AyeTea

I'm sorry the wireless isn't working perfectly for you currently (although most of your sadness comes from a desire to set your device to n only, when you'd likely be fine temporarily with G).

What is the model number? I was hoping someone else with more networking experience would comment, but since they haven't, I'll see what I can dig up.

Props on setting up your own server. Let us know if you have any questions there.

Cryo

Thanks for the kind words...

I resolved the wireless N issue, loads of reading and a little patience and a whole lot of luck.

www.ayetea.com/updating-the-rt8260-80211...ver-from-source.html

Had to compile some drivers... Sheesh

Wow, you did really well, compiling can be a painful experience, I try to avoid it if I can.

That really demonstrates the Catch 22 with hardware drivers (and Linux gaming)... if there was full driver support (and Linux versions of major games) we would get more Linux users... because there are relatively few Linux users there is patchy driver support and very few games companies make versions for Linux...

All the best,

Shalva.

Oh, by the way, why not try Open DNS? It's supposed to be faster than most ISP servers, I use it, I find it pretty good, it's got other security advantages too:

www.opendns.com/start/computer/

.

Yes the catch 22 I think doesnt just extend to games.

Tried open DNS, can't see much difference speed wise, but I will keep it on for a bit and se how it works out over time

Sorry to hear about your driver issues. Linux has come a long way with wireless drivers, though. That's especially impressive, given that most wireless manufacturers only provide Windows drivers, and those only seem to work *some* of the time!

Linux has done a lot of "swimming against the current" to get to the current state of affairs. Thankfully, some of the wireless hardware (chip) manufacturers have begun to offer drivers for Linux, and documentation (usually held NDA-confidential) to the Linux developers. Ralink and Atheros chipsets seem to be particularly well supported.

linuxwireless.org/ is worth checking before you purchase new networking hardware.

Ok, so we are two weeks out with no posts, and I think the month long trial is at an end.

Any updates? Everything ok? We've seen lots of posts of minor irritations, but not much that said anyone was happy with the transition, or what the future plans were with using linux.

Personally, I just hope you're not stuck trying to re-install windows on the netbook... that can be hairy sometimes.

Yeh, point taken and apologies.

I think that I have become absolutely transfixed by linux. I underestimated just how long it would take me to cover the ground that I want to, and have also become quite wrapped up in getting the software to work.

I will write up a more detailed report tomorrow, but the early news is that I am extending the trial.

I am loving the experiance, but what I would say is that it is quite a difficult transition to make.

I don't think it's really possible to give Linux a fair try *without* getting hooked.

And the barriers to being a power user are so low, and the rewards are so high, pretty much everyone makes it there eventually. Unlike Windows and Mac OS, there's documentation explaining how to recompile the kernel, get rid of unused services, tweak things, and in general mess with the deepest depths "under the hood." The whole thing is intended to be infinitely customizable. Instead of convincing you that such tweaks are unneeded, they make the tweaking process really, really simple.

Look at me-- after just two years of Linux use, I was able to boot into a completely smashed Linux installation and rebuild it from the inside out. (Replacement SysV init in five lines of BASH, anyone?) For that matter, look at you-- barely a month into your Linux use, you've compiled a kernel module from source after changing the makefile to suite your needs, and it worked on the first try. I'm willing to bet you wouldn't have even known what that means a month ago.

Stick with it, and you pick up these sort of abilities without even realizing you're doing it. Before you know it, you're impressing your friends and confounding your enemies with jargon, customizing your setup to suit your own needs, installing Linux on dead badgers-- and having a wonderful time.

Good luck Blair, you're in for some great fun!

Ok, I am livid with this forum software now. I viewed as a guest, logged in but forgot to reload the window, then spent 10 mins writing a response. Since I thought I was logged in, I didn;t even notice the input string, and click I clicked submit, it lost my entire post because the string was incorrect. Noting could recover it. THAT is not a good design.

I'll be back later with my response, but it won't be as well written as my old one, and that just upsets me, as the forum should let you enter the code if you made a mistake.

I've taken to writing my posts in gedit, then copying them in, for that exact reason.

Ok, so here is my not so well written and descriptive attempt to remember my points:

Blair, in no way was that trying to chastise you. I give you a TON of credit for even being willing to take the plunge. Humans don't like change and do not go out of their comfort zone easily. The fact that you were willing to take such a huge and all in plunge is extremely impressive, and please do not think we are not anything but completely supportive and willing to help. You've done a great job, and I hope you've had some fun. Like I said earlier, a lot of the more recent posts deal with problems, but I hope you are enjoying the experience.

Blair wrote:


I am loving the experiance, but what I would say is that it is quite a difficult transition to make.

I agree and disagree with this statement. Here's a quick review:

1. Awe and wonder at the ease of install, and some of the apparent nice features of linux.

2. Problems with finding an appropriate piece of software that does everything you want it to. I use Autocad at work. Trust me, I understand this. Some windows programs have some advantages, some linux programs have some advantages, and macs are there too. Every system has certain traits that put the others to shame. The majority of the time, I find that overall Linux feels easier and more full featured, but there are occasionally things I'd love to be able to do.

3. Run into problems with hardware (that are rather device specific, but we have all had problems with some stupid hardware). You took an interesting path by switching distros, which turned out to be the best possible option for you. You also got another chance to try a fresh install, and see how it can vary across distros.

4. Built your own server. Back to wonderment here. I assume there have been no major issues there? Easy to do, should be just sitting in a corner with no one thinking about it... since it will likely not crash without some hardware fault. So easy to forget about it though, but it is invaluable.

5. Back to problems again, although this one was a little self imposed. Instead of settling for G, you decided you needed cutting edge N. Wireless drivers are known for problems (this includes windows, lets be honest). Part of me thinks you may have wanted the challenge though. Either way, you jumped leaps and bounds in your skill set, and actually built your own software with a little help. VERY cool.

Now the 2ns to last sentence has an important key... with a little help. Have you ever noticed that on windows forums people are usually a lot more pissed off and generally agitated? Whiel some of that appears on linux forums, I find that it is more often than not a lot of people coming together to solve a problem (or scratch an itch in programming terms). The whole community just feels... nicer and more inviting. The power of that should not be overlooked.


In the end, you've done an incredible job. I applaud you for taking this risk full on, and for being willing to extend your learning and the project. No matter what OS you end up going with (I think I am leaning towards you using multiple eventually, but we will see), you will have really opened your eyes. You'll miss things that become second nature on the other os, tools that are available, or just another way to do things. You will see all OSs in a different light, and see the merits of each just a little better. And that is always a good thing. Keep us posted... we just want to make sure you are ok.

Max - good thing you didn't say you were editing with vi or emacs... blair doesn't need a war on his hands.

Follow-up - It happened AGAIN. I logged in, said remember me, but I took Max's advice. By the time I hit submit (and there was NO code listed on the page) it had logged me out and I almost lost it again. Thank goodness for copy/paste.