Computer Issues

[arfink]

I've invested a lot of years into learning Linux and open source software, and it's been totally worth it for me. It definitely is more work. :P And yeah, command line. But I was already used to that, from growing up with an IBM AT and Apple IIs.

[KnightofChrist]

LOAD "*",8

RUN

[tinytherese]

HP Pavilion dv4 Notebook PC

[arfink]

LOAD "*",8

RUN

 

At least it isn't CP/M. :shudder:

[tinytherese]

It was probably a bad idea to switch to Linux, being someone who has never used Linux before. It is surprising that your dad though it would solve your issues.

 

He was told by a guy he knows who knows a lot about computers that this would solve my slow computer. He also told him that it would fix the pop-up problem he had on his computer.

[Basilisa Marie]

He was told by a guy he knows who knows a lot about computers that this would solve my slow computer. He also told him that it would fix the pop-up problem he had on his computer.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure that guy knew exactly what he was talking about. You can fix pop ups by adjusting settings on your browser, or downloading a free extension for your browser. There are lots of ways to fix these problems without learning a whole new operating system. 

[Nihil Obstat]

Plus, now you have no Windows os as a backup. At least I'm assuming so.
If you have a backup, switch back. Dual boot Ubuntu if you want.

[Slappo]

If you're stuck using a non-microsoft word processor, cheapest way to fix it printing wrong etc is to do all your work on your laptop, take your document into a school library computer (or local library, or other computer available at your house?), open it in Microsoft and fix all the formatting before printing/e-mailing it to your professor.

 

Linux would be faster simply because it isn't as memory intensive of an OS, but the options are much more limited for the average computer user (even for guru's to an extent)

[tinytherese]

Yeah, I'm not sure that guy knew exactly what he was talking about. You can fix pop ups by adjusting settings on your browser, or downloading a free extension for your browser. There are lots of ways to fix these problems without learning a whole new operating system. 

 

We tried changing the settings on the computer, but it didn't change anything. My dad was on the phone a lot with tech support and they could never fix it. Then his computer crashed.

[arfink]

If you're stuck using a non-microsoft word processor, cheapest way to fix it printing wrong etc is to do all your work on your laptop, take your document into a school library computer (or local library, or other computer available at your house?), open it in Microsoft and fix all the formatting before printing/e-mailing it to your professor.

 

Linux would be faster simply because it isn't as memory intensive of an OS, but the options are much more limited for the average computer user (even for guru's to an extent)

 

Don't know what you mean by this. I've never found Linux to be any more of a problem for daily use than Windows, and have actually found certain things which I can only do with Linux. For example, decrypting DVDs.

[blazeingstar]

Don't know what you mean by this. I've never found Linux to be any more of a problem for daily use than Windows, and have actually found certain things which I can only do with Linux. For example, decrypting DVDs.

 

 

I don't know.  Ubuntu, and especially Xubuntu, is super fast on older machines.  Before my 8 year old laptop died (power issue) I was using Xubuntu and I will be loading windows on my netbook for my niece but I used Ubuntu.  The ubuntu forums are really nice and questions get answered really fast. I enjoyed the experience alot.

 

I can't find the quote but whoever put linux on a mac...that's silly.  Mac is a Unix based operating system, you aren't going to get that much better performance out of it.

 

As far as word processers, I, too found libre office a disaster.  Open Office is SO MUCH BETTER.  Just make sure you get the .docx extension so the .docx documents you open format right.

 

Then again, I don't find terminal scary at all and was tweaking and doing things on my own.  I used my old laptop way beyond what my brother got out of his.  I didn't need it for much, though, just researching for class, writing papers, surfing the internet and maybe a flash game here or there.  Honestly, I do feel for an older machine, if you have someone to help you set it up, Ubuntu (which looks like windows anyway) is a much better choice than banging around on windows.

 

Alternitavly, you can save your stuff, deep nuke the computer and only install the very minimum of what you need now.  That might help.

 

Or you can save money and buy a mac.  I have an 2009 Mac that I use for class work (some photo manipulation), papers, writing, silly flash games, and the internets.  It runs nicer than my friends year-old ACER that was also $500.  I could also sell this for $400 and she couldn't get didly for hers....maybe $100.  I used Mac of all trades.

[NotreDame]

He was told by a guy he knows who knows a lot about computers that this would solve my slow computer. He also told him that it would fix the pop-up problem he had on his computer.

 

If the cause of your slowness was dated PC hardware (ie. slow cpu, low memory) then switching to linux (hopefully a lighter OS) might improve performance a little and extend the life of your hardware.

 

If the cause of your slowness was too much bloated software loading at startup and viruses (like the popups) running in the background then changing to a new OS seems like an excessive first step.  You can fix this by getting rid of malware and managing what software your system loads when it boots up.