Linux Desktop Readiness Thread

[kassetra]

Exactly. I still use XP for media creation.

I use vmware so that I don't have to dual-boot. I have some proprietary graphics apps that I use in vmware, and then I can also do my other work in my main linux environment.

Easy as cake.

[Paperweight]

I won't go back to windows, and I don't put my computer on par with my eyes, ears, or mind.....I think I'll buy a mac.

Ubuntu runs on PPC, right?

[kassetra]

I won't go back to windows, and I don't put my computer on par with my eyes, ears, or mind.....I think I'll buy a mac.

Ubuntu runs on PPC, right?

Yep. Which is why we have the special PPC area in the forums.

Macs will cause you just as much grief at first that the Linux install you just tried - just in some different ways and / or areas. Converting from one style of OS to another takes time. Period. No end dance around that.

[mike998]

I'm sorry guys- someday I will find time. And I wasn't trying to find help here, I was just venting
kassetra, it looks like you were honestly trying to help me, but what you said seems like common sense. And I'm not just being lazy-- I just found all this to be too much for me. I really do want to spend more time on this, but I can't.
Maybe this summer.
Thanks.

Paperweight,
Given what you have said it seems to me that you just don't have enough time to put into to get Ubuntu up and running. Sometimes, despite the encouragement you will see here (told you so!) it's best to cut your losses and come back later. Not trying to discourage you, but if you keep at it and don't have enough time to spend you will become frustrated (as you have done) and discouraged (which I hate to see).
Think carefully, I'm sure if you decide that windows is for you right now, you can go that route. We will all still be here (hope I am not out of line here!) when you return to help.
My fingers are crossed for you.
Best wishes,
Mike998

[TravisNewman]

Everyone has covered anything I could say, except this:

WINDOWS is not ready for the desktop.
Rampant security flaws, necessity to reboot frequently, viruses and spyware (and no good way to stop it)-- it's NOT ready.

You have to realize that its a totally different way of thinking, and as has been said before, NOTHING is ready for YOUR desktop when you're comparing it to something else.
As far as things that break, system instability, and general annoyances, Linux is much more ready for the desktop than Windows-- my 2 cents.

[TjaBBe]

Each system has it's disadvantages on the desktop. Linux is a bit harder to learn and to get running. But when you are a bit more convenient with it you get a Linux install running in no time, actually saving time.

Wich also counts for all the reinstalls and frustration you get from Windows suddenly going instable, not able to perform tasks wich it did before, and getting slower second by second after your fresh install.

Linux solves all this, saving me, at least, a lot of frustrations and irritations. And I haven't even talked about the fact of it being free.

[arrizaba]

About the Wacom tablet, it works with Hoary, see the link

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/WacomTabletIssue

which basically is:

Install an 2.6.10 image from hoary (with pinning), which should require no hotplug/blacklist editing, nor doing anything special. you just need to add the correct device to your XF86Config-4, which you can do by either using udev to create a device with a good name, or using wacdump on all files matching /dev/input/event* to see which is the tablet.

It might be true that Linux is still complicated to get used to comparing to Windows, for instance. But, once you take your time to understand it a bit, then it bothers you far much less than Windows. So, take your pick: You either struggle in the beginning (linux), or struggle for eternity (Windows).
That was my experience and believe me, I am much more comfortable with (Ubuntu) linux now

[Paperweight]

Install an 2.6.10 image from hoary (with pinning), which should require no hotplug/blacklist editing, nor doing anything special. you just need to add the correct device to your XF86Config-4, which you can do by either using udev to create a device with a good name, or using wacdump on all files matching /dev/input/event* to see which is the tablet.

If I needed someone to help me in a forum for stuff like this, exactly what forum would I use? Or should I use IRC?
edit--never mind

[jkeck55]

I understand the frustration. I have been working on getting Ubuntu up and running on my old PC for a couple of weeks. Not full time just a few hours here and there. It can be a bit annoying when things that you think should work out of the box don't. I've had difficulties from the very beginning even getting the install to go through. Turns out it was corrupted memory. I thought Gnome was too slow, tried xfce. To do this I uninstalled Gnome and all Gnome apps. That was a very bad plan. Killed the ability to run X windows. Apt-get install Gnome2 and all was right with the world. I had to reinstall a couple of utilities but the benefit was I trimmed down the overhead and gnome runs better now. I couldn't get my internal zip-drive to work. This was important because I backed up vital files to that before blowing out windows. (yes I completely converted to Ubuntu on this PC) I few forum searches, a little bit of time, and a couple of mistakes (there is an important difference between hdb and hdf) and it works. The community has been helpful. Next I am going to tackle Samba(kids computer still on XP), then it's on to my digital camera. It has been a good learning experience and I am glad I have taken the time to do this. I just wish I could find a No OS computer that competes with Dell on price. Even though when I buy a new computer I won't be using windows I hate to give MS money for something I have no intention of ussing. Sorry for the long winded post but I just wanted to say everyone that has trouble doesn't give up.

[arctic]

It wasn't an SD card it was compact flash, and I was using Warty.

both, sd and compact flash cards do work in warty and hoary. i am using them almost every day. the easiest way is to create a direct usb-connection from your camera to your computer and import the images with gthumb. you can alternatively use card-readers but before you do so, perform a web-search on card reader products that work with linux.