Are you running all Win32 programs in Linux... like me?

[FDV]

What is Linux good for?

Who uses it?

 

Background: these are serious questions. I have been dual-booting since Kubuntu 5.04. I also use Windows 2000.

 

I have checked out many torrent programs. None have the features of uTorrent for Windows... I mean showing peers, showing file chunks and progress, showing DL speed, all on different tabs, being able to specify high or low bandwidth on select torrents, being able to specify high or low or "don't DL at all" priority on the individual files within a torrent.

I have checked out many newsreaders. None have the features of Xnews for Windows by Luu Tran. And I mean simple stuff -- show the messages AS the group loads. Show the binaries with a special icon. Show the regular posts with a different icon.

I have checked out Nvu and looked at the interfaces of other web design programs. Dreamweaver for Windows lets me see code and design at the same time. Nvu and other Linux programs don't.

The Gimp forked into Gimpshop in 2005 and hasn't been updated since.

I can find no Linux software that does what CDex does, ripping AND encoding into Ogg and FLAC and MP3. I tried to install the latest version of LAME encoder (see end of message) only to crash and burn. To upgrade encoders in Windows, I drag and drop a new DLL into the directory, replacing the old one.

Classic video games are a lot of fun! The latest MAME compile, though, is from 2005 or 2006, I forget which. I could compile my own, sure, but see the end of the message about trying to compile LAME.

Two randoms: 1. My sound stopped working in Flash. Youtube vids are silent. Checked settings, asked for advice, puzzled folks, gave up. 2. Applets like KWeather install without icons. Yeah, I know the arcane process to start them. It's still really silly.

Examples abound.

 

I am in a position where I am currently or will be running WINE or a virtual PC in Linux to run Windows apps for multimedia, torrents, newsreading, web editing, graphics work, MAME gaming, encoding my CDs.

 

What do Linux users use Linux for? Is it just programming software? Is it using FOSS versions of programs I use, but getting by without features?

 

I better qualify that last one. I know it's possible I'll get a "they don't lack features!" response. Look at Amarok. Then look at every media player for Windows. The comparison is like a Swiss Army Knife (Amarok) to a nailfile (Windows apps).

 

So I am asking seriously. It's not like Macromedia (Adobe) have patents on showing code and design in web design software. Xnews wasn't made by a large corporation. I find threads about people getting it to run under WINE. Same for uTorrent -- WINE. CDex is open source for Win32. No port? And Linux users MUST play golden age games?!? Did no one compile MAME since 2005? If they did, can they not offer it for download?

 

Is Linux for developers only?

 

BTW -- yeah, if a piece of software does any of the above functions, I've tried it. I have installed dozens of packages of every type for everything above and see none with replete feature sets. But that's really NOT what I'm asking about.

 

What's the trick? Is running Windows virtualized, or Win32 apps in WINE, the dirty little secret?

 

What do you folks do with Linux?

 

I run it to learn. And I CAN learn, but running all Win32 software comes close to defeating the purpose of running another OS.

 

 

The problem with compiling LAME

I want to learn compiling so I go Googling, and go to

[/url][url=http://ryandaigle.com/articles/2005/9/25/h...on-debian-linux]http://ryandaigle.com/articles/2005/9/25/h...on-debian-linux

When it comes to step 4, ./configure && make && make install, I get:

bash: ./configure: No such file or directory

MAME, same story.

Of course, this ignored everyone who told me that "having to compile your own software is rare. All you really need is APT." I never believed that, so it wasn't a rude awakening, but I don't even find this set of circumstances on Google.

[anyweb]

hi

 

did you actually cd (change dir) into the dir that you extracted the files into before issuing the ./configure command ?

 

more info about how to compile here > [/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=145][/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=145]https://www.linux-noob.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145

 

cheers

anyweb

[znx]

What is Linux good for?

 

It is simply one of the best development platforms going. Also come by any machine room anywhere in the world and you will find a linux box in there somewhere (ok so maybe not redmond ;)).

 

Who uses it?

 

Everyone from large scale business to hobbyist. The list of people supporting and coding for Linux is significant.

 

I have checked out many torrent programs. None have the features of uTorrent for Windows... I mean showing peers, showing file chunks and progress, showing DL speed, all on different tabs, being able to specify high or low bandwidth on select torrents, being able to specify high or low or "don't DL at all" priority on the individual files within a torrent.

 

ktorrent is nice, did you try that?

 

I have checked out many newsreaders. None have the features of Xnews for Windows by Luu Tran. And I mean simple stuff -- show the messages AS the group loads. Show the binaries with a special icon. Show the regular posts with a different icon.

 

I really like Thunderbird for newsgroups. try these?

 

I have checked out Nvu and looked at the interfaces of other web design programs. Dreamweaver for Windows lets me see code and design at the same time. Nvu and other Linux programs don't.

 

Um, you can have the source in one tab and the view in another flicking between them isn't that hard ;) But anyway, amaya can do a split screen code/design too. Quanta looks like it can do it too.

 

The Gimp forked into Gimpshop in 2005 and hasn't been updated since.

 

A fork means that someone thinks they can do it better, fact is they normally can't. The last update on Gimpshop was May 17 2006 by the way. GIMP is superior though, use that.

 

I can find no Linux software that does what CDex does, ripping AND encoding into Ogg and FLAC and MP3. I tried to install the latest version of LAME encoder (see end of message) only to crash and burn. To upgrade encoders in Windows, I drag and drop a new DLL into the directory, replacing the old one.

 

Depending on your system its normally as simple as: yum update lame. If you want to do development then this is a little harder. Remember someone is building the dll's for you in Windows saving you the hassle. Shall discuss the compile issues at the end... There is a utility called rip, which is what i use, so far it hasn't faltered for me, it can rip to ogg/flac/mp3.

 

Classic video games are a lot of fun! The latest MAME compile, though, is from 2005 or 2006, I forget which. I could compile my own, sure, but see the end of the message about trying to compile LAME.

 

Check out the multitude of emulators out there, literally loads.

 

Two randoms: 1. My sound stopped working in Flash. Youtube vids are silent. Checked settings, asked for advice, puzzled folks, gave up. 2. Applets like KWeather install without icons. Yeah, I know the arcane process to start them. It's still really silly. Examples abound.

 

Normally sound issues are related to either the volume being muted (check with alsamixer) or something missing with regards to mixer/driver.

 

Applets are applets, they don't have icons because they aren't meant for double clicking to run, instead they are normally added to your startup and used that way.

 

I am in a position where I am currently or will be running WINE or a virtual PC in Linux to run Windows apps for multimedia, torrents, newsreading, web editing, graphics work, MAME gaming, encoding my CDs. 

What do Linux users use Linux for? Is it just programming software? Is it using FOSS versions of programs I use, but getting by without features?

 

Features take time to code, bugs to be squashed etc etc, you must remember that Linux OSes are still growing. It isn't that for me though, I find that everything I do on my desktop, Linux provides for me, the only thing I continue to use Linux for is gaming.

 

I better qualify that last one. I know it's possible I'll get a "they don't lack features!" response. Look at Amarok. Then look at every media player for Windows. The comparison is like a Swiss Army Knife (Amarok) to a nailfile (Windows apps).

 

amaroK is the best ;)

 

So I am asking seriously. It's not like Macromedia (Adobe) have patents on showing code and design in web design software. Xnews wasn't made by a large corporation. I find threads about people getting it to run under WINE. Same for uTorrent -- WINE. CDex is open source for Win32. No port? And Linux users MUST play golden age games?!? Did no one compile MAME since 2005? If they did, can they not offer it for download?

 

If we attempt to make a Adobe clone (of any of their applications), I can promise you that somewhere along the way Adobe would smack me for it. The solution would be Adobe making Linux versions of their software. Unfortunately the market fails us there. Xnews was coding by someone, but where is the soure, did they release it, provide it to the world.... nope, so no port will be in the pipeline :( CDex has a Linux clone .. called LCDex, although I've never used it. There is a Linux port of mame, see x.mame.net (unfortunately thats 2006).

 

Is Linux for developers only?

 

Not really, I use Linux as part of my daily work, I use it as my main desktop at home. I use Linux to develop code as well, but if you look at all the eye candy that is being built for Linux you can see that it is not just for developers, after all what would a developer need eye candy for ;)

 

BTW -- yeah, if a piece of software does any of the above functions, I've tried it. I have installed dozens of packages of every type for everything above and see none with replete feature sets. But that's really NOT what I'm asking about.

 

Well .. yeah so :P

 

What's the trick? Is running Windows virtualized, or Win32 apps in WINE, the dirty little secret?

 

No wine isn't a virtualization of windows, it is in fact a running windows applications natively. Check this item in their FAQ

 

What do you folks do with Linux?

 

Um, everyday things, reading e-mail/browsing the web/irc/code/real work :P (no really)/playing videos/playing music, etc etc

 

I run it to learn. And I CAN learn, but running all Win32 software comes close to defeating the purpose of running another OS.

 

Oh no, not at all. Windows is completely closed source, this means that when you install a piece of software, thats it, you have no choice with regards to how it works or how it is built. If it is broken, the general answer is tough! Also I can run a Linux desktop free, with all its software free, made free for all to use. Compare that with Windows where all the software costs (you talked about features, if you pay you EXPECT features!).

 

No, windows doesn't come close to defeating the purpose of Linux and running it.

 

OK! on with the discussion of the compile. Open a terminal and try this:

 

Code:

$ wget -q http://kent.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/lame/lame-3.96.1.tar.gz
$ tar -xzf lame-3.96.1.tar.gz
$ cd lame-3.96.1/
$ ./configure && make
.... copious output ....
.... if this is successful then do the next bit ....
$ su -c "make install"
<put in your root password here>
... more output ...

 

That should do it.

 

But yes, apt should do this for you. Try this first, again open a terminal:

 

Code:

$ su -
<put in your root password here>
# apt-get install lame
... output ...

 

That should work!

 

Phew.. after all that, I think I'll go to sleep ;)