[QCLUG] Back To Windows

[RK]

VMWare!

I have been "playing" with Linux for about 7-8 years,
but have had a problem with commitment. In other
words, I use my computer to get things done. Now,
Microsoft Windows is just more familiar and my
computers have all been built from the manufacturer to
be MS Windows compatible. So... after X years using
Microsoft operating systems, it just is comfortable
and familiar. 

I rarely have major problems with MS Windows for my
normal daily use. But when I set up a second computer
with Linux (way back, don't remember the first one I
tried but I do remember text based installers and
getting a computer that I could, boot up to Linux and
that is all, then Fedora, then Mandrake, others?). The
second computer just didn't work for me. If I had to
accomplish something, it was just easier to use my
main computer (MS Windows) then to try and find how to
do it in Linux.

I did have a dual boot setup, on my previous "main
computer" and again, rebooting into Linux (Mandriva
2008) was just too much of a pain, since I could get
my work done in MS Windows. 

But now, after a couple of hours reading and being
overly cautious on backups and setup instructions for
how to setup VMWare and Linux (Ubuntu/Kubuntu this
time) The actual setup time was less then 30 minutes.
I have a system I can virtually boot into and play
with while not excluding myself from using the
applicaitons I have working in MS Windows.

It takes all of 15-30 minutes for me to create a new
virtual machine and load a different distribution to
see what it is like. Have done this now with 3
distributions and currently have 1 (Ubuntu, though I
did download and install KDE which I prefer, but for
whatever reason I had problems getting Kubuntu to
install and work properly...), the other two being
"difficult" with my network setup and hardware.

VMWare I think is a great stepping stone to get
someone into the world of Linux without making it
difficult, I can pop in and out of Linux for 15
minutes, or a couple of hours, and know if I really
hose things up, it is a virtual computer anyway so no
big deal.

Ron Knapper
 
--- Steve Langasek <vorlon@dodds.net> wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 08, 2008 at 12:39:57PM -0500, Culley
> Smith wrote:
> > We live in a Microsoft world, and being a tech
> guy, using Windows just
> > comes with the territory.
> 
> Hmm, that's an interesting (narrow) definition of
> "tech guy"... :)
> 
> -- 
> Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever
> long enough and a Free OS
> Debian Developer                   to set it on, and
> I can move the world.
> Ubuntu Developer                                   
> http://www.debian.org/
> slangasek@ubuntu.com                                
>     vorlon@debian.org
> _______________________________________________
> QCLUG mailing list
> QCLUG@qclug.org
> http://qclug.org/mailman/listinfo/qclug
> 



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