[SC.LUG] Summer Meetings
David Holden
sc at mailman.lug.org.uk
Fri May 23 19:41:00 2003
On Fri, 2003-05-23 at 16:39, Roger Gibson wrote:
> Thanks for your welcome to the group.
>
> I would be most grateful for any advice you may have with the matters
> outlined below. I have tried several Linux User Groups but my emails
> are usually returned address unknown, or I get dead links etc.
>
> I started scientific programming on Deuce in 1960, and went through a
> series of computers until I got a Whitechapel Unix Workstation in mid
> 1980s. I then moved to a Sun, and have been with that ever since.
> I therefore have some 20 years running Unix, including superuser system
> administration.
>
> Being now semi-retired, I have been forced to Gates PC systems for
> exchanging word documents etc. I do need to keep my Unix based software
> up and running, and am very aware that Microsoft's inefficient
> software is strangling the potential of a PC's performance. My Suns are
> now dying, and I naively think that I can move all my Unix software
> (10,000 lines Fortran, plus scores of scripts piping data between
> programmes, output devices and files etc) to a PC running Linux.
>
> I have been reading Linux Format, and am aware that systems have
> developed somewhat since my early Solaris Unix, but can generally
> understand what is going on.
>
> I would be grateful for some general advice on the best routes to take.
>
> My ideal system would be Linux based, but with an option to load
> Microsoft based software on top when required for compatibility, and
> also to use MS software where this is unavoidable. It may be that I
> need a dual boot system, perhaps using 2 hard discs. What I certainly
> need is the ability for Linux/Fortran based programmes to motor at
> maximum speed in one window, while a minimal amount of CPU keeps up with
> my report typing in another. I am reluctant to fully divorce myself
> from Microsoft at this stage. I am about to purchase a new high level
> PC, and really do not have desk top space for 2 PCs immediately to hand.
>
> 1. What modes of combining Windows XP Pro and a Linux Distr. on a
> single PC do you recommend
Dual boot is what I use, I rarely need to use windows so I would rather
not mess around with emulator/vmware etc.
>
> 2. What Linux 'flavour/s' do you recommend for use for self developed
> Fortran and C software, together with Office XP Pro compatibility.
> I obviously use email, and a limited amount of browsing, but have no
> games interest. I would prefer fairly user friendly software,
> and/or software recognisable or quickly assimilated by a former Sun
> Unix superuser. I would need a decent Fortran compiler, and a
> Fortran callable line drawing capability. Obviously I would like a
> system to which I can easily port all my shell scripts etc.
In terms of home user I've heard good things about SUSe, I use Redhat 9
but it does not come with good multimedia support.
Any recent distro should have gcc fortran support, and also you can
download the Intel Fortran compiler which is *V good*.
>
> 3. What books do you recommend as manuals to consult when keeping up
> with general system administration, and are there any good places
> in the North West where I can go and browse Linux books before
> choosing ones I fancy.
Manchester waterstones, but I find the internet the best source for
this.
>
> 4. Are there any other warnings you feel I should heed before I jump
> in?
Sometimes a little perseverance is required but not as much as there
used to be.
>
> 5. Can you recommend a lively active Linux User Group that includes a
> focus on scientific programming.
Well I don't know about the scientific programming, but other than SCLUG
I would highly recommend Sheflug mailing list, alway full of people
willing to help.
Dave
> > --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > August - no meeting, summer break
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > September
> > Subject: Samba [we hope]
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > PS Welcome to Roger Gibson, who's just joined the list :-)
> >
> > --
> > Richard Smedley
> >
> > http://www.linuxuserexpo.com/
> > 24-26 June, NEC, Birmingham,UK
> >
> > ``Any attempt to brew coffee with a teapot should result in the error
> > code "418 I'm a teapot". The resulting entity body MAY be short
> > and stout.'' -- RFC 2324
> >
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> >
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--
Dr. David Holden. (Systems Developer)
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