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[ScottyK]

Thanks Scotty,

Where does one "get" a copy of Mint?

Here's the link to the download page..

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

[slidemansailor]

I couldn't get the incantation right with downloaded linux operating systems. All it would take is one hitchhiker to climb aboard while the 55-minute opsys download is taking place to mess the whole thing up.... and if you are a Neanderthal, living in a cave with only dialup, the week it takes to download an opsys is so fraught with opportunity to gain blemishes that it isn't even worth trying.

I bought a pre-loaded cd and lived happily ever after...
yep, making it with the chicks, got out of the crappy job, got a new race car, lead trombone in a jazz band...
and living with trimmed-down Ubuntu ... Mint is on my ToDo list somewhere, but I'm busy having fun.

[ScottyK]

Excellent. With Ubuntu's recent decision to move to Unity, I now recommend Mint to people who want to try out Linux.

[Adventurer, Explorer, Inquiring Mind.]

Why?

It takes about 15 minutes to replace Unity.  And that includes the download on a decent hardwired broadband ISP.  You can migrate back to GDM/Gnome from LightDM/Unity quite fast.

[da gooch]

Thanks Scotty,

Where does one "get" a copy of Mint?

Here's the link to the download page..

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

OK ... I am at the mint page which one of the downloads is the "easy-one-for-Linux-noobs"?

I couldn't get the incantation right with downloaded linux operating systems. All it would take is one hitchhiker to climb aboard while the 55-minute opsys download is taking place to mess the whole thing up.... and if you are a Neanderthal, living in a cave with only dialup, the week it takes to download an opsys is so fraught with opportunity to gain blemishes that it isn't even worth trying.

I bought a pre-loaded cd and lived happily ever after...
yep, making it with the chicks, got out of the crappy job, got a new race car, lead trombone in a jazz band...
and living with trimmed-down Ubuntu ... Mint is on my ToDo list somewhere, but I'm busy having fun.

And when you pass by on your "busy having fun" circuit Please do drop in and share your cd version?
Or is it one of those self destructing versions? [I always wondered who was buying all of those tape players that kept burning up in the phone booth]

Wait ...
Is Mint one of those "changes-every-twenty-minutes" kind of open source do-jobbers?
Will I be downloading a new version every week? [with the attendant migration of all of my files and such ... of course]
Will I be required to learn how to write code for each program or nothing happens?

quasi-reformed Luddites need to know these things

[ScottyK]

Morning!

Is your computer 32-bit or 64-bit? If you're unsure, I would recommend downloading the 32-bit DVD version. The DVD version has all the multimedia codes and fun stuff like that already built in, while the CD version doesn't.

Mint is based in the 6-month release cycle of Ubuntu, so you'll have a stable copy.

If you want the "change all the time version", you're looking for the Debian version.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions!

Scotty

[Adventurer, Explorer, Inquiring Mind.]

Weird... Every time I installed Debian Stable, my packages got ancient before I had to update as they weren't compatible with the "6 month stable cycle" of Ubuntu... which most everyone else I know uses.

Where did you get this idea that Debian changes a lot?  Modify:  Oops, Debian Testing/Unstable skipped my mind.  You shouldn't be using Debian Testing or Unstable in a production environment of any sort though.  That's beyond risky.

If you have any recent Intel multiple core (core i3 i5 or i7) (but not the Atom, I believe that's still a 32 bit chip), or pretty much ALL recent AMD's, and the Via Nano are all 64 bit chips.

The Transmeta Astro is a 256 bit split to operate with translated instructions as a 128 or 64 bit chip.  Ironies.  That was Linus' baby, and it has pretty much gone by the wayside now since their design was ahead of its time, and the chip was a good idea but their marketing was crap.  So now its mostly a novelty, if you can even acquire one.  Figures.

Just look at the front of your computer, if it has stickers, and it wasn't rebuilt several times by some geek, (aka "you bought it at the store or built it yourself and haven't upgraded") the stickers on the front should accurately tell you what you have inside that machine.

Another easy way to find out what you have is to right click on My Computer (windows people) and go to properties.  The General tab, which is also the first to come up, will list System: / Registered to: / Computer:

And under Computer: it tells you what your processor identified itself as to the system and what drivers and extensions are installed for it.  If it doesn't say 64 bit processor or something like it there, google it to be sure.  And you're done.

For intels it usually states "Intel Processor Family XX, Stepping XX"  Google that and you find all your details.  Most Intels post Centrino and Core2Duo should be 64 bit.


For AMD's it tells you "AMD Athlon/Phenom/Sempron/FX/Llano X#of cores, processor rating+, frequency in mhz/ghz, and Physical Address Extension."  Physical address extension tells you its a 64 bit chip.  If it says Phenom, Sempron, FX, Llano or Opteron, its a  64 bit.  The last 32 bit chips made by AMD were the old lines of Semprons, Durons and the original Athlon and Athlon XP, all the rest were post Opteron/Athlon64/X2 days and all those past there should be 64 bit.

Hope that helps.

[da gooch]

Data as listed under Computer/Properties/General:

Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2


eMachines
T6410
AMD Athlon(tm)64 Processor
3200+
2.19 GHz, 869 MB of RAM
Physical Address Extension

Is that what you were asking me?

When you say to download the DVD version you do realize that I am on a dial-up connection at LESS than 56Kbps don't you?

I also seem to have either killed the cd/dvd player or disabled it somehow even though the Hardware Manager tells me it is working properly.
When I insert a disc [of either type - cd or dvd] the machine keeps telling me to insert disc.

Can I offer some kind of barter for a disc already made and sent to my mailing address?
[I will put it on my laptop which does still read cd/dvd's then copy it and transfer it to the desktop via a memory stick.] = [my usual method of getting new info into this poor abused li'l devil.]

Suggestions gladly received and examined. Some of them Might even get applied.   

[Adventurer, Explorer, Inquiring Mind.]

That's an Athlon 64 fella, that's EXACTLY the original affordable and well designed 64 bit Intel compatible CPU.  (Intel's own Itanium does not count.  Expensive and poorly supported except on the server end.  Opterons and the desktop version of the opteron, the Athlon 64 were freakin AWESOME chips in their day (still are, technically speaking, since the X2 and X4 "Athlon"  (not Phenom, mind you) are basically multiple core versions of the original 64 with some extra fixes thrown into the mix.)  Yep, you're good to go for 64 bit partner.  Have at it.

If you do encryption on it later, since its 64 bit, you should get good performance from AES as well as TwoFish, Blowfish and Serpent... basically the last 3 encryption algorithms were designed to perform well on 64 bit chips, not 32, AES does well on either.  It may seem like voodoo to you now, but you may well recall this thread later when you decide to dabble.

Let us know how it goes.


Side Note:
If you are into buying pre printed cd/dvd sets, you can go to cheapbytes.com, or google whatever their new site is.  They used to do 1.99 for a printed cd back in 2000, plus post shipping.  If you want, some of us might be able to send you the right dvd.  Where are you, geographically?  (Don't want specifics, you can PM if you wish.)  Someone might be able to mail you a livedvd with install capabilities so you can try it out with most of the software already on the disk.  (Or you can pick one up if you live near any of us willing to burn you a dvd.)  DVD itself at full retail runs between 45 to 65 cents, and postage ain't overkill.

Personally, I would start with something simple and fairly automated, Ubuntu and Fedora come to mind.  Keep in mind that Fedora is completely free and experimental (update servers are heavily laden with users and fairly slow, your updates WILL crash fairly often, especially on dialup.)  Ubuntu is faster, and the updates can be run overnight fairly reliably even on dialup.  Most of the important ones are a few megabytes at best.  Suse works great, but being KDE based, is fairly graphics and system heavy.  If your little emachine can support more than 1 gig of ram (890 mb tells me you have 1 gig, and 256 megs is shared with your onboard videochip, this is how it usually works with dedicated motherboard graphics) and you can afford to go to 2 gigs or more, KDE is doable, otherwise, too heavy, stay away from Suse.

You can try Debian, Mint or some others, but those are less automated and require some knowledge and willingness to experiment or ask questions and learn.  If you just want to hit the ground running with other people having done all the hard work, Ubuntu, Fedora or Suse will be your best bet since most of their work is automated.  Suse has piss poor cryptographic support in the installer, or did in version 10.  I haven't tinkered with it since.  When I do I'll post more.  I've used both Fedora (a real bitch until you learn to use UUID's for drive mounting, no /dev/sd* or /dev/hd* stuff there) and Ubuntu on test rigs recently enough to say they both are fun, but Fedora is more system heavy, Ubuntu, being more Debianish, is fast, and fun and has all sorts of other options that scale with your skill level.  Not quite up to the level of Hardened Gentoo or Linux From Scratch (LFS) but very usable even for a total n00b.  But you might want to consider looking up bandwidth prices in your area.  Most dialup is 19.99/month, and most cablemodems can reach well into the hinterlands for about the same price... sometimes 24.99/month.  I used to pay 14.99/month for rural cablemodem 3 or 4 years ago with NO download OR upload cap when I was on the coast.  Any TV company will offer something along those lines.  The only catch is cable companies won't let you run your own email server, but I somehow doubt you're at that level right now.


Second Side Note:

Check out these prices:  http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=5&name=CD-DVD-Burners&Order=PRICE  If you can afford it, those are worthwhile.  They usually do 3 day UPS for free on most computer parts.


Correction:  Cheapbytes seems to be defunct now.  Probably too many people with CDRW/DVDRW drives, stacks of blank disks and high bandwidth.  Sorry about that.  Still, check the rest.

[ZooT_aLLures]

I've been using slackware for almost two decades now..............it's NOT user friendly, nor is it "simple".................but it IS rock stable......and that's enough for me......

[da gooch]

[snip - snip]

You can try Debian, Mint or some others, but those are less automated and require some knowledge and willingness to experiment or ask questions and learn.  If you just want to hit the ground running with other people having done all the hard work, Ubuntu, Fedora or Suse will be your best bet since most of their work is automated.  Suse has piss poor cryptographic support in the installer, or did in version 10.  I haven't tinkered with it since.  When I do I'll post more.  I've used both Fedora (a real bitch until you learn to use UUID's for drive mounting, no /dev/sd* or /dev/hd* stuff there) and Ubuntu on test rigs recently enough to say they both are fun, but Fedora is more system heavy, Ubuntu, being more Debianish, is fast, and fun and has all sorts of other options that scale with your skill level.  Not quite up to the level of Hardened Gentoo or Linux From Scratch (LFS) but very usable even for a total n00b.  But you might want to consider looking up bandwidth prices in your area.  Most dialup is 19.99/month, and most cablemodems can reach well into the hinterlands for about the same price... sometimes 24.99/month.  I used to pay 14.99/month for rural cablemodem 3 or 4 years ago with NO download OR upload cap when I was on the coast.  Any TV company will offer something along those lines.  The only catch is cable companies won't let you run your own email server, but I somehow doubt you're at that level right now.
[snip - snip]

Thanks for the info.
From what you are saying here it looks like I should start with Ubuntu and then graduate to Mint. Maybe?

"Most dialup is 19.99/month,"
I am on a $99.00/year dial-up connection [$8.25/month] at present and unless I find a rich widow or win the lotto [I hear they make you buy a ticket to even Try to win?  ] that is what I will be staying with for the foreseeable future.
[Note: Poverty is not for the squeamish.]

Although .... the trailer court where I will be putting my rebuilt mini mobile home [when I finish building it] does have a WiFi set up and I will probably get tuned into their system.
I won't know how to behave with fast internet speeds.

[MamaLiberty]

I won't know how to behave with fast internet speeds.

Trust me... you'll learn fast. 

[slidemansailor]

Ubuntu has taken to locking my interface and beating the snot out of my disc drive again without my permission. I got pissed off enough to download Mint.  Then I couldn't get it onto a bootable disc. That became more frustrating than it was worth, so I powered the damn confuser down and went out into the real world.

I suspect my Ubuntu knows its days are numbered and may behave for a few days.  I think I'll pay the dang 15 bucks to have a bootable disc shipped to me.  I am so much happier solving real world problems than wrestling with other people's computer programs that I just don't have the patience for it any more.  Once upon a time I found it totally amusing. I even spent over a decade being an exalted guru.  Now I'd rather take my tired, abused old body out in the yard and shovel dirt than spend a moment working with computer programs. Just when my body would prefer it the most, the mind says NO.

[Adventurer, Explorer, Inquiring Mind.]

To each his own.  Get a newer version of Ubuntu.  There were some serious memory leaks in 10.X that were fixed in 11.04/11.10 (oneiric ocelot or whatever its called now).  Burn it and install it or upgrade... I generally avoid the upgrades since some old things can occasionally get left behind (similar to a windows upgrade being less reliable than a direct install of the right version.)

It should only cost you one DVD.

Also, if you're getting that much CPU lag, you MAY have bad ram, bad hard disk or bad motherboard or other crucial components may be going bad.  This has been known to happen at times.  No different than running newer Windows OS's on older hardware.  Just so you know.

If your hardware doesn't throw errors running memtest86+ off the install CD, go ahead and either backup your data and install a fresh linux, or upgrade (but backup your data anyways.)  If it is still happening, you may just have way outdated gear and should turn down some of the graphics options in Gnome (the desktop environment.)  Up to you, really.  These are my suggestions.  Important things to turn off, unless you're using it, Evolution Data Server, AND Compiz Fusion.  Compiz Fusion (open gl pretty graphics effects for the desktop, similar to what they did with Windows recently) eats up a serious chunk of a good processor's resources, usually about 3 to 11% depending on how many windowing effects you're using.

Also, make sure you let the system run fsck (file system check) at bootup.  Drives require file system checks, same way as windows drives defrag.  Check to make sure you haven't over filled the drives with crud.  That can occasionally cause you serious headaches.

That's about it.  I would suggest leaving the System Monitor running with the process tab open, so you can see what process actually makes the highest use of the cpu when the lag starts.  An easier way to check would be to right click on the top bar, and go to "add to panel", and select "system monitor" (looks like a cardiac monitor on the icon) and make sure you enable ALL the options for monitoring.  it will take some screen real estate on that top panel, but it will show you when your memory, system, drive, etc loads are spiking.  You can then check if its only a processor issue, or if the dark green (used memory) approaches the top of its graph, or what.  If you leave your system on for days without reboots, and the dark green reaches the top, and the lag gets worse, that's likely a memory leak.  Short of upgrading or writing your own software, its unlikely you'll trace it without some serious "guru" skills (hate that word.)

If your network usage shoots up and your system cpu locks up, you may have been rooted and may be hosting some sort of root kit.  It happens, especially when people don't keep track of what is running on their system.  (No different than people who catch STD's and only notice when they feel a serious burn each time they pee.)

Not much else I can say to you without knowing your distinct situation and exact symptoms.  My guess would be, back up, reinstall with a fresh cd/dvd, and then check if the issues are still there.  I've had a few people (self included) get rid of version 10 of ubuntu, and in the changelogs to the 11.04+ versions it states that several serious memory leaks were fixed.  That's where I'd start if I were you.  If you're already on 11.04 or 11.10, you've probably got more issues than that (hardware upgrade might be in the works, depending what you're running.)

Edit:
However, I've got Ubuntu 11.10 running on a 700 mhz Pentium III single core equivalent with 1 gig of ram and onboard video (good quality but still onboard video) and its running everything PERFECTLY, slower than my regular desktop, but still, considering that it is the equivalent of a top end computer in 2002, 10 years ago, hardware speed should not be an issue with this bug.  As I said, upgrade the install.  Do it from scratch to remove any other potential "issues."