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| Thread ID: 135989 | 2014-01-07 02:22:00 | Linux Mint a good alternative for "oldies" ?? | Misty (368) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1364499 | 2014-01-09 04:17:00 | Do other x64 VMs run on your Host?, i mean is the BIOS VT instruction enabled?, or on auto? edit- dowloading that Zorin, it looks a nice easy intro to Linux X64 only runs on one PC, all the others need x86, as they are getting to old. Yeah Zorin looks like a easy transition, its close enough to XP to not be to different. Guess the biggest problems would be finding software that is doing the same things as windows based software. We all know peopel who have programs they have used for years. Guess thats just something to consider if changing. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 1364500 | 2014-01-09 08:38:00 | Having a foot in both the Linux and MS camps since about 1996 I can say that Linux is no harder to install or use than MS Windows is - only a bit different. If anything, the install is easier. Also once you make the decision to go with Linux, the hurdle of changing apps is not as big as you might think - how different is LibreOffice to MS Office? .. the GIMP to Photoshop? More and more applications are available for whatever OS you choose these days so the OS is becoming (in some ways) less important. | johnd (85) | ||
| 1364501 | 2014-01-09 09:03:00 | You have to remember this is seniorNET. I keep thinking of my grandfather, he doesn't want to have to install dependencies and upgrade on a 2-3 year release cycle. He's the kind of guy who just wants to pop the disc in, have it install with minimal questions (Do I need Gnome / KDE? How the hell should he know?) and "just work". If it breaks, he's not going to read documentation, he wants to go play golf, he'll sooner leave it broken for weeks on end than read doco or reach out to online support :P However this is not the experience you would expect to have as a Seniornet type user. The only time you ever get involved with dependencies these days is if you are installing something quite on the outer edge - everything else is handled automatically by the repositories (dependencies resolved and installed on the fly). You can choose to ignore the upgrades if you want to! Most distributions have a very minimal number of questions option for the install (or more questions if you want more choice). Linux "just works" at least as good as MS Windows does (the reasons why it may not "just work" at times can be different but are not necessarily hard). |
johnd (85) | ||
| 1364502 | 2014-01-09 09:09:00 | how different is LibreOffice to MS Office For basic functions not a lot. BUT please answer this -- If Libre is so good , why is it that most businesses around the world still stick with MS when Libre is FREE and MS Office is not. And a real answer, not a "because most people have used MS office and don't want to change" something like that's an excuse, not a real answer. :) Like I mentioned earlier on -- Finding support can be next to impossible sometimes. People who use and know Linux will say its easy, but that's because they have learnt, and good on them for doing so. :thumbs: Often you'll get a reply something like, that shouldn't happen etc. Theres been several times mentioned in this thread how easy its to install, yet when its pointed out it WONT on some hardware, its funny how no one can actually give a reason why it wont install, and a fix,esp on hardware that runs everything else thrown at it, its very convent to ignore or goes into the to hard basket. ( not having a go or anything just pointing out some facts) :) |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 1364503 | 2014-01-09 09:17:00 | "It won't install for some reason" or "it gives errors" isn't a lot to go on... | fred_fish (15241) | ||
| 1364504 | 2014-01-09 09:23:00 | For basic functions not a lot. BUT please answer this -- If Libre is so good , why is it that most businesses around the world still stick with MS when Libre is FREE and MS Office is not.) For businesses there is a very simple reason - investment in VBA macros that would have to be re-written. Other reasons include the old idea "that if it is free, it cannot be any good" and the perceived amount of retraining that is thought to be needed (I can never really understand this one - if you know how to do a task in MS Office, poke around and most likely it will not be that different in LibreOffice). I don't think that the answer is that LibreOffice is no good - it might not be as good as MS Office, but for most it is good enough. People who use and know Linux will say its easy, but that's because they have learnt, and good on them for doing so. :thumbs: Most things worth doing require a bit of a time investment. if you are not prepared to do this then by all means stay with MS. Often you'll get a reply something like, that shouldn't happen etc. Theres been several times mentioned in this thread how easy its to install, yet when its pointed out it WONT on some hardware, its funny how no one can actually give a reason why it wont install, and a fix,esp on hardware that runs everything else thrown at it, its very convent to ignore or goes into the to hard basket. ( not having a go or anything just pointing out some facts) :) The reality is that we only hear about this when things go wrong - the times where an install does go wrong these days are not that often. |
johnd (85) | ||
| 1364505 | 2014-01-09 09:36:00 | I have been using various versions of Linux for around 3 years, and despite being in the elderly age group, have found it relatively easy to use. At present I have just installed Mint Cinnamon Version 16, 64 bit on my 11.5 inch laptop with 2gig ram. After trying for 4 months W8 and 8.1, I gave up and purchased a 120gig SSD from Amazon (NZ$107 and delivery in 1 week over Christmas!). Replaced the original HD, then loaded Mint. Installation took 20 or so mins, VERY straight forward, then another 10 min to set up my HP printer/scanner and link to my NAS. Everything on the computer was recognised without any problems. Now when I turn it on, from pushing the on button to ready to use takes 23 seconds. The computer is amazingly fast even though it has a fairly slow processor. I have previously on other computers tried Ubuntu and Xubuntu (I still have Xubuntu on my netbook - it runs XFCE desktop so is light enough for older less powerful machines) but as a replacement for Windows, Mint beats them all. I think that either Mint or Xubuntu would be ideal for a group of Senior net users. There are possibilities of problems. I recommend not trying to install alongside Windows but it is better to bite the bullet and use one operating system. There are downsides to linux - WINE which allows the user to run SOME windows programs can be tricky to install and I have found that the windows programs I really need will not run properly. The main program I use that causes problems is Cashbook Complete, my accounting program. My other grouch is that there is no really good Linux version of Free Cell! There may be problems with some hardware not being recognised by different linux versions, but before you replace windows, run linux as a Live session to check that everything works. There are some good user forums available for problem solving - the Ubuntu forum is the best, and the Mint forum also quite good. If one person in the Senior net group was Linux Literate, I am sure there would be no difficulties in moving away from windows and solving any problems that arise. There is NO need for anti virus programs!! I have tried Ubuntu but even after 9 months, find that it is not intuitive - there are some silly foibles such as the minimise, restore and close buttons are often on the top left of the screen instead of top right, and the slider for paging down the screen is not as easy to use for people used to windows. Ubuntu and derivatives such as Mint have a very good Software Centre which makes loading new programs extremely easy. There is also a New Zealand originated Linux named Linux Lite, which I have not tried but has had some very good reviews. |
Wilko (17174) | ||
| 1364506 | 2014-01-09 09:49:00 | "It won't install for some reason" or "it gives errors" isn't a lot to go on . . . The reality is that we only hear about this when things go wrong - the times where an install does go wrong these days are not that often . Right oh -- Heres what happens, you boot from the DVD, it goes through the loading motions ( reading the DVD) then simply stops, theres no options to boot in any other mode . History--- The DVD is OK as it boots on other machines fine, every other OS loads without problems ( XP, Vista, W7 & W8) The machine has more than enough power, down loaded it 3 times from various places, burnt using different burners, and even refuses from a USB drive . Second machine, more than enough power, doesn't matter what options are selected always comes up with invalid resources when trying to install, runs perfectly fine as a live DVD . . Another problem -- Zorin, trying to install samba via the shared folder options , says no internet connection - bollocks, internet is working fine . Tried it via a terminal, same thing, no internet connection, yet install Shutter (screen capture ) from the terminal and that came through and installed perfectly . ( this I would like to get Samba installed) Bit awkward when the stupid thing says theres no working internet connection when its working fine . |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 1364507 | 2014-01-09 09:55:00 | Right oh -- Heres what happens, you boot from the DVD, it goes through the loading motions ( reading the DVD) then simply stops, theres no options to boot in any other mode. Most likely a graphics card issue of some kind - what distro? What card? |
johnd (85) | ||
| 1364508 | 2014-01-09 11:32:00 | Right oh -- Heres what happens, you boot from the DVD, it goes through the loading motions ( reading the DVD) then simply stops, theres no options to boot in any other mode . History--- The DVD is OK as it boots on other machines fine, every other OS loads without problems ( XP, Vista, W7 & W8) The machine has more than enough power, down loaded it 3 times from various places, burnt using different burners, and even refuses from a USB drive . Well, there's obviously *something* different about that machine (you don't say what brand - some are notorious for proprietary, non-standard implementations of various hardware) . Could well be graphics hardware as John says if it's a graphical installer (you don't say what of, or what version) . Using a text-mode installer, or giving it some different boot parameters (if that installer has that option) might be required in some special cases . Second machine, more than enough power, doesn't matter what options are selected always comes up with invalid resources when trying to install, runs perfectly fine as a live DVD . Again, specifics help . What, exactly, does "comes up with invalid resources" mean, and when, exactly, does it happen? Another problem -- Zorin, trying to install samba via the shared folder options , says no internet connection - bollocks, internet is working fine . Tried it via a terminal, same thing, no internet connection, yet install Shutter (screen capture ) from the terminal and that came through and installed perfectly . ( this I would like to get Samba installed) Bit awkward when the stupid thing says theres no working internet connection when its working fine . I'm not familiar with Zorin (but I haven't heard good things about it . . . although those sources may be a bit biased :)) so not sure what you are really doing, from your description . "I click the thing and it says NO, but know it is wrong!" A copy of the command you enter and the actual terminal output should shed a bit more light on what you are probably doing wrong . :p |
fred_fish (15241) | ||
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