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[N8VW]

Any Linux users out there?

[N0RKX]

I've been using Linux for a couple of years now. I have a dedicated computer running nothing but Linux. Unfortunately the Ham Radio software available for Linux is either non-existant or lacks the functionality of it's Winders counter parts. I'd love to see someone port some of the popular logging programs X-windows and Linux.

[AG0T]

I agree. The selection for logging programs and rig control is not really impressive. I would like to see CT ported to Linux.

[N5LF]

I've been dabbling with Linux for a year and a half.  My PC is a 350 MHz K6/II running Windows on a 4 GB partition and Linux on a 2 GB partition.  It is a great system for hams who like to 'pop open the hood' and dig around inside their gear!  I've also heard that FreeBSD is very good, and possibly even more stable.

The only ham applications I've seen are APRS and various other Packet packages.  Several folks in central Texas run packet nodes off Linux systems because the Linux OS can run for months (years?) without ever getting pokey (like Win98 does) or needing a reboot.  That may be partly due to better 'garbage collection', in other words when a program (process on Linux terminology) ends, it releases the memory back to the pool.  Apparently some commercial Win9x programs & utilities never release the memory properly and you get an 'out of memory' or similar message eventually.

Also, if you do ever lock up a Linux system, you can often use a simple keystroke combo to switch to a different session on the same computer, log in again as 'superuser', then kill the crashed 'user' and go back to work under the new login, or login again as an ordinary user (recommended)-- and you never lost control of the keyboard.

That is perfect for a 24 hour packet node, BBS, or Ham Radio to Internet gateway.  One of my favorite QSOs was discussing the merits of Red Hat vs. SUSE -- in CW!

73 to all!
N5LF
http://www.qsl.net/n5lf

[N8VW]

I've been trying to get K8CC to work with me in developing a NA clone for Linux.  NA is written in basic (ie Microsoft) and Dave seems to think that CW under a multi-tasking operating system would not work well.  He believes that it would need a kernel level interface, I say otherwise.  Any opinions?

[N8VW]

N5LF,

This is the uptime from the K8MK packet cluster internet gateway.

 2:38am  up 319 days, 14:01,  0 users,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

Hasn't been down since the day it was setup. I don't think any DOS system can beat it.  I built the machine and N8UR helped me through the AX25 setup.  It runs Debian on the 2.0.36 kernel, at home I run RedHat.  My wife even uses it with no complaints.  

[KF6VCI]

Hi,

I was wondering if you have tried Be? *** I'm stuck with Win95 and have no wish to install a floppy drive (supplied)
into my Thinkpad 760 L (built 4/96), as I wouldn't have the required floppy to get the system running.

So I'm looking at alternative OSs and value your comments on Linux!

If you have any idea, please drop me a line as I'm totally stuck (keeping "F1" pressed aaftrer switching on won't help, as changing the setup to "boot from HD" doesn't make a difference...

*******
The Be guys had a faster (1/10 the code lines of Win2000), more advanced system in mind and Linux origins are legendary...

73,
Chris

[W8RED]

I have played around with most of the different Linux distributions. If you are newer to Linux and want ham programs out of the box I would recommend the Suse distribution.
Here is the webpage for the company:

http://www.suse.com/

And a list of the ham programs out of the box:

http://www.suse.de/en/produkte/susesoft/linux/Pakete/serie_ham.html

Suse is available at most major chain computer stores and also such computer/appliance stores as Best Buy.
for $40 it is worth a try.

If you want to just use linux and not worry about the "out of the box" ham stuff I would recommend either Redhat
http://www.redhat.com or Linux Mandrake: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/

Hope this helps.

Take Care,
Tom

[W8NSI]

I am a recent convert to Linux.  The learning curve is steep but I am using  the "Red Hat Linux for Dummies" book to help me get into it.
I have a question about where to find info about cron and how to configure it.
I have Red Hat 6.1 installed on my system.

73  de  W8NSI  Jim

[KQ6EA]

I've been using Linux for about 4 years now, and I've tried RedHat 4.2-6.2, SuSE 6.2-6.4, Caldera 1.2-2.3, and Mandrake 6.0-7.0. For reeeeealy easy installation, go with Mandrake. It's a better RedHat than RedHat! For LOTS of apps, go with SuSE. ALL the Ham stuff on SuSE 6.4 worked out-of-the-box, and it has so many apps for other things, that you can do anything. Their support database is very good, and can answer most of your questions. I keep having people ask me if Linux is harder to learn than Windoze.....it's not, it's just VERY different, and can be quite confusing for the beginner. Whereas Windoze hides most of the config settings and choices from the user, everything is available running Linux. That's why I reccommend Mandrake for the beginner.....it auto-detects all your hardware, comes with support for the newest video and sound cards (can drive you NUTS getting some of them set up!), and even comes with Partition Magic if you don't want to dump Windoze just yet, and want to run as a dual-boot machine. Most of the software available for Linux is Open Source (free), and if you need some serious office suites or server tools, they're available for purchase from many vendors. The whole story about "No apps for Linux" is just FUD from the Redmond crowd.Try it, you'll like it!
73, Jim