I’ve been trying Linux on and off for a couple of years. My first experience with Linux was with a version of Slackware (can’t remember) way back in 1996. At the time the installation was so daunting that I gave up all together. For a little background I consider myself a proficient computer user.For what is worth, I’ve administweredd Windows boxen for some time (I started with DOS 3.3). As far as Windows is concerned I’ve known all the nooks and crannies of the various incarnations of the OS. As recently as a year and a half I administered a Data Center with over 10 Windows Servers (2000, NT), and quite well I might add.
One would guess that a person like me, well versed in MS’s products, would never like Linux. Far from it. Ever since I gave up Slackware I increasingly became interested in Linux and in the OSS community. I read Slashdot, Linux.com, OSNews, and other sites. I always thought that ‘those guys’ were up to something. Increasingly I became frustrated by MS’s business practices (Licensing 6.0, WPA) and by it’s weaknesses. Last year when I learned what Knoppix was, I was intrigued and downloaded the iso. Who would have imagined it? A complete Linux distribution to test! You can go back to the comfort of Windows without formatting! A whole environment to play into and no danger to your precious data!.
I first tested Knoppix 3.1 (I still have a copy around). My home computer is an IBM ThinkPad R30. When I booted from there the distro got everything, except the WinModem of course. When I went somewhere that had a LAN and connected the computer there I could surf OK. But none of my other hardware would work (USB, for example). I dropped Knoppix for a while, since I had too much work at school. Two weeks ago I visited Knoppix’s web site and found it that it had gone up to version 3.3 (as of this writing is 3.4). I downloaded and burned the .iso. Boy I was in for a surprise! Everything but two components of my hardware was recognized (more on this later). I plugged in my no-name/no-brand USB flash drive into the slot *WHAM* an icon on the desktop. I could read it OK!. I plugged in my no-name/no-brand PCMCIA 4 in 1 memory card reader *WHAM*, an icon on the desktop. I plugged in my – you guessed it – no-name/no-brand PCMCIA Wi-Fi card *WHAM* the OS started asking for a DHCP address. I was absolutely and completely amazed! All the applications where there, Mozilla, OpenOffice, mail clients, GAIM, etc. I had a mean Linux machine! Now to start using it!
I’m still on dial-up on my house and during some recent rains the line went dead. Of course I didn’t expect Knoppix to recognize the Winmodem of the R30, so I waited for the right time to test it. I took my machine to my school’s library which has Wi-Fi. I went with a colleague which had his W2K Dell PC. I plugged in my USB flash drive (Knoppix gets my preferences from there), my PCMCIA Wi-Fi card and booted. The moment I got KDE’s attention I was online and surfing. The performance was absolutely amazing! It took Mozilla less than a second to display a .jpg file. All the while my friend is struggling with his Wi-Fi card on W2K (Cisco Aironet) curses on it and changes to a D-Link Wi-Fi card. His performance on W2K was at least 50 to 60% LESS than mine! I was surfing twice or three times the speed and the pages over the same Wi-Fi connection!. I was in absolute and complete Nirvana.
As I said earlier there were just two things on my R30 that Knoppix didn’t quite get. The first one was the Winmodem, but that was expected. The second one was the sound card. Although Knoppix correctly identified that the computer indeed had a sound card, the sound was abysmally horrible at best. It sounded very low and garbled. However, I’m pretty sure that if I had the distro installed in my Hard Drive and with some prodding I can get it to work.
I have absolutely no complains about Knoppix. When I started to write this I stated that I was very knowledgeable in Windows (I hold an MCSA, for what its worth). It is my very personal opinion that we IT gents and ladies must be well round out and know everything about everything, be it Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. But that’s not the point of the statement that I’m about to make (bear with me). At work, we system administrators (please, don’t start with the religious wars after this. Windows servers need to be administered) must conform to what the company has. If the company has Unix, then we must use Unix. If the company has Windows, Windows it is then. At my job I use Windows the whole eight hours of work. I use Windows tools to administer Windows servers. But at home, I don’t need Windows tools. Heck, I don’t even have Windows servers.
Furthermore, I don’t have a desire to work at all!. All I want from my computer at home is to surf the web for my news and my accounts, check and write my email, occasionally chat with my buds, browse the newsgroups, view some pictures (*ahem*), scan and print. That’s it!. I barely turn on my computer for an hour or two at most. I wake up, get some hot Java (the drink, not the code) and plop in front of my R30 to read what’s up in the world. That includes my daily Dilbert. Some times I’ll pop a music CD and listen to it while I surf. Some times I’ll write some data on CD-R’s to take with me. But that’s about it. I don’t write code, I don’t remotely administer servers from home; I don’t want to work from home, period. For these tasks, I’ve increasingly come to the realization that Knoppix in particular, and Linux in general is there.
My increasing interest in Linux comes also from the aforementioned MS business practices and weaknesses too. After reading articles like this, and reading all around the web where MS is trying to take its customers…it’s enough to send chills down the spine of everyone. I don’t want MS knowing what CD’s I’m listening to, what files I’ve got in my computer, how many hard drives, flash drives, printers I got in my computer. I don’t want to ask MS permission every time I need to reinstall software on my computer. If I just dropped $2,000 for a rig, why do I have to ask MS permission to use it? It’s MY machine, for God’s sake! And let’s not get started with the worms, viruses, and vulnerabilities. Out of the box Windows XP comes naked as a newborn. IE will accept any and all forms of pop-ups, installs and spam. Out of the box, or download, Linux comes forth as an angry Orc. No Viruses, No Worms. Pop-ups? A thing of the past with Mozilla. Spam? Even the most basic and rudimentary Linux email client has a Spam filter. Viruses? What’s that? If as I user I were to buy all of these additional programs, I would spend well over a hundred dollars. On Linux, they’re there, they’re free.
Overall, Linux offers a very pleasant computing experience. The only thing that Linux lacks seriously is applications, but we’re getting them. As developers and companies all over the world realize Linux’s momentum, they’ll jump in. I wouldn’t mind spending $30.00 for a Quicken for Linux version if Intuit made it.
Finally, I do have to say that I couldn’t test my home printer – a Lexmark X83 – because there are no Linux drivers for it. I’m researching to see which printer I can get to substitute the Lexmark. Anyone wants a used Lexmark X83? Cheap. Inquire within.
About the Author:
I’ve been involved with computers ever since my mom took home an old WANG labs PC. I’ve learned since then from DOS 3.3 to Windows XP. I’m A+, Server+, i-Net+, MCSA and CCNA certified. I also hold a certification in ITIL foundations.
If you would like to see your thoughts or experiences with technology published, please consider writing an article for OSNews.
Ten years ago I also started with Slackware, then went the Redhat/Fedora route. I checked out Knoppix a while back and was amazed as well. It boots, it auto detects hardware, it provides mount points for devices/partitions, it just works.
Knoppix also makes a great rescue CD. Heck, I once messed up my Redhat system at work (something about a glibc update that didn’t go right) and I ended up running Knoppix from the CD for over a week).
I used to give out the latest Redhat/Fedora CD’s to people but they were not very successful. Now I always have a Knoppix CD to give out and find that to be a much better way to introduce people to Linux and OSS.
i’d been trying to boot my friend’s dell poweredge 4200 into some sort of *nix. Every boot method i’d tried fail, usually as it was uncompressing the kernel or something equally damning. With known good discs. Debian, Gentoo, Mandrake, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, all failed, even under a variety of kernel parameteres which were supposed to help (mostly scsi stuff, iirc). We put knoppix in there and boom, it worked.
It kind of reminds me of that lore with the one wire switch and the chess playing computer demo. Juju which just wasnt right. But it worked with knoppix, and it was debian from then on in.
but take a look:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~pastolk/
Maybe you don´t have to sell the printer after all.
I tried Knoppix 3.1 on three IBM PC’s and they just didn’t work fully. A guy at the Knoppix forum helpfully concluded my harddisk would soon crash :p Well that was it for my introduction to Linux. Fortunately I rediscovered BeOS and appreciate it even more than at my first introduction.
Does the newest version of Knoppix come with a built in friendly installer? I tried the previous version and saw if I wanted to install I had to press some key combination that took me to a console then I typed some hdinstall command and in the end there was German, and it just didn’t work all that great. In the end I ended up going with MEPIS because it worked the same way, a Live CD, but it actually had an icon to an installer on the desktop which worked perfectly; asked a couple questions, performed the install, done. The only thing I don’t like about MEPIS is it’s easy to mess up the installation because it has a lot of distro specific files, that if you do an APT-GET Upgrade you may overwrite; kind of like the Linspire specific debian files that can get overwritten causing havoc if you’re not careful.
Knoppix is definitely the ultimate rescue CD. Whenever an OS stops booting for whatever reason (Say, NTOSkrnl.exe has decided to die once again), you can easily boot Knoppix (in less than a minute). Mount all your partitions (I even think it’s automatically done at startup) then fix the problem (if the defective OS is a *nix) or backup your data on a FAT partition, flash drive or CDR and get reay to format.
Really, no PC should be more than 5 meters away from a Knoppix CD.
(only problem with Knoppix now is that if you decide to install it, the installer is really minimalistic and allows for very little to no customizing. I’ll stick with Gentoo.)
what kind of news is this…
of course knoppix is great
Does the newest version of Knoppix come with a built in friendly installer? I tried the previous version and saw if I wanted to install I had to press some key combination that took me to a console then I typed some hdinstall command and in the end there was German, and it just didn’t work all that great.
The latest knoppix to harddrive installer (to the best of my knowledge) is an icon in the knoppix menu. Like you had mentioned the installer used to be written in german and english. The installer will ask you for some info and , AFAIK, uses gtkperl to generate gtk Yes/No command buttons. It now runs qtparted instead of cfdisk to partition the hard drisk. It user has the choice of installing it identically to the HD as knoppix or to install it to the HD as Debian. The first method will make the system boot and operate and immediately drop the user into KDE as user knoppix just as if it was running the knoppix CD. The second option will create a full install that will not behave identically like the CD will be a normal Debian system.
Updating on my story. I downloaded Knoppix 3.4, since I have a reasonably fast connection, a lot of CD’s to burn and I wanted to try it against other LiveCD distros I downloaded (Gnoppix, Mepis and SUSE’s Live Eval). As the 3.3 version Knoppix recognized everything except the PCMCIA memory card reader I mentioned in the article. Instead of feeling bad about this (for me this is a non-issue) I posted the question on the Knoppix forum. So far I’ve no responses to the question yet. MY question is: How different can a 3.3 to 3.4 version be that something that works on one doesn’t work on the other? I’m using now 3.3 for the time being.
Oh, and Sound Works now. It was a, uh, PEBKAC problem I think. 😛 Anyone can point me to streaming classical music that I can hear on XMMS?
Also, I’m finding myself booting into Knoppix more frequently now. The speed, reliability and stability of the OS is just great.
Does anyone install LiveCDs and use apt-get/synaptic to update stuff? It seems like both Knoppix 3.3 and MEPIS 2003.10.01 install great and work reasonably well, but after you do a few updates, things start going haywire. Is keeping a desktop Linux machine up-to-date just a dream?
I’m tempted to say that debian would be find, since it’s the definative source, but I really don’t feel like going through the work to get it installed properly (I’m talking about up-to-date, removable disks, etc).
“…streaming classical music that I can hear on XMMS?”
http://www.shoutcast.com/waradio.phtml?genre=Classical
Joel Pomales wrote:
Anyone can point me to streaming classical music that I can hear on XMMS?
————————–
Try http://www.magnatune.com/genres/classical/
Nice paen of praise for Knoppix, btw. I’m an admirer, too – how can an objective person interested in x86 operating systems NOT be a Knoppix fan??
-Gnobuddy
I began with an yggdrasyl in 92/94 at that time the kernel was arround 0.99.14. This was difficult. Now it’s so easy whatever distro you use, too easy?
))
As soon as I read the line “I read Slashdot, Linux.com, OSNews, and other sites” I pretty much knew that this was going to be a pro-Linux article. No one from those sites would ever knock Linux.
Question…Does the latest knoppix include ramfs AND 4G highmem in its kernel?
How different can a 3.3 to 3.4 version be that something that works on one doesn’t work on the other? I’m using now 3.3 for the time being.
3.3 used the 2.4 Linux kernel. 3.4 optionally has the 2.6 kernel – though I believe it defaults to the 2.4 kernel. But from one version to the next, various packages will be updated and the default settings may change. Sometimes the changes are for the better, sometimes they are for the worse.
I noticed that Knoppix has 2 3.4 versions … one is dated 05.04.2004, the other is dated 05.10.2004. It’s possible that the 3.4 version dated 05.04.2004 had a couple of critical mistakes in it which lead to the release of the 3.4 version dated 05.10.2004. But that’s pure speculation on my part as I haven’t read a changelog or anything.
Heres the changlog:
* V3.4-2004-05-03 (experimental)
– switched from syslinux to isolinux (no emulation) boot method
– Kernel 2.4.26 (default) and Kernel 2.6.5 (as boot option)
with ACPI enabled (use knoppix acpi=off in case of problems,
knoppix26 to try Kernel 2.6)
– New wireless drivers for: ipw2100 (“Centrino”(TM)), madwifi, hostap
– captive-ntfs installer
– live-installer by Fabian Franz
– KDE 3.2.2
– kdevelop3
– OpenOffice 1.1.1 (german and english)
– gimp 2.0
– Had to remove the entire latex system (101MB) because of space reasons
– Removed KOffice for the same reason
– /dev/modem setup tool supporting serial, USB, bluetooth and irda devices
– gprs connection tool
– lots of improvements in the hardware detection and new boot options, please
check knoppix-cheatcodes.txt.
And on of the best things about Knoppix 3.4 is….
It has built-in support for my Intel PRO 2100 wireless card now. Boot with ‘knoppix’ (kernel 2.4.25) and it’ll auto-detect it.
Yeeeah!
Though I have liked Knoppix, it in v3.3 and 3.4 is unable to autodetect my hardware successfully; my USB KVM switch stops it from working with my mouse and keyboard. Morphix (a Knoppix variant) does work, as do Feather and DSL (though in both their cases, it’s due to them both asking for settings to enable the keyboard and mouse (please note, I am a Mac OS X user, as well as Win2K and have dabbled with various Linux variants; Slax has no problem working for me). That said, Knoppix is a good CD for emergencies and general work, I simply can’t get it to work for me.
Quick follow up to my previous post – I should have checked this before I submitted. But here is the reason for the 05.10.2004 update of version 3.4
– removed some scsi modules from the regular knoppix26 (Kernel 2.6) startup
because they are unstable. Use “expert26” to load them.
– Added script for generating bootfloppies in Knoppix “Utilities” menu
– Harddisk installer update from Fabian Franz
– “knoppix splash” fixes
– timezone and language setting add-ons
– added linlinc1 for captive-ntfs for download capabilities
– changed some e100/eepro100 network driver entries in hardware detection
– the usual debian package updates
It boots and my USB keyboard and mouse don’t work. So being unable to type or use the mouse I remove the CD and boot back to Windows XP.
To the various posters that have offered some links to listen to classical, I can go there but I can’t play them. Please excuse me for the noob comment, but how do I do it.
To the fellow that said, and I quote: “As soon as I read the line “I read Slashdot, Linux.com, OSNews, and other sites” I pretty much knew that this was going to be a pro-Linux article. No one from those sites would ever knock Linux.” If you read the article, and my follow-up post, I DID knock Linux for somethings. And being an IT Professional I must read those sources, and other sites. I try to read and grasp a lot of information on what the industry presents to us. Slashdot, Linux.com and OSNews have as much informational value as ‘mainstream’ sites, such as Cnet, ZDnet et al.
Since installing Knoopix 3.4 I have been running apt-get update then atp-get upgrade daily. Works great. Through apt, installed Mozilla-firebird and thunderbird, got windows fonts running perfectly. For installation on HD, used knoppix-installer from command line. New Kernel 2.6 successfully detects my integrated network card which 2.4 doesn’t. Problems with detection of UXGA screen and acpi, but this is on the way to a great distro-and other than Libranet, also very fine, is the way to go for Debian users.
There is one huge problem I have with Knoppix. No, it boots fine and most hardware is detected, but my linux on harddisk uses an unicode locale and thus my filenames are UTF-8 encoded. Knoppix (and any other live CD I’ve tried) is unable to mount the partitions with correct filenames or boot in UTF-8 mode.
Man, this has been a nice article to read after work.
Keep having fun above all.
And disregard the linuxers that snob Knoppix and its breeds.
Thanks
All you should have to do is download the .pls and double click on it. IF that dosent work:
open xmms
open playlist
add -> url
type in link
I’m the one that said you wouldn’t knock Linux, and I’m right. Two of the three sites you listed are primarily Linux, which only portray Linux in the good light. They won’t ever talk about the bad in Linux. At least OSNews is pretty neutral. And ZDnet blows for any type of news or discussions. So based on the sites you read, you’ve already been brain washed.
No, my dear friend. I’ve not been brainwashed by Linux Zealots. I’ve been working with MS products since DOS 3.3. Back then, life was good. MS actually had great products. And IF MS did its job the right way I would’ve been rooting for them. But Windows’ absolutely abhorrent security and privacy holes, combined with the information MS leeches from everyone’s computers, has made me look into real and viable alternatives. Linux as a OS has its shortcomings, yes. But in much ways blows Windows from here to Hades. My data and my computer are MINE, not Billy G’s. And that, my friend, is what I’m looking for. IF MS where any other company, and its practices better I would remain complacent with Windows. But this is not so. I welcome the freedom to choose, a freedom that MS seems to want to take away to fill Billy G’s and Steve B. coffers. I refuse.
Joel Pomales (IP: —.87.103.213.netdial.caribe.net) – Posted on 2004-05-13 00:33:50
>> I welcome the freedom to choose, a freedom that MS seems
>> to want to take away to fill Billy G’s and Steve B. coffers.
and I agree!
choose linux because it’s free and it lets you choose that your pc actually does and you can actually verify it (the code), as opposed to windoze, where it supposedly does what ms says it does…
peace.
. . . Like you would see an objective article about security at WindowsSuperSite.com?
You just proved my point. Thank you.
May I ask, dear friend?
combined with the information MS leeches from everyone’s computers
So exactly what information is MS leeching from peoples’ computers?
Did you know that Win XP tries in about 16 ways to communicate outside it’s box? Everytime you put a music or DVD disc into a MS Windows XP box MS knows about it. Every time you update your PC, MS knows about it. EVery time you install Win XP you must ask MS permission and blessing to do so.
What’s next, MSdoubleplusgood?
Everytime you put a music or DVD disc into a MS Windows XP box MS knows about it. Every time you update your PC, MS knows about it.
Oh, the horror!!!! I mean, how am I going to sleep at night knowing this?
EVery time you install Win XP you must ask MS permission and blessing to do so.
Really? So if I were to reinstall XP on this PC, I would have to call them on the phone and say “Can I please re-install XP?”
If you change your hardware often, you might have too!
Why are we forced too activate XP? I can’t believe it’s to stop illegal copies, it is only annoying for thoughs who hav an original XP. So I’ve to wander whats the point.
Why does WMP try to comtact to some wupdate.microsoft.com URL AFTER each file I played with it?
Does anyone have a link, to the old story where some hackers found what kind of info windowsupdates sendes during an update? I think it was in XP’s first year.
Found it my self 🙂
http://www.tecchannel.com/security/client/58/
Didn’t/don’t know “Netmax Firewall”, is it an activation or just a plan old SN?
Well doesn’t matter, in general I don’t like “Product Activiation”, it feels like I can’t be trusted with the software I bought os that the seller have to be informed that I install their product.
Did you know that Win XP tries in about 16 ways to communicate outside it’s box?
I’m sure there are more than that – you just aren’t looking hard enough and you forgot to wear your foil hat.
Everytime you put a music or DVD disc into a MS Windows XP box MS knows about it.
Bullshiat. Unless you are referring to Windows Media Player’s “Allow Annonymous usage Statistics” option which you can set to either “on” or “off” during WMP installation.
Every time you update your PC, MS knows about it.
Nope. All that Windows update v4 checks is your productID against a blacklist. If you have an invalid productID it dosen’t allow you to update. They don’t track individual computers or keep tabs on each computer that updates.
EVery time you install Win XP you must ask MS permission and blessing to do so.
Theres a cure for that.
If you change your hardware often, you might have too!
So far, I have removed/replaced a hard drive, replaced a DVD drive with a DVD-RW, and installed/removed a sound card. No problems as of yet. I have re/installed XP 4-5 times on this machine (across multiple partitions) and whatever activation that goes on has been automatic. The product was apparently activated before I got this machine, so I have never had to ask MS once to activate it.
Why are we forced too activate XP?
Unless somebody has a gun pointed to your head, nobody is forcing you to do anything. If Linux is so badass like people around here say it is, go use that. It’s a free country.
Why does WMP try to comtact to some wupdate.microsoft.com URL AFTER each file I played with it?
I believe this is to update your library from the CDDB database thingy (or whatever it’s called). Like Microsoft really gives a shit what movies you’re watching.
Yet you do not mention that Netmax Firewall (Linux distro) does indeed have its own form of activation.
I don’t know about Netmax Firewall (never used it), but I do know that Borland’s Kylix v3 for Linux has Product Activation built in … seems this trend is not just a Microsoft thing afterall.
Anyway, I don’t think there is a thing on this PC Microsoft could collect that could do me any harm. I used to lose a lot of sleep over this, trying to kill every friggin’ cookie placed on my machine. Then I found out that the amount of info MS could ever get from my PC don’t add up to a hill of beans compared to what information other marketers arleady have about me (which they could easily share with MS anyway), so now I don’t lose sleep over it.
i am fine with SNs but having to go online or call a phone number to get something i bought and paid for working is a complete PITA epecially when you are installing it on multiple systems
…..and the winner is:
Knoppix is the BEST way to install Gentoo.
1. Boot Knoppix into your *nix desktop of choice.
2. Open your favorite GNU browser of choice, then download Gentoo tarball of choice (I prefer stage 1).
3. Once you have the Gentoo tarball, browse to Gentoo installation instructions online.
4. Go to a virtual terminal and fdisk the Gentoo partitions.
5. Format the Gentoo partitions.
6. Mount the Gentoo partitions.
7. Untar the Gentoo tarball to /mnt/gentoo
8. Copy /etc/resolv.conf to /mnt/gentoo/etc/resolv.conf.
9. Follow the Gentoo instructions to begin the installation (make sure to edit /etc/make.conf to your liking)
10. Once Gentoo has begun building, go back to the Knoppix desktop you first booted (Is it vc4 still? It’s been awhile)
11. Surf, play games, chat, email or whatever you need to do while Gentoo builds.
Gentoo installation time becomes a non-issue with Knoppix, since you still have the use of your computer while Gentoo compiles. You never need to own a Gentoo CD. Boot Knoppix and download the tarball of your choice and you are in.
“i am fine with SNs but having to go online or call a phone number to get something i bought and paid for working is a complete PITA epecially when you are installing it on multiple systems”
Did you read your license? You are only allowed to use your product key on one machine at a time. By installing it on multiple you break the license. You paid to use the software on one computer, you did not pay for a guarantee it would work or for use of the binaries. You own that cd, the box, and rights to use it on one computer.
I don’t agree with the license agreement, but that’s life. If it’s so much trouble maybe you should find a product with a better license.
–Unrelated to the above —
How does everything on this site relating to Linux turn into trolling and flame baiting. If you anti-linux zealouts can’t deal with linux zealouts then why do you start arguments with them? Can’t we all just realize everything has its flaws, some more than others, and that nothing is perfect for everyone or even better for everyone. Instead maybe we could be productive and cite our problems and preferences.
I have Linux and Windows dual booted on one machine, Linux on another, freeBSD on another, and System 8 on another machine (soon to be wiped and replaced by Debian). Everything breaks, some more than others.
“If you anti-linux zealouts can’t deal with linux zealouts then why do you start arguments with them?”
http://redcoat.net/pics/arguing.jpg
So based on the sites you read, you’ve already been brain washed.
But wait a minute: if you can pass such a judgement on Slashdot, it means you must read it as well – otherwise you wouldn’t know. Following your own logic, that would make you brainwashed as well.
Ah, wintrolls…
…can we please stay on-topic? If you insist on talking about Windows, then at least entertain us with your experiences with Microsoft’s Windows LiveCD…
Personally, I love Knoppix and LiveCDs in general. I’ve used it to make sure all hardware on a computer I bought recently was recognized (and therefore was supported). You should have seen the salesman’s face! At first he thought I was trying to install the software on the demo model and he told I couldn’t do that. I managed to convince him that it wouldn’t affect the installation at all. He even asked me where he could get it to show to his boss. I left him my copy and bought the PC…
Joel,
check this out:
http://wcpe.org/internet.shtml#Ogg
Hmm
“Really? So if I were to reinstall XP on this PC, I would have to call them on the phone and say “Can I please re-install XP?””
Yes you actually do. I’ve had fun time trying to explain to them that the install was from a ghost of the hard disc before it got corruption and had to explain to them nicely what had gone on and in effect beg them to let me re-activate the product.
However…
” The product was apparently activated before I got this machine, so I have never had to ask MS once to activate it.”
Just where did you get this copy from? It sounds like a corporate edition which never requires activation. You a corporate?
I used it a while ago and was most impressed with it as a selling tool. The easy ability to play with linux without committing. Gives people a chance to become familiar and still be able to run to the comfort of Windows. (Hey it’s reality…)
I am in that group and last night downloaded the 3.4v2 ISO and gave it a whirl, straight to the 2.6 kernel and I was shocked at how SLICK it all was.
It felt faster to boot, it was NOTICEABLY faster to use and more responsive. First time this could have been said for a while with one of the mainstream linux DEs but it is faster and more responsive than the mainsream Windows (XP Pro) on the same box. Most most impressed.
I was lucky ; nothing out of the ordinary in my setup and it was all detected (VIA mobo, GT4Ti, XP1800, 1GB, 3HDD, DLINK 10/100, SBLive, MS USB k/b+mouse).
The only thing that I’ve still yet to see linux drivers for is my webcam. Are there any linux driver/software combos that work with any webcam?
Oh and amazingly Knoppix 3.4 WORKED with my KVM switch (USB). Usually when I switch away from a linux and come back the mouse goes bananas and I have to do a ctrl-alt-backspace to get it back. Knoppix worked!
Why does it try to go on the Internet, when you disabled that option?
I’ve personaly deactivated all “go on the Internet”-options and my firewall still catches WMP in trying.
If it tries to update CDDB or some something that, I think it is a strange time to do so. After playback of a home made avi, wav, mp3 or other media?
Don’t get me wrong, I use WMP9 only too playback videos, it’s just annoying and suspect that it don’t get the whole don’t go to the Internet-thing.
“I don’t know about Netmax Firewall (never used it), but I do know that Borland’s Kylix v3 for Linux has Product Activation built in … seems this trend is not just a Microsoft thing afterall. ”
Did I ever say that it was a Microsoft-only thing?
Please go here and read. http://www.hevanet.com/peace/microsoft.htm
I rest my case about the MS connectivity thing. I’m not going to roll over and hand over the control of my personal systems and data to MS. There is choice. Linux, MacOSX, BeOs are alternatives. As long as users condone and keep trusting that MS is doing the right thing they’ll continue with their business practices. I’ve nothing against WinXP. I use it at work. If my company wants to pay for MS software and be subject to MS’s EULA’s fine. On my home, I won’t allow it. My family’s privacy, and my own comes first.
Sorry Joel, I’ve seen that that stie before and its nothing short of FUD. First its over a year old. Secondly I can type up something along the same lines to say Linux isn’t good. Thirdly, it has no facts to back it up. Fourthly, the guy who wrote that has no credit in the computer indsutry. Like always, whenever you read something that bashes Microsoft you have to take it as fact instead of what it really is, FUD.
But aren’t you a tad worried about MS’s business practices and the whole bag of vulnerabilities that the OS has by default? I set up WinXP for a friends PC. After downloading and installing SP1 WinXP needed AT LEAST 16MB’s worth of updates before safely plugging that machine to the ‘net. Not to mention updating AV software and installing and updating spyware removal tools. Yes, I could download and install alternative browsers – Firefox – and email clients – Thunderbird -, but most home users won’t. They want their machine working.
I’ve another friend that surfed into a page doing some university research (or so he says). He called to tell me that the home page is another one and he can’t change it. Pop-ups are pop-pop-popping everytime he connects to the web, and he can’t access his cd-rom. Now you tell me, is there any worth in running an insecure OS that lets other people know what you are doing online?
MSdoubleplusgood for you indeed, friend.
But aren’t you a tad worried about MS’s business practices
No. If I were to worry and otherwise boycott greedy/evil businesses, I wouldn’t have phone service or electricity.
and the whole bag of vulnerabilities that the OS has by default?
Nothing that a decent firewall and AV won’t fix.
I set up WinXP for a friends PC. After downloading and installing SP1 WinXP needed AT LEAST 16MB’s worth of updates before safely plugging that machine to the ‘net.
Broadband – takes like 5 minutes.
Not to mention updating AV software
Called auto update – runs in the middle of the night.
Not to mention updating AV software and installing and updating spyware removal tools.
With a little bit of common sense, these aren’t needed.
Yes, I could download and install alternative browsers – Firefox – and email clients – Thunderbird -, but most home users won’t. They want their machine working.
So, if they’re not willing to do that, then what are you suggesting? To download a Linux ISO?
I’ve another friend that surfed into a page doing some university research (or so he says). He called to tell me that the home page is another one and he can’t change it. Pop-ups are pop-pop-popping everytime he connects to the web, and he can’t access his cd-rom.
You’ve already answered this one – it’s called not using IE.
Now you tell me, is there any worth in running an insecure OS that lets other people know what you are doing online?
Yes, assuming your job depends on it and you need to eat. Get it??
Well, this is OK if you know what your’e doing friend. But most users don’t. That’s why we get the widesepread viral infections.
Yes, you can download 16 megs in 5 minutes over broadband. But what about dial-up?
Even if you didn’t use IE or OE, would you in your sane and rational mind plug in an out of the box WinXP computer to the net? If I’m not mistaken some worms, like Sasser, don’t need any interaction from the user.
Most people don’t or won’t have the common sense to try other browsers. They’ll just eat what MS serves.
Well, this is OK if you know what your’e doing friend. But most users don’t. That’s why we get the widesepread viral infections.
Well, basically it comes down to this:
1. Download/install a personal firewall program such as ZoneAlarm or Sygate
2. Download and install an AV program
3. Don’t use Internet Explorer
4. Go to Windows Update about once a month and download any critical updates you find
5. Don’t install anything available online until you’ve gone to Google and do a search for <appname> spyware and/or read user comments for the app on download.com.
And really, that’s about it.If these 5 steps are too much for you, then you’re pretty much screwed no matter what OS you use. Screwed for different reasons, but still screwed.
Yes, you can download 16 megs in 5 minutes over broadband. But what about dial-up?
In the case of dial-up users, not like you have to do it every day or download all 16MB of updates at once.
Even if you didn’t use IE or OE, would you in your sane and rational mind plug in an out of the box WinXP computer to the net? If I’m not mistaken some worms, like Sasser, don’t need any interaction from the user.
Have done it several times – haven’t been infected yet. Of course, I have one of those $40 home routers with a hardware firewall
Most people don’t or won’t have the common sense to try other browsers. They’ll just eat what MS serves.
Well, tell them to go buy a Mac then. If they can be safe on a Mac buy doing anything somebody tells you to do in order to get nude pics of J-Lo, then more power to them.
Don’t waste your time responding to these wintrolls. For them, Microsoft can do no wrong – it’s no use trying to argue about the company’s anticompetitive practices, or MS’s abysmal security record, or the dangers of vendor lock-in, or the threat of Palladium for privacy and consumer choice. They’ll call you a zealot and claim that all your arguments are FUD. It’s better to just ignore them.
“Well, basically it comes down to this:
1. Download/install a personal firewall program such as ZoneAlarm or Sygate
2. Download and install an AV program
3. Don’t use Internet Explorer
4. Go to Windows Update about once a month and download any critical updates you find
5. Don’t install anything available online until you’ve gone to Google and do a search for <appname> spyware and/or read user comments for the app on download.com.”
Now we see why Windows is “so easy to use,” and “just works.” Could you imagine having to do step 5 EVERY TIME before you install a new app?
Ah, much like you the linux user are doing to windows users now?
Nope, not like you the linux user. After all he hasn´t been trolling this thread like you did.
And if you really think it is worth spending your time arguing how great windows is in a forum about a linux article, I feel really sorry for you.
Face it, there are people using something other than windows and those people have reasons for not using windows, wether you agree with them or not. If this is really so upsetting to you, please, do yourself a favor and see a doctor.
The whole of this website is Osnews, wich means that this is the place where you wil read about operating systems.
This includes Linux/Windows/MacOs/etc etc. Keep an open mind about them. There really is no “better Os”. It all depends on what you use it for. The desktop can be run on most of these operating systems, and depending on your hardware, your knowledge etc, its all usefull, providing you know what to do. So keep pointing at the good sides, and stop putting others down, should be an good advice.
I hope to see more good tips in the treads and alive discussion on these subjucts, instead of waste of space.
cybernout.
M$ Winblows calls home too much
Heres a couple of examples:
-Application Layer Gateway Service (Requires server rights. “Server rights” means that this Microsoft software inside your computer can set up an arrangement that allows other computers to control it.)
-Fax Service
-File Signature Verification
-Generic Host Process for Win32 Services (Requires server rights.)
-Microsoft Direct Play Voice Test
-Microsoft Help and Support Center (If you don’t stop it, using “Help and Support” notifies Microsoft of the subject of your search.)
-Microsoft Help Center Hosting Server (Wants server rights.)
-Microsoft Management Console
-Microsoft Media Player (Tells Microsoft the music and videos you like. See the February 20, 2002 Security Focus article Why is Microsoft watching us watch DVD movies? [securityfocus.com].)
-Microsoft Network Availability Test
-Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service
-Microsoft Windows Media Configuration Utility (Setup_wm.exe, sometimes runs when you use Windows Media Player.)
-Microsoft Windows Media Configuration Utility (Setup_wm.exe, sometimes runs when you use Windows Media Player.)
-MS DTC Console program
-Run DLL as an app (There is no indication about which DLL or which function in the DLL.)
-Services and Controller app
16. Time Service, sets the time on your computer from Microsoft’s computer. (This can be changed to get the time from another time server.)
Yeah, I read the article too. Do you even know what half this stuff is, or do you just repeat what you’re told?
So what you expect me to listem to you? People have tried to express their own opinions and you just call them zeolots or that their just spreading FUD.
I will pray for you before I go to bed tonight Darius.
Ah, much like you the linux user are doing to windows users now?
For your information, I use Windows as much as Linux. Therefore I am as much a “linux user” as I am a “windows user”. More importantly, I am capable of gauging the strengths and weaknesses of both.
Unlike you, I’m capable of separating “Windows the OS” from “Microsoft the abusive monopoly.” I have nothing against Windows, it’s an adequate OS. But MS I do have a problem with.
Now, if we could only get back on the subject: Knoppix, and by extension LiveCDs…
I guess you don’t have much to say on this, since MS doesn’t give out Windows LiveCDs.
“Face it, there are people using something other than windows and those people have reasons for not using windows, wether you agree with them or not. If this is really so upsetting to you, please, do yourself a favor and see a doctor.”
well 95 % of the people are using Windows ever think about that
now who needs a trip to the doctor
He? What are you trying to say?
simple people using windows are also using it for a reason
anyhow about knoppix yes it is indeed great however it won’t run on my PC :'(
That was the part I understood, but why should I see a doctor about it?
Have you tried the latest knoppix?
What exactly doesn´t work?
not the latest version though thinking about downloading it
in version 3.3 the X server started KDE and then I got a dialog box about a application crashing. I tried several managers like gnome etc but none would load the desktop
Running Slackware with Kernel 2.6.5 and enjoying the experience except for IO with gnome is very slow
Actually, a flavor of knoppix, insert from http://www.insert.cd is the ultimate rescue cd, give it a try, I use it nearly every day at work, for scping data off broken windows machines, to our backup server, and virus scanning with clamscan, give it a try!!! and its only 50MB, so it can fit on mini cd’s
You can download the 16MB of updates over hte net on broadband in 5minutes yeah… doesn’t help you avoid the nasties that will you get you first.
Example for you from a 18 months or so ago. Whenever Code Red was new on the block. I installed a Windows 2000 server box and it had finally booted to windows and I turned to the site to prepare some files to setup on it.
I noticed while doing this that the HDD light was going nuts and my net activity was going nuts too.
Within 30 seconds of going live the box was infected and sending.
5 minutes might not be long in our time but when the boxes are so vulnerable it is more than enough time for the viruses et al sniffing around the internet.
Joel, don’t worry about the trolls… Like others here I’m happy for you in your rediscovery of Knoppix. It truly is a wonderful tool.
Right now I’m hooked on Mepis as a Debian installation vehicle…it’s shaky at times but I’m usually really pleased with the results. Updating through APT has broken a couple of systems for me, but this isn’t the norm, thank gawd. The only real packages I have trouble with are the funky Xfree debs and some questionable stuff in “experimental.” Luckily, I can always kick back to a safer and stabler version of most software.
peace
foo
…when i decided to install apache and sendmail. it was unbelievably easy! now, with the addition of perl and suexec, i can securely implement just about any kind of website i want. this computing malarky is so easy and simple. imho, alot of difficulties faced by computing is brought about by people over complicating things.
KISS!
having said that though, on mac os x i just have to click on one checkbox to set up a website…
Don’t waste your time responding to these wintrolls. For them, Microsoft can do no wrong – it’s no use trying to argue about the company’s anticompetitive practices
I’ve been deploying MS servers and supporting HUGE Windows infrastructures for corporate clients for oh, 10 years now, and tired of being called a Wintroll every time some punk kid puts operating systems ahead of applications. I’ve worked on virtually every non MS operating system ever made and had to ‘get along with’ admins working on those other systems. It’s been a matter of personal pride to keep my windows systems with equal if not superior uptime compared to Unix, AS400, etc. My windows systems move a few million dollars of transactions a day through them. What does yours do?
No offense, but in my professional experience, the Linux community is the most irrational and close minded bunch of people I’ve ever met. They’ll sit back and watch Cisco along with IBM deploy proprietary systems, violate GNU agreements, and come up with draconian licensing plans just as long as they can blame MS. Most of the the software I work with *is not* associated in any way with MS, yet 50% comes from companies that make MS look like a non-profit in terms of business practices. I spend most of my day on non MS nor Linux OS’s, so, what’s your problem dude??
Here’s what really gets me. Linux users will actively patch their systems, but insist windows users don’t patch theirs, or mock them when they do. I guess to simply make windows look bad. A wee bit childish and hypocritical, eh?
I haven’t dropped a Windows server or had a virus or worm hit a network under my support in over 2 years. To be honest, it’s that not hard either. I just patch my windows systems as often as I patch my NON Windows systems, and things are cool. What rev is OSX up to again???
I’ve used Knoppix and several other distros, and have several Linux servers running as faithfull utility boxes on my networks. All works well, even though I hate Samba in any way shape or form. However, advocating Linux to home users because those home users are too lazy to patch their Windows systems only moves the ignorant Darwin Award Winners over to the Linux community, and you can have them.
Another thing I give Knoppix and the more ‘professional’ Linux distros is they’ve toned down the rhetoric and distanced themselves from the hardcore Linux community recently. I guess they’ve realized this really turns off Windows users who just don’t get affectionate about their operating systems. In this respect, I’m starting to promote alternative OS’s simply because, well, I’ll never forgive MS for not marketing the superior Win2K over fatso XP. Also realize that the original article written by the guy claiming to be a MS network admin only really justifies a case for buying a WebTV. Must be nice to sit home and surf the net while the real network admins are doing our jobs.
Okay, first, take a deep breath, and relax.
I’ve been deploying MS servers and supporting HUGE Windows infrastructures for corporate clients for oh, 10 years now, and tired of being called a Wintroll
I wasn’t talking about you, but about Darius and (*)(*). Don’t be so defensive.
My windows systems move a few million dollars of transactions a day through them. What does yours do?
That’s irrelevant. If you had bothered to read my post, you’d see that I wasn’t talking about Windows, but about Microsoft.
That’s not even mentioning the fact that there’s no way of knowing if what you claim is true or if you just made it up. For all you know, I could be Emperor of Spain. The fact of the matter is that “pedigrees” such as yours have no value in anonymous forums such as this one. Ideas are defended on their own merit, not through their author’s curriculum vitae.
In other words, come down from your high horse. I don’t care who you are or what you do.
They’ll sit back and watch Cisco along with IBM deploy proprietary systems, violate GNU agreements,
You must be aware that Cisco has agreed to remedy their GPL violation after being threatened by a lawsuit, right? Well, that’s one of your arguments going down the drain…
Here’s what really gets me. Linux users will actively patch their systems, but insist windows users don’t patch theirs, or mock them when they do.
What in heavens are you talking about? Show me an example of a Linux user who “insists windows users don’t patch their system”? That’s quite the groundless allegation you’re making here.
Another thing I give Knoppix and the more ‘professional’ Linux distros is they’ve toned down the rhetoric and distanced themselves from the hardcore Linux community recently.
There is no “hardcore Linux community”. That is a convenient invention of pro-MS advocate who desperately wish for some kind of Linux bogeyman. There are Linux users of all stripes and forms. Some of them are nice, some aren’t. The same holds true for the Windows community – in fact, zealots and trolls are found among any “geek” subgroup. However, there is no indication whatsoever – no studies, reports, nada – that the rudeness of some OS enthusiasts has any effect on that OS’s success and market share. There’s no such thing as bad publicity. As P.T. Barnum once said to a journalist: “you can write anything you want about me, just make sure you spell my name right!”
In other words, you’re perpetrating an old and busted urban myth. And the Knoppix guys, just like the Mandrake, Debian and SuSE guys, are as hardcore as they come.
While we’re on that subject, there’s a reason Linux advocates are perhaps more vocal (which is not a bad thing – freedom of expression is a guaranteed right in the U.S., better use it) than Windows advocate: they feel they need to offer a counterweight to the billion dollar Microsoft marketing machine.
Also realize that the original article written by the guy claiming to be a MS network admin
I don’t see why his claim is any less credible than yours. In fact, I’m much more inclined to believe him, and disbelieve you. Perhaps that’s become he didn’t come off sounding like an arrogant prick who acted like he knew it all.
Forget what I said earlier: the term “wintroll” applies to you 100%.
Just for your info I think I saw or heard something about a Window’s Live and/or Boot CD on TechTV.com “Screensavers”.
I’m sorry I have to take a WinXP “MSCE I” class next fall to get my Lan Admin A.S.degree. Which VmWare should I get? The holes in Windows makes me want to choose Linux, but Microsoft wont help with problems if it’s run in VmWare unless you can prove it’s duplicated in standalone mode.
Knoppix is good, but it should pick up Linmodems better. My DSL went down twice this week, the phone company is supposed to be here in the morning, they did find something wrong on my line somewhere. How do I keep from having my mail bounce? Exchange hard drive trays, disconnect the Cat5 cable from the back of the PC to the DSL router and install Lycoris that has support for the modem, but not for the USB HP 3820 printer.
Could someone please explain how to use this Insert CD with its ClamAV, if memory serves the documentation was in German instead of English. I tried to use it on a Win98/2000 box that I had set up for a friend, who doesn’t connect to the Web by the way. What ever BUG it was seemed to be in the lower 640K as the Vcom’s Partition Commander said so, was 640K now 639K.
How do I set Fstab or some other file in Linux to use the modem to connect to the Web, if the Lan connection doesn’t work? I know Windows is too DUMB for this but my teacher once said Linux could, but didn’t go into the particulars. I’ve Googled but I must not know the right phrasing of the question to search for.
Thanks for any help or links,
ChiJoan
I just feel secure when I unplug my cablemodem from my PC.
Now I using McAfee Antivirus, Firewall, Lavasoft Ad-ware and Xp SP2 with integrated firewall, don’t surf “dangerous” sites, I don’t install anything I do not know perfectly ( or almost) and still fell unsecure, still got hijackers, troyans and viruses ( remember CWS…) so to many programs to defend my PC and living a life of paranoia, sorry but at this pint 1000 times better linux.
My background,if somebody cares, Systems Master Doctorated, MSCE, and all the blah, blah…. but still thinking Linux is better when talking of internet security….