Author Topic: Linux Thread  (Read 20441 times)

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Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #150: February 03, 2010, 09:55:27 PM »
nm, i got it. i never mounted the CD drive.
Xubuntu and the like should automount CDs.

I think in general, the ubuntu based distros are easier and should be a little better for a newbie if your hardware can run it than something like Puppy, which seems a little more "advanced" for someone not as well versed in Linux.

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #151: February 03, 2010, 10:10:38 PM »
I knew I shoulda bought that set of CD-Rs while I was out.

I can't get Unetbootin to work in Puppy.

apparently I am missing something called SFDisk, which seems to not exist in Puppy Linux format.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #152: February 03, 2010, 10:17:05 PM »
I knew I shoulda bought that set of CD-Rs while I was out.

I can't get Unetbootin to work in Puppy.

apparently I am missing something called SFDisk, which seems to not exist in Puppy Linux format.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/location-of-the-latest-sfdisk-source-590331/
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux-ng/

Never heard of sfdisk . . .


Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #153: February 03, 2010, 10:36:35 PM »
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/location-of-the-latest-sfdisk-source-590331/
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux-ng/

Never heard of sfdisk . . .



ah,, thanks. trying to figure out how to install it now.

yeah, Puppy could stand to be just a little more friendly with programs. I mean, its hardware compatibility is awesome, but its software compatibility sucks ass.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #154: February 03, 2010, 10:43:11 PM »
JMad, have you figured out how to compile source code? The cool thing about Linux is that if they don't make a binary for your flavor, you can build it yourself, since the C compilers are built right into the OS.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #155: February 03, 2010, 10:49:33 PM »
JMad, have you figured out how to compile source code? The cool thing about Linux is that if they don't make a binary for your flavor, you can build it yourself, since the C compilers are built right into the OS.
Not necessarily.  As light as puppy is, it might not have them.  I forget what distro I was using at the time, but I know I had to download and install gcc before I could compile the source code for a driver I needed to get the networking card to work.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #156: February 03, 2010, 10:56:29 PM »
Yeah. Anything other the Gentoo is lame. Convert to the one true Linux. Join Larry the Cow. ;)



http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/about.xml

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #157: February 03, 2010, 10:59:46 PM »
Yeah. Anything other the Gentoo is lame. Convert to the one true Linux. Join Larry the Cow. ;)

http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/about.xml
Tried doing a gentoo install once years ago.  Got fed up when I couldn't get my kernel to compile for the 20th time.

Also tried Arch, but couldn't get the xserver to work correctly.

I wonder if there is a way to install from a VM?  As in have the VM actually writing to the linux partition so that I have internet access to read manuals etc until i can at least get gentoo compiled up with a working kernel and networking drivers.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #158: February 03, 2010, 11:03:47 PM »
Sure. Start with stage 2 or stage 3 binaries and than you can work on the recompiles at your leisure. Makes installation a little easier.

I liked it but it exaggerated my worst habits from Linux. Too much time spent optimizing my tools and not enough time working on stuff.

I am always amused when the power of the compiler comes up. If someone truly believes it, Gentoo is for you. Assuming you don't mind your computer churning away at night on the latest updates.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #159: February 03, 2010, 11:06:13 PM »
I might tinker with Arch a little tonight.

The worst part is getting the damned Broadcom wireless drivers to work.  most of these distros have you downloading things as you go.  Doesn't work if you have no internet connection!

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #160: February 03, 2010, 11:09:58 PM »
is there some way to make an .iso installable from the HD?

or is a LiveCD/USB the only way?

i just borked my Puppy Install again, freaking around with Unetbootin. this time when I re-install, I'm going to do a Frugal Install and only use a  small part of my HD, I'd like to try and get Xubuntu installed on the rest of the HD.

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #161: February 03, 2010, 11:10:32 PM »
your description of Gentoo sounds a bit over my head.

I'll look at the page though.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #162: February 03, 2010, 11:11:19 PM »
your description of Gentoo sounds a bit over my head.

I'll look at the page though.
I'm positive he was joking :lol:

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #163: February 03, 2010, 11:12:04 PM »
is there some way to make an .iso installable from the HD?

or is a LiveCD/USB the only way?

i just borked my Puppy Install again, freaking around with Unetbootin. this time when I re-install, I'm going to do a Frugal Install and only use a  small part of my HD, I'd like to try and get Xubuntu installed on the rest of the HD.
Yes, there are ways.  Do you have any floppy disks and a floppy drive in your laptop?

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #164: February 03, 2010, 11:14:02 PM »
actually on second thought. Gentoo sounds kinda like just taking a bunch of programs and throwing them together to make your own custom OS.

kinda like downloading a bunch of addons and build your own WoW Interface with them(instead of downloading a pre-made compilation).

wtf is compiling, by the way?

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #165: February 03, 2010, 11:15:31 PM »
Yes, there are ways.  Do you have any floppy disks and a floppy drive in your laptop?

I haven't seen a floppy drive connected to a computer in about 8 years.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #166: February 03, 2010, 11:17:50 PM »
It is a quest. You must find a floppy drive and 47 floppy disks to install Linux like a real Geek. Bonus points if you download the files with a 56K modem. Also no installing X, it is for users not real Geeks.


Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #167: February 03, 2010, 11:18:54 PM »
Compiling turns what is called "source code" into an actual executable program.

For instance:

Code: [Select]
#include <iostream.h>

main()
{
int a, b;
cout << "Enter a -> ";
cin >> a;
cout<< "Enter b -> ";
cin >> b;
cout<< "a + b = " << a + b;
return(0);
}
Compiled would turn that into a program that asked for 2 numbers and displayed the total of a + b.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #168: February 03, 2010, 11:22:10 PM »
It is a quest. You must find a floppy drive and 47 floppy disks to install Linux like a real Geek. Bonus points if you download the files with a 56K modem. Also no installing X, it is for users not real geeks.
Well I knew it was an older laptop :razz:

And he would have needed like 2 :)

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #169: February 03, 2010, 11:22:40 PM »
It is a quest. You must find a floppy drive and 47 floppy disks to install Linux like a real Geek. Bonus points if you download the files with a 56K modem. Also no installing X, it is for users not real Geeks.

I downloaded the like 47 of the 49 Minix binaries off a BBS in like 1990. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, but it sounded cool :lol:

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #170: February 03, 2010, 11:25:54 PM »

wtf is compiling, by the way?

The problem with pre-compiled binaries is that they are distribution specific, they assume you have certain versions of libraries that come with specific versions of an OS.

When you compile programs, they often come with configure scripts that search your machine to see what versions of the libraries you have and where they are located, so when it compiles the code it links to the proper files and you can run on your personal machine's configuration.

When they say Mozilla is open-source, they mean that the actual code that makes up the program is available on the Web, so you could change it and have a custom browser, for instance.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #171: February 03, 2010, 11:26:18 PM »
I downloaded the like 47 of the 49 Minix binaries off a BBS in like 1990. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, but it sounded cool :lol:

I cannot recall if it was minux or linux but I do recall having fits with a bunch of the disks. It was like, oh crap, #22, #31, #41, and #46 are corrupt. Back to the lab every freaking time.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #172: February 03, 2010, 11:32:44 PM »
Another spin on this compiling thing...

Source code can be optimized in many different ways as it is changed to binary instructions. One of the most common being by the CPU. When people assemble/make software binaries they tend to select a compromise between the number of machines it supports and how optimized it is for a particular system. This is particularly true of the supporting libraries which are generally available or packaged up into a Linux distribution.

If you want to squeeze every little bit of performance out of the system; you can compile from source binaries which are more optimized for your computer which eeks out more performance. IE; give up general usability to get better use of your stuff. Sometimes this can be very noticeable however it can be tricky, as some optimization settings in the compilation process may break some less tested code therefore making binaries unreliable or simply cause the compilation process to fail.  

Linux distributions like Gentoo or Sorcerer or *BSD try to make this easier by adding in a command line tools and configuration files to control how source is assembled, built, and deployed.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #173: February 03, 2010, 11:35:53 PM »
WTF is with the new GCC coming out with 752 new compiler optimizations but then changing the syntax after the just changed it 1 version ago? I was working on a Mac the other day and this made my head almost explode as two different versions of the program I was using were compiled with the GCC that came with Snow Leopard and the GCC that came with whatever the hell the last OS X was called.

I'm not going to look up the version numbers. If you care, you are a nerd.

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Linux Thread
« Reply #174: February 03, 2010, 11:37:05 PM »
GCC developers are dicks. Granted dicks who give away their time for the benefit of others as long as they bow to their Geek cred. How dare you question the improvements in the flags? If you don't like them you could write you own compiler and give it away for free ya know. ;)