(OT) Which flavour of Linux?

[John Rumm]

I was probably about 11 or 12 when I built mine....

[The Natural Philosopher]

Try totem-xine media player.

Worked for me.

Odd. USB camareas usually 'just work' - they are, after all simply USB disk drives as far as teh computer is concerned.

Why use a samba print server at all? That's a windows hack.

If you have a printer attached to a linux server, then use CUPS to talk to CUPS direct.

I can't even use XP under VirtualBox because I

Download the proper version from Sun. The open source doesn't have USB enabled.

Yes. But these things can be tackled slowly and carefully. Its not a reason to not use the stuff.

Point accepted. Despite having used *nix for years, I never wanted it on my desktop, until really I got fed up with windows and decided to take the plunge. The fact that its taken me about 2 years to get to 90% of what I want, with a few issues I can live with, is the downside...Linux is not as plug and play as one could like, and, indeed, making it that way is to an extent destroying some of what makes it good.

However, it keeps on getting better.

And I have to say, going back to windows feels like a backward step these days.

I tried OS-X and Mac, but the cost..the cost..everything costs, and there is almost no free software. And when it breaks, it breaks badly - beyond repair sometimes.

[dennis]

Some (most?) people just can't get on with linux, I removed ubuntu from an machine yesterday, win 7 runs much better on it. I didn't charge much as its a five minute job once you have manually removed the linux partitions. Windows wont just remove linux, like linux will remove windows without any proper warnings.

[NT]

Linux has its issues, so does windows. Playing some video content under recent versions of win is a nightmare, and linux is generally a lot more stable. Then you've got the security problems with windows, license restrictions & cost, and the vast library of windows bugs is something I dont minss.

NT

[T i m]

I only built ZX81s. I built my first as a project in 'elctronics' at college and repaired the other 17 students machines (that didn't work from the off) during my second term.

I probably built (assembled) another 5 for other mates when the kit was £19.99.

I also designed (with a mate) a joystick interface for the ZX81 and made quite a few of them.

Fun times.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

File > TV > Open Digital TV .... nothing? (And I can't see anywhere to add / change / tune etc).

You'd think. And this 'basic hardware may not work' isn't unique to Linux as I have similar issues with OSX. In fat it was a bit of an eye opener. Because I'd been happily plodding away with Windows for all those years I didn't really realise how complicated it could all get. Like, someone on the Mac group found a cheap OSX compatible web cam in Argos. I bought one and it worked fine. A bit later someone else bought one from Argos, same model etc and it didn't work under OSX (so he took it back). I believe it was fine under windows.

The big killer atm for Linux is this Fuji Camera. I didn't even think it would be an issue when I brought it and it isn't under XP / Vista.

Because the main printer here (a Canon ip4000) happens to hang off the back of this Mac Mini / XP. I do have a ip5200r (network printer) that I had to buy to be able to print from OSX but the carts aren't as cheap as they are on this ip4000. I was considering plugging theip4000 into the WHS but could well have the same issues with OSX / Linux (Linux has printed to it previously so there may be other issues. Mrs can and does print to it all the time from her XP box).

I don't have a Linux server because I couldn't get one working and doing the range of things this WHS does (and I tried a few server distros and soft NAS's).

Is that also free?

It suggests it does?

Indeed and why I've been dabbling with Linux since I installed it from

3 floppies. Whilst it's now getting very close to being useable (and is useable as is for many of course), I need a complete solution and have no axe to grind against Windows. I have installed Ubuntu as a dual boot solution for a few friends and family they still need Windows to do some stuff. So, they could live without Linux but couldn't live without Windows. If I said thy could only keep one, needs rather than choice would determine the outcome.

Understood. As much as I can be frustrated by Windows at times (generally only Vista) I don't generally have any problems with it. The first time I had anything funny happen (and it's on most the day every day) is yesterday when I plugged an external DVDRW (because the built in drive on this Mini isn't a DVDRW and would cost a fortune to upgrade) and it killed the box dead (I think the USB socket is worn and it could have shorted summat). Switched it off (stupid button round the back) and back on again and XP was fine.

However I'd say it's better than Windows / OSX in many cases, it's just when it doesn't work (on it's own) you could be in trouble (well, most people would).

Good for me is no more than 'working' and being reliable.

For sure and why I'm still (after all these years) wasting time (as the Mrs sees it) on Linux.

I've not felt that yet. There are some things that I'm reminded of, like the start up speed, however as I generally turn my PC on once a day it's not really an issue.

And the acceptance of that ethic seems to be ingrained in those who follow the Brand. 'We know it costs more but it's better ..." (when it often isn't).

Yup, the fact that you can't build_your_own and cant buy spares as easily and cheaply as you can with PC's is mostly why I never got into Macs in the first place. I'm petrified this Mini might die one day and whilst I'm happy I have a rsestorable backup on th WHS I'm not sure it would work on this Mini. I will replace it with something more PC based when I get round to it.

Saying that I have about 8 Macs ranging from an SE, PB170 to a C2D Mini (and this solo). There are some things I've only been able to do on OSX but it turns out they aren't things I need regularly and because it only (officially) runs on Apple hardware it doesn't get fired up very often. If it did run on non Apple hardware I would happily have a copy on a partition just for the crack.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

I found XP ran quicker on an eeePC netbook than Ubuntu (netbook version).

?

Hmm, I think both can remove both?

Other than 'Warning, you will lose all your data' you mean (which is what Ubuntu / Mint said the 20 times I installed it recently).

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Indeed.

Ok (not tried much under Vista or & I admit).

For many people it could well be. Windows is equally stable here (and does everything I want / need).

Yup. That can be an issue.

I can't say I've noticed any but then I don't look for them (meaning there is nothing that comes up that means stuff doesn't 'just work' (as it should) for me). I'm not saying such doesn't exist of course. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

p.s. One biggie for me is not being able to have Agent News reader. There is nothing even workable for me under OSX (and I've tried most of them) and I tried Pan again under Ubuntu. Ok, it looks very Agent-like and I got it working easy enough but when I open / switch between locally saved / subscribed groups it seems to take an age. Something that is instant with Agent under XP? ;-(

[Gib Bogle]

Perl used to rule. Now Python rules. (Not me, I use compilers.)

[Gib Bogle]

Primary school? Gee. My first foray into programming (with FORTRAN IV, of course) was about the same time - but I was in my first year of university.

[dennis]

Which videos are those?

[dennis]

We had a new teacher that was into computers, he was building one using transistors to make flipflops, etc. I did a bit of soldering on that project but I never saw it work.

[The Natural Philosopher]

OSX uses CUPS. so it may be possible to share it that way.

Yes.

It doesn't. I checked all this for someone else with Debian maintainer of it. distros use OSS version, the real McCoy comes from Sun, but the source is not available.

That's my experience, which is why I have VirtualBox.

It makes windows an occasional experience for a specific purpose, not something I have to live with in all its insecurity. AND courtesy of virtaul screens, I have it at the touch of a mouse and 2GB of RAM..

-)

Indeed.

Wife wont have anything else. Life's too short. Luckily its pretty stable now and I don't have to fix it.

[T i m]

I tried everything.

About > Oracle VM, 3.2.0 Beta.

Is that not the badger?

FWIW I've just "Could not access USB on the host system, because neither the USB file system (usbfs) nor the DBus and hal services are currently available. If you wish to use host USB devices inside guest systems you must correct this and restart VirtualBox.

The USB Proxy service could not be started because the USB file system (usbfs) is not available."

?

I pulled this straight off their site and it looks like it's willing to support USB if the subsystems are in place on the host?

Ok (not sure what that means (to me) though).

Yup, seems like a good idea. However, most things *I* might need it for require USB access ...

The Mrs used a Mac at work for 14 years and a PC at home. She comes in, turns her PC on and uses it as a terminal (banking), media centre (CD's, DVD's, Live and recorded TV), games, email and IM (and WHS backs it up when it's on a lunchtime). I can't remember the last time I had to do anything to it. It cost little and would cost similar to fix / upgrade. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

Our school had bought a kit when they first came out[1], but the teacher who ran the electronics club had departed and hence it sat about for a bit until I persuaded the powers that be to let me build it ;-)

I remember where they were becoming very popular in the micro mouse competitions (remember them?) because it was a cheap small light weight thing to bolt on the top and it would run from a battery.

Small world - got that task some years later as a college project (not only to build a customer interface (for a BBC rather than a ZX81) but also make the stick itself and write the driver for it.

Indeed!

[1] IIRC It came out at something like £69 ready built or £49 in kit form (with the normal sinclair wrinkle of needing to buy the PSU for the kit at about £8 extra). It was my first exposure to the ever downward march of prices on technology (ZX80 was £79/£99) - not only was my pride and joy now last years model (literally), but the replacement was cheaper!

[Huge]

Naah. Python has too many rules. Strongly typed languages are for people with weak memories.

[Bob Eager]

I always think C is too stromgly typed...!

[Andy Burns]

Make all variables void* only cast to other types to increment them ;-)

[Bob Eager]

Or just use BCPL....remmeber BCPL?

[The Natural Philosopher]

weakly typed languages are for people who don't program real machines with physical RAM and word size limitations:-).