[Ryedale] Good evening all!!!!!

[Al Girling]

Hi Paul,

Paul wrote:
> Evening all,

Welcome to the list.  I hope you find what you want and enjoy the
journey through Linux land.

> I've been using Linux on and off for years now. I started out with Red Hat
> 7. Then I moved to Mandrake, before rather shamelessly drifting back to
> Windows for a while. Then I tried Fedora Core 4 (I can't remember why now,
> but I'm sure there was an excellent reason at the time). I used FC4
> successfully for quite a while, although I did have a stab at SuSe 9.3 at
> one point (couldn't get the sound to work properly). I had a brief sojourn
> in Mandriva land...which was quite enjoyable, though having the words FREE
> emblazoned across every screen did somewhat ruin the package for me a tad.
> Eventually I went back to Fedora, which recently was upgraded to to Core 5.
> Core 5 for some reason hated my modem with a passion. Core 4 loved it. It
> couldn't get enough of my modemy  Speedtouch goodness....but Core 5 just
> wasn't having it. So, in a fit of not quite rage...more mild irritation, I
> bought this months Linux format...tried SuSe 10.1 (couldn't get any sound
> whatsoever, but did get the url to the Ryedale LUG, so well worth the six
> quid eh?) and then I bought this months Linux magazine, which has Ubuntu on
> DVD. Anyway, Ubuntu installed superbly...sound isn't bad at all and within
> 20 minutes I was installed and connected to the net (albeit using a winmodem
> *everyone boos*).

Sounds like you have a fair bit of experience then.  When I saw you
subscribe to the list I thought you might the Paul who came with Ash
last Monday.  From what you've written above I take it you're the third
Paul to subscribe.

> So here I am. With plenty of questions to ask :-)

Good O.

> Question one being.....Is it actually possibly to get Linux working with any
> reasonable degree of reliability?

Hmm, for most people this would be one of the primary attractions of
using Linux.  Maybe I've miss-understood you.

>                                   I know a few people who use Linux, but my
> general experience is that most people seem to have a half working distro
> kicking about on their machine (usually in a minute partition), which they
> wheel out every time some one's close they think may be impressed with their
> jazzy Linux desktop (complete with transparent terminal full of complicated
> code they stole from a magazine, over a wallpaper of Tux doing something
> weird...often illegal)....but in reality, they have no 3-D rendering...their
> sound breaks up more often than not....and they have bits of hardware lying
> around attached that Linux really isn't all that keen on acknowledging,
> never mind actually getting to work.

I think this description would make many self appointed Linux X-spurts
smart with embarrassment!  Sadly very accurate, but it certainly isn't
the whole picture.  I get rather annoyed be these jokers who spout on
about viruses and security yet usually post to lists with Outlook or
Outlook Express, which really lets the side down.  They should at least
practice what they preach.  I realise many post from works machines and
have their hands tied.

> So is it possible to iron out all the little bugs? Or is there mostly always
> some degree of compromise that has to be made?

I'm possibly the only one here who doesn't use a Microsoft machine and
my use probably differs only in my not playing games.  Oh yeah!  I don't
have a scanner set up as the scanner we have here simply isn't properly
supported under Linux.  When the cash becomes available I'll sort that
out but it's not really a high priority.

I think everyone else mixes and matches to suit their requirements.
Don't worry, we'll not be making wax figures to stick pins in because
you may have a box running Windows. :)

A big problem people face is with trying to get Linux working on a
machine bought from a shop which simply uses components which are cheap
or some magazine says is a super whizz bang doobry you can't do without.
All well and good, but when said doobry doesn't have drivers for Linux
your heading for a nightmare when you try your install.  When this box
I'm writing this on was put together the components were carefully
checked to ensure they'd all work with Linux before I bought them.
Let's just say that despite it being an AMD64 based system the install
was pretty straight forward.

I'd like a video capture card to get our digital video on here as my
partner Alison seems to be stuck in a complete 'mare with XP and
Pinnacle.  An endless cycle of 'if you just do this upgrade, it's only
£X and that'll sort it all out!'  For our still's digi-camera I use a
card reader which couldn't be simpler.  Card out of the camera, insert
in card reader.  Mount card reader and read files on card.  Can even use
the postage sized cards as removable storage devises.  Lovely!

Can little bugs be ironed out?  I'd say within limits yes.  Bare in mind
though that not every Windows install is as smooth as some would like
you to believe.  Alison who works in IT support at York Council says
they buy new machines specifying the components to ensure minimal hoop
jumping too.  This using MS, if you see what I'm getting at.

> Oh, and great links on Al's site. There was a guy who regurgitated a bulb, a
> snooker ball and finally a goldfish. Amazing!!!! Plus I strongly suspect
> that some one's a fellow juggler. I got the address of the York Jugglers
> whilst buying a new set of Mr Babache balls from the guy in the juggling
> shop at York but I never dared turn up...partly because sometimes my health
> ain't so good.....but mainly because displaying my feeble juggling
> repertoire in a room full of probable experts fills me full of terror
> (though thankfully not snooker balls, bulbs or goldfish).

Glad you liked them.  I don't get to update my site very frequently, but
I'm glad you enjoyed the links.

Yes I've been known to to the odd bit of juggling.  Sounds like you met
Martin aka Yo Yo Monster.  A fountain of knowledge and very free with
it. ;)

Don't be shy, the folks at both the Uni and Town clubs are very
friendly.  My first evening at the town club was something of a shock
too.  I managed to find a spot between a guy juggling seven balls and a
guy juggling four clubs while riding a unicycle.  Awesome!  Great folks
though, they won't mind if you head over and just yarn and drink tea.
Very easy going.  You should check out Chocfest next year though.  Worth
it for the show alone.

</shameless juggling plug>

> Anyway...hi everyone...and I'm off to bed.

Toodle pip then, look forward to meeting you next month.

Al

-- 
Al Girling

Home page:                  <http://al.sdf-eu.org>
Linux User: #290080         <http://counter.li.org>
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