Linux Laptop

[Nick]

Indeed Jeffrey - I run a number of VMs under both Windows & Linux and Docker under Linux - mainly for different operating system versions and environments.

Docker is a container rather than true VM system, but has a huge number of uses and is an easy environment to learn and manage - there are some great free tools for it - I use Portainer to manage the environment.

[ppppenguin]

I had to look up containers. From what I can see, they are a means of creating mutliple, apparently separate, instances of the host OS. Rather than a different guest OS which is what (Type 2) VMs can do. Which are different again to bare metal or Type 1 hypervisors where there is no host OS.

[Nick]

I had to look up containers. From what I can see, they are a means of creating mutliple, apparently separate, instances of the host OS. Rather than a different guest OS which is what  (Type 2) VMs can do. Which are different again to bare metal or Type 1 hypervisors where there is no host OS.

Nope. Containers are isolated views onto the host OS with a joined file system. Individual applications are delivered and managed in their own container which contains everything for that app - as the file systems overlay each other, removing, turning off, updating or otherwise managing an app is easy and in complete isolation from other apps on the host.

Containers are extremely cool. See OS level virtualisation and read up about Docker and its friends (Kubernetes & Swarm etc.)

[ppppenguin]

OK, I get that. But how isolated are the apps? If you've got something nasty rampaging in one container can it infect others easily? If they share a file system it's hard to see how they are truly isolated.

[BusyBee]

I don't know of any Linux laptop suppliers Tracey, sorry. In the past I've just got a laptop with windows installed, taken out the HDD and installed Linux Mint on another HDD after obviously checking specs etc. I have a carrier bag of laptop HDD's if you need any.

Linux is a little tricky to use after you've used W for years, but you soon get used to it then start to smile because your PC no longer throws hissy fits every five minutes when a daft update causes issues. So wave goodbye to Antivirus software and other W foppery, that said W is easier to install software on with exe. files and Linux is tricky sometimes as regards drivers for old printers etc, but all in all Linux is a breath of fresh air after W.

Andy.

Thank you Andy, I will bear that in mind. I think I would go for dual boot if I were intending to use a Windows based machine, I think, but maybe unlikely. Currently, as mentioned, I am investigating a file server for structured storage, hence reducing local storage issues.

I'm pretty agnostic about operating systems and use Linux and Windows extensively. Both have their place.

It's important to realise that Linux is not a panacea and Windows certainly does not "throw a hissy fit every five minutes" - hyperbole never helps an argument.

I've always simply regarded technology of whatever type as a tool - pick the best one you have for the job in hand - sometimes that's a linux-based application and sometimes it's Windows - WINE is also not a universal solution (either alcoholic or software) and Linux is certainly vulnerable to attack by malicious third parties. Some of the largest security breaches in recent years have been on Linux-based systems.

Personally I understand Andy with his 'hissy fits'. Perhaps an emotional reply but I am quite familiar with Windows updating itself regularly and (very frustrating) demanding the machine be left on when shutting down. A good number of times I left a clients home when at work and had my laptop running on the passenger seat. Otherwise a clients computer could not be left with update running as, often being miles away from home, I had to be certain what I had installed / configured ran perfectly after Microsoft had done their work. Not being Microsoft trained, I never knew how to properly bypass such situations as the user is usually left few options.

I am likely to be using both Windows and Linux machines, at least for the near future. My current thoughts on Windows is that, for the 'Home Edition' at least, Microsoft appear very strongly to be going down the Apple road. I suspect they would have problems going that far (almost total lockdown, at least for ipads). I need to have a system that can be accessed. Counter to my thoughts though is that Microsoft do provide very extensive documentation, even if searching is hard work. Currently I am finding Linux documentation far more fragmented (which would be expected).

This thread seems to have moved on a bit since I last visited. I have spent the last couple of days investigating file sharing. Starting with sharing folder access between two Windows 10 laptops to test these over the home network, which seemed much harder than access to a folder on the (now Linux) Windows Vista desktop machine, which was though not too taxing. I then moved on to the Linux machine. I determined early on that the Samba software in Linux was the best to be used. For some while I found all manner of issues but suspected in the end that software was corrupt so I re-installed Samba. At some point the sytem requested a major update, which also might have cured issues. Slightly further on Linux Mint (version 19.3) prompted to update to V20 but I decided to avoid that at the moment. As is usual with strange software it is a case of muddle through steadily learning. The result at the moment is that I can happily say I have a file share folder on the Linux Desktop that is readily accessible via my Windows 10 laptop. A bit of a steep learning curve (at least for me) but I now have much more confidence on manipulation of the Linux software. Now I can progress to investigating the Linux file server option.

My requirement for a reasonably quick laptop is partly flavoured by possible implemetation of virtual machines but something for me yet to look at. Other posts I have seen here are useful background, thank you

Tracy

[Cleggy]

This is a very interesting looking thread. I use the word "looking" because I barely understand a word of it. I too am fed up with W10, but for myself, I suspect trying to go to Linux will be a waste of time ending in disaster.

Back in the 80's there was this great leap in computer technology when mouses and gui's came along, and the blue screen of death was annoying, but went away by the time of W98SE. The latter did everything I wanted of it, and I thought we were in paradise at that time. How on Earth have we ended up in this situation  . I suspect that Mr Gates' company is much to blame.

C

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
As you may have read I reinstalled windows 10 on my Asus laptop a couple of weeks ago in a dual booting environment with Mint 20.00. Unfortunately Win 10 is already acting up with at least twice locking up, once on a very important zoom meeting. The only escape was to power down the laptop holding the power button. I immediately rebooted to Mint and carried on the meeting there.
The other issue has been with it hanging on the welcome screen for a very long time for no obvious reason, I've changed updates to manual with no change, in fact updates seem to take ages rendering the laptop out of bounds for up to 20 minutes. I have to say the Asus runs beautifully on Mint and now I'm only using Windows for SdrPlay software which fortunately works OK.

[reset]

Thank you. I have seen the Dell offering. There appears to be only one now which is fairly low spec.  I have looked at Lenovo but, although dual boot would probably work with most, I am looking at single system with possible Windows emulation. Thanks.

Tracy

Tracy take a look at WINE for Linux.
Wine
Is
Not
Emulator,
it is an extension that adds the windows lib function to Linux.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
I've used Wine in the past and a virtual machine with limited success. In fact using a VM I had issues with USB and sound and got frustrated.
Dual booting is the easy way TBH.

[Diabolical Artificer]

I ain't no expert, but when I ran Windows when I first got PC's they frequently crashed, freezed up, caught a bug or some other malady. I had to re-install WXP several times, replace HDD's, run anti trojan, anti pasti or anti aunty software to get the b*ggers working again, not to mention running Ccleaner periodically or some other house keeping. I was looking though my CDrom stash the other day, there was a pile of Windows related software, like hissy fits that Nick objected to it is a subjective indication of running Windows. My folks run W10, their PC has been to the Dr's at least 10 times this year.

To date after installing Linux there's no pile of CDroms, no pile of dead HDD's, no Ccleaner, no Avast, no weeping tears of frustration periodically when some update inserts ghosts and little demon's in the PC, no stubbed toes from kicking the PC, no visit to the quacks in years. So for someone who isn't a PC tech subjectively speaking Linux has been a good experience for me, a gentle pootle down the river on a sunny day in a rowing boat, lady friend as companion, a few bottles of plonk,a bag of nice nosh, hand lazily making trills in the current, in comparison the good ship SS Windows was a ride down the rapids, teeth clenched, other parts clenched, snow and howling wind lashing down only to find someones nicked your car at the other end, when all you wanted was to get warm and toasty.

There are a few niggles with Linux, but only the equivalent of leaving your corkscrew at home, Andy.