The Switch to Linux

I upgraded my home WinXP box to Windows7 back in 2012, and after hearing so much hype I was left rather disappointed.  Although I felt it looked really nice, I couldn't help but feel the bloat was not balanced by real functionality. They were still putting lipstick on a pig.

That's when I got serious.  I bought an MSI laptop (specs TBD)  with the obligatory Windows7 install, and as soon as I could I downloaded and installed Linux Mint 14.  It was easier than any of the probably 100+ Windows installs I've done over the years.

 I'll admit I am a developer and used Unix at my day job for almost 10 years in the past, so switching to Linux was always on my mind.  But there were some other compelling reasons as well:

• first of all it's FREE
• it looks darn good
• the environment is tuned towards productivity, with multiple desktops and flexible hotkeys  (Ctrl-Alt-UpArrow gets you this bird's-eye view of your workspaces - there's also a hot corner for that)
• built-in power tools like grep, cut, sed and awk; and a sensible command shell
• an industrial-strength file system - which after all, is largely what an OS is about
• tons of choices in free apps
• a choice in file managers that don't suck

And while we're talking about apps, here are some examples of things that made the transition easy:

• the Desktop and Menu area very similar to Windows
• LibreOffice - a full MSOffice replacement - 
• I had already switched to this from MSOffice, after the frustration of not being able to install from my $200+ CDs after upgrading to Win7
• GIMP - a replacement of Photoshop, and...FREE
• PasswordSafe - a Linux equivalent that reads the same file format as the Win version, which I had been using;   BTW this stores your passwords in one secure place - if you don't use something like this, YOU NEED TO
• Thunderbird email -- very similar to Outlook Express
• Firefox, of course
• Google Chrome also available, although typical to Google style it is currenty in Beta
• Banshee music player, pretty similar to iTunes

 as well as the usual built-ins that the full desktop OS's offer, like

• Calendar, Clock, Calculator
• System monitor
• System configuration tools
• Program install tools
• A couple video players that work out of the box

and some nice surprises, including some apps that I've missed since way back when I used a Mac (in the 80's)

• Tomboy - a great way to take notes!!  Simple, organized - no waiting for Word to load....where was that doc again??   Exports to CLEAN HTML for easy blogging
• Character Map - look up and copy individual characters in each loaded system Font
• Font Viewer - little standalone app to try out Fonts
• Automount of USB devices - quick access to my iPhone files
• Sound Recorder - just a little app to record audio
• Phatch - a batched photo converter, useful for blogging
• i.e. dump a bunch of JPGs in a directory, run Phatch, and boom they're resized for uploading in 5 seconds

Some Kinks still to be Worked Out

Sure it's not all roses, for example:

• if you want to play your Windows games, you'll have to install Wine or PlayOnLinux and get that working
• iTunes vs. Banshee
• the convenient iTunes Store integration exists in Banshee as a plugin to Last.FM, but it's not very convenient
• burning CD's in Banshee still produces nothing but drink coasters for me
• there is still a lack of support for Linux from some software vendors, such as
• the drivers for your hardware device - e.g. my MSI laptop in not supported and I had to buy an ethernet USB connector, and external video camera
• various plugins, e.g. NASA's  interactive Eyes on the Solar System is only supported on Windows and Mac

but then, I always had a short list in Windows as well, and it took me years to find a decent file manager.  Which has become the only thing that I miss from Windows.

Why Van Helsing?

It's not just because I'm reading Bram Stoker's Dracula right now and it's awesome.  But in my 20+ years in tech life I find myself constantly battling demonic monsters...leaping fully clothed into murky pools of water to scrape out an answer that lies hidden under 20,000 years of muck (measured in CPU time of course).

Often this occurs in the wee hours of the night, with no moon and a heavy gloom hanging over the earth.  Sometimes we dispel the monster and the grid displays the widget.  And we can sleep.