PCLinuxOS Question

[Odos]

Over the years I've played around with different OS's but always return to windoze. The reason, simplicity.

At the moment I'm trying to get to grips with PCLinuxOS, I've installed the OS no problem, and updated the graphics card driver to run my GeForce 8500. I was appalled to find that even this simple process is a right pain in the rear on Linux.

Anyways what I would like to ask is this, does anyone know an easy method of creating shortcuts/launchers on the PCLinux desktop. And I don't mean open this box and type that in etc I mean an easy way.

For example, I want to create a desktop shortcut to launch my network controller. The reason being that although I leave the router connected continuously, I disconnect the computer from the network when not online.

To create this shortcut in windows all I do ( Classic Start Menu ) is go to Start – Settings – Network Connections pick up the shortcut I want and drop it on the desktop, job done. I can't figure out how to get this type of method to work with PCLinux.

I've done a number of searches on the net but the only answers I can find require that I know the name of the executable, where it resides, what variables need setting etc, not very user friendly.

Any information welcomed. I am not Linux bashing BTW, as I said I'm trying to get into using it  but I think until it becomes a lot more user friendly it will stay on the sidelines.

Cheers
Tony

[DorsetBoy]

OK Tony,

First you need to stop thinking in terms of Windows,Linux is NOT Windows and never will be.
The main point of using Linux is choice,freedom to make an OS what you the user want and need NOT what some clueless overpaid chump in the states decides that you will have like it or not.

Linux is perfectly user friendly if you sit back and look at what you want to achieve with it  and ask the questions in the right place and manner.

Drivers for Nvidia cards are if you have the right information very easy to install,it is a 2 step process.
Most are installed automatically by the Synaptic package manager ,yours however is not yet available for synaptic as it has to be written and licensed through Nvidia.
The configuration of hardware is mostly automatic in PCLinuxOS unless you have some very obscure products.

Network control is also taken care of for you.
Go to LAUNCH >system>monitoring> Click on NetAPPlet
this will appear in your system tray and you configure it there.
Also in  System>monitoring you will find Knetstats click>sytstem tray>configure.
Note also that if you use the interactive firewall (download Invictus from synaptic) you can add rules/allow/block all at the click of a button on the fly with NetAPPlet.

Linux is far more flexible than Windows can ever be,you need to take time to live with it and find out where these things are ,my 11 year old uses PCLinuxOS and rarely needs help with anything.

If anything Linux is far more "friendly " than windows it also does not need all the constant maintenance and runs for years without crashing.

PCLinuxOS have one of the best online communities you will find and are always willing to help with questions.
The forum is full of information and How To's    PCLINUXOSFORUM

[Odos]

Thanks Dorset thats exactly what I wanted     

I agree with you about Linux being flexible and don't dispute it could possibly be a far more robust OS, but I do disagree about it being user friendly. My previous question highlights the point. Imagine I've just bought a computer and know nothing about them. I've been told I need to switch on my network, so what do I look for, Network ( as in windoze ) or  NetAPPlet. My point is that it is not obvious to a newcomer even though it may be easy and glaringly obvious to someone who knows. The naming of things is my main gripe I suppose 

You may be able to help me with another problem, you mention that driver installation is easy, how do I install drivers ( if I can find them ) for a printer as an example ?

Cheers
Tony

[RobMc]

I know what you mean. I've been tempted to try Linux for a long time, but every time I did I always seemed to end up with problems and a total lack of skills to sort it out. The support, when you found it, usually involved such things as open a console ad type in .... (replace a long case-sensitive command line) then possibly recompile "the kernel" (presumably just for fun)

Well things have really changed for the better, I have no knowledge of PCLinuxOS but I've been trying out Ubuntu on an old laptop. Most things just work as you expect that they would in Windows, but some things are quite different. On these occasions you start to think, "well Windows would have done it like this" and then start asking questions based on how windows works which often doesn't give you the answers you want. There is a whole new skill in phrasing your google searches to get the linux answer you need.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble rather than contributing to your thread    After writing such posts I usually delete them as not relevant, but I'll post this one just to let you know you're not alone in learning the joys of how to do stuff with linux 

Rob.

[DorsetBoy]

http://www.linuxquestions.org/

http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/

http://www.linuxlots.com/~jam/

http://www.geocities.com/aboutlinux/

[DorsetBoy]

Thanks Dorset thats exactly what I wanted     

I agree with you about Linux being flexible and don't dispute it could possibly be a far more robust OS, but I do disagree about it being user friendly. My previous question highlights the point. Imagine I've just bought a computer and know nothing about them. I've been told I need to switch on my network, so what do I look for, Network ( as in windoze ) or  NetAPPlet. My point is that it is not obvious to a newcomer even though it may be easy and glaringly obvious to someone who knows. The naming of things is my main gripe I suppose 

You may be able to help me with another problem, you mention that driver installation is easy, how do I install drivers ( if I can find them ) for a printer as an example ?

Cheers
Tony

What would you have known Tony,or looked for if you had never seen or used ant PC before and your only choice was PCLinuxOS?
Yes things are in different places and have odd names,it IS different just dig around,as long as you don't run as Root you can't break anything.

Now,have you got the localisation (language) packs for KDE and open office yet?
Go to package mananger(Synaptic) download these 2 packages :  kde-i18-en-GB   and   openoffice.org-l10-en_GB
select them and apply.
To get english language keyboard and menus go to >Control Centre> Regional and Accessibility>Country and Region and select UK in the settings there.
Do the same 2 sections down in Keyboard Layout.

Next go down to System Administration and set your time clock..(you now also need to check/set time zones and clock in the system tray.)

Printer/scanner drivers ........all the available drivers for Linux are already in the system,some makers are not Linux friendly and it depends on the make and model as to whether the drivers exist,the list is getting longer by the day and projects are always looking for support from Linux users,tell the makers "I use Linux" eventually it gets through.
To set up your printers and scanners go to >Configure your computer(Administration Center)(4th button right from launch)
click(password) and the center opens,this is where you have the menus to set up your system,you need to take time to see what is here and NOTE  you are now live in ROOT and changes will affect your system.
Select >Hardware>Printer/scanner/keyboard /mouse............ use the wizards and all is done for you . If your printer is in the list set it up,if not ask at the forum and you may find a work around.

Names/terminology become obvious with time..............kids don't worry about it,press buttons and it works,old farts like us see problems where thet don't exist.
Take a look at the PCLOS WIKI it is not right up to date but there are detailed tutorials and FAQ's that are very good and spend time looking in Synaptic, on the left hand menu you will see 4 buttons,seslect SECTIONS,this will break down the package list into relevant groups and you can begin to see where things belong and what from each group you have installed on your system.

Whatever you do avoid installing anything that is not from the official repositories,Texstar who created the OS (from Mandriva)  has worked for 3 years to make this an "out of the box" experience,you have a full OS with @6700 packages available all for free, the Windows equivelant on 1 machine would cost you in excess of £600 and Tex does it for nothing
........friendly or not?

[Odos]

Well things have really changed for the better, I have no knowledge of PCLinuxOS but I've been trying out Ubuntu on an old laptop.

I tried Ubuntu before PCLinuxOS only problem was it didn't play nice with my hard drive configuration, it kept reorganising my partitions and changing the MBR's on the drives. It did have one advantage and that was it could read my two raid arrays. PCLOS just sees them as four seperate drives.

Most things just work as you expect that they would in Windows, but some things are quite different. On these occasions you start to think, "well Windows would have done it like this" and then start asking questions based on how windows works which often doesn't give you the answers you want.

Close but not quite Rob. What I do is decide what I want to do, then find out how to do it, and this is the area that I find Linux is not user friendly due to the strange, without pattern naming of things. I do agree that each different OS needs to be learned and it's a slow process.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble rather than contributing to your thread    After writing such posts I usually delete them as not relevant, but I'll post this one just to let you know you're not alone in learning the joys of how to do stuff with linux 

I believe writing such posts then deleting them without posting is a waste, to me all opinions and views help to decide/solve issues. I usually find posts such as yours most helpful.

What would you have known Tony,or looked for if you had never seen or used ant PC before and your only choice was PCLinuxOS?

TBH I couldn't say for certain but believe I would be like most other computer noobs and that is taking everything literally. So if I were told to do something with "network" I would search for network commands and nothing else.  Don't know if you work in a support role but if you do you'll know what I'm referring to with the literal thing

As you mentioned before PCLOS is designed to run out of the box and as such all the other stuff you mention ( with the exception of printers/scanners ) was set during installation.

Yes things are in different places and have odd names,it IS different just dig around,as long as you don't run as Root you can't break anything.

I wonder if this is strictly true  See above my comments on Ubuntu. This distribution installed OK, followed my wishes on where to instal etc and booted up no problem. As soon as I opened an application it changed all my drive configuration. Not a disaster as I have everything imaged but it did take an hour or two to restore everything to how I like it.

Thanks for the help and I'll keep on "playing" with PCLOS until I get used to it

BTW just out of interest. The first version on PCLOS I downloaded and installed was TR4. That worked ok but got deleted when I was doing some raid speed tests. I then downloaded 2007 which would not install, I kept getting the "Drive read only" error message. Which from reading the forums was not an uncommon fault with that version.

Now the strange thing is I bought a new monitor so had to upgrade my graphics card ( geforce 6600 ) to a geforce 8500 in order to drive it. With the change of graphics card version 2007 now installs no problem.
   

Cheers
Tony