Simply Mepis Journey

[fauxpas]

OK... let this thread serve as my memoirs into the ups and downs of converting to linux...

I have chosen to use SimplyMEPIS 3.3

I have installed it on my HD and just like WinXP it has found and configured all my chit and I have a net conection via lan/dsl without any manual configuration on my part...

After a few simple clicks I found how to change the time settings and background etc...

Let the ups & downs begin... :( :) :D

[fauxpas]

OK then...

So the OS is on and running... My only concerns now are programs I can/can't use...

I downloaded TrillianInstaller.exe and it says "What app would you like to use to open this file?"

hmmmmmmmm

Next... DC++ (The main leeching app I use online)

hmmmmmmmm

Am I doing something wrong?

All I want to do with this box is online leech and icq/msn...

[ViLLaN]

Your downloading Windows programs.. They wont run on linux.. Ie.. Anything that ends in exe is a windows application, and cant be used on Linux. There are linux equivelants of both those programs..

I use "Gaim" instead of Trillian (im actually a registered paying user of Trillian, but I prefer Gaim), and there is a DC++ equivelant, but I forget the name.

[fauxpas]

GAIM is available for FC3, RH9 and Mandrake...

What is MEPIS most alligned with?

[fauxpas]

doh... SimplyMEPIS comes stock with GAIM... problem is I cannot get it to sign into my icq or msn... The input areas are retarded...

Like there's no obvious place to input your icq number or type your msn email addy...

:angry:

[fauxpas]

k... after fartar$$ing around, I got GAIM working...

When I try and install limewore it says I have to use debian to install it... wtf?

Staying away from torrents, what leeching app is best on linux?

[neo_kre8or]

* KoPete for ICQ / MSN (Well i like it better then Gaim and it works fine)

apt-get install kopete

* Azureus for Bit Torrents - Should be installed by default

* Amule for p2p - Cant Remember how i set this one up

*Valknut - Similar to DC++ (http://dcgui.berlios.de/feature.php)

To install Valknut (Run as Root)

apt-get install dcgui-qt

then on KDE menu -> Run -> Valknut



On a off note you said you were having trouble getting a debain package to work?? This seems strange as Mepis is only a modified Debian Distro.

http://www.mepis.org/forums - Is a good place to look for answers :)

You need any more help im usually on MSN or ICQ :)

[fauxpas]

Cheers bro... just remember I have no idea... Debian? wtf is that? I was thinking to install apps need applications to install applications...

silly me...

[blot0]

happily trundleing along with Fedora Core 4 test2 at the moment..
takes a bit of getting used to after many many many many years of windows.

[blot0]

anyone know any good linux equivelents for windows media player classic??

[ViLLaN]

Xine.

[Damage]

Originally posted by blot0@May 7 2005, 08:52 PM
anyone know any good linux equivelents for windows media player classic??
81701


I use "mplayer"
DESCRIPTION
mplayer is a movie player for Linux (runs on many other platforms and CPU architectures, see the documentation). It plays most MPEG/VOB, AVI, ASF/WMA/WMV, RM, QT/MOV/MP4, OGG/OGM, MKV, VIVO, FLI, NuppelVideo, yuv4mpeg, FILM and RoQ files, supported by many native and binary

Usage: mplayer [options] [url|path/]filename

Basic options:
-vo <drv[:dev]> select video output driver & device ('-vo help' for a list)
-ao <drv[:dev]> select audio output driver & device ('-ao help' for a list)
vcd://<trackno> play (S)VCD (Super Video CD) track (raw device, no mount)
dvd://<titleno> play DVD title from device instead of plain file
-alang/-slang select DVD audio/subtitle language (by 2-char country code)
-ss <timepos> seek to given (seconds or hh:mm:ss) position
-nosound do not play sound
-fs = fullscreen playback (or -vm, -zoom, details in the man page)
-x <x> -y <y> = set display resolution (for use with -vm or -zoom)
-sub <file> = specify subtitle file to use (also see -subfps, -subdelay)
-playlist <file> = specify playlist file
-vid x -aid y = select video (x) and audio (y) stream to play
-fps x -srate y = change video (x fps) and audio (y Hz) rate
-pp <quality> = enable postprocessing filter (details in the man page)
-framedrop = enable frame dropping (for slow machines)

Basic keys:
<- or -> = seek backward/forward 10 seconds
up or down = seek backward/forward 1 minute
pgup or pgdown = seek backward/forward 10 minutes
< or > = step backward/forward in playlist
p or SPACE = pause movie (press any key to continue)
q or ESC = stop playing and quit program
+ or - = adjust audio delay by +/- 0.1 second (for those badly dubbed movies we get when lip sink is out)
o = cycle OSD mode: none / seekbar / seekbar + timer
* or / = increase or decrease PCM volume
z or x = adjust subtitle delay by +/- 0.1 second
r or t = adjust subtitle position up/down, also see -vf expand

get it here http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/dload.html

[muttster]

If you want the noobest distro available go for Ubuntu.
Has its own package manager so no more apt-get:P
I found it really easy to install and use, only problem was its not kde so no K3B, unless u download the kde desktop environment thru synaptic package manager.

[neo_kre8or]

who said mepis doesnt have a package manager?

It actually has two - kpackage and synamentic :) (Spelling is wrong on second one - i will edit tonight)

[muttster]

no one did:P I just gave a nice n00b alternative to the main Linux distros.

[blot0]

got all my gstreamer codecs working or i'm using totem player.. i think its a bit more asthetical then xine and mplayer..
got rhythmbox working aswell.

only real probly i have now is that i cant install drivers for my radeon cause i chose to use fskn Fedora Core 4 ... .ing test OS POS!.. the api has changed so i cant even compile my own...
*sad face*

[neo_kre8or]

meh - Fedora - Enough Said!

[Damage]

Originally posted by neo_kre8or@May 10 2005, 04:58 PM
meh - Fedora - Enough Said!
81984


Wash your mouth out boy!!

[blot0]

starting to get realy annoyed with linux now..
its probly the release i'm using but i dont have to cap left to download a new one.
noting "just works" its a pain in the ass to install anything... that is IF you can get an RPM for it... and 90% of the time YOU CANT..so you have to compile it..
but... that ether needs 50 other dev pack src + kits that you dont have to be able to compile it.... if you actually manage to compile it... and goto run it... it usually ends up locking up your box leaving you with nothing to do but hit the restart button...

it took me like 2 days to get it so i could watch my movies and epp's on this thing.. but it has 0 error handling ability so if there is even 1 dead frame in the entire movie the program will lock up .. wich will then enturn lock your entire pc up... again having to hit mr restart button.

dont even get me started on having to compile drivers into the kernel to make your . actually work...

can any one suggest any DECENT distros.. cause Fedora Core 4 is a piece of . at the moment... gentoo was good.. untill it came time to get X working..

maybe umbuto or whatever it is will be better.

</annyoed rant>

[blot0]

downloading this "simply mephis" thingo
wouldnt mind going to fedora core 3 tho..
dont have the cap to download lots tho.. gone thru 8 of my 12 gig so far on downloading and installing gentoo and fedora 4 alone. (well i downloaded like 2gb of stuff before switching to downloading and settin up linux... but 6gb.. WTF..)

[fauxpas]

Got all my linux CDs off ebay for a few bux cause I cbf dling or leeching off ppl at lan...

Will get fed3 to round off my collection to test...

There are so many types of linux it confuses the phuk out of me... because if you dl an app for linux, it gives you 3-5 different choices and if your linux OS is not on the list, I ask, which fukn one?

grrrr.... frustrating...

and I must say that I am disappointed I can't run all the apps on linux I do on XP because unix has been round for longer than most posting in this forum have been alive...

Cut down the amount of linuxs and get more apps running on it and it'd be unbeatable...

[blot0]

spreading out and going no where insted of gathering and stomping forward

[fauxpas]

Yep... as much as I am a windows nut... only a wanker would say windows is better than linux...

If aaplication produced 1 ver for mac, 1 for linux and 1 for windows, it'd be a done deal... hardly anyone would be left with ms...

[Damage]

try up2date

[fauxpas]

I will continually add to this list as I find them

Red Hat
Simply Mepis
PCLinux
Mandrake
Mandriva
Ubuntu
Fedora
K12
LinuxNEWBIES
SUSE
BLAG Linux
Caos/CentOS
Debian GNU/Linux
Phat Linux
aLinux
Peanut Linux
Kubuntu Linux
Slackware Linux
OpenLinux/Caldera
PaiPix

[neo_kre8or]

DistroWatch (http://distrowatch.com/) -> Good Site for checking Distro and ppl's opionions of them.

As another Source of finding programs to match Windowz ones for linux i find this thread very helpful

Windowz -> Linux Appz (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=33183)

And finally i think Blot0 you wont be disappointed with Mepis :)

[neo_kre8or]

Originally posted by Damage@May 10 2005, 05:24 PM
Wash your mouth out boy!!
81996


Hmmm - Have you tried Mepis b4?

As a user of Mepis and previously FC3 i would have to say that MEPIS .s all ova Fedora!

Antoher point i can understand what Blot0 is going through with RPM installation and dependiencies - It is quite frankly a pain in the -. Im not sure if i didnt play around with it enough but i can have a full system going in around 30mins usuing a Mepis Live CD, then apt-getting packages i need.

I have yet to try Ubuntu - but i will be installing on laptop as dual Mepis / Ubuntu system in the next week or so.

And another litlle thought is i find Vanilla Debian very useful to use - i do a network install and dont even install X! (Although i wasnt comfortable using amule in command-line - so install KDE 3.3) - but i can do everything on my server remotely without a restart @ all - i luv Linux :)

I have recently tried CrossOffice! Anybody have any thoughs on it? I found it to be a generally good program to use however there are some bugs which need ironing out :)

Also im looking for a "netlimiter" kind of appz for linux - dont really care it command based - and dont want to use a "firewall" setup or proxy to do it :)

[ViLLaN]

For the record, Fedora uses both apt-get and yum to resolve dependency issues.. It isn't any different..

[Damage]

Originally posted by ViLLaN@May 11 2005, 08:13 AM
For the record, Fedora uses both apt-get and yum to resolve dependency issues.. It isn't any different..
82048


Are you sure....
I typed as root in terminal "apt-get install dcgui-qt" and i got the "Comand not found" message...

[Damage]

Nevermind I had to install apt first...

Umm, buy the way how do I use a proxy username and password in "terminal"
I have it at work and mozilla works with a proxy but terminal doesnt ask..

And the apt-get just sits there...waiting for a connection.

[MaJ]

Install as many distros as you want, bottom line is that they are all pretty much teh same. Distros like Simply Mepis & Fedora Core are for n00bs that like barbie interfaces & everything simplified. Sure it takes time to install, time to learn, but your gonna have to learn it either way coz linux is the way of the future.

For those of you that complain that things dont work straight away on Linux, why not be patient & work with it? I know that Twide (fkn 1337) has sucessfully installed all his games & apps & runs them quite well on linux. It took him a few weeks, but now he has a machine that is capable of doing anything & everything.

My 2 cents.


P.S Everybody hates feeling like a n00b, but we are here to help. We have linux forums here & #linux on irc.ccgl.org, so whatever question you have we can help you with willingly.

Nobody steps into linux or any nix based OS for the first time as a pro, so dont feel intimidated because bottom line is we are all learning.

[HeXADeC]

be patient & work with it
Nobody steps into linux or any nix based OS for the first time as a pro, so dont feel intimidated because bottom line is we are all learning.

nuff said

[blot0]

i just chose a bad distro to start with.. i would probly still be using linux if i had of installed FC3....
FC4 test 2 is to new and has allot of API changed so its hard to get RPM's that work and sources that compile in it...

but hopfully this friday maj is going to help me install gentoo again cause for the life of me after 3 16 hour days of workong on it non stop i couldnt get X working.. everything else.. perfect... X .. no go :(

[ViLLaN]

Again.. For the record.. I dont consider Fedora to be a n00b distro.. Its probably one of the most balanced distros in that it does have a good GUI, and yet you can accomplish everything from the command line as well.

Having a good gui, does not a n00b distro make.

As said earlier as well.. You'll be hard pressed to find any major differences between distros, just play with a couple and find which suits you the most.

[blot0]

faux is getting FC3 on dvd..
and i have 10 copies of Ubutu coming in the mail :P

[Icefire]

Originally posted by blot0@May 11 2005, 01:14 PM
and i have 10 copies of Ubutu coming in the mail :P
82074



Expect those in about 3 months :P

I still havent gotten mine lol

[fauxpas]

Originally posted by MaJ+May 11 2005, 09:00 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MaJ @ May 11 2005, 09:00 AM)</div>For those of you that complain that things dont work straight away on Linux, why not be patient & work with it?
My 2 cents.
P.S Everybody hates feeling like a n00b, but we are here to help.
82057
[/b]
Well that's the whole idea of this thread was to go on a linux journey and see how far I got... Its easy to say persevere, but I have never used linux of any sort before... as you can see from previous posts, I didn't even know .exe was incompatible... Linux regulars may have the goods to persevere and overcome all the obstacles, but please don't expect a guy like me ta have any idea... My beef is that if linux is so good, which I believe it is, why the f u c k are there so many apps out there not made for linux?

<!--QuoteBegin-ViLLaN@May 11 2005, 01:01 PM
Having a good gui, does not a n00b distro make.
82073

. vill, that's Yoda style...


btw

I have DSL live CD and SimplyMEPIS live CD with install and Mandriva 4cd

I have Fed3 coming...

For an XP hoe, maybe a barbie interface is what is needed to lure me or at least spark my interest... no way in the world would I consider going command line interface ever again...

[linux_inside v2]

the reason that there isnt a standard installer for everything is because all the distros like to do it non-standard ways /me looks at all redhat,mandrake and other noob-os based distros

[fauxpas]

OK... I can only get 1024x768 res on my desktop yet I know my monitor can do much higher...

And mepis is just looking at me like I've just turned on an apple 2c and don't know what to do with it...

I really have heaps of trouble just finding apps to run on linux...

[neo_kre8or]

wat kinda graphics card & monitor u running?

Also wat kinda appz u wanna run?

[fauxpas]

The journey is over

Just found it a pain in the ar$e doing anything...

I couldn't even play a phuking CD after 20min of friggin around...

I couldn't play a DVD

argh...

Oh well, whenever-ifever linux gets as flexible as winblows I'll be back for another bout...

Till then, goodbye linux brothers :D

[fauxpas]

HELP HELP HELP

Ok, as I exited simplyMEPIS (looked nice but... as above) I tried Win Server 2003 again and found it a pain...

Before going back to WinXP I tried Mandrake (Mandriva) and love it... Music plays straight away (couldn't even get mp3s playing in MEPIS) but I have a coupla things I need to configure

How do I adjust mouse sens/speed?

In Konquerer, how do I check HDD size? freespace? etc?

I'm sure I'll have many more Q's as I'm more likely to stick to this linux ver. for a lil longer than MEPIS

Oh, if I have heaps of favourites from IE in the fav folder on a usb thumb drive, how do I get it into firefox? What folder is firefox in? I can't find the linux equivilant of 'program files'... doh

:D

[James]

just import the favourites through firefox... you shouldnt have to move them off the usb thumbdrive at all

cheers

[PHOENIX_12]

as hal i think it was said i'll take useability over stability anyday,
which is why i'm waiting untill i get a new server i can fiddle around with without any inconveniance.

[ViLLaN]

Usability / Stability are for different areas.

OS's like FreeBSD, are not made as a desktop OS.. They are server based, and as such are stable as.. Something like Fedora is desktop based so focuses on usability (though in its defence, Ive never had an issue with stability anyway) :P

[fauxpas]

griff, it wants to import from IE or other browser, but its a fresh mandrake install

I goto import, and it hangs there looking for other apps

[blot0]

load up firefox.. goto bookmarks .. goto manage bookmarks and then goto import..

and you can load it up from a file.. wich would be on your USBdrive.

[fauxpas]

I just have the windows favourites folder with blahbla.url files and folder in it...

Firefox doesn't like it... at least on this linux box

[fauxpas]

The 1 thing I really need to know b4 anything else is, how the f... do I change mouse sens/speed?

Also, I just tried to install Valknut, but is says "Some package requested cannot be installed: valknut-0.3.4.1.i586(due to unsatisfied libdc.so.0)

What does that mean?

:unsure:

[MaJ]

emerge -s firefox
emerge mozilla-firefox
kthxbi

[fauxpas]

Originally posted by MaJ@May 23 2005, 10:07 PM
emerge -s firefox
emerge mozilla-firefox
kthxbi
82890


wtf?

My affair with linux is like my affair with Cate Blanchet's ar$e...

I'd really like to get on top of it, but I'm not close enough yet... :D