Moving To Ubuntu

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moosicsmurf

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#14333 28-Jun-2007 10:44

I'm moving from XP Home to Ubuntu. I made up my mind and am finally doing it. I do a lot of web development in my spare time such as php, html, css, js, mysql etc, but I also do Photoshop work and other applications like Microsoft word, access, excel etc.

My main concern from XP to Ubuntu is the printing and internet. I've been using just a simple USB cable between my computer and printer and Have been using Ethernet on a D-Link 506-T. I have found alternatives like GIMP and open office for my main needs, but I just need to know if any one has run a D-Link 506T on Ubuntu.

BTW it's Ubuntu 7.04 auction: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=106297925

Cheers guys and gals.

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#76184 28-Jun-2007 13:13

Linux and TCP are close and natural partners, there is nothing to do just setup the TCP parameters to DHCP and away you go.

Cyril

tonyhughes

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#76185 28-Jun-2007 13:32

moosicsmurf: I'm moving from XP Home to Ubuntu. I made up my mind and am finally doing it. I do a lot of web development in my spare time such as php, html, css, js, mysql etc, but I also do Photoshop work and other applications like Microsoft word, access, excel etc.

My main concern from XP to Ubuntu is the printing and internet. I've been using just a simple USB cable between my computer and printer and Have been using Ethernet on a D-Link 506-T. I have found alternatives like GIMP and open office for my main needs, but I just need to know if any one has run a D-Link 506T on Ubuntu.

BTW it's Ubuntu 7.04 auction: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=106297925

Cheers guys and gals.

Any linux will play nice with your router over ethertube.

What make & model is your printer? Linux printing has been improved by leaps and bounds lately. My completely-non-supported-one-year-ago Brother MFC now works perfectly including scanning etc.

Check out Crossover Office if you would like to continue using MS Office (if you have a specific need to). Openoffice is great, but in some circumstances is not a complete replacement.

I suggest that before making the switch, you write down every last bit of hardware and software you use, then prioritise it into:

Must have working (or a Linux equivilent be available and affordable)
Doesnt bother you if it works or not

As little things like webcams can be problematic,a nd may need replacing with units known to work with Linux (or go without until drivers are available). Especially check all the software you rely on - although Linux has 000's of opensource titles, there are still the odd little apps here and there that dont exist for *nix (or do, but arent mature [enough]).

Good luck!

Image your XP drive as-is first, regardless of whether you are going to dual boot or not....

rscole86

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#76186 28-Jun-2007 13:38

As the others have said,

Aslong as you have DHCP set up on your rotuer, as soon as you install Ubuntu you will be able to access the internet, with no other setting up required.

As for the ptinter then you will need to have a look around at your exact model.

This was taken off Canon's website.

Linux printer drivers are available for PIXMA iP1000, iP1500, iP2200 and iP4200 only.

However Linux being the great platform that it is, there will almost definitley be support for your printer. You may just have problems if you have a multifunction.

barf

643 posts

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#76188 28-Jun-2007 14:00

good luck with your shift-over, I did basically the same thing back in 99/2000, except it wasn't as easy then :-)

make sure you get automatix once you're up and running in ubuntu, it takes care of installing codecs, dvd rippers, browser plugins and some other still-tricky stuff.

for your webdev, you may find it useful to have Apache2, PHP & mysql installed on your system for testing. this can be as easy as typing into a terminal "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install apache2 php5-mysql" (the && executes the next command after the first is successful)

there are some nice IDEs in Linux, with PHP's function reference manual built into Bluefish and auto-completion, etc. the Synaptic Package Manager (in System menu) lists over 20,000 packages that can be installed with the click of a button. Synaptic is a fancy GUI to the apt- commands which manage the software packages installed on your system.

note re d-links: some do not have a dns proxy that was tested with Linux, this is only the older models especially the 302G, at worst you may have to configure a static IP, gateway and DNS server.

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moosicsmurf

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#76207 28-Jun-2007 17:42

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the support, I have found alternatives for nearly everything:

Photoshop = GIMP
Imageready = ???
Live Messenger = AMSN
Firefox and Opera Stay.
iTunes / WMP = Banshee
FTP Client = ???
AVGFREE = ???
MS OFFICE = Open Office 2.0
WinRAR = ???
Quick Time = ???

I'm still reading up about Age Of Empires 3 and stuff but I think that theres a way to emulate windows of something. My printer is HP PSC 1210 all-in-one, and uses a standard printer usb.

Do you guys know some programs to fill the spots with "???", thanks again.

barf

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Ultimate Geek

#76217 28-Jun-2007 18:26

FTP client = GFTP, install with automatix.
AVGFREE = maybe when Linux actually gets viruses, clamav can keep windows viruses off though. install with automatix.
WinRAR = basic built-in functionality. install 'archiving tools' in Automatix.
QuickTime = MPlayer, VLC or Totem. MPlayer is highly reccomended over the others. (seeing a pattern here?

install with automatix)

WINE is what you want if you're trying to run windows games and applications. it is installable through automatix

Imageready has no direct free/open source counterpart I can think of, but between Inkscape and GIMP, the same should be achievable. As for HTML generation you could try SCREEM.

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moosicsmurf

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#76218 28-Jun-2007 18:40

Imageready is the animation and web development side to imageready. Came with Photoshop 7.0.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

barf

643 posts

Ultimate Geek

#76219 28-Jun-2007 18:58

try running it in WINE. there may not be a free/open source equivalent

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moosicsmurf

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#76220 28-Jun-2007 18:59

Could I Run Photoshop In WINE? or even iTunes?

barf

643 posts

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#76221 28-Jun-2007 19:16

WINE keeps a database of how compatible each application is with the emulation.

just quickly looked at Photoshop in there, and apparently CS2 is known to not be working too well. Photoshop 7.0 is running good though. WINE will run some things great, while some things don't run at all. Codeweaver's WINE aka Cedega (or crossover office) may run CS2 better but I'm not sure about that.

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moosicsmurf

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#76222 28-Jun-2007 19:18

Should arrive tomorrow so I'll start backing stuff up and putting programs on a disc. Is there anything to linux that a typical windows user can't figure out, just so I know...

moosicsmurf

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#76223 28-Jun-2007 19:25

what about font's, and stuff, do they work the same as windows? and is there a notepad?

cyril7

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#76226 28-Jun-2007 19:37

Quite honestly based on some of the basic questions you are asking, might I suggest that you give Linux a miss and front up with the 2K for a Mac, there you will get a solid nix platform, with all the web develpment tools you could ask for and a slick sorted user environment to boot.

Cyril

moosicsmurf

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#76227 28-Jun-2007 19:42

yeah I'm trying to do this to try and save cash and still get an upgrade from xp, I know xp can do everything vista can but I'm sought of sick of windows as well, it keeps playing games with me... and like I said.. I'm trying to save cash so I can't really go and buy a mac; I'm gonna build some computers soon aswell and would like to market them with linux to save cash for both me and the buyer so I want to be familiar with it myself.

Personally MACS make feel stupid when there are all these giant buttons down the bottom, only used one but I didn't like it much.

barf

643 posts

Ultimate Geek

#76244 28-Jun-2007 22:22

Cyril: the BSD-derived mach kernel is lacking alot of features that the Linux kernel has, OS X's 'UNIX lineage' is good for marketing it but fact is that OS X uses alot of GNU tools (ie basic Linux tools) to make it what it is. OS X for Intel is even compiled by GNU/(Linux)'s GNU C compiler, of course Apple don't tout that Linux & Free Software gave them the tools to move to Intel. Don't get me wrong OS X is great still.

cyril you make a good point, to be fair, Linux and Ubuntu are great but moosicsmurf; don't expect it to serve you well from day one. Especially don't expect a Windows app to work flawlessly in WINE although, great news if it does. no typical warranties are issued with most free software.

Keep in mind that Linux's successful history is server-room/mainframe, boring-type roles. the Ubuntu desktop is bleeding edge and definately not guaranteed to support every little feature of your system, it tries and does a damn good job if you ask me tho.

The current Achillies heels I can think of are ATi graphics cards (but ATi are steadily getting better drivers) Canon, Brother or other less-known printers and miscellaneous peripherals like USB webcams, novelty devices and certain laptops will miss out on some features like their multimedia buttons.

One good thing worth mentioning is that laptop battery life is often better in Linux than Windows' on the same hardware. I found PowerPC iBooks to be an exception to this (OS X had better battery life again), but most x86 ACPI systems last longer in Linux, sometime dramatically so.

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