 7 beta 1 came out ive been using ubuntu less and less. still use it for a few things but windows 7 kicks a lot of ***

 

[bobb789]

I have been an Ubuntu user for years now and have a desktop and a laptop both sporting Ubuntu 10.10. My wallpaper is a red slashed circle with "DON'T EVEN THINK OF INSTALLING WINDOWS ON THIS MACHINE". Ubuntu is available as a download at Ubuntu.com. The download produces a boot-able disk that can be installed 3 ways: 1: run Ubuntu from the disk, 2: dual-boot along with your original op sys or 3: clean install on your HDD. Thunderbird is my E-mail app and Firefox is my browser. No need for anti-virus, anti-spam or even firewalls to slow you down. Windows people are computer "users". Ubuntu/linux people are computer "operators". Once you go Ubuntu, you will never want to look through another "window" again.

 

[a2l1]

Well put Bobb. Most Linux people may have another box as required by work or for some specific program but if you ask you will find that once a penguin always a penguin and not because its cheaper(free) but because its better. Most people dont know that the mac OS X is a unix based system and almost every Linux program will run without alteration on a mac. For giggles I put a full KDE desktop on a mac G4, drove the casual mac users crazy, was alot of fun. The penguin is still the best overall for regular users. If you want to be rock solid you will have to slide over to BSD. Fewer apps and a little rougher around the edges but probably the strongest and most secure box you will ever have. I am just way to lazy for that anymore. Anyone got a BSD box up??

 

[JebusKrist]

I don't have a BSD box anymore but I did run BSD on my Sega Dreamcast if you can believe that

 

[tedanderson]

I want to get into that BSD eventually but at this point I don't really have any use for it. I'm still having fun with the shock value when I present people with the idea that it does not have to be one or the other. They ask if I use Windows or Mac and when I tell them Linux, they pause for a moment with a confused look and say, "ummmm.. so does that run on Windows or Mac?"

But one thing I would like to know- Has anyone on here ever set up a thin network with Linux? What I would like to do is build an Ubuntu server and then allow the other PC's to boot up as virtual terminals using the network boot option in the Nic card thus making some of the desktops completely diskless and dependent on the network for resources..not to mention saving the thousands of dollars in licensing fees that Microsoft would have you to pay.

 

[JaxSPL]

I tried BSD back a couple years ago. TO me it is more for serving than an actual desktop replacement.

Yea, most people just don't know what Linux is. They also rave about the Android operating system, which is also based on it.

Speaking of Android.. hahaha. I wiped my drive on the netbook a couple days ago and put Android on it. WOW!!!! It was nice, but not good enough to use as a full fledged computer, yet.