Linux and all that

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

OK, we will now stop the Linux technical guff in the Windows8 thread and let them get back to the pros and cons of Microsoft's latest opus.

I am currently running Ubuntu 11.04 (GNU/Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64) on a Gigabyte GA-MA78LM-S2H mobo based private build.

The latest update to my ATI drivers now allow me to run SC4 at full screen under wine without the virtual desktop. Hallelujah!

Currently running the wine 1.3 beta (1.3.22) which is behaving very well.

I am far too lazy to stick my hands in the source for this O/S, but I most certainly have it. In fact, source code is available for almost everything available here. The problem with having the source for anything these days is that you often don't have the design tree, and have to figure it out for yourself. Tedious. First you find the main(), then find out what it calls, then ... Meanwhile, you can also interpret the make file, which can often be an arcane script that conforms to someone's standard. Such fun, not. I used to do this for money?!

I was reviewing the guts of the kernel last month, and guess what? I looked like I could have designed it! I've never met Linus Torvalds, but I've met a lot of computer science students and professors (including me) who think the same way. The secret is K.I.S.M.I.F. (Keep it Simple, Make It Fun). But you know how it is ... Fools seldom differ.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Linux, eh? Sounds like too much trouble!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Not at all. The trouble, or fun and games with the operating system, is strictly optional. You can treat it just like windows, except it is smaller, faster, and free.

Think of it as a drop in replacement for people who are sick of paying license fees.

To get going, you do one download, check the file's checksum using techniques given, make a CD and boot with it. You can test the system without loading anything on your disks, and if you decide you like it, you can drop it in in parallel to your existing system or wipe out windows and just run it. If you want to keep your windows files, you just drop it in along side. The system quite happily handles NTFS.

[catty-cb 4,381]

My Linux of choice has been Linux Mint its based on Ubuntu, and I have tried out the various ubuntu versions available (including Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu as well as Ubuntu itself), but I always come back to Linux Mint.

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

http://linuxmint.com/

Currently don't have a Linux computer at the moment as my sister needed a new computer so she has it, but picked up 2nd hand dell desktop PC and am planning on getting it up and running again with Linux Mint ... its just finding the time to do it.

[Alejandro24 575]

Linux, eh? Sounds like too much trouble!

Not at all. At the first could be something hard to understand it, but at the end when you stay use it many time it gets too easy. As a anlogy, Cars: Mac is that elegant car, but exclusive; Windows is the classical car, with easy spare parts but fragil; and Linux is that 4x4 truck wich support everything kind of terrain, but not easy to use.

I'm actually using Linux Mint 11, over a desktop computer and a Dell Inspiron Mini as a main OS. I think this the most recommendable Linux OS for starters.

I'm using Wine 1.2.2 for run Windows programs, including SC4. I've posted two posts of SC4 under Linux Mint 9:

http://alejandro24blog.blogspot.com/2010/04/simcity-4-en-linux.html

http://alejandro24blog.blogspot.com/2010/07/simcity-4-en-linux-notas-adicionales.html

I think it needs an update.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Interesting. Mint is a grand-daughter of Debian. Decors in Linux are religious items and should not be subject to argument. There are many versions out there, including some, like Red Hat, that have a price attached (for support).

I stumbled upon Ubuntu about five years ago, and being rather conservative, have stuck with it. Currently working fine to suit my needs.

Anyone using Debian?

Alejandro, I like your automobile analogy. Actually, for a naive user, Ubuntu is like someone just handed you a fancy cell phone with few instructions. It is quite a shock for Windows users, especially in its present default decor (Unity), but for a new computer user, there is nothing to compare so I am sure they cope with it quite well.

The business of an operating system is to run the hardware, period. Most purveyors have the courtesy to add a file system application as well. Beyond that, the rest is just applications, but one of them is usually a program loader and linker for application object texts.

I think most people know that programming applications are exactly that. Application programs that produce loadable object texts.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Anyone using Debian?

Tried it a while back and have to say I didn't like it ... the best analogy I can come up with, is it felt a bit like going from using WinXP to Win98 operating system

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Interesting. Both systems we are using are Debian-based, so the people there must have created at least a good tool set for software distribution. It was one of the big challenges when I was involved in certification of operating systems. Multics only got a B-1 (for R12) because we didn't have a secure means of distributing updates.

[EyeofMobius 27]

Well I just got a new computer as Nonny already knows.

Spent a couple days trying to make way with Ubuntu... for what my needs from the new computer are and what my skill level is at with Ubuntu vs. Windows, Windows is the better match for the system at this time. On the backside from the current level of experience with Ubuntu I have to say I was impressed and am endeavoring to soon switch my laptop over to Ubuntu with a dual purpose of new life and learning Ubuntu to make the switch to all out at a later time.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Hang in there. It is like moving to a new country. At least the natives will always speak to you.

[hamsterTK 93]

For a while I was using Ubuntu as a replacement for Vista. I have Windows 7 now though. I'm not a computer expert, but it worked just fine for ordinary tasks and I never had any problems with it. Sometimes it seems different how you sort program files and where stuff gets saved to on the system, but you can use a package manager that will download and install software automatically.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, if you liked Ubuntu, why not dual boot it with Windows 7? It really is hard to skip all that free software.

Besides, you might want to get ready to hate Windows 8.

  Edited June 27, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[Alejandro24 575]

Well, if you liked Ubuntu, why not dual boot it with Windows 7? It really is hard to skip all that free software.

Besides, you might want to get ready to hate Windows 8.

I agree!

The dual boot, grub, is a simple text where with the arrows you select the OS to use. But you can install a graphical grub with a software called burg. I use it, and it is great.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Yes, the GRand Unified Bootloader solves a lot of problems not previously handled by LILO. The current GRUB suites me, so I won't experiment.

  Edited June 28, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[catty-cb 4,381]

Yes, the GRand Unified Bootloader solves a lot of problems not previously handled by LILO. The current GRUB suites me, so I won't experiment.

My favourite GRUB was the animated penguin version you got with openSUSE

http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Animated_penguin_GRUB_splash_screen

I miss it

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Yes, the GRand Unified Bootloader solves a lot of problems not previously handled by LILO. The current GRUB suites me, so I won't experiment.

My favourite GRUB was the animated penguin version you got with openSUSE

http://en.opensuse.o...B_splash_screen

I miss it

Begs the question. Why did you leave openSUSE? I looked at it, but found it too full of itself.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Yes, the GRand Unified Bootloader solves a lot of problems not previously handled by LILO. The current GRUB suites me, so I won't experiment.

My favourite GRUB was the animated penguin version you got with openSUSE

http://en.opensuse.o...B_splash_screen

I miss it

Begs the question. Why did you leave openSUSE? I looked at it, but found it too full of itself.

I miss the animated penguins not openSUSE ... its extremely nice very professional, but previous computer struggled to run it and it was a bit too Microsoft for my liking, and trying to get it to run XPenguins on the desktop proved more fiddly than I was willing to do.

http://xpenguins.seul.org/

I like watching them running around your desktop, less funny when they fall from the tops of windows and go splash and their little ghosty bodies float up to the top of the screen and disappear.

yes I know ... I think I was going thru a second childhood at the time as I was also playing Pingus

http://pingus.seul.org/

quite a lot as well ... it was fun while it lasted

[dentonfire 7]

I run Ubuntu, i recently downloaded the NAM mod, it required me to download Java or else my cities load time would be significantly slower. I downloaded Java but the cities still take a long time to load. The details in the game such as driveways, flora, and other things which are normally there dont appear. And when i move my mouse off an item in the menu the white box with the details of the item remains and flashes rapidly. Im quite annoyed  with the problems. The annoyance and problems are very discouraging so i dont have the desire to play the game as much as i normally would.

 

I would greatly appreciate if anyone could help me out. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, there are some problems.  What version of Ubuntu are you running?  And which version of wine?

 

I am currently running Ubuntu 13.10 with wine-1.7.9.  The Java requirement came only with NAM 32pr1 and there is a problem with the script that runs the compiler for the traffic controller.  Unless you are really keen on software, you should really be running NAM 31.2 as the version of 32 that is out there is really a beta.

 

I am looking into this problem with the compiler and may have a solution before the final release of 32.  I also have a pure Linux script that runs the TSCT.  You don't have to run Java programs inside wine.  Here is the TSCT script:

 

#/bin/bash
cd ".wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)"
cd Traff*
java -jar TSCT.jar
 

You just move to the location of the Traffic Controller and call java in the normal way.  Ubuntu includes the java run-time but not the compiler.

 

I hope you are aware that any file with execute permission inside the directory ~/bin will run as a command.

[heat33330 26]

I use Debian Wheezy with LXDE and Openbox on an old PowerBook G4. In my opinion Debian has been the best, most customisable, trouble-free Linux distro I have tried. I like Windows 8 though, too. It's the fastest, best Windows OS I've ever used. Then there's OS X Mavericks, that's the best OS X in a few years now, I think - Still wish they kept the kitty names. Lol.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I tried Debian a few years ago and found it wanted too much customization for my taste.  Ubuntu is the distro I settled on, after a brief excursion into Mint (a Ubuntu derivative).  With Ubuntu you get all the benefits of Debian in a better package, although they've been trying to be Windoze lately.  I have several alternate desktops loaded, but lately (113.10) have found that the Unity desktop fills the bill.

 

I haven't run Windows in about 10 years now, and find I don't miss it one bit.

[heat33330 26]

Eh, I don't really like Ubuntu too much. Lubuntu's good but frankly, I find Debian with LXDE better.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

Well, at least Ubuntu is better than Windows 8. I only use Windows 8 (not 8.1, that one is even more buggy) on my PC because some programs don't run under Linux, like university stuff or 3D Studio Max.

[heat33330 26]

I must be the only one who likes 8 and 8.1 . Lol.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Horses for courses.  I don't really need anything in Windoze, so I don't see any point in coughing up an exorbitant license fee for an operating system.  For 3DS Max addicts, is there a conversion between it and Blender?

[AkemiAzula 280]

Windows 8 is certainly the fastest windows, but I still don't get the whole tile thing... Why not just go straight to desktop like before...

 

I doubt I'd ever experiment with another OS mostly because I believe if something aint broke don't fix it.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

Horses for courses.  I don't really need anything in Windoze, so I don't see any point in coughing up an exorbitant license fee for an operating system.  For 3DS Max addicts, is there a conversion between it and Blender?

Yes, but for the BAT you'll need 3D Studio Max for the render engine, so Blender alone would be useless. Furthermore, I have experience with Blender and I'm not using that for BATting, since 3D Studio Max does a much better job when it comes to UI tools for modeling.

And I still have no idea if some of my university applications still work on Linux (as in professional applications I didn't build myself).

 

I doubt I'd ever experiment with another OS mostly because I believe if something aint broke don't fix it.

The thing is, Windows 8 IS in fact broken for me. I had to install 3rd party software to get the start menu back and I disabled all updates because Windows 8 tended to break itself on update, which is pretty screwed up. That time that it broke was the final drip that let the bucket overflow and I decided to look for an alternative.

And FYI, I have a dual-boot laptop with Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. Ubuntu is equally fast as Windows 8 on start-up and use, but it shuts down much and much quicker. It also doesn't use some dirty tricks to get up to speed like Windows 8 does. Did you know that Windows 8 never REALLY shuts down? It just goes into a super-hibernation mode and leaves some RAM left on your hard drive. That's why Windows 8 starts up quicker than its predecessors. It's a dirty trick and it can even prevent dual boots from being installed (for instance, Linux Mint 15 just refuses to start up as a dual boot)...

That are some things I found out when looking for help on installing Linux...

Best,

Maarten

[AkemiAzula 280]

Well I didn't know that I always assumed that the computer stopped working when you turned it off. It does take a bit longer to shut down, true, but as Windows is all I've ever used and I only use my computer to check my email...

 

I have Android on my smartphone.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Android is a Linux derivative.  Welcome to the world of Linux, Mark.

[AkemiAzula 280]

Wow didnt know that ay... Mind you it came wiyh the phone so i didnt have to dual boot or wtvr. Well if Android is Linux then it seems to work alright. Hard to compare though as using a smartphone is nothing like a pc