This thread discusses the Content article: Kaspersky's revenge.

Why does Sparky's cowboy outfit seem so fitting in an article referring to Micro$oft ?

People shouldn't be worried about using Linux. All the software I use is free - and compatible with what Gates produces .

Firefox -> Internet Explorer

Thunderbird -> Outlook

Open Office - Microsoft Office

Gimp = advanced graphics

I'm looking forward to taking delivery of this laptop nest week - the Linux version, of course - for less than £250.

TLJ wrote:
This thread discusses the Content article: Kaspersky's revenge.

Why does Sparky's cowboy outfit seem so fitting in an article referring to Micro$oft ?

People shouldn't be worried about using Linux. All the software I use is free - and compatible with what Gates produces .

Firefox -> Internet Explorer

Thunderbird -> Outlook

Open Office - Microsoft Office

Gimp = advanced graphics

I'm looking forward to taking delivery of this laptop nest week - the Linux version, of course - for less than £250.TLJ wrote:
This thread discusses the Content article: Kaspersky's revenge.

Why does Sparky's cowboy outfit seem so fitting in an article referring to Micro$oft ?

People shouldn't be worried about using Linux. All the software I use is free - and compatible with what Gates produces .

Firefox -> Internet Explorer

Thunderbird -> Outlook

Open Office - Microsoft Office

Gimp = advanced graphics

I'm looking forward to taking delivery of this laptop nest week - the Linux version, of course - for less than £250.Sparky was trying to help with the Blog typing, outfit and all. A great help!
Further to my Blog I am now running Kaspersky, in XP, without a big impact on memory or slow down.

Dual-booting XP and Linux is that Linux is faster to load and use, this post incidentally comes from the Ubuntu Gnome desktop.

Safe Internet surfing, daily updates, and the host of utilities I have at my disposal is incredible. Editing GRUB, for instance, OK I'm showing off. I have just noticed that the Update icon is now lit up for todays update.

The best way to get involved in this alternative Operating System, is to do what TLJ is doing, by purchasing a laptop with Linux installed. You will have access to Firefox browser, Email clients such as Thunderbird, which will get you up and running, and from there on you can explore the Zero cost Operating System and programs.

Linux laptops for children are becoming cheaper and costing relatively little. Edubuntu is one I am having a look at for the educational programs, and the fun of using its other benefits.

My other Dual-boot system is XP Pro and Mandriva Power Pack. This has a desktop the Vista-Wow was supposed to have. However, the reason I chose this distribution was that it had included licensed commercial software, e.g. LinDVD that plays DRM protected CDs, but costs bi-annual upgrades.

Lastly I read the other day that IBM, Cannonical ond others are planning future distributions,that are updated regularly, and contain pooled resources for the new distributions, Lotus software is an example.

Let me know if any one else on this board is planning to go with Linux.

DoricMan wrote:


Let me know if any one else on this board is planning to go with Linux.

Robin T Cox runs Linux too.

TLJ wrote:
DoricMan wrote:


Let me know if any one else on this board is planning to go with Linux.

Robin T Cox runs Linux too.How do you find Linux Robin, and what distro' have you used?

Hi DoricMan,

I started using Linux 4 years ago.

i have a work and hobbyist background in using computers since 1983, and I was interested in finding out more about Linux when Klaus Knopper introduced the first Live CD in 2003-4. I got hold of a copy of Knoppix and tried it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could very soon use it for just about everything I needed, plus it also came with a very full suite of software, plus it was very secure, plus it gave me better performance as I didn't have to run extra scans for viruses or spyware, or spend ages defragging and registry cleaning. So when Microsoft gave Windows 98SE the boot in 2006 I moved completely over to Linux.

Next I used Kanotix, which was really Knoppix plus some very useful scripts. Then I used MEPIS for a while. So up till then I had really stuck to the KDE style of environment.

I moved over to Kubuntu (the KDE flavour of Ubuntu) in 2006, and have also used just about every other style of desktop as well. I have to say, though, that my favourite is still KDE, both for ease and for getting things done. Sure, it's fun to mess around with spinning cubes, and you should see some of mine, but if I need to get a job done it's a bit superfluous.

I have a somewhat odd setup, but one that suits me. And Linux is very flexible about giving you choice - I like that. I use a reconditioned desktop mini tower, inside which are 3 hard disk drives

My current Linux distro is Kubuntu (Gutsy) 7.10, and that is rock solid, stable. I recently installed Kubuntu (Hardy) 8.04 on another drive. This is more experimental, since there are still bugs in Hardy that can cause the machine to freeze. Now this type of thing is common to all software when it is new, and no doubt the bugs will be sorted in due course. One big advantage with Ubuntu is that there is a very large user community and very good forums where you can get help if you have a problem: even online help via the IRC chat network.

Another distro that I use regularly is Puppy Linux. This is my 'get out of jail free' card. As I always tell Brenna, you have to be a real pro to screw up a computer, and I can do it better than anyone else I know. So when the screen goes black, and the keyboard locks up, because I have made various system changes that don't work, I just pop in my copy of Puppy Linux, boot up from the CD, and I have a working Linux system again which enables me to get into my system and put right whatever I got wrong. It's a brilliant little distro, and I wouldn't be without it.

Along the way I have also dabbled with Debian (too techie for me!), Mandriva (good, but a bit staid), Damn Small Linux (nice but limited, and Puppy's better). So I haven't tried distros like Gentoo, Fedora - again they seem a bit too techie for me, since I really can't be bothered building a system from scratch or tinkering around with the innards any more than I need to to get my system to work.

I hope that helps, and if I can help anyone else who is thinking of trying out Linux I would be glad to. Probably if I don't know the answer I can advise you where to look.
After all, the whole basis of Linux is that it is developed and supported by its community of users.

EDIT - STOP PRESS

I take it all back! The latest Debian (Lenny - KDE version) is superb. It now uses the 2.6.25 kernel, which is newer than Hardy's, and is rock solid stable. I'm now using it as my main distro, and although it is still at the Beta 2 stage it will reportedly be confirmed as the latest stable version of Debian next month.

Installation is a breeze, using the new CD installer, but do leave 2-3 hours (on ADSL) to download all its software.

For a very good review, see:
http://www.deviceguru.com/2008/08/14/tes...ians-lenny-kde-beta/

Do give it a try if you can. You will not be disappointed.

Robin T Cox wrote:
Hi DoricMan,

I started using Linux 4 years ago.

i have a work and hobbyist background in using computers since 1983, and I was interested in finding out more about Linux when Klaus Knopper introduced the first Live CD in 2003-4. I got hold of a copy of Knoppix and tried it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could very soon use it for just about everything I needed, plus it also came with a very full suite of software, plus it was very secure, plus it gave me better performance as I didn't have to run extra scans for viruses or spyware, or spend ages defragging and registry cleaning. So when Microsoft gave Windows 98SE the boot in 2006 I moved completely over to Linux.

Next I used Kanotix, which was really Knoppix plus some very useful scripts. Then I used MEPIS for a while. So up till then I had really stuck to the KDE style of environment.

I moved over to Kubuntu (the KDE flavour of Ubuntu) in 2006, and have also used just about every other style of desktop as well. I have to say, though, that my favourite is still KDE, both for ease and for getting things done. Sure, it's fun to mess around with spinning cubes, and you should see some of mine, but if I need to get a job done it's a bit superfluous.

I have a somewhat odd setup, but one that suits me. And Linux is very flexible about giving you choice - I like that. I use a reconditioned desktop mini tower, inside which are 3 hard disk drives

My current Linux distro is Kubuntu (Gutsy) 7.10, and that is rock solid, stable. I recently installed Kubuntu (Hardy) 8.04 on another drive. This is more experimental, since there are still bugs in Hardy that can cause the machine to freeze. Now this type of thing is common to all software when it is new, and no doubt the bugs will be sorted in due course. One big advantage with Ubuntu is that there is a very large user community and very good forums where you can get help if you have a problem: even online help via the IRC chat network.

Another distro that I use regularly is Puppy Linux. This is my 'get out of jail free' card. As I always tell Brenna, you have to be a real pro to screw up a computer, and I can do it better than anyone else I know. So when the screen goes black, and the keyboard locks up, because I have made various system changes that don't work, I just pop in my copy of Puppy Linux, boot up from the CD, and I have a working Linux system again which enables me to get into my system and put right whatever I got wrong. It's a brilliant little distro, and I wouldn't be without it.

Along the way I have also dabbled with Debian (too techie for me!), Mandriva (good, but a bit staid), Damn Small Linux (nice but limited, and Puppy's better). So I haven't tried distros like Gentoo, Fedora - again they seem a bit too techie for me, since I really can't be bothered building a system from scratch or tinkering around with the innards any more than I need to to get my system to work.

I hope that helps, and if I can help anyone else who is thinking of trying out Linux I would be glad to. Probably if I don't know the answer I can advise you where to look.
After all, the whole basis of Linux is that it is developed and supported by its community of users.Thanks Robin for your post. It has many interesting points for someone considering Liux for their desktop.
Although I use Gnome and KDE desktops, I agree that for a new user try Kubuntu as it will have a more comfortable appeal when changing over from M$ Windows. The point that the distros we are using have great forums and support from their respective communities, and my experience confirms that.
I have the Debian 5.0 Lenny DVD here on my pile of Linux for trying out, but I don't think it is for me. Knoppix has been a terrific M$ Windows tool, and I have used it to sort several difficult problems. I have the latest 5.3.1, and the Knoppix Hacks book it has saved me time and frustration with its hacks. It's not one for the novice, though.
I intend to give Fedora 9 a go to see if that will be the one for me. Non Linux users will be wondering why we are looking at trying out several versions of a Desktop instead of sticking with one. The answer is that they are readily installed, and each has its own advantages, KDE or Gnome, Forum help, reduced virus and malware attacks, are some of the things we are looking for.
Well I hope some members will be encouraged to give it a go, perhaps with an old Windows box.

Just a quick additional thought, that might help anyone who wants to know more. There's an excellent online magazine called Distrowatch that lists all the major Linux distros together with links to news, reviews and downloads.

Get it here: http://distrowatch.com/