Well it seems, that again after 3 years off running (24/7, that is),my 'puter has died again. It switched itself off while I was sleeping. I
tried turning it on but it would not go past POST. So I took the covers off to see if anything loose or blown, but no. So when I put the covers back
on and plugged it in again it would not even get to post. Power is there but nobody is home.
So time for a new puter, this time though I am going to dual boot it and run one of the linux types instead of windoze. I know its been covered
before but which will be the easiest and best for a puter Philistine like my self to use.
Your suggestions please.
Ta Very muchly.
I'd recommend Linux Mint - minimum amount of faffing about, and tends to run straight from installation without extra 'adjustment'.
It also comes with most of the bits & bobs needed to use the PC, e.g. word processor, spreadsheet, etc. (Open Office)
I've been using Ubuntu for past couple of years. Manages to do everything I wanted to do, even wife and kids can manage it
Note: Linux Mint is Ubuntu with extra bits added. Both are top-quality systems, and both are easy to use.
This here laptop has had Kubuntu on it for about 3 years now.
Never ever a single issue.
It just works.
OSX, best linux flavour there is! Failing that Fedora Core or Centos, depends what you want to do with it.
If you want to explore the option of OSX have a look at http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/2010/04/iboot-multibeast-install-mac-os-x-on.html
windows 7,
and I've run everything from minimal linux distros through windows '95 and macOS. You simply wont get that same level of capatibility with
anything else.
Mint 10 the Gnome version.
Although the KDE version of Mint is more like Windows and also easier to customise hence it also easier to break
Another vote for ubuntu have it on laptops and desktop very windows like.
quote:
Originally posted by ChrisL
OSX, best linux flavour there is! Failing that Fedora Core or Centos, depends what you want to do with it.
If you want to explore the option of OSX have a look at http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/2010/04/iboot-multibeast-install-mac-os-x-on.html
Mike you're getting picky! OK so BSD is Unix not Linux, lol
quote:
Originally posted by ChrisL
Mike you're getting picky! OK so BSD is Unix not Linux, lol
i run ubuntu. cant fault it one bit and with wine installed you can run all your windows programs as well so best of both worlds
Have both Ubuntu & mint laptops at home - MINT is slow and crap and cluttered (and green) compared to ubuntu.
Use ubuntu on my works laptop even though we are a "windows" company. Run VMware to do software developemtn under windows.
I'm the only one that doesn;t get pestered with virus's (or is it viriiiiii???)
Supports everything except my kodak printer - even my HTC phone. WIfi everything straight out the box... multiple usb ethernet cards ... the works
Printing is the only problem check compatibility of your printer before making the jump to linux
[Edited on 17/303/11 by mad4x4]
If you find Mint slow something went very wrong with your install sometimes when Linux is installed if for example the wrong soundcard hardware is
not correctly identified then programs will often slow to a crawl. --- Mint is Ubuntu but with the unrequired bits stripped out tailored for the
desktop and the eyecandy is gorgeous a 1000 times better than Ubuntus awful brown.
As for running windows programmes I 100% agree that running in a virtual machine is the way to go, after a bit of testing I found Sun/Oracle
VirtualBox (nb not the community supported version) was the best for me as it has proper USB support and runs every car diagnostic interface
program I have ever tried on it.
[Edited on 17/3/11 by britishtrident]
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
i run ubuntu. cant fault it one bit and with wine installed you can run all your windows programs as well so best of both worlds
must agree wine wont run everything. also must fess up i do have an xp vm running on sun/oracle virtual box or what ever they want to call it now for
apps that wont run using wine.
[Edited on 17/3/2011 by ashg]
How much does the commercial version of VirtualBox cost?
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
How much does the commercial version of VirtualBox cost?
Any idea which version of Ubuntu forms the basis of Linux Mint 10 (Julia)? I couldn't find it on the main Mint website.
Just so I can download the correct version of VirtualBox! :-)
Julia is "Maverick Meerkat" (Ubuntu 10.10 ) under the skin ---- that took a bit of finding.
[Edited on 17/3/11 by britishtrident]
Well done that man!
Oooh - I like VirtualBox!
I've just installed Windoze XP and it's working very well (it's the only legitimate install disk I've got - it was the
installation that was on my machine before replacing with Mint).
Still not quite there yet, as I have tons of updates to catch up on... but I'll sort those in the morning (currently on "10 of 41" and
I want to go to bed! 
)
i am running linux mint 7 on my laptop .it was installed when linux mint7 came out about 3 years ago. and unlike windows it hasent broken itself yet
not even a glitch
and it does everything a windows pc does the software is free and it downloads and installs itself having been using it for so long now i wouldnt
change back
[Edited on 23/3/11 by snoopy]