[Coco] Thoughts on modern computers (sort of off topic)

[Frank Swygert]

There can still be issues on occasion, especially with specific 
hardware. I bought a Turtle Beach sound card because it had digital 
output and was supposed to work with Linux, then had some issues getting 
it to work because the most recent versions of Ubuntu based Linux 
distributions had switched from ALSA to Pulse Audio sound. The TB card 
worked only with ALSA. Once I figured that out it took a little research 
to figure out how to change the sound, but that's really the only "big" 
problem I've had. A newer sound card would fix the problem as well. I 
stuck Mint 12 on my main desktop and it has so far found everything.. 
.even my HP scanner. I'll be plugging a USB to parallel printer adapter 
in soon, wonder how it's going to like that?!! I watched Linux for a 
while, wanting to change. Tried a distro or two but passed until about 
two years ago. Then I found Mint. I tried the live CD and it found 
everything and seemed to work fine. The acid test for me was to put it 
on my wife's computer. She didn't do much more than e-mail and some 
internet games (like Farmville), but if SHE could easily use it I'd say 
it was pretty much ready for mainstream use. Had a hard time getting her 
printer working (new model Canon all-in-one, hard to find a Linux driver 
but with a little searching did... HP and more common brands work 
easier), but other than that she had no problems. I set up my HTPC 
computer with it a year ago, and as I stated, recently switched over my 
main computer to Linux. I installed XP on both (dual boot on the HTPC 
for some games, in Virtual Box on my main one just in case I need an app 
that doesn't run on Linux or there isn'[t an equivalent). I've only used 
it on the HTPC a couple times for games, not on my main one yet. 
---------------- Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:17:53 +1100 From: Mark 
McDougall <msmcdoug at iinet.net.au> On 1/02/2012 6:07 AM, Frank Swygert 
wrote:

> Linux is now at least as easy as Windows,
It's been a few years now, but that certainly wasn't the case last time
I attempted to switch to Ubuntu for my desktop. Sure, it installs easy
enough, but the free ride stops there. First sound issues, then when it
came to my TV tuner card, I eventually re-formatted my HDD with WinXP.
Never got around to installing or running any of my other applications
either... my experience thus far had been too demoralising.

Hopefully things have improved, as you say!

-- 
Frank Swygert
Editor - American Motors Cars Magazine
www.amc-mag.com