Mon 12 Jul 2004
I want to install some other OS at home, but what? I want to be Microsoft independent. I still want all my Windows apps.
I know more about the computer than most home users, but the trouble is that I have 1 box at home that my wife (and kids) also use. I can’t subject them to a less-usable system. It’s not so bad for the kids because they are very young and will learn whatever they need but converting my wife is going to be difficult. I’m still not allowed to remove the IE icon because Firefox is “just not the same”.
I recently found Free SuSE (via) so if I get the chance I’ll try it.
8 Responses to “Linux at home”
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July 14th, 2004 at 05:40
You could use Knoppix.
http://www.knoppix.org/
Hasta Luego,
A.A.
July 15th, 2004 at 05:37
I’ve just downloaded it. I’ll see how it goes.
July 15th, 2004 at 11:30
I’ve recently made the move to linux. this is not something you do quickly…it took me a while to make the change.
The first thing I did was remove all MS products and started using open source products for most things, for example:
Firefox for web browsing;
Thunderbirfd for Email
GAIM for instant messaging
OpenOffice.org for Word Processing/Spreadsheet/etc
all the above applications can run on both Windoze, and linux machines…
after a few months of using those application on windows is enough to get you used to the subtle differences.
The next step is to dual-boot your machine so you have both linux and windoze. I use debian and KDE. KDE is very similar to windows and isn’t too much of a shock to the system. Another handy thing is VMWare or Win4Lin - which allows you to actually run windows through your linux desktop.
Granted - linux probably isn’t as usable as good ole windows…but the security is WAY better…no more IE/MS security holes, no more spyware, no more worms/virus/etc.
Do it! you know you wanna!
July 15th, 2004 at 13:15
Thanks for the advice Darren,
I already use Firefox and Thunderbird (I made my wife switch to thunderbird too, she didn’t like it at first). I’ll have a go with GAIM later today. Knoppix looks like it could be good to try for a while. I have run dual-boot win2k/redhat7 before but removed it because I only have a winmodem and couldn’t do anything on the internet, but now that I have broadband it’s probably worth trying again.
I will move, even if it is only baby steps.
July 15th, 2004 at 21:49
I’ve done it (sort of). I’m writing this while browsing with Konqueror running on Knoppix
July 29th, 2004 at 21:49
stick to windows for a while but use cross platform apps so when you do switch you are already used to them so its not such a big change, a great project is TheOpenCD which collects a bunch of opensource software for windows together so you dont need to scour the web for it.
while your doing this have a play around with knoppix so you can start getting the feel for linux without having to install anything or loseing your existing environment.
then install a newbie friendly linux like mandrake, xandros, linspire or lycoris dual boot with windows for a few months so youve still got windows to fall back on
then chuck windows and if you realy need a particular app/game use wine/crossover/winex/vmware/Win4Lin.
August 21st, 2004 at 23:52
In my slow path of migrating to Linux, I have downloaded Thunderbird 0.7.3. After extracting the tar files, I can’t seem to run the script files, which the relaease notes tell you to… need some help…
August 22nd, 2004 at 07:52
The best place to get info is the Thunderbird Forums.