Any Linux Users Here?

[Matthew Schenker]

Ned,
You can post any instructions or pointers about Linux here as well.  It would be my pleasure to have a little corner of this forum be helpful to those interested in understanding and using Linux!
Matt

 

[Dan Lyke]

So on Ubuntu there should be a little icon with two computers up there on the top right in the menu bar. Click on that, you should get a pull-down with a list of available wireless networks. Select one, if it needs a password it'll ask you for it (getting the password type right is the hardest part), and you'll get two little dots, when both of them turn green and you get a set of strength bars, you're connected.

 

[Ned]

Dan--

Hope it's that easy.  I just want to give John backup in case it isn't.  And also tighten his security a bit from "wide open, step right in".

Matt--

If we have an "interesting" experience I'd be happy to post it here.

Ned

 

[Steve Jones]

I'll vote for showing info regarding Linux here too, I have downloaded ubuntu but not yet installed it (my main office computer is going to have to stay under the control of the evil empire for a while, the cab design software I use is stuck in windows (and has too many usefull features for me to toss it overboard just yet).

personally, the sooner I can get out from under the oppressive reign of the evit empire the better!

For those interested in windows history, I used to manange 50 developers and once tracked their productivity and where development time was being spent (this was about 7 years ago) turned out 60% of developer time (writing programs for Windows) was spent working around known issues in windows. (by issues I mean known problems, bugs, and things that just didn't work, either they never worked or they died after some "enhancement" or patch to fix another few hundred problems was installed.

Looking into (or want to) the possibilty of dual boot or experimenting with running under Linux, but the software I need is basically CAD (as well as a bunch of other usefull stuff) - there is no equivalent in the Unix/linux world, just don't have the time at the moment to experiment. (but would love to accumulate tips here as well).

Keep up the good work, all those guys who have made the change. You have my respect and admiration, one day we'll all be free!

Steve

 

[John Stegall]

Dan:
I found the icon but that was not successful. But, hey, it was more than I knew how to try and I thank you for posting it.
john

 

[Bru]

Hi John you might want to check your wireless card to see if its supported. This was the hardest part for me a few years ago. Gutsy is much easier, but now I'm on High Speed and have everything hard wired. Might as well use the speed. Hope this hyper link works, if not go to Ubuntu Forums ( look under networking and wireless there is a sticky list of wireless cards)  Check here;http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=370108ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=370108

 

[Bru]

John have you gone to System then Admin. then Network Settings, click on wireless, click roaming mode to off, put in your ESSID, WPA, or WEP  then your password. Fill out your connection settings, too see if you can connect that way? Sorry for the run on sentence.

 

[Bru]

Steve you might want to check out this collection of CADwww.tech-edv.co.at/lunix/CADlinks.htmlCAD for Linux

 

[Bru]

Steve if that isn't enough I found another link;www.linuxlinks.com/Software/Graphics/CAD/ here

 

[Steve Jones]

Bru,

Thanks for the kind help, but what I'm running does design drawings of cabinets (it's only good for cabinets, which is all I need) However it also churns out presentation (sales) diagrams and pics, detailed estimates, nest diagrams (all parts for a cabinet job showing layouts on standard plywood sheet sizes to give optimum yield), calculates hardware requirements (slides and hinges, etc), pumps out shopping lists, and generally makes my day so much easier I've gotten lazy (I don't even have to design the cabinets, once set to my style of cabs, now I specify wall lengths and drop in cabinets adjusting to size. They only way it could be easier is to load sheets into a CNC router, and that's just waiting till I find the required $120,000 in loose change in my jeans.

Steve

 

[John Stegall]

for a 6 year old laptop that is only going to be used for e-mail and surfing. It belongs to my daughter and it is really slow with W-XP. Her then internet provider had her buy it when she came over from Europe tho she had W-2000 Pro on it which did not have the problems.
I know there is a smaller version but cannot remember or find the name.
John (who hopes to finally use Ubuntu with a new hard drive install)

 

[Bru]

John what kind of laptop? Processor? Memory? I'm running a 5 year old HP using Ubuntu. Its running a Intel Pentium M, 1 gig of ram. Handles everything real well. I'd suggest downloading Ubuntu, burning it to CD or DVD and trying it in your laptop. Check out the ubuntuforums.org/index.phpUbuntu forums also, they remind me of FOG, a lot of helpful people. Your machine will run slower off CD/DVD, but you should get a good idea if your hardware is supported. You can try a lot of Linux Distro's that way. Just google linux live CD or check out distrowatch.com/Distro Watch. Most large Linux distro's have Live CD's now. If you need a real light version for older equipment, Puppy Linux, Damn Small Linux, there is a bunch to chose from. Good luck and have fun. Bru ;D

 

[John Stegall]

Like I said, this is not my laptop, it belongs to my daughter and it was probably bought in 2003 or 04 in Europe. She was working for an REIT in Luxembourg and they gave it to her when she left. I think it is a HP.

I will look at tonight.

BTW, thanks for telling me the name (Damn Small) that I could not rember as well as the Distro Watch website. That was the one I was looking for. As soon as I swap out my HDD on my destop I hope to switch totally to Linux (some form of it anyway).

Thanks again,
John

 

[Bru]

John you really don't have to look, just down load and burn to CD a few Linux distro's and play away. Running off the CD won't hurt anything, even if its not compatable and freezes your daughters system, just turn it off, pull out Cd before it reboots into Windows. It won't hurt your equipment. If you can't boot from Cd you have to change your BIOS, to allow Cd to boot first. Good Luck and have fun. Bru
PS Did your hard drive go out, or do you just want a larger one?

 

[John Stegall]

I think I just need a larger one. I have been having weird problems for quite awhile and my son thinks I need a larger one. But he does this stuff for a living so I probably need one. :-\

 

[Bru]

John sounds like your son is a great resource, good luck with everything. If you have any questions just ask. Bru

 

[John Stegall]

Thanks!

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Morning,
While we're on the subject of Linux and wireless, I will say that this is the one area where Windows does much better.  Hate to admit it, but with Windows it's just so easy to set up a wireless network, and then share files and printers.  With Linux, I have been able to share a printer between my laptop and desktop, but could never get wireless file sharing to work.  I've written about this extensively in the Kubuntu and Ubuntu forums.

Of course, I'm using Kubuntu, not Ubuntu.  They have the same core (Debian), but when it comes to file sharing, there are some big differences.

Matthew

 

[Bru]

Mathew I agree with you.  File sharing using SSH  is pretty easy in Ubuntu should be in Kubutnu,make sure you have your windows file sharing on. Sorry I have never had great luck sharing printers in windows or Linux. It is kind of like woodworking you find which tools work best for you. It seems there is always more than one way to get things done. I love my Festool tools, still use Craftsman TS, have 4 other kinds of routers, have Delta bandsaw, Rigid, PC, on and on, I use what works for me. These close communities seem to help when you run into problems (thats what makes it fun). Just LIFE (Learning Is a Fun Experience). I know we all want to get away from the blue screen of death, sometimes Windows works better.  Thanks again for all the great work you do! Bru

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Mathew I agree with you.  File sharing using SSH  is pretty easy in Ubuntu should be in Kubutnu,make sure you have your windows file sharing on. Sorry I have never had great luck sharing printers in windows or Linux.

I've tried, literally, about 20 different ways to get file sharing working in Kubuntu, with no success.  Frankly, I've forgotten all the methods I've tried.  There is something vastly different about Kubuntu and Ubuntu on this regard.

It's funny you say that printer sharing has been more of a problem.  That's the thing I did get to work!

Matthew