New Ubuntu user

[Kersus]

So with some struggle I got the drives partitioned with Ubuntu installer (shouldn't have been difficult as it was just replacing another Linux distro and no changes really needed to be made) and finally got the install to work... sorta. Anyhow, seems to be running now.

I'm now waiting on some help from the linmodems group so I can get internet.... Even though my modem says it works for linux kernel 2.3+ and should be automatic.

Then be ready for the nightmare of getting my printer to work.... I'm sure there will be more hurdles too.

I am going to give Ubuntu a good go, for a few months at least before I have a real decision on what I think, but I don't have high hopes for it.

I've used a few Linux distros before(various live CDs and Red Hat), but my first install was Xandros, which partitioned my drives, and installed seamlessly. All my hardware (except sound) was working perfectly upon the end of the easy install. I only needed to throw in the number for my ISP and whoosh, internet works great. I downloaded a ton of great software via the xandros networks too. It ran fast, was felixible, allowed me to install Linux software I received at sourceforge.net easily. Was easy to personalize and was quite impressive. I really felt I could leave Windows behind me..... but it does not work with my sound device - built into my asus mlb. Eventually I felt I couldn't live without sound on a system I was hoping would eventually be my primary OS. Sure I could buy a compatible sound card, but the new Xandros versions seem expensive to me and who knows how long they'll even support my version... 2.0.1 I believe.

So I tried Ubuntu. Xandros is what I have to compare it against, and Ubuntu has thus far failed to come close to match up in partitioning (it didn't even have to change the sizes of anything, just delete the xandros part and create it's part and swap) or installing. Now getting inet to work is a hassle.

Don't get me wrong, if the OS is powerful and flexible, I'm willing to be patient, but thus far I have been very unimpressed with Ubuntu as a linux distro. If I end up moving on, I may try VectorLinux or Mandriva.... Or maybe get my hands dirty with FreeBSD or Debian..... Unless a good BeOS comes out I can get or OS/2 Warp 5 comes out ;) I was a huge OS/2 Warp 3 fan back in the day.

No idea why I said all this, but why not.

[saphil]

I agree that this might be challenging for some, but you seem to be fairly experienced.

I have a coaching suggestion for you. This is intended to let you enjoy your experience with whatever distro you choose. If this sounds like something I might tell a student in my Introduction to Linux IT250 class, then you are already winning. This is the sort of thing I often tell my students, and consulting clients

You seem to be looking for evidence that this is NOT the distro you are looking for. This POV probably stands in your way, and makes it harder for you to figure it all out. If you already believe that setting up a printer is a nightmare, doesn't that mean that something inside you is giving you infield chatter about how it won't work?

Just for fun, frame your thinking and your writing and talking as if you were expecting the best, rather than another nightmare - unless you really like nightmares. :-)

Yours Truly,
Wolf

PS People who are expecting the best have more fun than people who are searching for dirt, struggle and strife. They naturally draw others who are looking for evidence of the good stuff.

[Kersus]

You're certainly right about the optimist and pessemist.... I am a pessimist on the outside and an optimist on the inside, hoping to be a balanced realist.

What I mean is I plan for the worst but secretly hope for the best.

BUT, in this case, it's not a big serious deal either way. i'm searching for the OS that's right for me. My pessimism has been brought more by my initial experience then anything else. After my Xandros experience, my sights were a little high for ubuntu.

The other part of my journey that's apparent to me is that what's right for me now will not be the OS I end up with. I will end up with something very gritty like Debian I imagine (hopefully to one day personalize my own distro), but I'm not ready for that yet. Right now I want something easy, flashy (especially to show others - "see you don't HAVE to use windows") but will still let me learn what I need to know in the future to run a much more complicated distro.

I also want a good support group, an OS that won't simply stop being officially supported, and reasonably consistent upgrades that don't cost and arm and a leg.

Anyhow, while it seems I'm looking for evidence that Ubuntu is not the distro for me, that's come from the disappointment thus far. Keep in mind though that there's enough optimism in me to keep working at it for awhile before I have an educated opinion of this distro. I will give it a fair shake.

I've gotten online, added firestarter, and am feeling some success. Next is to be able to view my FAT32 and NTFS drives. Then to get my network working with my other PC which only has XP - as best it can anyway.

Then get some Windows emulator.

Then over time I'll see what I can use Ubuntu for with the attempt to use XP less and less.

[mstlyevil]

You're certainly right about the optimist and pessemist.... I am a pessimist on the outside and an optimist on the inside, hoping to be a balanced realist.

What I mean is I plan for the worst but secretly hope for the best.

BUT, in this case, it's not a big serious deal either way. i'm searching for the OS that's right for me. My pessimism has been brought more by my initial experience then anything else. After my Xandros experience, my sights were a little high for ubuntu.

The other part of my journey that's apparent to me is that what's right for me now will not be the OS I end up with. I will end up with something very gritty like Debian I imagine (hopefully to one day personalize my own distro), but I'm not ready for that yet. Right now I want something easy, flashy (especially to show others - "see you don't HAVE to use windows") but will still let me learn what I need to know in the future to run a much more complicated distro.

I also want a good support group, an OS that won't simply stop being officially supported, and reasonably consistent upgrades that don't cost and arm and a leg.

Anyhow, while it seems I'm looking for evidence that Ubuntu is not the distro for me, that's come from the disappointment thus far. Keep in mind though that there's enough optimism in me to keep working at it for awhile before I have an educated opinion of this distro. I will give it a fair shake.

I've gotten online, added firestarter, and am feeling some success. Next is to be able to view my FAT32 and NTFS drives. Then to get my network working with my other PC which only has XP - as best it can anyway.

Then get some Windows emulator.

Then over time I'll see what I can use Ubuntu for with the attempt to use XP less and less.

May I suggest the Evaluation version of Suse 10. It will do a better job of partitioning and hardware detection than Ubuntu plus it also has XGL/Compiz available for it so you can have that flash to show your Windows friends. You will have to add the multimedia codecs yourself but I can give you a link to a guide that will make that job easy.

It also has Flash, JRE, Realplayer and other proprietary software included and it is free of charge if you download the ISO's. It will more closely reflect your experience with Xandros than Ubuntu will.

Here is a link to that guide if you do decide to try it out.

Hacking Open Suse (http://www.thejemreport.com/mambo/content/view/178/42/)

[sudomania4]

Next is to be able to view my FAT32 and NTFS drives.
This page (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=144321) and this page (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=840592&postcount=4).


Then to get my network working with my other PC which only has XP - as best it can anyway.
If you already have a windows network, at the panel on the top, click Places.
On the drop down menu, click Network Servers. A window pops up, click on windows network. Click on the other computer's name. You can share printers, scanners, and files. If you didn't have a windows network, try Samba or SSH, although I didn't need to mess with them.


Then get some Windows emulator.

sudo apt-get install wine or try Cedega (www.transgaming.com), winelib (http://www.winehq.com/site/winelib), or Crossover Office (www.codeweavers.com/).


Then be ready for the nightmare of getting my printer to work.... I'm sure there will be more hurdles too.
At the panel at the top, click System->Administration->Printing.When the window pops up, turn on your printer and click "New Printer". A wizard pops up, and it is pretty straightforward.

Thanks for using Ubuntu! Try searching the forums, or asking questions, the people are all really nice.

[Kersus]

Got the drives mounted.

Downloading WINE now.

Failed at downloading ClamAV thus far - can't get the dependency - synaptic, and the get-apt for it fails.

Still need to do the network, but I imagine I need to activate it in System->Administration->Networking first don't I? For that I'd need the static IP of this machine? Only way I know how to is to boot back into XP and write it down and come back to ubuntu... Or do I just need the static IP of the other machine? Or will it even work... The network is two PCs connected via a crossover cable. The other PC connects to the internet through this PC.

I will need the driver for the printer and am seeking that now.... I haven't heard much good about Linux and Lexmark though :-k I have a Lexmark All-in-one X75 - and no I wouldn't ever buy a Lexmark again, but its what I have.

Oh, and to reply to the other message about Suse 10. I actually did the Linus version test thing, and SUSE 10 came up #1. Mandriva, Ubuntu, kubuntu were the others that popped up. Since I'd answered I wanted free - Xandros was the first one of the "not quite because its not free." I was leaning towards Mandriva but the thing about dumping one of the founders doesn't bode well in my gut.

Like I've said; someday I want to try Debian and FreeBSD, but I'm not ready for that yet, and Suse may very well be the next try after Ubuntu (or VectorLinux - or if I stumble upon a free CD somewhere of another version).

Thanks for advice and help thus far!

[woedend]

debian really isnt harder than ubuntu, I don't know why people always insist on that. maybe from a command-line server, definetely, or the fact that xfree asked annoying questions, but since the switch to xorg they are nearly identical, debian is a quicker, slightly more outdated ubuntu with more packages.

[Kersus]

I guess what I mean is right now I want a Linux that baby's me a bit as a time saver. Eventually I want to move to complete configurability.

I'm one of those guys who really hated making to move from PC-DOS to Windows, and loved programming in those days. I was right into the BBS stuff before the internet became big stuff. I still look back and recall the days when you met people on a BBS and could be pretty sure they knew what they were doing.

I don't have the time I did then to mess with computers anymore, and my lack of caring since Microsoft took everything over has left me far behind technically now. I mean Basic was still big when I was programming. I had NO interest in becoming a Microsoft certifiable anything and left computers as something to tinker with in the very off time I had nothing else.

Linux/BSD/Unix is something I should have gotten into right away years ago, but I didn't and now I have to play catchup.

Anyhow, the point is that after I'm comfortable and learn command line and all the ins and outs of Linux over time, I'll move from flashy easy right to the other side of the spectrum.

That's my thought anyway, but things change ;) I will definately try out a BSD if I get the chance and that BeOS. I do really wish OS/2 would be worthwhile.

As for Debian, I may eventually be looking for one of the baser distros to build my own distro from... If I ever get that far.

[sudomania4]

Failed at downloading ClamAV thus far - can't get the dependency - synaptic, and the get-apt for it fails.
Try Aegis.
sudo apt-get install aegis-virus-scanner
THen run as root.
sudo aegis-virus-scanner When it asks about updating "file::scan", select "yes". Enter your configuration in the wizard that pops up (in the terminal). You only see this wizard if you use aegis av as root user. You may have problems with some Mag.is@amM (or something like that) virus once you scan,but don't worry, it's a false alarm.