Linux Help

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Impaler
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Linux Help

#1 Post by Impaler »

Well I finaly sucsseded in Gettin Knopix burned and Booted but now the Koncour Browser seems to completly freeze the system at random. I might have a corruption in their someware or an unstable version.

What I need to know from all the rest of my Forum-mates is....

What Linux Distros are good for newbies like myself and what versions do you recomend

Whats good for compiling FreeOrion in

What are some good tutorials for these Distros and the common programs they will offer

How many of my older Windows programs (I currently used Windows ME) can be run in Linux and how do I go about running/converting them to run under Linux
Fear is the Mind Killer - Frank Herbert -Dune

MisterMerf
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#2 Post by MisterMerf »

I'm running Fedora Core 2.91 and FO compiles (but crashes right away when you click on your Home System).

I ran Mandrake for quite awhile because it was the only distro amongst itself, SuSe, Redhat, and Debian that wouldn't cause irritating problems during installation.

Knoppix always seemed like a great idea to me...but if it doesn't work for you... (without application of blood sweat and tears, anyway)

As for tutorials, LinuxNewbies had some good ones awhile back. As for your Windows programs...there's the infamous emulator Wine (Wine Is Not an Emulator). I haven't used it myself.

Also note that some distributions don't set you up to read your windows drives (on the same machine) by default. Mandrake does for me, Fedora Core 2.91 does not.

leiavoia
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#3 Post by leiavoia »

First of all, if you use linux you need to ween yourself off windows apps. You can't just bet on there being an emulator to run it. Linux isn't built to emulate windows, linux is built to be it's own operating system, not a windows wannabe. There is WINE which emulates the Win32 API but it's hard to set up and doesn't usually work right. It certainly cannot be counted on. If you want to pay money you can invest in VMWare or CrossoverOffice.

For newbies i recommend Mandrake 10 or SuSE 9. If you get a little further along, i'd recommend Debian (which i'm currently on). Mandrake will hold your hand while Debian will not, but Debian will make your life easier once you understand it. Once it's set up, Debian Linux is a VERY low maintenance operating system.

If you depend on windows apps, just duel boot your system, it's very easy and almost all modern distros will walk you through how to do that on installation. Very simple. Booting from one OS into the other is not a great way to do things, so read the first line i wrote again.

http://www.linuxquestions.org is a great place to go for more help.

Tyreth
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#4 Post by Tyreth »

tzlaine has had troubles with Suse and FreeOrion, but uncertain why - so maybe good to avoid that. Fedora is also a great distribution from what I've heard.

Yoghurt
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#5 Post by Yoghurt »

You might also try ubuntu (it's debian based, but should be newbie friendly)

http://www.ubuntulinux.org

Haven't tried it yet, though...

Yoghurt
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Re: Linux Help

#6 Post by Yoghurt »

Impaler wrote:How many of my older Windows programs (I currently used Windows ME) can be run in Linux and how do I go about running/converting them to run under Linux
Most of the programs you use under Windows also have a free software equivalent, for example, OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Office. If you have to run a special Windows program, you will have to use a Windows-Emulator like Wine.

If you play games, you might have to use Cedega (formerly WineX), although this is propietary software.

Impaler
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#7 Post by Impaler »

Thanks for the help guys I will be looking into many/most of these Distros you listed to see whitch ones fit me well. Just to make it clear, FO "Should" compile and run in all of these Distros correct?
Fear is the Mind Killer - Frank Herbert -Dune

leiavoia
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#8 Post by leiavoia »

FO should compile on anything as long as it has the required libraries. FO doesn't really use anything really exotic except for GiGi, but you could consider that as "part of FO". All distros come with OpenGL and SDL standard since so many other things use them.

I believe you'll take plenty of time just getting situated. I'd learn all about linux basics first before going and trying to compile much of anything.

Yoghurt
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#9 Post by Yoghurt »

Impaler wrote:Thanks for the help guys I will be looking into many/most of these Distros you listed to see whitch ones fit me well. Just to make it clear, FO "Should" compile and run in all of these Distros correct?
Yep. If it doesn't (and you have installed all the required libs), flame the build-system author (that would be me ;))

Pasi
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#10 Post by Pasi »

I've been using Gentoo for 2 years now and I've been happy with it (FO hasn't compiled once :roll: )

I also used to run Stars! with wine, which worked almost perfectly, only encountered some UI problems ... winzip and Notepad also seem to mostly work with wine ... not using them, just hapened to test'em ;)
I'm not a programmer... but I play one at Microsoft!

Tyreth
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#11 Post by Tyreth »

Pasi wrote:I've been using Gentoo for 2 years now and I've been happy with it (FO hasn't compiled once :roll: )
I use FreeOrion in Gentoo with no problems. Maybe if you post your troubles we can help you.

Impaler
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#12 Post by Impaler »

I should thank everyone here for their excelent sugjestions and help, I am now running Mandrake 10.0 (the stability is great, I havent re=bootied once!) and have been quite engrossed in learning the basics of Linux.

I have also decided to return to school and persue a degree in Programing, I figure if I have the focus to teach myself this much in my own spare time I can stick with it for the years nessary to get a degree. Ofcorse I am looking for more opinions as to ware to study, I currently live in Tucson Arizona and their is an ITT tech in town I have been considering, theirs also the University of Phinox online, both of these seem to be well respected institutions but I would like to see what others think of them. Lastly I might move to the SF Bay area soon so I should keep an eye out for whats avalible their.

In general what kind of programing degree or certification would provide a good foundation for entry level jobs, be reasonably outsorsing proof and be aplicable to game development?

Take note that I will likly be far less active on the forum (as you may already have noticed) but I will try my best to drop in and lurk as often as possible and make some code contributions when my time and skills alow.
Fear is the Mind Killer - Frank Herbert -Dune

MisterMerf
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#13 Post by MisterMerf »

I recently got a degree in Computer Science from a public institution.

Years ago, however, I took a single programming course at a local community college. The instructor for the course suggested that I take my first two years at that community college. Cheaper, he said, and just as good.

No.

While I did have to satisty some foolish requirements for my degree and (most foolhardily) was not proficient in highly specific technologies as I graduated... there is no way that I would have gotten anything half as useful had I spent my first two years in that community college.

That said, I remain jobless =) Take from all this what you will.

Also, know this:
From publicly posted job postings in this region of the US, Bachelors degrees and knowledge of Microsoft technologies or (specific) Java technologies are highly desired at the entry level.

But as to GAMES...couldn't tell ya. Maniacal devotion to them is probably your best weapon. Everything falls in line behind motivation.

Bastian-Bux
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#14 Post by Bastian-Bux »

For games you have to decide for one of two ways:

quick n dirty Microdreck if you wanna go to a big software company

or

C++ and low payment if you wanna join a company like paradox, and develop some of the greatest games.

solartrix
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#15 Post by solartrix »

@Impaler - I can only speak from my experience, and that goes something like this...

Degrees are a good way to get your foot in the door of the corporate world. When it comes to their technical employees, large companies often give more respect (ie, pay) to the degree you hold rather than your experience. On the flip side, they're often willing to hire people fresh out of college because they believe in degrees (and not necessarily people). Not as true for sales and upper management, tho, fyi.

Small companies need people with experience. They're not as concerned with degrees, but will be very concerned with your past experience, mostly because they don't have the time or money to pay someone to learn. They need people who can contribute from day 1.

If you can couple a degree with real world experience, you're in a killer position to go anywhere you want. Easier said than done. Also, if you can get to know an industry really well, and figure out ways to contribute to it and make yourself useful (ie, becoming an expert in an emerging technology), you can usually go and do what you want, too.

I don't know anything about your situation, but I'd think if FO (or some other game you help code) is a hit and you'd make a significant contribution to the project, that would at least get you interviews with game development firms. And if you can talk specifically about how you solved the coding challenges, you probably have a good shot at landing a job (interviewing is a whole other cup of tea, tho, and there are no garauntees). If you have a degree on top of real tangible game dev experience, even better.

But I'm no career counselor, so take this for what you paid for it.... :)

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