So... Ubuntu

benol · Post by **benol** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:51 am

I just got Ubuntu, and I want to know, what are some must have applications and games? Also, how can I get MP3's running?

RezCrimson · Post by **RezCrimson** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:28 am

I know someone who runs a windows emulator in their Linux for programs they can't get on linux. you should find that, it works really well

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:42 am

Don't bother. There's no reason to run Linux on a desktop machine (unless it's a server or you're making a recovery CD). It has no real software, any native program for it that's worth a darn (OpenOffice, OpenArena, Firefox, Abiword...) has a Windows port, the drivers are half-there, and if you're capable of keeping Linux running, you're more than capable of not screwing up Windows to the point of reinstallation (like the Linux zealots seem to think happens every day). You're only limiting yourself by running it.

But if you insist...

Must-have programs: Firefox (duh), GiMP, OpenOffice, Inkscape. [size=0]all of which have Windows ports, by the way.[/size]

How to get MP3s working:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

(Why they have an HTTPS connection on a Wiki server is beyond me.)

benol · Post by **benol** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:52 am

bicostp wrote:Must-have programs: Firefox (duh), GiMP, OpenOffice, Inkscape.

All of those except Inkscape came pack-in.

Krepticor · Post by **Krepticor** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:05 am

does ubuntu have openGL support?

if so you can put blizzard games on it, need we say more...

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:38 pm

bicostp wrote:Don't bother. There's no reason to run Linux on a desktop machine (unless it's a server or you're making a recovery CD). It has no real software, any native program for it that's worth a darn (OpenOffice, OpenArena, Firefox, Abiword...) has a Windows port, the drivers are half-there, and if you're capable of keeping Linux running, you're more than capable of not screwing up Windows to the point of reinstallation (like the Linux zealots seem to think happens every day). You're only limiting yourself by running it.

But if you insist...

Must-have programs: Firefox (duh), GiMP, OpenOffice, Inkscape. [size=0]all of which have Windows ports, by the way.[/size]

How to get MP3s working:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

(Why they have an HTTPS connection on a Wiki server is beyond me.)

There is so much more stuff you can do in Linux. You cannot control your ENTIRE computer remotely, Windows does not have SSH. You cannot set permissions on files in Windows. It has the stuff you can't do in Windows because Windows is closed source. Drivers being open source means that anything can be supported if someone wants to write a driver for it.

Plus, if your window manager crashes, alt+ctrl+backspace and it is back, unlike Windows!

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:52 pm

Note: Nothing personal, just fun poking.

vb_master wrote:There is so much more stuff you can do in Linux.

Yep. You can learn the wonders of Vi and rebuild your kernel!

You cannot control your ENTIRE computer remotely, Windows does not have SSH.

Remote Desktop.

You cannot set permissions on files in Windows.

You can set up file permissions on multi-user NT based systems dating back to NT 4.0. You can set up at least read, write, and execute properties for both groups and individual users.

It has the stuff you can't do in Windows because Windows is closed source.

Can we be any more vague?

Drivers being open source means that anything can be supported if someone wants to write a driver for it.

But nobody seems to write proper Linux drivers for modern hardware, for example the Broadcom gigabit Ethernet adapters in my college's Optiplex 745s. Stuff that's 5-6 years old works, though. It's like most Linux developers only use computers they pulled out of the dumpster, so that's what they write drivers for.

Plus, if your window manager crashes, alt+ctrl+backspace and it is back, unlike Windows!

I've never had the window manager crash on Windows NT based systems. (Of course Windows 98 crapped the bed on occasion, but it was still technically an operating environment over DOS.) Sure, individual processes occasionally hang, but they don't take the entire system down. They fixed that problem back in Windows 2000.

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:35 pm

bicostp wrote:
vb_master wrote:There is so much more stuff you can do in Linux.
Yep. You can learn the wonders of Vi and rebuild your kernel!

You don't need to learn Vi, you can easily use scp or gftp or something, even nano perhaps to edit the file.

bicostp wrote:
vb_master wrote:
You cannot control your ENTIRE computer remotely, Windows does not have SSH.
Remote Desktop.

What happens if Remote Desktop goes down? I have had that happen to my Windows Server 2003 Enterprise dedicated box. Luckily I installed RealVNC so I could at least bring it back up. Also what if you are using another TEXT BASED system to log in, say a cell phone. How will you control Remote Desktop with that?

bicostp wrote:
vb_master wrote:
You cannot set permissions on files in Windows.
You can set up file permissions on multi-user NT based systems dating back to NT 4.0. You can set up at least read, write, and execute properties for both groups and individual users.

True, but NTFS in general is hard to recover files from.

bicostp wrote:
vb_master wrote:
Drivers being open source means that anything can be supported if someone wants to write a driver for it.
But nobody seems to write proper Linux drivers for modern hardware, for example the Broadcom gigabit Ethernet adapters in my college's Optiplex 745s. Stuff that's 5-6 years old works, though. It's like most Linux developers only use computers they pulled out of the dumpster, so that's what they write drivers for.

Nobody cares.

bicostp wrote:
vb_master wrote:
Plus, if your window manager crashes, alt+ctrl+backspace and it is back, unlike Windows!
I've never had the window manager crash on Windows NT based systems. (Of course Windows 98 crapped the bed on occasion, but it was still technically an operating environment over DOS.) Sure, individual processes occasionally hang, but they don't take the entire system down. They fixed that problem back in Windows 2000.

You have never used windows if you never had Explorer die on an NT based system.

XPCportables · Post by **XPCportables** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:48 pm

That's what I'm talkin' about vb. It doesn't really take too much at all to take down explorer, it happens to me once in a while, It'll just hang, then the whole system goes down.

I don't have a very good understanding of linux, but I do like how it handles, so I keep ubuntu in my 20gig partition just for kicks. It's fun to play around with.

@benol Oh and you must have Cedega. It quite flawlessly emulates many windows based games. I use it on my laptop to play Half-Life, and it runs better than it's windows counterpart. My laptop is a P3 700mhz with 256mb of ram.

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:18 pm

vb_master wrote:What happens if Remote Desktop goes down? I have had that happen to my Windows Server 2003 Enterprise dedicated box. Luckily I installed RealVNC so I could at least bring it back up. Also what if you are using another TEXT BASED system to log in, say a cell phone. How will you control Remote Desktop with that?

Why the hell would I log into a computer with a cell phone?

And you say that like SSH never goes down for any reason.

Nobody cares.

Nobody cares about new hardware?

You have never used windows if you never had Explorer die on an NT based system.

Explorer != the Windows GUI. Every once in a while Explorer hangs for me (usually when I'm dealing with floppies), but it doesn't take down everything else with it. Programs still stay up, close buttons and all.

dman762000 · Post by **dman762000** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:59 pm

What build of ubuntu are you running? if it is gutsy gibbon or fiesty fawn then rythmbox comes pack in and runs mp3's perfect. besides mp3 requires no restricted drivers as it is an open format.

benol · Post by **benol** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:52 pm

Actually, I had to install drivers for MP3's.

Post by **Skyone** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:11 pm

Linux and Windows both sacrifice elements, but more people use Windows over Linux for a reason.

ChrisS · Post by **ChrisS** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:44 am

Ubuntu pretty much comes with everything anyone would need built into the install disk, including drivers besides the occasional Nvidia driver, even my HP driver was built right in. Digital camera, iPod, new sound card, everything I throw at it just plugs and plays. I've run it since Breezy and installed it on a dozen different machines, new and old, without any problems.

I have an XP partition for which I rarely ever frequent because of the load times and the handful of crutch programs that keep it running securely/smoothly that bog it down to a crawl even with good hardware.

Quite simply if your PC is just for basic web surfing, email, pics, music, etc. then Ubuntu is plenty. Only if you have Windows dependent apps would there be a reason to keep a Windows partition around. Not to mention it's nice not having to worry about keeping your registry clean, constant defragging, or using the sponge for all that is wrong with the internet..................... Explorer.

benol · Post by **benol** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:59 am

Actually, for windows dependent apps, use Wine.