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The "Linux questions (and other stuff)" thread

jonbanjo said:
Your possibly thinking of a post I made but I generally prefer the KDE apps to their Gnome counterparts which can seem to me to be more basic.
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That sounds very likely. Thanks. And, yes, I agree that G apps seem more basic, but they also LOOK old, outdated.

On that one, I prefer the Yast partitioner in OpenSuse to gParted. I don't know what the Kde one is.
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That makes two of us! :D I just looked in my menu--it's KDE Partition Manager.
 
That makes two of us! :D I just looked in my menu--it's KDE Partition Manager.
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Thanks. I'm not sure that I've seen that one before. It's not part of the default OpenSuse KDE installation. At a quick look, I'd choose GParted (which in all fairness is pretty good, - I just like the Yast one better).
 
Hello from Kubuntu!

First impressions are that, although it is more like Windows, I think I prefer Ubuntu (but I'll assume that there's a tonne of themeing that can be done)

I'm happy that I've at least got Chrome, but the only thing that will stop me from only using Linux is that so many programs and so much software is available (is this what it's like on WP8 :P? ) Most of it I could live without (like fan controller, mouse profiles etc) but I'm still on for a dual boot maybe :D
 
Speaking of mouse stuff, I've noticed they've added the ability for Ubuntu 13.10 to estimate the remaining charge left in the AA-battery powering my USB wireless mouse. So cool. :D
 
Maybe it's just me, but I kind off wish there a few more/better bluetooth mice out there.

Sure, it's a bit redundant, but I would much rather have my wireless mouse connect to a built-in transmitter on my laptop than have to plug a transmitter into one of my few USB ports.

One of these days, I am going to buy a cheap BT mouse and see if I can hack its transceiver into my Logitech 9-button mouse.
 
Mehta23 said:
Hello from Kubuntu!
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:)

First impressions are that, although it is more like Windows, I think I prefer Ubuntu (but I'll assume that there's a tonne of themeing that can be done)
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No. :eek: There are MANY TONS! :D Seriously, you could do nothing for the next week but tweak your appearance options--and remember you can have different everything per desktop (widgets, wallpaper, etc.)--and still not be 'done' (whatever that is!). In case you don't know, you can add MORE theme-related stuff from within system settings; look for buttons like 'install new themes' or 'install new schemes.'

I'm happy that I've at least got Chrome, but the only thing that will stop me from only using Linux is that so many programs and so much software is available (is this what it's like on WP8 :P? ) Most of it I could live without (like fan controller, mouse profiles etc) but I'm still on for a dual boot maybe :D
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Spend some time perusing the THOUSANDS of programs, widgets, apps, tweaks, system tools, etc., that are available. Fire up Synaptic and start browsing. Choose 'add widgets' on your taskbar or desktop and browse. I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised.
 
MoodyBlues said:
In case you don't know, you can add MORE theme-related stuff from within system settings; look for buttons like 'install new themes' or 'install new schemes.'
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*Waits for the inevitable "Is there a Star Trek LCARS theme?" question since most threads end up having Star Trek references*
 
Joelgp83 said:
*Waits for the inevitable "Is there a Star Trek LCARS theme?" question since most threads end up having Star Trek references*
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Been there, done that. At least when in came to Win 8 (yes), and now that you mention it, yes, KDE has one too.

I wonder how well it works with a touch screen... :rolleyes:
 
When you first install KDE or Kubuntu, you are looking at what appears to be a dated Windows 95 desktop, start menu, system tray, and all. I recall telling Moody that very same thing. Before, of course discovering the almost limitless options buried in KDE system settings.
 
Just looking for opinions: Is it even worth it/a good idea to set up hibernation (i.e. suspend to disk or suspend to both)? If so, what's the best way to go about it?
 
Thought I'd update my Dropbox dilemma, as I had occasion to contact them yesterday and now have the story straight from the horse's mouth. :)

This is what I asked:

2) Using the Linux desktop software, I found that dragging/dropping a directory into my Dropbox directory (which I installed in ~, i.e., /home/grace/Dropbox) caused it to MOVE there. For example, if I dragged/dropped my ~/documents directory to Dropbox, it became /home/grace/Dropbox/documents. This is not good. I don't want my directory structure changed. Is this how it's supposed to work? I've ended up linking (via the OS, using the ln command) files/directories I want to backup on Dropbox, as copying them there means having twice the disk space taken up and moving them there is not acceptable. The linking method is definitely not my favorite method, but I'm not seeing anything else that's workable/acceptable for me.
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And this is their response:

Also, it's not currently possible for Dropbox to watch your current file structure, but some users have had success creating symbolic links to these locations outside of the Dropbox folder. Dropbox will sync the files that the symbolic links point to and won't physically move the files into the Dropbox folder.
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You've probably deduced that this was actually the second question I asked. The first had to do with red X icons that had mysteriously appeared on a few of my files [when viewed in the DB desktop software]; those files were no longer updating [which I could tell when I viewed their date-stamps on the DB site]. I read their help page about the reasons for red X icons, but none of those issues applied.

Interestingly--and consider this when you're deciding how good their above reply is--they said those files had been created with extended attributes/xattr, and that's why they were missing. You can imagine the fun that followed! :eek:

We back and forthed, with me telling them that CANNOT be the issue because, A) I've never created files with extended attributes, and, B) the files were NOT missing, they had suddenly acquired red Xs and were no longer updating.

Somewhere along the line they also said that I should upgrade my OS (without even knowing what version or distro I'm using) and that would solve the problem. :rolleyes:

The problem resolved itself, as the files in question ended up losing their red Xs and resumed updating. So when I last e-mailed them to let them know the issue was resolved, I dropped the bomb on them that I have 28 years of experience with *nix, and when I SAY extended attributes are not the problem, I MEAN they're not the problem! :D
 
Okey, Linux has completely crashed on my Dad's desktop. It works for about 5 minutes, and then bam, its crashed. Time to delete Linux, but what other distro should I put on the computer? I was thinking of moving away from ubuntu, and getting something that will actually make this computer work for more than a week. haha, any ideas?
 
Your best bet would lie in determining what is behind the crashes...

Have you ruled out hardware issues such as a bad memory module?
 
I've been intrigued ever since nick said he was dual-booting Ubuntu on a Chromebook.

And my granddaughter needs something new, so I found the Acer c710-2847 and searching here, see it's the same one nick has. :p :) (But not at the price he scored. :()

Anyway, I found this and was intrigued - it's not dual boot, it's more like a VM because you just pop and back forth between ChromeOS and Ubuntu with a keyboard shortcut, it's called crouton.

How to Install Linux on a Chromebook and Unlock Its Full Potential

And I found by looking at their github that you can apparently get the following desktops - Unity, Gnome, KDE, Cinnamon, LXDE (I've used that on my phone lol), XFCE4, XMBC, e17 (iow, latest Enlightenment, not too shabby) or just a CLI. And according to the crouton wiki, you can also use awesome and they provide the simple X11 commands to start that.

So... that sounds pretty good to me to get a new HS student started. :)

One guy even got Steam working - Steam on crouton ubuntu on chromebook :: Steam for Linux General Discussions :D

It looks like the initial setup is for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS - and naturally my next thing was to see what other distributions were available. The github explains how to look for releases and which distros they belong to - https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton

But being lazy, I found this and it was interesting - Ubuntu 13.04 raring to go on Acer C7 Chromebook | projectz

So I got curious and looking further, it looks like it supports Ubuntu Saucy Salamander (13.10) and Debian wheezy, jessie and sid (lol) if I'm not mistaken.

2 GB ram, a basic Celeron processor, 320 GB HD, actual ports (HDMI, USB), and the ability to hot swap between ChromeOS and any of that - I'm not seeing the downside to this for less than $250 (and I'm wishing that I'd found the closeout nick did for $99 lmao).

Thought that some might find this interesting, cheers. :)
 
Dngrsone said:
Your best bet would lie in determining what is behind the crashes...

Have you ruled out hardware issues such as a bad memory module?
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I believe it is a hardware issue. Though, when using it once, the os will crash, and go to the terminal look, and white lines will show through the screen, and it will alternate between that and the terminal look. From that point of view its the os that may be whats matter with the os. Though when I tried to get into the bios I got the beeping sound from the hardware. One short beep, followed by one long beep. I looked that up and didnt find a match. I bet its the hardware that makes it crash. I told my dad that he should just get a new computer. HP has single handedly been the worst experience of computing ive ever experienced. Ive fixed this computer so many times, all the fault of HP's hardware. Not windows or viruses.
I was saying in another thread that I was looking at a new chromebook from HP to be released on November 3, but I was just reminded of the nightmare of HP. I may get the new Acer computer then. Or if Lenovo released their thinkpad chromebook to consumers ill get that.
 
My C7 was on some sort of clearance. They arent selling here and they replaced the section with Apple stuff. But the lower price might also have to do with mine having the ssd vs. the hard disk as well
 
Don't buy Acer, they are underpowered for the price you pay. The Lenovo laptops I have worked on were pretty good units, though that's back when they were still pretending to be IBM.
 
Dngrsone said:
Don't buy Acer, they are underpowered for the price you pay. The Lenovo laptops I have worked on were pretty good units, though that's back when they were still pretending to be IBM.
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Samsung then, Lenovo doesn't sell chromebooks to consumers, only educators. This is just for my dad, who needs to just get online, and pay bills, ebay, and that sort of things. I may pick up 2 if I can.
 
Dngrsone said:
Don't buy Acer, they are underpowered for the price you pay. The Lenovo laptops I have worked on were pretty good units, though that's back when they were still pretending to be IBM.
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Yeah, I had several Lenovos back then. :)

Closest thing in the price range from Lenovo I saw just now on a quick web check is $100 more, weighs twice as much - and this is a big driver here - no ChromeOS.

3 lbs is plenty for a slight hs girl to lug around, ChromeOS will fit her study needs perfectly, right away, and it can be her bridge to a bigger world.

Without getting her _back_ into Windows. This is a girl who's owned a DX (own money earned), an iP4 (free with mom's plan upgrade), a Kindle (first gen, Xmas present, outgrown that), a bad Windows laptop (hand-me-down from dad, we never got it right and now it's dead) and she's been thinking that a MS Surface ($315) + keyboard will work for school without the hassle of a Win laptop or expense of an iPad.

So this choice is a compromise but I think it's worth checking into, and now especially because of crouton.

Besides - if it's not happening, Amazon return policy ftw. :)

Edit - ah, two different vendors at Amazon, with different return policies. It pays to shop smart. ;)
 
NOOB ALERT

How do I install Flash?

I wish I was joking, but I'm not. I DL'd the "YUM" file from he site but then I have no idea what to do with that...

:/

Also, how would I get the middle click working so that I can use it to drag/scroll?
 
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