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M0DCM > LINUX 05.01.11 11:30l 17 Lines 2835 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 34712_GB7MAX
Read: GUEST
Subj: Linux and Ham Radio....
Path: IZ3LSV<IK2XDE<DB0RES<DK0WUE<7M3TJZ<ZL2BAU<GB7SYP<GB7MAX
Sent: 110105/0924Z @:GB7MAX.#28.GBR.EU #:34712 [Bloxwich] $:34712_GB7MAX
From: M0DCM@GB7MAX.#28.GBR.EU
To : LINUX@WW
Hey Guys,
Well I've been running Linux now on all my PC's for 12months now, and I've not looked back!
The distro of choice I'm running is Ubuntu 9.10 on my Acer Aspire One AO751h Netbook, and Ubuntu 10.04 on both my file/webshare server and main desktop. The age old story of Linux is hard to use, is a total MYTH! I've found it much quicker than Windows, and as there's no need for firewalls and virus killers, it runs much quicker. My server runs 24/7 and since April last year, has only had to be rebooted on Kernel updates, where I was finding under Windows I was having to reboot almost every update.
The only gripe I have is that there's no decent Packet Terminal application for Linux, and running WinPack in WINE and CrossOver is a no go. As for other Amateur Radio app's, there's tons! I run FLDigi, Xastir, CQRLog, GPredict and as I have soundcard issues with QSSTV I run MMSSTV under WINE which runs like a charm. APRS is catered for with Xastir, and is easy to setup, and the latest version uses Open Street Maps, which is awesome.
The Open Office Suite is completely compatible with all MS Office documents, and GIMP which is the Linux answer to Adobe Photoshop currently uses 3 windows, but the next version will be all in one!
I've helped a number of Windows users make the switch from the darkside, and to date, none of them have wanted to go back!
Anyway, back to what I'm running.... I run a FT-817ND, which is totally CAT controlled through both FLDigi and FLRig. CQRLog also takes the frequency and mode from the CAT. WSPR and WSJT are also available under Linux and are just the same to use as their Windows counterpart.
As I'm the editor of the MaxPak mini-magazine, I use Scribus, which is the Open Source answer to Microsoft Publisher. If you're wanting to give Linux a try, there are other Distro's rather than just Ubuntu, and can be run as Live CD's. This means you can run the OS straight from either a CD or USB stick to see if you like it, and to see if your hardware is compatible, which most devices work straight "Out of the Box!" and as for installing drivers, there's none of it! There is a distribution that has been created called Shackbox, and it's the only one that runs Ham Radio Deluxe, if this is what you're used to running rather than FLDigi etc.
Help is always out there, and the Ubuntu community is a great friendly place to find out anything.
With the way the economy is going, Windows seems a stretch of the purse strings, so Open Source is the best way to go, and Linux is fast becoming a formidable Operating System to use, and not just for the Geeks!! If anyone needs any help, just drop me a message, and if I can't answer it straight away, I'll endevour to find out.
73 de M0DCM Dave
"Blue Screens Of Death? Not in Linux!!"
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