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Vivi Griffin wrote:
Actually BBC iPlayer works on Linux too either using the Flash web based player (like Youtube) or using the Adobe AIR player which you can download the video files and play them within 30 days (even works for HD stuff). Alternatively you could use the get_iplayer script (I'm pretty certain it's in the Ubuntu repositories at least and possibly other distos too) and you can download the videos as an MP4 file which will play through mplayer or Totem etc (and they're not infected with DRM like the Adobe AIR iPlayer Desktop application is).2009/9/20 L Smith <lhs47crewe@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:lhs47crewe@xxxxxxxxxxx>> Hi I am an untechnical 50 something who came into Linux via an Acer Netbook about a year ago after many frustrating years of "This Program has performed an illegal operation ect" Windows use. The final straw of course was Vista. Now I happily use Linpus (which I have fine-tuned to my needs (read/write to NTFS), I also have Ubuntu and Mint on my full sized machines and run a coiuple of windows programs under Wine. I understand that now Windows 7 is the "perfect" operating system and is "whay winndows should always have been", I'm sure that will be true until the first batch of security fixes become neccessary, I shall be sticking with my Linux machines. and will be serene. My feeling now is that with the like of Ubuntu and Mint that any average newcomer could be up and running ever bit as easily and probably more quickly than with windows in any of its manifestations and what more they would save themselves a lot of money. Lena Hi Lena,Welcome to the list. I have been using Linux for several years now. I am not very technical either but, have no wish to return to using Windows, for anything other than occasional use when I have no choice (downloading and using BBC Iplayer, for example). Wine means that many Windows programs can run under Linux, anyway. I use this to run Spotify which I like for listening to music.
I am a bit of a rarity in the group I think for being a Mandriva fan. According to the Linux Format magazine it is a lot less popular than Ubuntu and other distros derived from it. However, I find it really easy to use and very stable. I had problems once with a distro upgrade and intended to stop using it but, I ended up coming back to it.I've used Mandrake and Mandriva in the past and had nothing but trouble with it. But each to their own I guess.
One bit of advice, based on my own experience. If the distro you are using comes up with a message one day, saying there is an upgrade available to a new version, be very careful about doing it without backing up everything first. Probably better to hold off and see what other people say about the upgrade before you try it yourself. Obviously, normal regular updates should be fine. Twice though, I have had major problems with a distro upgrade and now prefer to reinstall the new version, even if it takes longer.
Maybe it's a Mandriva problem?I've upgraded Ubuntu successfully in the past without any problems, as have others with Debian. I've also managed to upgrade CentOS based distros fine too. Although now I tend to do a fresh install and keep the home directory on a separate partition. It's always a good idea though to keep a backup, ideally a regular one, even if it's just onto a USB stick once a week.
About 6 months we converted one of our friends in the village to using Mandriva and have since moved them over to PCLinuxOS 2009 as it suited their upgraded machine better. I am afraid that she is our only convert to date. We do continue to try though.Hey, it's a convert at least. Thats how word gets out there, convert a friend, and they may do the same, eventually it means more Linux users.
I'm currently having another go at getting my Dad to try Ubuntu (his idea). This time he's going to try it on Virtual Box so he can keep it separate to Windows and just it as and when he pleases. He did try it before but he couldn't get on with it, I think it was partly because it was the default OS on grub so it would boot into it automatically (one of my bug bears with Ubuntu, if I set Windows to the default I want it to stay that way after a kernel upgrade).
Rob Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html