[ale] Taking the plunge

[Greg Freemyer]

Thanks All,

I think I will try the OO + VMware method + DIA + VDX solution.

My first day of using Linux as my desktop was surprisingly smooth.  I
got a little nervous when I realized I was supposed to join a WebEx
and it was starting right then.

Based on my Windows experience I was afraid I would take 5 or 10
minutes to install the necessary plugins before it would work.
Instead, it just worked.

Another pleasant surprise was opening a xls attachment to an e-mail.
I did nothing special, it just opened automatically in calc!!

To be honest, even on this first day of real use, it has been easier
to use than a new XP install would have been.

Next I need to install a simple time logging app we use.  It is a
pretty simple app, so I'm hoping wine will handle it.  Never tried
wine before. Then I need to get a HP color laserjet network printer
going, but that should not be too hard.

Thanks All,
Greg

On 8/15/07, Dow Hurst <Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com> wrote:
> Greg,
> I use VMware to run WinXP everywhere I can.  It is so nice compared to
> dual booting.  Under just about any distro you will need to mount the
> usbfs since it isn't mounted the way VMware expects anymore.  The kernel
> guys decided usbfs as originally done isn't secure.  There is a document
> for SUSE on the opensuse wiki about how to fix it up.  Other distros
> will vary.  I run Samba on the host and either bridge or NAT the VMware
> guest.  What is great about WinXP in any virtual machine but especially
> VMware is that you can have a pristine snapshot of the system fully
> patched and all software installed as a backup for when the system will
> eventually get hosed.
>
> http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:VMware_-_USB_support
>
> I've really like opensuse 10.2 on my laptop, and you will like the
> OpenOffice they enhance if you use Calc.  They have visual basic macro
> support which will help with compatibility with Excel.  I don't
> recommend OO if your doing scientific writing since collaborations
> invariably involve others using Word or Powerpoint and the fonts and
> formatting just don't transfer right.  Also, whatever version of
> MSoffice your office uses should be what you try with the most complex
> Powerpoint or Word doc you can find before depending on OpenOffice.  I
> think it is great for business applications but in science it just
> doesn't cut it yet for compatibility with MSOffice.  We have enough
> problems with different version of MSoffice and Mac versions of
> MSoffice.  Throwing OO into the mix made it worse.
>
> Remember to add the pacman repository.  Look at the opensuse build
> service for other projects containing useful software.  The opensuse
> wiki is finally getting pretty useful.  The Novell Cool solutions is
> also a good resource to google for opensuse and SLED 10.x info.  Alot of
> what applies to SLED applies to 10.2.  I found a document on taking a
> current single root disk install and making it a mirrored root raid
> using the suse way on the cool solutions site.  Worked great on my
> workstation here at home which also runs opensuse 10.2.
>
> By the way, "cp -a" worked well for copying my /home exactly with no errors.
> Good luck,
> Dow
>
>
>
>
> Greg Freemyer wrote:
> > Okay,
> >
> > My desktop office computer died yesterday.  I got a new Dell and it
> > came with Vista.
> >
> > After 5 minutes use, I put in a new blank drive and installed OpenSUSE
> > 10.2 as my new desktop OS.  I've been using UNIX/linux on servers for
> > years (okay decades if the truth be known.), but this is my first
> > desktop experience.
> >
> > So I expect to have some basic questions as I come up to speed.  I
> > tend to use both the ALE list and the opensuse list to ask questions.
> > Any thoughts of which is better for my forthcoming basic questions?
> >
> > My first basic question.  Should I go ahead and throw in the towel and
> > install a Xen VM with XP on it just so I know I have a fallback for a
> > couple Windows only apps I run?  (The new machine is a core DUO.
> > Should have VT to allow Xen to run Windows.)
> >
> > My second basic question is which office solution to use since I have
> > to be compatible with the rest of the company/clients.  ie.
> > Interoperability is key.
> >
> > 1) Open Office 2.2 from the suse build service
> > 2) Sun Office (from ??)
> > 3) MS Office via wine (does it work?)
> > 4) MS Office in a Xen VM.
> >
> > Question 3:
> > I need to make a Viseo type drawing today.  I can deliver it to others
> > as a PDF.  What tool should I use?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Greg
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>


-- 
Greg Freemyer
Litigation Triage Solutions Specialist
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfreemyer

The Norcross Group
The Intersection of Evidence & Technology
http://www.norcrossgroup.com