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Title: Urgent PC Request
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Published: May 21, 2012
Author: -
Post Date: 2012-05-21 10:51:03 by Eric Stratton
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Views: 292
Comments: 24
My laptop just shit the bed. It's fine, it's 7+ years old (or maybe even 8+, not sure it's been so long) and I've gotten far more than average life out of it. Nevertheless, it needs to be replaced. It's the physical aspects of it that are crumbling, not the internal or s/w ones. All I really need is a "blank" laptop since all the new ones come w/ Windows 7 which I hate. I own XP so I can reinstall that over anything that I buy. But where can I get a list of which programs work w/ Linux? Should I consider using Linux? (I don't need a litany of reasons, just whether or not it's practical, etc. I know it's better by my understanding than Windows.) I still use Outlook Express, which XP supports. Can it be run on Linux? ... or should I just buy a plain laptop and install XP over whatever's on it? I'm so confused ... : D
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#1. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
Duct tape......you need some duct tape. : ) " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Eric, I recently looked in Best Buy, Staples and Walmart for laps. What were once $799 now can be bought for $399 (that's all the machine I need anyway). Of course once you overwrite the Bill Gate's crap with your own, the warranty disappears.
Break the Conventions - Keep the Commandments - G.K.Chesterson if you don't mind buying online check geeks.com most units are refurbished, I have purchased four or five desk tops from there that never gave any problems. some come with OS installed, some do not.
I am very gratified that someone out there prefers XP to Windows7. My geek acquaintances treat me like a perv for my loyalty to my XP. New computers with XP are very hard to find. I suspect that wiping out the W7 and replacing it with either XP or Linux will complicate the warranty. I do not know much about Linux, except that so far it has not been a significant victim of viruses - possibly because it has not attained the ubiquity of Windows. There are several websites and groups on the net devoted to Linux and they can tell you about available software. There are even magazines devoted to Linux and their ads can show you want's on the market for them. However, you want a laptop. In terms of W7 versus XP or Linux that is not significant, but my limited experience with laptops tells me that the keyboards on laptops are a LOT less comfortable than the usual keyboards. It may well be that the configuration of the keyboard could be as important to you as the OS.
I injured my arms years ago and use a USB plug in keyboard with my laptop. Although my newest (and largest) laptop's keyboard is the best I've had. I can't touch type well anymore, so position of the keyboard is important to me. I also use Ubuntu Linux which adds speed and power which can be important if one is using an older laptop. If it moves, duct tape it. If it's stuck, WD-40 it. Those two things take care of 90% of the mechanical problems in the world. I sense a disturbance in the farce. Much gnashing will ensue.
Except it is too expensive to use the amount of tape it takes to babysit an active child to make them manageable. One must be reasonable about duct tape's limitations now. You can go to craigslist and search for a used laptop that has XP. http://cnj.craigslist.org/sya/ Just look in your location. There are several problems and limitations with using an older operating system such as XP with newer machines. First off, there are more than likely hardware devices on the newer machine which XP will not recognize or handle correctly without downloading the appropriate device drivers from the motherboard manufacturer, or from Intel in terms of chipset drivers. Disk IO device drivers (such as SATA drivers) will also more than likely need to be downloaded and installed. Then there is the memory limitation under 32 bit operating systems. It's 4 GB in total, but that includes all the hardware IO ranges and operating system device drivers, so you end up with about 3.2GB of available space for RAM. On a 64 bit OS the limit varies depending on the version of Windows. It can range from 8GB on Vista Home Basic, to 2TB on some versions of Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows 7 64 bit can address from 8GB on Windows 7 Home Basic, to 192GB for Windows 7 Ultimate. Memory Limits for Windows Releases Since most machines have over 4GB of memory these days, it's almost a necessity using a 64 bit OS in order be able to access all of the available memory. XP does have a 64-bit version as well, but it's not well supported in terms of device drivers from hardware manufacturers. Just suck it up and give Windows 7 a try, it's really a much better OS than XP and most definitely better than Vista. deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” —Samuel Adams America: Israel's Handmaiden
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The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” —Samuel Adams America: Israel's Handmaiden
Actually Windows 7 isn't that bad, it is better than XP, but of course it is far from perfect and still not even close to as good as Linux and probably never will be. With VMware I think you can run Windows XP on Linux so that will let you run any windows program, it will just be slow because of the overhead. Outlook is not needed on Linux though since many distros come with Thunderbird which is probably even better than outlook. I can't say for sure, I have never used outlook much. If you are still using XP and don't mind it, they you wouldn't mind windows 7 either because it is faster and more secure than XP. I use Ubuntu Linux for most of my web surfing, and some web development, but for any .NET development, I use windows 7 since Mono, the open source .NET framework, is behind the curve of the latest version Microsoft puts out, which of course only runs on Windows operating systems. God is always good!
Please, the guy wants to leave microcrap behind and I don't blame him, I do too! You sound like a Microsoft product rep. God is always good!
Linux is cool if you're a total nerd and need difficulty in your life. However, it's easier to go with the flow in terms of operating systems at the consumer level, and buy what works best with the current available hardware. I have more important things to do with my time than try to reinvent the wheel. Apple is about the only feasible alternative to MS if you want ease of use and still be able to play the latest games, do video editing and production, and have the latest software in terms of user tools and utilities. deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” —Samuel Adams America: Israel's Handmaiden
Have you ever used Linux? You don't need to be a nerd to use it, and there are plenty of programs out there for it and it works on current available hardware. I find it easier to do things on Linux because it has features that Windows doesn't even have, like workspaces. I get so use to using them on Linux that when I do use windows it seems like old technology and a pain to just switch applications with ease. Yeah I know they have alt-Tab, so does Linux, but when you have a lot of apps open even that is a bit of pain to use.
God is always good!
No, but I've used quite a few diffferent variants of Unix, ie. Berkeley, AT&T System V, IBM AIX, Venix, Solaris, and Silicon Graphics' IRIX. Linux is just another flavor of UNIX. I would hope they've progressed past the old Motif interface. I get so use to using them on Linux that when I do use windows it seems like old technology and a pain to just switch applications with ease. As far as open apps, I can just look at the task bar and pick the one I want. excellent graphic!
Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
i agree. i love my older HP laptop with XP and OE. i'm now on a newer one with Windows Pro 7 and i am not happy with Thunderbird at all. as usual, things change for the worst. Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
I have three laptops I can use, and I prefer my HP Pavilion DV6000 for day to day wifi-ing. It's older, but I've put all the Ram I can on it and have a large drive in it. My new one I am scared to have such eye candy on the table of some coffee shops I go to. I like the one across from the jail for example. But people coming down doe lane County work crews they were sentenced to spend time on come in there. I take the laptop to the rest room or am away from my table for any reason. A laptop with a low resale value is the better choice for public use. I had the video card separate from my mobo on this computer. U used the trick of putting the mobo in the oven with a weight holding the video card in place as the solder melted and resumed the electrical connection. Taking these machines apart and putting them back together is a pain in the neck, but it was cheaper then buying a new old stock mobo for a computer like this one. I've never heard of Thunderbird, but I know Windows Live Mail, which is the newer version of Outlook Express, will import Outlook Express databases with no problems. You need not use the online version, just use the one that comes with Windows 7 and let it update to its newest version. It's Outlook Express for the most part, but has a different name. deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” —Samuel Adams America: Israel's Handmaiden
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The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” —Samuel Adams America: Israel's Handmaiden
It's the physical aspects of it that are crumbling,
#2. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
#3. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
list of companies selling Linux or No-OS laptops -
#4. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
If either Moromney or Mammyjammyobammy win the November (s)election peoples with common sense will pray that December 21 2012 will indeed be the end of the world!
#5. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
(Edited)
#6. To: Shoonra (#5)
#7. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
#8. To: Turtle (#7)
"If it moves, duct tape it."
#9. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
#10. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
(Edited)
All I really need is a "blank" laptop since all the new ones come w/ Windows 7 which I hate.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#11. To: abraxas (#1)
#12. To: FormerLurker (#10)
#13. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
(Edited)
#14. To: FormerLurker (#10)
Just suck it up and give Windows 7 a try, it's really a much better OS than XP and most definitely better than Vista.
#15. To: RickyJ (#14)
You sound like a Microsoft product rep.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#16. To: RickyJ (#13)
#17. To: FormerLurker (#15)
#18. To: RickyJ (#17)
Have you ever used Linux?
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#19. To: Americans 1st (#9)
#20. To: Eric Stratton (#12)
Probably the single biggest PITA about that is how f'ing MS made Outlook Express so damned proprietary that it's impossible to transfer files history to any other e-mail app like Thunderbird, at least w/in different e-mail folders.
#21. To: christine (#20)
#22. To: christine, Eric Stratton (#20)
i'm now on a newer one with Windows Pro 7 and i am not happy with Thunderbird at all. as usual, things change for the worst.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#23. To: christine (#20)
(Edited)
#24. To: FormerLurker, christine (#22)
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