Be Careful on Photobucket Today + using Ubuntu Linux

[wihill]

Yep, I've had a linux bow all the way back from Slack 2.0.  It's such a complete, stable OS now it really makes you wonder about att the problems and hassles with the big boys.  Even Mac went to a *nix code base with its latest OS, and has gotten nothing but compliments.

Ubuntu really is the cream of the crop - great stability from the Debian tree, great compatibility for devices, and best of all - active development!  People are still working and refining it daily.

Hop on to Ubuntu's websight and download the "live CD", you can try it out and never install it on your computer.  

Enough, this is a trad bow site, not an alt OS site - back to sticks and strings!

           

[Rob DiStefano]

This thread has nothing to do with trad bowhunting ....

.... HOWEVER, the only access to the Trad Gang campfire is via the Internet. If you can't hack the right path through the Internet Woods, you'll miss joining us here at the trad bowhunting rendezvous site.

Toward the end of page 3 of this thread, the discussion begins to talk of using another computer operating system that is totally free - Ubuntu Linux - that virtually eliminates all spyware, malware, virus and bug issues. Check it out.

 www.ubuntu.com

[Rob DiStefano]

I just answered a PM concerning Ubuntu, and perhaps it's apropos to this thread ... so, for what it's worth, here goes ...........

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't give enuf praise to Ubuntu Linux - it has literally saved my computing life, as I'm working from my machines from 5am-10pm 7 days a week.

I absolutely recommend NOT getting completely rid of Microsoft, because there are some applications you may still want to use that aren't Linux based (such as proprietary applications, and games).

If your machine is already bug ridden, save any and all DATA - word docs & spreadsheets, emails and email addresses, images, videos, anything and everything of importance - this may take quite a bit of thinking and doing time, but it's time well spent.

DOWNLOAD Unbuntu Linux and save it on a CD or flashdrive.

If you have special applications on yer PC that you haven't got saved, save them as well. Save everything to a CD, DVD, or flash drive.

Now, you need to get a copy of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system (NOT VISTA!!!) along with Service Pack 2.  These go for cheap these days, do an online search.

Put the MS XP disk in yer CD drive and install it. During the initial part of the installation, make sure to completely reformat your entire hard drive - this destroys EVERYTHING on your machine, including ALL of the nasty stuff!

After XP loads, install Service Pack 2. Boot up and check out yer new Windows XP system.  DO NOT GO TO THE INTERNET and DO NOT USE EMAIL!  

You'll use Windows XP for non-Internet applications.  

You'll use Ubuntu Linux for the Internet and email and all the other apps that come bundled with Ubuntu such as the OpenOffice suite, graphics, CD/DVD burning, videos, etc.

Now, get out that CD or flashdrive with Ubuntu Linux OS on it and install it ALONG with XP - the directions are very clear during the installation on how to create a dual OS boot situation.

A this point, whenever you turn on your PC, you will have a choice to boot into Windows XP or Ubuntu Linux.  

USE UBUNTU LINUX FOR ALL INTERNET AND EMAIL ACTIVITIES!  

With Linux, there is NO NEED for any anti-virus/spy/mal/bug/whatever applications.  

Yes, email spam will still be there, as it is for any email, anywhere in the world - but any email bugs or virus won't be of concern in a Linux environment,

CAVEATS -

If yer PC is old, you've had it for the last 5 years or more, the CPU speed  is on the slow side, the RAM is low, just plain older hardware, etc, it's really time to seriously consider a new PC.  Seriously.  Doesn't mean you can't load Ubuntu - there's a version that's made for older, slower machines.
 
If any of this Windows to Linux conversion seems too daunting, too cornfusing, too much like pioneering - don't try to be a hero, seek help - most high school kids can do this stuff with ease.    :D  

Or, seek out a computer savvy friend or a local tech pro.

Or just take yer machine to a qualified computer store and just pay the $50-$100 and get it done once and for all.

DOWN WITH MICROSOFT!     :mad:    

UP WITH LINUX!            

I hope that you try out Linux and enhance yer daily Trad Gang visitation experience!

[Jason Lester]

Thanks for the info Rob. I worked with UNIX for about 4 years 5-6 years ago and loved it. I can't say I am an fluent with it anymore but I used to do alot of the LAN mantenence etc. But that was years ago. I thought about looking for / setting up a dual boot back then but never got around to it. This sounds like what I need. It will be nice to have UNIX operating system again.

The only question I had that I didn't see that you had answered was if it will dual boot with Vista. My laptop has vista home premium. I'm goona poke around on their site to see but I figured I'd ask.

[Rob DiStefano]

Yes, Ubuntu Linux will dual boot with Vista.

[Jason Lester]

Thanks Rob.

[Whip]

So if I took my computer to a qualified store they could do this conversion for $50 - $100?  That would seem like money well spent for an illiterate like myself.  

Even the simpliest of things seem very complicated to me.  Like the suggestion to switch to MS XP from Vista, but then DO NOT GO TO THE INTERNET OR USE EMAIL!!  Then download Ubuntu.  How the heck do you do that without going to the internet???  See where I could get myself in trouble?  I'm sure there is a simple answer, but there are bound to be a hundred little things like that where I won't know the answer.  Better to pay a pro I guess.

Also the thought of purposely destroying everything I have on my hard drive scares the heck out of me.  I do have an external hard drive back up, but I'm just not sure I trust myself to do this.  I know just enough to be dangerous.

I might give Ubuntu a try, but really worry about converting to MS XP.  Other than the massive memory required to run Vista it really hasn't been a problem for me so far.  I already bought and paid for the memory required to run it.

[Rob DiStefano]

Oops, my bad, Joe - I've amended my long winded post to specify downloading and saving Ubuntu to disk or flashdrive before reloading Windows XP (or Vista).  What I really meant by that "DON'T USE WINDOWS TO ACCESS THE NET OR EMAIL" statement was to use Ubuntu Linux exclusively for all Internet and email activities.

Truthfully, if all you use yer newly Windows loaded PC for is to download Ubuntu, no problem.

As to the actual cost of having someone convert yer PC to a new operating system, that's my best guess.

Most PC's have writable CD drives.  Invest in a few writable DVD's and you can load 4 gigs worth of data, docs, images, vids, etc. per disk.  I just bought a 16gig flashdrive for $24 - this PC stuff is getting cheaper by the week (probably even cheaper as our economy sinks further into the bottomless pit).

Ubuntu could care less what Windows PC operating yer using, so no problem with dual booting into Ubuntu or Vista.  I say "NOT VISTA" because I don't think it's as good or as stable or as easy to use as XP.  But by all means, if you like Vista, don't change!

Another consideration is, do you have the Windows Vista or XP operating system disks?  Too many PCs are sold without the OS disks!  If so, an XP disk will be lots cheaper than Vista.

[Jeff Strubberg]

16 gig flash drive for $24....I paid $80 for mine a few months back!

Whip, is your computer a laptop or desktop unit?  Desktops convert extremely easily.  I've seen the occasional laptop be more of a pain, but not anything I would call difficult.

The safest, easiest route is to download or order the CD, put it in the drive and reboot the machine.  It will reboot into Ubuntu without changing a thing on your computer.  You can then spend a day or two deciding if you can get things done on Ubuntu.  If everything seems fine, just click the "Install" button on the desktop.  If you find things you can't live with, just remove the CD and reboot again.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Jeff Strubberg:
16 gig flash drive for $24....I paid $80 for mine a few months back! ..

Paid $43.32 shipped with a $20 rebate. Not bad.

The Ubuntu CD is a good way to get a feel for Linux, but you can do any writes since it's CD based.

[Whip]

My new one is a laptop, and it did come with a disk called "Recovery and Applications"  I was praying I would never have to break the seal on it!         I think it is only for when really bad things happen  :rolleyes:

[limbow]

Why not just buy a Mac and be free from ALL of this virus business?

[Jeff Strubberg]

Because Macs now run a Unix derivative, but still only let you use a quarter of the software out there?

Sorry, Jobs "We know what's best for you" approach really bugs me.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by limbow:
Why not just buy a Mac and be free from ALL of this virus business?

Because, aside from what Jeff posted above, Ubuntu Linux and all its apps are FREE, forever ongoing development and support.  And it really works just great.  On ANY PC.  Oh, and it's FREE.

[Gator1]

This has been a fantastic thread on the Ubuntu operating system.

We just got a Laptop with Vista, do I need to reinstall the Windows XP with Service Pack 2?

I have heard of more troubles with hacking, and with the state of the economy, it iwll get worse.  I agree although not truly a "Traditional" topic, I think it is a good one to keep going. I am afraid to use photobucket at this point...  I hope I don't have to sell a bow..

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Gator1:
...

We just got a Laptop with Vista, do I need to reinstall the Windows XP with Service Pack 2?

...

No worries.  Ubuntu Linux doesn't care what Windows OS is on yer machine.

[Jeremy]

As far as I can tell, photobucket was cleaned up later that same day and hasn't been having any problems.

[jack benson]

Anyone wanting to try Ubuntu can run it from a live CD. It doesn't install on your hard drive and you can kick the tires so to speak without changing a thing on your system. Since it runs from your optical drive, it will run slower having to access it from there rather than the hard drive. Running Ubuntu in this fashion will also let you check compatibility with your system.

The latest version, Gutsy Gibbon will also allow one to install it within Windows using Wubi. You then have Ubuntu on your hard drive and still access Windows.

Dual booting is a good way to learn to love Linux and transition away from Windows. I have found that in many ways, Ubuntu is much better behaved than Windows when it comes to uninstalling unwanted software. The MS OS tends to leave unwanted "junk" behind when a program is removed, which often causes problems.

Linux has a program called Wine, which will run many Windows programs whose equivalent is not available in open source or program specific for ones needs. It handles many Windows programs so that going Linux does not mean giving up your games ;o)

For those of you who are still stuck with slow internet speeds (dial up), you can request a free CD with the latest version of Ubuntu by going to their site. In my experience, the disk will come fairly fast.

I've switched to a version of Ubuntu called Mint. It is a distribution based upon Ubuntu, but a little more media friendly.

Rob...great that you allowed a little enlightenment to the wonderful world of Linux!

jack

[SFB]

Rob, I'd also like to thank you for this thread....even though it may not be directly Trad related. You are giving me the needed push to try Ubuntu out.

[Downsouth]

I'm going to throw in a shameless plug for Mozilla Firefox here! I spend a fair amount of time "fixing" my friends computers for them, and the first thing I do after cleaning up the mess lol, is remove that nasty Internet Explorer icon from their desktop and replace it with a Firefox icon! Whether you're using Windows XP, service pack whatever... or Vista,(which works great if you have at least a dual core processor and 2+ gigs of ram in your PC and disable it's more annoying security junk),the easiest and simplest way to keep spyware/malware out of your computer is to download and install Firefox and never use Microsoft internet explorer again for browsing the internet. Here's the Free download page:

 http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/

It'll even import your bookmarks from internet explorer! I set my home page in internet options  to Microsoft's home page and only use it to download updates, etc. Microsoft also has a useful, free virus scanner and removal tool on their website. Other than that, stay away, lol!
Ubuntu is a great operating system, and it's comes with Firefox built in! I've tried running it and couldn't get the drivers needed for my various gadgets, so a dual boot setup is the key to a happy ending!