- WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: [Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

by Gregory Avedissian

Mike Perry wrote: > Hi all, > > I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's computer is filled > with spyware. Everytime I go there it is slower and slower and odd things > keep happening (like icons disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). > > I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I have a few valid > concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any experience with the following under > Linux (any flavor): > <snip> I prefer to run windows in a VM rather than dual boot. Set up samba, so she can save files to the linux partition, make a backup copy of the VM once you have it all set up, and save it in case (when) the win vm gets trashed - then you just have to replace it with the backup. One thing to watch out for - I've noticed on debian that vmware will often peg the cpu at 100%. I have to stop and start the vmware daemon when this happens. I don't know if it's a problem on ubuntu. For the iPod, try gtkpod. I only have minimal experience with it, so I don't know what issues might come up. Go for it! Trying to get it all running can't be any worse than trying to remove malware or doing a windows install. I have three non-technical friends running linux - they're happy with it, and I have less maintenance to do than if they were running windows. If you're going to go with a new hard drive as others suggested, you might consider leaving the old drive in. If you set up the win drive as hdb (and play tricks with grub so windows thinks that it's first), then you have less to do if you decide to pull out the windows drive. Greg

July 5, 2007

Re: [Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

by Andre Lehovich

--- Mike Perry <mwp(a)sdf.lonestar.org> wrote: > * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, uses an ActiveX > control in IE to connect to her work. Are there alternatives besides using IE > and Wine or running a VM? $ apt-cache search citrix tsclient - front-end for viewing of remote desktops in GNOME rdesktop - RDP client for Windows NT/2000 Terminal Server The web equivalent: http://packages.debian.org/cgi-bin/search_packages.pl?keywords=citrix VNC also works for connecting between different operating systems. --Andre ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

July 5, 2007

Re: [Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

by Adam Keck

Hello Mike, <puts on asbestos suit :-> You will have to be careful about maintaining her level of functionality with the iPod and camera in Linux. I agree with Jamie. Put both Kubuntu and Windows on the machine. This will allow you to evaluate whether the change in the applications for media management (iPod and camera) will increase your support time more than the reduction in spyware related time. If Linux is not going to work as well for the iPod and camera, you may be able to reduce the spyware/virus issue by removing the right to install software from her everyday user and by locking down that user in other ways - after a wipe and reinstall of Windows, of course. The elimination of virus work may be significant with Linux, but if that work gets replaced by equal or greater work getting the iPod, camera, and printing to work easily and consistently under Linux, the change to Linux may not be worth it. -Adam On 7/5/07, Jamie Guinan <guinan(a)bluebutton.com> wrote: > > On Thu, 5 Jul 2007, Klein, Richard wrote: > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Mike Perry > > > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's > > > computer is filled with spyware. Everytime I go there it is > > > slower and slower and odd things keep happening (like icons > > > disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). > > > > > > I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I > > > have a few valid concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any > > > experience with the following under Linux (any flavor): > > > > > > * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, > > > uses an ActiveX control in IE to connect to her work. Are > > > there alternatives besides using IE and Wine or running a VM? > > > > > > * iPod which is currently registered with her Windows box. > > > I'm not too familiar with this, because my mp3 is not an iPod. > > > > > > * Printing - She currently has a very nice Canon i960 which > > > can print photos. > > > I less concerned about drivers and more about functionality. > > > Her current Windows based software can print wallets, 8x10s, > > > etc very easily. I wouldn't want her to lose that ability. > > > > > > I know some of these answers might be a Google away, but I'm > > > curious on your experiences with this and possibility any > > > other gothcya's that I am not thinking about. > > > > > > If I could overcome these hurdles I think she would actually > > > have a much pleasant experience with her home pc. I've slowly > > > been getting her to adopt open source software, but this > > > would be a big jump. I also think it would be much easier for > > > me help remotely too. > > > > This sounds like a good time to upgrade her hard drive. Put a new, > > larger drive in her computer and install Kubuntu onto that. Try > > everything out, and if something doesn't work, put the old drive back in > > until you can figure out a solution. > > Or put in the 2nd hard drive and leave the 1st one in there, and set > it up to dual-boot. She can still boot Windows to do her Citrix > stuff, and she can use Linux for web surfing (no spyware), and you can > try migrating iPod/printing/etc. over time. > > -Jamie > > > I'd answer your specific questions if I knew the answers. > > > > -- > > Rich > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Wlug mailing list > > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

July 5, 2007

Re: [Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

by Jamie Guinan

On Thu, 5 Jul 2007, Klein, Richard wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Mike Perry > > > > Hi all, > > > > I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's > > computer is filled with spyware. Everytime I go there it is > > slower and slower and odd things keep happening (like icons > > disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). > > > > I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I > > have a few valid concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any > > experience with the following under Linux (any flavor): > > > > * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, > > uses an ActiveX control in IE to connect to her work. Are > > there alternatives besides using IE and Wine or running a VM? > > > > * iPod which is currently registered with her Windows box. > > I'm not too familiar with this, because my mp3 is not an iPod. > > > > * Printing - She currently has a very nice Canon i960 which > > can print photos. > > I less concerned about drivers and more about functionality. > > Her current Windows based software can print wallets, 8x10s, > > etc very easily. I wouldn't want her to lose that ability. > > > > I know some of these answers might be a Google away, but I'm > > curious on your experiences with this and possibility any > > other gothcya's that I am not thinking about. > > > > If I could overcome these hurdles I think she would actually > > have a much pleasant experience with her home pc. I've slowly > > been getting her to adopt open source software, but this > > would be a big jump. I also think it would be much easier for > > me help remotely too. > > This sounds like a good time to upgrade her hard drive. Put a new, > larger drive in her computer and install Kubuntu onto that. Try > everything out, and if something doesn't work, put the old drive back in > until you can figure out a solution. Or put in the 2nd hard drive and leave the 1st one in there, and set it up to dual-boot. She can still boot Windows to do her Citrix stuff, and she can use Linux for web surfing (no spyware), and you can try migrating iPod/printing/etc. over time. -Jamie > I'd answer your specific questions if I knew the answers. > > -- > Rich > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

July 5, 2007

Re: [Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

by Klein, Richard

> -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Perry > > Hi all, > > I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's > computer is filled with spyware. Everytime I go there it is > slower and slower and odd things keep happening (like icons > disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). > > I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I > have a few valid concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any > experience with the following under Linux (any flavor): > > * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, > uses an ActiveX control in IE to connect to her work. Are > there alternatives besides using IE and Wine or running a VM? > > * iPod which is currently registered with her Windows box. > I'm not too familiar with this, because my mp3 is not an iPod. > > * Printing - She currently has a very nice Canon i960 which > can print photos. > I less concerned about drivers and more about functionality. > Her current Windows based software can print wallets, 8x10s, > etc very easily. I wouldn't want her to lose that ability. > > I know some of these answers might be a Google away, but I'm > curious on your experiences with this and possibility any > other gothcya's that I am not thinking about. > > If I could overcome these hurdles I think she would actually > have a much pleasant experience with her home pc. I've slowly > been getting her to adopt open source software, but this > would be a big jump. I also think it would be much easier for > me help remotely too. This sounds like a good time to upgrade her hard drive. Put a new, larger drive in her computer and install Kubuntu onto that. Try everything out, and if something doesn't work, put the old drive back in until you can figure out a solution. I'd answer your specific questions if I knew the answers. -- Rich

July 5, 2007

Getting your mom on Linux?

by Mike Perry

Hi all, I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's computer is filled with spyware. Everytime I go there it is slower and slower and odd things keep happening (like icons disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I have a few valid concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any experience with the following under Linux (any flavor): * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, uses an ActiveX control in IE to connect to her work. Are there alternatives besides using IE and Wine or running a VM? * iPod which is currently registered with her Windows box. I'm not too familiar with this, because my mp3 is not an iPod. * Printing - She currently has a very nice Canon i960 which can print photos. I less concerned about drivers and more about functionality. Her current Windows based software can print wallets, 8x10s, etc very easily. I wouldn't want her to lose that ability. I know some of these answers might be a Google away, but I'm curious on your experiences with this and possibility any other gothcya's that I am not thinking about. If I could overcome these hurdles I think she would actually have a much pleasant experience with her home pc. I've slowly been getting her to adopt open source software, but this would be a big jump. I also think it would be much easier for me help remotely too. Cheers, Mike

July 5, 2007

JOB - Implementation Engineer (Boston, MA)

by Tal Cohen

I forgot to provide the company information, here it is: Company Name: SiteSpect, Inc (www.sitespect.com) Position: Implementation Engineer Location: Boston, MA Tal

June 30, 2007

JOB - Implementation Engineer (Boston, MA)

by Tal Cohen

Hi Folks, The company that I work for has just opened a position that some of you may be interested in. The description is listed below. For the right person, this can be a dream job. Feel free to email me with any questions about the position or the company. Here is the position: The Implementation Engineer is a technical product expert who installs, configures and supports SiteSpect's software and appliance products. This is a technical position that requires knowledge of Unix systems management, Web applications, and networking/DNS. Although a technical position, the Implementation Engineer wears many customer-facing hats. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a history of working with both technical (IT) and non-technical (business and marketing) stakeholders to define requirements, plan projects, and ultimately deliver technical solutions. Excellent writing and verbal communication skills are a necessity. Required technical skills include: * Web server configuration, tuning & administration * Linux/Unix administration * shell scripting such as bash, Perl, python or PHP * knowledge of DNS, networking and load balancing Roles also include scheduled on-call duty and occasional travel to assist customers with installation and system maintenance. Candidates should have experience working in a team environment alongside other engineers and product managers. You should be comfortable with the dynamic and fast pace that is typical for an Internet software startup. This is a full time position located in our office in downtown Boston, MA. We are minutes away from Park Street MBTA stop, central to all subway and commuter rail lines. If this sounds like you, then SiteSpect might be your next home. As the company that leads its market space in power and innovation, we guarantee excitement, challenge and an unlimited opportunity to contribute. Tal

June 30, 2007

Unix admin opening

by Frank Sweetser

We now return you to your regularly scheduled boringly relevant job postings. WPI is looking for a unix administrator. Standard complement of skills required, mostly RHEL systems, some HPC clustering administration, and a fair bit of Windows interop stuff. http://www.wpi.edu/cgi-bin/HR/New/showjob.cgi?job_type=AE&job_id=441 Feel free to send a resume either to HR directly, or to me and I'll pass it along through the inside channel. -- Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu | For every problem, there is a solution that WPI Senior Network Engineer | is simple, elegant, and wrong. - HL Mencken GPG fingerprint = 6174 1257 129E 0D21 D8D4 E8A3 8E39 29E3 E2E8 8CEC

June 21, 2007

Re: [Wlug] Discussion: Email list policy for recruiters

by Klein, Richard

From: albutler33(a)netscape.net > > How would you define excessive? Excessive: (adj) Quoting the entire digest in a reply. :-) Sorry. I generally don't mind job postings to the list. When I need a job, I'm quite happy to see them! (not that I'd be qualified for any jobs posted to *this* list) What bugged me about the most recent posting was simply the marketing-speak. Just give us the facts and leave the hype at home. -- Rich

June 21, 2007