Anybody using OpenOffice 2.04 (Linux) under Xandros?

[S. Fishpaste]

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:54:26 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
> In news:slrnhm1lqa.72t.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
> S. Fishpaste typed on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:16:10 -0500:
>> Why don't you use a modern Linux distro like Ubuntu? It's made for
>> folks like you and works on EEEPCs -- I installed it on several for
>> clients. Works out of the box; everything including the camera. You'll
>> aslo get a modern version of OOo. Xandros is a POS IMO.
>
> Tried Ubuntu years ago and it never even loaded on any computer I ever
> tried. I still have the CD and I believe it never worked because the CD
> was corrupt.

So I tried a Windoze install years ago and it never worked -- I still
use windows though. ;-D

Do yourself a favour, grab the latest Ubuntu, install it and be a
happy camper.

Re poorly written applications -- You'll find that anywhere. There are
a sh*tload of Windoze applicatons written poorly to. There are some
great applications that run on Linux, you just have to know what
you're doing. If you have UNIX experience it's much easier -- But as a
programmer you sure don't seem very familiar with source files ...

 

[BillW50]

AJL wrote on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 090:25 -0700:
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>> downloading another Ubuntu version for like the 4th
>> time in all of these years. I am sure I'll regret it like all of the
>> other times.
>
> This is the first Ubuntu version (9.10) that has worked flawlessly.

Well apparently for me too. Everything seems to be working except
playing media files and DVDs so far. And this is the Netbook Remix
version. Which is supposed to fit on small screens. Although the default
email application doesn't fit on the screen. So I had to find
Thunderbird and install that for now.

> I've not had the nightmares you've had in the past but previous
> versions have always had wireless and display troubles for me. So far
> there has not been one glitch with this version. I've downloaded tens
> of programs and they all have worked. Ubuntu understands NTFS so even
> though it has it's own little partition I can still use the whole
> windows partition for storage. Better than that I can run windows
> programs (like this newsreader) from the windows partition without
> having to move them using Wine. I've lost nothing from my Windows OS
> on the two laptops I've tried this on, but gained thousands of
> available Linux only apps...like OpenOffice....

Sounds good to me.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix

 

[AJL]

BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

>Everything seems to be working except
>playing media files and DVDs so far. And this is the Netbook Remix
>version. Which is supposed to fit on small screens. Although the default
>email application doesn't fit on the screen. So I had to find
>Thunderbird and install that for now.

If you can't get the remix working try the standard version. It worked
fine on my netbook's small screen (Eee 1000HD with 10" screen). Course
if you're using your SSD Eee netbook you may not have the room. HDDs
do have their advantages...

 

[BillW50]

S. Fishpaste wrote on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 132:20 -0500:
> On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:54:26 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
>> In news:slrnhm1lqa.72t.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
>> S. Fishpaste typed on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:16:10 -0500:
>>> Why don't you use a modern Linux distro like Ubuntu? It's made for
>>> folks like you and works on EEEPCs -- I installed it on several for
>>> clients. Works out of the box; everything including the camera. You'll
>>> aslo get a modern version of OOo. Xandros is a POS IMO.
>> Tried Ubuntu years ago and it never even loaded on any computer I ever
>> tried. I still have the CD and I believe it never worked because the CD
>> was corrupt.
>
> So I tried a Windoze install years ago and it never worked -- I still
> use windows though. ;-D

Yeah I heard that before from a few. I guess Windows and some people
just doesn't get along too well.

> Do yourself a favour, grab the latest Ubuntu, install it and be a
> happy camper.

Yeah, AJL talked me into that hours ago. It is running and the WiFi,
Webcam, mic, sound, etc are all working. Which is a first for Ubuntu. As
earlier versions, always something wouldn't work right. Although I need
to work on why it doesn't like multimedia files and DVDs right now.

> Re poorly written applications -- You'll find that anywhere. There are
> a sh*tload of Windoze applicatons written poorly to. There are some
> great applications that run on Linux, you just have to know what
> you're doing.

I sort of doubt that. As I am still looking for the good Linux stuff.

> If you have UNIX experience it's much easier -- But as a
> programmer you sure don't seem very familiar with source files ...

That was years ago when all we had was WordStar, dBase, and SuperCalc.
If you wanted anything else, you had to write your own programs. And I
sure did a lot back then. Then when applications became plentiful, I was
more than happy to let others do it.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix

 

[felmon]

On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 090:25 -0700, AJL wrote:

> Better than that I can run windows programs (like this newsreader) from
> the windows partition without having to move them using Wine.

how does this work?

Felmon

 

[the wharf rat]

In article <hjv1vv$b17$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>Done. Can't launch it though. And OO 2.04 still loads with data files
>associated with it.

Edit the button or shortcut or whatever you launch it with.

 

[the wharf rat]

In article <hjv1em$8ij$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>> Try something more stadard like CentOS.
>
>That's just a stripped down free RedHat version.

No.

In fact, ifyou use the Centosplus repositories you can get a
lot that's not included in redhat.

 

[AJL]

felmon <nemo@nowhere.INVALID> wrote:

>On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 090:25 -0700, AJL wrote:
>
>> Better than that I can run windows programs (like this newsreader) from
>> the windows partition without having to move them using Wine.
>
>how does this work?

1. Have Wine installed. (Runs many Windows programs in Ubuntu.)
2. Have Ubuntu mount the Windows NTFS partition automatically on boot.
3. Have an Ubuntu taskbar or desktop icon point to the .exe file on
the Windows partition that you want to run.

 

[BillW50]

In news:slrnhm6adk.6mf.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
S. Fishpaste typed on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 132:20 -0500:
> Do yourself a favour, grab the latest Ubuntu, install it and be a
> happy camper.

Well this is day 6 of using Ubuntu 9.04. And while it is impressive and
gets a passing grade in almost all categories except for multimedia.
There it fails miserably. Even Xandros plays more media files than
Ubuntu does. Also any Linux is very CPU intensive playing media files.

While it is true that Linux needs less RAM than Windows does. No problem
there. But when it comes to multimedia, Linux needs a far more powerful
CPU than Windows ever did. Even netbooks has a lot of RAM, but low on
CPU power. So even on netbooks it makes more sense to run Windows vs.
Linux. At least if you want to run multimedia too.

I listen to about 4 hours of media files a day. So this is very
important to me. Streaming tech and science stuff if you must know. And
it seems crazy to me to run Linux and have a Windows machine running
too, just to play the media files. As why bother running Linux at all?
As why not just use a Windows machine alone?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[BillW50]

In news:hjt7nn$d93$2@reader1.panix.com,
the wharf rat typed on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:48:07 +0000 (UTC):
> In article <hjt1em$sc1$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
> BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>>
>> Tried Ubuntu years ago and it never even loaded on any computer I
>> ever
>
> Try something more stadard like CentOS.

Why? Is it just as bad at multimedia like every other Linux distro I
ever tried?

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Windows XP SP2

 

[BillW50]

In news:59l6m59c2khggc0asm40ok7nva2nb7t7ev@4ax.com,
AJL typed on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:47:07 -0700:
> BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>> Everything seems to be working except
>> playing media files and DVDs so far. And this is the Netbook Remix
>> version. Which is supposed to fit on small screens. Although the
>> default email application doesn't fit on the screen. So I had to find
>> Thunderbird and install that for now.
>
> If you can't get the remix working try the standard version. It worked
> fine on my netbook's small screen (Eee 1000HD with 10" screen).

Multimedia works better under the standard version? I find that hard to
believe.

> Course if you're using your SSD Eee netbook you may not have the room.
> HDDs do have their advantages...

I haven't had any problems like you have with your 2G SSD. As 4G is
plenty of space for Xandros, Ubuntu, Windows 2000, and even Windows XP
SP2/3 if you stay away from most big updates. Although I have a trick
which mounts a SD as more storage space for all of your Program Files
folder. And that seems to work very well for 4G SSDs running Windows XP.

My two 8G SSD which are perfect for full blown Windows XP with all of
the updates.

I bought one 16G SSD to install Windows 7. It only needs half of this
once installed, but you need 16GB free to install it. Well Windows 7 was
too disappointing on a netbook for me. And 16GB is really far more than
you need for the other OS I already stated. Thus it just sits in my
spare parts drawer until I find a use for it.

And because I worry about head crashes with hard drives. I have removed
my 160GB hard drives from my three Gateway MX6124 laptops and replaced
them with 60GB hard drives. I would have used even smaller yet, but I
don't have any smaller except in my two old Toshibas with 6GB hard
drives. And those are a tad too small.

And I am considering replacing those hard drives with SSD. But I am
still thinking about that one. As I don't generally move my laptops
around too much. Just my netbooks. Although this Gateway 465e releases
from the docking port with a big jolt. And while Gateway says it is okay
to do while running, I have noticed it causes new bad sectors on the
hard drive as read in the event logs. Thus this machine would be better
off with a SSD.

This Gateway 465e is also my oddball laptop. As it is the only one that
has a SATA drive and it only has 40GB. I thought about upgrading it to a
larger drive. But I don't really know why I should. As it currently has
both Windows XP Pro and Windows 7 Ultimate and a game which eats up 10GB
all by itself. But I don't plan on keeping Windows 7 on here. So that
frees up lots of room right there. lol

This Gateway 465e also has a removable drive bay. Which oddly enough, I
can only remove it 1/4 of an inch and I can't get it out any further. I
don't know what that is about yet. But you can pop in a second battery,
a second hard drive, etc. And I am curious about the latter and I can't
find anything more about it. I found the second battery on eBay and
would be useful if I needed 7 hours on battery time. Although I believe
the laptop might weigh up to 8 pounds by then. lol

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[AJL]

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>AJL typed on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:47:07 -0700:
>> BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

>> Course if you're using your SSD Eee netbook you may not have the room.
>> HDDs do have their advantages...
>
>I haven't had any problems like you have with your 2G SSD.

I was referring to this Eee 1000HD netbook with it's 120G HDD.

>As 4G is plenty of space for Xandros, Ubuntu, Windows 2000, and even Windows XP
>SP2/3 if you stay away from most big updates.

But I don't have to stay away from anything with this 120G HDD, in
fact I currently have 2 OSs installed, Windows and Ubuntu, thus
getting the best of both worlds.

>Although I have a trick which mounts a SD as more storage space...

No tricks required on this HDD equipped netbook...

>And because I worry about head crashes with hard drives...

Unwarranted paranoia is not good for your health. Perhaps if I ever
break a running HDD I might change my opinion, but I've dropped my
share of laptops over the years with nary a HDD problem. They're a lot
tougher than you give them credit for...

 

[BillW50]

In news:8bngm5haehbrapinr529b2575951t4abop@4ax.com,
AJL typed on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:47:10 -0700:
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>> AJL typed on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:47:07 -0700:
>>> BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>>> Course if you're using your SSD Eee netbook you may not have the
>>> room. HDDs do have their advantages...
>>
>> I haven't had any problems like you have with your 2G SSD.
>
> I was referring to this Eee 1000HD netbook with it's 120G HDD.

Oh I thought that one came with 160GB HDD. Although they are easy to
change if you wanted too, right? I just noticed that TigerDirect has a
Lenovo netbook with a 160GB HDD for $249.99. These things are just
getting very inexpensive. I suppose the day is coming when you can buy
them for 100 bucks or less.

>> As 4G is plenty of space for Xandros, Ubuntu, Windows 2000, and even
>> Windows XP SP2/3 if you stay away from most big updates.
>
> But I don't have to stay away from anything with this 120G HDD, in
> fact I currently have 2 OSs installed, Windows and Ubuntu, thus
> getting the best of both worlds.

Well I can also buy much larger SSD too. So far, my 16GB is too big and
it just sits in my spare parts drawer. Pretty sad, eh? lol

>> Although I have a trick which mounts a SD as more storage space...
>
> No tricks required on this HDD equipped netbook...

Well if you go small enough, tricks might be required.

>> And because I worry about head crashes with hard drives...
>
> Unwarranted paranoia is not good for your health. Perhaps if I ever
> break a running HDD I might change my opinion, but I've dropped my
> share of laptops over the years with nary a HDD problem. They're a lot
> tougher than you give them credit for...

Well this Gateway 465e just by undocking it (it is like hitting the
bottom of the laptop with a hammer) definitely would screw up the HDD in
no time if I did it all of the time. Plus there are people who post here
from time to time that their laptop HDD only lasts about a year at a
time and then they are shot. I don't know how they treat them, but I
don't want mine to last that short. Plus I knew a tech that worked for
an outfit that repaired laptops used in automobiles. And he stated that
the HDD only generally lasts about 2 months before they are shot.
Although I haven't talked to him in a few years and they probably all
use SSD by now.

So there is a fine line somewhere that if you cross, will ruin your HDD.
Apparently anything resembling a tap from a hammer is a little too
dangerous. The good news is that SSD can handle tons of vibrations
without a problem. They even use them on Space Shuttle launches. So they
should be just fine in an automobile. NASA had tried HDD, but they just
couldn't take it during the launch. They work fine floating in space
though.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[the wharf rat]

In article <hk98sd$6n1$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>As why not just use a Windows machine alone?

Because no one else has such awful problems streaming a podcast?

 

[BillW50]

In news:hka1b3$1hm$2@reader2.panix.com,
the wharf rat typed on Tue, 2 Feb 2010 20:18:43 +0000 (UTC):
> In article <hk98sd$6n1$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
> BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>>
>> As why not just use a Windows machine alone?
>
> Because no one else has such awful problems streaming a podcast?

Xandros has no problems streaming them (it doesn't look pretty, but it
works), Ubuntu doesn't like the format in Windows Media format (or any
DVD I tried yet) and refuses to play them (even though the first time it
said it had to download and install something first). But I also use a
stream recorder (really a stream downloader) under Windows and save the
files. I never found Linux to do this yet. And anything that does work
under Linux, really taxis the CPU compared to Windows.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[the wharf rat]

In article <hka2m3$q22$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>
>Ubuntu doesn't like the format in Windows Media format

lol.

Have you tried mpeg?

 

[S. Fishpaste]

On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:20:42 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
> AJL wrote on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 090:25 -0700:
>> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>>
>>> downloading another Ubuntu version for like the 4th
>>> time in all of these years. I am sure I'll regret it like all of the
>>> other times.
>>
>> This is the first Ubuntu version (9.10) that has worked flawlessly.
>
> Well apparently for me too. Everything seems to be working except
> playing media files and DVDs so far. And this is the Netbook Remix
> version. Which is supposed to fit on small screens. Although the default
> email application doesn't fit on the screen. So I had to find
> Thunderbird and install that for now.

You shouldn't use the Netbook remix -- It's old. Just use the regular
Ubuntu distribution. That's probably why you don't have all the codecs
you need.

>> I've not had the nightmares you've had in the past but previous
>> versions have always had wireless and display troubles for me. So far
>> there has not been one glitch with this version. I've downloaded tens
>> of programs and they all have worked. Ubuntu understands NTFS so even
>> though it has it's own little partition I can still use the whole
>> windows partition for storage. Better than that I can run windows
>> programs (like this newsreader) from the windows partition without
>> having to move them using Wine. I've lost nothing from my Windows OS
>> on the two laptops I've tried this on, but gained thousands of
>> available Linux only apps...like OpenOffice....

OOo (open office org) is not a Linux only application!

> Sounds good to me.
>

 

[S. Fishpaste]

On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 07:21:15 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
> In news:slrnhm6adk.6mf.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
> S. Fishpaste typed on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 132:20 -0500:
>> Do yourself a favour, grab the latest Ubuntu, install it and be a
>> happy camper.
>
> Well this is day 6 of using Ubuntu 9.04. And while it is impressive and
> gets a passing grade in almost all categories except for multimedia.
> There it fails miserably. Even Xandros plays more media files than
> Ubuntu does. Also any Linux is very CPU intensive playing media files.

Use a lighter window manager then. Read up on how to play multimedia.
I can play anything, including Apple Quicktime.

> While it is true that Linux needs less RAM than Windows does. No problem
> there. But when it comes to multimedia, Linux needs a far more powerful
> CPU than Windows ever did. Even netbooks has a lot of RAM, but low on
> CPU power. So even on netbooks it makes more sense to run Windows vs.
> Linux. At least if you want to run multimedia too.

B$ You simply need to learn how to use it with the proper tools. You
can't expect to install soemthing and the next day be the expert. If
you prefer Windows, than by all means stick to it. No one is saying
you must use Linux.

> I listen to about 4 hours of media files a day. So this is very
> important to me. Streaming tech and science stuff if you must know. And
> it seems crazy to me to run Linux and have a Windows machine running
> too, just to play the media files. As why bother running Linux at all?
> As why not just use a Windows machine alone?

Indeed you should stick with what you know, MSFT Windows. You have to
be prepared to use any product for at least a month, daily, in order
to have a genuine feel as to it's capabilities, and to get oneself
up-to-speed with those..

The fact that many pros use Linux to produce multimedia content
notwithstanding. The problem you have is between the chair and the
keyboard.

 

[S. Fishpaste]

On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:16:14 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
> S. Fishpaste wrote on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 132:20 -0500:
>> On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:54:26 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
>>> In news:slrnhm1lqa.72t.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
>>> S. Fishpaste typed on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:16:10 -0500:
>>>> Why don't you use a modern Linux distro like Ubuntu? It's made for
>>>> folks like you and works on EEEPCs -- I installed it on several for
>>>> clients. Works out of the box; everything including the camera. You'll
>>>> aslo get a modern version of OOo. Xandros is a POS IMO.
>>> Tried Ubuntu years ago and it never even loaded on any computer I ever
>>> tried. I still have the CD and I believe it never worked because the CD
>>> was corrupt.
>>
>> So I tried a Windoze install years ago and it never worked -- I still
>> use windows though. ;-D
>
> Yeah I heard that before from a few. I guess Windows and some people
> just doesn't get along too well.
>
>> Do yourself a favour, grab the latest Ubuntu, install it and be a
>> happy camper.
>
> Yeah, AJL talked me into that hours ago. It is running and the WiFi,
> Webcam, mic, sound, etc are all working. Which is a first for Ubuntu. As
> earlier versions, always something wouldn't work right. Although I need
> to work on why it doesn't like multimedia files and DVDs right now.

So you're a slow learner/obtuse. It was suggested to you longer than a
few hours ago. Glad you finally took the advice I and others have
given you.

>> Re poorly written applications -- You'll find that anywhere. There are
>> a sh*tload of Windoze applicatons written poorly to. There are some
>> great applications that run on Linux, you just have to know what
>> you're doing.
>
> I sort of doubt that. As I am still looking for the good Linux stuff.

Doubt all you want, doesn't mean you actually know what you're talking
about! Linux is the kernel, NOT the applications running on that kernel.

If you want examples of good written quality Linux and GNU
applications, all you have to do is take a look at Debian.

Linux the kernel & GNU are often used in far more demanding roles than
any MSFT Windows OS is/are. Trust me when I say that your NSA sure as
hell doesn't use MSFT Windows! They use hardened Linux old boy.

First thing many of us UNIX do is install GNU applications on
other Operating Systems <ie> always goes on any Solaris installation
I'm responsible for. That's because many of the GNU applications are
written damn well. If you have experience, you should have known this.

Of course if your only experience has been Xandros etc., and many of
the projects on Freshmeat or SourceForge, then you're forgiven for not
knowing what you're talking about. Most of the projects on Freshmeat
are written by compsi students, so they're not expected to be at the
height of their competency. That's why they're in school.

>> If you have UNIX experience it's much easier -- But as a
>> programmer you sure don't seem very familiar with source files ...
>
> That was years ago when all we had was WordStar, dBase, and SuperCalc.
> If you wanted anything else, you had to write your own programs. And I
> sure did a lot back then. Then when applications became plentiful, I was
> more than happy to let others do it.

Well I wrote machine code circa 35 years ago and am still doing so
today.

 

[BillW50]

In news:slrnhmhk9n.8fe.SDA@laptop.sweetpig.dyndns.org,
S. Fishpaste typed on Tue, 2 Feb 2010 20:28:23 -0500:
> On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:20:42 -0600, BillW50 in comp.sys.laptops wrote:
>> AJL wrote on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 090:25 -0700:
>>> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:
>>>
>>>> downloading another Ubuntu version for like the 4th
>>>> time in all of these years. I am sure I'll regret it like all of
>>>> the other times.
>>>
>>> This is the first Ubuntu version (9.10) that has worked flawlessly.
>>
>> Well apparently for me too. Everything seems to be working except
>> playing media files and DVDs so far. And this is the Netbook Remix
>> version. Which is supposed to fit on small screens. Although the
>> default email application doesn't fit on the screen. So I had to find
>> Thunderbird and install that for now.
>
> You shouldn't use the Netbook remix -- It's old. Just use the regular
> Ubuntu distribution. That's probably why you don't have all the codecs
> you need.

The Ubuntu Netbook Remix is the latest version 9.04.

>>> I've not had the nightmares you've had in the past but previous
>>> versions have always had wireless and display troubles for me. So
>>> far there has not been one glitch with this version. I've
>>> downloaded tens of programs and they all have worked. Ubuntu
>>> understands NTFS so even though it has it's own little partition I
>>> can still use the whole windows partition for storage. Better than
>>> that I can run windows programs (like this newsreader) from the
>>> windows partition without having to move them using Wine. I've lost
>>> nothing from my Windows OS on the two laptops I've tried this on,
>>> but gained thousands of available Linux only apps...like
>>> OpenOffice....
>
> OOo (open office org) is not a Linux only application!

Yes I know, I have it on some of my Windows machines too. I don't like
it as much as I do MS Office though. Which I also have a few machines
like this one here.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Windows XP SP2