Posted: 11/26/2014 8:19:58 PM EDT
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I have used this new laptop long enough now to report on it I think. I wrote on here about using a Acer Chromebook for a linux laptop. That laptop was fine and still works great, but has some horse power issues for things I was wanting to do.
Now I am working with a Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad T410. The following for thinkpads is huge. There is a ton of info out there and work amazingly well with linux. http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T410 For a used price of $200 I got an Intel i5 m540 with (4GB of ram, now 8GB), smart card reader, finger print reader, great key board, awesome battery life (3-4 hours on 6 cell), and a great screen. The down side is you have to hunt for a used one. The speakers could stand to be better, and some may not be pleased with the looks. The weight is right in the middle of being a little bulky but not too heavy. All and all it is a great laptop that is kicking but with SDR and still able to run a windows virtual machine. Just thought I would pass along the info. |
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Thinkpads rock. I'm a heavy user of X220s, but as a testament to their durability, one of the servers at my BOL
is a 486-based thinkpad, operating in a shaded and enclosed by by no means sealed area, with dust that's probably 1/4" thick on it now. 24/7, from -15F to 100F with no heat or AC, and pushing 15 years of service in those conditions, only thing done is a hard disk replacement about 5 years ago. Can't go wrong with a used thinkpad unless it was air dropped or used to deflect bullets. |
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Linux has come leaps and bounds from where it was when I started in 08. I am sure people that haven't used it since before then wouldn't recognize it. I mostly use Linux Mint, out of the box it is the best IMO. I try to mostly stick to debian based stuff. I thought so too! Some people look at me like  when I say that.
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I thought so too! Some people look at me like when I say that.Quoted:
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Linux has come leaps and bounds from where it was when I started in 08. I am sure people that haven't used it since before then wouldn't recognize it. I mostly use Linux Mint, out of the box it is the best IMO. I try to mostly stick to debian based stuff. I thought so too! Some people look at me like when I say that.Mint user here as well. Can't stand Gnome 3 on ubuntu. |
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put me on the list bro!
Linux Dummy here. Run it on the EE Netbook I got for $60 a few years back (Mint 13)...also run on the $35 tower from C-list in the shack (Mint 15 or 16). Need to install on a few other oldies too (Mint is my choice too). An Arfcom Brethren (and Fo Time Listener) sent me a drive with many Linux distros for future use. I really need to learn moar about the system, lots and lots I don't know FWIW, the dude I bought my latest DELL from (K4NET) had a few Think-pads the last time I talked to him.... |
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I run Linux servers at work, mainly Ubuntu Server lately which has no GUI bloat. It is ultra stable platform for my purposes. I've had file servers with uptime clocking over 750 days with users actively working 24/7. Uptime like that requires good battery backup management and a lot of luck on grid power with no backup generator for the building. I'm a little embarrassed to mention that I haven't used Linux with a GUI since 99 when Red Hat's IPO took off.
For some reason I just can't jump on Linux as a regular everyday user computer. What regular Ham related programs are used with Linux? I might be able to take some old systems out of the scrap pile to run a lightweight distro. I've been using Unix systems at command line since the mid-80s. 
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I run Linux servers at work, mainly Ubuntu Server lately which has no GUI bloat. It is ultra stable platform for my purposes. I've had file servers with uptime clocking over 750 days with users actively working 24/7. Uptime like that requires good battery backup management and a lot of luck on grid power with no backup generator for the building. I'm a little embarrassed to mention that I haven't used Linux with a GUI since 99 when Red Hat's IPO took off. For some reason I just can't jump on Linux as a regular everyday user computer. What regular Ham related programs are used with Linux? I might be able to take some old systems out of the scrap pile to run a lightweight distro. I've been using Unix systems at command line since the mid-80s. FLdigi multi mode modem (all the FL programs) WSJTx JT65/JT9 GQRX SDR GUI rtl sdr command line stuff gpredict satellite tracker xastir APRS yaac APRS dump1090 ADSB soundmodem sound card packet modem audio-recorder for scripting when to record audio grig uses the librigctrl libraries for rig control rigctrld rig control over network There are tons more. Those are just ones I use fairly often. |
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It looks like I'm taking the plunge. I have an old gifted Acer Laptop with Vista32 that after adjusting the screwball OEM partitions. The MBR is messed up and I can't find the recovery disk. Looks like I may be playing with this sooner than later.
This had been my Ham dedicated computer. Off to research Linux Mint. 
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I have been playing with some live build scripts. I think debian testing would work real good too. Quoted:
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We should create an Arfham Distro based on Mint... I have been playing with some live build scripts. I think debian testing would work real good too. I like this idea. I have an old Acer laptop.with XP on it that would be good for a total Linux new guy like me to learn on. |
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Quick update, I made the ISO for Linux Mint 17.1 MATE 64 bit. Under a closer look I found my laptop is 64 bit.
While the OS running off the DVD I have Internet access and access to all the files still on my drive. Even with it not installed the OS it is well beyond my expectations. 
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Quick update, I made the ISO for Linux Mint 17.1 MATE 64 bit. Under a closer look I found my laptop is 64 bit. While the OS running off the DVD I have Internet access and access to all the files still on my drive. Even with it not installed the OS it is well beyond my expectations. It'll run even faster if you boot it off a USB drive instead of a DVD.
I boot ARCH off of USB for some of my chrooting it is literally the equivalent to a DOS boot disk. Often times I find myself trying to setup the sudoers file in Ubuntu base (Mint, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, etc) the same as Arch and I either forget to change the group my user is in or forget I haven't changed the root password from whatever the OS ships as. Pop in the "Live" Arch disk and change the group and password real quick and everything is back to normal. |
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Quick update, I made the ISO for Linux Mint 17.1 MATE 64 bit. Under a closer look I found my laptop is 64 bit. While the OS running off the DVD I have Internet access and access to all the files still on my drive. Even with it not installed the OS it is well beyond my expectations. Yeah you can test any hardware and software interactions without doing a full install. I am having a problem with messed up rendering on my daughters new Acer with Mint 13...I need to try the latest LTS and see if it fixes it. Intel video drivers, not sure why it is a problem. |
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I wiped the drive putting a fresh install of only Linux Mint. It's not as fast as my Linux Servers and not all apps are 100% stable but the OS remains stable. I'm running WiFi and customizing settings to my preferences. I can't believe it took me this long to jump in.
I already have Fldigi installed but configuration will take some tweaking and hopefully I can run dual radio configurations. |
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I wiped the drive putting a fresh install of only Linux Mint. It's not as fast as my Linux Servers and not all apps are 100% stable but the OS remains stable. I'm running WiFi and customizing settings to my preferences. I can't believe it took me this long to jump in. I already have Fldigi installed but configuration will take some tweaking and hopefully I can run dual radio configurations. Create 2 menu or desktop entries and use the -c flag along with individual config files. I do it with fldigi, flrig, and wsjtx. |
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I currently have Linux Mint with fldigi version 3.21.80.1 installed from the PPA repository mirrors suggested in Mint. I did try Kamal's PPA listed on the bottom of the fldigi download page but that version was not functional with the OS once upgraded version to 3.22.01-1. The source code tar ball for version 3.22.02 is available on the download page from W1HKJ.
What fldigi version are you Linux Mint guys using? Updated: I have two radio configurations setup with separate Launch Icons now working.
I have a couple more issues but lets start with that. |