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billbenson
10-04-2008, 07:37 PM
Anybody here using Linux? I installed Ubuntu on my backup pc, but the default install of FireFox wouldn't connect to the internet. I uninstalled it and installed opensuse from a recommendation and it installed and connected with preinstalled FF and Open Office.

What I can't find is how to install other applications. I downloaded thunderbird to the desktop in a gz format. Where do I go from there to install it? Do I need to unzip it first, if so how? Do I need to install from the command line? if so how? etc. I haven't been able to find good info on installing other Linux compatable applications on Linux?

From what I've read, the people that use Linux really like it, but I have a feeling there is a bit of a learning curve. Can't beat the price or performance though - fast and free for just about all the software I use.

orion_joel
10-05-2008, 12:57 AM
At this point i have not been able to afford myself the time to even consider taking on any learning curve for linux. While i am sure that one day i will take the time and that it would be probably a good move, for the time being i prefer the flexibility of fairly low compatibility issues, and since the last two computer's have come with windows anyway i am happy to live with it for the time being.

the only issue i have had with Vista so far is one game that wont work. However i think it was more a developer issue then compatibility, as the two previous versions of the title both had patches released for them to work.

Anyway back to linux, i think if you can afford the time to learn what you need it would be a good move. Otherwise, i would wait for a specific need for it.

billbenson
10-05-2008, 01:12 PM
Speed is my main motivation. While Vista has a 64 bit version, its really a buzz word for MS at this point from what I've read. It does most stuff in 32 bit emulation. Linux is a true 64 bit system. I frequently have lots of windows open and a number of resource intensive programs open. I have an online quote generator I've written. Someone calls me for a complicated quote on Monday but may not place an order until Friday. So I don't have all the information shipping address etc until friday. I don't want to close that window until the order is placed because when the order is placed with one click it saves the order, sends the customer a receipt, and sends a PO to my supplier.

What happens now is every two days or so I have to reboot. It takes a half hour or so to reopen everything and get back to where I was. I've written a program to get around loosing the quote info, but it doesn't work as well as my original program that generates the quotes.

The other thing is that Vista, in and of itself is resource intensive. So not only does it not utilize the 64 bit architecture very well, it requires more overhead. I still use windows 2k, but will eventually be forced into Vista. So I'm installing Linux and going to slowly get accustomed to it. I don't think the learning curve is going to be to bad.

vangogh
10-06-2008, 03:48 AM
Bill you'll want to use apt-get, which is a package manager for all Debian based distros. Ubuntu is Debian based.

Here's a quick tutorial on apt-get (http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2005/12/concise-apt-get-dpkg-primer-for-new.html). At the bottom of the page are links to a couple of GUI front ends. One GUI mentioned is Synaptic (http://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/action.html), which I had installed on Debian on my old laptop.

I won't claim to be a Linux expert or even a go to person for advice at the moment, but I briefly played with Debian and Synaptic was pretty easy to use if I remember correctly. It wouldn't surprise me if it's already installed on your Ubunto distro.

billbenson
10-06-2008, 02:26 PM
I took off Ubuntu because FF wouldn't connect to the internet and installed Opensuse on a recommendation from another forum. Opensuse is managed by Novell. You can download it for free or buy a package with all the software in the world preinstalled and documentation for about $60 as I recall. I found out it uses a program called Yast to install applications. I know Yast is in there as Yast was used to install the program itself. That's as far as I've gotten with it though.

vangogh
10-06-2008, 05:38 PM
Yast is the other popular package manager. I think Red Hat uses Yast too. If I'm not mistaken both Yast and apt-get essentially work in similar ways. I had always heard good things about apt-get, which was a major reason I installed Debian in the first place, but don't really know enough about either to know the pros and cons of each package manager.