# Linux questions



## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

We are looking to buy a new laptop which means I will have two older ones to 'play with'. I forget the specs on them (neither are here now to check) but IIRC one is running Vista and and the other may have win7 so they are not THAT old.

I'd like to put Linux on the newer one but I'm not sure about it. First off how windows compatible is it really? Are there many programs which will not run under it? Also is it really faster then windows?

Any info will be helpful. Thanks


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

If you need to use specific Windows applications then I suggest you stay with Windows. There are Linux alternatives for just about everything, but they aren't the same applications and may take a little getting used to.

Don't count on WINE. That's a Linux project that seeks to be compatible with most Windows applications but it's still experimental.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

watcher said:


> First off how windows compatible is it really? Are there many programs which will not run under it?


If you really need to run a Windows program (a favorite game, or whatever), the easiest way is the Wine compatibility layer. You can check the website to see if your program will work: http://www.winehq.org

The other way is to install Windows in a virtual machine under VirtualBox. It's a little more complicated than Wine, but pretty bulletproof.



> Also is it really faster then windows?


Way faster. On, say, a 2ghz dual core, Vista and Win7 are quite sluggish, but Linux is very fast, and will perform well with much less memory than Windows. It's nice to have 2GB, but it works fine with 1GB. Old, slow machines that are nearly useless with XP will perform adequately with Linux and one of the lighter-weight desktop environments. I currently have 2 1.2ghz machines, a P3 with 768MB RAM and an AMD Athlon with 640MB, running Linux with the Trinity desktop; they're not fast, but they're perfectly usable.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Having just tried it and gone back to Win7. I can say if you have time and want to play, fine. If you expect it to run Windows programs, don't count on it.
WINE (the Windows Emulator) is not very good and requires a bit of Linux programming to use. I never could get WINE to work on 2 windows programs I use on a regular basis.

Last night I ended the experiment and went back to MS.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

There aren't any windows programs I'd *need* to run on the Linux box because the new laptop would be a windows platform for all of that.

AFAIK, there are programs out there to do everything I do on a laptop. I use it for picture viewing and light editing (cropping, redeye removal, resizing etc), web browsing, light audio editing (I know the program I use for that will run under Linux), word processing and a few games. Oh and I'd want to be able to watch DVDs and other movie formats.

I just want to be sure before I wipe the HD on the what is now the wife's laptop.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

I have Linux and a software called EMC2 which converts a PC into a machine controller. I use it on a CNC router (a real time set up is preferred for machine operation)

You can use Linux programs on a windows operating system by installing another program but requires both operating systems to function simultaneously (which means you double the load on your computer)


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## StL.Ed (Mar 6, 2011)

You probably don't need to wipe the hard drive to try Linux. Go into your system setup and check the boot order. If you can boot from USB or DVD before the hard drive, Linux can be loaded to the alternate device. If you need to boot Windows, just don't mount the Linux device.
Actually, it will probably be a good idea to boot Windows once in a while anyway, to get system updates. Once you are sure you're happy with Linux, then you can wipe the drive and replace Windows (or not).


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

I only have Linux on the computers dedicated for machine controllers.

There is also a machine control program called Mach 3 which was invented to use windows operating system for machine controllers.... I downloaded it onto my PC to practice using it and it wiped out some other programs ... I had to delete my Corel Draw and reload it. Mach 3 is a real time program

btw I am not very computer literate...


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## Robotron (Mar 25, 2012)

I use mach 3 on windows xp to run a cnc 4 axis mill. I have not had any issues with other software including Corel. I do have licensed versions.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

Robotron said:


> I use mach 3 on windows xp to run a cnc 4 axis mill. I have not had any issues with other software including Corel. I do have licensed versions.


Hmmmmm My uncle is an electrical engineer and an amateur machinist and very good with computers .... it was his opinion that the Mach 3 destroyed the Corel Draw. The Mach 3 is free for limited use or training and I downloaded it from their site. I will be discussing this matter with my uncle.

BTW I have a cnc wood lathe and I am retrofitting a Boss Bridgeport hopefully this winter.... I will probably use Mach 3 (or 4) on the mill

The Cadcam I am using is a free version of Cambam ...but I am planning on purchasing something better later.

I learned to write g code a few years ago at a tech school and took some Master Cam. I learned to program and operate on a Haas machining center


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## Peasant (May 18, 2013)

I've been using Ubuntu for 3+ years on my main computer (little netbook). It works fine. But be prepared to be frustrated and to have to fiddle with stuff a lot. 

I use Windows 7 on a big laptop that I mostly just use to watch videos. It also works fine. 

I don't see a significant advantage for Linux aside from the fact that it's free. That and the good vibes you get from being open source, which I don't care as much about as I used to. Nowadays I just want stuff to work without having to go into command line to mess with it.


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## reloader762 (Aug 5, 2014)

I've been running various version of Linux for several years now. I very seldom ever boot into windows except to run a couple old windows programs that only run on XP or earlier versions of Windows

My favorite version of Linux was Mint before it got to bloated for my older machines and they change version and stop support/updates on most version after a couple years. 

My preferred version of Linux the past couple years has been Puppy Linux mainly the Slacko/Slackware versions. I can pretty much do anything with it I need to do these days.

The main thing I like about Linux is I can build as many version as I need of the basic OS by removing the built in programs/components already installed I don't like or need and add what I want or need for a specific machines use. I then burn a Live ISO CD or DVD or install it to a thumb drive and take it with me anywhere I go or install it to an original HDD. 

Programs I run in Linux but not all.

Firefox
Thunderbird
OpenOffice
Foxit Reader
Gimp
XnView
VLC Media Player
Pup Radio
CUPS PDF & Printing
Flash Player
Java


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

You are thinking in the right direction, I keep one Windows machine in the house for Turbo Tax, & other things that will NOT run on Windows.

Right now we've got 3 Samsung Chromebooks in the house. Else yes, I use most any pc that still runs, with Ubuntu, or Ubuntu Studio, or Lubuntu. There are a whole series of Ubuntu family OS that are easy and supported.

Photo editing, YES, GIMP (gnu image manipulation program) can be compaired to Photoshop, Inkwell if you need publishing, LibreOffice - "is" Office + CAD Audio & video editing are all part of the Ubuntu Studio package. 

Just holler if you need any other guidance.  

JLH:kung::kung::kung:




watcher said:


> There aren't any windows programs I'd *need* to run on the Linux box because the new laptop would be a windows platform for all of that.
> 
> AFAIK, there are programs out there to do everything I do on a laptop. I use it for picture viewing and light editing (cropping, redeye removal, resizing etc), web browsing, light audio editing (I know the program I use for that will run under Linux), word processing and a few games. Oh and I'd want to be able to watch DVDs and other movie formats.
> 
> I just want to be sure before I wipe the HD on the what is now the wife's laptop.


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

reloader762 said:


> I've been running various version of Linux for several years now. I very seldom ever boot into windows except to run a couple old windows programs that only run on XP or earlier versions of Windows
> 
> My favorite version of Linux was Mint before it got to bloated for my older machines and they change version and stop support/updates on most version after a couple years.
> 
> ...


I forgot to say, I've been an IT Systems/Network Engineer, using Linux since 1995, That was a long time ago. You will be just fine with most any version of Linux, just don't let anyone mention BSD (forget I did) ... SuSE, Ubuntu, CentOS all have plusses & minus's for everyone. You can even run a virtual machine of Windows, inside Linux if you need to. 

JLH


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