Obligatory "Oh, Lord, not another Newbie!" post
Jeremy J. Swarm
screaminike at gmail.com
Sun Aug 27 02:51:57 UTC 2006
On Sat, 2006-08-26 at 21:11 -0500, David Smith wrote:
> Hello, all.
>
> I joined this list after doing the ShipIt! thing and requesting 5 ??
> Ubuntu CDs. Dunno why 5, but that was the default, and I may actually
> have a use for 2, say, maybe 3. Can always pass them along to friends.
> Or enemies, if I have too much trouble with Ubuntu. Or Mom, if I actually
> can gain some Clue.
>
> I've been tinkering with computers since the mid-70s, in high school. I'm
> a reasonably knowledgable tinkerer, but never an expert (depending on
> whether you ask my mom). I learned on BASIC-only machines, fiddled with
> MS-DOS machines I got for $50 or less used, used Win 3.1 when I had to for
> work, and didn't mess with Win95 and so on till I had to. I used to run a
> DOS-based BBS called Maximus for five years or so. I currently run
> Mercury mailserver and related stuff under Win98SE on my desktop machine.
>
> I have tried installing Linux in various incarnations at various times,
> with little or no practical results, because I just didn't get it. DOS, I
> got, Linux was Different. Don't mind commandlines, do mind not having an
> Effing Clue what I'm doing. But I'm not gonna do XP or Vista, and they
> wouldn't work without me buying newer hardware I can't afford. So I'm
> gonna try Ubuntu. Probably.
>
> What am I definitely gonna like? What am I definitely gonna trip over?
> Did that whole WINE business ever turn out to be anything? Didn't that
> DOS emulator thingie they used to have actually turn out to work? Do I
> get to keep playing with my decade-old DOS games, like F117A, Strike
> Eagle, JNUG, Doom?
>
> Is there a big three-inch-thick book that everybody gets but nobody thinks
> to mention? I used to like them books.
>
> What's the first thing you wish you'd known to do when you installed
> Ubuntu that you didn't do cause you didn't know you should?
>
> Would I be crazy to install Ubuntu on my laptop? Would it be likely to
> recognize and handle my 32-bit NetGear wireless PCCard with no problems,
> or do I end up with a laptop I can't use and can't fix cause I can't get
> to the web?
>
> I -really- don't want to have my life focused on getting my OS working
> properly, rather than doing my email & such. (Been there, done that,
> repeatedly.) I want this to Just Work.
>
> My desktop, well, that's for Mercury, and I don't necessarily have to have
> a mailserver. But I do need my laptop, I do need my mail, I do need my
> webrowser to do my web-based Medical Transcription course. And I'd like
> my games.
>
> Maybe I should just do the desktop, and do the laptop only when I'm more
> confident?
>
> --
>
> Pegasus Mail is free software, committed to the notion that
> communication is as basic a right as free speech, since free speech
> without a medium by which it may be heard is as loud as silence.
> -- David Harris, author, Pegasus Mail <http://www.pmail.com>
>
>
>
On Sat, 2006-08-26 at 21:11 -0500, David Smith wrote:
> Hello, all.
>
> I joined this list after doing the ShipIt! thing and requesting 5 ??
> Ubuntu CDs. Dunno why 5, but that was the default, and I may actually
> have a use for 2, say, maybe 3. Can always pass them along to friends.
> Or enemies, if I have too much trouble with Ubuntu. Or Mom, if I actually
> can gain some Clue.
>
> I've been tinkering with computers since the mid-70s, in high school. I'm
> a reasonably knowledgable tinkerer, but never an expert (depending on
> whether you ask my mom). I learned on BASIC-only machines, fiddled with
> MS-DOS machines I got for $50 or less used, used Win 3.1 when I had to for
> work, and didn't mess with Win95 and so on till I had to. I used to run a
> DOS-based BBS called Maximus for five years or so. I currently run
> Mercury mailserver and related stuff under Win98SE on my desktop machine.
>
> I have tried installing Linux in various incarnations at various times,
> with little or no practical results, because I just didn't get it. DOS, I
> got, Linux was Different. Don't mind commandlines, do mind not having an
> Effing Clue what I'm doing. But I'm not gonna do XP or Vista, and they
> wouldn't work without me buying newer hardware I can't afford. So I'm
> gonna try Ubuntu. Probably.
>
> What am I definitely gonna like? What am I definitely gonna trip over?
> Did that whole WINE business ever turn out to be anything? Didn't that
> DOS emulator thingie they used to have actually turn out to work? Do I
> get to keep playing with my decade-old DOS games, like F117A, Strike
> Eagle, JNUG, Doom?
>
> Is there a big three-inch-thick book that everybody gets but nobody thinks
> to mention? I used to like them books.
>
> What's the first thing you wish you'd known to do when you installed
> Ubuntu that you didn't do cause you didn't know you should?
>
> Would I be crazy to install Ubuntu on my laptop? Would it be likely to
> recognize and handle my 32-bit NetGear wireless PCCard with no problems,
> or do I end up with a laptop I can't use and can't fix cause I can't get
> to the web?
>
> I -really- don't want to have my life focused on getting my OS working
> properly, rather than doing my email & such. (Been there, done that,
> repeatedly.) I want this to Just Work.
>
> My desktop, well, that's for Mercury, and I don't necessarily have to have
> a mailserver. But I do need my laptop, I do need my mail, I do need my
> webrowser to do my web-based Medical Transcription course. And I'd like
> my games.
>
> Maybe I should just do the desktop, and do the laptop only when I'm more
> confident?
>
> --
>
> Pegasus Mail is free software, committed to the notion that
> communication is as basic a right as free speech, since free speech
> without a medium by which it may be heard is as loud as silence.
> -- David Harris, author, Pegasus Mail <http://www.pmail.com>
>
>
>
First of all, cute post.
Uhm, this will be kind of random. the Ubuntu Book compiled by the
community should be on shelves this month if you want to pick that up,
though i don't know anyone who's seen it.
Wine and DOS emulation? well, i say just enjoy ubuntu. forget about
trying to make it do what everything else does. it does what it's built
to do just fine.
First thing you should do, you've already done. You're on the mailing
list. second? everyone i know of installs their (say it with me, kids)
Multi-Media Support. from your w32codecs to your libdvdcss. some people
say "EasyUbuntu". some say "Automatix." some say "do it yourself. those
others break your system"... well... maybe. don't want to start a flame
war, so i'll let you figure out the best path for yourself. but prefer
open codecs like theora. and vorbis. they're good for your soul.
set up your irc client (install a dedicated one, or one is built into
the default Gaim). join the #ubuntu room. look into the New Users
Network.
Learn the Wiki.
I know this isn't complete, and i'm sure you'll have more questions as
you want to do more. i'm not an expert, but a lot of people on this list
are. so don't be afraid to ask.
Lots of luck,
Ike
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