Don't Give Up On Linux Yet

  • Thread starter Thread starter kcaj
  • Start date Start date
It's not that hard to install KDE on Ubuntu, just add "universe" as a source
for apt-get and yer good to go.

XemonerdX
 
Conor said:
Ubuntu is doing quite well. Just wish they'd do KDE though.
Click to expand...

A few comments on the subject line:

I had absolutely no experience with Linux variants and about 15 years of
Windows and several M$ certifications. I bought Mepis [www.mepis.org] (3
CDs) for about $12, including shipping (a song) and when I read that it was
possible to run it from the CD, I was very tempted. I did just that and in
20 mins I was browsing the www. I could also write letters and do several
things an ordinary user would want to do. I was astonished that I could even
read the files on my NTFS drives. All this was without reading any manuals
or help files. However, there were quite a few things I wasn't able to
figure out and I had some trouble with disconnecting from the Internet (that
step wasn't obvious). I managed it once but it was several steps and I
couldn't remember the procedure later. There is probably a short cut. These
problems would easily be fixed by a few hours at the help files or manuals.

All in all, this experience tells me that I will never again pay a nickel to
Microsoft.

My thanks to the developers of all Liuux variants.

MR
 
For a highly satisfying Distro that has many new people
using it everyday, stop here first. Take the time to read
about and try this free program. You won't regret it.

http://mepislovers.com/
Click to expand...

Not impressed with this site. I did a search on "requirements" looking
for system requirements for the distro, and got seven hits, not one of
which mentioned system requirements.

I then tried to find out its freeware status and how to download it.
After wading through a pile of pay-for schemes, I finally found a
mention of free downloads from mirror sites (couldn't find a free
download link on the distro's own website). I tried a number of NA
mirror sites, and found that I couldn't use IE's "save as" function,
but had to use "save to folder" instead. I don't know if this is
related, but Stardownloader failed to jump in, so I was looking at 6
+ hours of download time without resume (this is with a 150KB/sec
connection on my end!). My last attempt was U of Florida, where I got
"access denied" when I tried to start the download.

Not a good omen for smooth installation and running of the distro.

PS. please, please spare me all the reports of flawless installs and
silky smooth operation. It's a given that most distros will work well
for some people. My view is that if someone can't tie his shoelaces
(ie. provide the most basic documentation, such as system requirements
and a reasonably straightforward method of distribution), you'd better
not trust their rocket science.
 
Not impressed with this site.
Click to expand...

Me neither.
I did a search on "requirements" looking
for system requirements for the distro, and got seven hits, not one of
which mentioned system requirements.

I then tried to find out its freeware status and how to download it.
Click to expand...

Mepis is free, and the best linux live-cd I have tried.

http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/opsys/linux/mepis/released/
The 2004-04 version is considered as the stable version, the newer is..
newer.

Or google for
mepis download mirror
to find more download servers.
 
Me neither.


Mepis is free, and the best linux live-cd I have tried.

http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/opsys/linux/mepis/released/
The 2004-04 version is considered as the stable version, the newer is..
newer.
Click to expand...
Ok Roger.

Your resounding endorsement has persuaded me to give it a try. But I
guess it will have to wait a bit. For some reason I can't get
Stardownloader to work on tuwien's site either, and IE is telling me
it will take between 98 and 119 hours to download the iso.
 
Your resounding endorsement has persuaded me to give it a try. But I
guess it will have to wait a bit. For some reason I can't get
Stardownloader to work on tuwien's site either, and IE is telling me
it will take between 98 and 119 hours to download the iso.
Click to expand...

Of course it depends on the kind of connection you have, but if you have
cable internet it should download a lot faster. Like 2 hours or less.

I use Download Express instead of Star Downloader, but I still need to
copy and paste the url of the iso file into Download Express download
list. If the integration of your downloader program does not work well
with your browser you might have to do some copy and paste of the iso
file name like that.

Here is Download Express, if you want to try an alternative to Star
Downloader.

http://www.metaproducts.com/mp/mpProducts_Detail.asp?id=18

When downloading big files, like this iso, it always a good idea to try
to find a big university mirror near your location. I live in Sweden so I
have my favorite servers in Sweden, Finland and Norway.

Linux distros like Mepis can usually be found in such mirror servers.
 
....
Of course it depends on the kind of connection you have, but if you have
cable internet it should download a lot faster. Like 2 hours or less.
Click to expand...

I've got ADSL and the better Knoppix mirrors usually let me download
in about 2 and a half hours.
I use Download Express instead of Star Downloader, but I still need to
copy and paste the url of the iso file into Download Express download
list. If the integration of your downloader program does not work well
with your browser you might have to do some copy and paste of the iso
file name like that.
Click to expand...

Tried all that, still no luck. But with your encouragement, I went
back and tried all four North American sites repeatedly. The USSG site
doesn't even have the latest stable release.

Never had so much trouble. UofFlorida asked me for my password several
times, and when it didn't, wouldn't even start a browser download.
GAtech and UofF locked up my browser several times. When I tried to
enter the URL into Stardownloader it gave me "file not found
repeatedly", or it couldn't even connect. But finally I managed to get
Starloader connected and am now downloading from Ibiblios at about
half speed of 75KB/sec. Keeping fingers crossed.
Here is Download Express, if you want to try an alternative to Star
Downloader.

http://www.metaproducts.com/mp/mpProducts_Detail.asp?id=18
Click to expand...

That one has never worked well for me, for some reason (not that Star
Downloader works well, but at least I know how to turn it off ;()
When downloading big files, like this iso, it always a good idea to try
to find a big university mirror near your location. I live in Sweden so I
have my favorite servers in Sweden, Finland and Norway.
Click to expand...

My recent experience is mostly with Knoppix, and I've had my best luck
by trying the various European sites, so long as I start the download
in the wee hours of the morning - continental time.
 
Tried all that, still no luck. But with your encouragement, I went
back and tried all four North American sites repeatedly. The USSG site
doesn't even have the latest stable release.
Click to expand...


Using Download Express with 4 threads I tested the url
http://www.debianworld.net/pub/mirror/mepis/released/SimplyMEPIS-current.iso
and it gave me a speed of 50kB/s, download time 4-5 hours.

That is the best url I can find after testing many url:s.

Mepis is obviously not easy to find in local mirrors.
I thought I had downloaded an earlier version from Norway but I cannot
find that link now.
 
Using Download Express with 4 threads I tested the url
http://www.debianworld.net/pub/mirror/mepis/released/SimplyMEPIS-current.iso
and it gave me a speed of 50kB/s, download time 4-5 hours.

That is the best url I can find after testing many url:s.

Mepis is obviously not easy to find in local mirrors.
I thought I had downloaded an earlier version from Norway but I cannot
find that link now.
Click to expand...
I managed to get it with Stardownloader just a couple of hours ago
from ftp.ibiblio.org in the US. The download rate fluctuated between
75 and 90KB/sec.

I've just burned and booted it, and the KDE desktop seems well
designed. Compared to Knoppix and SUSE, I find it easy to navigate. I
only had a few minutes to play with it, and am not going online until
I've had a chance to review the Guarddog firewall's documentation, so
I don't know yet how well the connectivity will work, but I appreciate
that the firewall is right up front. With Knoppix and Suse, I still
don't know how to find it, let alone figure out whether it's set up
properly for my needs.

On the negative side, Mepis didn't detect my Brother MFC 8840D
scanner/printer, but at least it only took me a minute to establish
this. Figuring out how to make it work will probably be another story.
 
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