Distro Candidates: MX vs. AntiX, which is best for the following purpose?

Whilest I can see the argument for newbies coming over to Linux finding it easier if it resembles Windows.

Does it hinder learning the Linux environment??????????????

The Best answer I have is that there is a wealth of information out there and I believe you should read up and watch videos if possible to learn how to use that new different environment if you are going to progress and learn how your system works.
 


"Does it hinder learning the Linux environment??????????????"

Never Attempt To Teach a Pig To Sing; It Wastes Your Time and Annoys the Pig
-- Robert Heinlein, 1973

People have other things to do with their time.

TRON said it best. They are Users.

They pay others to create the hardware, software and manage their IT.

That 88 percent share of the Laptop / desktop market that is held by WINDOWS are mostly non-coders, non-developers. They turn the machine on and use email, watch videos, download music and so forth. Having to waste too much time learning the software is annoying to the average user. It interferes with other things they would rather be doing.

There seems to be a fundamental incomprehension to that reality by the technically-inclined Linux user, which is why Linux, of all distros combined, remains stuck after 40 years, at about 2 percent market share.

You can make one distro easy for the multitudes, or not.

No one is forcing anyone to do anything. And Linux will not be diminished one whit if one distro comes up with a GUI that can do most of what is done by the Terminal today (or at least enough for the average user.)

DOS commands largely disappeared from the public's view with Windows 95. Windows 7 retained the CMD line for when its needed, even though most likely never opened it in the entire useful life of their computer. The PLAYSKOOL LINUX distro can do that too.

This is entirely the market mechanism at work. Give people what they want and they will buy it.

I don't know why some Linux users find that so difficult to understand and why they take it so personally. They shouldn't. It's just the difference in people.
 
Okay, tried the Multiboot USB, but for some reason, no joy. Have loaded MX 19, Bodhi Legacy and eLIVE on a flash drive using YUMI. YUMI did not have eLIVE as a distro in its menu selection, so will have to use System or Grub installer.

Will try MX first and see how that goes.
 
The whole point of learning about the software your using if something goes pear shaped then they are empowered to be able to fix it. I see no problem with the view that reading documentation is really a bit of must. Also if you are going to use Windows you still need to learn how to use it.

As I said at the start having a windows looking Distro is ok but may be later - the user may need to look further than that. You don't just drive a car you need to learn how to drive it safely.
 
darry1966 said:
Learning is not a waste of time.
Click to expand...
Darry, please know that I am not disagreeing with you.

I have been involved with computers in various guises since the 1980's. I've long had an interest in computers and been called to help out when others were having a computer issue.

One of the tech-help jokes is about someone calling into a help line to complain that her computer's "coffee holder" was broken.I

After some discussion, the tech establishes that the offending cup holder was actually the CD tray.

In order to understand any situation, you have to dispassionately evaluate the facts. Based on anecdotal experience (about 15 years of refurbishing and regifting computers) and other information, most (Windows) users are Users, and have absolutely no interest in learning any more about computers than absolutely necessary.

I've found folks are happiest when whatever program they want to use already has an icon on the desktop.

I am just trying to address the needs and desires of my average computer user.

To that end, *I* am trying to learn as much as I can. I try to make the setup as simple as possible for the donees.
 
HAL_2000 said:
...remains stuck after 40 years,
Click to expand...

Could there be a typo there, HAL? 1992 (28 years), is when Linus Torvalds took the Linux Kernel to Richard Stallman for approval. Doesn't detract from what you were saying - just for purposes of accuracy to the Viewers.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Well this was bizarre. I downloaded an ISO of legacy MX 19, burned it to YUMI and then to two separate DVDs.

It kept coming up as Sardu, but no sign of MX19. Wish I'd remembered which repository I downloaded it from.
 
wizardfromoz said:
Could there be a typo there, HAL? 1992 (28 years), is when Linus Torvalds took the Linux Kernel to Richard Stallman for approval. Doesn't detract from what you were saying - just for purposes of accuracy to the Viewers.

Cheers

Wizard
Click to expand...
No typo Wiz. Had the first personal computer in my unit (an $1800 Tandy 1400 LT lapcrusher) rocking twin 720k diskette drives with MS DOS, then computer networking with the US DoS and DoD.

I didn't say LINUX. But we had a variety of systems flying in loose formation, from mainframes to Wang terminals to my own PS/2 with my very first game (LEISURE SUIT LARRY).
 
Not finding an edit button on my screen, but my military / governmental computer work commenced in 1988. I suppose I was lumping in the Unix systems in (see the book KooKoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll). Okay, when it comes to Linux, I'll defer to your knowledge.

Still.. Isn't it a long time to have a stagnant market penetration.. with a free OS?
 
The GNU in GNU/Linux stands for GNU is Not Unix. But even Microsoft and Mac-OS had a grounding in Unix.

Rather than stagnant, our user population has grown to 2% over the years, which still means 30 million users despite the obstacles that have been placed in our way, by software companies and computer manufacturers.

I could go on, but I would suggest to all players in this Thread that we are eminently OFF-topic here with a lively debate on CLI vs GUI and which OS uses what business model to promote growth in numbers, and sales cannot be determined with Linux because it is free, so the accuracy of the figures can be speculated upon.

I suggest we leave this sparring, until after you have got your mission accomplished, and remember it was you who came to us seeking help, which we are trying to give.

  1. Did you have any luck with that link I provided on downloading MX-19?
  2. Who or whom are the lucky folks who are provide a Help Desk-style resource to the kiddies in Panama?
Cheers

Wizard signing off shortly.
 
1. BTW and off-topic - nice to see a Robert Heinlein fan. We have an Off-Topic subforum where we could talk about sci-fi :)

2. Report, Edit and Delete at the bottom of each of your Posts' Reply Pane.
 
wizardfromoz said:
1. BTW and off-topic - nice to see a Robert Heinlein fan. We have an Off-Topic subforum where we could talk about sci-fi :)

2. Report, Edit and Delete at the bottom of each of your Posts' Reply Pane.
Click to expand...


Yes, I came looking for assistance in installing Linux, not a debate. What hospitality, no?

So I agree that we get back on the track of installing and use of Linux. Thanks.
 
darry1966 said:
Regarding the earlier Pinboard question: the meaning relates to icons showing on an Antix or Puppy Linux desktop. This where a fully implemented desktop is not present. Examples Icewm and JWM.

There is an option in to turn pinboard on and off which is controlled by Rox-Filer.

Advantages are on= 1 click shortcuts to apps. Avantage off=clean uncluttered desktop.

Antix makes it easy by having the option to turn on or off the pinboard.

Further reading: http://rox.sourceforge.net/desktop/taxonomy/term/15.html
Click to expand...

Very interesting reading. BTW - I've tried downloading MX19 from two different repositories but upon burning the ISOs to a DVD and booting them, I'm getting SARDU boot loader, but no ISO.

How very odd. Running a deep virus scan on the machine used to download the ISOs, then trying AntiX / Legacy.
 
HAL_2000 said:
Very interesting reading. BTW - I've tried downloading MX19 from two different repositories but upon burning the ISOs to a DVD and booting them, I'm getting SARDU boot loader, but no ISO.

How very odd. Running a deep virus scan on the machine used to download the ISOs, then trying AntiX / Legacy.
Click to expand...
Try downloading MX from here http://mxrepo.com/snapshots/?C=M;O=D BTW, I asked at the Linux Lite forum and they told me LL 3.8 will be supported up to April 2021, the extended support from Ubuntu which is till 2024 is a paid one; you have to pay to canonical for it, so maybe not an option?
 
antiX 19.1 runs on my old Latitude D630. antix 19.2 would not!
antix 19.2.1 with 4.19 kernel runs well on Asus U50F with 8GB RAM but had trouble with 19.1. If you can run the 4.19 kernel, do so.

I always use Base Install and then smxi to re-establish source.list in that file, not scattered about in different directories, then apt update & upgrade.
Just become root and issue the
Code: 
smxi
command, then 'continue' a couple times and have fun, explore the script!
 
Last edited:
sp331yi said:
antiX 19.1 runs on my old Latitude D630. antix 19.2 would not!
antix 19.2.1 with 4.19 kernel runs well on Asus U50F with 8GB RAM but had trouble with 19.1. If you can run the 4.19 kernel, do so.

I always use Base Install and then smxi to re-establish source.list in that file, not scattered about in different directories, then apt update & upgrade.
Just become root and issue the
Code: 
smxi
command, then 'continue' a couple times and have fun, explore the script!
Click to expand...


Thanks Guys. Paid support is a welcome option, but in my particular case, perhaps not. Most of the folks I give machines to often have difficulty affording even a surge suppressor (so I toss one in whenever possible).

This makes my task more challenging and narrows options considerably (price plus older hardware). But I don't think the challenges are insurmountable. I have 2 older laptops with basic LXLE 18.04.3 32 LTS installs, and their pageviews click right along and both navigate the Net using the native browser (SeaMonkey) nicely.

I could leave well enough alone and hand them over as is. Indeed, it's been suggested that I leave the package as it is, since it's been coded to revive old hardware but don't mess with it by adding or substituting too many apps or programs.

But if I can come up with an install that performs as well, can be themed with XP icons and taskbar, and perhaps have Rox as a DE, that can become a standard to be installed on the rest of the machines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 349 (members: 3, guests: 346)

Latest posts

Top