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Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Linux, Novell, Open Source

Flipping the Linux switch: openSUSE, geeko of many colors

YaST looks really hawt today.Please, allow me to explain. This week's FTLS was not at all what I intended it to be. For weeks now, I've been toying with idea of dual-booting a Debian based distro with a RPM based distro. Ubuntu Hardy (now reasonably mature enough for day to day use with minimal bork ups) was the obvious choice for a Debian flavor, as it already existed on my hard drive.

I am not a big fan of RPM based stuff, in general. I historically have had some real issues with installing Fedora on any piece of hardware I touch. I am intrigued to pieces by PCLinuxOS, but not intrigued enough to actually try it. SuSE, when it was just plain ol' SuSE, was the first Linux I ever tried. I liked it well enough, and it does hold a dear place in my heart. I guess it's kind of like a first crush.

The last openSUSE install I tried for any real length of time was 10.1. I installed 10.3 a month or two back to try some things, and found, though it's really usable, there wasn't anything that made me want to say, "Screw Ubuntu."

But I wanted to try openSUSE as my RPM based distro, again, because there are some nifty little apps on the horizon that seem, for now, to work best/easiest with openSUSE and/or RPM distros. I intended, wholeheartedly, to write about one of those little apps this week.

Until I reinstalled openSUSE 10.3, with the GNOME desktop. I was taken by the whole presentation, the whole delivery of the OS. I am still blown away by it.

Maybe not blown away enough to stop using Ubuntu entirely... but I haven't actually booted into Hardy for some time now. And I am anxiously waiting to see what changes are in store for openSUSE 11.0, due this summer.

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Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Linux, Open Source, Troubleshooting

Flipping the Linux switch: 5 tips every new Linux user should know

Linux is a powerful operating system, but chances are it's a very different operating system than any you've used before. The dizzying number of choices in distributions alone is enough to make your head spin, but it also means there's something out there that really suits your computing style. There are some things in Linux you just have to work out for yourself -- distributions, applications, neato screen savers (hey, we like distractions as much as the next guy).

We're taking a departure from the norm this week and not discussing a specific piece of software. Instead, we've been thinking about what we most wished we'd been told on our first foray into Linux-land. These tips run the gamut from installation planning to how to best ask for help. We chose these tips because they are not distribution-specific, and the majority of new users will at least find a few tips apply to their situation at some point.

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Filed under: Macintosh, Apple

Common mistakes of new Mac users

Common Mac MistakesThe Unofficial Apple Weblog's Damien Barrett has written a post called Common Mistakes of New Mac Users. #1: "They close an application's windows thinking the program has quit." #4: "untitled folder. untitled folder 2. untitled folder 3. untitled folder 4..." You get the idea. As usual, TUAW readers have taken the theme and run with it and the ensuing discussion is truly worth a read.

Filed under: Linux, Web services, Open Source

The Linux Distribution Chooser

Linux Distribution ChooserThinking about giving Linux a shot but don't know which of the many flavors to try? You might find the Linux Distribution Chooser helpful. It's a short quiz that asks you questions about your computing needs and preferences (and educates you on a few Linux concepts along the way, if you want) and then gives you a list of Linux distributions that match them. For me it recommended Kubuntu, Mandriva, MEPIS, Gentoo, and Slackware. Slick and handy.

Filed under: Linux

10 things you should know about Linux

LinuxEven if you're an experienced computer user, stepping into Linux the first time can be disorienting. TechRepublic has an article called 10 things you should know about every Linux installation  that begins, "There are numerous common features with every Linux installation. This document lists 10 of the more important ones you should know about." It won't turn you into a Linux Guru, but it will show you the basics of Linux's file hierarchy, package management, permissions, the CLI, and more. Every little bit helps, right?

Filed under: Macintosh

10 apps for new Mac users

AppleOn his blog Paul Stamatiou has written a handy list of 10 Apps Every New Mac User Should Download. Here's the rundown: AdiumX for IM, Cyberduck for FTP, Firefox, iBackup, Nvu for web page authoring, Quicksilver for launching apps, StuffIt Expander for archives, TextWrangler 2, and VLC and Windows Media Player for video. Head over to his site for links and the reasong behind his picks. What did Paul miss?

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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