Linux software thread

[directhex]

hopefully other people will add to this.

i begin with a package named "mimms"

mimms downloads files from pesky mms:// urls, i.e. windows media servers. often used for streaming wmv video or wma audio.

e.g. "mimms mms://wm01.sputnik7.com/rad1_300.asf" to download the music video for Air's Radio #1. handy if you don't want to see things in a tiny embedded browser window!

(use wget to do the same thing with http and ftp)

[SilentDeath]

Good idea, but is there a windows port?

Not that I dont like linux, I just dont know how to use it and cba to reinstall even with win2k... and I do need to reinstall some time soon...

[0iD]

I'm not big into Linux, I've used Suse predominantly for quite a few years but mainly use FreeBSD these days, just to be different However, I have used this app to good effect on both systems.

rfs 1.1

rfs is a shell script for creating and updating a local spare system
disk. The main goal is to recover a working system after a crash
quickly. In this case, & 'quickly' means the time it takes to
reboot the machine. rfs stands for "replication of
filesystems". Like rsyncbackup, rfs is built on top of rsync.

http://freshmeat.net/redir/rfs/50973...epage/rfs.html

If your system disk crashes, reboot and choose "backup" in lilo : this entry points the backup disk.

[santana]

OiD, you say you've had Linux for some time, tell me, if you can compare it with Windows, is it worth installing? What are the main advantages in comparison with Windows XP? I heard it never freezes, got no critical errors, never reboots. Is that true? Do all programs that work with Windows like Photoshop, Winamp, Wave Lab, and games work under Linux? Is it "more complicated" (i heard it is)?
Please, tell me is it worth the money it costs?
Thanks!
_________________________________________________________________________
http://charity-fund.org

[directhex]

OiD, you say you've had Linux for some time, tell me, if you can compare it with Windows, is it worth installing?

it's very different to windows, making comparison tricky. however, ready

What are the main advantages in comparison with Windows XP?

stability, speed, security, ease of maintenance

I heard it never freezes, got no critical errors, never reboots. Is that true?

for the most part.

Do all programs that work with Windows like Photoshop, Winamp, Wave Lab, and games work under Linux?

no. they're built in completely different ways, they're not interchangeable. for the most part, you should try to find & use open-source alternatives (GIMP, XMMS, Audacity, in that order) or apps with native linux versions (Unreal Tournament 2004, Quake 3). you can get some luck runnign windows apps using the windows API implementation WINE, though results may be mixed. equally, there are two paid versions of wine with mroe focus - Crossover Office is designed for photoshop, office, and similar "work" applications. Cedega is designed for games. all these windows API clones have mixed results. however,

Is it "more complicated" (i heard it is)?

that depends on the distribution, and what you plan on doing. the underlying GNU/Linux system APPEARS more complicated, but unlike WIndows under the hood, you can see exactly what's going on & influence it how you want to. Linux itself isn't an OS, what are availabel are Linux Distributions, some of which are harder to use, install, maintain than others.

Please, tell me is it worth the money it costs?

free, for the most part? what you should do now is go to www.knoppix.org, download the latst knoppix iso, and boot it. it runs entirely from cd, just drops you into a KDE desktop.

Thanks!

[ikonia]

directhex - I agree with all that you have said, however I am wary of overselling linux to people in this way. Linux is completly different to Windows as you have said but "out of the box" which is what most windows users will expect it to run some of your comments are a little missleading (but not wrong)

eg: What are the main advantages in comparison with Windows XP?

Your response: stability, speed, security, ease of maintenance

I'll pick 2 random commonly used distro's that are different from each other

a.) redhat (fedora)
b.) Gentoo

Stablity: redhat out of the box certainly "appears" stable so no argument there
gentoo is certainly stable out of the box if built right.

The comment I will make is that as you start to use these 2 distros and change configurations, eg: play with video card drivers the slightest misconfiguration that is not obvious will effect sooo much more than windows.


I heard it never freezes, got no critical errors, never reboots. Is that true?

Your comment: for the most part. is spot on, however I feel you've left a bit out:
Linux does contain bugs, in the kernel and libraries and apps, but as %99 of the stuff is Opensource its easier to get bugs fixed/tested/submited. However a badley configured system or wrong versions of apps/kernel/libraries can cause the system to fail, panic, sort of work, crash, core dump - which is pretty much the same as a windows freeze of BSOD.

The comment

Please, tell me is it worth the money it costs?

I have NO issue with your response, nor your reposne to Is it "more complicated" (i heard it is)?

Not a gripe I'm just cautious on selling it as the magic easy to use, never crashed super performaning OS.

Just trying to give a fair perspective and perhaps pass some feedback to you

[killgORE]

i think the undrlying great aspect of a linux dirsto is for your legacy rig if u don't want to risk installing it on your current PC.

get that old computer. bung linux on it - don't care about the distro - use it as a web server, dvd playing box etc. The point is it is FREE, and a bit of fun really to experiment with if it is not on your main computer especially. sod the games aspect, something will come along at some point that makes it seemless. But this is way in the future, and requires more companies to "care" about linux and offer the linux installer.

"emerge ut2004"... bang. this is easier than going to a web browser. navigating to some mirror that MIGHT let you get the game.

linux has a learning curve.

[ikonia]

thats a quite a realistic way of looking at it if you wanted to try linux

[DsW]

The other thing to mention is that ATI support on Linux is dreadful.
I've been trying to install their pitiful drivers for about a week now with no success So no 3D acceleration for me.. yet.

Sort it out ATI!

cheers,
dave

[directhex]

The other thing to mention is that ATI support on Linux is dreadful.
I've been trying to install their pitiful drivers for about a week now with no success So no 3D acceleration for me.. yet.

Sort it out ATI!

cheers,
dave

http://apps.ati.com/linuxDfeedback/index.asp

be sure to tell THEM that they suck. WE already know.

[DsW]

http://apps.ati.com/linuxDfeedback/index.asp

be sure to tell THEM that they suck. WE already know.

Done!

[Agent]

Linux does contain bugs, in the kernel and libraries and apps, but as %99 of the stuff is Opensource its easier to get bugs fixed/tested/submited. However a badley configured system or wrong versions of apps/kernel/libraries can cause the system to fail, panic, sort of work, crash, core dump - which is pretty much the same as a windows freeze of BSOD.

Difference being that windows will give you a BSOD, with very little, or somtimes no usfull information on the problem.
You may get a STOP code, that after a google, may give you a hint at whats gone wrong.
If it freeze's due to an OS problem (ie. non hardware), then you have a long night of testing ahead of you.

Atleast with linux, you can get a usfull error message in almost all cases.
If you understand what to do after you've got the error message is another matter though

[killgORE]

Actually.. after remembering this thread was not about why to try linux.

my candidate program is "emerge" it has a list of applications/packages that are available for download. If you want to install something and it is on your version of the downloadable list. <- u can update the list dynamically.

"emerge -s *guessed_app_name*"
that searches for the app in its list.. and finds the latest version etc <- so this will tell u if there is an update for an existing package if u search for something already installed.

"emerge -p *guessed_app_name*"
that 'pretends' to install the package/app and lists any dependencies it might have, in the order they would be installed. <- not needed step but its fun

FINALLY.
"emerge app_name"
that performs the install.. compiles/configures/pleases your wife/and generally roxs

This is far easier than hunting for downloads through a web browser. where links might be dead.. might not be latest version etc..

I was impressed with "emerge ut2004-demo" on my nvidia box.. not so much on my main rig CBA configuring the ATI drivers.. well. I will but whenever I reinstall everything. Me hard disk is getting cluttered.. and the windows registry is getting a bit fubared.

[directhex]

Actually.. after remembering this thread was not about why to try linux.

my candidate program is "emerge" it has a list of applications/packages that are available for download. If you want to install something and it is on your version of the downloadable list. <- u can update the list dynamically.

"emerge -s *guessed_app_name*"
that searches for the app in its list.. and finds the latest version etc <- so this will tell u if there is an update for an existing package if u search for something already installed.

"emerge -p *guessed_app_name*"
that 'pretends' to install the package/app and lists any dependencies it might have, in the order they would be installed. <- not needed step but its fun

FINALLY.
"emerge app_name"
that performs the install.. compiles/configures/pleases your wife/and generally roxs

This is far easier than hunting for downloads through a web browser. where links might be dead.. might not be latest version etc..

I was impressed with "emerge ut2004-demo" on my nvidia box.. not so much on my main rig CBA configuring the ATI drivers.. well. I will but whenever I reinstall everything. Me hard disk is getting cluttered.. and the windows registry is getting a bit fubared.

apt-cache search searchterm

apt-get install --dry-run packagename

apt-get install packagename

in that order

[southsider]

But debian is for ******s

</troll!>

juh juh juh juh gentoo-oo!

[arsen]

apt-get install cowsay

i started a similar thread to help me learning curve a while back, appears to have been lost.
ill add gftp, not sure how useful that is to anyone, but i love it, just such a .. nice app :| walks all over any other gui based ftp client ive ever used :|

would be interested to hear if anyone knows of a gftp lookalike filemanager, as ive tried everythign from xfe > konqueror, still no luck for a decent one.