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Old 07-12-18, 12:59 PM   #1
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Default How not to install Ubuntu

In the never ending quest for frustration and #2 in the "How not to ..." series, I decided to load Ubuntu (18.04) onto a 140Gb drive.

Actually, it is reasonably straightforward and I didn't encounter any installation problems. Once installed (on my old Toshiba C655 laptop) it booted quickly (shuts down even quicker) and comes loaded with Firefox and a few other programs. I use FF and Chrome and I happened to have my bookmarks for the latter, so loaded Chrome. I also added skype, there was a "word" style writer so I haven't bothered with Open Office.

It is quick which is good.

What isn't so good is when you encounter a problem because you rapidly enter Nerdsville and I don't have a passport nor speak the language. Each step requires you to google more steps just to be able to type in the first instruction. Getting ubuntu to talk to my Win10 desktop was entertaining because 1) there seemed to be a few different methods which contradicted each other 2) it varied depending on what version of ubuntu you were using 3) a certain amount of knowledge was expected and you soon get tired of typing sudo, grep, lscfg and a host of other obscure words some of which yielded error messages others that did not. You will be expected to keep loading different software packages with no explanations of why and what they do.

My main problem is that my wifi no longer works, my laptop is stuck in airplane mode (which I have never had the option of before), the wifi won't turn on and the wifi network adaptor is disabled. This is not an uncommon problem (judging by google) but it appears there is no easy solution because each manufacturer is different. The Toshiba's wifi can be turned on/off by the function key and F8 but this now seems to be able to turn it off but not turn it back on. I did find another obscure command (note to self: make a note of them next time!) that echoes the keys and it told me that the Fn/F8 was connected to the wlan but didn't change anything whereas the Fn/F6 and F7 change the screen brightness and they worked when running this command. There is also a suggestion that "secure boot" can disable the wifi but I can't find how to disable that because most of the instructions 1) give me a headache because it's unclear whether the secure boot is in the Toshiba or in ubuntu or in both, 2) generate an error and 3) don't seem to match up with my laptop (there is no secure boot option in my bios)

Fortunately, I don't need wifi at the moment and I have win7 loaded on another SSD so I can switch back easily.

So, is ubuntu worth it? It's significantly quicker in start up/shutdown and is quicker (than win7 on an SSD) at web browsing but not by much. It is allegedly virus resistant which is good and there are a/v programs available (if you're a doubting Thomas).

I was curious but I don't think I will be staying with it. There's a pioneering feel to it because you have to drop into command line instructions so often, a bit like Windows 3.1 and dos (if you're old), I've asked for help on a ubuntu forum regarding the wifi and I'll give it a couple of days and see what happens.
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Old 07-12-18, 01:44 PM   #2
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

I have a Raspberry Pi that I often use for browsing. I loaded Raspbian, which has built in word processor, spreadsheet, pretty much mirroring MS office ( and files are interchangeable ) and loads of other stuff, as it is Linux based it means using it as a browser you don't get pop up adverts and are lot less likely to get malware. Has 4 USB ports, Ethernet socket, HDMI socket, audio jack and WiFi
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Old 07-12-18, 07:11 PM   #3
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

WICD is worth a try, I've found it far better than the default wireless tool.
Can often sort out wireless issues just by changing over to WICD.
https://launchpad.net/wicd

Askubuntu well worth a look, also Omgubuntu

Ubuntu forum full of bellends.

Xubuntu far better than regular Ubuntu, Synaptic Package Manager much better than default software centre imo, maybe I'm just an old phart stuck in a timewarp.

sudo apt-get install synaptic
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Old 08-12-18, 12:34 PM   #4
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

Hardware support on odd bits of laptop hardware is always a bit ropey on any Linux distro. The manufacturers only release drivers for windows. Can't blame them.

It's the nature of open source software that there's any where from zero to a thousand different ways of doing the same thing. Making the average a lot higher than one.

Ubuntu is about the best known and best supported there is. Command line is the primary method of interaction by choice. It's standardized (as far as anything is) and it's easier to support being just text, easy to copy and paste.

I think about half my job boils down to "monkey Google, monkey paste". I'm a Linux admin, in case you hadn't guessed.
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Old 15-12-18, 03:26 PM   #5
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

ahhh the joys of windows shares..... its all done deliberate so people buy NAS.

i dont go linnsucks as i CBA bashing the keyboard. windows just gets on with it with a lot more "polished" GUI.
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Old 15-12-18, 10:37 PM   #6
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

Its actually real easy to use Ubuntu after you learn The Big Lesson...


DO NOT USE THE UBUNTU FORUM


Windows isn't easier, you just know how to use it.


File sharing in Linux is a doddle, no CLI required whatsoever.


Thunar has had native network file browsing for ages so its GUI all the way with Xfce.
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Old 16-12-18, 09:26 AM   #7
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

Quote:
Originally Posted by Talking Heads View Post
File sharing in Linux is a doddle
...if you...
a) know what you're doing
b) spend long periods of time googling

I do recall that on the AIX RIP I used to service, connecting between RIPs was fine, connecting to Macs wasn't too bad, connecting to Windows involved a blood sacrifice.

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Originally Posted by Talking Heads View Post
Thunar has had native network file browsing for ages so its GUI all the way with Xfce.
I know some of these words. but not in a comprehending way
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Old 16-12-18, 06:59 PM   #8
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

You see the problem is that without even intending to, ye have piled up Windows knowledge and become accustomed to it.
Unlearning the Windows way takes time and determination.

You have to wean yourself off it gradually and you have to want rid of it.

Took me a couple of years to finally get there.
For me it was definitely worth it.


Benefits for me are:


Free as in open source (and free as in beer) software galore
Repository system

Free updates, upgrades and LTS (Long Term Support)

No anti-virus required
Updating process runs in background with no slowdown

Much fewer hardware upgrades required

(since I went full time Linux in 2008 I haven't had to buy a new computer)
After many years and upgrades still runs as fast as when installed
NEVER hangs or crashes
Etc etc etc.


Thunar = file browser application


"native network file browsing" = the application needs no fiddling with to look at shared drives, locations etc. its strictly point and click within the application itself


GUI = Graphical User Interface, the normal way of accessing information on a computer other than by CLI (Command Line Interface)


Xfce = A lightweight desktop environment https://www.xfce.org/ (fairly light on resources so lets your old hardware run very nicely)


By comparison to a typical Xfce or Lxde distribution, standard Ubuntu is a big fat bloater of a thing.

Last edited by Talking Heads; 16-12-18 at 07:01 PM.
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Old 18-12-18, 12:04 AM   #9
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

I bought an HP gen 8 Microserver for Photo storage and toyed with Freenas/Linux as an OS but went Server 2016 essentials in the end, simple reason - I know how Server 2016 works, never really got into Linux (apart from the software firewall at work) and was too much work to get stuff done.
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Old 03-01-19, 11:19 AM   #10
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Default Re: How not to install Ubuntu

I love Ubuntu, but my main system died last year because of an old ropey HDD that finally let go and did an electric wee of despair and then wiped my data. Thank heavens for back ups and external drives, it would take years to find and save that much internet grot again!

This left me with the choice of using the Google Chromebook (an atrocity of a machine that should be burned as a witch), or the Windows 10 Laptop (that is a swine of the highest order and always wants to update when I am most busy and yes I have tried to adjust the update times to no avail. What kind of a ******** decides to remove the right to disable update and then releases a press release saying manually updating the damn thing gives you beta tested software that may remove data, expose your banking details or introduce clingons to your starboard bow!? Grrrr... It is Windon'ts as far as I am concerned!) which I really do not enjoy or my lovely friendly old Mac.

I have now repaired the Linux machine with another ropey old HDD and I obviously picked up the wrong one because it now runs rather slowly, which given that three years ago the new Motherboard and memory put it up there among the speedier systems. However, changing from 16.04 to 18.04 soured me. I do not like this new style of lightweight, mobile phone-alike OS and I am seriously considering going back to 16.04.

Yes, I am a grumpy old whatsit, no I do not like Wongows 10 or Chrome OS and yes I am a Mac evangelical who has a candle lit for Steve Jobs! Actually, that is not true. After all, have you ever tried to get your Mac repaired? At least with the PC you can open the case, fit a new HDD and get it running again in under twenty minutes. Not so with the iMac... Oh noes, you need special tools to get the screen off and then you need written permission from God himself to remove the screws from an iMac case. You then need an even higher authority than the creator of the entire universe to give you permission to swap out an optical drive or what ever stupid component they have decided is not coded to my machine and thus will never work again! So screw Apple too...

In conclusion, this is my opinion of computer OS.

Linux - Used to be nice, but since Microsoft started paying into the foundation, has developed teeth!

Chrome - Evil and will try to steal your soul which it will sell to literally anyone!

Windows - Smug, unhelpful and mean spirited, even without the stupid Paperclip!

Apple - Despicable, deliberately and often spitefully unhelpful, but so pretty to look at.

Making four different OS talk to each other across my home network was a challenge that even climbing Mount Everest cannot compete with. Even now though, the iMacs and the PCs still refuse to talk to each other, even though I have installed the software needed to make it happen, I have ticked every tiny little box, I have restarted the systems several times, I have checked and rechecked the permissions, I have prayed to the great god of the void, I have sacrificed six hedgehogs to the iMac and anointed myself with their juicy innards in the name of Wozniac! Yet even though the Wontdos 10 laptops and the iMacs can see each other, they still utterly refuse to file share!

This is why I have gone back to calligraphy and using a fountain pen... A fountain pen will not suddenly refuse to work with your same old paper, following an update from the people who made it because they just want you to buy new paper... Grrrrrr!

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