Category Archives: Linux

Which Version of Linux Should I Use?

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Many business and home computer problems can be solved by simply switching from Windows XP or Windows 7 to Linux. If you are considering trying Linux, Which version should you try?

Linux Mint LTS is the best Linux choice.

Before you fire up your e-mail client to send me a nasty-gram, follow my thoughts.

Linux offers reliability, stability, and frugality.

Angry TuxIt has a rich range of applications, yet can run on computers considered obsolete by Windows users. The majority of software is free, as is Linux. Free in the sense of free speech (you can see how it works, and change it to suit your needs) and free as in beer. Most distribution of Linux are free, and the only cost is professional support.
There are dozens, if not hundreds of Linux distributions. A distribution (or distro) is a collection of Linux tools, utilities, drivers and applications assembled as a single CD or DVD that contain someone’s idea of a perfect Linux install. Many have a specific target in mind. It may be specifically designed as a web server, file server, firewall, Proxy server or a desktop PC like most users and businesses want.

 

Some Linux Versions are More Equal than Others

A visit to the Distro Watch web site reveals that a few distributions rule.

At the moment the top distros are: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora, Debian and Open Suse.

Here is a quick summary of each:

  • Ubuntu – Designed for the desktop user, and very popular
  • Linux Mint – Based on Ubuntu, but focusing on getting users moving from Windows working quicky.
  • Fedora – Popular and well supported, but it is the guinea pig for new ideas before they are incorporated in Red Hat Linux.
  • Debian – Reliable, and the base for many other versions, including Ubuntu. But it is not beginner friendly
  • Open Suse - A reliable desktop, but now quite main-stream and perhaps lacking is support.

So my choice is Linux Mint. It is easy to install, has lots of support and is new user friendly. Because it is based on Ubuntu, both the Ubuntu and Mint community can help with problems. There is a wide range of software available. It looks nice.

But notice that I said Linux Mint LTS. Ubuntu and Mint each release a version every two years that they promise to support for three years. This means you can install one of these versions and not have to worry about updating it for at least three years. This is perfect if you want a computer that just works, and works, and works.

That describes the average business and home user.

So I recommend installing Linux Mint 9 LTS. It will be supported until the middle of 2013 with patches, updates and fixes. After that time it will be relatively simple, and free, to upgrade to the next version.

angry-linux-tux – by oddsock – http://www.flickr.com/photos/oddsock/

Why Switch to Linux #1 – Linux is Eco Friendly

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Use Linux and help save the environment

Discussing using Linux instead of Windows PCs or MAC computers tends to quickly dissolve into holy wars and name calling. But one real advantage of using Linux on your PC is that it is eco-friendly.

The simple truth is that the computer industry contributes large quantities of material to landfill. Recycling efforts are being made. But computers and peripherals contain a number of highly toxic elements including lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury, and brominated flame retardants. Even in Australia recycling or disposal of e-waste involves significant risk to workers and communities.  Charities and schools may use older computers, but most computers don’t die, they just fade away.

Linux can help save the world by keeping older computers running long past what is normally considered there life expectancy.

Windows and built in obsolescence

Linux for your PC

Windows needs to be updated regularly because of security issues. Years ago I paid almost $4000 for a Toshiba laptop with 64Mb of RAM and a 200Mhz processor. It did what I needed it to do. It is still running, but I cannot connect it to the Internet because Windows ’98 is far from secure. It is a white elephant. Each Windows PC needs to be upgraded to the next version of Windows, and is rarely able to cope with the minimum requirements of the next version. More RAM can rarely be found, drivers are non-existent. trying to upgrade becomes and expensive nightmare.

Enter the Penguin – Linux
I am writing this article on an old laptop a Toshiba Tecra A4. It was built for Windows XP and will not run Windows 7. It is, to the Windows world, EOL (End of Life) or Obsolete. It runs Mint Linux 9 perfectly. It is secure, reliable and surprisingly fast.

It is talking to a server based on FreeNAS 8.0 running on a 1.2Ghz AMD PC given to me by an old customer who had purchased a new PC. It is fast and reliable. I just added some RAM I bought on eBay for $16 and a decent disk drive. Some of that RAM has also refurbished another old PC purchased from the Mission Shop for $40 that now runs Suse Linux 11.04.

My constant companion is a Asus EeePC 702, the first real net-book. It has a 600Mhz CPU, a 4Gb SSD and a 4Gb SD card. It works perfectly with Ubuntu 10.04 Net-book Remix. I use it constantly for note taking, web browsing, reading e-Books and watching videos. Windows XP will almost run on it, but if you add all the security patches it runs out of disk space before any software is added. Another win for Linux.

And Finally – The Cost of Windows Upgrades
Windows Graphic Microsoft lost my vote forever with the WGA fiasco when they slipped anti-piracy software onto users computers as a “security update” and then shut tens of thousands of innocent users down because they had fixed their broken PC with a disk other than the one they got when they bought it. Many well meaning sons and grandsons fixed Mom or Grandma’s Windows XP PCs with their own disks (because you could) and then the computer died in a burst of piracy notifications that forced honest people to pay again for something they could not PROVE TO MICROSOFT that they already owned.

As a result upgrading a Windows PC is an expensive option – cheaper to just buy a new one, and dump the old one at the tip. Moving to Linux costs NOTHING more than the possible cost of a few computer bits like some RAM that can probably be purchased for $5-20. The computer then goes on to a new, long life.

Linux does not become obsolete
A working Windows computer requires constant patches and security updates to keep it safe. Linux also has issues, but at the present, the average desktop user can stay with the current version of Linux for years with little risk. If you install Linux and it does what you want it to do, just keep using it until the hardware finally dies.

The Linux “Geeks” are constantly trying the latest versions, and that is their passion. If you just want a computer that works. get someone to help you install Linux, and then just enjoy the computer. It will run reliably for years with little more that the need for a backup process to save your important files when the PC finally dies.

Long live the green Linux operating system!

EeeBuntu 3.0 and Eee 702 PC – Skype Works!

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I have a love-hate relationship with The Eee PC 702. It came with Zandros Linux and I had some problems including lack of disk space.

I installed and tried MANY versions of Linux, but always had problems, usually with Skype and power management. I moved back to Windows XP using a Nlite stripped version that was small and quite fast. However Windows XP on the Eee is a huge power drain, running for less than 90 minutes on a battery, were I can get 3 hours and more using EeeBuntu 3.0.

Today I re-installed EeeBuntu 3.0 and have had the dream install. I have kept it light, adding Open Office components I need, VLC medial player, Wine, TightVNC, and Firefox plugins.

I use a Windows based Research CD and it installed perfectly first try under Wine.

Getting Skype Working

I installed Skype, and got the Audio and Video working perfectly within 5 minutes. A record for Linux, where Skype has been a source of frustration to me.

These are the magic settings:

Sound in – HDA Intel (hm:intel, 0)
Sound Out Pulse
Ringing Pulse

Then open the Ubuntu Volume control (Right Click and select “Open Volume Control”, select Device “Capture HDA Intel ALC662 Analogue (Pulse Audio Mixer)” and in “Recording” push the Volume slider up. Let Skype control Volume. It WORKS!

Ubuntu 8.10 Server Hangs

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Well, the new (old) server began playing up on Sunday. During big file operations it would stop responding. I was unable to shut the server down, and in each case had to go for the big red button.

I have Webmin installed, something I highly recommend. It provides a web based administration console that allows almost anything to be tweaked or monitored on a Linux machine. After having the server hang so severely I could not even ping it, yet show nothing I could find in the log files, I hauled it out and plugged a monitor and keyboard in.

I booted into the BIOS. Nothing out of the ordinary. I have changed to more conservative settings, slowing the RAM down, and setting the BIOS to throttle the CPU if it gets hot. It has now been running for 22Hrs without a problem. Let’s hope that is it.

This is a small network, an maximum of four machines at once, so performance is not an issue. I use hand me down hardware for servers, just adding good hard drives. This machine is currently spinning 3 drives, so if problems persist I will look at the power supply. The machine ran faultlessly as a workstation, other than previously mentioned video issues.

Regards, Phil S.

Using the iRiver T30 Media Player with Linux

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I recently bought two iRiver T30 medial players. I was attracted by the spec. which includes the ability to record from a line-in jack.

I have used an older Creative MuVo to record from the FM signal in a number of lecture halls, but have been unable to use an induction pickup to record from the induction loop provided for hard of hearing or directly from the magnetic flux of a speaker or speaker cable in some lecture venues, or from a line input. I have been forced to use a cassette recorder and the to dub from tape to MP3.

The T30 also has a microphone, and I have used it to record lectures by placing the recorder close to a ceiling speaker in a quiet area,. The signal strength is quite good, and noise is low. As a result I can use software such as Audacity to boost the signal, and get a clean audio file. Compared to either tape recorder (motor noise) or the MuVo (extremely low signal, and hiss when amplified) the quality is exceptional.

I bought the player from an eBay vendor here in Australia, and expected FM recording capability, and the ability to connect to both Windows and Linux PCs. Unfortunately the supplier sent me a US version. This version uses Windows medial Player ONLY to move files on and off the player. This means it would not work on Linux, and requires WMP with is DRM (Digital Restrictions Rights Management) to handle music. I would call this a deal breaker, but the goods where paid for, and getting refunds from eBay sellers is a painful exercise. So I looked for a solution.

The US iRiver use MTP, Microsoft’s Media Transfer Protocol to ensure you do not move copy protected music onto the player. The European and Australian players are UMS (USB Mass Storage) devices that can be written to and from like any USB storage device. It is possible to upgrade the firmware to allow the US UMS devices to be accessed by Linux and Windows without WMP. Unfortunately this requires running a Windows application.

Simply go to http://www.iriver.eu.com/mtp.html?&L=0 or http://www.iriveramerica.com/support/mtpupdate/ and download the firmware updater to a Windows based PC and install the latest firmware. Then install it AGAIN and click on the MTP <–> UMS button on the bottom of the screen (this button only appears on the second installation) and the player will be converted to UMS. This makes it possible to copy files the the T30 from Windows or Linux. I Use Amarok to download and then install all my favorite podcasts quickly and simply. I record lectures and edit them using Audacity with no problems.

There is an excellent blog entry with a lot of information and user feedback at: http://www.bhatt.id.au/blog/iriver-t30-wma-ogg-mp3-player-with-voice-recording-and-linein/ and a list of ALL iRiver firmware updates at: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/iriverupdate/.

My only complaint is that the upgrade does not activate the FM radio option.

Regards to all, Phil Stephens