Hmm. Things have changed. When I tried it on Friday and Saturday nothing worked, I just got a message saying something like "Your browser doesn't work with this website". Today I can actually get into the website, although it isn't very good - for example the form for entering my details doesn't display the field labels unless the window is maxed out (you won't be able to see this screen because you have enter your drivers licence number to get to it).
I'll keep trying. It may have been just a Christmas holiday maintenance problem. Alternatively, it may not.
Agreed, (all points), however there are some who suggest that the default Ubuntu desktop is very noob compatible (I've not introduced a complete computer noob to computers via Ubuntu so all the rest find it 'weird' and not as intuitive as the more (pre V8) 'Windows alike' UI.
Yup, it can be pretty straightforward, quick and easy.
Again, I agree, it was rarely the 'finding my away' round the UI that was the issue but what doesn't work (either 'as expected' for a Windows user or 'at all').
Ok, so Firefox and Thunderbird are pretty well the same on Windows or Linux, except for say Flash support on Linux on Firefox.
Libre Office is a good alternative to MS Office, as long as you only need the basics and don't need to share anything with any MS Office user (outside the basics). Been there, done that with kids taking non MS Office homework into school and the formatting is all to pot and the parents would rather pay for something that 'just works' than put up with something that doesn't, even for free.
Then you get to the iTunes / iPod / phone situation and see just how much people care about having something free versus something that may be less secure, durable or 'free', that *can* do all they want (including playing all the Windows only games out there).
Understood. I resolved a similar issue for someone a good while back now who wasn't able to access a specific page of the Congestion Charge website because the MTU size was set incorrectly on his ADSL router!
I have given up! I think my drivers were troublesome - my wife wants the desk out so I have bowed to pressure and it changes my basis for giving it away.
Yup, as have I, outside of a look now and again to see if the grass really is greener yet. ;-)
With Linux and hardware compatibility I've often seen it as 'the tail wagging the dog'. Even the Linux geeks tell you off for not 'checking to see if something is 'Linux compatible' before you try to use it with Linux (however you do that and for whatever it means ... there being so many different versions and levels of 'Linux' etc).
Yup ... I spent hours and hours trying to put different distros of Linux on various boxes to give away (being able to offer the box with an 'up-to-date' OS etc) and ended up scrapping them and selling the boards to a recycler. I don't think 1 out of the 5 PC's I had running XP at the time actually worked cleanly or fully with 'Linux'.
You are welcome. I'm glad you didn't waste the time on it like I did. ;-)
So, the question one might ask is assuming Mr P could install and manage Windows but couldn't do the same with Linux, what is different?
I've been building, installing and maintaining PC's, servers and gateways on all sorts of LAN / WAN infrastructure since the IBM PC-XT and whilst I've never really had much trouble with DOS, CP/M, OS/2, Windows, NT / Lanmanager or even Netware, I can't say that I found the
*administration* of any Linux 'as easy'.
So, how many people who try Linux but give up on it have the opportunity of seeing Linux at it's best ... or are more often stuck with some low res view with no sound or WiFi and with little hope of fixing it themselves ... or being able to get assistance from a friend or even the local PC shop? [1]
Now, if you have had previous experience with Unix (and many Linux geeks have) and or programming at any level then getting some piece of hardware going (and not even 'exotic' in many cases) may not be an issue.
Because Windows IS the de-facto standard and with nearly every piece of hardware supported by it (either directly or via supplied drivers), very rarely would any Windows administrator (especially a d-i-y one) ever *have* to get their hands dirty with the CLI (even if they still could if they wanted).
I'm sure what 'most people' would like is something the looks like Windows (in the logic of the desktop / UI, as seen with the likes of Mint of course) but with the generic support of ALL the manufacturers re having more drivers built in or having extra drivers 'autofound and installed', as with Windows Update.
Add to that support from ALL the game writers and app developers (so there is always a 'Linux version' of their wares) and then I really would see little reason why many more *wouldn't* take it up, especially if it really was more durable, safer and free (of cost), especially if the likes of MS start charging yearly to rent their OS.
But then Linux has had many opportunities (especially recently) to pick up the baton but hasn't. ;-(
so, so I avoid it unless I know the machine won't be around long.
e project once 'end of support' occurs. It's a shame.
You could. But how is changing a computer's OS for something more bloated e very 18 months sane? (and hoping the latest version even works on it.) When I put an OS on a PC for someone I'm going to be fairly pissed off if in 18 months the machine is not going to do the job any more, and the user is ex pected to do something well & truly beyond their comprehension. Mint really f-ed up.
"Mr Pounder Esquire" wrote in news:n6bii4$6rc$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:
I have decent laptop and tablet - my wife who used the desktop the most now is used to her Tablet, so although I liked the challenge of improving it, I have decided it will go. Desk gone this afternoon.
Because it will drive the peripherals that I have. If the PC cost £300 5 years ago and the additional soundcard only has XP drivers, why would I want to spend cash upgrading and then having to spend hundreds on new external hardware that doesn't do anything the old stuff did.
I still have one machine with the ISA bus. It still supports the card that does hardware mp2 encoding. There are newer devices that do that, but they are also obsolete now.
It took me ages to get virtual W98 going to drive the brilliant and unique "NEC Petiscan" scanner.
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