Running gOS Linux - Page 2

Bassey · 28-08-2008, 02:06 PM

> Now I've got it though no idea where to go from here!

I know what you mean. That has always been my problem in the past. I would install a Linux distro, play with it, be impressed, get bored, mess about beyond my capabilities, break it and go back to getting some actual work done in Windows.

I have Ubuntu running in VMWare server within Vista at the mo and my plan is to get the new Sun JAVA IDE installed and play around with that.

I also fancy getting some FLASH tools. I've got a few ideas for applications I'd like to write for the little one to help develop basic mouse and hand/eye co-ordination whilst he is little. He's constantly trying to get on the PC but just hammers away randomly at the keyboard (he's not two yet) so it'd be nice to give him something constructive to do.

johnston411 · 28-08-2008, 02:39 PM

compiz is the enhanced desktop pretty much.

windows · 28-08-2008, 03:26 PM

Yeah but how easy is Compiz to load and configure?

bruisah · 28-08-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windows

Yeah but how easy is Compiz to load and configure?

At a basic level, compiz is easy to load and run in Gnome (a bit harder in KDE). The basic set up will give you wobbly windows and a rotating cube desktop.

To go further than this you have to install extra components such as Compiz-Fusion. This gives you the flexibility to configure the desktop environment hugely with lots of *really* fancy effects!

To give you an example, when I middle mouse button on the desktop, it warps my six virtual desktops into a cylinder that I can rotate. I can quickly rotate to whichever desktop has the window I am after!

If I use 'Alt-Tab' to switch between applications, I get a 3D card stack, that shuffles through each app until I select the one I want.

In both cases, the images are updated in realtime - if a window has changing images, I see that while before, during, and after the fancy effect!

Static pictures don't do it justice, but it's *really* cool!

Mind you, I wouldn't bother trying to set it up of you are not running on decent hardware with a decent 3D accelerated graphics card!

A.

ps Congrats on taking your first steps into a far better place - I've been running Linux on my work laptop/desktop for a few years now (currently Fedora 8 and 9 respectively)!

neilm · 28-08-2008, 06:53 PM

Hmm- wonder if it would work on an OQO ?

windows · 28-08-2008, 08:00 PM

Strewth sounds like fun but I bet I crash the install, that always seems to happen to me. Might give it a go though as it sounds cool.

Mind you once that is in there then what do I do with it as no access to my Exchange mail ...

Before that though I desperately need to fix the Soundblaster volume issues.

Bassey · 28-08-2008, 08:20 PM

Don't know about your provider but mine has IMAP4 access to the Exchange server. OKay, it's not as good as exchange, but it's pretty decent and an acceptable substitute whilst Exchange support is being worked on for Thunderbird.

bruisah · 28-08-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windows

Strewth sounds like fun but I bet I crash the install, that always seems to happen to me. Might give it a go though as it sounds cool.

Mind you once that is in there then what do I do with it as no access to my Exchange mail ...

Exchange is not a problem. Gnome standard email client is called 'Evolution'. It comes with all the usual calendar and task features, and also has an MS Exchange server plug-in that allows you to connect to an exchange server. This is what I do with my work desktop.

Bear in mind that there are *loads* of Linux related resources on the net. Even google:

<Linux> - Google Search will give you a Linux focussed search engine!

A.

windows · 28-08-2008, 11:15 PM

Ah ha now you have me interested. I did try Evolution last time I messed around with Linux but failed to get Exchange working, that plugin must be damned awkward to find!

I'll have a play methinks under a VM first before I mess with the live install.

Bassey · 29-08-2008, 08:58 AM

Brilliant. I've been looking for an Exchange compatible email client for ages. I tried (and liked) evolution but never came accross the Exchange plugin. whenever I've searched for Exchange and Linux I just get lots of talk about how Thunderbird are working on it and hope to have a v3 release in September.

Thanks bruisah!