sorry.. but it seems that tread is about Linux..
isn´t this forum about OO.o ???
// Per
Michael Adams skrev:
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.
