Smurf Attack getting serious

Thread Starter

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I'd really like to get to know Ubuntu but when I look for help, I get what looks like gibberish. If it isn't high tech minutia about the latest tweaks, it's stuff like:

alt= go to the first console. Why do I need to know there is more than one console?
bash= the name of a shell process. Why do I need to change the shell process?
PS1 = prompt string (needs flags) What do you even use that for?

I need other information like, how do I make a .txt file? Why doesn't Ubuntu know how to do a drag&drop? Where are the, "programs" like Games or notepad? Why can't it burn a DVD when it says it's going to do that? How do I tell it to burn at half the maximum speed when it doesn't offer a choice? Why do I have to start the computer twice to get the mouse pointer to move? Really basic stuff that Windows does flawlessly seems beyond either me or Ubuntu, and I don't know which is the right answer!

ps, I see you told me how to get a text editor in post #58. Thanks.
 
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Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
I'd really like to get to know Ubuntu but when I look for help, I get what looks like gibberish. If it isn't high tech minutia about the latest tweaks, it's stuff like:
Don't say I didn't tell 'ya so. Linux is a long term commitment.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
I'd really like to get to know Ubuntu but when I look for help, I get what looks like gibberish. If it isn't high tech minutia about the latest tweaks, it's stuff like:

alt= go to the first console. Why do I need to know there is more than one console?
bash= the name of a shell process. Why do I need to change the shell process?
PS1 = prompt string (needs flags) What do you even use that for?

I need other information like, how do I make a .txt file? Why doesn't Ubuntu know how to do a drag&drop? Where are the, "programs" like Games or notepad? Why can't it burn a DVD when it says it's going to do that? How do I tell it to burn at half the maximum speed when it doesn't offer a choice? Why do I have to start the computer twice to get the mouse pointer to move? Really basic stuff that Windows does flawlessly seems beyond either me or Ubuntu, and I don't know which is the right answer!

ps, I see you told me how to get a text editor in post #58. Thanks.
It is almost like there is a secret society. I loaded Ubuntu so I can run LinuxCNC. From what I have found it is pretty much the only free CNC controller out there other than gcode sender. I I really did not want to hook up the Ardunio to my machine just yet.

Trying to get help on anything Linux is painful. No one wants to help very much. Most times they will refer you to documentation but it is horrendous. Installing applications can be a pain. Configuration of applications is a manual process. Some applications actually require you compile them. I really do not understand why it needs to be so difficult. It is not like Linux just came on to the scene in the past year.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I have used Mint, which is a derivative of Ubuntu. Unfortunately Ubuntu has a reputation of reporting to Google a lot of your choices.

I may go back to Mint to use LinuxCNC eventually. I never did figure out how to beat the aliasing problem with their version of Paint. Since Paint is a core package for me I went back to Win7.

There is a large Linux community in this area, it is hard to avoid. Not that I want to, it is nice to have choices.
 

joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
5,234
I'd really like to get to know Ubuntu but when I look for help, I get what looks like gibberish. If it isn't high tech minutia about the latest tweaks, it's stuff like:

alt= go to the first console. Why do I need to know there is more than one console?
bash= the name of a shell process. Why do I need to change the shell process?
PS1 = prompt string (needs flags) What do you even use that for?

I need other information like, how do I make a .txt file? Why doesn't Ubuntu know how to do a drag&drop? Where are the, "programs" like Games or notepad? Why can't it burn a DVD when it says it's going to do that? How do I tell it to burn at half the maximum speed when it doesn't offer a choice? Why do I have to start the computer twice to get the mouse pointer to move? Really basic stuff that Windows does flawlessly seems beyond either me or Ubuntu, and I don't know which is the right answer!

ps, I see you told me how to get a text editor in post #58. Thanks.
Linux/Ubuntu does everything Windows does, IMHO faster and better. But it is not Windows!

You have used one graphical operating system your whole life. When you first used Windows, did you know how to do all those things?

Google is your friend -- every question you will have has likely already been asked and answered.

Take some time -- make it a project if you must -- but you might begin to enjoy it.Especially after you realize there are things that can be done on Linux that cannot be done on Windows.

I'm willing to assist you with the hardware hiccups, but not with the attitude.
 

Thread Starter

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Hmmm. I asked 8 specific questions and the answer I get is:
I'm willing to assist you with the hardware hiccups, but not with the attitude.
Way to act like all the other Linux nerds, joeyd.

"Linux/Ubuntu does everything Windows does, better and faster. Now, go figure out how to find the features by yourself."

Gee, thanks.

ps, That was attitude.
 
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I'd really like to get to know Ubuntu but when I look for help, I get what looks like gibberish. If it isn't high tech minutia about the latest tweaks, it's stuff like:

alt= go to the first console. Why do I need to know there is more than one console?
bash= the name of a shell process. Why do I need to change the shell process?
PS1 = prompt string (needs flags) What do you even use that for?

I need other information like, how do I make a .txt file? Why doesn't Ubuntu know how to do a drag&drop? Where are the, "programs" like Games or notepad? Why can't it burn a DVD when it says it's going to do that? How do I tell it to burn at half the maximum speed when it doesn't offer a choice? Why do I have to start the computer twice to get the mouse pointer to move? Really basic stuff that Windows does flawlessly seems beyond either me or Ubuntu, and I don't know which is the right answer!

ps, I see you told me how to get a text editor in post #58. Thanks.
Hey @#12

Now you know how I felt during my 'acclimatization' to LtSpice:mad:o_O:) --- But it paid off! -- As will your adoption of a decent OS (i.e. Linux) -- Transition is always trying - 'Tho nothing a little patience and a lot of Lisinopril can't handle!:cool:

It seems the 'Smurf attacks' are shaping up to be a 'silver lining' in want of a cloud (pun not necessarily not intended):D

Best regards
HP:)
 

Thread Starter

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
nothing a little patience and a lot of Lisinopril can't handle!:cool:
Thanks for reminding me. I forgot to take my pills this morning.:oops:

I guess I'll go a Googling for things like, "How to drag&drop a file from the Internet to the desktop without getting a Link instead of the file." Apparently dedicated Linux users can't tell me how to do that.
 
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spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Hmmm. I asked 8 specific questions and the answer I get is:

Way to act like all the other Linux nerds, joeyd.

"Linux/Ubuntu does everything Windows does, better and faster. Now, go figure out how to find the features by yourself."

Gee, thanks.

ps, That was attitude.

Seems to be prerequisite after becoming proficient with Linux. I guess the attitude is, they learned the hard way so everyone else should too. I get that all the time too. Google it. Or it is in the documentation. The problem is, there is so much noise you don't know what you are looking at. Lots of misinformation. Several times I have referenced the wiki page for linuxcnc when asking a question. The answer usually wiki is inaccurate and no one takes the responsibility of updating it so don't use it. So why is it there then? And a better question, why do you have a link on your freaking site right at the top of the homepage? And the wiki link actually comes before the documentation link!
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
I guess it's the price one has to pay for something that's supposedly free
True but there is no need for the attitude that comes from a lot of linux users. Advice here is free too. Most people here are very patient and helpful. With few excpetions, you do not see that in in linux world.

Also lots of free software out there in Windows that is easy to use, with good documentation. Some of that can be explained by familiarity to Windows but still.
 

Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
I can try to answer some of your questions. I might not have all the terms correct, but here goes.

alt= go to the first console. Why do I need to know there is more than one console?
You can spread documents over multiple consoles. That way no one console gets too cluttered.

bash= the name of a shell process. Why do I need to change the shell process?
My favorite part of Linux. First of all bash doesn't change the shell process; it is a shell. When you open a terminal, you are in bash. So, what's a terminal? It's a command interpreter, and it's how you interact with linux as a alternative to the graphical interface. A linux terminal is constructed to mimic the old TTY terminals on mainframe computers from days of yore. So, open a terminal from the menuing system. Type in a few commands and observe the results. Here are a few commands:

pwd - print the current directory path
ls - list all files in current directory - similar to dir from DOS
mkdir <name> create a directory directly under the current directory, named "name"
cd <name> change to the directory named "name"

The symbols <> are not part of the command, they delineate the arguments to the command

PS1 = prompt string (needs flags) What do you even use that for?
That shows you were to start typing in the terminal. The default symbol is ">" You can change the symbol using the flags?? Though I've never tried it.

I need other information like, how do I make a .txt file?
Most Linux users use gedit. Open a file, type in the text and save as <filename.txt> Personally, I don't use gedit much, so I wan't be much use here, but it's a very simple editor to use, and you'll get the hang of it quickly.

Why doesn't Ubuntu know how to do a drag&drop?
Don't know. It just doesn't.

Where are the, "programs" like Games or notepad?
I'm a Fedora user, I can get to the games via the menu syste. You won't find notepad, but you should be able to find gedit. Either in the menu system, or from a terminal type "gedit"

Why can't it burn a DVD when it says it's going to do that?
Buring a DVD uses an application that's outside of the OS. I haven't tried this, but there are many different apps, just like windows. You can download that try a few until you find one that you like.

How do I tell it to burn at half the maximum speed when it doesn't offer a choice?
Depends on the app, see above.

Why do I have to start the computer twice to get the mouse pointer to move?
That's odd. I don't get that with Fedora.
 

Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
My favorite part of Linux. First of all bash doesn't change the shell process; it is a shell. When you open a terminal, you are in bash. So, what's a terminal? It's a command interpreter, and it's how you interact with linux as a alternative to the graphical interface.
I should have said the shell is a command interpreter. The terminal is a user interface to the shell.

First of all bash doesn't change the shell process; it is a shell.
I should clarify. If you are in a shell other than a bash shell, the command "bash" will change the shell to bash. Confusing, I know, but Linux should open a shell to bash by default.
 
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