Trying to DUMP Windows.... But

[Mark Haney]

Richard wrote:
> Been watching Linux for the past few years, and have wonder "if" its
> ready to replace my Vista Desktop.
> There are a few factors, that would need to be address, before I can
> change my Desktop OS.
> 
> 
> *1a.*    With Audio, been using Windows Media Player, and foobar...all
> has been great,
> Since, I only rip in Lossless formats like .WMA lossless or .Flac Lossless,
> I can covert to any other format if need be, also Windows Media Player
> (Library/JukeBox) has no problems,
> with 32,000+ songs.
> 
> Using Windows Media Player, I can grab 12 or more songs, from different
> CD's, and BURN my own Audio Mix,
> they come out perfect, *referring to quality and sound levels, when
> switching from track to track...* Windows Media Player,
> adds sound leveling to the CD when the .wma lossless file,  gets
> UN-Compressed.... I've done this, about a few hundred's time,
> and works like a charm... i.e. ( grab some Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Smith,
> ...etc) and make a all Girl Vocal Disk.
> all in a couple of clicks.
> 
> *1b. *   Now, DOES Ubuntu (or any other linux) offer Anything, that can
> match this ? (Yes or NO) if Yes, please explain.

Of course it can do all that.  I ONLY use Linux. I can convert from any
format to any other format (including the dreaded M4B files in linux.
You only have 32,000+ songs?  I have 1.2TB of MP3, ogg and flac files at
home and while I can catalog all that in Amarok if I want, I run icecast
 in the house from my MP3 jukebox server.

K3B can burn any mix of songs you want.  There are others, but it's my
favorite.

I believe Amarok does sound levelling, I use Audacity for that.

Seriously, there's nothing here that apps in linux can't do that Windows
can.  It's not so much about having a 'clone' app for these things. IE
there's no direct linux version of WMP but then who really wants that?  :)


> 
> *-------------*
> 
> *2a.*   Video, I have a massive collection of Video Format Movies, in
> .mkv, .avi, .mov, .mp4...etc
> Now, Windows Media Player (Stinks) for playback, so I have install "The
> KMPlayer"
> 
> *<snip>*: /The KMPlayer is a video and audio player for Microsoft
> Windows which can play a large number of formats such as VCD, DVD, AVI,
> MKV, Ogg, OGM, 3GP, MPEG-1/2/4, WMV, RealMedia, FLV and QuickTime among
> others. It handles a wide range of subtitles and allows one to capture
> audio, video, and screenshots.
> 
> The player provides both internal and external filters with a fully
> controlled environment in terms of connections to other splitters,
> decoders, audio/video transform filters and renderers without grappling
> with the DirectShow merit system. Interestingly, it is said that
> internal filters are not registered with a user's system to keep it from
> being messed up with system filters./ *</snip>*
> 
> Play any kind of Video Format, is a breeze with this player, install it
> and your done, playing video with subtitles, (anime) works like a charm,
> to skipping or timing issues... heck, this app can even enhance the
> video quality as well as audio quality too.
> 
> So, with a 500 GB Drive full of Vids, I do have some concerns... it
> would be nice, if there where just a few standards... but that's not the
> case
> 
> 
> *2b*.  So, DOES Ubuntu (or any other linux) offer Anything, that can
> match this ? (Yes or NO) if Yes, please explain

What do we need to match exactly?  KMplayer works fine, VLC as well.
You name it, there are dozens of damn good video players.  I have just
over a TB of vids at home that I convert to MP4 or DVD format as needed
depending on what I need.  I don't see this as a problem either.

> 
> *------------*
> 
> *3a*. Photography & Photo Scanning & Photo Editing,
> Now, Yes I do use Photoshop... installed works great...  Now I have
> played with Gimp, But lets get real shall we...
> 
> *3b*. Now Does Ubuntu (or any other linux) offer Anything that can match
> Photoshop and or beat it ? ( Yes or NO) if Yes, please explain
> (I do allot of photo manipulation ) yes layers... filters..etc..etc.. (
> started doing stitching for panorama  shots)

I know a LOT of people who gave up PS when they found how powerful GIMP
really is.  No, it's not a PS clone.  It wasn't meant to be.  None of
the apps in linux are meant to be direct button for button replacements
for windows versions. But that doesn't mean they aren't as good or
better (OpenOffice anyone?) than their Windows counterparts.

That said if you MUST have PS, run it in WINE.  It works very well IIRC.

What I really gather from your email is that you want to install linux
and waltz into these apps and use them just like you do with your
Windows versions.  That attitude is likely to cause you problems simply
because linux is NOT Windows.  It has it's own way of doing things that
you may or may not like at first.  But going in with the mindset that it
will work just like Windows will cause you to give up quickly and hate
linux for being 'crappy' or 'not windows'.

I suggest you play with a virtual machine install of linux (any distro)
or try as LIveCD or LIveDVD version of a distro before going much
farther.  There is a learning curve here and it's best if you go in
knowing that and being patient.






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Mark Haney
Sr. Systems Administrator
ERC Broadband
(828) 350-2415

Call (866) ERC-7110 for after hours support