Everyone who uses the most common operating system eventually gets frustrated with it. Sometimes the frustration gets so intense that we writers are willing to tackle the intricacies of operating systems and partitioning in order to find an alternative.
I partitioned the hard drive on my laptop and installed Linux. I now have a dual-boot system; one operating system (OS) for work and the other for play. The 'play' OS will still be running years from now when the work OS is no longer useful.
The instructions are not yet complete, but there is enough there to get you started. Once I get it complete (in the next few days) I will require you to register with the forum in order to view it. This is to protect the forum from people who want to rant about their favorite operating system. You must be registered to obtain a license to rant!
Hope this is helpful,
mikemunsil
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Bless you! I have been wanting to convert to Linux for ages and have been scared of the hassle. Your instructions make it look really manageable.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
If I ever build another computer from scratch (and this is probably a given, I can't just keep inheriting virtually new computers forever) I'll definitely install Linux. For now, I don't really have a problem just using the preinstalled software, since "my" Compaq has several bits of propriatory hardware that aren't well supported by Linux. During the time that the preinstalled OS was deleted I used Mandrake Linux and liked it a lot, despite the lack of sound or my Windows specific games. But right now my geekiness is oriented in different directions.
Posted by SteeleGregory (Member # 2049) on :
Ugh. Changing OSes to make word processing easier is like using a sledgehammer to clean fine china.
I'm not saying Linux isn't cool. I just don't see the benefit in changing over for writing. I mean what could the alternate writing apps possibly do that would make learning a new OS worthwhile?
Don't let me discourage you though. Have a good time!
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
SteeleGregory
LOL You cannot write if the machine crashes every half hour!
The intent is to have a stable platform to work on. If I intended to improve the word processing experience, I would use Word Perfect, which I also do.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
My installation notes are complete. Go to the URL at the top of this thread if you wish to see them.
Posted by Eadwacer (Member # 2393) on :
Bah! I use Gentoo!
Well, OK, I use XP Pro (with OOo) for my wordprocessing, but my writing has switched to paper and fountain pens for the first draft and computer only for the later work. The Gentoo isn't used for writing.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Seriously, if you don't have a good preinstall of Windows that works right out of the box, then it isn't worth the hassle compared to Linux. I remember the times when I would install Windows on a computer myself, it took all day and four times out of five you'd have to do it again because of something or other.
Installing Linux takes 15 minutes to an hour (real time, not pretend time), you want to do it again because it was actually fun, but you start playing around with all the cool stuff you can install or the geeky bits or the compiler or even just some basic apps, and you love it.
Also, Linux systems really are stable compared to Windows. The kind of minor hardware glitches that will cause Windows to crash on startup after startup while you frantically fiddle simply do not bother Linux at all.
That said, if you've got a working preinstall of Windows, then why bother? Linux is more for the scratch-built/barebones-up system type of person.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
Or for people who are into roadkill. Here's how to install Linux on a dead badger:
Wow, I read Hatrack to get AWAY from these kind of discussions! :-)
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
That's very funny.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
Okay, I'm busted. The REAL reason I installed Linux on my computer was so I could start this thread and eventually work around to showing that a Linux install could be published by a fantasy webzine.
It was a bet.
And I WON!!
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
We tried to install Linux once. It doesn't seem to be as robust as you people are claiming.
Posted by dpatridge (Member # 2208) on :
depends on the distro. if you want robust, you should definitely keep away from gentoo. Red Hat is good if you stay about 1 release behind for stability, although i would never choose to use it myself.
i'm sure there are others to stay away from, and others to go with, but one other i can think of is Debian. that distro hasn't been kept updated and isn't worth trying to run anymore.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
The voodoo install on a dead badger story has been there for quite a while, though. So it was a sucker bet. It's no fair to bet someone that something could be done when it's already been done unless the bet is whether it has already been done.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
Well, yeah. It was a sucker bet. But I only bet him a cup of coffee.
