Steve,
If you use that laptop 'standalone', and do not have to share files with
other computers on a network, the Ubuntu or Linux Mint distros are quite
usable. Firefox is an excellent web browser, and Thunderbird is a fine
email application, add a calendering function with the Lightning plugin,
and for work on documents, Open Office or Libra Office will give you all
the capability that MS Office offers - BTW, those applications work
quite well in Windows too for those who do not want to spend money to
purchase MS Office - the GUI interface is almost the same, so any MS
Office user will feel comfortable with the Open Office interface. All
free of cost and Open Source applications. I recommend that for any
computer that is currently running WinXP. The problems come in if the
computer is part of a home network that must share files between the
various computers on the network.
The "rub" comes in when one wants to network computers, printers, and
all other network things. Getting the Samba config file to have the
necessary settings to talk with other Windows based computers and file
servers is what has caused me difficulty in the past. I finally managed
to create a Samba.config file that would allow me to view my Windows
network, but the permission settings of all my files would have to be
changed (they are shared to the entire Windows network) to allow
read/write access from the Linux computer(s). In my Windows network,
the files can be accessed and changed based on the Windows logon, but
special steps are needed to allow the same functionality for access
using Linux (i.e. I would have to change the file permissions for each
and every file). This is not a good thing when my home network is an
isolated unit where all files can be accessed by any computer on the
network. With Linux, I have to set the file permissions to grant access
on each and every file - it may be a security 'thing', but in my case it
is a PITA.
So, to keep it more "On Topic", those running WinXP on the hamshack
computers might want to load Linux Ubuntu or Linux Mint and use the
Linux Utility programs. There are many Amateur Radio applications that
can be used as well, certainly N1MM and such programs are only Windows
based, but similar functionality can be found in Linux based
applications. WinXP poses a security hazard if connected to the
internet, so its continued use should be discouraged for computer
security considerations. Moving to a currently supported OS is the only
reasonable answer.
Bottom line, if you want to keep your current Windows applications,
upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, but if you are willing to accept
alternatives to the applications you are currently using under Windows,
you may find alternatives running under Linux - it is a good OS, but has
a learning curve if you want to do things 'out of the ordinary'.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 5/27/2014 9:16 PM, steve wrote:
I have a 10 year old laptop that had Wxp. It now has Ubuntu Release
12.04 (precise) 32-bit...
I like it. As Wxp I used the computer portable. I still use machine
portable. I have KX3 utility and fldigi for software.
Not all the stuff I had with Wxp, it works... I have been using
Ubunto about 6-8 weeks. It's good.
I started with computers in the late 60's.
A 4K computer with a 32K disk was fast...
I used Unix on the Cray to compile and run Fortran...
I have used a Mac+ (in the attic) and entered machine code with
switches on DEC computers.
But, for Linux I have a son who is a senior at the UofDE in computer
science who can help as it is easier.
73, steve WB3LGC
On 05/27/2014 08:03 PM, Bill W2BLC wrote:
I really have to chuckle regarding . . .
Bill W2BLC K-Line
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