Network mouse??
Yeah, I've found Ubuntu to be much improved. Maybe go with 10.04 LTS, which is still available (no Unity interface).
Posted on 03/19/2012 7:37:40 AM PDT by ShadowAce
When I learned LISP (does that even still exist?) in college, the % was key to finding the matching parentheses. I seem to recall using it often at work when my C nesting got a bit out of control, as well :)
I always thought it was like alchemy, pounding on lead trying to make gold. You never got very far but it did build character. You learned how to deal with frustration, disappointment and failure. Success was fleeting but the small rewards were appreciated.
No kidding. My “first” computer was half a building.
If you haven’t dropped a tray of cards, you haven’t lived.
Internet....ha ha ha ha
“Only Microsoft knows how to make the computers of the last 15 years or thereabouts look slow.”
I’m an old timer, computer wise.
I’ve messed around with Linux from the time where the install was near torture, to now, when it’s almost painless.
Windows is brutal at times, and packed with mistakes. I can see the huge task that Windows is for Microsoft, given the need for usability for novices, backward compatibility, and device support. Windows 7 is fairly impressive. One day they may get it right!
Remember also that the present Apple OS system is run on a unix system, OS X, in all the various wild cats versions.
Played around with Linux (Ubuntu, Mint) a few years ago. Gave up pretty quickly due to its inability to easily detect network settings and wireless routers. Also, the need to use command line instructions to install some software was ridiculous.
Has that changed? If I had an old PC, I might give it another look. But my Windows 7 machines run well, and I can’t see a reason for changing.
“Only Microsoft knows how to make the computers of the last 15 years or thereabouts look slow.”
That is by design and agreement with Intel. Intel gives tons of money to developers of slow software (CPU intensive). They call it taking adInstead of square corners on frames and windows, use curved, instead of solid opaque use transparent. (Aero anyone?) All of this costs cycles. When was the last time you heard of someone optimizing code for a general purpose program? Look at the slow Visual Studio. It is full of neat tricks and whiz-bang programmer assists...all of which takes tons of disk and cpu cycles.
The problem MS and Intel face today is the proliferation of alternatives to their strategic alliance of the 90’s. It used to be everyone waited with baited breathe for the next great CPU so your computer would be faster. Today...well I don’t even know what or when the next processor is coming and neither do 90+% of all users....whereas a decade ago a much larger percentage knew and cared what Mhz or Ghz they had.
With cloud computing, most used apps being at least partially web based, the speed of the connection or the server farm tends to be more important than your laptop/desktop/handheld.
It will be interesting to see where we will be in the next decade.
A co-worker and I just had this very conversation because of a question posed at a User Group meeting. It really boiled down to getting students at the HS and College level more Unix/Linux exposure. I really think that Unix/Linux has been the bedrock of a 24/7 business operation forever (in computer terms) and it is a crying shame it isn’t being taught more in academia.
We were also talking about all this because the database we use that runs on AIX is called Universe and it is a very solid and fast/flexible database that needs more exposure in academia in order to make a run at a larger market share.
What ends up happening is that the “new generation” business leaders are easily swayed by the “new shiny object” and do not give system stability enough weight not realizing the cost of downtime at all levels.
The End User Keyclick.
Linux is just as vulnerable to "click here for your malware embedded e-card/tax return/bank warning/cute puppy" type attacks. For that reason, even Linux users should still run a scanner.
Also, depending on driver support for your hardware, Linux can be "klunky" too. Win 7/8 run a lot better than their predecessors. OSX Snow Leopard/Lion run well on newer hardware, but bog out older Intel iMacs.
Too bad Mac's idiotic EFI won't let me drop Linux on those old Intel XServs. Even with rEFIt on it. The hardware would be perfect for running a VM cluster.
“Has that changed? If I had an old PC, I might give it another look. But my Windows 7 machines run well, and I can’t see a reason for changing.”
Very much. You can make a bootable cd of ubuntu, fire it up, see if you like it. It won’t touch your hard drive. Then, you can install it if you like it.
An even more fun and painless option is to get VirtualBox and install the distribution of your choice in a virtual machine.
These are products. Might as well advocate teaching kids to drive various cars or to learn to use different toasters.
VBox works great on a Win 7 machine. I’ve been using it to go through a bunch of Linux distros and seeing how far I can tweak them before they break.
Even worked well for a Win 8 test virtual machine. I was surprised it ran so well. I still hate the new interface in 8, but it ran really smoothly.
The majority of Desktops are still Windows and those that support them don't require Unix experience. Desktop support is typically a good percentage of IT departments.
The majority of Desktops are still Windows and those that support them don't require Unix experience. Desktop support is typically a good percentage of IT departments.
I installed Xubuntu on this Thinkpad 390E PII300, 256mb ram a few years ago replacing Win 2000 , it installs and updates(every day) like windows, it found all my hardware ,I don’t use an anti virus, runs great. It has a software centre Where I can click and install tons of free software. Linux is now a geeks OS anymore .
ee used here...noob on FreeBSD,but making progress
Arch is simple by comparison
Network mouse??
Yeah, I've found Ubuntu to be much improved. Maybe go with 10.04 LTS, which is still available (no Unity interface).
A knowledge of Linux or Unix will also be helpful if you use OSX (Apple Mac), which is itself, a Unix derivative.
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