[olug] Disappointment and a question ...

Sat Apr 5 05:38:23 UTC 2014

Windows XP runs good in VirtualBox on my Kubuntu box.  It's an old Core2
Duo so not really beefy enough to pull off Windows 7 or 8, though it could
passably run Win7 with all of the eye-candy turned off.

Personally I can't stand Unity so I've stuck with KDE since I left FluxBox
on my old FreeBSD system.

  --=
 =--
*Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant.* - Anonymous

On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 10:56 PM, Jeff Hinrichs - DM&T <jeffh at dundeemt.com>wrote:

> I had/have issues with flash but not because of the OS. ;)  I live in linux
> as my main desktop and only remote into a virtual windows box when I have
> to admin my windows network at work.  We keep the MS tax to a minimum at my
> company, even windows desktops run openoffice, but most just use Google
> Docs.  We threw out exchange and migrated to gmail and apps a few years
> back.
>
> for my $0.02, there is no reason to run either M$ or iO$ unless you require
> an app that only runs on one of those two con systems, oops I mean
> operating systems.  I've got chrome, firefox, and sublime.  I write code
> primarily in Python and HTML/javasccript   All of which run pretty much
> everywhere.  The shell in iO$ is superior to m$ but since I don't spend my
> time listening to tunes and obsessing about my desktop background, and
> twirly wheels to amuse me while I'm waiting for my apps to load or my
> system to reboot because I just plugged in a new mouse.  I've got three
> screens and 4 desktops worth of stuff going on that keeps my employer happy
> about paying me to do my job.  Man I love xfce on ubuntu.  It just stays
> the h#!! out of my way -- the way a Desktop/OS should.  The less I have to
> concern myself with an OS the more I like it.  Just like the IT industry in
> general, when we are doing are jobs the right way, nobody notices us.  I
> mean really, windows is so last century.  And apple -- just what does it
> bring to the table besides bling for bucks and to show what a good consumer
> you are?   Apple is the over-priced Air Jordans of computers and consumer
> devices.  People pay too much for them and then they worry about free trade
> chocolate?   total face-palm!  sorry, starting to hyper ventilate here <g>
>  I'll go outside to cool down and look at my neighbors' 4 wheel/all wheel
> drive vehicles they need to get them across the metro and Interstate
> system.  Can't let snow stop you from getting to Applebees.
>
> best,
> Jeff
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 10:01 PM, Matthew Goeres <mgoeres at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I ran Ubuntu and Mint linux for several years, but ended up switching to
> a
> > Mac awhile back.
> >
> > I was so tired of flash issues and dealing with cryptic programs. I still
> > have a desktop running Mint but it's only real function is that it is my
> VM
> > staging area with VMware workstation and also connects to my ESX hosts
> > which I do all from a VNC or RDP session.
> >
> > Now with HTML5 being used for a lot of things like youtube I could
> > probably do a linux distro again, but my macbook is much more convent at
> > this point and I still have a shell if I need to do something as simple
> as
> > an NMAP or do some text manipulation on a file.
> >
> > -Matt
> >
> > On Apr 4, 2014, at 9:52 PM, Jeff Hinrichs - DM&T <jeffh at dundeemt.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I'd say Ubuntu -- Speaking as someone who helps others and my entire
> > > family, including wife, runs ubuntu -- not a problem.  My kids have
> only
> > > seen windows boxes on tv and in school.  If you want to see how most
> > > distros would work/look on your box, most have a live version you can
> put
> > > on a thumbdrive and try out before you commit.
> > >
> > > My parents run ubuntu on their laptop.  Install fests are so last
> century
> > > because yes, you can do it without dropping to a command line.  I
> > encourage
> > > you to take a look at what is out there right now.
> > >
> > > I am not an ubuntu fanboy, just ask and I'll let you know how they
> gnomed
> > > things up but in general, it is what I recommend.
> > >
> > > Best,
> > > Jeff
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 9:30 PM, David Gilman <davidgilman1 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >> If you want usable out of the box and UNIX look at MacOS X.
> > >> On Apr 4, 2014 8:19 PM, "unfy" <olug at unfy.org> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> First up, I'm not looking for a flame war.  This is just a legitimate
> > >>> question.
> > >>>
> > >>> -----------------------
> > >>>
> > >>> So, I've been using Linux since about Slackware 3.0 or something like
> > >>> that. 1996/1997 or so.
> > >>>
> > >>> I used linux as my desktop OS for the longest time because I was
> tired
> > of
> > >>> how unstable windows was, etc.  I'd boot into windows to play games
> if
> > >>> necessary - but my day to day life was under linux.  I even used it
> at
> > >> work
> > >>> with windows in a virtual machine.
> > >>>
> > >>> I eventually picked up a dell notebook that had XP SP1 on it (2003 ?)
> > ...
> > >>> and being open to new things, decided to give it a fair shake.
>  After a
> > >>> month or so I was generally happy with how stable it was and decided
> to
> > >>> leave linux behind as a desktop OS.  There was generally better
> > hardware
> > >>> support under XP ... and it seemed stable.
> > >>>
> > >>> I've stuck with linux / bsd as a server OS though.
> > >>>
> > >>> Fast forward to 2014 and a coworker has been fiddling with some
> > different
> > >>> linux distro's.  Ubuntu, Zoran (or whatever), and a few others.
> > >>>
> > >>> I had to walk away shaking my head.
> > >>>
> > >>> --------------
> > >>>
> > >>> The question:
> > >>>
> > >>> Is there a linux distro that is actually USEFUL to folks out of the
> > box ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Something like a working control panel ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Base / simple configuration of services (with the understanding that
> > >>> complex stuff will require editing a config file) ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Feedback when an application is loading in the background ?
> > >>>
> > >>> An error message if an application fails to load ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Non-cryptic cd/dvd burning software ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Customizing start menu / widget stuff isn't black voodoo ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Something where I don't have to drop to the console to fix 90% of the
> > >>> problems ?
> > >>>
> > >>> Basically, it seems like looking back over the last 20 years - I've
> > seen
> > >>> different distros hit all of these subjects and sometimes complete
> said
> > >>> task - only to change it / drop it a few releases later etc.
> > >>>
> > >>> Is there a distro that SIMPLY WORKS FOR THE HOME USER ? Doesn't have
> to
> > >> be
> > >>> the prettiest thing on the planet, but lets you accomplish everything
> > ya
> > >>> need to do out of the box ? And isn't a PITA to use ? Is there a
> distro
> > >>> that quits trying to re-invent every aspect of the wheel with each
> > >> release ?
> > >>>
> > >>> I know what I'm asking is a bit subjective - but seriously - what
> ever
> > >>> happened to "this tool does one thing and does it really well"
> > mentality
> > >>> (see most of the command line tools) ?
> > >>>
> > >>> When subjectively looking at the 4 or so distro's my coworker fired
> up,
> > >>> Windows 3.1, Windows 95, BeOS, OS/2, etc were all more functionally
> > >>> complete.  Hell, I still think BeOS rocks :D.
> > >>>
> > >>> There is ZERO chance I'd use any of them as a desktop OS.  I'd be
> more
> > at
> > >>> home in the 2.0 kernel days and Afterstep / Windowmaker hehehe.
> > >>>
> > >>> KDE looked like it was trying pretty hard in the early pre-1.0 and
> > >> 1.0/2.0
> > >>> days to get things somewhat there....
> > >>>
> > >>> ----------------------
> > >>>
> > >>> Sure, most distro's come with the standard apps like open office or
> > >>> whatever it's called these days.  And a couple options of browsers.
> > >> Maybe a
> > >>> few 'explorer' like programs.  A few media consumption programs. Some
> > of
> > >>> these applications may or may not work.  Others might offer some
> closed
> > >>> source drivers that may or may not work on your hardware depending on
> > the
> > >>> age of your hardware.   (that brings up more fun.  want to run older
> > >>> hardware - gotta run an older distro.  but then if you have a problem
> > >> with
> > >>> something, everything/one says you need to upgrade your distro...
> which
> > >> you
> > >>> cant cause of the older hardware etc).
> > >>>
> > >>> Is there a distro that has a checklist of "this is what this distro
> > MUST
> > >>> do from a functionality stand point", and then it sticks to making
> that
> > >>> happen ?
> > >>>
> > >>> ----------------------
> > >>>
> > >>> With the above said, I did make use of Mythbuntu for many years on my
> > >> HTPC
> > >>> box (with two hauppage pvr-150's).  But - that was mostly just
> getting
> > >> the
> > >>> OS to run mythfrontend and mythbackend  and nothing else.  Did have
> to
> > >>> patch alsa by hand all the time for HDMI audio over nforce 630i
> chipset
> > >>> (don't think i ever pushed the patch upstream though heh).
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> _______________________________________________
> > >>> OLUG mailing list
> > >>> OLUG at olug.org
> > >>> https://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
> > >>>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> OLUG mailing list
> > >> OLUG at olug.org
> > >> https://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Best,
> > >
> > > Jeff Hinrichs
> > > 402.218.1473
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > OLUG mailing list
> > > OLUG at olug.org
> > > https://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > OLUG mailing list
> > OLUG at olug.org
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> Best,
>
> Jeff Hinrichs
> 402.218.1473
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