Running Linux live

[Micky]

If you are depending on it to perform in a production environment, you better think twice.
Especially if it is your only computer...

In a mixed computer environment a new OS will take some getting used to, but unless you have the experience to integrate everything and you know what you are doing AHEAD of time it may just be an exercise in frustration.

Fortunately for many of us we can install new things on a disposable machine before rolling it out to perform in a new environment. Time to experiment as well as get all the drivers and such working is a vary valuable commodity...

 

[tubes]

If you are depending on it to perform in a production environment, you better think twice.
Especially if it is your only computer...

In a mixed computer environment a new OS will take some getting used to, but unless you have the experience to integrate everything and you know what you are doing AHEAD of time it may just be an exercise in frustration.

Fortunately for many of us we can install new things on a disposable machine before rolling it out to perform in a new environment. Time to experiment as well as get all the drivers and such working is a vary valuable commodity...

Yes Micky, that's exactly how it seems to me.
I don't get paid to upgrade computers (or understand operating systems) - but I need to do it sometimes or I won't be working at all.

Have to say I am generally very happy with Linux. I'm just going through the pains of change right now.

 

[tubes]

Just FYI...

I have decided to stick with my new Ubuntu/Gnome desktop for now.

I estimate that, although I may prefer to do things the same way I have for the last 20 years, I might be fighting a losing battle if I carry on with that thinking.

Still: It's very hard for me - seems to me the latest Linux desktop environments are not as easily configurable as they used to be.

@Micky:
I suppose you're right about how well Ubuntu performs on various hardware.
No problems in that area.

As for Chrome, Chromium... or any children it has spawned....
...while you say you like that -- personally I HATE them all.

I feel very lost since Opera changed. I loved the old multi-document interface and I have always hated using browsers that employ "tabs".

But, as I mentioned... I'm probably fighting a losing battle here.

 

[Kunnz]

Lets face it - Windows has more apps available than Linux.

On top of that, even though Linux is now pretty much mainstream, it still takes a bit of patience as well as knowledge to work out the problems that arise. The Brother printer problem is a perfect example.

Don't get me wrong here, I am running Linux and have been since the late '90's. It is just that it still isn't ready for every grandma that wants to use Facebook to chat with their old-buzzard friends at the nursing home. It takes a certain amount of knowledge as well as patience. And a lot of trial and error.

Plus, the resources aren't there for support yet, you can't take your Linux box down to Best Buy and have the Geek Squad fix it. (although I bet they could, and would, probably for free...) So it is still better for the guys like us who know a little secret, and can keep things running no matter what. There are a few production environments where it is in use, and I will bet there will be a few public schools that will be running it soon, when all their money dries up.

So lets spread the word, and help those who need to figure this OS out. Sharing knowledge and experience is the only way it will be accepted into the mainstream, and getting others to run it will do wonders.

I will make this offer - I will put Ubuntu 14.04 on a bootable flash drive for anyone who wishes to install it. Send me your flash drive and a couple bucks for shipping, and I will do whatever I can to help anyone get it up and running on their machine.

Hi Mickey,

I have always been a windows guy, so let me get this clear, I have a couple of old PC's lying in the junk room with 250Mb of ram and about 40Gb hard drives plus and old lap top with about a 10Gb hard drive and 500Mb of ram.
You reckon if I download the x32 version of Ubuntu and burn the iso to a dvd disc I can get these old machines up and rocking again?
It would be cool and save me hauling a lap top around from place to place.

 

[Micky]

Yes, I will bet it will work fine.
If the machines already have a working OS on them then the install will create a dual-boot scenario, but you need to be very careful with this when you have smaller HD's.

Anyway, go ahead and try it, what have you got to lose? Also - No 'e'in Micky...

 

[Kunnz]

Will do MICKY, I'll keep you posted, cheers.

 

[ibmorjamn]

Good to see the old Linux thread come back to the top.
By the way Tubes , I think we got forced to use Chrome since Flash Player is no Longer supported except for Big M and Google

 

[tubes]

Today is the first time I'm logging on here with my new Ubuntu.
Forum works perfectly, so far, in Firefox.
__

Migration, or change/update of OS, can be time-consuming.

I have used up my Christmas holiday time configuring this.
There always seems to be one more thing to do...

I need to get my accounting system to run under Wine - but just for a while: I'm about to change to a modern, browser based, accounting system.

After that I'll plug in and configure my sound card.
Then I'll finally be able to listen properly, once more, when members play some music or link to something I want to listen to.

 

[Micky]

Today is the first time I'm logging on here with my new Ubuntu.
Forum works perfectly, so far, in Firefox.
__

Migration, or change/update of OS, can be time-consuming.

I have used up my Christmas holiday time configuring this.
There always seems to be one more thing to do...

I need to get my accounting system to run under Wine - but just for a while: I'm about to change to a modern, browser based, accounting system.

After that I'll plug in and configure my sound card.
Then I'll finally be able to listen properly, once more, when members play some music or link to something I want to listen to.

Awesome work my friend!

Wine is something I have never really needed, if I need to run Windows, I just use a Windows box... Which version of Wine are you running?

 

[tubes]

Awesome work my friend!

Wine is something I have never really needed, if I need to run Windows, I just use a Windows box... Which version of Wine are you running?

Cheers Micky.

Looks like my Wine is 1.6.2-Oubuntu4.

My ancient accounting system is Windows 3.1 vintage. I have been using it for years within Linux. It worked 99% on all the older versions of Wine.

There were just a few kinds of pages it could not print under Wine and send to Cups. E.g. invoices.
I think that was because the invoices never really exist as 'normal' print jobs. They are something the accounting system manufactures on the fly.

...if I need to run Windows, I just use a Windows box...

Yeah, I need a Windows box as long as I keep MS Access on hand.
But I like to keep all the day-to-day work on one box, if possible.

When I first started in my main business - in about 1994 - MS Access was essential for us.
We needed telephone numbers and postal addresses for all the customers. And a lot of our customers were late to adopt email or have web sites.

But today, I have let the main Access database fall into dis-use. It's now much more important to concentrate on managing email addresses.

Note, we don't do scatter-shot emailing here: but customers complain if we don't target our emails rightly - e.g. 'I hear you guys held a training course last month - but I was not informed. What's going on?'

 

[ibmorjamn]

Cheers Micky.

Looks like my Wine is 1.6.2-Oubuntu4.

My ancient accounting system is Windows 3.1 vintage. I have been using it for years within Linux. It worked 99% on all the older versions of Wine.

There were just a few kinds of pages it could not print under Wine and send to Cups. E.g. invoices.
I think that was because the invoices never really exist as 'normal' print jobs. They are something the accounting system manufactures on the fly.



Yeah, I need a Windows box as long as I keep MS Access on hand.
But I like to keep all the day-to-day work on one box, if possible.

When I first started in my main business - in about 1994 - MS Access was essential for us.
We needed telephone numbers and postal addresses for all the customers. And a lot of our customers were late to adopt email or have web sites.

But today, I have let the main Access database fall into dis-use. It's now much more important to concentrate on managing email addresses.

Note, we don't do scatter-shot emailing here: but customers complain if we don't target our emails rightly - e.g. 'I hear you guys held a training course last month - but I was not informed. What's going on?'

I have no idea if this works but it is supposed to be like MS Access :
Kexi Project - "Microsoft Access for Linux" - Home

 

[tubes]

I have no idea if this works but it is supposed to be like MS Access :
Kexi Project - "Microsoft Access for Linux" - Home

Thanks ib.

I think I have looked at that years ago - and other options.

My impression: if you love databases you will love exploring these implementations of database functionality...

Well, I don't love them: them databases were a necessity for a time but...

...I don't need them now
- cross fingers, touch wood, throw salt....

 

[Kunnz]

Hiya, running Ubuntu for a couple of weeks now on lap top and getting on just OK with it after changing over from windows 7. I find that it crashes a lot and is no faster, only on start up
Another thing is that, I cannot run some of my software using Wine, but anyway I'm not a heavy user, so i'll keep it for another while to see how it goes as there seems to be an ever ongoing tweaking game to get used with it.
I did install it on an older computer but it's still slow as hell, so that whole piece of junk is going to the recycle dumpster.

 

[Micky]

I have not had Ubuntu crash even once, but there is some hardware I can't get it to work with. Mostly because I am not fluent enough in that particular OS to figure out how to control the USB ports yet...

And I agree, there are specific Windows control panels I just cannot run from Ubuntu.

Maybe if I was just a regular user who only ran a browser and a couple apps it might be more mainstream for me... I even find OS X lacking most of the time.

For REAL work you need M$ Windows...

 

[tubes]

Hiya, running Ubuntu for a couple of weeks now on lap top and getting on just OK with it after changing over from windows 7. I find that it crashes a lot and is no faster, only on start up
Another thing is that, I cannot run some of my software using Wine, but anyway I'm not a heavy user, so i'll keep it for another while to see how it goes as there seems to be an ever ongoing tweaking game to get used with it.
I did install it on an older computer but it's still slow as hell, so that whole piece of junk is going to the recycle dumpster.

Hey Kunnz,

I have to say, my usual experience with Linux is that it never crashes. In the past my machines only rebooted if there was a power cut.

My latest installation HAS crashed - but that was probably because of a faulty hard drive in the system.

 

[tubes]

I have not had Ubuntu crash even once, but there is some hardware I can't get it to work with. Mostly because I am not fluent enough in that particular OS to figure out how to control the USB ports yet...

And I agree, there are specific Windows control panels I just cannot run from Ubuntu.

Maybe if I was just a regular user who only ran a browser and a couple apps it might be more mainstream for me... I even find OS X lacking most of the time.

For REAL work you need M$ Windows...

AAAAAgggggg ------
I have to ask Mickey: can you tell us more about what you understand to be 'REAL work'?

 

[Micky]

AAAAAgggggg ------
I have to ask Micky: can you tell us more about what you understand to be 'REAL work'?

Real work means accessing the Active Directory on a Windows Domain/Forest.
The ability to edit and maintain Group Policies.
Configuring and administering DNS & DHCP servers.
Using Cisco ADMS software to config my routers and firewalls... and on and on.
This is not even mentioning the photo editing software...

RDP is the answer to a lot of it, but I need secure access. Not everything can be done in a web browser...

And no 'e' in Micky.

How come Ubuntu is crashing? Is it incredibly old hardware?

 

[chuckharmonjr]

I'm running Debian, and the only time I have any real issues is when Iceweasel starts arguing with the firewall on the domain..lol....that can get ugly real quick

 

[Kunnz]

Cheers guys, still getting on with it, I am not a heavy user at all, I don't play games or any video/AV software. My problem is I can't connect to my Rigol DSO 1052E osclliscope through the USB and I'm not too familiar with the command window for executing code yet. I think the crash problem has ceased I hope due to a few upgrades.

The software for the scope provided by Rigol was intended for Windows and it's from 2006 and i'm running it on the WINE, but I think that I need another download app from National Instruments or something to get it going.

I'm not too concerned at the mo' but it would sure be nice to get the scope back online so i'm gonna ask some questions over at EEVblog, unless any of you's have some suggestions which would be well appreciated. cheers folks, I'll keep you's posted

 

[Micky]

You may need to find a way to set the permissions on the port...
I have the same problem with USB radio programming cables.