Trad Gang
Main Boards => Trad Gang and Computers => Topic started by: Rob DiStefano on February 10, 2010, 08:56:00 AM
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If you are currently using any of the Microsoft operating systems (XP, Vista, Windows 7) your pc is open to attacks form virus, malware, spyware and other intrusions.
These nasties enter your system through emails, websites, or just via your always present internet connection.
Not a problem, you say? You have anti virus, malware, spyware, firewall, etc. programs running to protect you, so you're safe.
Not really. The 'anti' software is only as good as its updates, and sometimes those updates are too late. And the always background running 'anti' programs drag down system performance and are known to conflict with some legitimate applications.
Enter Linux Mint.
NO need to ditch your pc and spend a bundle of money on an Apple Mac.
Linus Mint is a UNIX based operating system (similar to a Mac) that looks and acts lots like any Windows operating system, only there won't be any bugs. Nada. None. Zilch. Zip.
Linux Mint is FREE and comes with a killer suite of applications already built in, including the Firefox browser, Thunderbird email, Open Office suite that is compatible with MS Office, a PDF reader AND writer, superb image editing software, FTP and HTML apps, CD/DVD burning apps and tons more USEFUL software ... free. Uh huh, no charge. Nada. None. Zilch. Zip. And no strings attached!
You can install Linux Mint on the same pc that's currently running any Windows operating system, in a dual boot environment, meaning you can load either operating system when you turn on your computer.
www.LinuxMint.com (http://www.LinuxMint.com)
Did I mention it's FREE? :D
FWIW, I administer all of Trad Gang via my Linux Mint notebook pc.
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They say for new users to download the "Main" version. When you click on main version it asks "Download mirrors, torrent and MD5" or "Direct download".
I'm not computer illiterate, but don't understand the two choices.
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click on 'direct download'
what yer downloading is the linux mint iso image - you will burn that image to a cd using a cd burning application. when burning an iso image, burn at the slowest speed possible. this will be the hardest thing to do when installing linux mint.
if all of this is too much, and i sure can understand that, spend the $10 and have them send ya linux mint install cd.
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Thanks Rob. I've used ubuntu which is a free linux system that will install as a windows application that you dual boot too. Makes for a very simple install and an equally simple uninstall if you don't like it.
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By the way with ubuntu you don't have to risk loosing data with repartitioning the hard drive. I've been able to run in ubuntu some programs that were installed in windows using wine without having to install them in ubuntu. For example I can run USAPhotomaps by going to the Program folder in windows, open the USAPhotomaps folder and right clicking on USAPhotomaps.exe and choose to open with wine and it works great.
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Rob,
For the last couple of weeks, I have been all over the Mint website. With MS support for XP ending in June / July, I have decided that it is time to make a Linux distro my OS with XP for when I need it, if ever. Mint is looking like my fave!
Ray
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Originally posted by BenBow:
Thanks Rob. I've used ubuntu which is a free linux system that will install as a windows application that you dual boot too. Makes for a very simple install and an equally simple uninstall if you don't like it.
linux mint is actually a modded version of ubuntu!
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There are alot of Linux operating systems.I couldn't wrap my brain around the idea that there was literally dozens.
The great thing is alot are free.So if you dont like Mint you can try Opensuse or Mepis ,Kubuntu,freespire.......
And all of the ones Ive used will allow you to partition with windows if you want.
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Will one have to find and manage add-ons to do the things one does now on Vista or XP?
Firefox was a pain with this. No add-on, no work. Spend tons of time finding correct add-on. repeat.
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Originally posted by Missing Impossible:
Will one have to find and manage add-ons to do the things one does now on Vista or XP?
Firefox was a pain with this. No add-on, no work. Spend tons of time finding correct add-on. repeat.
depends on what add-on(s) you require, i guess. the only thing i needed to was a flash plug-in and that was too easy.
if yer a gamer, the weakness of any linux os is GAMES - windows has the market share of gamers in their pockets.
other than that, linux mint has everything you'll need built in, or available as a near instant add-on for free. you even get a PDF *writer* built in, not just a PDF reader.
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What requires add-ons? I'm asking this for those of us who might give it a try. I tried firefox because of a post like this and soon became frustrated because it seemed like everything required some independant download to make firefox run anything that previously ran fine with MS. I'm a gamer too, thanks for letting me know that shortcoming.
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mi, what version of linux did you try out? linux mint is far better and easier than even unbuntu and mint works 'right out of the box' for every machine i've installed it on (more than a dozen).
it's all about priorities.
i don't want do deal with the bug/spy nasties - answer: install linux or buy a mac
i want to play games - answer: dual boot linux with windows
i haven't found an ms os that doesn't need tweaking somewhere down the line, typically sooner than later you will need to reload windows. for folks that buy a pc WITHOUT the ms os discs, yer in for a bad surprise.
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I was really neervous about what I would be giving up.I think,if you want to try it a dual boot is a great way to go.Its free so if you install it and dont like it you didnt loose anything.
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even better, just boot up with your current windows system, pop in the linux mint cd, run mint off your cd - you won't be able to save any data to your cd, but you'll get a solid feel for linux mint without disturbing anything on yer pc.
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I did that with about six different versions of linux before I settled on mint.If I could get Itunes to work,and a couple of my games-I would get rid of Windows completely.
Robert
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I'll take her for a spin this weekend.
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an fyi ...
the linux mint 'main edition' direct download.
this is an iso file that needs to be burned to a cd or dvd disc.
if you don't have cd/dvd burner software, there are any number of free burner apps on the web.
burn at the slowest speed possible. i burn at 2x.
check the integrity of the disc - after creating an install cd or dvd (either types work fine), pop in the disc, a green screen opens and during the 10 second automatic countdown press the 'enter' key. this opens a menu on the cd. highlight 'check the integrity of the cd' and press 'enter'.
make sure the cd integrity is good! if not, you'll just waste time.
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Thanks Rob. Looks like the codecs are finally included, that was my gripe.
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Rob, could you tell me how to verify my MD5 signature. I'm running from the disk and need to know if my iso file is ok before partitioning my drive for install.
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pop in the mint disc, restart or turn on your pc, when the mint green 'automatic boot in 10 seconds' screen comes up, quickly press the 'enter' key, highlight 'verify cd intergrity' and press 'enter'.
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I have a dead lap top I'm seriously considering putting a new hard drive in and trying to put some type of Linux operating system on. Bad idea?
Not sure I could get the download right, but it looks like the last (previous) version is the most current available on CD. Not sure what I'm gonna do. :banghead:
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@ SlowBowinMO, Per the users guide pdf on the mint download page, I used this http://infrarecorder.org/
to burn the image. I could not get Nero to burn the iso image for me. I also found this page which gives several common add-ons that should make linux easier to transition to from windows. http://how2forge.net/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-8-helena
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tim, just go for it - once you've been minted, it's very hard to go back to windows and all it's nasty hacker issues.
the absolute hardest part of any linux os is burning the iso download to create the install disc. i've wasted about a dozen cd/dvd discs getting the dang thing to verify correctly (see my post above on mint verification). not all iso burning progs work well. always burn at the slowest speed possible.
if you can't seem to get the iso to burn to a verified install disc, best to just spend the $10 and get the disc delivered. once you have the install disc, you can easily make as many copies of it as you like. backing up an install disc is never a problem - burning an iso file to create an install disc is the problem.
also, the linux mint iso can be 'burned' to a flash drive (1gig is all that's needed) - this means no wasted discs if there are iso burning issues. you just set your pc's boot sequence to allow for booting from a flash drive.
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Still playing with this in my spare time (hah hah what's that?!) I see an iso file that's 688 mg and a KDE file that 1.08 gigs...which one do I want on my flash drive?
What's fluxbox? Do I need that too?
Thanks, Tim
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you want to download the linux mint 8 main edition (iso file) ....
http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/linuxmint.com/stable/8/LinuxMint-8.iso
... after doing so, here's the page that shows how to create a full working copy of linux mint 8 on a flash drive ...
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/create-a-linux-mint-8-usb-flash-drive-from-cd/
what fluxbox? don't need no steenkin' fluxbox. :D
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Just noticed this thread. Been using Mint for a long time as dual boot with Win 7. A few weeks ago, I needed (at least I thought I did)to run Win and since I had not used it in a while...it went to autoupdate itself...after which it was corrupted.
Trying to re-install Win in its partition, it took over the entire drive and wiped my Linux and data (thank God for back ups!). I took it as a sign and re-installed Mint 10 and have given up Windoze forever.
FWIW: I thought I needed MS to deal with my GPS and Audible audio books...both which work perfectly and install easily under WINE.
You do not need MS for anything and Mint is and has been a super OS. Those who use the Windows versions of Firefox, Thunderbird (email) and Open Office will have no problems doing 99% of what we all use computers for as they work the same (or better) under Linux.
jack
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i'd truly be lost without linux mint - it's that good.
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Don't forget guys you can run a Virtual Machine to check out other operating systems or if you have any programs that have to run with a certain OS without going the whole dual-boot thing ;)
I have been using VMware but Oracle has one that is open source though I have yet to test it, more info is available here: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/VirtualBox
Currently with my win7 box as the base I am running mac os panther (shhhh, not supposed to be doing that), 2 flavors of ubuntu and a security-centric version of linux called BackTrack which is used for penetration testing.
It's a great way to test operating systems without much "fear of repercussion" that can come from messing around with boot partitions :)