[Ham-Computers] Hardware suggestions for Linux system in theham shack

[jeff]

On Tue, 2004-12-14 at 18:16, Rolly (W7DGX) & Sandra Goodspeed wrote:

> that would concern me about switching. The items concern recovering my
> present windows data and program available, compatibility, with existing
> windows programs. These items include:
> 
> Ability to recover and properly interpret files from:
> ..MS Outlook Express email files;
> ..MS Outlook Express address book;


These are do-able, but it will take some research and planning.  It's
going to depend largely on what program you'd like for email.  I highly
recommend Evolution.  If you use Outlook, it will be instantly familiar
to you (frighteningly so).  It does everything like Outlook but catch
viruses.

Converting might be a two step operation though...   there are tons of
email clients, down to the command line level.


>....Internet Explorer favorites;

not entirely sure but there's probably a way.



> ....word documents
> ....excel .xls files (presently all my ham radio logs).

there are tons of programs in open source that will open these.  You can
even find some for Windows.  There's an app called Wine that runs some
Win programs (it's a PITA).  I believe there's another called Crossover
Office that will let you run Office under linux (commercial).

I run two computers at work and home - Win2k and linux.  I can pretty
much accomplish anything I want to on the linux side but sometimes it
takes a little research.

Linux comes with a familiar graphical interface which should have you
off and running in no time.  If you run into trouble, there are TONS of
sites with help available, plus the site of the particular
distribution.  We're a Dell shop at work and I put linux on a new
machine, had a bizarre problem, Googled, and solved it.

All is not peaches and cream though.  If you have a problem, you need to
search.  If the distro doesn't detect your hardware correctly or at all,
you have to learn a bit about configuration.  Things have gotten quite a
bit better in this area though.


You can also dual-boot between Win and linux on the same computer, or
run a bootable cd version just to try it out.




> Also are there reasonably priced:
> .... compilers for development in the C language;

I'm not a developer but I'm guessing that there is no problem here at
all.

> .... Ham logging programs;

yup.  Most software is open source (read: free).


> .. replacements for MS;
> ... Word,
> ... Excel,
> ... Outlook Express,
> ... Internet Explorer,

My opinion is that you're in luck here.  Not only are there
replacements, in most cases they're far superior.  I don't even use IE
on Windows boxes :)



You're welcome to ask further questions here or in email.



-jeff