Goodbye Windows..hello Ubuntu

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Gandhi
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Goodbye Windows..hello Ubuntu

Post by Gandhi » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:24 pm

Right so I'm taking the plunge and have downloaded Ubuntu.
I'm fed of Windows, and as my XP is foooked I decided to start a fresh and join the opensource crew.
Haven't installed yet as i wanted to just clarify some things with the tech heads but all the forums are freaking me out with all their geek speek.
Basically i'm worried about using software on ubuntu that is not Linux based. I'm more than happy using the Gimp for photo stuff, i believe that NVu is a good, easy to understand website designer (I'm used to the simplicity of Dreamweaver but simply the design side of things as I'm too crap at properly scripting things), I use Open Offcie already so happy there but I am scared of not being able to have a decent Video Editing software, I have found a program which looks great, it's called Cineralla and it looks great especially as it allows editing of HD video...cashback.
However, if I don't like it, or simply wish to revert back to Adobe Premier will i be able to use it on Ubuntu. I know there is a program called WINE which allows the use of windows software but all the struff I looked at shows scripting of some sort and that stuff confuses the crap out of me.
So after my ramble, my questions are.....
How good is Wine?
Will premiere work through Wine?
If i load up premiere through it will it be really slow?

I don't especially want to partition but would it just be better to migrate all my documents and photos etc on to Ubuntu and have a small XP partition running premiere and photoshop that i could use, and I can save the files on to an external hardrive?

Sorry for all the questions but I love premiere pro and spent 3 years at Uni learning it so being a bit stubborn (and scared) of completely relying on a new video editing program.

What else would Wine work with? games? sound editing software?
Is there any other Wine-like programs out there more suited to noobies like me?

anyway, i'll appreciate any help on the matter.
Thanks
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chombee
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Post by chombee » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:51 pm

I don't think Adobe Premiere will work in Wine, that's my guess. In general, not all programs work under wine, some do, some don't. My advice is to avoid it. Trying to force programs from one proprietary system to work on a completely different open system is ugly. Your best bet for getting stuff like that to run on Ubuntu is to run Windows on Ubuntu in a virtual machine. I think that is pretty much safe, isn't it? Anyone know about setting up a Windows virtual machine who can advise?

If I were you I would look into a virtual machine, it would ease the pain of switching by allowing you to run Ubuntu but still load up Windows when you need it, and I think it is a little better than dual-booting. (Because with a VM, Windows runs inside Ubuntu, so Ubuntu is still running when Windows is running and you can quickly switch between them, whereas with dual-boot you have to shutdown one to boot up the other.)

But unless you go with a Windows virtual machine, honestly if you have a long list of Windows programs that you want to keep using you should keep using Windows. Getting all your Windows programs to work on Ubuntu will be a hassle or impossible. But if you're willing to switch over to linux programs on Ubuntu, then you can begin to reap the rewards.

You sound like at least a medium power user of Windows. Video editing, audio editing, games. You are no mere web browsing user. Because you use a lot of advanced software, you're the type of user who is liable to have to do more work to change operating systems. You have a lot of complex programs that you use and you'll have to either get the same programs wokring on Ubuntu, or learn to use the just-as-complex linux equivalents.
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Martin
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Post by Martin » Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:18 pm

I don't think it's ever going to be possible to run Premiere acceptably under Linux. It will load in a virtual machine (VMWare) but I expect video performance would be poor because it's not going to be accessing the video card directly.

Give Cinelerra a try - read the tutorials etc as it might work quite differently but still be able to do the same stuff - but if that's not up to scratch then you're best off keeping a minimal Windows install to run Premiere.

Windows does seem to suck less if you keep it clean - don't install or use anything you don't absolutely need, and then it doesn't fill up with crap and get in a mess so much. I use it to run a few electronics programs, and do everything else in Linux. I hibernate one and then resume the other so it takes about a minute to switch.

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milk
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Post by milk » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:47 pm

fyi, http://appdb.winehq.org/

"This is the Wine Application Database (AppDB). Here you can get information on application compatibility with Wine."
hey, if you don't like it, post on the BB (so you can ask about participating for better) | MilkMiruku

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Post by chombee » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:49 am

Well, Premiere not withstanding, I was just over at my friends place, they use Windows virtual machines on Ubuntu a lot. They say it is really easy to setup and then pretty much works just as if you had Windows installed. Their only caveat was accessing external hardware, if you connect a bluetooth mobile phone was their example, the virtual machine doesn't seem to do too well at communicating with external devices.
I've had it with you. If I had an image of a laser gun I would absolutely position it right here in my hand...
Ha! I have a real laser absolutely positioned in my hand!

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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:08 am

Ok well looking through everything, I think its best for me to keep a small windows partition for premiere and save all the files on to an external harddrive.
I'm going to format my XP first then load up premiere and any other programmes i really really need then load up Ubuntu and set up the partition during the install (it looks like it lets you do that, from the info on Ubuntu website). I would rather do this than risk not being able to use my essential windows programs by loading up just Ubuntu and wiping Windows. From the looks of it Wine is not doing well with Premier at all so...maybe in the future I can be completely Windows free, and hopefully Adobe will wake up to Linux but until then I can't be.
I will load up Cinerella onto Ubuntu and learn it and hopefully it will blow Premier out of the water! fingers crossed?
Before i do all this I need to replace the battery on the internal clock...its slooooooowing down.

I really am looking forward to changing to primarily using Ubuntu though, it looks amazing and the amount of free software out their is amazing and it all looks fantastic.

Is there anything I should be looking out for when installing Ubuntu or anything i should be aware of in general with it?...especially as I've spent all my life playing with Windows.

Thanks for all your help so far guys.
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chombee
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Post by chombee » Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:48 am

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. Ubuntu will detect your Windows installation and offer to resize it for you and install Windows alongside. Just make sure you choose the 'Resize partition whatever and used freed space' option instead of the 'use entire hard drive' option. It is very easy though, you'll be fine.

One thing to remember is that Windows can't install itself alongside Ubuntu the way Ubuntu can install itself alongside Windows, i.e. you have to install Windows first. This means that if you ever need to reinstall Windows, you will have to reinstall Windows then install Ubuntu again. You can reinstall Ubuntu without needing to reinstall Windows.

I did the dual-boot for a while when I switched, just kept the minimum programs I needed on Windows, and never connected to the Internet with Windows, this works well and does seem to protect Windows enough to keep it going.

It's good that you have an external hard drive. Ubuntu will be able to browse your Windows partition anyway though.
I've had it with you. If I had an image of a laser gun I would absolutely position it right here in my hand...
Ha! I have a real laser absolutely positioned in my hand!

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Post by James » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:54 am

the 15th - ubuntu talk :-)

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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:21 am

OK, I did it. I'm now proudly running Ubuntu.
However I cant get my Wireless card to work. Its a Sweex card and Ubuntu website said it works etc, and I'm pretty sure it has found the card but I'm confused as to how to run the drivers for it as they are for windows. i know there is a way but all the manuals i've come across confuse me.
Any help?
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Martin
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Post by Martin » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:54 am

If it's found the card you don't need to get any drivers - Ubuntu's got its own.

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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:11 am

but it says it has no wireless connection...hi or low...or something like that.
Is there somehting very simple i'm not doing. On the network bit there is no option of a wireless card. just ethernet and dialup
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Martin
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Post by Martin » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:56 am

That suggests it hasn't actually found it then.

Looking around, it sounds like Sweex cards use the ISL3886 chip for which it seems there isn't actually a finished Linux driver. There is a hack to use the Windows driver in Linux, but it's a bit fiddly to set up:

http://patrick.vande-walle.eu/software/ ... 886-linux/

The easiest solution is probably to trade wireless cards with a Windows user who has a Ubuntu-compatible card.

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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:55 am

Thanks for looking Martin...i knew it couldn't be simple :roll:
Is there any cheap wireless cards the ubuntu will recognise i can get over the counter. really need to do some work tonight on my website so desperate to get online. only shops i know have a few cards is Maplin but it doesn't say whether they are Linux compatible or not. which is a pain.
if I get one, then the Forest can have my Sweex card as I'll have no use for it....and you guys can hack it or whatever you do to make stuff work, if you want it that is.
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chombee
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Post by chombee » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:38 pm

The Linux Emporium sells linux compatible wireless cards in the UK, either buy one from them or find the same model somewhere else:

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/wireless/
I've had it with you. If I had an image of a laser gun I would absolutely position it right here in my hand...
Ha! I have a real laser absolutely positioned in my hand!

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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:03 pm

Ok I bought a Sitecom USB wireless dongle thingy after reading it should be fine, put it in and was on the net literally 10 seconds later, in fact i'm writing to you through it right now. thanks for all your help guys. So far I've been extremely impressed by Ubuntu and now i'm online I can do some work using it.
those meetings on the 15th should be very useful and I really hope i can make it.
thanks for all your help...was much appreciated. I'm sure I'll be back soon to annoy you with questions.
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Gandhi
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Post by Gandhi » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:23 pm

It's like God's vagina!

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Post by Shannon » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:59 am

Another satisfied customer.

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