Tinuva
The Magician
Indeed. In fact I am so impressed with it, I may switch myself over to it soon when I have time.
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Considering converting to Linux
- Thread starter Cowboy172
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Should not take you long. I use the openbox version with custom theme/decorations, make a list of your packages you have installed and backup any customised config files you might have. Once installed just install all the packages in a single go and restore any specific configs you might have.
KeganFinder
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Would linux based OS use less system resources the say windows 7? I'm also considering the move and I only have a entry level laptop to do it with.
Yes but it's very much dependent on which Desktop Manager you use (KDE, Unity, Gnome, XFCE, LXDE etc) or you could just use a Window Manager (Openbox, Fluxbox, i3, Awesome etc). I only use Openbox and after boot it uses <100MB and it's snot fast on both old and new hardware.
To give you an example a 2005 Celeron based laptop with Openbox feels snappier than a modern laptop with windows on it.
porchrat
Honorary Master
Most Linux based OSes are a fair bit faster than Windows equivalents. Until recently you could run Ubuntu on a little over 300MB of RAM. Try doing that with Windows 7.
Rocket-Boy
Honorary Master
I dont see fedora core mentioned.
Its been a while since I used it but it was pretty good back then.
I only ever really use linux on servers so that is all RHEL and Ubuntu server.
Its been a while since I used it but it was pretty good back then.
I only ever really use linux on servers so that is all RHEL and Ubuntu server.
KeganFinder
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Thats great! So I basically have to decide on a desktop manager which is simply dedicated to my purposes. Basically I need to do the general admin programs such as email internet browser antivirus? I am also doing this to start developing websites apps etc. Any suggestions of where to look or your personal favourites?
I recently ( like this weekend) switched to Linux Mint 17 Cinnamon 32 Bit. Chose it because it had all of the Codecs included. Even my wife just picked it up and started using it. Its that easy.
I looked for some linux alternatives to windows programs. Searched on MyBB and google for a few minutes. Selected them in the package manager. Install. Its that easy.
Using an oldish Core 2 Duo with 2 gig ram and onboard graphics. Everything just works plug and play wise. The only error I get is if I close my laptop to put it to sleep. When I open it up again the fan spins at Max rpm.
My windows errored in such a way that the networking was screwed so I had the perfect excuse. Been playing with the idea for a few years and messing about in Virtual Machines with Linux, but nothing heavy.
Id say try it dual boot or in a VM if youre hesitant. Go for it!
I looked for some linux alternatives to windows programs. Searched on MyBB and google for a few minutes. Selected them in the package manager. Install. Its that easy.
Using an oldish Core 2 Duo with 2 gig ram and onboard graphics. Everything just works plug and play wise. The only error I get is if I close my laptop to put it to sleep. When I open it up again the fan spins at Max rpm.
My windows errored in such a way that the networking was screwed so I had the perfect excuse. Been playing with the idea for a few years and messing about in Virtual Machines with Linux, but nothing heavy.
Id say try it dual boot or in a VM if youre hesitant. Go for it!
Full make and model of laptop?
When you say sleep do you mean 'suspend' or 'hibernate'?
Maybe we can find you a solution.
chopsuey
Well-Known Member
/me recall fond memories while running Blackbox on a crappy Celeron when I started a new job in early 2000s ...it was so fast compared to KDE/Gnome
Happy Camper
Expert Member
:wtf:i thought ponder's post summed up the what to expect angle quite well.
i will reiterate one thing - linux is not windows. if you have a problem and ask on a forum for a solution, don't start with but windows does it this way.
what that means is that you need to open your mind to learn to do things in a new way. this is very important.
once you grapple with these 2 things, the choice of distro becomes a secondary thing.
i've been using linux since suse 9.3 (around 93/94 i think). yet i still have a few loaded because each one offers a little something different - debian unstable (my main os), archlinux, fedora, opensuse
in the main, most distros should be able to install your wifi meaning that even when you run into issues, you have the internet available to you for solutions.
so for instances the distros i use have thriving forums that you can use to ask questions. linuxquestions.org is one that tries to cater for all the distros.
there's a good chance that you may get frustrated in the early days. fight through that by asking questions here and on other sites. but remember the people you are asking questions from are almost always likely to have nothing to do with the distro you are using. so if you rant, expect to get little out of the exchange.
edit - a very important thing when asking questions on a forum - do some googling beforehand. as i said the people you are asking questions from are not official support staff and thus are not paid to help you. so they like to see you have taken some initiative in trying to solve your problem.
i will reiterate one thing - linux is not windows. if you have a problem and ask on a forum for a solution, don't start with but windows does it this way.
what that means is that you need to open your mind to learn to do things in a new way. this is very important.
once you grapple with these 2 things, the choice of distro becomes a secondary thing.
i've been using linux since suse 9.3 (around 93/94 i think). yet i still have a few loaded because each one offers a little something different - debian unstable (my main os), archlinux, fedora, opensuse
in the main, most distros should be able to install your wifi meaning that even when you run into issues, you have the internet available to you for solutions.
so for instances the distros i use have thriving forums that you can use to ask questions. linuxquestions.org is one that tries to cater for all the distros.
there's a good chance that you may get frustrated in the early days. fight through that by asking questions here and on other sites. but remember the people you are asking questions from are almost always likely to have nothing to do with the distro you are using. so if you rant, expect to get little out of the exchange.
edit - a very important thing when asking questions on a forum - do some googling beforehand. as i said the people you are asking questions from are not official support staff and thus are not paid to help you. so they like to see you have taken some initiative in trying to solve your problem.
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Linux is not for everyone.
For older hardware, install your favourite Linux distribution, and switch the GUI for a light-weight one, or choose a Linux distribution that ships with a light weight GUI.
What's a Distribution? Anything you can download that calls itself Linux is actually a Linux distribution. Fedora, Ubuntu, Mandriva, Arch, OpenSUSE, Mint, any one of a million distributions: (http://distrowatch.org)
I said GUI, not desktop environment or window manager. The borders and definitions are blurred in mis-understanding and historic convolutions. A DE or desktop environment is a collection of software that's bundled together to give you a nice unified experience. The two big guns are Gnome and KDE. Whether you choose a bundled desktop environment or a simple Window Manager and a few applications, it amounts to the same thing: a Graphical User Interface. You can use Gnome software under KDE and vica versa. Unless you know where to look you won't even realize it.
For the completely un-initiated: Start with Ubuntu or an Ubuntu based Distribution. I dislike the new-fangled Tablet-orientated interface that Gnome v3 and Unity forces upon us. That is just a personal preference though and I find that KDE gets in my way much less, so that is what I use. Many Distributions have both a Gnome AND a KDE spin (The developers spin out a distribution that includes Gnome, and then they re-spin it to include KDE, hence it is called a Spin)
Why start with Ubuntu? Because it is very easy to find and install software. You want more than just an operating system, right?
Before you get too committed to Ubuntu, randomly select another distribution or two to try out. Make a list of what you want to test though, eg:
1. Connect to your WiFi
2. Install extra software (Eg Firefox, Gimp, Shutter, Celestia, K3b, Steam client)
3. Install the Native device drivers for your Graphics card
4. Access the Internet with a Web Browser
5. Connect to a VPN
6. Scan a document
7. Copy pictures from your camera to a flash drive
8. Access another computer via the network
9. Print on your network printer
But, and this is what I've been trying to get to: Linux is NOT for everyone.
Some things which may send you packing to Windows: Dependencies on specialist software like Photoshop. Installing the garbage that comes with the latest Fashion or Gadget magazines, and Games. Lots of games don't work well with Windows, at least not without a lot of fidgeting and tweaking to get them to work.
You don't want to have to fix it - On the one hand fixing things in Linux is often easier than it is under Windows. On the other hand you need to fix things under Linux maybe more often than under Windows. But you have no insight into windows so you don't fiddle with anything.
I have long divided Computer users into three categories.
1. Everybody's Grandmother. More technically "I've got someone else who configures my computer and I just use it like that" For these people Linux is perfect. It is reliable, dependable, performs well and presents a consistent experience. You can browse, change your desktop wall paper, open documents and do email without a hitch, often better than Windows.
2. Power users. More technically the users who like to learn about computers and don't mind struggling with the less often used features to get them just perfect. For this group there can be no other choice but to use Linux.
3. The massive group in between. Don't want to struggle with things, must get it done now, and want everything without caring that they might miss out on a technically superior feature somewhere. Most business users falls into this category. Gamers does too (Sorry, being an uber Gamer doesn't make you a haxor, no matter how much you scoff at this statement - Now go and get on with your gaming or business application or whatever it is that you do
). These users want to install shrink-wrapped software. They will pay for support and expect no interruptions to their work or play. For them, Linux is generally not the best fit.
There is of course another class of user entirely, but for the sake of this discussion lets just limit it to desktop use[r]s.
Note: Wanting to use ageing hardware for a modern computing experience puts you squarely in the "I will struggle to make it work rather than pay for a new computer" group.
If you are looking for a lightweight distribution, have a look at Lubuntu or Xubuntu.
For a Touchy-tablet like experience go for Ubuntu.
For a more classic experience go for Kubuntu.
Have fun.
For older hardware, install your favourite Linux distribution, and switch the GUI for a light-weight one, or choose a Linux distribution that ships with a light weight GUI.
What's a Distribution? Anything you can download that calls itself Linux is actually a Linux distribution. Fedora, Ubuntu, Mandriva, Arch, OpenSUSE, Mint, any one of a million distributions: (http://distrowatch.org)
I said GUI, not desktop environment or window manager. The borders and definitions are blurred in mis-understanding and historic convolutions. A DE or desktop environment is a collection of software that's bundled together to give you a nice unified experience. The two big guns are Gnome and KDE. Whether you choose a bundled desktop environment or a simple Window Manager and a few applications, it amounts to the same thing: a Graphical User Interface. You can use Gnome software under KDE and vica versa. Unless you know where to look you won't even realize it.
For the completely un-initiated: Start with Ubuntu or an Ubuntu based Distribution. I dislike the new-fangled Tablet-orientated interface that Gnome v3 and Unity forces upon us. That is just a personal preference though and I find that KDE gets in my way much less, so that is what I use. Many Distributions have both a Gnome AND a KDE spin (The developers spin out a distribution that includes Gnome, and then they re-spin it to include KDE, hence it is called a Spin)
Why start with Ubuntu? Because it is very easy to find and install software. You want more than just an operating system, right?
Before you get too committed to Ubuntu, randomly select another distribution or two to try out. Make a list of what you want to test though, eg:
1. Connect to your WiFi
2. Install extra software (Eg Firefox, Gimp, Shutter, Celestia, K3b, Steam client)
3. Install the Native device drivers for your Graphics card
4. Access the Internet with a Web Browser
5. Connect to a VPN
6. Scan a document
7. Copy pictures from your camera to a flash drive
8. Access another computer via the network
9. Print on your network printer
But, and this is what I've been trying to get to: Linux is NOT for everyone.
Some things which may send you packing to Windows: Dependencies on specialist software like Photoshop. Installing the garbage that comes with the latest Fashion or Gadget magazines, and Games. Lots of games don't work well with Windows, at least not without a lot of fidgeting and tweaking to get them to work.
You don't want to have to fix it - On the one hand fixing things in Linux is often easier than it is under Windows. On the other hand you need to fix things under Linux maybe more often than under Windows. But you have no insight into windows so you don't fiddle with anything.
I have long divided Computer users into three categories.
1. Everybody's Grandmother. More technically "I've got someone else who configures my computer and I just use it like that" For these people Linux is perfect. It is reliable, dependable, performs well and presents a consistent experience. You can browse, change your desktop wall paper, open documents and do email without a hitch, often better than Windows.
2. Power users. More technically the users who like to learn about computers and don't mind struggling with the less often used features to get them just perfect. For this group there can be no other choice but to use Linux.
3. The massive group in between. Don't want to struggle with things, must get it done now, and want everything without caring that they might miss out on a technically superior feature somewhere. Most business users falls into this category. Gamers does too (Sorry, being an uber Gamer doesn't make you a haxor, no matter how much you scoff at this statement - Now go and get on with your gaming or business application or whatever it is that you do
). These users want to install shrink-wrapped software. They will pay for support and expect no interruptions to their work or play. For them, Linux is generally not the best fit.There is of course another class of user entirely, but for the sake of this discussion lets just limit it to desktop use[r]s.
Note: Wanting to use ageing hardware for a modern computing experience puts you squarely in the "I will struggle to make it work rather than pay for a new computer" group.
If you are looking for a lightweight distribution, have a look at Lubuntu or Xubuntu.
For a Touchy-tablet like experience go for Ubuntu.
For a more classic experience go for Kubuntu.
Have fun.
noob_saibot
Well-Known Member
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- Feb 14, 2014
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- 280
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...
3. The massive group in between. Don't want to struggle with things, must get it done now, and want everything without caring that they might miss out on a technically superior feature somewhere. Most business users falls into this category. Gamers does too (Sorry, being an uber Gamer doesn't make you a haxor, no matter how much you scoff at this statement - Now go and get on with your gaming or business application or whatever it is that you do
...
Have fun.
Why would a business user not want to use linux? Apart from the lack of paid-support in SA (although companies do exist), I can't see why a business user wouldn't use linux as well. Especially in 2014, when a lot of services are moving to the web and sometimes all you need is a browser.
Linux is also painted as a lot more secure than Windows, so as a business, wouldn't it make more sense to opt for this option?
Tinuva
The Magician
People don't like change, the like it less when they see a desktop they are not used to.
That is very true. But I think it is because business people want to do business, not learn new computer programs. The exception is if there is a real Return on Investment. Take it as coming from someone married to someone who is running three businesses.
"I don't have time to learn LInux because it doesn't matter"
In the line above read "The ways in which Linux is better than Windows" for the word "it", and read "won't have a positive ROI" for "doesn't matter"
Note employees are a different matter. They aren't business people, they are workers who use whatever they're told, and here there can be a positive ROI (refer to the category of "Everybody's Grandmother" and include benefits about them working in a stable, locked-down, virtually virus free environment"
Tinuva
The Magician
Mostly true.
PS. Walk into most FNB branches today, and you will notice the employees have Ubuntu on their desktops there.
PS. Walk into most FNB branches today, and you will notice the employees have Ubuntu on their desktops there.
Its a HP ProBook 4510s. When I said sleep I meant when I close the laptop without powering down.
Thanks for the offer but Ive got a sollution... just power down normally. Its not a biggy because I basically never close the laptop without shutting down in the first place.
Still 100% percent happy.
Hmmmm, I thought it is Debian.