DAMN NON-MS APPLICATIONS!!

[spinningheel4242]

Ok now what

I tried that stupid MaxOS and nothing...so I am back to square one.  I can't seem to download Redhat so I'll try yet another Linux distro.  Now, quick question, should I create a Linux partition (using Partition Magic 7) or should I just run the install program of the Linux distro??

Well, the hunt continues...

Spin

[Master of Reality]

you can partition your harddrive in the install. and it will be just easy as partition magic. Try Mandrake, but look at different mirrors because soem download site are filled up

[Doctor V]

quote:Originally posted by spinningheel4242:
Ok, so what I have read intrigues me but I have to say, there is no prevailing reason to switch to Linux or Mac.  Basically, there is no KILLER APP that makes it worthwhile.  Now, don't get me wrong, I hate MS but I am not also technically inclined to learn a new OS like Linux (I can't be bothered with command lines etc).  And the Macs that I have used just don't compare (performance wise) to PC's.  I really wish they did cuz I would like a viable alternative to MS but there just isn't any.  A lot of you say Linux or Mac are WAY better and easier than MS...well, on many regards you are correct.   However, myself and my wife like EASY and SIMPLE and MS provides that.  That is why Linux will NEVER become a decktop contender....it takes too much time and effort to learn.  
And with all of the html responses....yes, there are good code editors out there for linux but I use dreamweaver or similar layout html editors.  So, as of late, there are no Linux/Mac distro's that can match these products.
But, basically, one of the biggests snags is with games........yes, I love gaming and guess what.....only a few GOOD games are available for Linux/Mac.  Also, I don't want to wait 6+ months for games to come out for Mac.  Basically, the amount I have used Mac is very disheartening.  I think they have a lot of potential but until they port with PC components....they will never win many converts.  
I will continue my search for viable alternatives to MS (I am now using incredimail for email etc!) but I will have to stick to the other gambit of MS crap and crap until I can convert to a truly user-friendly system....

Spin

All I can say is that Linux has changed alot in recent years.  Its probably not *nearly* as hard as you think.  It comes with a couple of really nice GUIs; you can use Linux without being bothered by command lines etc.  I will admit, there have been some things that are less convenient on Linux than on Win, and even some Applications that would require you to use a command line to install them.  But, that is because of the applications, and not because of the OS, furthermore, the documentation for such apps is in all but the most extreme of cases excellent.  Linux has an app called wine, which is used for running windows applications, including games in Linux.  So all in all, there are probably only a few games that are completely unplayable in Linux.  The real hard thing about Linux is just getting used to it.  There are some odds and ends that may seem very difficult or inconvenient at first, but once you get the hang of how they work, are easy.  And there is alot of support, both on there forums, and all over the net.  I definitely would not say that it will never become a desktop contender.  Its getting closer and closer to that every day.  I say give it a try, at least on a dual boot.  If your going to try you have to stick with it in the beginning, some things will probably come up.  Soon you'll find that its not that difficult.

V

[spinningheel4242]

Oh My God!!!!!!

I tried installing desktop/LX on my machine....going for the dual boot option.  And, I don't know how, but I managed to blank my entire hard drive!!  Sure, Linux installed and looked beautiful (for the 20 minutes that I had it on there)  But I lost everything else...it is truly a dark day...

Yes yes, I should have made backups etc.  I just didn't expect this to happen.  

Now, I am trying to partition my harddrive using partition magic 7 but am having huge problems with that.  I want to keep about 36 gigs of my harddrive windoze me and the other 2 gigs linux.  Obviously I want to dual boot with windoze being the first or primary option.  If anyone has suggestions I would appreciate it...

Spin

[voidmain]

As far as the partition magic part you just want to "shrink" your existing Windows partition so you have enough "free space" (unpartitioned) to install Linux. I would recommend giving Linux more than 2GB. Probably around 3GB at the minimum and if your Windows partition is FAT32 then you can use that space for overflow if necessary. Otherwise I might even suggest around 4GB minimum for Linux if you plan on installing much more and doing some serious work.

Now the specific instructions beyond just creating the free space would depend on the distro you are using. I haven't used SuSe yet (downloading it now) but I could give you pointers for RedHat. There are plenty of SuSe users on here though so they should be able to help. And the installation DOCS usually cover all of this quite clearly for all the major distros (if you don't understand what you are reading on the install screen).

[spinningheel4242]

Ok,
I want to install Lycoris's Desktop/LX

The problem with Partition Magic is that when I go to create a Linux partition, my harddrive gets all scrambled.

I have 38 gigs with windoze installed on fat32.

I want to create a 4 gig partition for Linux

after is tell Partition Magic 7 to create a logical parition, of 4 gigs, in Linux ext format, my harddrive looks like this...

7.5 gigs fat32, 4 gigs linux, 25.5 gigs unallocated

Now, I have no idea what that would do to my harddrive and can I also reassign the unallocated space to my fat32??

Thanks

[Refalm]

quote:spinningheel4242: I want to install Lycoris's Desktop/LX

Good choice... this distro is designed for Linux newbies and people who aren't good with computers...

 

quote:spinningheel4242: Now, I have no idea what that would do to my harddrive

It doesn't do any damage to your hard disk...

 

quote:spinningheel4242: can I also reassign the unallocated space to my fat32??

Yes...

[spinningheel4242]

Alrighty then

Ok, I did install Lycoris Desktop/LX on 4 gigs and Windoze Me on 34 gigs

But, the problem I am now having is that the default OS is linux and I want it to be Microsoft ME
 
Can anyone help me reassign the partition info so windoze me is primary and linux is secondary......

Spin

[voidmain]

Is your boot loader LILO or GRUB? I can help you with either.

[spinningheel4242]

ya, my boot loader is grub...

right now, it only gives me 5 seconds to choose an operating system (Linux being the default)

I would like to change it to windoze as default and linux as secondary option...thanks

spin

[voidmain]

Ok, your distro probably has a graphical config for  this but I'll give you directions that will work on any GRUB based system. You should have a "/boot/grub" directory. In that directory you should find a "menu.lst" or a "grub.conf" file.

Edit that file (either one, and you probably will have to do this as root). You should see a line that says "default=0". If so change it to "default=1". If the line doesn't exist just insert it in the top of the file.

When you reboot it should default to the second menu item rather than the first. You can also change the time it takes to start the default with the "timeout=" setting. Example "timeout=30" would wait 30 seconds before booting the defulat OS.

Another option is to move the entire Windows section of the grub.conf file right above the Linux section. That will reverse the order shown on your boot menu (don't change the "default=0" if you choose to do it this way). An OS section consists of more than one line and beginning with a line that starts with the word "title" and ends when it reaches the beginning of another OS section or the end of the file. If you feel unsure about this just change the "default=1" as I mentioned first.

Hope this helps.

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[spinningheel4242]

Success,

Ok, I was finally able to edit the grub boot (had to log in as root) and now windows is primary boot with linux as second with a 15 second delay....thanks a bunch...

I am really impressed with linux...but there are a few issues:

1.  I can't seem to access my mp3's, that reside on my fat32 drive -->  I want to listen to them in linux but not copy them over to the partition....is there a way of doing this?

2.  My printer doesn't seem to work -->  I choose the correct printer during install but it doesn't seem to recognize the printer (hp 832c usb)

3.  I can't seem to install any other packages or programs from the internet  -->  I can get to the download screen, and it looks like it is opening but then, nothing...is there a way to install Linux that is different from windows?

Thanks

Spin

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by spinningheel4242:
Success,
1.  I can't seem to access my mp3's, that reside on my fat32 drive -->  I want to listen to them in linux but not copy them over to the partition....is there a way of doing this?

Most certainly you can, but you have to mount your Windows partition. This is a frequently asked question on these forums though so I would suggest you click on the search link near the top of this page, select "Linux/UNIX" in the pulldown menu and type in "fstab" in the keyword box and press the search button. You should find several examples/instructions on how to mount your Windows C: drive.

 

quote:
2.  My printer doesn't seem to work -->  I choose the correct printer during install but it doesn't seem to recognize the printer (hp 832c usb)

I am afraid I can't help you with this one as I have never used the distribution that you are using. Underneath they are all pretty much the same and I could give you those instructions but I would search google for information specific to your distro. Or wait for help from someone else here that has used it.

 

quote:
3.  I can't seem to install any other packages or programs from the internet  -->  I can get to the download screen, and it looks like it is opening but then, nothing...is there a way to install Linux that is different from windows?

Ditto for answer #2. Dang, only 1 for 3 on this one.

Also, I would suggest if you have any more questions on this you start a new thread in the Linux/UNIX forum. It's really no longer Windows related.  

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[spinningheel4242]

Okay, been there and done that.  Every linux distro that I have used has been less than stellar (MaxOS, Desktop Lx, and Redhat).  I have to again reclaim my position on this subject....

Non-MS applications do not have a chance of ever converting the masses to their side.  No OS, No Office Suite, and No Game Portal will match MS in the next few years.  

Yes, Linux is powerful etc etc....bla bla bla

But, for the everyday user, it doesn't inspire the confidence or functionality that MS does.  Sorry for the spanking but man, I have reformatted too many times in the last month to be a promoter of Linux or non-MS apps.

I have used StarOffice, Corel, OpenOffice, EasyOffice, ClarisWorks, and others.....non come close to the functionality of MS.  Yes, they have the basic and common functionality and useage....but there is where the similarities end.  It is infinitely more difficult to learn and to use a non-MS word processing app because they just don't hold a candle to MS......yet.  

Please, don't get me wrong, I think this fuckmicrosoft movement is great...or I wouldn't be here....it is just that I haven't seen the light yet.

I want to use Linux but so many sites/applications/games/ don't support it

I want to use non-MS word processors but they don't have the full functionality that MS does

I want to use non-MS but the reality is, the alternatives are just not ready yet....

Spin

[emh]

I do feel the need to ask how long you actually worked with all of the alternatives?  Things will be difficult at first simply because you're used to something else.

I firmly hold the belief that non-MS products are only difficult to use because people have been using MS products for so long that it would take much longer than a few days, or even a few weeks, to learn something equally (in most cases, more so) functional.  

You say they don't hold a candle to MS, I respectfully disagree.  I used Word Perfect and Netscape for as long as I've owned my own computer, and they are highly reliable products with many advanced features.  Although I have recently switched to Opera as my internet browser, and I find it to be better than Netscape.  The alternatives are out there, and they ARE high quality.  In most cases they are higher quality than anything Microsoft has put out.  

I use Mandrake 8.2 myself, and for the first week I had nothing but problems with it, but 95% of the time, it was because I did something stupid.  Now I find myself booting into Windows 98 less and less (in fact the last time I booted into it was almost three weeks ago.  I do all of my work and play in Linux now).  And I'm hardly a Windows moron, either.  I knew how to tweak things to my liking, mostly because I had to fix things to make them work.  Same with Linux, I may have to tweak a few things, but 95% of the time, it works the way it's supposed to.

Your statement that the alternatives are not ready for mainstream is misleading at best.  Most computer users have never tried alternatives, because they're not aware of what's out there.  There's lots of high quality software for Linux out there, and it's not hard to find, either.

And even if there is some software in Windows you really want to use, there are ways to run Windows software in Linux.  (I've actually spent the $25 for Codeweavers Crossover Plugin)