Linux Users of LibriVox

[lightcrystal]

I am starting to see more of us here!
We are coming!

The main problem with using Linux is getting an audio interface to work. I use a Focusrite. I followed the instructions on the UNFA Youtube channel to get the reverse engineered drivers to work. It wasn't hard.

My main reason for using Linux is the quieter environment. No AV. Minimal background junk processes. I was a Windows 7 refusenik [ ] until 2019. I use Ubuntu Studio. My short list was that or Linux Mint or Zorin.

Let's stick together. Penguin power!

[AdhiraamBose]

I am starting to see more of us here!
We are coming!

The main problem with using Linux is getting an audio interface to work. I use a Focusrite. I followed the instructions on the UNFA Youtube channel to get the reverse engineered drivers to work. It wasn't hard.

My main reason for using Linux is the quieter environment. No AV. Minimal background junk processes. I was a Windows 7 refusenik [ ] until 2019. I use Ubuntu Studio. My short list was that or Linux Mint or Zorin.

Let's stick together. Penguin power!

Can everything that can be done on Windows be done through Linux?

[lightcrystal]

That is a complex question.

Let's take the book that I am narrating now: Christian Astrology. I like to run Lilly's examples through astrology software. But there isn't any astrology software that runs on Linux. I know. There are lists. I know. I have tried all of it. None of it works. IN the end I have had to pay a subscription for some cloud astrology software that is OS agnostic.

The software that comes with the Focusrite doesn't work on Linux. Some people might care for that software. I don't.

Then there are the usual suspects for some people. Adobe stuff. I don't use it. CAD programs like Revit. I don't use them. Native instruments stuff like Kontakt. I don't use that either.

In the end I do not miss anything that Windows did in my three 3 years of being a 100% Linux user. But I cannot speak for other people and their needs.

[quartertone]

Woo! Linux!

I've been exclusively using Linux in various flavors for around 20 years now (except at work where Windows is the electronic shackle we wear).

My first dabbling was Yellow Dog Linux which ran on my Mac Powerbooks (G3 and G4). Ah wow that brings back memories. I eventually graduated to more serious hardware and used at various times/durations RedHat, Fedora, Debian, Slackware, and Gentoo. Gentoo was the most interesting to use, though time-consuming because any software being installed had to be custom-compiled for your specific system. Slackware was definitely a learning experience, not recommended unless you enjoy doing absolutely everything manually.

Eventually I got tired of the really hands-on distros and went with Ubuntu for a while because it just worked. A few years ago I switched to ArchLinux because of (ironically) too much bloat in Ubuntu, and that has been working great for my ThinkPad X1 series.

Can everything that can be done on Windows be done through Linux?

Linux may not be for everyone but it could be for *almost* everyone. Nearly everything that can be done on Windows can be done in Linux. The exceptions would be proprietary software for which there is no equivalent, or hardware that requires drivers that are not available for Linux (as in lightcrystal's example). Even in those cases there are probably other ways to get to the same goal.

My main reason for sticking with Linux, similar to lightcrystal, is having precise control over what is on my system. If I need it, I install it. If I don't like it, I remove it. The other benefit is that it's FREE ("as in beer" and "as in freedom"). There are more paid and closed-source software for Linux now than in the past, but Free and Open-Source alternatives usually exist for most non-niche things.


Woot! Go Tux!

[AdhiraamBose]

Woo! Linux!

I've been exclusively using Linux in various flavors for around 20 years now (except at work where Windows is the electronic shackle we wear).

My first dabbling was Yellow Dog Linux which ran on my Mac Powerbooks (G3 and G4). Ah wow that brings back memories. I eventually graduated to more serious hardware and used at various times/durations RedHat, Fedora, Debian, Slackware, and Gentoo. Gentoo was the most interesting to use, though time-consuming because any software being installed had to be custom-compiled for your specific system. Slackware was definitely a learning experience, not recommended unless you enjoy doing absolutely everything manually.

Eventually I got tired of the really hands-on distros and went with Ubuntu for a while because it just worked. A few years ago I switched to ArchLinux because of (ironically) too much bloat in Ubuntu, and that has been working great for my ThinkPad X1 series.

Can everything that can be done on Windows be done through Linux?

Linux may not be for everyone but it could be for *almost* everyone. Nearly everything that can be done on Windows can be done in Linux. The exceptions would be proprietary software for which there is no equivalent, or hardware that requires drivers that are not available for Linux (as in lightcrystal's example). Even in those cases there are probably other ways to get to the same goal.

My main reason for sticking with Linux, similar to lightcrystal, is having precise control over what is on my system. If I need it, I install it. If I don't like it, I remove it. The other benefit is that it's FREE ("as in beer" and "as in freedom"). There are more paid and closed-source software for Linux now than in the past, but Free and Open-Source alternatives usually exist for most non-niche things.


Woot! Go Tux!

Is Linux tough to use?
Can lesser known Linux distros be connected to printers?
And,Is Linux good for gaming(through softwares like WINE)?

[quartertone]

Is Linux tough to use?
Can lesser known Linux distros be connected to printers?
And,Is Linux good for gaming(through softwares like WINE)?

Tough to use depends on your perspective and what you're wanting to do. Also the distro will make a big difference. Some like Ubuntu are nearly plug-and-play, others may require a little to a lot of hands-on tinkering. Some distros have excellent documentation and community support, while others may be lacking (shrouded behind Enterprise paywalls, or community forums clogged with unanswered questions).

As for device compatibility you can usually find hardware compatibility lists for each distro, and drivers (proprietary or open source) exist for most things.

I'm not a gamer so I can't speak to that experience but I do know that Linux gaming is pretty robust (native and wine), and I'm sure there are big Linux gamer communities out there.

If you want to try out Linux, I recommend experimenting:
* install Linux on an old computer. Most distros will handle old devices beautifully. I have a 10 year old laptop running Manjaro Linux while my 1 year old is getting repaired.
* install on a Virtual Machine. If you decide you don't like it, all you need is to trash the VM file.
* run Linux from a flash drive. Experience it on your actual hardware.

It does take a little work but I think it's worth it in the long run.

[barbara2]

Let's stick together. Penguin power!

OK. I'm rolling along with openSUSE's tumbling Tumbleweed.

I started by using SuSE and RedHat back when you had to buy the CDs. How long has that been....not quite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VrhlyIgo3M

barbara2

(I had to use Windows for work)

[AdhiraamBose]

Is Linux tough to use?
Can lesser known Linux distros be connected to printers?
And,Is Linux good for gaming(through softwares like WINE)?

Tough to use depends on your perspective and what you're wanting to do. Also the distro will make a big difference. Some like Ubuntu are nearly plug-and-play, others may require a little to a lot of hands-on tinkering. Some distros have excellent documentation and community support, while others may be lacking (shrouded behind Enterprise paywalls, or community forums clogged with unanswered questions).

As for device compatibility you can usually find hardware compatibility lists for each distro, and drivers (proprietary or open source) exist for most things.

I'm not a gamer so I can't speak to that experience but I do know that Linux gaming is pretty robust (native and wine), and I'm sure there are big Linux gamer communities out there.

If you want to try out Linux, I recommend experimenting:
* install Linux on an old computer. Most distros will handle old devices beautifully. I have a 10 year old laptop running Manjaro Linux while my 1 year old is getting repaired.
* install on a Virtual Machine. If you decide you don't like it, all you need is to trash the VM file.
* run Linux from a flash drive. Experience it on your actual hardware.

It does take a little work but I think it's worth it in the long run.

Have you experienced Qube and Gentoo linux distros?

[quartertone]

Have you experienced Qube and Gentoo linux distros?

I used Gentoo for a few years. It's quite good, but does require a lot of hands-on management of your system. Installing applications has to be compiled from source code. The supposed benefit is that the application will be optimized to your specific system/hardware/etc.


I haven't used Qubes. I considered it but it seemed a bit too much for me. From what I understand it's meant to be extremely secure by isolating applications from each other so that applications are "silo"ed and won't know what's happening jn other silos. The Wikipedia article has a quote that describes it: "My experience was greatly improved when I started thinking of Qubes as being multiple, separate computers which all just happened to share a display screen."
I could see it being very cumbersome to use as a daily driver.

[GettingTooOld]

I am starting to see more of us here!
We are coming!
Let's stick together. Penguin power!

I'm here too now, Penguin power !!!!
I boot my computer into any of half a dozen distros. All linux

Can everything that can be done on Windows be done through Linux?

Windows is better at spying on you and causing frustration.

no wait, you mean software maybe? Oh, well, the same way some games are tied to certain platforms like PS4 or nintendo, there are a few games that are tied to linux or windows. For other stuff, software is cross-platform, like ytdl, and there is WINE which allowed me to waste my life in old Dune, plants Vs zombies and Age Of Empires. I hate and regret how much time I've spent gaming.

As for other things like drawing or things like that, linux is better because once you learn something on linux freeware software, it stays yours forever. Windows and commercial software destroys your mind along with the software from time to time. For example, you learn how to use something for your business, and one day you come to work and overnight microsoft has updated your windows without your knowledge or permission and destroyed your business. You have to spend the rest of the week trying to explain that you are out of business to your customers until such time as some computer shop can repair the computer. Thanks windows. Hasn't happened to me because I only use linux, I do know a few people who have had exactly that happen.

My knowledge of my software is as invincible as I am, which is to say, not very, because I have to die to render my knowledge useless, or at least get dementia. Whereas on Windows, these people who always say "the license is free" zomg, they're in for it when the company goes bust, they have to re-learn the whole idea on some new software. Windows shut down '95 they shut down XP, they shut down 7 8 9 so tell me what do you think is going to happen to all the investment in time and effort learning anything about Windows 10 ?

I learnt to use an old version of blender, and I keep using it and nobody can stop me. I put it on an old version of my favourite operating system and draw as I please using techniques that are quite old because I can remember them. It's free software and I can keep using it for years to come. There are no licenses. Perhaps I'll take time and make another investment in learning the newest latest version of blender, but I can put that off for years. It's up to me and how tempted I am and how many killer functions have been written to tempt me. Windows software just gets wiped out when you are not looking, or in front of your face, who cares, either way it wipes your brain and you can no more draw using the now defunct software than those businesses that relied on windows.

All the other things, like video editing and watching and browsing and writing and calculating, spreadsheets, pdfs all that is identical.

[GettingTooOld]

Can lesser known Linux distros be connected to printers?

For printing the easiest and best way is to simply get a printer that can 'print from usb'. They are not subsidized like the 'print from malware' windows connected printers. They cost about 3 times as much. You see, big brother really really burns to know who is a dissident and who is printing up fliers for the protest, and so on. A windows machine is an unapologetic screamer. Microsoft and the USA government have a very long history of working together, this is no revelation, it's announced by their public relations, talked about at press conferences, written into their EULAs. People who are familiar with it would say I'm being kind with my description of it.

Being able to compose and print things offline is a big deal and you pay a lot more for that. Look through printer prices and see for yourself. One printer place told me over the phone that print from usb was expensive and would cost something like 2-3000$. Well he didn't know. Kyocera produces nice stand alone computers, one cost me $300 or so brand new colour laser print from usb. It's 3 times as much as a connected printer, but worth it. One ring to rule them all for printing from every distro. The cheap small printers all have USB ports, but it's only to talk to big brother (only to connect to the computer) 99% of the time. It won't let you put a memory stick into that port. It's positively surreal.

The reason I need print from usb is not dissent though, it's linux. And it's printer manufacturers. Manufacturers do not want their printers to be around for very long. If you are forced to upgrade, they will profit, it's a well known principle called programmed obsolesence. I bought a well cared for printer in perfect working order with additional new cartridges for $20 knowing it would be hard to connect to linux. Actually it turned out hard to connect to anything, at all. Linux would be able to do it with a common file from the manufacturer. However, the manufacturer had decided it was end-of-life for those models and then pulled that file off the internet. Period. It could not be found anywhere, and linux distros that had it were now broken. That file was pulled out and broke the MD5sum integrity checks of all the old distros which had those files in them. Printer manufacturers do not want anyone to use old printers. eventually your printer will use it's inbuilt wifi (wether it's activated on your model's price point or not) to upload your files straight to starlink. No net needed. Old printers are therefore an intel threat as well as a business threat to new model profits and profiting by frequent replacements.

Linux is fundamentally free and open, Printers are fundamentally proprietary and closed. There are no opensource free firmware inkjet printers, or laser printers, or anything beyond DIY plotters. They do not exist. So the commecial software cannot be freely distributed on linux. However, there are some brands which go out of their way to provide free but not free software drivers for linux computers, and it does work and you can print for the next few years after a printer is released.

Linux distros without printer support are better than those which have it because without it they can remain on mirrors and in repositories and be available to you for years if not decades to come. Those with printer support must be taken down when takedown notices are issued. You lose all your knowledge of that distro at that time. You can't use it when you can't find it.

The best solution to all of this which I have found is simply print from USB. all linux systems can make pdf files, and you copy it to a usb and print.

Sorry it takes me a whole page to explain Linux printing, but then again, I guess you know it all now and why it is the way it is.

[GettingTooOld]

Is Linux tough to use?

no, not at all. there are too many how-tos, too many tutorials for complex things. You don't need to learn linux, you just need to know how to phrase a question for any search engine and off you go.

You just do not need to learn anything anymore, and it's somewhat counterproductive too. I recall the other day someone was saying he wrote a book on i think it was a programming language, and when he wants to write a program, he is looking up how to and looking at his own book too, because you just do not need to memorize everything. You will memorise a lot because you use it often, but you can just dive right in.

Linux is better because it is not wiped out against your will overnight with a forced update, along with everything you have learnt.

I like the scene in the TRON sequel, where the grown up kid finds his dads secret laboratory in arcade and sits at the computer, wiping off a thick layer of 20 or so years of dust. He enters a list of 80's era commands into the terminal. whoami, uname -a, bin/history also known as history, make install, cat, kill, touch, everything except LLLSDLaserControl works on my current day linux system. LLLSDLaserControl is for the laser machine that digitizes Flynn and his son into the computer, I don't have that on my machine at present but it is linux compatible.

My point is, 30 year old linux commands are the same today as they ever were. Windows commands from 20 years ago are dead and buried. Windows is a bit like brain damage I guess, every now and then your business crashes and you need a computer doctor and a Physiotherapist to help you learn how to use a computer again. Start with writing text files, take it slow, you're doing well.

Linux is a good investment in long or short term. Any investment in Windows will inevitably go to zero when they shut it down centrally.

[DACSoft]

Linux is a good investment in long or short term. Any investment in Windows will inevitably go to zero when they shut it down centrally.

I must admit, your posts have given me a much needed dose of comedy today, especially the comments on Linux's competitors.

[GettingTooOld]

Linux is a good investment in long or short term. Any investment in Windows will inevitably go to zero when they shut it down centrally.

I must admit, your posts have given me a much needed dose of comedy today, especially the comments on Linux's competitors.

You're welcome. Some of use are still living in the 80's system-wars era. Next, I'll tell you why the z80 is better than 6805. (maybe not)

thank god I have nothing at all to say about star trek vs star wars. nothing.

glad to brighten your day

[GettingTooOld]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VrhlyIgo3M

It's a good tune but you just can't dance to it.

Me n me Gnomies love it just the same.