Chris Davies

John Taylor <john@example.com> wrote:
> No point being a full-blown DNS server, as they [Virgin] use a transparent
> DNS proxy :-(

They what!? Why on earth... oh well, I'm sure they have a reason for it.
Somewhere.

Regards,
Chris

Chris

Chris Whelan wrote:
> the best thing is to pick a
> distribution from the mainstream somewhere near the top of Distrowatch's
> page hit ranking. Links will take you to that distribution's website where
> you can read the information you need, usually in the form of a wiki.

Just be aware that the rankings in distrowatch should not be confused
with quality or 'market share'. They are just internal distrowatch
rankings of how often a particular distro's page is accessed during a
particular time period. As such it is probably more of a reflection of
how much 'buzz' a distro can produce than anything else.

> If you have the resources, by far the best way to try Linux is with a second
> machine. This can be one that is a few generations behind in hardware
> terms. The hardware requirements are significantly lower than for Microsoft
> OSes, so something abandoned in the loft or garage as too old may well work
> great.

I dunno. You then have to go through the whole rigmarole of checking
your hardware on your main machine, when (not if ) you decide that
Linux is the way forward. With a dual-boot set-up all you have to do is
copy over the data you need and delete the Windows partition.

The main inconvenience of a dual-boot is that it can be a pain to have
to reboot to do something in the other OS.

A third choice is to use a Virtual Machine to test Linux in. On Windows
I think that Parallels and VMWare are both pay-way, but Virtual Box os
free. I use VB a fair bit on my Mac laptop to test a few distros and
it's really easy to use. You need a fair amount of RAM (at least 1GB) to
be able to use a VM though.

> I still use XP for a couple of things, but am gradually finding Linux
> solutions. My aim is to never have to use Vista; I tried the release
> candidates, and hated it.

Since moving to Mepis full-time at home about 2years ago I've not looked
back

I been using Linux full-time for work for about 5 years now.

Nemo

Chris wrote:

> The main inconvenience of a dual-boot is that it can be a pain to have
> to reboot to do something in the other OS.

shutdown -r now or reboot are a pain?
--
Nemo
"Feather-footed through the plashy fen passes the questing vole"

Alang

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:25:13 +0000, Andy Cap <Andy_Cap@nosuch.co.uk>
wrote:

>On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:50:27 +0000, Martin Gregorie <martin@see.sig.for.address>
>wrote:
>
>
>>Don't forget there other ways to slice and dice if all else fails:
>>- WINE is a package that can run some Windows apps on a Linux desktop.
>> Its a set of DLL equivalents that map Windows system calls onto Linux
>> system calls.
>
>I was using Agent for mail and news and thought I'd have to give it up until I
>found Wine, under which it works perfectly and of course it makes migrating
>data, a breeze.
>
I was using agent with wine until saturday when all of a sudden I
could not post. Select post reply and Agent shut down. Tried PAN as an
alternative but at teh moment can't get the hang of how it is handling
threads and the filters seem non existant. Back on windows for the
time being and using agent again. A good news reader and a way to
export my mail archive from outlook is pretty much all that is
stopping me going over to my linux drive at home for good.

Chris

Nemo wrote:
> Chris wrote:
>
>> The main inconvenience of a dual-boot is that it can be a pain to have
>> to reboot to do something in the other OS.
>
> shutdown -r now or reboot are a pain?

Not the actual command, but the whole process. If you need to do this on
more than a few occasions per typical time frame, then yes, it is a pain.

Martin Liddle

In message <fieiso$lvm$1@dux.dundee.ac.uk>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
writes
>
>A third choice is to use a Virtual Machine to test Linux in. On Windows
>I think that Parallels and VMWare are both pay-way, but Virtual Box os
>free.
>
VMWare player is free and there are plenty of ready built Linux
applications.
--
Martin Liddle, Tynemouth Computer Services, 3 Kentmere Way,
Staveley, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 3TW.
Web site: <http://www.tynecomp.co.uk>.

Johnny B Good

The message <VA.00001245.0ab7f09b@nospam.aaisp.org>
from Daniel James <wastebasket@nospam.aaisp.org> contains these words:

> In article news:<NGo2j.5779$B97.3735@newsfe7-win.ntli.net>, Mike the
> Brewer wrote:
> > When the new build is complete , based on Asus P5VD2-X and Intel dual
> > core 1.6Ghz
> > PCI-E x16 graphics card,

> None of that should be a problem, as far as it goes ... possibly
> depending /what/ graphics card you're talking about.

> > Main concerns are: Pinnacle usb tv tuner stick, Lexmark X1270
> > all-in-one.

> Those are good things to be concerned about ...

> linux support for USB TV devices has improved a lot with recent kernel
> releases and I believe that at least some Pinnacle devices are
> supported. You should be able to check for your particular device by
> looking at http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki

> As for the printer ... mixed news. Google found me this in a matter of
> seconds: http://facorread.150m.com/lexmark.html

> > Also Virgin Media cable broadband specified Win XP, I wonder if I
> > will have to use different software to connect with Linux, ...

> If your cable connection is via a wired ethernet router (which is, I
> think, what Virgin supply) then any linux will just see it as an

NTL/Telewest (now rebranded as Virgin Media aka virgin meedja or VM)
_CABLE_ _DON'T_ supply a router, it's a _CABLE_MODEM_ !!! This has not
only the industry standard ethernet port but also a USB port as an
_alternative_ connection method.

The two types of connection (ethernet or USB) are exclusive of each
other. The USB is best considered the equivilent of the "skinny spare
wheel" in motoring terms, something you hope never to have to use and,
if forced to do so, only as a short term solution to keep you going
until you can replace it with the real deal.

> ethernet connection and it will just work. If you're using wireless you
> will have to have a supported wireless adaptor in your PC. Wireless
> support in linux is another thing that has come along in leaps and
> bounds recently, but isn't perfect yet.

> > ... also what web browser and email software are needed ( including
> > newsgroups ! )

> Firefox works ... though it may be called iceweasel in some distros
> (similarly Mozilla Seamonkey may be called iceape) as does opera. If you
> use a linux version that runs the KDE desktop you will also have
> Konqueror which is a file-manager-cum-browser that's not bad (though I
> find it annoying/confusing to have the local file management and web
> browsing functions in the same app).

> There are dozens of mail and news programs for linux, and all have their
> followings. Mozilla Thunderbird (aka icedove) works (for mail and news),
> KDE comes with KMail and KNode, and there are far too many more to
> mention ...

> See:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naming_...an_and_Mozilla
> for the mozilla naming thing.

--
Regards, John.

Please remove the "ohggcyht" before replying.
The address has been munged to reject Spam-bots.

Johnny B Good

The message <nqv2j.13195$Ew3.12662@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net>
from John Taylor <john@example.com> contains these words:

> Mike the Brewer wrote:

> > Also Virgin Media cable broadband specified Win XP, I wonder if I
> > will have to use
> > different software to connect with Linux, also what web
> > browser and
> > email software are needed
> > ( including newsgroups ! )

> You don't need any special software to connect with Virgin Media cable
> broadband.

> They supply you with a router.

No, they supply you with a _cable_modem_.

> You just need to tell your system where it is, and thats it!.

Not even that if the PC is set up to act as a DHCP client (the default
in windows boxen).

> If you install Linux with it connected, the install will probably find
> it and configure it for you.

Provided you configure the network interface to use DHCP.

> You can also connect to it to configure it with your web browser:
> http://192.168.100.1
> username/password default is root/root

That confirms the "router" is actually an Ambit cable modem.

> Just don't tell Virgin support that you have Linux and all will be OK.

Just don't tell them anything! :-)

> I'm using Firefox and Thunderbird, but you can use any regular Web
> Browser/Email prog.

> I also have my machine set to act as a DNS forwarder.
> This means that I have DNS cached, and so rely on the Virgin dodgy DNS
> less. No point being a full-blown DNS server, as they use a transparent
> DNS proxy :-(

If this is a first time connection (pre- authenticated), you will need
to follow a (one time only for that particular modem) registration
process which can be performed manually through your web browser, just
follow the instructions provided in the accompanying instruction booklet
for the benefit of Apple Mac owners (these instructions work regardless
of OS - it seems they've deemed windows users to be too thick to follow
a simple procedure aimed at the even "thicker" Apple Mac owners!!!! :-)

A cable type of connection couldn't be simpler to set up!

Oh, and don't forget to chuck the VM supplied CD straight into the bin,
preferably unopened. :-)

--
Regards, John.

Please remove the "ohggcyht" before replying.
The address has been munged to reject Spam-bots.

Johnny B Good

The message <5r01djF1225geU1@mid.individual.net>
from Nemo <nemo@deism.org> contains these words:

> Chris wrote:

> > The main inconvenience of a dual-boot is that it can be a pain to have
> > to reboot to do something in the other OS.

> shutdown -r now or reboot are a pain?

Not the difficulty of implementing a reboot, just the inconvenience I
should think. :-)

However, thank god for ongoing hardware developments, we'll soon be able
to realistically consider relegating the latest ms offerings to a VM
from within a Linux build. :-)

--
Regards, John.

Please remove the "ohggcyht" before replying.
The address has been munged to reject Spam-bots.

Andy Cap

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:07:25 +0000, Alang <invalid@invalid.co.uk> wrote:

>I was using agent with wine until saturday when all of a sudden I
>could not post. Select post reply and Agent shut down. Tried PAN as an
>alternative but at teh moment can't get the hang of how it is handling
>threads and the filters seem non existant. Back on windows for the
>time being and using agent again. A good news reader and a way to
>export my mail archive from outlook is pretty much all that is
>stopping me going over to my linux drive at home for good.

Hmm.. Don't need to hear that ;-)

Seems OK at present and having a backup should cover the odd hiccup but else it
will be Evolution

Andy