Windows 7 versus Ubuntu 9.10

_TrXtR_ said:
Like trying turning off ALL desktop icons 3 hours before a meeting.
Oh wait... you cant :-P
Click to expand...

????

Open console.

mkdir ~/DesktopIcons
mv ~/Desktop/* ~/DesktopIcons/

Seems pretty simple to me. Not exactly turning them off, but it has the same overall effect and at the end of the day isn't that what you're going for?

Turning them off seems like the most pointless feature I have ever heard of. No offence I'm sure it is very handy for you, but personally I prefer to just move them somewhere else until I'm done and then move them back afterwards.

If users would just stop running in fear from the console and try using it for a few minutes with a friend or Google to help them then Linux wouldn't be so difficult for everyone.

Though if you choose Ubuntu you could get away without needing to use the console. If you use the computer for anything complicated enough to require the console then you are tech savvy enough to learn the console you lazy buggers! Heck you're probably tech savvy enough to learn bash.
 
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porchrat said:
????

Open console.

mkdir ~/DesktopIcons
mv ~/Desktop/* ~/DesktopIcons/

Seems pretty simple to me. Not exactly turning them off, but it has the same overall effect and at the end of the day isn't that what you're going for?
Click to expand...
If it's not exactly, then it's not ;)
Dont worry bout the console though, it's easier to just drag the icons into a recycle bin or something.
 
haxxor said:
Just out of curiosity.....

How much will Windows 7 + MSOffice cost, when released in SA?

How much will ubuntu [-]9.04[/-] 9.10 + OpenOffice cost, when released in SA:D
Click to expand...
fixed it for you ;)

Also, Ubuntu + OpenOffice comes on one CD
 
porchrat said:
OpenOffice comes for Windows too, kind of a pointless argument.
Click to expand...

Yeah, nice attempt at trolling another linux vs windows thread though :P

You get what you pay for after all, OpenOffice is to MS Office what Gimp is to Photoshop.
 
_TrXtR_ said:
If it's not exactly, then it's not ;)
Dont worry bout the console though, it's easier to just drag the icons into a recycle bin or something.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is you want the ability to make you desktop icons invisible not because you don't want people to see them, but just because you want them invisible?

At the end of the day your goal with that particular action (making icons invisible) is to ensure that people can't see them during a presentation correct?

At that point does it matter how the OS actually hides them? as long as there is a way to ensure that no one can see icons on the desktop the OS has done it's job. In fact I believe it was Einstein who said "Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler". By creating a system to make the icons invisible Microsoft are just over-complicating something that has a pretty simple answer.

The ease with which you can move your icons to the trash depends on what is on the desktop and what is currently in the trash. You could cause endless problems. Then again you have "3 hours" before that meeting so you could afford to waste time running through the 3 or 4 GUI windows it takes before you see the checkboxes that allow you to hide the desktop icons in Windows.

Fudzy said:
Yeah, nice attempt at trolling another linux vs windows thread though :P

You get what you pay for after all, OpenOffice is to MS Office what Gimp is to Photoshop.
Click to expand...

I dunno if he was trolling, but I felt I needed to point out that both OSes can run OpenOffice so there is no point trying to argue that as a plus for Linux.

I find GIMP fine for my limited needs, and OpenOffice, while it definitely has a lot of problems, is sufficient for a person that just wants a basic office suite. That being said, Gimp is nowhere near as awesome as Photoshop if you use it for work and not just for messing around and making funny images like I do, then definitely stick to Photoshop.

The combo of Gimp and Inkscape is quite nice though.
 
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_TrXtR_ said:
If it's not exactly, then it's not ;)
Dont worry bout the console though, it's easier to just drag the icons into a recycle bin or something.
Click to expand...

Then spent 10minutes and write a simple script that would automate it for you, basically just toggle between having the icons, or not. Not that difficult.

Something like:
Code: 
#!/bin/sh
ICONDIR=~/Desktop

if [ -d $ICONDIR ]
then
        echo "Removing icons"
        mv $ICONDIR $ICONDIR.off
elif [ -d $ICONDIR.off ]
then
        echo "Restoring icons"
        mv $ICONDIR.off $ICONDIR
else
        echo "$ICONDIR or $ICONDIR.off doesn't exist"
fi

Now simply name it something (iconsgone.sh), make it executable (chmod 700 iconsgone.sh), and place it in /usr/bin.

Problem solved.
 
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Nod said:
Then spent 10minutes and write a simple script that would automate it for you, basically just toggle between having the icons, or not. Not that difficult.

Something like:
Code: 
#!/bin/sh
ICONDIR=~/Desktop

if [ -d $ICONDIR ]
then
        echo "Removing icons"
        mv $ICONDIR $ICONDIR.off
elif [ -d $ICONDIR.off ]
then
        echo "Restoring icons"
        mv $ICONDIR.off $ICONDIR
else
        echo "$ICONDIR or $ICONDIR.off doesn't exist"
fi

Now simply name it something (iconsgone.sh), make it executable (chmod 700 iconsgone.sh), and place it in /usr/bin.

Problem solved.
Click to expand...

LOL

OK while I agree with you that that is the easiest thing to do and it is definitely the way I would approach it I was trying to hint at how easy it is to use the console. i.e. how simple the commands are. That is not exactly the solution I would recommend for someone starting out on the console.

I can't wait to see the average user figure out scripts. Should be very entertaining.

It will go like this:
Nod: OK so you just write a script that looks like this and then you just run it by calling it from the console using it's filepath or you navigate to it using nautilus and double click it, then select "run", but be sure to change the permissions to make it executable first.

Average User: What is that "elif" in there? I warn you I am not very clued up on Lord of the Rings or any of that m0ffie stuff. Don't tell me that Tolkien m0ffie wrote Linux as well?!?
Click to expand...
 
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porchrat said:
I can't wait to see the average user figure out scripts. Should be very entertaining.

It will go like this:
Click to expand...

Ok, fine. Scripting might be a bit too much to expect, but posting a request in the Linux section, would have saved having to write it too ;)
 
Will there be any new changes implemented on Win 7 with Octobers release ? Been trying it out and loving it.
 
BigAl-sa said:
you missed the point, the Ubuntu OS installation CD comes with office as part of package :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

but...MS Office doesn't come with Windows does it?

There is no connection...anywhere.

There are also ways to get OpenOffice without downloading it yourself, essentially making it as free on Windows as it is on Linux.
 
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