re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Windows 98 Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by gewg_
(3938 messages posted)
goawayfast (aka Lisa) wrote:
|3. gewg, The spacing. Yes, I knew.
|I unchecked that box, because it says not to use it unless it's really needed[...]
|
The Webmaster did a lousy job of explaining that.
(He chose lousy defaults on the Config page too.)
Often, even the posts of old hands here look terrible. 8-(
|1. [...]I stuck with win98 SE for several reasons. Probably the biggest is money
|(I can't afford to keep buying all of you-know-who's
|never ending line of crappy "improved" operating systems).
|
That's why Free Software was mentioned specifically.
The fact that you will need new HARDWARE to run M$'s stuff was also mentioned
as well as the fact that Linux loves old hardware.
(If you look at the DistroWatch page linked below,
you'll see that e.g. Linux Mint supports i386.)
|I also felt like everything after win98 was becoming too automated.
|It sort of felt like I was letting Bill take over my computer
|
I hear you saying that M$ installing a remote kill switch on your box
http://google.com/search?q="Windows.Genuine.Advantage"
is a really bad idea. {virtual High Five}
Another name for Free Software is Free(dom) Software--aka Software Libre.
YOU are in control.
|4. Different operating system? Hmmm... I'm not feeling that computer hard core.
|
There's no need to jump in the deep end if that's not what you want.
cache
of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/a-home-users-successful-migration-strategy-from-windows-to-ubuntu-2
A lot of folks, however, just get tired of infections and out-of-their-control stuff.
Apparently, you have a higher pain threshold.
|[...]I WILL check into other systems though, such as Linux.
|
If you have the drive space, dual-boot is an option.
Any modern Linux distro includes all the gizmos;
it repartitions the drive per your specs and sets up a Boot Manager.
(I actually recommend a separate drive; you can pick up used drives for a song.)
NOTE: The stuff *included* with Linux distros makes M$ OSes look so sad.
The way Linux doesn't nuke other installed OSes while being installed
is especially noteworthy.
OTOH, WRT Win9x installs, see "separate drive" (above).
Another option already mentioned:
Booting to the CD and running without installing is something n00bs often do.
There are even several ways to get started with Linux *inside* Windoze
(though *why* someone would want their outward facing wall
to be Windoze when it could be something more secure, I don't understand).
Again, your local wizards can get you jump-started on this.
Related directly to your immediate concern:
I was unknowingly playing my cards close to the vest when I mentioned
anti-malware being **installed** on the typical Windoze users' infected systems.
I'd forgotten about it until this context jogged my old brain,
but there is actually a bootable Linux CD that addresses this issue:
cache
of http://blog.brothersoft.com/2008/12/11/free-avira-antivir-rescue-system-cd-to-clean-unremovable-virus
SEVERAL, in fact:
cache
of http://www.clamwin.com/content/view/197/106
I always smile when Linux is used to rescue Windoze's fragile little butt.
Another kind of Linux CD can avoid yet more cash outlays
for things you thought were payware.
This one, for example, replaces Norton Ghost *and* Partition Magic:
http://google.com/search?q="Parted.Magic"
Linux is SO cool.
|When I look at software boxes though,
|I don't remember any of them ever saying Linux
|as a possible OS to run the software on
|
A Free Software re-implementation of the Windoze APIs:
(aka A replacement for Windoze)
http://google.com/search?q=WineHQ
...though I can't think of any productivity software Windoze users might have
that doesn't have zero-cost Free(dom)ware analogs.
Have I mentioned that Linux *COMES* with a whole scad of useful apps?
cache
of http://distrowatch.com/mint
Something I haven't mentioned is the Linux Mint software repository
which has over 26,000 Free Software apps and isn't even *that* inclusive yet.
This site's coverage is closer to the whole truth:
http://google.com/search?q=site:freshmeat.net+inurl:projects
It's hard to find something that a Free Software developer hasn't implemented.
I'm ASSuMEing you've already dumped M$'s easily-infected online apps
(which also assist in infecting the underlying M$ OS)
and are already using e.g. Firefox, Thunderbird, MPlayer/VLC under Windoze.
In that case, the transition to all-Free-Software becomes even easier.
...and a Linux "package manager" makes getting apps simple for you:
First, it helps you finds the app by type;
then (in one motion) it downloads it, installs it, and updates it.
It also helps uninstall what you don't want any more (including dependencies).
In fact, it can do gobs of apps--all at the same time.
You can even USE the system while this is happening.
All of this is unlike ANYTHING that Windoze users are used to;
sometimes they just sit there with their mouths agape while it happens.
|(such as games).
|
http://google.com/search?q=Cedega
...which used to be called WineX.
I can't remember its name now, but there's also a Linux distro dedicated to gamers
that is chocked full of OSS games.
Obviously, I'm not a gamer.
|5. [...]It's too much damn trouble to install everything [Windoze-related]
|back onto the computer again.
|
Another advantage of Linux:
It doesn't have that STUPID Windoze Registry thing;
with Linux, there's also no reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot
to install stuff--for exactly the same reason (no stupid Registry).
Being able to tell a Linux installer what you want it to do, then just walking away
is SO cool.
|[...]I'm just a Microsoft lemming. I see the cliff ... running ... running...
|
Everybody has limits. Zero-cost solutions that you can test drive without installing
help a lot of folks in overcoming ingrained acceptance of mediocrity and antiquity.
|
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 | | | |  | re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) (gewg_: Tue, Sep 29, 2009, 4:10 pm) |
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