[Elecraft] Elecraft's linux utilities - somewhat OT, or maybe not

[Don Wilhelm]

Steve,

If you use that laptop 'standalone', and do not have to share files with 
other computers on a network, the Ubuntu or Linux Mint distros are quite 
usable.  Firefox is an excellent web browser, and Thunderbird is a fine 
email application, add a calendering function with the Lightning plugin, 
and for work on documents, Open Office or Libra Office will give you all 
the capability that MS Office offers - BTW, those applications work 
quite well in Windows too for those who do not want to spend money to 
purchase MS Office - the GUI interface is almost the same, so any MS 
Office user will feel comfortable with the Open Office interface.  All 
free of cost and Open Source applications.  I recommend that for any 
computer that is currently running WinXP.  The problems come in if the 
computer is part of a home network that must share files between the 
various computers on the network.

The "rub" comes in when one wants to network computers, printers, and 
all other network things.  Getting the Samba config file to have the 
necessary settings to talk with other Windows based computers and file 
servers is what has caused me difficulty in the past.  I finally managed 
to create a Samba.config file that would allow me to view my Windows 
network, but the permission settings of all my files would have to be 
changed (they are shared to the entire Windows network) to allow 
read/write access from the Linux computer(s).  In my Windows network, 
the files can be accessed and changed based on the Windows logon, but 
special steps are needed to allow the same functionality for access 
using Linux (i.e. I would have to change the file permissions for each 
and every file).  This is not a good thing when my home network is an 
isolated unit where all files can be accessed by any computer on the 
network.  With Linux, I have to set the file permissions to grant access 
on each and every file - it may be a security 'thing', but in my case it 
is a PITA.

So, to keep it more "On Topic", those running WinXP on the hamshack 
computers might want to load Linux Ubuntu or Linux Mint and use the 
Linux Utility programs.  There are many Amateur Radio applications that 
can be used as well, certainly N1MM and such programs are only Windows 
based, but similar functionality can be found in Linux based 
applications.  WinXP poses a security hazard if connected to the 
internet, so its continued use should be discouraged for computer 
security considerations.  Moving to a currently supported OS is the only 
reasonable answer.

Bottom line, if you want to keep your current Windows applications, 
upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, but if you are willing to accept 
alternatives to the applications you are currently using under Windows, 
you may find alternatives running under Linux - it is a good OS, but has 
a learning curve if you want to do things 'out of the ordinary'.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/27/2014 9:16 PM, steve wrote:
> I have a 10 year old laptop that had Wxp.  It now has Ubuntu Release 
> 12.04 (precise) 32-bit...
> I like it.  As  Wxp I used the computer portable.  I still use machine 
> portable.  I have KX3 utility and fldigi for software.
> Not all the stuff I had with Wxp, it works...  I have been using 
> Ubunto about 6-8 weeks. It's good.
>
> I started with computers in the late 60's.
> A 4K computer with a 32K disk was fast...
> I used Unix on the Cray to compile and run Fortran...
> I have used a Mac+ (in the attic) and entered machine code with 
> switches on DEC computers.
> But, for Linux I have a son who is a senior at the UofDE in computer 
> science who can help as it is easier.
>
> 73, steve WB3LGC
>
> On 05/27/2014 08:03 PM, Bill W2BLC wrote:
>> I really have to chuckle regarding . . .
>
>> Bill W2BLC K-Line
>>
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