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Michelle · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:41 pm Post subject: Oooh, Ubuntu

The computer teacher we had last semester is a linux and open license fan, and he posted a link for a Ubuntu 810 desktop download with vm tools, as well as a link for a vm player. I downloaded it but hadn´t been brave enough to try it because I was too scared of stuffing something up and losing everything.
Anyway, the boy child is in the process of setting up another hard drive in his computer (he dismantled his external hard drive) and he has Ubuntu running on one and XP on the other. He´s waiting for another sata cable to arrive so in the meantime he swaps the existing cable from one the the other. Rolling Eyes

So yesterday, he helped me to get the vm desktop Ubuntu working on my computer and I´m using it now to post here. It´s a bit slow because it´s running on top of XP, and the keyboard settings are a bit different and itś only a small window running on the desktop but I´m doing it. Yay!
I do rather like the look of it, so after a bit (um...lot?) of practice I might even switch over to the dark side completely and ditch the darker side (XP).
Probably the only thing stopping me from doing it is the fact that I´m so used to windoze, and a lot of my stuff might not work.
But anyway, I´m going to have a bit of a play with it because it actually seems reasonably easy for a newbie to use.
This is quite exciting Laughing

so I just had to have a brag. Wink

/end brag

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Adam Alexander · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject:

I've gone back and forth, but can't seem to get completely away from windoze. I did make the leap to buy a book called Ubuntu for Non-Geeks to help me on the transition and then the next day I fried the mobo on my Ubuntu desktop box.

Congrats on taking the leap #ni-1

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Idan · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:29 am Post subject:

Congrats michelle! A very brave move indeed! Very Happy

In my work I use both Ubuntu 8.10 computer and Windows computer for different networks, Ubuntu is a great Operating System to start and learn the wonderful world of Linux! #ni-1

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John Galt 007 · Prince Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 1206 Location: Wisconsin

Rather than running it in a VM Player, you should use the Wubi installer instead. It installs Ubuntu in a partition on your hard drive, and you can boot into it at full speed. Also, it allows you to have a full 64 bit install of linux if your CPU can run it, and if you want to get rid of it you can just uninstall it. If the POTM is ABC@Home, 64 bit will run MUCH faster for it...

http://wubi-installer.org/
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Adam Alexander · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:29 pm Post subject:

Michelle · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:22 pm Post subject:

I've pretty much decided to go the whole hog and dump windoze for ubuntu.
In the process of trying to save all my files/pics/docs, and hoping I can get them back. The pics and docs should all be okay to access with open office and gimp etc but still keeping my fingers crossed anyway.
If I change my mind back again, I'll just install the Vista that came with this computer or re-install xp from the old disc I used for this one when I realised I hated Vista. Laughing

I've saved my Thunderbird files and Firefox bookmarks onto a disc, so I hope I can work out how to access the darn things when I get Tbird and Firefox re-installed.
If you don't see me again for a while it's because I've stuffed up big time! #ni-2

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Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:16 am Post subject:

Michelle · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:53 am Post subject:

Right then, I'm back in business. Sort of.

#ni-1

Haven't killed the computer so far, but then again I haven't actually tried to do anything other than access the net. At least there isn't as much rigmarole involved with connecting to the wireless network as there is with windoze.

#ni-1

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Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:26 am Post subject:

Michelle · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:34 am Post subject:

Wireless set up and printer weren't any problem at all. #ni-1

Didn't even have to install all the drivers for them like I had to with XP.
I didn't end up installing 8.10 because the boy-child had a 7.10 live cd that he'd downloaded so I used that, then upgraded to 8.04. It does seem quite nice to use...so far...and I'm in the process of setting up the Evolution email program. If I can't import the saved thunderbird address book and emails, I might just download thunderbird and use that again.
It's a bummer that the IE tab for firefox is only for windoze and not linux.
I'll have a go at setting up boinc again in the morning...or should I say later in the morning when I get up. It's after 2.30am already! Shocked

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mohrorless · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:43 am Post subject:

Go to bed!
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PhastPhred · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject:

Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject:

If only my Window XP install were going so easily. The crazy thing stops detecting the keyboard and mouse as soon as it gets to the log on screen.
_________________

Currently running:

Active
Intel Core 2 Quad 9550

Reserves
Now down to one Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 that's in a tiny case and overheats if I actually try to use all four cores at the same time. On the other hand, it makes for a very nice home theater PC
Intel Core i7 CPU 920
AMD Athlon(tm) 7850

Sir Papa Smurph · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject:

Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject:

Sir Furry Mark · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:16 pm Post subject:

Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:32 pm Post subject:

Sir Papa Smurph · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject:

Adam Alexander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:40 pm Post subject:

Lloyd M. · Prince Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 521

I started out on Ubuntu when I built my first dedicated shrubber (KWSNLB1 - I'll let you guess what the last three characters stand for). Basically, what happened was I upgraded the CPU for my main shrubber, so I got a new mobo for the old CPU, and put the rest of the system together with mostly salvaged parts.

Anyway, I knew I didn't want a stolen copy of Windoze, and also that I didn't want to pay of an OS for a dedicated shrubber.

So, I got basically one of each distro I could find in library books, copied the disks (whilst surpressing the screaming voice in my head, because that was perfectly legal!), and tried installing them. Ubuntu would install, the others wouldn't, so that settled that.

To my surprise, I ended up using that computer a LOT for a while (using a KVM switch with my main shrubber), because of all the tools it came with (e.g. GIMP). There are a couple of things about Ubuntu and Open Office that drive me to distraction sometimes, and, given the price, I certainly can't complain, can I? #evil

One thing I can tell you, your computer will be MUCH faster with Ubuntu (running in native mode, anyway) than Vista. Vista spends so many resources on stupid DRM schemes (like encrypting data that crosses internal buses) that it's a miracle that it has anything left to be an OS. In fact, I hear that with some projects (e.g. Einstein), linux is considerably faster on the same machine than even XP, let alone Vista.

While the change-the-partition method is reasonably safe, it's not entirely without the risk of basically destroying all your data (it's a very small risk, but it's still there). Drives are cheap nowadays - if you can, you really are better off getting another one to run Ubuntu and setting up dual boot that way.

I'm pretty sure that newer versions of Ubuntu are fairly interoperable with NTFS, so you could probably just copy whatever files you need from your Windoze drive to Ubuntu, as you need them.
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