Recent Ultimate Edition 3..8 User (and Linux user)

[mlutzow]

Hello everyone,

So happy to be here, I've just recently switched to Linux from the M$ Windose world. Found Ultimate Edition listed on the Distrowatch site. This is by far the best from about 8 other distros I've installed and am testing. Very happy and impressed with what I've found and am seeing, enough so that I'll probably hit the donate button a little later on.

Everything I try to install is the 64bit variety and my son is interested in me showing him this Linux thing, and my wife...once she's done with the Chemo has expressed an interest in trying and learning.

When I found Mint I thought that was really good, then I tried the Ultimate Edition and I was sold,

I have so many questions, so little time. My last experience with anything UNIX like was AIX, just upgraded the box to 3.2 when I changed positions and everything from then on was M$ based,

Reading the front page and other areas I'm a little confused with all these versions that are talked about, I think I grasp the situation with the 4,3 build but I'm reading about 4.0, 4,1, etc., and I just don't see them anywhere. Anyhow I think it's going to take me some time to understand all the magic TheeMahn has created and has been generous enough to share with us.

The first thing I need to figure out is how to change the font color, with this theme I have a white font color and look as hard as I can I can't figure out how to change it. The color is very hard on my eyes and I can barely read it. I can change the themes but I still end up with the white font.

Second thing I can't figure out is this, I have a USB HD drive attached to the laptop and I have /home mapped to a seperate partition for each distro I have installed. Everytime I boot up or log into the machine all of the /home partitions mount automatically. I really don't want that, if I need to access the other partitions I can mount on my own. How do I turn this off (all the home partitions auto moutning)?

Also, just a note...however TheeMahn setup up GRUB, it's the only one I've installed that found ALL of the distributions and set them up properly. The customization from this distro is also the only that actually retains and applies my changes.

I know a little long winded but thanks for something great.

Mark

[billhedrick]

First, thanks for finding us and welcome to the Ultimate Edition family! I have been using Linux for a few years and while I need to use windows for work, I can't wait to get home and fire up my Ultimate Edition box. I have been using Ultimate Edition since 1.8 and have to say that 3.8 is rock solid and will serve you well. The problem TheeMann has is with Ubuntu, the framework he builds Ultimate Edition on; some Ubuntu releases are to put it bluntly, crap. Thee has to do some major surgery to make them work. Thus a pre-emptive warning: if you get the urge or suggestion that you upgrade your Ultimate Edition install, don't! It will likely break the work Thee has done. I am using 3.8 and 3.9, 3.9 is basically the same version with additional desktop environments, using KDE as a base rather than MATE. 4.0, 4.1, etc are not ready for primetime versions that may or may not be released. I think from what I am seeing the next release Thee will be happy to release is 4.3; as an admin I am seriously looking at trying it. But advice to you: use 3.8, learn the fun stuff about Linux from it, install cool new programs, customize your desktop and enjoy!

[mlutzow]

First, thanks for finding us and welcome to the Ultimate Edition family! I have been using Linux for a few years and while I need to use windows for work, I can't wait to get home and fire up my Ultimate Edition box. I have been using Ultimate Edition since 1.8 and have to say that 3.8 is rock solid and will serve you well. The problem TheeMann has is with Ubuntu, the framework he builds Ultimate Edition on; some Ubuntu releases are to put it bluntly, crap. Thee has to do some major surgery to make them work. Thus a pre-emptive warning: if you get the urge or suggestion that you upgrade your Ultimate Edition install, don't! It will likely break the work Thee has done. I am using 3.8 and 3.9, 3.9 is basically the same version with additional desktop environments, using KDE as a base rather than MATE. 4.0, 4.1, etc are not ready for primetime versions that may or may not be released. I think from what I am seeing the next release Thee will be happy to release is 4.3; as an admin I am seriously looking at trying it. But advice to you: use 3.8, learn the fun stuff about Linux from it, install cool new programs, customize your desktop and enjoy!

billhedrick, thanks for the response, your advice regarding the versions make sense, but I'm the kind of person who thinks if it's out there, hey why not. I have room on my Hard Drives (I have one for \ and everything but \home and one for \home mount points) for at least 8 more Distributions to be installed and I like testing and comparing the different OS version against each other. Also I've found that certain distro's can do certain things better than others usually because they're created for specific reasons (although I'm still low on the learning curve, lots of reading and trying to do).

Since I haven't standardized on anything yet, but have pretty much decided on Ultimate Edition, with a couple other distros for some special purpose work (don't want to pollute my main OS), and I keep all my 'hard to replace' files segregated on seperate partitions I'm not really against blowing an install away and reinstalling it. Some work, but to be perfectly honest, it's still early in the game and I've learned some useful things during the installs.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to get my HP laserjert working in Ultimate Edition. I've followed the exact same procedure (I think) as the other distro installs where I was able to get the thing to print correctly, but still no go. Need to investigate further.

[billhedrick]

I found with our work printer that the drivers were available from the manufacturer, but only in 32 bit (!)

[mlutzow]

I found with our work printer that the drivers were available from the manufacturer, but only in 32 bit (!)

Thanks for the advice.

If I made a donation and the email used for Paypal is different than what I used to register with here, who would I need to speak with?

Thanks,

Mark