eHam
eHam Forums => Computers And Software => Topic started by: WD0EGC on January 21, 2021, 08:04:03 AM
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My three computers at home are pretty old, 10 years old, an old iMac, a Mac laptop (with hardware issues), and an old Windows machine I inherited from an estate. I've used Macs for a long time, but now I read that Apple is going to a new chip (M-1). This is the second switcheroo. They went from Motorola to Intel, eventually stranding a lot of my software, and now they are going from Intel to M-1, which will also strand a lot of software, probably most of it on my old Macs. I should also say that I am retiring soon, and that my Mac at work is really old, too.
As far as ham radio goes, I'm using the old Windows PC. I'm running HRD on it, but my guess is that the computer's days are numbered.
So, I'm toying with the idea of keeping the iMac in good repair for legacy stuff from work, but going with Linux-based computers into the future/retirement.
So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
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When macOS removed support for 32-bit code about 3 years ago, that stranded a lot of software.
But the switch from x86 to arm64 stranded almost none of the 64-bit Mac software that I use. Almost every app that I used runs just fine (and often faster) on my new M1 MacBook.
I use the Macs mainly for iOS app development. But for radio software, I use multiple Raspberry Pi's running their variety of Debian Linux. I use wsjt-x for digital modes, and SparkSDR or Quisk to talk to my Hermes Lite 2 SDR transceiver. I also have one of the TAPR boards to transmit WSPR signals directly from a Raspberry Pi.
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I made an attempt awhile ago to see if I could go totally linux...... I have played with Linux since 1998 and love raspberry pi single board compuers running their version of Debian Linux (Raspbian).
For digital;
There are linux versions of wsjt-x for (FT4, FT8, etc), or
FLDIGI (CW, PSK, MFSK, RTTY, Hell, DominoEX, Olivia, and Throb).
For satellite you can use Gpredict and that interfaces with the Radio/Rotor control "Hamlib" libaries..... (I have used the radio control successfully with IC-7300, IC-9700, Yaesu FT-817ND, Ft-857D radios)....I don't have a rotator...so I can't comment on that aspect.
There is a linux version of CHIRP for programming various radios as well.
Specific radio control software, could be a little more tricky.....
Hope it helps.
73, Valentino VE6MB
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I decided to reload my Windows 7 box a couple days ago. After wiping the hard drive and reloading from my install disk, it wouldn't update. Looks like the Windows 7 update servers were turned off about a week ago. They *really* want you to upgrade to the Windows 10 spyware.
Now I'm 100% linux. Currently Fedora 33.
I can control my radio and automatically update some logging fields, like frequency, mode and time, but I can no longer do the macro keyer thing to speed up CW contesting. Oh well... Not really into hard core CW contesting these days anyway.
As for office functions, I'm now in the process of converting all my .xls and .doc files to .ods and .odt files.
No difference in web surfing. The only web browser I use is Brave. That keeps out a lot of trackers.
My backup strategy is changing a bit. But other than that, I'm fine. I actually feel a bit more free.
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No......I've tried Linux several times since 1980's and I'm not impressed. I even did the dual boot thing and still wasn't impressed with Linux. I've run speed tests between Windows and Linux and not much difference. I've purposefully tried to crash Linux and it wasn't that hard to do.
However, if you like esoteric operating systems and want a challenge, consider dual booting your computer and see if you like Linux - you can always uninstall it.
IMO, there is no perfect operating system they all have warts. The most reliable OS, IMO was IBM's OS2 and was widely used in the early 1990's by corporations. You'll notice in the business world it's Windows desktop, however in the server world it's either Windows Server or Linux.......Linux is free, Microsoft Server software isn't free.
I've switched to Brave Internet browser and I've never looked back.
GL
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One thing to consider when considering total Linux is tax software. I've not been able to find any tax software that runs under Linux, not with Wine or even VB. I have to boot to the windows OS, and since that's Win7 it says 2020 tax software (TT or HRB) won't run.
If anyone got a good (decent) tax software for Linux I'd be interested in reading about it.
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Years ago I used an early version of Ubuntu running on a separate computer. To be truthful I found it to be enjoyable and I got it to play nice with the Windows boxes on my home net. Seemed to work fine with most of the radio software that I used. Fast forward and I've relocated my QTH and of course my shack and am using Windows boxes for almost everything, and I'm thinking of once again getting a new version of Ubuntu or Mint or some other system and trying again. I do have one dedicated SDR on a mini tablet running Android and it seems to work pretty good. I would recommend getting an totally different machine and installing only a Linux based OS on it and going from there. Never have liked the dual-boot option. One last note. I also have FLDigi running on the Android machine and it seems to function same as the windows edition.
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Some Linux distributions are better suited for older equipment than others. Several distros have gone 64-bit only. I've run 2 Dell Inspiron laptops from the Windows Vista era that have 4GB RAM that I redid for Windows 7 and for Windows 10, and they are 64-bit OS capable. One of them currently dual-boots Linux Mint 64-bit. With those 11 year old machines, they might choke on some ham radio applications, whether they are running Linux or Windows, but I haven't experienced such. My current primary laptop is a 3-year old HP running Windows 10 Pro with 16 GB RAM. and 256 GB SSD. I paid $279, refurbished from Micro Center.
My large amount of Data I keep on a Linux Mint file server with multiple hard drives for redundancy. I use Windows 10's drive mapping feature and Samba on Linux to access the drives as if they are local on the laptop.
I have an old Dell tower running Windows XP with 512 MB RAM. I use it mainly to run legacy MS-Office 2003 because Excel is needed for specific lab hardware/software applications and parallel port for an old Velleman PC scope/spectrum analyzer.
If you want to go Linux on the cheap, you can get a Raspberry Pi 4 for $35. They became much more useful when they introduced the Pi 4, as they have USB 3, which allows faster file transfer performance to hard drives with USB SATA interface. They are available with 2 GB (The $35 one), 4GB and 8GB RAM for more money. I am migrating my file server from an 8GB 2008-vintage former gamer machine with a 650W power supply and a big a GPU video card to a 2GB Raspberry Pi 4, to be run headless (no monitor). That will cut the electrical bill way down. I tested the server setup with a Raspberry Pi Model B+ before I bought the Pi 4.
Ted, KX4OM
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Not using Linux currently but WINE gets upgraded periodically. It's possible that people that tried Linux in the past would do better with the newest WINE that was released recently.
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One thing to consider when considering total Linux is tax software. I've not been able to find any tax software that runs under Linux, not with Wine or even VB. I have to boot to the windows OS, and since that's Win7 it says 2020 tax software (TT or HRB) won't run.
If anyone got a good (decent) tax software for Linux I'd be interested in reading about it.
Actual tax software like TurboTax or just general financial software? GnuCash is a Quickbooks alternative for Linux users and I think Quickbooks may even have a web application. I also think TurboTax itself may have a web app users can utilize to do taxes.
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I've been totally Linux for 5 or 6 years. I run Linux Mint.
I'm not active in Ham Radio now, but you can find most any digital sound card software for Linux. You will have to learn how to load some softwares, but do a search on the net and you'll find good help. Also, Linux runs circles around Windoze when it comes to the Signalink USB. Linux is much more responsive.
I also ran a Linux Mint machine at the last church where I ran sound. It handled all of my sound files, as well as sound file editing.
About the only thing I couldn't do with Linux was Winlink.
Linux Mint is an easy distro to learn, as it's desktop and Menu works pretty much like Windoze.
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
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"Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line"
People who don't utilize the command line are missing out.
I dumped Windows years ago, jumped straight into the deep end with a now-dead distribution called Crunchbang, and have NEVER looked back. I use Debian most of the time now. Literally, one of the BEST decisions I have made in my life.
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One thing to consider when considering total Linux is tax software. I've not been able to find any tax software that runs under Linux, not with Wine or even VB. I have to boot to the windows OS, and since that's Win7 it says 2020 tax software (TT or HRB) won't run.
If anyone got a good (decent) tax software for Linux I'd be interested in reading about it.
I've been using TaxAct Online for over a decade. No security issues, and it works in Firefox and Chrome. OS doesn't matter since it's online.
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
There are only about a half dozen or so distros that can be considered "major." Most, save for Fedora, OpenSuSE, and Slackware, are Debian-based. I would include the Red Hat clone Centos, but it's going away. It's usually way out of date, anyway.
Mint is excellent for new users who don't want to get their hands dirty with the "inside stuff." I use both it and Slackware (which I don't recommend for non-technical desktop users), depending on the machine and what it's used for.
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
Stick with Mint or Ubuntu, and the command line will be rarely used, if ever.
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Make sure whichever OS you go with, it will run the software you use. If it can't why bother.
My experience with Linux WINE is hit and miss whether it will run a Window's specific *.exe so why bother!
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I just wanted to expand on my earlier comments.....the question was about going "totally" linux...but then the follow up questions were mostly about amateur radio use.....so I was focused on answering the questions of amateur radio use of linux.....I didn't tackle the question of using it for day-to-day activities.
Someone mentioned a lack of tax software for linux --an excellent example to bring up. You will run into other (non-ham) software that is not supported by lesser-than-mainstream operating systems.
However, a major factor is it not only that it depends on which version linux you are using....but also, what computer you are going to use it on. What is the processor of the computer you will run linux on (ie. Intel/AMD Processor found in most laptops or desktops, vs. the ARM-based processors of something like a Raspberry Pi computer.
Why is this important? Because I've found that some computer peripherals don't have a driver supported under ARM processors (for example my EPSON GT-1500 flatbed scanner only has linux driver supported under Intel Processors)......
So, it helps to do some research before you are contemplating purchasing new computer accessories/peripherals to see to what extent they are supported under linux (in case you wish to move in that direction).
Another example, is on the software side, where you have no support on ARM-based processors.....Skype videoconferencing for example....(I don't know if this is still the case).....so you might have to try a different videoconferencing software (like google hangouts or something).
Some people have used windows emulators to run windows software on linux....WINE is a good example....I've never used this.....one of my favorite 'virtual machines' / emulators is Oracle VirtualBox....(they have versions for Windows, Linux, Mac, etc)......but again, it is not supported in Linux under an ARM-based processor.
On that note, I have found the Raspberry Pi (ARM-Processor) good for emulating old software in DOS and Windows 3.1, etc. Need something to run old Radio utilities under DOS? Some old radio programming software comes to mind.... Look up software called DosBox for this purpose.
73, Valentino, VE6MB
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
Add to that with:
No wide and deep selection of ham radio applications.
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
Add to that with:
No wide and deep selection of ham radio applications.
What's missing?
CW and digital modes other than FT8 and related: FLDIGI
FT8 and related modes: WSJT-X
SSTV: QSSTV
Antenna modeling: 4NEC2 via WINE or xnec2c
Electronic design/schematic capture: KiCAD or GEDA
SDR modules: GNU Radio
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
Add to that with:
No wide and deep selection of ham radio applications.
Um. There are a TON of radio packages available. Hell, the Debian repo itself has an entire section dedicated to ham radio and it is FILLED with relevant applications.
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IMHO, the great promise of Linux for the average person was ruined by two factors -
1) A gazillion competing Distros
2) Not understanding one simple concept - "Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line".
Add to that with:
No wide and deep selection of ham radio applications.
Um. There are a TON of radio packages available. Hell, the Debian repo itself has an entire section dedicated to ham radio and it is FILLED with relevant applications.
Being Debian-based, so do Ubuntu and Mint.
Does Windows have the equivalent of an app store/repository these days? I know they didn't when I finally jettisoned Windows 10 two years ago.
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I went Linux several years ago - everywhere apart from the shack. I'm a software developer - server side - and Linux is both my development platform and deployment target. I would like to go Linux in the shack - I could get away with a lower specification PC than the mid-range tower running Windows 10 that I currently use - but the quality of amateur radio related software available for Linux is simply not good enough. The core of my shack is a MicroHAM Microkeyer and there is no proper Linux support for that. I tried the unofficial Linux driver that is out on the web, but it is full of bugs and seems to be effectively unsupported. That is enough to force me to use Windows, but I also have to admit that other Linux amateur radio software like logging seems to be significantly behind the Windows alternatives.
Do I care? Not very much... I have always used a dedicated "shack PC" which is only used for radio related applications, so I'm not too worried what the operating system is provided it works. I have found that Windows 10 (and Windows 8 before it) are pretty reliable - the days of BSOD are pretty much gone. I think it is safe to say that I've crashed my Linux laptop more often than my Windows desktop over the last year - though the Linux machine is far more heavily loaded, of course! The only real problem with Windows these days is that it does have an annoying tendency to reassign COM ports and audio devices following a major update - I've got used to keeping notes of the working configurations of my radio software so that I can get it working again after MS stomps all over it.
Martin (G8FXC)
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If someone took the time/effort to go thru all the ham radio software listed in the eHam product reviews they would find only a small number of them run natively on Linux.
This includes the popular mainstream multi-function logging suites like DXLab, Ham Radio Deluxe, etc.
Choose the best applications to do what you need or want then check system requirements to determine what OS they run on. Selecting an OS then trying to find applications to best meet our needs is backwards.
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My three computers at home are pretty old, 10 years old, an old iMac, a Mac laptop (with hardware issues), and an old Windows machine I inherited from an estate. I've used Macs for a long time, but now I read that Apple is going to a new chip (M-1). This is the second switcheroo. They went from Motorola to Intel, eventually stranding a lot of my software, and now they are going from Intel to M-1, which will also strand a lot of software, probably most of it on my old Macs. I should also say that I am retiring soon, and that my Mac at work is really old, too.
As far as ham radio goes, I'm using the old Windows PC. I'm running HRD on it, but my guess is that the computer's days are numbered.
So, I'm toying with the idea of keeping the iMac in good repair for legacy stuff from work, but going with Linux-based computers into the future/retirement.
So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
I use linux 100% for my job and nearly 100% for radio.
Radio: general logging = cqrlog; contesting = so2sr; digital=wsjtx. All of those will control radios.
I do dual boot and use Windows to do my taxes :)
Tor N4OGW
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I'm posting this from a 64-bit Mint Tricia 19.3 system which serves as a VirtualBox host for an installation of Windows 10 Pro. (The system can dual-boot, but I almost never switch to Windows in native mode.)
WSJT-X is running at the moment and is displayed on one of three monitors connected to the PC. It successfully controls - via serial-port CAT - an FT-980. If I need to run an older software package (Win-XP for my KAM, for example) I merely spin up one of several VMs and do it that way. There's no Internet connectivity whatsoever for any of the VMs which contain unsupported/outdated software and the VMs themselves are derivatives of "gold" images.
In my day job I bounce between Win10E, several versions of Linux and other assorted platforms. Each platform has pluses and minuses, just as each physical wrench in my toolbox is used for different jobs.
A number of my contemporaries are engaged in ongoing development of things like Hamlib and other portable, amateur-radio-focused libraries. Ten years ago I'd have opined that Linux wasn't ready for the ham's desktop - not by a long shot. Yet, here we are.
A note about WINE: The latest version is running a couple of older, hinky Windows apps just fine on this platform. As with anything, it evolves.
There's a larger variant of this particular PC going together and it'll allow for multiple VMs run concurrently. Will probably retain Linux as the host OS.
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Um. There are a TON of radio packages available. Hell, the Debian repo itself has an entire section dedicated to ham radio and it is FILLED with relevant applications.
Quantity does not imply quality - and many of the Linux radio packages on offer are simply quite elderly or primitive. I tried going Linux in the shack three or four months ago, but gave up within a couple of weeks. The lack of (good) support for MicroHAM hardware was enough to drive me away, but the lack of a good logging program and the poor support for SDR receivers was also a problem.
Martin (G8FXC)
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...poor support for SDR receivers was also a problem.
What was missing in Linux SDR receiver support? Was it support for a particular manufacturer's SDR? Or some particular missing SDR application functionality?
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If someone took the time/effort to go thru all the ham radio software listed in the eHam product reviews they would find only a small number of them run natively on Linux.
This includes the popular mainstream multi-function logging suites like DXLab, Ham Radio Deluxe, etc.
Choose the best applications to do what you need or want then check system requirements to determine what OS they run on. Selecting an OS then trying to find applications to best meet our needs is backwards.
Don't forget, the FLDigi suite of software is one the best sound card digital softwares there is. And it worked very well on Linux. I used to run it on Puppy Linux, which was only a little over 100MB at the time. Ran it off a thumb drive, operating system and all.
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...poor support for SDR receivers was also a problem.
What was missing in Linux SDR receiver support? Was it support for a particular manufacturer's SDR? Or some particular missing SDR application functionality?
I use an SDRPlay RSP1A and the dedicated software, SDRUno, is only supported under Windows. SDRConsole is not bad - but again Windows only. I tried several Linux options, but none were convincing.
Martin (G8FXC)
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...poor support for SDR receivers was also a problem.
What was missing in Linux SDR receiver support? Was it support for a particular manufacturer's SDR? Or some particular missing SDR application functionality?
I use an SDRPlay RSP1A and the dedicated software, SDRUno, is only supported under Windows. SDRConsole is not bad - but again Windows only. I tried several Linux options, but none were convincing.
Martin (G8FXC)
Any particular lack of functionality that cause you not to be convinced by the Linux options? AFAIK, libsdrplay runs on Linux and allows complete control of the RSP1A.
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Filling in a few blanks:
I used the PC-based software for TurboTax for years decades, but I have been using the online browser-based TurboTax for several years.
Eagle Cad (now Autodesk Eagle) is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. I've used the free version since version 4, in both Windows and Linux.
GNU/Octave is available for Windows, Mac, Linux and BSD. It is compatible with many Matlab scripts. Several Octave articles have been featured in QEX.
Ted, KX4OM
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If someone took the time/effort to go thru all the ham radio software listed in the eHam product reviews they would find only a small number of them run natively on Linux.
This includes the popular mainstream multi-function logging suites like DXLab, Ham Radio Deluxe, etc.
Choose the best applications to do what you need or want then check system requirements to determine what OS they run on. Selecting an OS then trying to find applications to best meet our needs is backwards.
Don't forget, the FLDigi suite of software is one the best sound card digital softwares there is. And it worked very well on Linux. I used to run it on Puppy Linux, which was only a little over 100MB at the time. Ran it off a thumb drive, operating system and all.
FLDIGI works great, but that visual interface is butt-ugly. The Fast Light Toolkit (FLTK) is obsolete, and has been for years. The current stable version (1.3.5) hasn't been in active development for several years, but 1.4 still has not been released. 1.3.x goes back to 2008. In fact, other than FLDIGI, I wonder if anyone else is even using it.
I've been shocked for a long time that the authors (or someone else) hasn't upgraded it to a modern toolkit like GTK 3 or QT 5.
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If someone took the time/effort to go thru all the ham radio software listed in the eHam product reviews they would find only a small number of them run natively on Linux.
This includes the popular mainstream multi-function logging suites like DXLab, Ham Radio Deluxe, etc.
Choose the best applications to do what you need or want then check system requirements to determine what OS they run on. Selecting an OS then trying to find applications to best meet our needs is backwards.
Don't forget, the FLDigi suite of software is one the best sound card digital softwares there is. And it worked very well on Linux. I used to run it on Puppy Linux, which was only a little over 100MB at the time. Ran it off a thumb drive, operating system and all.
FLDIGI works great, but that visual interface is butt-ugly. The Fast Light Toolkit (FLTK) is obsolete, and has been for years. The current stable version (1.3.5) hasn't been in active development for several years, but 1.4 still has not been released. 1.3.x goes back to 2008. In fact, other than FLDIGI, I wonder if anyone else is even using it.
I've been shocked for a long time that the authors (or someone else) hasn't upgraded it to a modern toolkit like GTK 3 or QT 5.
Some developers prioritize functionality, robustness, performance, freedom from defects, and usability over appearance. Upgrading to a new toolkit would come at a cost of delayed functionality or other virtues that the FLDigi developer evidently considers higher priority.
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Any particular lack of functionality that cause you not to be convinced by the Linux options? AFAIK, libsdrplay runs on Linux and allows complete control of the RSP1A.
It is mostly a question of presentation and usability - my requirements of an SDR package are not very high. Both SDRUno and SDRConsole have good user interfaces and fully exploit the functionality of the RSP1A.
Looking at it from the broader point of view, I guess that my problem with Linux is difficulty in implementing what I would describe as an "integrated PC controlled shack". On Windows, I run either MicroHAM or Win4ICOM which both implement port sharing, allowing me to have multiple applications connected simultaneously with the rig. On top of that, I run either Win4ICOM or FLRig to give me CAT control of the rig (I never touch the front panel controls). I run Log4OM V2 for logging which gets the frequency and mode from the radio via port sharing. I also run some combination of FLDigi, WSJT-X and JS8Call for digi-modes. I have an SDRPlay RSP1A connected to SDRUno to give me a high resolution panadaptor on one of the two wide screens connected to the PC - it locks to the rig over OmniRig and I can see signals on the panadaptor screen, point to them with my mouse, click and the rig tunes to them. I run a DX cluster client (these days I use the one built into Log4OM) and, again, can tune to a reported DX station with a simple point and click.
Now, I'm sure that people will come along to tell me that this can all be achieved under Linux, but I have tried - twice now - and it is very difficult to get full coverage. Under Windows, it is easy - a standard set of applications that all cooperate with little effort to produce a very ergonomic integrated PC controlled shack. It was absolutely wonderful with Win4ICOM at the core, but Tom is not interested in building a version of that which works over CI/V and I simply cannot get the RF reliably out of the 7300 USB port!
Martin (G8FXC)
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I’ve run Linux as my desktop going back to 1995 and it became my career not long after that.
I am currently back running Windows 10 (dual boot system) on a daily basis for a few reasons.
SDR software for the Anan just won’t run on Linux, the main project is a Windows only platform and the open source packages made were never completed so they do not have the full function for all the voice processing etc.
Firmware updaters, memory programmers, are almost entirely proprietary and Windows only, so things like the Kenwood ARCP software or the Icom programming software or the Motorola CPS software and on and on require Windows.
Before anyone talks about running a VM, though things are a bit better now, I’ve had a lot of issues in the past with timeouts on USB to serial devices when program writes are done through virtual machine hardware emulation layers. This can brick a device. I’m not a fan of doing any firmware/programming via virtualization layers.
For Mac and Linux users interested in an SDR transceiver, the ExpertSDR2 software for the SunSDR series works great cross platform but the radio is not an Anan equivalent, it’s very good but not the Anan for sure.
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Been on Puppy then Xubuntu for ~10 years---- Never looked back.
Even my YL loves it(after using Vista...haha)
There are programs that you have to give up but
95% of those have a Linux alternative I have found.
And Linux can have a steep learning curve at first.
I do have a older W7 machine for Motorola software.
YMMV but at least try.
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I’ve run Linux as my desktop going back to 1995 and it became my career not long after that.
I am currently back running Windows 10 (dual boot system) on a daily basis for a few reasons.
SDR software for the Anan just won’t run on Linux, the main project is a Windows only platform and the open source packages made were never completed so they do not have the full function for all the voice processing etc.
Firmware updaters, memory programmers, are almost entirely proprietary and Windows only, so things like the Kenwood ARCP software or the Icom programming software or the Motorola CPS software and on and on require Windows.
Before anyone talks about running a VM, though things are a bit better now, I’ve had a lot of issues in the past with timeouts on USB to serial devices when program writes are done through virtual machine hardware emulation layers. This can brick a device. I’m not a fan of doing any firmware/programming via virtualization layers.
For Mac and Linux users interested in an SDR transceiver, the ExpertSDR2 software for the SunSDR series works great cross platform but the radio is not an Anan equivalent, it’s very good but not the Anan for sure.
"CHIRP" has come a long way in being able to program many different radios, and runs well on Linux.
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Yes, for ham radio i use fldigi on a 4gig thankpad T61 running Lubuntu. On my main desktop
computer I use Debian Testing. I have used Linux since the mid 90's. I am a programmer
and use open source software which has revolutionized free and open production quality
software. There is quite a bit of quality Linux based Ham radio software which we can utilize
and experiment with.
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Note: Elecraft's K4 runs Linux internally
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My three computers at home are pretty old, 10 years old, an old iMac, a Mac laptop (with hardware issues), and an old Windows machine I inherited from an estate. I've used Macs for a long time, but now I read that Apple is going to a new chip (M-1). This is the second switcheroo. They went from Motorola to Intel, eventually stranding a lot of my software, and now they are going from Intel to M-1, which will also strand a lot of software, probably most of it on my old Macs. I should also say that I am retiring soon, and that my Mac at work is really old, too.
As far as ham radio goes, I'm using the old Windows PC. I'm running HRD on it, but my guess is that the computer's days are numbered.
So, I'm toying with the idea of keeping the iMac in good repair for legacy stuff from work, but going with Linux-based computers into the future/retirement.
So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
If your processor is 32bit there is available Ubuntu 18.04LTS. If you have a 64bit machine, just install the Kubuntu 20.04LTS and automatically upgrade to future releases. I found installing Kubuntu 20.04LTS absolutely flawless. You might think replacing the original hard-drive with a SSD to enjoy an even quicker system.
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Not totally Linux here. The use cases don't stand up to it.
Linux on all of the Raspberry Pi machines and one big 2008-vintage high-spec tower with multiple hard drives, currently used as a file server and for CAD and graphics work. Windows 10 on two laptops, one dual-booting Linux for flexibility; the other with Win XP and Linux virtual machines via VirtualBox, as well as Hyper-V being tested on it. One 2002-vintage Dell tower with XP for parallel and serial port needs. Two business machines running Windows 10.
Ted, KX4OM
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Here's one 'distro' for li ux in iso format
https://sourceforge.net/projects/kb1oiq-andysham/
There are others but googling 'Linux ham radio iso' will return some info on them.
Even the debian ham radio admins have put out one.
I've run Linux off and on since the late 90. We used to talk about 'this is the year for Linux on the desktop' all the time.
For some things, Linux is great. However the days when Linux would turn your lowly decade old machine into a powerhouse are over if you're using an X server on it. It will run about the same speed as windows, give or take.
But try it. 'Worser' things have been tried in the past. And almost everything you'd need is in Andy's distro above.
--Shane
KD6VXI
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but the quality of amateur radio related software available for Linux is simply not good enough.
No quality expected from amateurs. Just some bubble gum and tape.
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I'm a bit late to the party, but spent some time putting https://kd9cpb.com/linux (https://kd9cpb.com/linux) together earlier in the Spring, figured some of you interested in this topic might find helpful.
Agree that there's still a lot of work to do on quality Linux software to totally replace a Windows machine, but I'm really excited to see where things go with the next generations of Raspberry Pi hardware. Today's Raspberry Pi 4b doesn't have enough horsepower to be my only computer in the shack for now, but I'm really hoping the next generation of those will!
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If someone took the time/effort to go thru all the ham radio software listed in the eHam product reviews they would find only a small number of them run natively on Linux.
This includes the popular mainstream multi-function logging suites like DXLab, Ham Radio Deluxe, etc.
Choose the best applications to do what you need or want then check system requirements to determine what OS they run on. Selecting an OS then trying to find applications to best meet our needs is backwards.
Happened to be needing N1MM, just once, to try if could log contacts after participating in a contest, well... forget Linux -Arch Manjaro in my case.
Happened to be needing a logging software, tried to install some, under a few other previous Linux distros, to no avail.
However LoTW works so fine under Linux, no need to upgrade it.
Anyway, there are so many relevant sites that simply do not accept Linux, a Linux-Only battle is a lost one.
As it seems, living in a poor country isn't an incentive for authorities (them all greedy losers, beginning with our beloved Anatel) to focus on Linux software.
Oliver
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I'm late to the thread, but I'll offer a few thoughts in case someone surfs through looking for information or inspiration.
I cut my teeth as a computer power-user on Unix using machines at college and then later shell access at old dial-up ISPs. However, for personal machines, I went (TRS-80) » (DOS) » (OS/2) » (Linux/Windows) » Windows. I got sucked into Windows to be in sync with the tools I was using at work, and because given the amount of time I spend in front of a computer, I like polished UIs...which can be hard to find in a Linux environment.
A lot of my desire to move to Linux eased with the development of Cygwin, as I was able to gain a lot of the functionality I missed from *nix -- I like working with command-line tools, and Cygwin also made possible a decent amount of script-based automation.
More recently, Microsoft's introduction of WSL has come pretty darn close to creating an arrangement that's almost ideal to my tastes: I have Ubuntu installed on my Windows boxes via WSL, making it possible to run both Linux tools/apps and Windows apps on the same machine, with acceptable performance. However, I haven't had the courage to try to interface Linux-based ham applications to my radio gear; I understand that COM ports are accessible, but audio is a problem.
Given the improvements in remote access to machines across networks, and improvements in VPN performance...in the next year, I will probably need to retire my Win10 laptop. There's a pretty decent chance that it will get replaced with a less-powerful laptop running Linux or maybe a Chromebook, but that machine is unlikely to be put into ham radio use, beyond web-based remote control, or remote-desktop access to the shack PC.
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I'm late to this thread as well but want to add what I've done here. I run a Raspberry Pi 4 that's dedicated to radio use. There's plenty of software available for Linux. I don't take a second look at anything that runs only in Windows. It's not that I have anything against Windows. I just want a separate device dedicated to amateur radio use and don't want to run a second full-blown PC.
I'm also working on a Pi 4 in my car for portable use. Unfortunately, the Pi 4 generates some noise on HF in my car for some reason, so I'm going to move the Pi 4 to under my dash and run whatever cables I need from there to the trunk where the main body of my 7000 is mounted.
Chris
N9XCR
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For my digital modes, which I don't use much, I have gone Linux. I run FLDGI and WSJT-X on a HP 2000 Laptop that has to be 11 or 12 years old. My wife wore it out so I confiscated it and dragged it back to my mad scientist laboratory. I jerked out the old 250 GB spinning disk and installed a cheap 500 GB SSD drive, I also yanked the 4GB RAM out and replaced it with 8GB new SODIMM RAM for mere pennies on the MB. Bought a brand new battery and a brand new power supply. Total invest was maybe $120, the laptop was already fully appreciated and depreciated.
Installed Linux Mint 20.2
Installed FLDGI 4.1.06
Installed WSJT-X 2.1.2
I log with N3FJP's AClog on a windows computer on my network. FLDGI and WSJT-X talk to N3FJP over my WIFI network here in the dungeon.
My interface to my K2 is a Signal Link USB interface. I'm no computer guru but with some readme docs and a browse of the FAQs I had it running in about an hour.
So I saved a laptop headed for the garbage heap, and it works great. I also have Libre Office installed and I use it to take notes at my mens fraternal club meetings, since I am the Recorder. Couldn't be happier. Oh and it has a camera in the lid and does pretty well on Zoom meetings with my fellow club members. I use Chrome for browsing and have had no issues.
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Same here. Saved an old laptop headed for the trash bin at the local thrift store. Replaced old hdd with ssd, maxed out ram, replaced battery, loaded Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. I use FLDIGI, WSJT-X and a few other packages with no problem. Yaesu FT-991A works just fine with it. Also use Gqrx and CubicSDR with my NooElec SDR dongle.
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I tried Ubuntu on a couple of my computers and it did work okay but I found it to be far more frustrating than Windows in terms of software availability and ease of software installation.
In general, I've found that there is a far wider selection of software and in particular radio software for Windows than for Linux. And the available programs for SDR receivers such as HDSDR, SDR Console, SDRUno, etc. for Windows are far superior to their Linux counterparts in terms of features, ease of installation, and general performance, and fit & finish.
As a software developer, I find it much easier to write quality & stable applications for Windows than for Mac or Linux. Windows has many, many more available tools for developer use, and the operating system itself can leverage the power of many programming languages and vice-versa via its extensive API system.
Lastly, I don't feel that I can trust operating systems other than Windows not to suddenly break compatibility with software. Both MacOS & some Linux distros stopped support for 32-bit apps which left ALOT of angry users, and ALOT of angry software developers who found that their apps would no longer run.
Windows has NEVER done that except once, from 16-bit to 32-bit. Microsoft was smart enough - thank God - to see that they would be committing business suicide by dumping 32-bit altogether. So Windows smartly supports both 32 and 64 bit apps equally well.
Windows may have its faults, but it is still by far the leading OS in the desktop arena worldwide and its easy to see why.
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I tried Ubuntu on a couple of my computers and it did work okay but I found it to be far more frustrating than Windows in terms of software availability and ease of software installation.
In general, I've found that there is a far wider selection of software and in particular radio software for Windows than for Linux. And the available programs for SDR receivers such as HDSDR, SDR Console, SDRUno, etc. for Windows are far superior to their Linux counterparts in terms of features, ease of installation, and general performance, and fit & finish.
As a software developer, I find it much easier to write quality & stable applications for Windows than for Mac or Linux. Windows has many, many more available tools for developer use, and the operating system itself can leverage the power of many programming languages and vice-versa via its extensive API system.
Lastly, I don't feel that I can trust operating systems other than Windows not to suddenly break compatibility with software. Both MacOS & some Linux distros stopped support for 32-bit apps which left ALOT of angry users, and ALOT of angry software developers who found that their apps would no longer run.
Windows has NEVER done that except once, from 16-bit to 32-bit. Microsoft was smart enough - thank God - to see that they would be committing business suicide by dumping 32-bit altogether. So Windows smartly supports both 32 and 64 bit apps equally well.
Windows may have its faults, but it is still by far the leading OS in the desktop arena worldwide and its easy to see why.
Here are the minimum requirements for Windows 11:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements
Windows 11 requires a compatible 64-bit processor. It requires UEFI with Secure Boot. It requires Trusted Platform Module 2.0. It requires at least 4 GB RAM, and at least 64 GB storage capability.
The newest listed compatible lowest-spec Intel Core i3 CPU is i3-1000G1, launched in Q3 2019, Generation 10 (formerly Ice Lake). Intel is now in Generation 12.
My newest PC, a laptop running Windows 10 Pro flunked the Windows 11 compatibility checker. It has 16 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD. It has UEFI, but not Secure Boot. It has Trusted Platform Module, but only Version 1.2. It has a 64-bit Intel Core i3 CPU, but it is not new enough (5th Generation, Broadwell).
Windows 10 Home and Pro is currently on version 1H2 (November 2021). Microsoft has committed to continue to provide support for 1H2 through April June 13, 2023.
Windows 10 Retirement date is October 14, 2025.
Ted, KX4OM
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"Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line"
People who don't utilize the command line are missing out.
I dumped Windows years ago, jumped straight into the deep end with a now-dead distribution called Crunchbang, and have NEVER looked back. I use Debian most of the time now. Literally, one of the BEST decisions I have made in my life.
Why Debian over Fedora over Ubuntu over...etc. I guess it's a decision based on what distro has the most useful software written for it?
Could you share the decision making process when it come to a Linux distro?
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"Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line"
People who don't utilize the command line are missing out.
I dumped Windows years ago, jumped straight into the deep end with a now-dead distribution called Crunchbang, and have NEVER looked back. I use Debian most of the time now. Literally, one of the BEST decisions I have made in my life.
Why Debian over Fedora over Ubuntu over...etc. I guess it's a decision based on what distro has the most useful software written for it?
Could you share the decision making process when it come to a Linux distro?
It is not that simple. However, the processes to actually get the software you want with the Linux distribution you want to use has been made easier through the use of package managers that are made to fit the particular distros. This explains it in general terms:
www.tecmint.com/linux-package-management/
Largely, the distros based on Debian, and they are many, like Ubuntu and its derivatives, Mint, which is a spinoff of Ubuntu with many changes, and RedHat based distros (Fedora, CentOS, etc, and Suse go back many years (decades).
A basic idea is that the Debian-based distributions can all use the .deb package manager, even though distros that still have a somewhat comprehensive Software Center as Mint does (and Ubuntu really does not anymore) can use apt-get (Aptitude) to get virtually any software package in the huge Debian environment. That is either from the command line or from an Aptitude application from a menu in a distro.
Compounding the process is the relatively recent use of Snap or FlatPacks to bundle a lot of the individual software applications' code along with all of the many pieces of other supporting software that they need in one neat bundle. It takes the load off the target computer to assemble everything in real time to make it work.
The other thing is software written for specific window managers or environments, such as Gnome variants or KDE. I haven't used anything other than Debian based distros and mostly Gnome-based window managers since about 1999. Several light weight window managers exist, such as Xfce which is widely used in Debian, Ubuntu and Mint and several other distros. That is drilling down into the "software I want/need" though.
You can survey the most popular distributions at the moment from DistroWatch:
distrowatch.com
The easiest to use distro in my opinion is Linux Mint; I've used it for several years. I would have to study a bit to use Fedora if I intended to use the command line. When using Mint, my go-to information source for help is the Ubuntu forums. I cobbled together my file server using Ubuntu command line stuff but from the familiar Mint environment.
Ted, KX4OM
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"Tho Shalt Not use the Command Line"
People who don't utilize the command line are missing out.
I dumped Windows years ago, jumped straight into the deep end with a now-dead distribution called Crunchbang, and have NEVER looked back. I use Debian most of the time now. Literally, one of the BEST decisions I have made in my life.
Why Debian over Fedora over Ubuntu over...etc. I guess it's a decision based on what distro has the most useful software written for it?
Could you share the decision making process when it come to a Linux distro?
Good question,
Not necessarily, because the same software is available for pretty much any distribution. The main thing is what version of the software to you want/need. LInux is in a constant state of flux as programs are constantly being improved as bugs are found and fixes and as new features are added, and as new programs are written. Distributions emphasize how "modern" they want theirs to be.
Fedora emphasizes being cutting-edge and strives to have the newest versions of programs available. That can be handy if you want the newest version of things, but it cuts both ways as it also means you will run into more bugs and there will be many more updates. It's a fun distribution, and you get a chance to submit bug fixes once you get used to diagnosing error logs.
Debian has been around for ages and typically offers three or more levels of "moderness". The have an old stable track, a middle aged mostly stable track, and a cutting edge track. They have many different installer versions (install over network, install from floppies, etc etc) and their main one was pretty old and I would say more difficult for beginners to use. They also make their distribution available for different microprocessors like ARM, etc.
Ubuntu was taken up as a humanitarian project to make Linux very easy to install, maintain, and use. They worked hard at getting the software out to anyone that wanted it (they would even mail you an installation disk for free!) and promoted it in Africa a lot. They have their own team of software experts that work on their installation program, their update programs and maintaining the software packages for each distribution edition. They make long term support "LTS" editions which are supported for many years so you can install one and count on it being safe and well running for a long time. Ubuntu believes in only using free and open software so ones that are not (e.g. Adobe Flash, various audio and video codecs, etc) are not included in the initial installation and have to be installed by the user afterwards.
Mint is based on Ubuntu but allows these programs to be installed from the beginning. That is handy, but what I most like about Mint is that it's even easier to use and maintain than Ubuntu. Also, Ubuntu went with a new desktop style for awhile that turned off some users (like when Microsoft moved from their normal desktop to the Windows 8 tile thing). When Ubunto did this, Mint developed their own desktop software (called Cinnamon) which is quite nice and traditional so it's easy to use.
Then there are hundreds of distribution offshoots (see distrowatch.com) that hobbiests or even countries put together and offer. A lot of them come and go and don't last long. They are fun to try if you have a lot of time on your hands.
And I have to commend both Debian and Fedora. Both do a huge amount of work in providing installation packages (that many others use) and doing bug fixes. Without them, many other linux distributions would be old, limited, and buggy!
73,
Mark
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Linux, by definition, begins with the kernel.
https://www.kernel.org/
By definition, the kernel is not an OS. An OS includes things like memory management, system calls, process and thread handling.
Can't run the kernel by itself. First you need a way to boot it, like (the already popular) GRUB or LILO.
Then you need some sort of way to output strings and integers on the screen for debugging and a way to handle interrupts and exceptions. Outputting to a serial port can make debugging your new OS easier.
Planning memory usage becomes important at this point. (Assuming you're writing your own Linux distribution...)
Once you're here, some sort of GUI (mouse point and click screen) starts to become important, along with a file system. And depending on what's important to you, your GUI may depend on your file system.
Popular GUIs are GNOME and KDE. There are several others.
Popular file systems in Linux include Ext4 and BtrFS. There are several others. And Linux can access windows file systems such as FAT and NTFS.
And then you need a way to install software and programs other people have already written. There are many of these. Debian uses the APT command, or Synaptic. Fedora uses RPM, YUM, or DNF. And there are several others. Most Linux distributions come with with their own software repositories, or are customized distributions from other distributions that use the same repositories. And there's a movement to try to standardize software distribution among all distributions, as already mentioned, such as SNAP and FlatPacks.
Popular Linux distributions:
Ubuntu
Fedora Project
Arch Linux
Linux Mint
Debian GNU/Linux
Red Hat
OpenSUSE
SUSE
It helps to view the distribution tree occasionally to see where the distribution you're trying to figure out came from.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_distributions#/media/File:Linux_Distribution_Timeline_21_10_2021.svg
I started out with Red Hat back in the 90's. And I taught Fedora for several years. I'm a 100% Fedora guy now, but I occasionally dabble with other distributions just to see what they're doing. I have a boot disk with Win 7 on it, but I haven't needed to put it back in a computer and boot it in over a year now.
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One thing to consider when considering total Linux is tax software. I've not been able to find any tax software that runs under Linux, not with Wine or even VB. I have to boot to the windows OS, and since that's Win7 it says 2020 tax software (TT or HRB) won't run.
If anyone got a good (decent) tax software for Linux I'd be interested in reading about it.
//
You're wasting your time trying to get Turbotax to run under Linux with wine or other "emulators" . Haven't tried any of the other tax programs though, and Turbotax online isn't supposed to work on a browser running under Linux...... I haven't tried that either. I prefer to use the installed version.
I have been using Linux for everyday computer use since 1998, starting with Redhat 7.0 ending with RH 9
Switched to OpenSuSE and have stayed with it to today (using SuSE Leap 15.3 x64)
I also have a Macbook pro (Mid 2012) and the only thing that kept me from driving a MAC (Truck) over it again and again was to "wipe" it and install KDE Neon. (Now it's ok!)
Now, having said all that, The only reason I also have a separate (HP) laptop running Winblows 10 is so I can run Turbotax, SDRuno, and a couple of other programs that easily play only on Winders.I'll never go back to Windows for internet browsing, email or even online banking etc.
Regards,
Rick
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There is no turbotax program for linux.
But going to turbotax.com and doing taxes online last year worked fine for me using Fedora and Dissenter (a derivative of Brave). Will be doing that again this year near the end of March or beginning of April.
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My daily machine has been OpenSuSE for a long time. I will admit I do keep a Windows Desktop to run CAD Software. There's some pretty severe limits there IMO. Also if you're into video gaming there's definitely limits there. Overall I like the experience and the speed is fine. For an increasingly webapp world it matters progressively less and less. I have an accountant buddy do my taxes hence I am not concerned nor have ever needed to be about tax software. I also use HPTuners now and again and that requires Windows too. Then again all that stuff is really nichey.
My opinion is if you need it toss a Windows VM on under Linux and you'll probably be fine in most cases.
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But going to turbotax.com and doing taxes online last year worked fine for me using Fedora and Dissenter
\\
I tried it when they first offered the online version several years ago and a couple of times since.The first time, it did not work at all and returned an error (wrong operating system/browser etc)
A few years later, I "spoofed' the browser ID and it would allow me to start a return but I didn't trust it from that point. Besides, I had a working, up to date Winblows computer (and still do)
The price for Turbotax premium is approx the same for the online and CD version (and usually a little more than the Costco CD version) . I also didn't want to upload all my "stuff" to Intuit. (I know, you probably do if you E-file anyway)
I don't really care if they ever offer a Linux version.
And for business, they don't even offer a MAC version. It's just not worth it to them.
I wouldn't do it on a MAC anyway, about halfway through, I'd be out in the garage with a 10-pound sledge turning that MAC into a "thin-client", pounding it into the concrete!!
I feel I'll always have a (no) Win computer. They really don't cost that much and the old PC it replaces will always be good for Linux anyway!
And to keep this from being a thread hijack, to the OP, Keep your PC. ;D
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Could you share the decision making process when it come to a Linux distro?
ME! (raising hand) I picked Fedora around 2004-2005. My research and my decision-making process were this: "Gee, Ed (AF4YN) uses Fedora, so he can help if I've got questions." Never looked back. :-) I keep a couple of machines that i can boot to windows (7 and 10) but hate using windows. Fedora is so simple and straightforward these days that it's no-fuss even for a non-technical XYL. :-) (Who also prefers OpenOffice to Microsoft Office, bless her heart) :-)
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Actually, use both Linux and Windows, as tools in the toolbox ... pull out (switch to) whichever one works the best, or is working, or whatever. One display, one or more systems (RPi, Windows, Linux).
linux variants on RPi, either Windows or Linux variants in VM's, one dedicated windows host, one dedicated linux host, etc. Solves gaming, specialized software requirements, and just about any other problem that arises.
Chocolatey (package manager) on Windows & vm's. linux package managers on the linux boxes/vm's.
For example, turbotax (as one of those possibly "pollutes everything it touches"), goes into a vm; now, it pollutes only itself and the guest vm dedicated to it. Same for any similar/weird software package.
Virtualization (VM's) are (usually) the answer for 99% of what ails us; WinXP, Win7, Win8.1 (and soon to be Win10) vm's still running. Linux distros in vm's. Need to play with something new ... fire up a vm, load up the windows/linux os, see what smokes. VM's transfer across failed host os disasters, data lives on a home nas (synology).
No sense picking just one tool, as developers live to spring stuff on us ... use everything in the toolbox. Virtualization is an "endless summer" ...
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been running ubuntu many years every once awhlie i run dell computer with win 7 before i can run linux again nothing wrong with either one of them
73
Jackie
N4MJG
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So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
Hi Jay,
Really like your name. . :|
Yup, been *nix only since 1998 when I finally completely gave up trying to nurse M$ along.
Hard core digital fan: Code, mfsk32/psk31/js8call and more. I use hamlibs to keep contact between the computer to rigs. Added a Rpi 4 and really enjoying that too. Shack is solar powered so the pi was perfect computer addition. Otherwise, have an old thinkpad x61 (very early 64 bit) that I use heavily.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=377296&hilit=ham+radio
PS, someone posted trying linux in the 80's. Um, no you didn't. Linux was born in 91. :)
73
Jaye
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I use Linux Mint for almost everything, except Garmin's software, and the Spike software for my spectrum analyzer. Garmin I haven't tried, and Spike I had running, (with WINE) but couldn't find the com port.
LibreOffice does everything without having Clippie watching. (oh, is Clippie gone?)
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So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
Hi Jay,
Really like your name. . :|
Yup, been *nix only since 1998 when I finally completely gave up trying to nurse M$ along.
Hard core digital fan: Code, mfsk32/psk31/js8call and more. I use hamlibs to keep contact between the computer to rigs. Added a Rpi 4 and really enjoying that too. Shack is solar powered so the pi was perfect computer addition. Otherwise, have an old thinkpad x61 (very early 64 bit) that I use heavily.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=377296&hilit=ham+radio
PS, someone posted trying linux in the 80's. Um, no you didn't. Linux was born in 91. :)
73
Jaye
Tried red hat in the early 90s, boy what a nightmare!
Then went to slackware around 1997.
Had to use win hosed at work but my home machines have been fully linux since 96
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25 years ago next month I embarked on using a Linux distribution as my primary system and I'm still at it. That first year I did have to boot into Windows 95 to use Excel to record my income and expenses for my tax preparer. From 1999 onward I've done it with Star|Open|Libre Office Calc.
Radio wise I use TLF and CQRlog. I've used Fldigi and WSJT-X in the past but I've cooled on digi modes so am not up to date with them but they work just fine.
I have a Lenovo laptop that came with Win 10 Pro and I have the Kenwood programming software on it for the TKR-750|850 repeaters and the Kenwood mobiles radios in use here at the farm. Aside from that all I do is keep it updated on occasion, otherwise I mostly use it with Arch Linux installed on a USB SDD.
For writing letters and addressing envelopes I moved to Groff with the MM macro set for letters and a custom macro for superscripts and for letters I use raw roff requests. I had to give up on Libre Office for printing envelopes as it had a long standing bug that broke printing #10 envelopes, as I recall. I use groffer to generate a PDF and print from evince.
Nearly all of my authoring is in Vim now. I recently decommissioned my self-hosted installation of WordPress on my Web host and switched to generating the blog content locally with Hugo and uploading it to the Web Host with rsync over SSH.
I love this stuff!
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My three computers at home are pretty old, 10 years old, an old iMac, a Mac laptop (with hardware issues), and an old Windows machine I inherited from an estate. I've used Macs for a long time, but now I read that Apple is going to a new chip (M-1). This is the second switcheroo. They went from Motorola to Intel, eventually stranding a lot of my software, and now they are going from Intel to M-1, which will also strand a lot of software, probably most of it on my old Macs. I should also say that I am retiring soon, and that my Mac at work is really old, too.
As far as ham radio goes, I'm using the old Windows PC. I'm running HRD on it, but my guess is that the computer's days are numbered.
So, I'm toying with the idea of keeping the iMac in good repair for legacy stuff from work, but going with Linux-based computers into the future/retirement.
So, I'd like to have a discussion with hams here who have gone totally with Linux for their personal computing needs, how do you do digital, rig control, the stuff that HRD does.
Thanks
Jay
WSØY, formerly WDØEGC
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mFuekXaEKXo
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Tried red hat in the early 90s, boy what a nightmare!
Fedora (the old Red Hat) works fine, but has a one-year shelf life. A new version must be installed every year. Not even Windows is that anal. But since Fedora is supposed to be a test bed for RHEL, and not a consumer distro, it's doing its job.
Then went to slackware around 1997.
I've been a Slackware user since 1997, with version 7.1, but 15.0 has been a nightmare for me. I still have two older machines running 14.2, but I'll be upgrading them to something else.
Slackware has shot itself in the foot too many times in the last half-decade or so. It took way too long for 15.0 to be released, and it was still buggy when it did come out. And that's unfortunate because Slackware used to be the most stable Linux distribution of all. It has audio and video issues with some hardware, notably my 2012-vintage Mac that ran 14.2 with no problems after crApple declared my machine EOL (MacOS hadn't been upgradable since 2018). I now run Mint 20.3 on it, and have no problems whatsoever.
It also has a problem with lack of software. Granted, that's because it's a one-man show, but it's now dependent on Slackbuilds or building from source. I can do it, but it's a pain.
It also has booting issues (ELILO instead of GRUB? I believe Slackware is the only major distro that still uses it), kernel updates now require creating an initrd and entering the kernel to the bootloader manually. Mint does this for you, as it should.
Need 32 bit libraries if you are running 64 bits? Lotsa luck. Those "multilib" packages are from a 3rd party in the Netherlands, and if you mess up the installation (it's not done automatically), you're screwed.
I would still recommend it for servers, but for the desktop, Slackware's time is gone.
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Hi Keith,
Tnx for the update on Slack. I ran a "one man" distro very early 2000's (Libranet) which was Debian based and really amazing for the time. However . . . He died. His son tried & failed to keep the doors open, but wasn't savvy enough hacker to pull it off. After this experience, I tried another live distro, liked it, learned it too was a one man gig and decided to finally move to the very new Ubuntu.
Prior to all this, I ran straight Debian. It's good but requires a normal person to become abnormal (super geek) to either install or maintain it. Too many times and update borked things. Ubuntu ended that with a very timely updater that actually didn't ask ubbergeek querries, just click and bingo, system updated and no harm to any small animals.
Ubuntu's latest really broke a lot of ham stuff for me and I finally returned to Mint. Mint also has very good ham support in their forums which helps is solve issues collaboratively.
Agn, tnx for a quick review of Slack!
PS: I saved my old 32 bit desktop which still has Libranet running on it :)
73
Jaye
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Hi Keith,
Tnx for the update on Slack. I ran a "one man" distro very early 2000's (Libranet) which was Debian based and really amazing for the time. However . . . He died. His son tried & failed to keep the doors open, but wasn't savvy enough hacker to pull it off. After this experience, I tried another live distro, liked it, learned it too was a one man gig and decided to finally move to the very new Ubuntu.
Prior to all this, I ran straight Debian. It's good but requires a normal person to become abnormal (super geek) to either install or maintain it. Too many times and update borked things. Ubuntu ended that with a very timely updater that actually didn't ask ubbergeek querries, just click and bingo, system updated and no harm to any small animals.
Ubuntu's latest really broke a lot of ham stuff for me and I finally returned to Mint. Mint also has very good ham support in their forums which helps is solve issues collaboratively.
Agn, tnx for a quick review of Slack!
PS: I saved my old 32 bit desktop which still has Libranet running on it :)
73
Jaye
Debian itself is not too bad. Bit of a pain but not as bad as trying to customize an install of Gentoo!😱.
You can do default install but run the risk of booking it if you want smo modifications.
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Hi Keith,
Tnx for the update on Slack. I ran a "one man" distro very early 2000's (Libranet) which was Debian based and really amazing for the time. However . . . He died. His son tried & failed to keep the doors open, but wasn't savvy enough hacker to pull it off. After this experience, I tried another live distro, liked it, learned it too was a one man gig and decided to finally move to the very new Ubuntu.
Prior to all this, I ran straight Debian. It's good but requires a normal person to become abnormal (super geek) to either install or maintain it. Too many times and update borked things. Ubuntu ended that with a very timely updater that actually didn't ask ubbergeek querries, just click and bingo, system updated and no harm to any small animals.
Ubuntu's latest really broke a lot of ham stuff for me and I finally returned to Mint. Mint also has very good ham support in their forums which helps is solve issues collaboratively.
Agn, tnx for a quick review of Slack!
PS: I saved my old 32 bit desktop which still has Libranet running on it :)
73
Jaye
Upon further review, I got the year wrong. I first ran Slackware when 7.1 was released in 2000, at the time I first got high-speed internet and got rid of dialup. My bad.
In any case, my opinion still stands as far as Slackware exists today. Requiring that the whole shebang be installed is a double-edged sword. Prior to 15.0, if one didn't want to install KDE or XFCE, it didn't matter. It was rock stable without them. That's not the case now. Most things will work to a point, but it's now too integrated with KDE. I don't care for KDE (too slow and bloated, but looks nice), and I don't want to install it.
Installing only XFCE leaves you without many accessories that come in handy. Things like a text editor that doesn't require a computer science degree to use (the horrible, stuck-in-the-'80s vi), a calculator, and an X session manager that actually functions. Actually, not even KDE provides a fully functional session manager anymore. SDDM only loads KDE and XFCE by default, despite Slackware installing everything from TDM on up. Bring back KDM and/or GDM!
And as far as ham software goes, it's all Slackbuilds or straight source code. Hamlib has issues but is doable. Fldigi is so old that it still works fine. WSJT-X 2.5.4 gave me fits, mostly because of audio hardware issues that didn't exist with Slack 14.2. QSSTV requires KDE.
It used to be that Slackware was Slackware done right, while Ubuntu was Debian done right and Mint was Ubuntu done right. That's not true anymore. I wish it was, and I hope it is again someday.