Which Linux?

[jj]

this prob going to get annoying for everyone, but you all being helpful.   I have got a hp photosmart printer c4580 that s connected to my router through wireless.   Any idea if drivers exist for linux for wireless printers

also got the laptop connected to my home theatre via bluetooth but ubuntu stil using laptop speakers for sound, any ideas or does ths only work with windows pcs.  maybe i should stop being lazy and do some internet searching

worked out the bluetooth, you have to slect the outputin sound prefreces everytime you want to use it

[Dr_Righteous]

If you want something lighter, CrunchBang is based on Ubuntu but uses OpenBox as the wm. It's lighter and cleaner than Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

[jj]

not using netnook remix not running on a netbook

[Debaser]

If you want something lighter, CrunchBang is based on Ubuntu but uses OpenBox as the wm. It's lighter and cleaner than Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

+1 Dr. Righteous

[mike-]

+1 Dr. Righteous

That sounds good, i use openbox and xfce4 here, works like a charm.

[jj]

Due to idiotic DRM legal crap the stock debian based linux will only play region free DVDs out of the box. To fix it for Ubuntu:

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sudo apt-get install totem-xine libxine1-ffmpeg libdvdread4
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
While at it, lets also install the official flash plugin:

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sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer
...and java:

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sudo apt-get install sun-java6-plugin
These all work perfectly on both 32-bit and 64-bit Ubuntu.

Free bonus: Google Earth

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sudo apt-get install googleearth-package
make-googleearth-package
sudo dpkg -i googleearth*.deb
(P.S. You might need to manually sudo apt-get install lib32nss-mdns and then sudo apt-get-f install .. But only if the googleearth deb doesn't install out of the box)

After much rangling had to go 8.04 lts because my gpu was no longer supported.

Anyway when trying to get the package to enable me to watch dvds , its says package not found.  Have all the boxes ticked for software sources, any ideas?

thanks

[desiv]

http://www.dailygyan.com/2008/04/how-to-have-dvd-playback-adobe-flash.html

[stefcep2]

Mandriva used to be the best Linux until KDE 4 came out.  The control centre alone was worth it, and it was fast, made Ubuntu look positively pedestrian.  I now use ubuntu 9.04, and I'm loath to upgarde to 9.10, as i finally have EVERYTHING working.  Ubuntu IS bloated, no matter what they tell you, and is no faster than Win 7.

Ubuntu 64-bit seems more hassle than its worth for the user who just wants to get on the net, email, instant message, playback and encode some medai files, and write the odd document or spread sheet.  Last time i used 64 bit Ubuntu, I found the encoding/decoding speeds were not significantly faster, and i never needed the 4 gig ram anyway, so why bother?

[Karlos]

@stefcep

You should consider going for the LTS versions if you don't like upgrading regularly. I am still on 8.04 LTS and hopefully shalln't be upgrading until 10 (the next LTS version) comes out.

[desiv]

 Ubuntu IS bloated, no matter what they tell you, and is no faster than Win 7.

Ubuntu installs from a single CD (not DVD).  
We have different ideas of bloat.

And Windows 7 barely installs and runs on my PC, where Ubuntu is perfectly happy.  However, I admit my PC is old by MS standards..

desiv

[stefcep2]

Ubuntu installs from a single CD (not DVD).  
We have different ideas of bloat.

And Windows 7 barely installs and runs on my PC, where Ubuntu is perfectly happy.  However, I admit my PC is old by MS standards..

desiv

Much of the stuff on a Win 7 dvd is due to drivers for hardware you don't and never will have.  And then in Linux you need to install propriatory nvidia or ati drivers, video codecs, Flash, Acrobat, a decent media player-Kaffeine I found is the best overall, my USB digital TV stick only works with it, a video editor, DVD ripper and then its not so lean any more.
Vista is a pig, but Ubuntu is no speed demon either-in fact I've seen benchmarks that its slower- than Win 7?  And the Ubuntu GUI just feels less snappy


@Karlos.  yep i learned about the LTS version after I'd spent a lot of time and effort putting 9.04 together.  I'll stick with 9.04 for as long as there are security updates.  It does everything I need.

[the_leander]

If you want something lighter, CrunchBang is based on Ubuntu but uses OpenBox as the wm. It's lighter and cleaner than Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

I ended up using CrunchBang on my 701 as UNR was an absolute dog.

That said, when (if?) Elive 2.0 is released I'll be dumping it.

Linux has its quirks, and in some cases it can be utterly infuriating. But I have found that once you have it working *just so*, it'll remain that way unless you do something really, really stupid. Windows, even Vista tends to degrade over time even without constantly adding/removing applications in my experience.

[DavidF215]

I have a dell inspiron 1501 lapto with a sempron 64bit processor and 4 gb of ram.

I am fed up on vista 64bit running sooooo slow and using 100% cpu time doing simple things.

Which distro of linux whould people suggest.

Junk Vista and jump to Win7. It's much better. My co-worker said Win7 is much better than Vista, and I actually like it for what I do. I bypassed Vista.

I've used SUSE Linux and liked it.

[desiv]

And then in Linux you need to install propriatory nvidia or ati drivers, video codecs, Flash, Acrobat,

You don't "have" to install the drivers, but it's recommended.
And the video drivers and codecs aren't that large.

Adobe is bloat on both OSes.

a decent media player-Kaffeine I found is the best overall, my USB digital TV stick only works with it,

You don't generally have to, although Kaffiene is nice.  Again, I wouldn't call it bloatware compared to Windows Media Player.

a video editor,

Basic editors aren't that large either.  Serious ones are, but then they are for MS as well.

DVD ripper and then its not so lean any more.

DVD rippers aren't that large either.

I still, in that list, don't see much bloat...  IMHO..

Not that there isn't some bloat in there.  The Windows managers are definitely bloaty (my new word for the day) and OpenOffice, although a good price, is bloat at it's finest.

Vista is a pig, but Ubuntu is no speed demon either-in fact I've seen benchmarks that its slower- than Win 7?  And the Ubuntu GUI just feels less snappy

My feeling, on really fast machines with lots of memory, Vista will outdo Ubuntu in some (most?) situations.

But most of the Ubuntu I've seen is being installed on slightly older machines, and that's where Ubuntu starts to really take off.

Also, as pointed out below (er.. the below which is above of course :-), MS will get slower and slower, and Ubuntu will just keep right on performing great.

I use both, but I prefer Ubuntu, and it's kept me from not having to buy a new PC to enjoy a modern OS.

desiv

[the_leander]

That said, when (if?) Elive 2.0 is released I'll be dumping it.

You know, it has often been said that my timing sucks. In this case if I'd waited just a couple of more hours I would have been able to say this:

New Stable Version 2.0 out in a week or so.

I am seriously looking forward to putting this on both the F5 and the EeePC.

Even if I do have to stump up a couple of quid for the privilege.

[jj]

I have win 7 on my main pc.   And I am seriously conidering installing it on my laptop.  WIll see how it goes