Linux

331 emacs

screw emacs, vi is where it's at

http://xkcd.com/378/

vi is what I use. It's so simple and universal I just don't see the point in trying to learn emacs.

Fuck that shit. You only need to use a command line editor for config files. Any programming can be done in a nice advanced text editor with all you files clearly on view with a nice debugging window running to the side etc. Vi requires you to spin on you heads, knock three times and whistle to even edit a file and sure emacs has a command to do every thing but I don't want to have to go a course or read bloody tutorial on how to use a text editor.

hamster [quote]331 emacs

screw emacs, vi is where it's at

[/quote]

how predictable... emacs vs. vi

TheBrick(Tommy) Fuck that shit. You only need to use a command line editor for config files. Any programming can be done in a nice advanced text editor with all you files clearly on view with a nice debugging window running to the side etc. Vi requires you to spin on you heads, knock three times and whistle to even edit a file and sure emacs has a command to do every thing but I don't want to have to go a course or read bloody tutorial on how to use a text editor.

emacs is a command line editor, so does vi for that matter.... also, if you see emacs as a text editor, then you are missing the point;)

331
emacs is a command line editor, so does vi for that matter

I know. that is what I am saying a command line editor does not need lots of functions. They should only be used for editing config files not programming, unless you like to make life difficult for no reason.

.... also, if you see emacs as a text editor, then you are missing the point;)

I know I know. Geeks like to over complicate their life's with silly tools like emacs to take their mind off of their next impending trip into the outside world.

And as I tend to use SSH sessions via either a 80 char wide terminal, or even a 20 char terminal (my phone), I prefer vi. It's modal and voodoo to new users for sure, but if you know the keyboard commands and want pure screen space and minimal key presses... it's wonderful.

I know I know. Geeks like to over complicate their life's with silly tools like emacs to take their mind off of their next impending trip into the outside world.

Haha, well said, i rest my case:)

you boys should get out more...
;)
I stopped dealing with Linux, because using it sucks for everything non-server for a fact
Buying a Macbook with OS X put my mind to peace....a proper OS with a BASH
Until the big revolution comes I am fine with that

bumpity bump.

after another soul-destroying run in with xp virus on my increasingly slow laptop i'm considering a change.

at the moment i only really use;

wireless internet access (firefox)
outlook express
ms excel (multiple sheets, bits of VB etc.)
itunes
paint.net

now i'm not really very technically minded but i think i would be ok with linux if somebody could point me towards which distro would fit my requirements or altenatively a website with pointers for beginners. . my main concerns are file compatibility etc.

thanks, rambling post over.

p.s. I washed all three of my bikes this weekend, very satisfying.

I don't use Linux, but I do use OpenBSD.

UBUNTU.

for new linux users, there's no contest. DL a copy, write to disk and you can try it out within windows without having to install it. then use the same CD to install it when you're ready.

you can dual boot if you fancy it too.

I don't use Linux, but I do use OpenBSD.

OpenBSD as in the most hardcore 37337 distro, command line only (no desktop environment) flavour of unix ?

for a newbie?

Give steve jobs your money....

+1 Unbuntu really easy to install,
really good package management system,
really good community / forum to search / ask questions.

If you are unsure get someone to sit with you as you install and show you the basics, of installing programs, help you get any install niggles sorted show you a few bash basics. Install will not take long at all. Personally I like to have a separate home dir to root so you can reinstall without loosing data.

OpenBSD can have a desktop environment just like any other flavour of linux.

And Gentoo is better. Learn the tough shit right away, I say!

Fred & Tommy. Thankyou kindly, that's my afternoon sorted.

photoben. Jobs has had enough of my money in fucking ipod sales which my jogging obsessed other-half seems intent on sweating though at a rate of three a year.

you boys should get out more...
;)
I stopped dealing with Linux, because using it sucks for everything non-server for a fact
Buying a Macbook with OS X put my mind to peace....a proper OS with a BASH
Until the big revolution comes I am fine with that

? you can't get a BASH shell on linux? :-/

OpenBSD can have a desktop environment just like any other flavour of linux.

And Gentoo is better. Learn the tough shit right away, I say!

BSD is not linux. BSD has a direct line from the Berkley Unix tree, there is a good little article here http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/bsd4linux1.php

@Fred

Wouldn't suggest anyone who ain't on a computer science/computing course should use it (OpenBSD) but I can certainly lend a hand.

Yeah, sorry. my "any other flavour of linux" comment was misleading.

You can still run desktop environments on it (there is an X11 port, as well as ports for both KDE of Gnome [and probably others])

Old laptop? Use Xubuntu.
It is very similar to Ubuntu but uses a lightweight window manager (XFCE4) it needs far less system resources than "Full Fat" Ubuntu with Gnome window manager.
If it's a really old laptop you could use fluxbuntu (Uses Fluxbox Window Manager) but that is a bit minimal)

Any questions just ask, I run Xubuntu on Both my laptops, and Home Cinema PC. as well as Ubuntu on my Home Desktop and my Office Server.

The good news for you is that your old hardware will be well supported in Linux. However is your laptop requires add-ons like a USB wireless card or bluetooth card then please ask someone before buying. Some cards work better with Linux than others.

Your software:

wireless internet access (firefox) - Firefox (already installed in Ubuntu)
outlook express - Thunderbird (Already installed in Ubuntu)
ms excel (multiple sheets, bits of VB etc.) - OpenOffice (Already installed in Ubuntu) You may need to use add programs to add all the different packages spreadsheets, Draw, Database etc)
itunes - Listen Music Player (Use Synaptic package manager and search for "Listen")
paint.net - The Gimp (Already installed in Ubuntu)

Good luck.
D

I was given a very old laptop (200Mhz, 32Mb ram, 2Gb disk) and tried various flavours of Linux on there.
The only one I could get to work with the low memory was VectorLinux (I also tried: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Knoppix, DSL, Puppy and old versions of Redhat and Mandrake). For low spec desktops and laptops it works with a minimum of fuss. I have since installed it on 3 other machines for various people. It's based on slackware and has a fairly simple package manager similar to Ubuntu.

I did a comparison install on the same PC between Ubuntu and Vector, the difference in response time was quite amazing, Vector wins hands down.

If you're after a quick, no-nonsense disk bootable OS, try DSL (Damn-Small-Linux), but you may not like it's uber-simplicity coming from a Windows XP background.

I also have a good word for Knoppix. Every PC/laptop I have tried it on with more that 128Mb of RAM works. I tried it on a laptop that had Windows XP on that wouldn't recognise a wireless dongle. Not only did Knoppix find the dongle, it connected me to my wireless router and assigned an IP address.

right.

thanks for the advice so far. I've downloaded ubuntu and xubuntu and written them both to discs (as iso) My next step will be to back up my hard drive to a memory stick just in case.

got the info about the laptop. (pentium3, 512mb ram, 798 mhz, 40gb hard drive) so not so bad.

based on this, which of the two should I try (ubuntu or xubuntu)? Also, what do I need to do to run it from disk?

sorry for questions, I will take myself off to linux forums if I become a pain but i'd rather be geeky with cycling geeks than geeky with just geeks.

I've used Red Hat at home for years, and it's not bad. I guess you only really think about it when things go wrong, like you fuck up and and lose Firefox, and have to reinstall all the media plug-ins again. I'm getting a new PC off ebay this week and the seller has offered to stick Ubuntu on that, so I may well give that a shot; it sounds like a popular choice here.