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View Full Version : How many people used Cygwin on Windows prior to switch to Ubuntu or Linux?



kevdog
October 25th, 2007, 10:02 PM
I used cygwin on windows a long time prior to switch to Ubuntu. It seems like a natural transition for me, although linux is definitely a lot less cumbersome.

Just wondering how many people used cygwin prior to Ubuntu, or vice versa - used Ubuntu and then installed cygwin on windows??

aysiu
October 25th, 2007, 10:08 PM
I voted that I've never used it, because I tried to use it but didn't know how to use it or install it properly. Similar deal with LiteStep--installed it, couldn't get any theme I liked to install and be used properly.

Fink in Mac took me a while to get working, but I got that working eventually.

macogw
October 25th, 2007, 10:13 PM
I can't function on Windows without Cygwin now that I've spent over a year using Ubuntu. Windows's reliance upon GUIs feels strange and foreign. Mostly, it's so I can have vim. Vim just makes so much sense.

BDNiner
October 25th, 2007, 10:22 PM
I used cygwin to setup rsync on the servers at work. Once i found an easier way to rsync from windows without fully installing cygwin but instead only using some key files then i stopped.

aysiu
October 25th, 2007, 10:58 PM
Does anyone know of an idiot's guide to Cygwin on Windows?

I hear new users complaining about how bad Linux documentation is, but I've never had a problem with Linux documentation. I've been to the Cygwin website, and it confuses the hell out of me. I don't even know what Cygwin does. Does it allow you to run Linux-only programs? Does it create some kind of GTK or QT environment?

kevdog
October 25th, 2007, 11:13 PM
just download and run the setup.exe program. in the setup process you get to choose what packages you want to install. let the program install and then you have a linux-like experience in windows

Arathorn
October 25th, 2007, 11:33 PM
I tried to use it once, but didn't understand anything of it. Apparently it creates some kind of Linux environment on Windows to run Linux only programmes. A bit like Wine, but since most Linux programmes are either open source (so often ported to Windows as well), or ports of Windows programmes, there isn't much use for it anyway. The only program that I know of requires it for Windows is Fontforge.

aysiu
October 25th, 2007, 11:42 PM
just download and run the setup.exe program. in the setup process you get to choose what packages you want to install. let the program install and then you have a linux-like experience in windows
How do I know what packages to install? The interface isn't really as friendly as Synaptic or Add/Remove.

-grubby
October 25th, 2007, 11:45 PM
never

kevdog
October 26th, 2007, 12:06 AM
On the column it says click, either double click, single click or right click on the word Skip on the package you will want to install. It will change to install, reinstall, remove or skip (you can do this to all options at once if you clicked on gnome.

I basically installed everything (about 3 gb). Let me know if this works for you.

I only use the bash terminal, although Ive tried kde and gnome, the GUI was really slow on my computer however.

aysiu
October 26th, 2007, 12:13 AM
So is there a Gnome or KDE metapackage, or do I have to individually click on each package in order to install one of those desktop environments?

mrgnash
October 26th, 2007, 12:14 AM
Yes, I used it for quite awhile before using Ubuntu. It was immensely useful in familiarising me with the bash environment, and I had fun playing around with Lynx and a few other things, including a text-based instant messenger that I can't recall the name of :)

kevdog
October 26th, 2007, 03:50 AM
I think there is a metapackage (again I dont use it) it should be under gnome or kde heading. I just install the entire heading under each category.