Linux has Arrived - Revision history

Root: /* New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can! */

2011-06-26T13:33:06Z

New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:33, 26 June 2011
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			==Things made easy==

			There are tasks that can much easily be done with Linux (or any other UNIX-like system, e.g. OS-X). Some examples:
			* Capturing and converting digital video [[Capturing and Converting Digital Camcorder Video\|here]].

	-- Incomplete		-- Incomplete

	[[Category:Computing]]		[[Category:Computing]]

Root: /* New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can! */

2011-03-25T18:49:36Z

New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:49, 25 March 2011
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	# Using the list of software saved, automatically download and install all your software (20min)		# Using the list of software saved, automatically download and install all your software (20min)

	That's it. Little over one hour and I have a shining new Linux distribution.		That's it. Little over one hour and I have a shining new Linux distribution. I even did not have to babysit the process during those 20min periods -- many things are just automatic.

Root: /* New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can! */

2011-03-25T18:47:57Z

New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:47, 25 March 2011
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	==New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!==		==New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!==

	On a lighter note, I never get bored with Linux on my computers. Many popular Linux distributions release new versions at least once, but often several times a year. When commercial software companies release new versions, customers cringe. On the one hand ~~it costs~~ $$$, on the other they invariably introduce compatibility issues. First point is moot in case of Linux. The second, not-surprisingly, is much less of an issue.		On a lighter note, I never get bored with Linux on my computers. Many popular Linux distributions release new versions at least once, but often several times a year. When commercial software companies release new versions, customers cringe. On the one hand they cost $$$, on the other they invariably introduce compatibility issues. First point is moot in case of Linux. The second, not-surprisingly, is much less of an issue. There are many people out there who take it upon themselves to provide support for Linux&Co.

	Of course, I think twice before upgrading my Linux workstations. There what I need is stability. But, the laptop I use daily is another story -- it is easy to get board by monotony. By any means, is not necessary to keep up with the latest and greatest version. Many distributions `support' their versions several years at least.		Of course, I think twice before upgrading my Linux workstations. There what I need is stability. But, the laptop I use daily is another story -- it is easy to get board by monotony. By any means, is not necessary to keep up with the latest and greatest version. Many distributions `support' their versions several years at least.

Root: /* New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because I can */

2011-03-25T18:46:06Z

New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because I can

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:46, 25 March 2011
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	==New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because I can==		==New Look Every Six Months -- Why? Because you can!==

	On a lighter note, I never get bored with Linux on my computers. Many popular Linux distributions release new versions at least once, but often several times a year. When commercial software companies release new versions, customers cringe. On the one hand it costs $$$, on the other they invariably introduce compatibility issues. First point is moot in case of Linux. The second, not-surprisingly, is much less of an issue.		On a lighter note, I never get bored with Linux on my computers. Many popular Linux distributions release new versions at least once, but often several times a year. When commercial software companies release new versions, customers cringe. On the one hand it costs $$$, on the other they invariably introduce compatibility issues. First point is moot in case of Linux. The second, not-surprisingly, is much less of an issue.

Root: /* Running Windows Software */

2011-03-25T18:45:45Z

Running Windows Software

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 There are many excellent programs written for Windows, that are a shame to give up. But, thanks to the [[wikipedia:Wine_(software)|wine]] project, many windows software can easily be installed on Linux. Two such programs I and a few of my colleagues use EPA-SWMM5 drainage and sewerage modelling software and EPAnet water distribution network modeling software on Linux routinely. [http://appdb.winehq.org/ WineHQ] maintains an impressive list of software that can successfully run on Linux.
 -- Incomplete
 [[Category:Computing]]

Root at 18:23, 25 March 2011

2011-03-25T18:23:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:23, 25 March 2011
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	==Memories==		==Memories==
	[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]		[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]
	The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days ~~internet~~ -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.		The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days Internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.

	This story came to my mind when I was sitting in front of the home computer running the latest [[wikipedia:Ubuntu Linux\|Ubuntu Linux]] incarnation -- [[wikipedia:Edubuntu\|Edubuntu]]. A week ago we had another very friendly ~~linux~~ distribution -- [[wikipedia:Linux Mint\|Linux Mint]], but we decided that we need a different system and [[My_Wife\|Chandani]] downloaded the Edubuntu ISO, burned to a DVD and installed within an hour! We don't give seconds thoughts to the way these operating systems recognize all the hardware of the computer (sound, printers, card readers, external storage, etc., etc.) and configure itself without ever bothering the person in front of the computer! Our daughters use Linux at home to play games and access children's web sites. Recently I received a laptop running [[wikipedia:Windows 7\|Windows 7]]. I installed Linux Mint side by side. After using the computer for about six months, I realize that I boot Windows 7 for only one purpose -- to use a Dutch Language learning CD-Rom that uses an ancient version of macro-media (yes! that was before adobe bought them!) flash. Especially when I travel, my Linux installation is a big relief as I don't have to worry that much about getting my computer infected with viruses from various Flash Memory sticks.		This story came to my mind when I was sitting in front of the home computer running the latest [[wikipedia:Ubuntu Linux\|Ubuntu Linux]] incarnation -- [[wikipedia:Edubuntu\|Edubuntu]]. A week ago we had another very friendly Linux distribution -- [[wikipedia:Linux Mint\|Linux Mint]], but we decided that we need a different system and [[My_Wife\|Chandani]] downloaded the Edubuntu ISO, burned to a DVD and installed within an hour! We don't give seconds thoughts to the way these operating systems recognize all the hardware of the computer (sound, printers, card readers, external storage, etc., etc.) and configure itself without ever bothering the person in front of the computer! Our daughters use Linux at home to play games and access children's web sites. Recently I received a laptop running [[wikipedia:Windows 7\|Windows 7]]. I installed Linux Mint side by side. After using the computer for about six months, I realize that I boot Windows 7 for only one purpose -- to use a Dutch Language learning CD-Rom that uses an ancient version of macro-media (yes! that was before adobe bought them!) flash. Especially when I travel, my Linux installation is a big relief as I don't have to worry that much about getting my computer infected with viruses from various Flash Memory sticks.

	==A lengthy journey==		==A lengthy journey==

Root at 16:26, 26 February 2011

2011-02-26T16:26:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:26, 26 February 2011
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	I have been using Linux for about twelve years. In the beginning, largely for specialized tasks, but later I found myself increasingly using Linux for day-to-day computing activities. Today, it has grown into a truly user-friendly, powerful, yet unassuming system that provides a very viable system for home, office and educational computing. Especially the many features of today's Linux systems make them exceptionally well-suited for educational use.		I have been using Linux for about twelve years. In the beginning, largely for specialized tasks, but later I found myself increasingly using Linux for day-to-day computing activities. Today, it has grown into a truly user-friendly, powerful, yet unassuming system that provides a very viable system for home, office and educational computing. Especially the many features of today's Linux systems make them exceptionally well-suited for educational use.

			==Memories==
	[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]		[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]
	The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.		The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.

Root at 16:25, 26 February 2011

2011-02-26T16:25:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:25, 26 February 2011
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	There are many excellent programs written for Windows, that are a shame to give up. But, thanks to the [[wikipedia:Wine_(software)\|wine]] project, many windows software can easily be installed on Linux. Two such programs I and a few of my colleagues use EPA-SWMM5 drainage and sewerage modelling software and EPAnet water distribution network modeling software on Linux routinely. [http://appdb.winehq.org/ WineHQ] maintains an impressive list of software that can successfully run on Linux.		There are many excellent programs written for Windows, that are a shame to give up. But, thanks to the [[wikipedia:Wine_(software)\|wine]] project, many windows software can easily be installed on Linux. Two such programs I and a few of my colleagues use EPA-SWMM5 drainage and sewerage modelling software and EPAnet water distribution network modeling software on Linux routinely. [http://appdb.winehq.org/ WineHQ] maintains an impressive list of software that can successfully run on Linux.

			-- Incomplete

			[[Category:Computing]]

Root at 16:21, 26 February 2011

2011-02-26T16:21:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:21, 26 February 2011
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			I have been using Linux for about twelve years. In the beginning, largely for specialized tasks, but later I found myself increasingly using Linux for day-to-day computing activities. Today, it has grown into a truly user-friendly, powerful, yet unassuming system that provides a very viable system for home, office and educational computing. Especially the many features of today's Linux systems make them exceptionally well-suited for educational use.


	[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]		[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]
	The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.		The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.

Root at 16:08, 26 February 2011

2011-02-26T16:08:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:08, 26 February 2011
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			[[File:134-3441_IMG.JPG\|thumb\|500px\|right]]
	The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.		The first time I touched [[wikipedia:Linux\|Linux]] was during my graduate school days. In 1997 one of my colleagues, Dr. [http://www.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/~raghavan/indexe.html Venkatesh Raghvan] visited us in Tokyo University and we discussed the possibilities of serving maps on Internet using GIS and Relational Databases. He told many good things about the funky operating system called Linux and we decided to give it a try! Venkatesh and I went to [[wikipedia:Akihabara\|Akihabara]] and bought no less than ten different distros (In those days internet -- at least in Japan was too slow to download iso's though we had a cd-burner in the lab!) including [[wikipedia:Slackware\|Slackware]], [[wikipedia:Redhat\|Redhat]], [[wikipedia:Debian\|Debian]] etc and a external SCSI hard drive. We spent the whole next day in a doomed attempt to get one of the distros going in my (primarily Windows NT 3.5) computer. Linux got installed alright, but it always gave up on us when we tried to get the [[wikipedia:X-server\|X-server]] started. After a day we had to give up! That is how friendly the Linux OS those days was! Of course we were trying to get the OS and the X Windows running.