My Introduction

[James186282]

Well when you join this forum they send you an invite to introduce yourself.

Me... I'm 50, married with two kids. Ones just joined the Army and is in boot camp. I've been into computers since pre Altair days. (Mainframes, 110 baud modems, teletypes etc)

I've been a "mushware" guy as I've been into both the hardware and the software of computers. I've been interested since that day I saw 2001 (in 1968!) at the gigantic Mann Theatre in Bloomington MN. My passion for computers has been going more and more down the drain due to the idea that computers ought to be "toasters" with users expected to be idiots and anyone not an idiot will be forced to become one trying to understand the weird and secret "code" of the system.

A friend told me that he wrote a CAD program for Windows and said that the code was over 90% things to keep Windows happy and that it all made him want to barf. I ported part of his program to the Apple and felt much the same way.

Anyway, a strange thing happened. The old (really) laptop thats been my companion for years was now taking over 10 minutes just to start up and when shut down nearly the same amount of time (or never!) I was this close to just throwing it into the trash and looking for thrills in some different way.

Instead I typed Fast Distro and downloaded something called Puppy Linux. *For you guys that like other Distros and maybe for good reason? Well... Anyway, it loaded up on my laptop with only the lightest operator error issues (All me) and I was simply astonished. My "junk" computer booted in less then a minute. Shut down in 12 seconds. That may not seem like much but I was in shock. I started playing around with it and got it in my head that I had a system that I could write some software with. I'm an ooooooold school guy. Most of what I've done has all been in assembler. I've written programs in Basic, Visual Basic, Fortran (Don't laugh!), ahh.. Cobol (But only because I had to!), and ahh.... I dunno... all the old school junk. I never cared for the look of "C" or C++. Frankly all the jazz needed to make the compiler happy has always made me rather crazy. But.... I suffered through writing some simple routines to write text in various colours on the screen in various locations and had a rather fun time of it. What amazes me is how a system like Linux can all fit on a CD (Not even a DVD) and come with Browsers, editors, Skype, Truecrypt, games and a nice system for compiling code and not even fill it up halfway! Its just GREAT!

Anyhow, the compiler worked quickly enough and I was able to do most things (Other then beep the damned speaker!) easy enough.

I'm for the first time excited about computers again. This idea of having things open and so forth reminds me of how excited I was when CP/M was popular and people were sharing everything they knew to make all of us better. That simple world is reborn a bit for me and I could not be happier.

I hope to not be the old (moron) asking too many idiot questions but I'm sure there will be more then a few. *Like that damned speaker!? Why can't I do sound??? Anyway, I keep finding this site when I google my dumb questions so I thought I ought to join and post...

James

Seeking now how to get the one program I need (The Cad system) working under Wine or DOSBOX. Also wondering if anyone is working on an even faster distro or way to load Linux?

Thanks for having me on your forum

[rokytnji]

Howdy and Welcome James. My kids are grown. I;m your age but no computer experience what so ever. Just a Biker that fixes things. I can screw around a bit with Linux however.

Puppy can be installed to Hardrive. You just need to format it first as Ext3 or Ext2 (root=/) depending on your druthers. Then point the puppy installer. I would also reccommend making a swap parttition also if you plan on compiling stuff.

Since you are just getting started. Might I recommend giving AntiX 8.2 a spin. I use it and it is worth a download and a burnt cd.

Have fun in your journeys with Linux. Happy Trails, ROK

[James186282]

Hi, yes, I've gotten Linux on thehard disc and its all clicking along in a fantastic way. Can't quite see why I was so dead set on using these other OSes for so long. What surprised me were te tools that I've come to like are all Linux programs that someone made widows versions of. Sun Open Office, Firefox, Thunderbird etc.

What is AntiX? btw?

[rokytnji]

What is AntiX? btw?

Think of it as Puppy Linux on Steroids. I have ran Puppy and still do run a version of Puppy on Pendrive on my little Netbook. It is called Browser Pup. I also run AntiX on the same Netbox off SDHC Flash Drive. AntiX is very flexible full featured distro for low end and high end systems. Has a lot more tools than Puppy does in my opinion.
You can always run a live cd of the standard iso to test drive to see what I mean.

AntiX motto is lean and mean. But also. If Puppy Linux is tripping your trigger or floating your boat and you are having a ball using it. Then by all means stick with it and don't pay attention to my suggestion. I am all about choice and being happy,
Glad you got your install going Ok and that Woof Woof is working well for ya,

[MikeTbob]

Hi, yes, I've gotten Linux on thehard disc and its all clicking along in a fantastic way. Can't quite see why I was so dead set on using these other OSes for so long. What surprised me were te tools that I've come to like are all Linux programs that someone made widows versions of. Sun Open Office, Firefox, Thunderbird etc.

What is AntiX? btw?

Think of it as Puppy Linux on Steroids.

Hiya James Welcome to the Geriatric Linux forums! That's just a joke but we do have quiet a few "well seasoned" users here. I'm getting there myself.


LOL@Puppy Linux on Steroids, that's too funny.

[oz]

Welcome to the forums... glad to have you aboard!