Alternative Operating Systems to Windows

Windows 10 does a MUCH better job of it than earlier versions. If you are basing your opinion of Windows on Version 3.1 you need to take another look at Windows. 3.1 WAS CRAP.

On Fri 02 Jun 2017 07:12:54p, told us...

Mine too.

The NHS was running "unpatched" and "Unprotected" Windows . Their stupidity wasn't running windows vs 'Nix.

So you run unpatched Windows?

Windows Update often forces a reboot. Admittedly I don't track reboot dates/times but don't recall ever going longer than 2 weeks.

Thank you everyone for your input. :)

At present the biggest barrier for me for switching to a Linux OS is that:

-- my computer cannot boot from a memory stick or thumb drive.

-- my computer can boot from my CD-Rom drive, using a CD-R disc.

-- A CD-R disc holds only 700 Megabytes. Xubuntu OS (for one) reguires seve ral Gigabytes. I have not tried to download the installation files for Xubu ntu onto a CD-R yet but am concerned there will be problems. Will multiple discs work as I download the Linux Xubuntu system for installation? Comment with suggestions as interested.

-- I think the rest of my hardware is fine. The CPU is an x86 but okay, per what I have read, for Xubuntu.

-- I re-loaded my Windows XP and have another 30 days or so before the acti vation problems kick in again. I believe the reason I cannot bypass activat ion is the wpa.dbl file sees too much new hardware. So Windows XP thinks I am trying to unlawfully load the software on a second computer. Which argua bly, given all the hardware change-outs I have done on my beloved old 2006 workhorse desktop could be said to be fair. Over the years, I have installe d a few replacement mobos; new power supply; new RAM; new SSD; new CD-drive .

-- I have decided to continue to pursue a Linux OS. Just gotta get past the hurdle of how to boot it up to try installing it. Why am I doing this? Bec ause my loathing for Microsoft has become a near-religion. I wonder if Micr osoft's refusing to provide support for Windows XP after a certain date rea lly passes legal muster. I wonder whether, if push comes to shove, maybe Mi crosoft is obliged to provide a patch for the activation situation.

-- The ultimate hypocrisy: I have owned stock in Microsoft for around a dec ade. It has done well. It's clear to me it will continue to do so. Plenty o f sheep out there. Let's see if I end up re-joining the ranks of the sheep.

-- If I get a Linux system running, I plan to use OfficeLibre for my word p rocessing and spreadsheets. My local public library offers this on its comp uters. I think its fine.

You need a "lightweight" Linux Distro. Take a look at Puppy Linux, it is quite capable.

So, then no problem:

The minimal iso image will download packages from online archives at installation time instead of providing them on the install media itself. ...

Did you load the SP3 updates? If so it should activate vis the server. Without SP3 it will have a connection problem. This is 2 week old info since I just reloaded this PC, using an old 25 digit code I had laying around from another active machine. That one is still going too

Slackware also can be loaded from CDs. My desktop allegedly loads from flash drives and DVDs, but it doesn't work so I hafta load from CDs, too.

Ubuntu is a Windows-like environment (all GUI). Slackware is both command line interface (CLI) AND GUI's.

I recommend this for all new Linux users:

You can buy the 400+ page book or read it online. ;)

nb

Dan and Gfre, have not connected my desktop to the internet in two years. It is not set up for wireless. If I had to, I think I could set it up again. But I think I would rather try some alternate routes.

If I bought a DVD-R drive, would my 2006 desktop computer be able to operate it? I am plenty handy at replacing drives. The MoBo is a Socket 478 MSI PM8M-V VIA P4M800 Serial Parallel port,

Thank you notbob and others for the guides.

Norman, I am considering Puppy Linux. Thank you.

I am fine tinkering. I am writing this latest adventure off as another home improvement project.

And sometimes it is two days if the first patch broke stuff. If I'm working on something I'll put off the reboot. Then I sometimes get into the cycle of there being more patches after the reboot, apply, reboot, rinse and repeat.

Many of the distros have a core set that will fit on a CD. There is enough to get you up and running and establish an internet connection, either wired or wireless, and then it goes and gets the rest. You can fine tune what gets installed but for just a consumer box the defaults work well. I'm a developer so I need build tools and other stuff many people wouldn't.

There will be some sort of package manager GUI. For example if I suddenly get an urge to play backgammon I can fire up Yast2, type backgammon in the search bar and find gnugb:

Program for playing and analysing backgammon positions, games and matches. It is based on a neural network. It currently plays at about the level of a championship flight tournament player. Depending on its parameters and its luck in recent games, it rates from around 1900 to

As you get more familiar most of the work can be done from the command line. For example

~/$gnubg If 'gnubg' is not a typo you can use command-not-found to lookup the package that contains it, like this: cnf gnubg

~/$cnf gnubg

The program 'gnubg' can be found in the following package: * gnubg [ path: /usr/bin/gnubg, repository: zypp (repo-oss) ]

Try installing with: sudo zypper install gnubg

Back in the day I loaded Slackware from floppies -- 43 of them iirc.

It should be able to. It's just another SATA drive and you can pick one up for $20 - $25.

You can get the SP3 update and load it from a disk or a stick. (WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe a 324,033 byte file) At that point it would easy to log in and get it authenticated. If you are not interested in WiFi, use a cable. There are also some hacks to just bypass the whole thing out there. The advantage of authenticating it is you will get about 150 updates, depending on what else is loaded and you can also get some MS software if you want it, like movie maker.

You can buy a dvd drive for less than $20, no?

Not if the problem was on either the Sperry or IBM mainframe. Their "Nix knowlege didn't transfer and mainframes were "beneath them"