GameBanshee Forums

Folks, this is a link to open office download. It is freeware, and cool. A bit hard to use, but nothing you cant handle. Avoid other versions, this one is the best I know.

Open

[QUOTE=garazdawi]It installes a firewall with an interface that is just horrible and it's almost impossible to turn off. Also my external sound card has stopped working because of it and I've had some other minor HW incompatabileties with it. Hopefully M$ will fix these issues soon but as external soundcards is a pretty small target I have few hopes for it being fixed...[/QUOTE]

Indeed! You have to go all the way to the control panel, and is that wasn't enough, you even have to double click on the security icon to turn the firewall off! Oh the indignity! The intolerable insolence! Microsoft shall surely rue the day they implented the firewall, oh yes, they will surely do, ill make sure of that, they will suffer! the firewall is nearly completely impossible to turn off!

DAMN YOU MICROSOFT FOR TRYING TO MAKE YOUR OWN SYSTEM SAFER!

If you do decide to install a linux distro, be sure to partition your hard drive and install in on another partition so you can dual boot. Unless of course, if you want to say goodbye to games and hello to going through hell to get linux support your peripherals (hint: Linux installation of drivers isn't the easiest thing in the world. It's actually one of the most horrible experiences I've had to go through).
All in all I have to say linux isn't the most user-friendly and intuitive OS out there. I guess neither is Windows but I've been using it for long enough so that I now find it intuitive. If you want to transition to Linux you'll need to set aside time and accept you'll need to learn. Books aren't necessary as every question you have can be answered with a google search, but you'll have to be willing to search.
Oh, and is SuSe not... not free, $$ wise? Do you really want to pay money for something you might end up not using and then reverting back? Why don't you get Mandrake, or something else free instead to get a taste first?

[QUOTE=Vicsun]If you do decide to install a linux distro, be sure to partition your hard drive and install in on another partition so you can dual boot.[/QUOTE]
Only for the record: Keep both Ruindows* and Linux on the Computer or you're gonna have some trouble finding your own files and running your own Ruindows software.

*Ruindows - Ruim in portuguese means bad, so Badwindows or something like that.

[QUOTE=Gauda]Indeed! You have to go all the way to the control panel, and is that wasn't enough, you even have to double click on the security icon to turn the firewall off! Oh the indignity! The intolerable insolence! Microsoft shall surely rue the day they implented the firewall, oh yes, they will surely do, ill make sure of that, they will suffer! the firewall is nearly completely impossible to turn off!

DAMN YOU MICROSOFT FOR TRYING TO MAKE YOUR OWN SYSTEM SAFER![/QUOTE]
That's the problem. Somwhere in the startup sequence of onw of my windows installations there is something that says that the firewall should be turned on. So whenever I reboot I have to turn off the firewall inorder to use kerio at all. This feature is really good for people that are do not want to configure anything to get a safe OS, but I do not find it to my liking at all. I guess it's all about personal taste.

@Vicsun: SuSE is free to do a net install from. There are however no iso's that are distributed (except the Live! disks), so anyone who just wants to instert a CD and not have to downoad the whole OS while installing should look for something else, but I really prefer to do a net install of it. For a net install disc go here

[QUOTE=garazdawi]@Vicsun: SuSE is free to do a net install from. There are however no iso's that are distributed (except the Live! disks)...[/url][/QUOTE]
You can download the SUSE LINUX Personal-CD ISO (International) from Suse's website. Is that not a full, working copy of the operating system?

[QUOTE=VonDondu]You can download the SUSE LINUX Personal-CD ISO (International) from Suse's website. Is that not a full, working copy of the operating system?[/QUOTE]
Hey, that's cool. When I last looked for such an ISO (about 8 months ago) the SuSE staff told me that they do not realease ISO because if business reasons and trafic load upon their servers. It seems like they since then have changed their minds. I still would recommend doing a net install, because of the flexibility it allows and you can choose if you want to use gnome or KDE when you install it rather than to download gnome after the sinatllation and then deleting KDE (which I think the case would be on the ISO as I doubt both KDE and Gnome will fit on one cd.

Sadly i am stuck with Windows for gaming reasons. So thanks alot for your help guys but i guess i have no choice. Though i have started to use alot of non-windows software.

As most Linux geeks would tell you, most Windows-based games can be run as well or better under Linux in Wine(X), but in my view you have to be rather masochistic to want to learn how to get it working. I tried it with DiabloII once, and even though I succeeded it was not a pleasant experience. Makes installing Linux kernel drivers feel like installing just about anything on a Mac (For those of you not familiar with Macs, it is usually just a matter of dragging and dropping the program to where you want it).

If you just want to play around with Linux, boot up a Knoppix CD and have a look. For the installed kind of Linux, I personally prefer Debian, but it has a slightly more obscure installation than say Mandrake. The key advantages are that it is completely free (to the point of fanatically-open-source-gnu-public-license free) and you have excellent control over what gets installed and not. Sensible people, however, run FreeBSD, because it has such a nice logo

[QUOTE=CM] As for XPlite is looks great but i am not willing to pay for it. Freeware would be great.[/QUOTE]
I don't blame you, and I like freeware, too. But unfortunately, the public's unwillingness to pay for software that isn't preinstalled on their computer (other than games, which is a completely different story) is one of the main reasons why Microsoft doesn't have enough competition. I used to think that no one really wanted to create an alternative to Microsoft--that is, to create an OS that has the support* that Windows has--but after watching would-be Microsoft competitors like BeOS get eaten alive, I can only conclude that the public doesn't want to support companies like Be if it means spending money out of their own pockets.

* BTW, by "support" I mean things like printer drivers, which my programming pals tell me are a really big pain.

I use Gentoo Linux its one of the better versions of Linux for home use.

http://www.gentoo.org/ if anyone is interested.

Games On Linux

[QUOTE=CM]Alright bugger this. With all i can read it would be pretty stupid to have both windows and linux on one pc when i am trying to do away with windows. So here is what i need help with if it can be done.

Firstly if it is actually possible to play games with Linux without having to get special add ons and specially marked games, then great hook me up with whatever there is for me to get rid of Microsoft.

If that is not possible, please tell me how to get rid of the following from my Windows XP:

1. IE
2. Microsoft Media Player
3. Anything else that there is a better freeware version available[/QUOTE]

HI, Firstly, there is no poroblem to instal linux with a dualboot (so that you can chose to boot either linux or windows) if you chose too do this, I can advice you to use windows for games (and only games!!), and linux for evrything else.

Secondly, it is not true that it is dificult too play windows-games on linux, but sadly, it is also not free (It will cost you at least 15$). There is a program on the market that will let you play windows-games om most distrobutions. Please check out this link: <edit: Link removed. No advertisments as per the forum rules. - Xandax>

Edit: EHEM.. It was not my purpose to "advertise" for anything. there are also a free version of the comersial "cadegra" aviable, thoug it is a bitt more "work" with it. this link will bring up a hole list of emulators for linux, some of the emulator, beeing "windows-emulators". look for cadegra CV, witch is the free version of cadegra, thoug, bee awere of the leagal issues (explained on the site). You can also look for "direct X for Wine", though the DirectX included in Wine(a open source windows emulator for linux), is not as powerful as the DirectX included in Cadegra.

[url="http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wfdownloads/viewcat.php?cid=38"]http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wfdownloads/viewcat.php?cid=38[/url]


- Gamehead!

You are you all aware that Bill Gates does have hitmen on his payroll? Not to mention his own private army large enough to take over a third world country. All I'm saying is be CAREFUL!

My Linux / Windows dual boot

I use a dual boot with Win XP and Open Suse 10. Win XP is for games only (the games ran under Linux with emulation are running at 50% - 80% of the power of the system and I don't have a system powerful enough to make up for the loss in performance). Open Suse is my favourite because is the open licence version of the latest Suse / Novell Linux with all the goodies that make it friendlier and easy to mentain. It also comes out of the box with Raiser file system support which in my opinion is the most secure and fastest file system available. So no mater what happens to my hdd I have a much better chance to recover it. The only thing missing from the open version are a few commercial packages that come with the paid version of Suse but I don't need them anyway. It's also easy to install on a dual boot and easy to mentain and use even if you have little or no previous Linux experience. So if you wanna give it a try with Linux I recommend this distribution. My second choice would be Gentoo.

Has no one here ever heard of Live CDs? For some (if not most) Linux distros, it is fully possible to test the distro before installing. There are fully-functional bootable cd's for most distros that you can try out. This is a great way to see if you'll have hardware problems.

And yes, WINE is a pain.

Just an update. I have stuck with WinXP and just switched to Firefox and other freeware.