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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: iMav on Sat, 20 October 2007, 03:56:34
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Ubuntu v.7.10 (http://www.ubuntu.com/news/ubuntu710) was released this month (15 Oct) and looks to be the best Ubuntu yet.
I switched to Ubuntu for my desktop installs a couple of years ago and have had the opportunity to see the distribution mature. The way Ubuntu has, seemingly, come out of no where to become the world's most popular linux distro has been truly impressive.
My Thinkpad X60s that I have with me over here in the mud hole has run Ubuntu exclusively since I first purchased it last spring. Haven't had a single issue. Prior to our family's switch to Mac, my two older children ran Ubuntu exclusively on their PC's for some time. Anyone who says that linux is not ready for the desktop has simply never seen Ubuntu in action.
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I tried a live CD of Dapper a while back, and I did like it. The thing for me is this: what does Linux have to offer ME that Mac doesn't have? And does Linux have enough goodness to make me not miss the GUI, ease of use and the programs and games I already like on Mac? I think the only way I would use Linux on a daily basis is if I bought a Windows box.
Thoughts?
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I tried a live CD of Dapper a while back, and I did like it. The thing for me is this: what does Linux have to offer ME that Mac doesn't have? And does Linux have enough goodness to make me not miss the GUI, ease of use and the programs and games I already like on Mac? I think the only way I would use Linux on a daily basis is if I bought a Windows box.
Linux likely has nothing to offer you that you don't get already from a Mac.
And, BTW, PC does not equal "windows box". It's only a windows box if you actually install windows on it. ;)
(I am a big fan of PC's as they still represent the best bang for you buck...especially with a proper OS...the nasty (http://www.microsoft.com/windows) has nothing to do with it)
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Linux is pretty cool. I had a little trouble adjusting, but I do really like the way it works. I am running it right now with VMWare, and I am thinking about switching to it as my main OS for a bit. So far, the only thing I don't like about it is VMWare (Demo). I have ot do a little more research into it, but if I will be able to use a second moniter with my MacBook, I'm in.
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Using Apple OS X has made a me a stupid computer user.
I installed Ubuntu 7.10 as the only OS on my MacBook. I played with Ubuntu in a trial copy of VMWare, and while that program isn't the greatest, 7.10 was really impressive. I like the way everythign works,a dn KWord is a great program, the best freebee I have ever seen, so I thought I'd try switching. Soon after this is when the problems started.
It was cool, but my monitor only mirror my 'Book display, so I thought I could fix it. I tried everything I could think of to no avail. It seemed every time I tried something it just made everything worse. So I tried to download a program that would help me set up my computer better, and it downloaded to the desktop and I could do nothing with it. The instructions told me to direct Terminal to the file ... I don't know how to do that and there was no where that would tell me. So I tried to see if I could find drivers somewhere, but every site I went to needed a plug in that downloaded to my desktop and sat there like a lump of poo, so I gave up.
Using Ubuntu made me realize I am a complete idiot when it comes to computer systems and without a GUI, I'm just fatally SOL. Look, I will never dis Linux, I really like the way Ubuntu works and everything, but I am no where near being able to trust myself to not corrupt my entire install on a daily basis just by being Meatware.
I think I better just run this one in Parallels, safely inside OS X.
I'm back in Mac and I can now do stuff again. This was a good time to do this because I really don't have any big projects for school and I needed a fresh install anyway.
Later.
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Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not that you are a stupid computer user, it is simply that you don't have the background knowledge. I think it is a great idea to keep playing with Ubuntu in a VM if you have the interest. There is tons of helpful information online that can help you get more familiar with Linux. I strongly suggest checking out the Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org). Lots of information available for the newbie and seasoned user as well.
A "stupid computer user" would have no idea how to install Ubuntu on their Mac in the first place, BTW. ;)
Remember, even as an OS X user, you ARE a UNIX user...and there are a lot of things you can learn under OS X that will be directly applicable to other flavors of UNIX and UNIX-like OS's (like linux).
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I looked in the forums and found nothing to help me. It's like when you download a distro of Linux, everyone thinks that an intimate knowledge of the terminal is shot from the .iso file directly to your brain. I searched for newb, newbie, and everything else, and I could find no idiot's guide on the net.
I am very Mac savvy, but I think that is the extent of my computer talent. This is why I ask all those dumb questions about learning how computers work - They are dumb because I know absolutlely nothing about them.
I am going to try to learn on my own, but I really don't know where to start and I don't have very much time to do it rigth now.
If you guys can recommend any books or sites for me to check, I'd love it.
Thanks
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xsphat, try searching the Ubuntu forums for Xinerama. I don't think there is any GUI to help you set this up. But all modifications are limited to one file: /etc/X11/xorg.conf
So make a backup of that file before you start playing. There is also the possibility X wont startup or crash while configuring, so familiarize yourself with the console:
C-M-F1..F6 (Control-Alt-F1..F6).
You can recover from the console by restoring your back up xorg.conf, and restarting the X11 server.
To restart the server from the console do:
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart
or
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop ; sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
You will be prompted for you user password.
This should all be covered on the Ubuntu forums guides and HOWTO's.
Don't give up, we all start not knowing.
xmonk
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xmonk,
Thank you for your suggestions. I don't know what most of it means, but it sounds like a good place to start. I'll buy some VM product and run it in Mac so I can mess around and still have my computer.
Later.
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xsphat,
That's a good idea. If you have the disk space on your laptop, I would like to suggest that a cheaper alternative to a VM . Dual booting OS X and Linux, Mac has a utility for this, that makes it trivial, don't remeber
the name thou, it's been 5 years since I've used a Mac.
Good luck.
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I have a big HDD, and I use Boot Camp (Apple's utility that you were thinking of) to duel-boot OS X and XP (we call XP "the nasty" around here) and I have tried VMWare and Parallels, and Parallels seems a little better.
I'd like to learn Linux, and I'd like to learn more about the nasty, but it is hard since Apple is all I have ever known.
Thanks a lot for all the help, guys.
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I thought you got rid of the nasty (http://www.microsoft.com/windows)??
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I did, but my friend told me Microsoft, since I registered the product, should hook me up w/ my number. Another problem with this is Boot Camp - The beta we all were using is now expired, so I really can't do anything until I get Leopard.
I could put XP in a VM, but all I use it for is gaming and VMs don't allow you to play, so yes, that nasty will gather dust for a bit yet.
Right now, at this second, I have only OS X on my MacBook, as I recently wiped my HDD. Sorry for the confusion.