(no subject)
Dec. 14th, 2008 01:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ffuturesWhile I really like the HP MiniNote as a computer, the sad fact is that I am having real problems getting SUSE linux to do the things I want since I appear not to have the linux mindset. I'm beginning to think that Linux was written by Timelords or something, and that "Simply," "just" and "all you need do" are Linux jargon for "it doesn't work for puny humans but we're not going to tell you the real way to do it because your head would explode." I definitely want to keep the computer, but I think I may have to look at other options.
A couple of people have suggested that Ubuntu is a better linux for people like me who aren't linux experts. That has the advantage of being free, and I was hoping to learn more about linux, but I'm starting to wonder if maybe I have more immediate priorities than struggling to learn linux since it won'd advance my career or anything.
A more realistic (in terms of my abilities) solution might be to install Windows XP; HP's web site now has the drivers the MiniNote needs. Amongst other pluses, there are a lot of accessories that will only work with Windows, such as dedicated microscope cameras, TV tuner cards, etc. But of course for this I'd need a legit copy of Windows and COA, and that costs money. You can get the OEM version of XP service pack 1 for £20, but I'd really hate to try this with anything less than SP3, and that's more like £60.
So, a little poll...
[Poll #1314789]
Later: Having reviewed the comments and had a think about it, it really isn't going to cost me anything except time to try Ubuntu first; I'll still need the external drive (I've already ordered a little kit for that) but the Ubuntu download is free. I might as well give it a try before I commit to Windows.
A couple of people have suggested that Ubuntu is a better linux for people like me who aren't linux experts. That has the advantage of being free, and I was hoping to learn more about linux, but I'm starting to wonder if maybe I have more immediate priorities than struggling to learn linux since it won'd advance my career or anything.
A more realistic (in terms of my abilities) solution might be to install Windows XP; HP's web site now has the drivers the MiniNote needs. Amongst other pluses, there are a lot of accessories that will only work with Windows, such as dedicated microscope cameras, TV tuner cards, etc. But of course for this I'd need a legit copy of Windows and COA, and that costs money. You can get the OEM version of XP service pack 1 for £20, but I'd really hate to try this with anything less than SP3, and that's more like £60.
So, a little poll...
[Poll #1314789]
Later: Having reviewed the comments and had a think about it, it really isn't going to cost me anything except time to try Ubuntu first; I'll still need the external drive (I've already ordered a little kit for that) but the Ubuntu download is free. I might as well give it a try before I commit to Windows.
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no subject
Date: 2008-12-14 09:03 am (UTC)Linux started out as a new Unix variant. Some time around the year 2000, they started moving away from that. Why, I've never been able to figure out, although big parts of it seem to be NIH syndrome and a near-complete lack of awareness of what's come before. Take for example their throwing out of the command ifconfig and inventing a new one to take it's place. There is no point to this. ifconfig was already one of those commands where you needed to read the man page for every Unix variant, but now on Linux you don't even know which man page to read. Which adds frustration without adding any advantage at all. Multiply that principle by about a thousand times, and trying to use Linux as if it was a Unix becomes a sort of frustration of a thousand cuts. It just sucks.
The most succint phrasing I've seen is that Linux is for people who hate Windows, not for people who like Unix.