Linux for Old Gits
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| beirwin Mar 29, 2007 9:15 AM EDT |
Now that I'm approaching Old Git status, this article was of particular interest to me! :-) Many of us used computers throughout most of our working lives and are far more comfortable with the command line without all the fancy GUIs. A rodent-free computer experience is great! Linux advocacy efforts should target both the young and the soon-to-be-retired or already retired huge baby boomer demographic. The sky's the limit. |
| jimf Mar 29, 2007 11:27 AM EDT |
As a certified 'Old Git' here I have to say that not all of us are exclusively command line fanatics. I learned on a DOS command line, but I also did much of my work on semi-GUI CAD interface and later on Graphics applications. While I think everyone should 'be able to' negotiate the command line, GUI interfaces allow 90+% of users a much richer and more productive environment. Life is in color, not just black and white, and, contrary to what some think, 'the rodent' is not always evil. Linux supports command line, GUI, and everything in between, just fine. If you want to work on a GUI Desktop, Linux offers a number of alternatives that are better than anything MS offers. If on the other hand, command line is your thing, go for it. A combination of the two works for me. |
| azerthoth Mar 29, 2007 12:58 PM EDT |
Thats a well put together little article. While not personally of the opinion that she's an old git, my mother recently took the plunge and switched to linux cold turkey. She had dealt with Unix in passing in college so when I explained it all to her she just shook some rust out of her ears and picked up the concepts pretty easily and is confident enough to go in and do a little maintenance now and again. I'll be nice and wont give her age, however for frame of referance these days I keep hoping for the call that tells me I'm going to be a grandfather. |
| jdixon Mar 29, 2007 1:05 PM EDT |
> 'the rodent' is not always evil. The only good rodent is one on it's back with it's ball sticking up in the air. I.E., a trackball. :) |
| dcparris Mar 29, 2007 1:16 PM EDT |
Well, I see West Virginia's water supply has been tainted too. ;-) |
| jimf Mar 29, 2007 1:29 PM EDT |
> I.E., a trackball Now that's an invention of the devil.... |
| Sander_Marechal Mar 29, 2007 2:21 PM EDT |
>> I.E., a trackball > Now that's an invention of the devil.... I love them. I get RSI pretty quickly from regular mice. The best one's aren't sold anymore, sadly. They were made by logitech and they had a really big ball (about 8-9 cm diameter) that you could manipulate with all fingers. E.g: http://members.arstechnica.com/x/cowboy/01.jpg or http://www.rumble.net/images/TrackmanMarbleFX.jpg |
| jdixon Mar 29, 2007 2:26 PM EDT |
> The best one's aren't sold anymore, sadly. They were made by logitech and they had a really big ball (about 8-9 cm diameter) You mean like this one: http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProd... Staples still had them the last time I was there. |
| Sander_Marechal Mar 29, 2007 2:39 PM EDT |
Maybe. I haven't used those new Marbles. The ball looks smaller than the old Marble FX's that I posted. Those were huge and are a joy to handle. Nowadays I usually use a trackman: http://www.frolundadata.se/prod_imgs/TrackballLogitechCordle... I do have a regular mouse but I only ever use it for precision handling such as 3D shooters and per-pixel image editing. |
| jimf Mar 29, 2007 2:50 PM EDT |
The only trackball ever made that worked was the origional Logitech trackman fx. http://csown.dhs.org/trackmanmarblefx.html . All others are junk. Of course they've discontinued the design. |
| Sander_Marechal Mar 29, 2007 3:37 PM EDT |
jimf: That's the one I love and linked above as well :-) |
| jdixon Mar 29, 2007 3:47 PM EDT |
> The ball looks smaller than the old Marble FX's that I posted. Possibly. The ball on the Marble Mouse appears to only be about 4 cm. in diameter. It's also centrally located between the four buttons, which is not the same as the one you linked to. Oh, and it's the track ball I use, of course. |
| jimf Mar 29, 2007 3:52 PM EDT |
Wow, are these colectors items, or what! http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00000JBUI/ref=dp_olp... These two are a little more realistic. http://cgi.ebay.com/Logitech-Trackman-FX-MINT-NO-RESERVE-Tra... http://cgi.ebay.com/Logitech-Trackman-Marble-FX-BRAND-NEW-IN... |
| NoDough Mar 30, 2007 8:51 AM EDT |
I used to prefer the Kensingtons. http://us.kensington.com/html/4771.html http://us.kensington.com/html/2200.html |
| jimf Mar 30, 2007 9:01 AM EDT |
> the Kensingtons. It's the flat design (with any of them) that kills me. Poor control and very uncomfortable. |
| jdixon Mar 30, 2007 9:14 AM EDT |
We have an older version of the Kensington Expert Mouse somewhere around the house. Meredith prefers the Logitech Trackman, so it's been relegated to emergency duty. |
| SFN Mar 30, 2007 10:21 AM EDT |
The best input device I've ever used was a trackball designed for a laptop. It was a brick a little less than 2" square that fit perfectly in the area made by crooking my forefinger at a right angle. The ball couldn't have been more than a 1/2" in diameter and the buttons were only maybe 1/2 an inch from the ball so everything was controlled by just the tip of my thumb. It had a nice long cable with a PS/2 connector at the end (this was about 1995 or so) so I could just sit back in my chair and not get my hands anywhere near the desk. It was great for presentations too. I never saw another one after that one. When it died, it took a little piece of me with it. |
| DarrenR114 Mar 30, 2007 10:41 AM EDT |
All you old gits out there that miss the trackball should try this on for size: http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;361485560;fp;16... |
| dcparris Mar 30, 2007 1:01 PM EDT |
O.k., now I think I'm starting to feel like an old git. |
| Sander_Marechal Mar 30, 2007 2:48 PM EDT |
Darren: That's a bit too far off for me. But a StarTrek-like computer that I can talk to in order to run my house would be great. "Computer: dim lights and play the love song playlist off my server". That would be great :-) |
| jimf Mar 30, 2007 3:17 PM EDT |
> try this on for size: Don't worry, sooner or later, they'll plant a chip in your head so you won't need a mouse or trackball at all. Problem is, soon after that the powers that be (probably MS) will flip a switch, and, you'll become the rodent. Don'cha just love progress :D |
| DarrenR114 Mar 30, 2007 3:26 PM EDT |
@sander, You're thinking about something along the lines of this: http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ck11a_ci.htm combined with this: http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/sphinx4/demo/jsapi/dialog/R... |
| jimf Mar 30, 2007 4:12 PM EDT |
@Darren A friend of mine actually did that with his whole house. Really cool. |
| jdixon Mar 30, 2007 8:35 PM EDT |
SFN: Were you thinking of something like this: http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?productI... |
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