MetaChat - Who uses Linux?

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23 June 2010

Who uses Linux? →[More:]So is it lynn-ux or line-ux?

Can you tell me how to put a shortcut on my desktop using Puppy Linux? I really like it so far. We use Red Hat at work and it's always been aces. My default browser is FF but I want to put the Seamonkey icon on my desktop and can't figure it out...I can't drag it or right click on it from the start menu (or...whatever the menu in the lower left corner is called).

Also, everything is out of contrast and super bright, and links are pale gray, can't read them. When I boot Windows, everything looks fine. When I boot Linux, the contrasty thing happens. Where do I adjust this?

What kind of Linux do you recommend for a first time user who is going to install? I can't abide Windows anymore.

post by: iconomy at: 08:27 | 12 comments

i have it installed but i rarely use it. i use ubuntu. it seems to be often recommended for the windows to linux newbie.

Is there a desktop theme you can adjust to get better colors? i don't know anythiing about puppy linux.

posted by DarkForest 23 June | 08:42

There are different themes, all of them look contrasty. I guess I'll try to find where to adjust screen settings or something. T'is a mystery!

posted by iconomy 23 June | 08:52

So is it lynn-ux or line-ux?

My understanding is that line-ux is technically correct (because of the pronunciation of Linus), but I hear both pronunciations about equally (among U.S. geeks anyway). I say lynn-ux (it's just so much less awkward to my tongue) and never had someone respond anally enough to correct me. (Actually I'll just as often call it 'unix' since I pretty much exclusively use it from the shell and thus have no linux-as-personal-OS advice.)

posted by danostuporstar 23 June | 09:14

Like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, I guess no one really knows.

posted by iconomy 23 June | 09:17

Incorrect. It took me 203 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

posted by Eideteker 23 June | 09:43

Hey that's quite a workout for your tongue, Eid.

I wonder how that caloric count would work...more for the workout or more for the pop?

posted by iconomy 23 June | 09:48

LINN-ucks. I've never heard LINE-ux from a professional.

Linus Torvalds pronounces it more like his name, LEE-nooks. But we don't pronounce the "i" that way in English.

posted by dhartung 23 June | 15:57

What kind of Linux do you recommend for a first time user who is going to install? I can't abide Windows anymore.

I moved to Ubuntu about a year ago and have been happy with it. It's easy for me to use, and support through Ubuntu forums has been fantastic. For about the past 6 years, I've tried to switch to Linux about once a year, and until I installed Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) last summer, couldn't make the switch. The first few years, I couldn't even get it to work with my hardware. I first tried Ubuntu 2 or 3 years ago (6.something), and got it to work, but it wasn't easy. With Jaunty Jackalope (and now Lucid Lynx), it mostly just works. When it doesn't, a quick Google usually gives me a pretty easy fix.

posted by fogovonslack 23 June | 18:56

Thanks, fogovonslack, I'm going to try ubuntu. Excited!

posted by iconomy 23 June | 20:18

I can't abide Windows anymore
I downloaded Ubuntu after our recent conversation about this. Booted up my laptop with it, chose 'try' and it all loaded up - everything worked straight up, including the scroll-equipped touchpad and it connected straight to my wireless router. I was incredibly, very pleasantly surprised. I'm convinced it's the way to go. I also can't abide Windows any more. MS, I'm done with you and that's that.

posted by dg 24 June | 07:58

I just downloaded ubuntu and put it on a cd, playing with it now. Will install to hd this weekend, voila, no more Windows problems! I will still get a Mac, and this computer will be an extra for games or whatever.

posted by iconomy 24 June | 22:41

I should have mentioned that my laptop is a work machine, so I can't install Ubuntu on it, unfortunately. I'll have to try the CD on my desktop at home and see if it works with the RAID array on that machine.

The only catch is that, with an iPhone (soon to be 2), an iPod 4G and an iPod touch in the household, we need a Windows machine for iTunes. If it wasn't for that, I'd be changing like a shot. Although ...

posted by dg 24 June | 23:13

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