Yo Tom lets talk

[Slideblues]

Hey Buddy!

Know you have been Windows free for some time. So lets me ask ya dis.........

I have been doin reaserch on Distros for laptop use,

Two keep comming up,

1) SuSE 10.2 Thought this was server oriented but flies on laptops

2) Ubuntu 6.10 Easy install but you have to work out a fix for the network wireless

Now there is also Linspire 5.0 but this is PC oriented, laptops present probs.

Currentlly using a 06 Acer Aspire 3690 1.6g proc 60gig Hdd, Network wireless capable.

Running Vista, Using Firefox for years now love it!

So what are your suggestion's Dude?

Gene

 

[Slideblues]

U Who...........Tommy boy where are you....... Tapping on screen

Gene

 

[TomMoorehouse]

Gene, i'm glad you asked Twice.... sorry been busy...

Now lets start with i'm not a computer expert.... really I'm not. I'm real good with them obviously but i've never had any training either. If you put me on a command line I will be completely lost.... linux command line even worse.

Having said that I have tried over a dozen Linux distros www.distrowatch.com is an excellent website for that. What do I look for in a linux distro?

1)Has to install easily

2)Has to look good

3)Has to do everything I need it to do:

-complete office suite

-email, web browser

-play videos (most don't)

-macromedia flash

-install new software easily (important as this can be real hard)

What's my pick? What can do everything I need? What keeps the kids happy (play online games and webkinz) and the wife from complaining?

www.linspire.com

why? well a few things. They created a nice distro that installs great. I have never had a component not work. Even my web cam works. They have this thing called CNR for Click and Run. A real easy way to install software with 1 click. Now one thing linspire has done is partner with microsoft (yea I know) but what that means is ann those .wmv's(videos) and wma's (audio) you have can work. Most distros won't do that. Linspire works great for that. The thing just forks

No viruses, no spywhere, no bots, go ahead send them all to me.... has no effect at all on linux. I don't need to do any crazy stuff to make my computer work..... unlike windows I can have the same operating system install work for years.... unlike windows it does not start slowing down after a year or so. I've been running linux for so long now I'm not very good at fixing my friends windows computers cause i'm out of the virus/spyware loop....

Now linspire is kinda in transition right now..... just released linspire 6.0. with 6.0 they are going to make the cnr available to other distros as well. they are making changes big changes to it..... and well it's not ready yet www.cnr.com is the website. I did buy linspire 6.0 and it's working awesome but I can't install any software yet till cnr is ready. so ideally id say wait till linspire goes to 6.0.1 and cnr is launched.... then you will be golden!

linspire also has freespire. freespire is 95% as good as linspire. and it's free. some of the video stuff wont work and some other drivers and such..... but freespire 2.0 was also just released and it's free.

With these you can try it out without even installing anything! they can run the entire operating system from the cd! download/burn the cd, turn off your computer, put the cd in and restart the computer. select the run from cd option and your running linux..... check it all out..... have fun.... when your down do the shutdown and take the cd out. restart the computer and your running windows again..... but why would you want to do that?

is it for everyone? well if you need you computer for a living and run very specific software maybe not. for example my brother does maping for a living and needs specific maping software.... no it wont work... but if you ask me about 90% of people can run linux without any issues.

wheew.... i'm turning the soap box over to Gene.

 

[Slideblues]

I just luv it when dat boy gets goin :lol:

Chokeedohkee,

Thanks for the reply Dude, Agree on all points.......

I have got Vista screaming with a few tweeks, but there is still that Firewall thang and then Win Defender wants to be updated all the time. This is why Linux is so interesting to me. No bloated goat of a browser, Firefox can be streamlined down to a fast pgm with just a few plugins. You can try it out at mozilla.com/firefox

And also no virus/spyware thang goin on.

I have been checking out the results on linux-on-laptops.com

They have reviews on installs of various distros and the different brands that worked and they had probs with.

Problem areas seem to be modem, webcam, and wireless networking so far but I am still looking.

The Freespire does sound good and I didnt know that Linspire had a new release of 6.0.

I pretty sure I can pick that up local fer bout $39.95 thats 5.0 dont know on the other.

If memory serves me CNR has a fee that gets you the downloads for a year.

Maybe they changed that with the new release. Thanks for the tip of 6.0.1 and the CNR release,

I'll keep a eye open for that.

Till then,

Im going to look some more into SuSE 10.2 its server oriented but the guy that installed it says its the fastest he had seen so far and he runs a lot of the distros too.

The command line function on linux to load a new pgm scares me too, I do like just hitting install and watch the pgm load

I have messed around with Red Hat, KDE, Gnome, and Star Office etc. Older versions thou....

Gene

 

[TomMoorehouse]

cnr is free now. you can get a gold thingy but not worth it if you ask me

 

[Slideblues]

Thats right, I remember the "gold thang" now That's the one they charge for.

Kewl Beans Bro,

Gene

 

[TomMoorehouse]

i forgot to mention.... freespire and linspire are now both based on ubuntu 7.04

 

[Slideblues]

Whoa! that was real good on laptops, Sounding better all tha time,

Gene