[Gllug] frustrated with Linux

[Steve Nicholson]

skip to questions at end if you don't want to read about my problems.
<rant on>
I'm getting tired of having to spend a lot of time reading doc's messing
with files etc. just to get the basics working on my computer.  I
originally learnt Linux (Debian) to run a server for our webhosting so
we had a cheap stable platform to operate from.  I decided to migrate
myself over to Linux on my workstation/desktop and then the fun started.
Lots more to learn about X, GUIs, spending lots of time finding
applications to replace what I was doing on Windows.  The big problem
I'm finding and reason for this evenings rant is that I have come to the
realisation that I'm spending too much time trying to get things to work
rather than using the PC as a tool for working.

I'm in a two man business doing web apps mainly doing the business and
sys admin work, so don't really have the time to spend on making my PC
work properly.  I spend a lot of time using email, web browser and rxvt
terminals with the odd spreadsheet and text document.  I'm very
impatient when it comes to waiting for things to happen on my computer.
Seconds seem like hours to me so I'm frustrated with the speed of
starting/using bloated and not so bloated web browses, and email that
freezes while it checks for new mail while I'm in the middle of
composing a new one.  All the gecko based browsers now seam to crash
that regularly that I've almost given up using them and constantly fear
ridicule from my business partner for wasting more time on buggy
software.

I haven't managed to get printing working, still need to sort out
someway to keep my contacts so I can access them quickly with out having
to convert them multiple times for the client I'm using, the F-ing PC is
still randomly locking up and rebooting itself (this must be software as
I've changed mother boards etc), I've spend countless hours compiling
IMAP email clients to get the latest version and find one that is
suitable plus other software that has or hasn't worked, so probably got
conflicts somewhere as I get errors now trying to start xpdq and eximon.
I do like MUTT but wish I had put time into learning it rather than
trying everything else as now I'm doing it all over again to get it
configured the way I want.  I'm using ION window manager but get
frustrated with the way it does somethings and want to move to flushbox,
I've had a play with it but now have to go through the exercise of
setting it up, keybindings etc so it works how I like. Having to reach
for the mouse every time I want to do something really annoys me so
using the keyboard is great but having 3 different text editors and 5
browsers that all use different key combos for save, close window etc is
driving me nuts! Have I mentioned web browsers constantly crashing on
me, this is possibly the Java plug in but I've noticed they crash on
pages on our sites and we don't use Java.

I like Debian and the idea was to use the same system on my desktop as
on our servers so it was easier for me learn and keep on top of things
on the server.  But now we have most of our stuff on a managed server
that's running FreeBSD, our development one is still running Debian (not
sure if I want to move this to FreeBSD, mainly due the learning curve
again).  I like apt-get but find it frustrating when the latest versions
aren't available of packages or the dependencies screw up other things I
have set up.

As much as I hate it I am seriously considering moving back to windows
because things just work most of the time when I want to print, play a
sound, look at an image open/close a window on a new app etc. I don't
have to spend a couple of hours trying to get something to work if I get
sent a new type of file or run a new program.  Changing back I face
ridicule from my MS loving flatmate and going back to my old ways of
using pirate software.  Peer ridicule is the worst part! and I feel like
I'm giving up on something really good.  Plus the loss of time invested
in Linux, so far about 2 years.

I don't mind tinkering and enjoy it but I need to be spending my time
growing our business and tinkering with our development software not the
basics. I'm not after sympathy here, I'm after empathy and some good
advise to how I should be changing things so I can spend more of my time
productively in my work rather than playing techy geek with my computer.
I get the feeling I need to clear out all the crap I've played with and
reinstall again to try and solve some of my problems.  But I don't
really want to go though having to set everything up again, like the
drivers for the G400 graphics card etc, it always seems to take me a day
or more to get it set up again with most things working.

So some questions:
1. Would I be better moving to something like Suse or Mandrake on the
desktop so it's simpler to get printing working, be able to install
latest apps etc? Or stick with Debian, upgrade to testing and try to use
some of unstable?

2. Using Gnome or KDE so there is consistency in apps/key bindings?
(speed is an issue here which is why I've been using ION and moved to
MUTT for mail).

3. Would a faster computer help?  I'm currently using a 500Mhz AMD with
196Mb RAM, my main reason for not using openoffice is it's too slow,
same with mozila, GIMP etc.  Although this in mainly opening new windows
or rendering large pages but then this is what I'm doing a lot.

4. Any ideas of a free SIP client for Linux and Windows that are
compatible? I need to find something that works through a firewall for
voice so I can still talk to my dad in NZ and ditch Yahoo messenger or
find a way to run it in Linux.  This is my main reason for keeping a
windows box round at the moment other than for testing IE on sites.  I
thought I had it sorted by running exceed on my Laptop so I could use it
as a terminal for my Linux PC from my bedroom and still access to Yahoo
but it keeps F crashing (not sure if it's win95 problem or exceed).
</rant off>

Thanks for listening.
Steve.


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