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Thread ID: 43373	2004-03-12 21:24:00	First try at Xandros v2	John H (8)	Press F1

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222015	2004-03-12 21:24:00	Someone was asking for user opinions of Xandros. Thus far I have tried Mandrake 9.2, Fedora, and now Xandros. The latter is streets ahead of the others for first time linux users, but will probably be a disappointment for those who want to fiddle with the arcane workings of their computer. Me? I enjoyed learning more about my computer through trying to understand the innards of Mandrake and Fedora, but personally I am more interested in an OS that operates pretty much out of the box. For me, I have decided, the computer is a means to an end, not the end in itself. The whole interface with Xandros is simplicity itself. The automatic partitioning was simple - it set up two new partitions after re-sizing the existing Doze partition, one for the swap file. The installation was equally simple and completely intuitive. It set up networking with the two other Doze computers on the network as part of the set up process, so that when it first booted after installation, not only were the other computers showing in the Windows network, but the other partitions on the disk were visible and accessible as well - I could never achieve that with the other linux distros I tried. Similarly, the permissions setting took about three mouse clicks. Again, I never managed to get the Windoze boxes permission to access the Linux box with the other distros. This was completely straightforward in a control panel like interface. I have not yet tried using Windoze apps with it, so that will be a future development. Ditto I cannot get WiFi to work on the laptop because there are no drivers for the wifi network device yet - Intel says "they are under development". The only disappointment, and this is true of all other Linux distros I have tried, is the huge download of updates you need to go through once the install is complete. I guess the development in the Linux community is so rapid, that even when you get the latest version supplied to you, there are heaps of changes already. So, I am one very, very satisfied consumer. Now I have to see whether my clients will accept Open Office docs instead of Word, and if that is the case, it will be "Bye bye Microsoft - it was soooo nice to be ripped off by you for so long - not". John H	John H (8)
222016	2004-03-12 22:04:00	What a nice review John. Comments like yours (and previous posts by Terry) go a long way to reduce the fear of the unknown with Linux for first time users who, like yourself, would prefer a working OS first pop without having to fiddle behind the scenes to set up hardware and networking/internet issues etc. Although Xandros isn't *free*, you certainly get the user-friendly sort of results you have experienced. Be nice to see a couple of screenshots of your system :) >Now I have to see whether my clients will accept Open Office docs instead of Word There should be no reason why if you save your Writer docs as .doc or .rtf. Although doesn't Xandros come with Cross-over Office which allows you to install and use MS Office products if you wish? Me, I like the fiddle behind the scenes stuff and having the satisfaction from getting something to work that was being *difficult*, although I will probably try Ark Linux for interest (heading the same user-friendly direction like Xandros) shortly now that I have more disk space.	Jen C (20)
222017	2004-03-13 00:33:00	Thanks Jen, nice of you to respond that way . You are right about Xandros not being "free", and that is a disadvantage compared with the other distros like Fedora that can be downloaded at no cost . I don't mind paying for the developmental work that has been done "on my behalf" . It would have cost me perhaps two to three hours hours in lost "earning time" to do the fiddling (I am self employed), and even at that estimate, I am ahead on earnings compared with what I paid for Xandros . I did get some satisfaction out of playing with the other distros - eg in updating KDE, I think I learned a lot, so you are right about that, but you can have too much of a good thing ;-) I will do a couple of screen shots later . But one thing I did not mention in my first post is that some people have said that Xandros is too Windows like - it is definitely more GUI than some other distros, but it still has that Linux feel to it, and I don't feel that I am in a Windows environment . You are of course right about Cross Over - I fergit that I don't have to use Open Office, though it would be nice to quit the Dark Empire completely . Whoopee . Some of my docs have to be in specific fonts - I just need to check that I can access those of course . Thanks for your comments . John	John H (8)
222018	2004-03-13 00:35:00	As Jen said, a very nice review John . I have virtually come to the same decision to use Xandros as my main OS . When I look at all the utilities I have for Win9x/XP just to keep the systems clean and running nicely, and then look at Xandros/Linux and think, there isnt even a defrag, or a scandisk in sight . So maybe they arent needed? Any comments from those knowledgeable in the the art of Linux about disk cleaning, defragging, junk files, etc would be welcome . Crossover appears to work ok installing windows apps into a fake Program Files folder . Updates appear to come frequently via Xandros Networks, the speed of installation of these is amazing, and there is no re-boot afterwards . In Crossover there is a simulated Windows re-boot operation to keep the Win apps happy :) I removed the Real One Player from Xandros and replaced it with Real Player 8 with RP9 codecs . There is an article by Delphi123 about this in the Xandros forum . The Real One Player has some bugs, in my case it would not play some of the . rm files I'd moved over from XP . Now, with RP8 they play ok .	Terry Porritt (14)
222019	2004-03-13 00:52:00	There is fsck :D That's the nearest equivalent to a "checkdsk" . It's needed less these days with journalling file systems (such as ext3 etc) . It used to be run every four or so boots, or after a "naughty" shutdown . About the only tidying up I do when I'm browsing the disk is in /var/logs . The log files are turned over every so often and a number of the old ones are kept . If you've got many GBs of disk, it probably won't worry you . (There is a limit to the number of old files kept) . The file I look at most often is /var/log/messages, and the current one is called "messages" (:O) . Old versions are called "messages . 1", "messages . 2", etc . If you get programme crashes, the system can be set up to produce coredumps for rebugging . A coredump is a copy of all memory just after the crash -- usually called "core" . I disable that facility . Xandros probably does that by default .	Graham L (2)
222020	2004-03-13 01:00:00	Great to hear your comments John and Terry . This brings me a step closer to my move . And, many thank's to those that provided info to me via Terry's Xandros thread . I am probably a month or two away from changing my business over for which I will seek geek help but, intend to have a play before then . I'm planning on going to the local LUG meeting in Lower Hutt . Do they have a user group in Northern Lower Hutt Terry? ;) John you should be able to download lot's of Linux versions or equivalents of your fonts unless you use some very strage beasties . Cheers Murray P	Murray P (44)
222021	2004-03-13 01:09:00	Norther Lower Hutt, Murray ?:| ?:| :O Now I know that the City Of Lower Hutt cant stand having the word 'Lower' in their name, they even use illegal letter heads and illegal road signs mentioning a non-existent place called Hutt City, and they periodically try to flex their feeble muscles in takeover bids for the superior in every sense, City of Upper Hutt. :D	Terry Porritt (14)
222022	2004-03-13 01:16:00	Thanks for all the comments folks . Murray - I bought my Xandros distro from the guy whose details I sent you . I have found that he lives in Ngaio so I guess he isn't a member of a Lower Hutt group, but who knows? And the only font I really HAVE to have is Arial, because that is a standard for a government department my client sends files to . I am sure that if there are Linux versions of the commonly used fonts I will be able to find that one . The macron is a bit of an issue because I use it lots, and the Microsoft Maori keyboard driver does a really good job of this . I doubt that the Linux community has got around to that yet! I am still trying to post a couple of screenshots, but each time I try, I end up with . JPG which the site won't accept . . . I have done it before but for some reason I can't get the lower case . jpg . . . Arrggghhhhh I really am a klutz . John	John H (8)
222023	2004-03-13 01:18:00	Which segment lays claim to the famous Jabba the Hutt? (Though he did move to Tamaki).	Graham L (2)
222024	2004-03-13 01:23:00	Oh, the other thing that should have gone in the original post is about accessing a shared printer . I have an HP2100 Laserjet connected to the main desktop . The printer is shared to the network . Getting access to the shared printer was so easy I couldn't believe it . From memory the installation and set up process included the process of looking for a printer, either local or network . Several mouse clicks and as scroll to select the printer type and it was done . Xandros successfully printed out a test page during the set up process . I have spoken to the guy who supplied me with Xandros and he too is really impressed with the ease of setting up a shared printer . As for internet access through the network, the only thing I needed to do was open Mozilla Mail and enter my email details, and select the usual preferences, and I was getting mail . Wicked .	John H (8)
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