Re: Is SuSe ready for me yet?

Golaff wrote:
markzoom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Golaff wrote:
markzoom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
<bunch of stuff snipped>

I have many other projects in progress (doing up a house in the azores)
and on the drawing board (green energy stuff for it), so realisticly I
don't think Linux will fit into the slot I'm prepared to devote to
computers. I've now got it installed on a spare computer, so I can
fiddle with it at leisure or not. It looks like I'll put up with the
devil I know (windows) for a while yet.


That project in the Azores sounds like it will be an interesting one.

About half finished. 2 acres (10,000 sq/m), 120 degree sea view of
another island in the distance, whales and/or dolphins can be seen
weekly from most windows with binoculars. Also has two orchards with
oranges, figs, lemons, mandarins, pineapples etc, a small wood and a
dry stream that fills when it rains. There's also a stone ruin to
rebuild on it apart from the main house. Lowest winter night temp is
12C, day 16C. Max Summer is 20C night, 26C day. Water temp is
presently 24C (gulf stream). Price was cheaper than a small flat in a
dodgy urban area in GB.

I've always wanted to go on a search for Atlantis so see if it actually
existed.

The Azores are a good bet, though they say it may have been closer to
the straights of Gibraltar which it allegedly blocked with mud on it's
sinking.

Anyway, I see why it needs to be a PC.

Frequent power cuts too, UPS is a necessity. Had hoped that I could
leave a PC with 4 webcams running but it's a bit complicated as the
puter has to switch on as well as off, as well as the security
implications. IP cam is simpler and safer.

I strongly recommend
you take a look at Ubuntu. You may not get a good perspective on it if
you use the Live CD so you should install it. I believe Suse 10.1
should also work fine. Either way, you're going to need to read a
little. Ubuntu's forum is very noob friendly. Ubuntu itself does't have
a mechanism to automatically install all the codecs and video players
but you can download these mechanisms and install them easily. After
that, a few clicks and a few plain english questions and it will be
setup will all the codecs and support software to play most video and
music files. As far as hardware goes, you'll also have to spend some
time to see what hardware people use that works. I usually find this
information within a few minutes on google. I think the best part for
you is that once this is setup, there's no need to reinstall or fuss
with it ever again. When Suse 12 is out, you can still be on 10.1.
There's no need to upgrade unless the new version supports something
better than the version you have.

My impression is that there are no usable noob tutorials included with
Linux distros or applications, that would be just about the most useful
thing and should be integral part of any software item. Searching for
info is arguably more time consuming and aggravating than absorbing the
info itself. I googled for Linux tutorials and there are plenty of
amateur attempts at guides but there are so many different applications
it becomes too convoluted. A decent tutorial should be included with
every single app. Sadly program writers have difficulty seeing things
from the point of view of a noob. Maybe something to do with dominant
lobes.

Other than this, I don't think you will find what you're looking for in
any OS for a very long time to come. Vista and anything that comes
after that doesn't seem like it will fit your requirements with all the
crap Microsoft wants to have to secure its monopoly.

Not checked it out yet but It's pretty easy to guess that it'll try to
establish an even firmer link between MS and one's wallet and from the
yank dept.of Heimatland security up one's ass.


So the way I see it, try Ubuntu and do a little reading to get your
hardware setup. Relax your requirements about using the mouse only just
in the beginning to get everything setup then never worry about it again.

Or

Stay with Suse 10.1. Read a bit more and possibly learn or copy and
paste some command line stuff to get your stuff working then never worry
about it again.

Or

Stay with what you have. Maybe get a router even if you only have one
computer just so your computer isn't directly accessible from the
internet.

Already have various computers and a decent router, need to learn more
about it's advanced firewalling options.

Get a good anti-virus program (I recommend AVG Anti-Virus) and
an easy to use firewall (I also recomment Zone Alarm.) (by the way, both
of these offer free versions). Once in a while run a spyware/adware
program to clean off the little stuff that does get on (I use Adaware
and Spybot Search & Destroy. Both free).

Already do most of this. Don't use a virus prog but free online checks.

Be careful what you click on.
Scan downloaded files before running them. Don't use outlook/outlook
express for email.

Never do.

Use as little microsoft software as possible. Use
another web browser other than IE.

Firefox, at least something will be familiar in Linux. I think I'll try
to make Linux look more like my windows puters initially so it's more
familiar. The different icons alone are a big shock. Having problems
finding a way of setting a plain green background.

And every few years depending on use
wipe your hard drive and reinstall windows to keep it running fast. This
last one may be a problem because of updates.

It's this new activation thing that is the main bother. I have no
intention of registering with MS. I'd rather use disinfected bootlegs
or another OS than clock in with big brother. I've disabled a lot of
the "services" too.


You can buy a legitimate
copy of Windows from such places as newegg.com for around $150.

I'm in GB.

Why wipe
and reinstall? For some reason, windows develops a lot of crap over
time that slows it down. Not adware/spyware/virus stuff but just crap.
I do this on my own windows computers and never had a problem. A few
clients that listen and actually do what I tell them have never had any
problems with viruses, spyware/adware.

So that's it. I hope this helps.

It sure does, thanks for putting in the time to help. Good to come
accross Linuxers that aren't the rabid extremists that Bill relies on
putting people off Linux.
I'll fiddle around with Suse for a while, if I don't get on with it
I'll give Ubuntu a try .



Richard

.

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