Beve Stallmer wrote:

> I'm back to Linux after abandoning it in its Suse form a few years ago.
> Unfortunately I've forgotten 90% of what I learned about Linux back
> then, so here I go again!
>
> Finally managed to get 6.0.6.1 installed onto my Vaio and a Dell, both
> newish laptops. The LIVE CD stalled at mounting the file system, but a
> slow reburn of the alternative CD seemed to work. Put Ubuntu on the
> final 10GB partition on the disks, both have WinXP Pro on their C drive.
> Both times I ended up with one EXT3 Linux partition and one SWAP Linux
> partition, whereas I would have preferred 3 Linux partitions: swap, home
> and system.
>
> In addition, there are numerous other problems, although I have had an
> attitudinal change that makes them seem like *fun* rather than
> infuriating.
>
> It is important that people realize that Linux offers you the chance to
> tinker with configuration, learn a lot of new stuff, feel achievement as
> you conquer problems, and all for free! It's actually good deal, and I
> do not say that sarcastically.
>
> On my Vaio, many problems, irritations and gotchas, or, as I now call
> them, /opportunities/ -
>
> * Could not browse my NTFS volumes until I messed around (added entries)
> in "fstab" or some similarly named file
>

Unless a partition is mounted, the contents of a filesystem is
effectively "invisible", this applies to any *nix.

> * I'm struggling to come to terms with my inability to make folders as
> an ordinary user while using the file browsing facility in Ubuntu. In
> Suse you could quickly pop into admin mode and do this from within the
> file browser ... is there a way in ubuntu or must I open a console
> window and start typing commands? In fact, how can I quickly become an
> admin while in the GUI? (Softball question for ya!)
>

Usually any folders you would need to create are in your home directory,
there you would have full permissions. If you are creating directories
somewhere else for shared usage say (/var/data) it might be worthwhile
creating that directory and then chmoding it so that any users on the
machine can access it, then you can create and delete directories within it
without any problems.

> * Headset's microphone does not work with Skype test call or the default
> sound recorder utility in Ubuntu. I'm going to have to play with ALSA
> and OSS and something else (actual sound card). There seems also to be
> some confusion between my headphones and the USB speakers, with sounds
> routed inappropriately ....
>
> * "Skype for Linux" does not seem to have video abilities (in fact, my
> webcam light glows all the time but I seem to have no way to address it
> or use it). Is Skype for Linux so far behind?
>
No idea. If they are anything like Adobe, probably.

> * The default-installed music player chokes on MP3 files, which I found
> amazing. Must install Amarok, I think.
>
MP3 is patent encumbered format, so unless you pay the license fees you
can't redistribute the appropriate libs. This applies to OpenSUSE amd
Fedora as well.
You can download the libs from the universe repositories I believe.

> * On shutdown, the machine hangs with the built-in laptop speakers
> making occasional spitting sounds. Hard crash needing power button.
>
Don't know anything about this. Have you checked the UbuntuForums?

> * Where can I get all the M$ fonts? I remember getting Arial etc on my
> Suse install, probably illegally
>

Use EasyUbuntu ( http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/index.html ) or Automatix
( http://www.getautomatix.com/ )to help for this, these allow you to
download some other items as well.

> * Truecrypt has a horrible non-GUI implementation on Linux. Sigh. Was
> able to mount and map small volumes, but it gave me a weird error when I
> tried to mount a large NTFS-formatted volume
>

Not something I've even heard about
..
>
> On the Dell, so far -
>
> * wireless networking did not work until I installed Network Manager and
> could use it for the WPA-PSK/TKIP encrypted router protocol I use.
> Normal Ubuntu networking is lame in comparison to Network Manager, it
> seems.
>
> to be continued...

It appears Network Manager is going to be the standard for a lot of Linux
distros, I had problems with it on OpenSUSE 10.1 with a 802.11b card, but
using the standard YaST set up, it set up first time.

Bruce S.

--
Replace the by by blueyonder

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:19:57 -0700
Beve Stallmer wrote:

> * I'm struggling to come to terms with my inability to make folders
> as an ordinary user while using the file browsing facility in Ubuntu.
>

Install Midnight Commander (using apt/synaptic) and create a menu
item/shortcut opening it as root. Works better with xterm than the
default gnome terminal as the latter grabs the function keys that mc
also uses.

So 'xterm -e sudo mc'

> * The default-installed music player chokes on MP3 files, which I
> found amazing. Must install Amarok, I think.

Have you not yet discovered Automatix?
http://www.getautomatix.com/


--
Roger Brown
roger2@rogerbrown.no-ip.org
http://rogerbrown.no-ip.org

Better dead than mellow.

In alt.os.linux.ubuntu Beve Stallmer wrote:
[...]
>
> * The default-installed music player chokes on MP3 files, which I found
> amazing. Must install Amarok, I think.
>
[...]
> * Where can I get all the M$ fonts? I remember getting Arial etc on my
> Suse install, probably illegally
>

Hi!

The *very* useful guide "Prepping Dapper for Everyday Use"
has instructions on how to get all the windows fonts in Ubuntu and
something on the MP3 player.

http://www.beginningubuntu.com/dappe..._Windows_fonts
http://www.beginningubuntu.com/dappe...ool_MP3_player

Best,
Andres.

--
Wanda the fish says:
Those who have some means think that the most important thing in the
world is love. The poor know that it is money.
-- Gerald Brenan

Andres E. Hernando wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
> The *very* useful guide "Prepping Dapper for Everyday Use"
> has instructions on how to get all the windows fonts in Ubuntu and
> something on the MP3 player.
>
> http://www.beginningubuntu.com/dappe..._Windows_fonts
> http://www.beginningubuntu.com/dappe...ool_MP3_player


Guys, thanks for all these excellent replies. I'm going to be
referencing all points you raise as I go forward!

The climb just got a little steeper.

I downloaded the latest Linux ATI Radeon drivers for my X600 card and
tried to install them .. took hours while I fiddled around finding out
whether I was running XFree86 or X, and how to find the version, and
then how to get the ****ing ATI "xxx.run" script to run (you have to
issue a special command to TELL Ubuntu that this .run file /is/ actually
executable, fer God's sake!). The I went to the ubuntu forums and read
how I needed to modify the .conf file in 2 places to make the drivers
work properly, and reboot. I did exactly as told, but X would not load,
giving me errors of "problem parsing" the file and KDSETMODE FAILED ...
bad file descriptor ... etc . Sigh. I suppose I'll have to spend a few
more hours researching it ... from Windows.

Fonts, fonts, fonts. I spent another 2 hours getting my Windows fonts
set up under ubuntu. The copy and paste method to fonts:// did not work,
so I had to go thru a ridiculously long process of editing files and
running scripts before the fonts were finally available in ubuntu. (See
the last process on this page http://tinyurl.com/jbma5 )

Then I noticed .. the fonts all looked a little jagged, a little blurred
in parts. I messed around with all the font settings, trying this and
that, but they are still /nowhere near/ as clear as the same fonts in
Windows. Disappointing, and reminds me of my experiences with Linux in
2004. No improvements here, it seems.

Speed. The whole interface is not as snappy as in Windows or Mac OS, not
as responsive. Again, disappointing. There is a small lag between
clicking on a menu, and the menu opening, for instance. The GUI is
sluggish. In Nautilus, for example, I tried to select a long list of
files by highlighting the first one and pressing the down arrow to
select the rest, while holding down the shift key. Whoa! Slow as hell,
and when I took my hands off the keys, the damned GUI kept on running,
selecting file after file for another 10 seconds after I'd stopped
pressing the keys! This never happens in Windows, or under the Mac OS.

Other silly things are annoying me too. Every ****ing time I go to the
top of the screen to access the menus, a little popup window opens to
explain to me what these button are, effectively blocking me from seeing
the buttons I want to click. This must be fixed! Oh, I know, I can
probably turn off all popup mouseover events system-wide, but that would
be overkill.

to be continued ...

Beve Stallmer wrote:
> The climb just got a little steeper.
>
> I downloaded the latest Linux ATI Radeon drivers for my X600 card and
> tried to install them .. took hours while I fiddled around finding out
> whether I was running XFree86 or X, and how to find the version, and
> then how to get the ****ing ATI "xxx.run" script to run (you have to
> issue a special command to TELL Ubuntu that this .run file /is/ actually
> executable, fer God's sake!). The I went to the ubuntu forums and read
> how I needed to modify the .conf file in 2 places to make the drivers
> work properly, and reboot. I did exactly as told, but X would not load,
> giving me errors of "problem parsing" the file and KDSETMODE FAILED ...
> bad file descriptor ... etc . Sigh. I suppose I'll have to spend a few
> more hours researching it ... from Windows.


Yeah, well, I never did get the ATI drivers to work, despite trying
everything recommended on all the various forum pages. Hours of work.
Interestingly, I found that Ubuntu had installed the nVidia package for
my machine even though I have an ATI card, and left the ATI package
undownloaded and uninstalled. Weird.

Anyhooo .... I have access to free, legal copies of Fista in the near
future, so I'll stick with the Dark Empire a while longer. I'll change
over permanently when:

- The Linux GUI/s is/are much faster and snappier
- The fonts are truly crisp
- I can videoconference with Skype
- My sound card "just works"
- My new, mainstream video card "just works"
- TrueCrypt works properly on Linux (GUI please!)
- Less console use is required to get Linux running properly

I'm sure it will happen -- just look how OOo and FF have improved.

Later, Linuxers!!! Keep up the good fight, I'm relying on ya!!

Beve Stallmer wrote:

> Beve Stallmer wrote:
>> The climb just got a little steeper.
>>
>> I downloaded the latest Linux ATI Radeon drivers for my X600 card and
>> tried to install them .. took hours while I fiddled around finding out
>> whether I was running XFree86 or X, and how to find the version, and
>> then how to get the ****ing ATI "xxx.run" script to run (you have to
>> issue a special command to TELL Ubuntu that this .run file /is/ actually
>> executable, fer God's sake!). The I went to the ubuntu forums and read
>> how I needed to modify the .conf file in 2 places to make the drivers
>> work properly, and reboot. I did exactly as told, but X would not load,
>> giving me errors of "problem parsing" the file and KDSETMODE FAILED ...
>> bad file descriptor ... etc . Sigh. I suppose I'll have to spend a few
>> more hours researching it ... from Windows.
>
>
> Yeah, well, I never did get the ATI drivers to work, despite trying
> everything recommended on all the various forum pages. Hours of work.
> Interestingly, I found that Ubuntu had installed the nVidia package for
> my machine even though I have an ATI card, and left the ATI package
> undownloaded and uninstalled. Weird.
>
> Anyhooo .... I have access to free, legal copies of Fista in the near
> future, so I'll stick with the Dark Empire a while longer. I'll change
> over permanently when:
>
> - The Linux GUI/s is/are much faster and snappier
> - The fonts are truly crisp
> - I can videoconference with Skype
> - My sound card "just works"
> - My new, mainstream video card "just works"
> - TrueCrypt works properly on Linux (GUI please!)
> - Less console use is required to get Linux running properly
>
> I'm sure it will happen -- just look how OOo and FF have improved.
>
> Later, Linuxers!!! Keep up the good fight, I'm relying on ya!!
Whatever works for you is what you should be using after all a computer is
just a tool the same as a hammer or a nailgun. So select the tool that
works for you. Enjoy!

Beve Stallmer wrote:

> Beve Stallmer wrote:
>> The climb just got a little steeper.
>>
>> I downloaded the latest Linux ATI Radeon drivers for my X600 card and
>> tried to install them .. took hours while I fiddled around finding out
>> whether I was running XFree86 or X, and how to find the version, and
>> then how to get the ****ing ATI "xxx.run" script to run (you have to
>> issue a special command to TELL Ubuntu that this .run file /is/ actually
>> executable, fer God's sake!).

That applies to *any* *nix, this prevents the "Hey I can remotely install
the spambot/DDOS zombie client on your machine" ability in Windows.

>> The I went to the ubuntu forums and read
>> how I needed to modify the .conf file in 2 places to make the drivers
>> work properly, and reboot. I did exactly as told, but X would not load,
>> giving me errors of "problem parsing" the file and KDSETMODE FAILED ...
>> bad file descriptor ... etc . Sigh. I suppose I'll have to spend a few
>> more hours researching it ... from Windows.
>


>
> Yeah, well, I never did get the ATI drivers to work, despite trying
> everything recommended on all the various forum pages. Hours of work.
> Interestingly, I found that Ubuntu had installed the nVidia package for
> my machine even though I have an ATI card, and left the ATI package
> undownloaded and uninstalled. Weird.
>
> Anyhooo .... I have access to free, legal copies of Fista in the near
> future, so I'll stick with the Dark Empire a while longer. I'll change
> over permanently when:
>
> - The Linux GUI/s is/are much faster and snappier

This could be due to you not using the drivers.

> - The fonts are truly crisp
> - I can videoconference with Skype

Skype is a closed source program, so moan at Skype for not providing an up
to date client.

> - My sound card "just works"

I haven't had a Soundcard problem for years.

> - My new, mainstream video card "just works"

Blame the manufacturers for not providing specs to Xorg, or just open their
existing drivers (thanks Intel!).

> - TrueCrypt works properly on Linux (GUI please!)


> - Less console use is required to get Linux running properly
>
> I'm sure it will happen -- just look how OOo and FF have improved.
>
> Later, Linuxers!!! Keep up the good fight, I'm relying on ya!!

It seems you haven't used either EasyUbuntu or Automatix to download and set
up the items not in the default repositories.

Bruce S.

--
Replace the by by blueyonder

Beve Stallmer wrote:

> - The Linux GUI/s is/are much faster and snappier

There are ways to do this, apparently:
http://martin.ankerl.org/2006/08/16/...ercent-faster/

One question... Why not one of the major "mature" distros?

My time is priceless ... not to be wasted on teenage distros. I am
opting for SuSe this time around.

Just another ancient hacker retrying linux for the toy ( play? )
value. Like a 66in TV, ... something I really do not need.

My opinion and belief system, so arguing is pointess.

arthur
Esc, CA
==

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:19:57 -0700, Beve Stallmer
wrote:

>I'm back to Linux after abandoning it in its Suse form a few years ago.
>Unfortunately I've forgotten 90% of what I learned about Linux back
>then, so here I go again!

arthur wrote:
> One question... Why not one of the major "mature" distros?
>
> My time is priceless ... not to be wasted on teenage distros. I am
> opting for SuSe this time around.
>
> Just another ancient hacker retrying linux for the toy ( play? )
> value. Like a 66in TV, ... something I really do not need.
>
> My opinion and belief system, so arguing is pointess.
>
> arthur
> Esc, CA
> ==
>
> On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:19:57 -0700, Beve Stallmer
> wrote:
>
>> I'm back to Linux after abandoning it in its Suse form a few years ago.
>> Unfortunately I've forgotten 90% of what I learned about Linux back
>> then, so here I go again!

Hi Art

Escondido .. spent many shopping hours here when I lived in Vista.

I'm ancient too (50), and yes, I like Suse and almost stayed with 9.0 a
few years ago, before it bit the dust for me on USB issues.

Commenting on your comment to another thread, using Linux on a dedicated
machine for Internet-only access is quite smart, although overkill if
you know what you're doing with Windows. I'd say my chief objections to
that are 1) running two machines all the time costs $$$ per year in
electricity, and 2) the hassle of moving stuff like updates from one
machine to another.

I excel at confusion. Sorry. To make clearer, we really do, do,
Personal Computing here so sharing resouces makes sense. eg Internet
Connection, printer, etc. We are stuck with dialup for the time being
as our abode connects to (excuse the cure word) Adelphia. SBC wants
what I consider robbery for DSL. I do have DSNKong installed for
almost 99% commercials free surfing. Love it.

Btw, we stay at the Ext Stay near Palm when we go to LV to gawk and
walk.

arthur
esc, ca
==

On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 22:43:13 -0700, Beve Stallmer
wrote:
>
>Hi Art
>
>Escondido .. spent many shopping hours here when I lived in Vista.
>
>I'm ancient too (50), and yes, I like Suse and almost stayed with 9.0 a
>few years ago, before it bit the dust for me on USB issues.
>
>Commenting on your comment to another thread, using Linux on a dedicated
>machine for Internet-only access is quite smart, although overkill if
>you know what you're doing with Windows. I'd say my chief objections to
>that are 1) running two machines all the time costs $$$ per year in
>electricity, and 2) the hassle of moving stuff like updates from one
>machine to another.

Beve Stallmer writes:

> arthur wrote:
>> One question... Why not one of the major "mature" distros? My time
>> is priceless ... not to be wasted on teenage distros. I am
>> opting for SuSe this time around. Just another ancient hacker
>> retrying linux for the toy ( play? )
>> value. Like a 66in TV, ... something I really do not need.
>> My opinion and belief system, so arguing is pointess.
>> arthur
>> Esc, CA
>> ==
>> On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:19:57 -0700, Beve Stallmer
>>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm back to Linux after abandoning it in its Suse form a few years
>>> ago. Unfortunately I've forgotten 90% of what I learned about Linux
>>> back then, so here I go again!
>
> Hi Art
>
> Escondido .. spent many shopping hours here when I lived in Vista.
>
> I'm ancient too (50), and yes, I like Suse and almost stayed with 9.0
> a few years ago, before it bit the dust for me on USB issues.

Q: how can SUSE be any worse than any other distro if everone is "near
enough" latest kernel?
>
> Commenting on your comment to another thread, using Linux on a
> dedicated machine for Internet-only access is quite smart, although
> overkill if you know what you're doing with Windows. I'd say my chief
> objections to that are 1) running two machines all the time costs $$$
> per year in electricity, and 2) the hassle of moving stuff like
> updates from one machine to another.
>

--

Oui. Linux current means previous generation h/w will possibly work,
but never ass^ume.

neguhe
(rot13)

On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 04:33:15 +0200, Hadron Quark
wrote:
>
>Q: how can SUSE be any worse than any other distro if everone is "near
>enough" latest kernel?