Well Windows XP got messed up again. For some unknown reason it kept loading all the startup items twice, got slow, and had the odd long period of going *REALLY* slow, even after killing loads of tasks in task manager. Plus my Nebula DigiTV USB freeview box playback kept freezing requiring the closing and re-opening of the application. Various malware/anti-viruses couldn't find anything. Also kept going peculiar with external hard disks etc. Tried fiddling with BIOS settings (thinking chipset voltage or something might be stopping it working properly) but nothing helped, so new OS installation time it was.

Decided to give Linux a go and have installed Ubuntu. Got the display drivers sorted (I think) and screen at correct resolution (took a while to sort out). Also managed to get my Nebula DigiTV freeview receiver working with a bit of SW called Kaffeine player which works well enough for me not to miss the MFR's windoze app. Even managed to import all my emails from outlook into evolution, and get contacts, tasks and calendar synced with my pocket PC. So I guess it does everything I did with Windows now anyway. Only things I haven't had any luck with are getting sound to output on the optical output, and enabling visual window effects causes all sorts of problems although I believe the correct drivers are installed. When you get past the fiddling and command line it seems to work ok.

Have played with Linux before but didn't have the courage to say goodbye to Windoze so far. Bit of a learning curve still but maybe now it's goodbye to Window$$$?!

I use linux, but you have to be a lot more selective in terms of the hardware you buy.

Eg there are less drivers for linux for random bits of hardware, but the common and popular stuff tends to be fairly well supported.

TV cards, the hauppage ones had good support last i looked.

In terms of e-mail have a look at mozilla thunderbird instead of the evolution if you don't need outlook connectivity.

What sound card does the machine have?

I tried it for a while on my old laptop, and in the end went back to Windows 2000. What a relief!

Gnome kept crashing.

Every Open Office application crashed when you opened a document, 80% of the time.

The power management functions didn't work.

No doubt it was my fault, for having the wrong hardware. However the machine's providing a useful service once more under Windows.

Recently I installed it again on a machine I was getting rid of, because I didn't want to give away an illegal copy of Windows. It seemed OK on there, although it took a very long time to install. Still, someone got a working PC out of it.

Not your fault Nick and it's not perfect, but things have moved on a lot even in the last year.

What sound card does the machine have?

Some sort of Nvidia Nforce2 onboard thing. Have found pages on the net with people saying they had similar problems and tried to apply their suggested fixes without success - probably just need more time to fiddle. Works on stereo analogue anyway so just no 5.1 with DVD's.

I tried to convert the laptop a couple of times but I could never get the wifi encryption working. There is only so long I'm going to spend sitting at the bottom of the stairs on a 1m patch lead looking though forums.

I might try again later but I've got very stable XP setups on both machines so I'm loathed to change them.

i tried it years ago (installing it) but didnt have much suceess.

Some sort of Nvidia Nforce2 onboard thing. Have found pages on the net with people saying they had similar problems and tried to apply their suggested fixes without success - probably just need more time to fiddle. Works on stereo analogue anyway so just no 5.1 with DVD's.

Ahh, nvidia, yes that explains it....

Try just getting a basic sound blaster or anything else that appears in the modules list of the kernel config.

I'd say if XP works for you don't move, but if you have a desktop or another machine then it's worth going and having a look.

I have used Linux a little bit, but for my main machines, I stick with XP Pro for the time being. Vista does not float my boat, although it works for a few things I do daily, I am unable to use it for my job due to the MS software being incompatible.. All non-MS stuff works

Haven't given up MS altogether - almost impossible to do that if you're not a hermit only using your own network. And some applications simply doesn't exist in Linux versions.

But I got myself an Asus eee this summer and must say that for most ordinary tasks it runs OK. So as Mr. C Monkhai says, it's definitely worth a try on a second computer.

Am currently Dual boot with XP and Suse 10.2 with GRUB boot loader front end (must remind myself to get suse 11 from work haha)... not a problem at all, and the best of both worlds

Linux does have quite a few nice touches as an OS, i especially like multi desktops for one, but as has already been said a little harder to get along with, although with comapnies like Novell getting hold of some versions its certainly a lot easier than a few years ago.

I dual boot XP with Mandriva

I tried Ubuntu but can't quite get it to work with my wireless (it finds the neighbours SSIDs but not mine)

In the end I settled back to Mandriva, seems to be the more Newbie orientated version of Linux.

Everything worked pretty much from install. Sound, wireless but the only thing I dont have is the printing.

Linux does take some getting used to. I think if you've done coding before too you'll enjoy the nitty gritty parts.

Novel's version is probably one of the lest good out there in my opinion. That plus they managed to p*ss off pretty much every linux person out there by signing up to an MS agreement. Oh and since Hans Reiser is in prison, I'd guess Reiser FS won't be moving too much too soon.

Plenty of better and properly free versions out there IMHO.

Strangley enough I have just installed Ubuntu after killing Windows 7 trying to install video drivers doh..

It did take a while to install but everything seemed to work out of the box although having some problems with video playback. I think I have got around that by installing VLC.

Got it running on a Thinkpad T40 with 2 gig of ram and 80gig hdd so it runs okay

Andy

I finally ended up with Kubuntu and have the latest version.

I have Micro$oft Tvrd (I found for some complex Word files OpenOffice 3 word processor couldn't do the job), Adobe Photoshop CS2 (not tried anything intensive with it yet, but seems to work okay - I know there's GIMP in Linux but hey), Steam with Counter-Strike (plays well, about to try CS:Source, will see if it breaks up like it did under Windows), digital freeview telly (works better than under Windows as it kept freezing), plus I've managed to get my flatbed image scanner working. I'm not sure I can see any reason whatsoever to go back to Windows now

Hi ...I am trying the latest Kubuntu Live cd at the moment .....all is good:)

Apart from how do i "assign" or apply my wireless network connection?

I can see it and set it up so it appears in the list under Network Managment but cant actually use it. The apply button is greyed out.

It sees my Wireless card as I can do a network scan.

Any help appreciated:)

Apart from how do i "assign" or apply my wireless network connection?

I'm not sure as I don't use wireless. If you start up the Adept package manager (start -> apps -> add/remove software), type in wireless in the search box, there may be something in there that will help you.

I tried it for a while on my old laptop, and in the end went back to Windows 2000. What a relief!

You went back to Win2k!!!!! :confused:

Are you a sadist?