On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:05:59 -0700 Craig White wrote: > > On Wed, 2008-02-20 at 19:38 +0000, Harold Fuchs wrote: > > On 19/02/2008 14:02, A.Muller wrote: > > > Hello everybody ! > > > I've been monitoring this mailing list for a couple of months and > > > received answers to my questions about OO. Thanks to the > > > benefactors. My experience with OO goes back to 2005 and I'm very > > > satisfied with it. Now I would like to cross the Rubicon and > > > eliminate, gradually, XP from my machine. I've read many posts > > > relating this or that bug/difficulty of OO with some specific > > > distributions of Linux. In your experience, which one would be the > > > best to start with among the different distros : Mandriva, Ubuntu, > > > Suse, Debian or whatever ? Thank you for your advice. A.Muller > > > > > OK I'm going to start a controversy. By all means try a live > > "distro" (horrible word) but do be sure before wasting many hours of > > effort that you will be able to find software to run your hardware. > > I have three "and a half" devices for which I have searched quite > > diligently for Linux software but ... > > > > a) I have a fairly recent HP flatbed scanner for which I can find no > > Linux drivers. The machine came with Windows and Mac software but > > not Linux. It has three hardware buttons which are configurable to > > invoke different software functions when pressed. One of those > > allows the machine to be used as a "photocopier", printing via the > > software directly to my HP printer. > > > > b) Ditto my fairly modern Nokia mobile phone. It came with (Windows > > based) file management software that allows, among other things, > > synchronising contacts etc. with a PC. Again, It seems I could get > > Mac software that would do the job but not Linux. > > > > c) My PCMCIA wireless LAN card. There is a conversation in one > > specialised forum that someone has been able to get my model to work > > under that particular flavour of Linux but the author admits it was > > not straightforward and required a lot of fiddling with options and > > settings in something called NDISWrapper. > > > > In addition, I think I can get my HP "All In One" printer to sort of > > work under Linux but I *think* it would behave as a bare printer > > instead of the Printer/FAX/Scanner it was bought as, with integrated > > software that also lets me maintain a directory of names and FAX > > telephone numbers. > > > > I'd be very reluctant to lose all that functionality. > > > > I'll bet someone will say I could run Wine which is a sort of > > Windows emulator (simulator? please let's not go there!) that runs > > on Linux. As far as I'm concerned, the very existence of this > > software is an admission of defeat. Less controversially, there is a > > considerable body of Windows based software that won't run at all > > under Wine. > > > > Of course, you may not have these problems or you may decide that it > > would be worthwhile [interesting, even] to see if you can overcome > > them. For me the investment of time and the risk involved are too > > great. YMMV. > ---- > sorry you had issues with Linux > > All Linux distributions are essentially end user supported just like > openoffice.org software and the advice you get will vary. > > wrt your specific issues... > > a) scanners aren't rocket science...shouldn't be a problem at all > getting your scanner to work. As for integration of specific buttons > on the scanner, you probably have to do some work to make them > functional. > > b) mobile phone - there's lots of mobile phones and the ability to > make each model work with Linux is an issue but I've always been able > to connect my palm phones to any Linux system > > c) specific PCMCIA wireless - simple enough, buy one whose chipset is > supported rather than beat your head against a wall because the > company that makes some of those cards is completely uncooperative. > > if the issues of time/risk are really the issues, then yes, Windows > probably is the better way to go. > > If you want an OS that has plain text configuration files, is not > designed to block you out of hardware, software just because they can, > where software doesn't become obsolete because some company goes under > or is bought out by a competitor, Linux is probably just the ticket. >
I agree 100% here. We have on the OO.o list many times received questions about Endnote; "why doesn't OO.o work with it". Also Voice recognition software. But you Harold are as aware as any other long term OO.o user that the issue is actually the reverse of what is being asked. The third party companies being discussed are not supporting OO.o. Not until it reaches critical mass, and perhaps not until that critical mass overcomes the kickbacks from only supporting MS Software. Linux is in the same boat, but in Linux's case it is the drivers of third party hardware. The answer in this case is simpler. Support hardware that supports Linux... period. On the whole, printer/fax/scanner combos are relatively cheap. At least here they tend to be cheaper than 2 sets of ink cartridges. Cell phones range from dirt cheap to the price of a computer, and in every price range are ones that support Linux (some even run Linux). A WIFI card that works is a pifling ammount. But Linux is cheaper than all these things. Even if you throw in a second hard disk for Linux it is still cheap. Hell VMWare is free and you can then run Linux and Windows at the same time. At leat until your hardware is due for replacement. With the help of your local LUG it will all be up and running probably within two hours. -- Michael All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well - Julian of Norwich 1342 - 1416 --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
