questions on open source operating systems

[Bob Vavricka]

I have a laptop that the hard drive crashed on and I replaced the hard drive. I had it backed up, but was never able to get it to work like it should from the restore. After messing with it for a long time, I bought a new one. I am interested in giving the old one to a university student that needs one, and was wondering if putting Linux or another open source operating system on it would be possible. It was a Windows 7 machine if that makes any difference. What browsers, software can you run with Linux? I don't want to give him something that will be confusing to use, however, I think it is mainly used to do internet related tasks.

[Chuck Wintle]

I have a laptop that the hard drive crashed on and I replaced the hard drive. I had it backed up, but was never able to get it to work like it should from the restore. After messing with it for a long time, I bought a new one. I am interested in giving the old one to a university student that needs one, and was wondering if putting Linux or another open source operating system on it would be possible. It was a Windows 7 machine if that makes any difference. What browsers, software can you run with Linux? I don't want to give him something that will be confusing to use, however, I think it is mainly used to do internet related tasks.
How old is the laptop? If you go with Linux then my preference would be to install Linux mint as it seems to be the easiest to master. A college student should have no trouble to navigate a Linux system and, best of all, is free.

[Bob Vavricka]

The laptop is probably 7-8 years old--my how time flies. It is a Toshiba with an i-7 Intel processor. I see there are different versions of Linux mint do you have a recommendation on which one to use. I was leaning toward the Mint 17 Mate, but I am open to suggestions.

[Myk Rian]

Don't install anything on it. Let the student decide what to put on it.

[Phil Thien]

Don't install anything on it. Let the student decide what to put on it.

I think that is pretty good advice. If the student wants Win7, there are probably resources available (from the university) to assist getting it loaded and all the required drivers installed.

[Bob Vavricka]

I retired from the University he is attending and I am pretty sure they don't provide that kind or service or software, but will check. The student is an international student who has been working for me this summer to pay for last semester's tuition and get enrolled for the next semester, so he wouldn't have the money to buy an operating system.

[Phil Thien]

I retired from the University he is attending and I am pretty sure they don't provide that kind or service or software, but will check. The student is an international student who has been working for me this summer to pay for last semester's tuition and get enrolled for the next semester, so he wouldn't have the money to buy an operating system.

Well if it came w/ Win7, there should be a sticker on the bottom with the Win7 Product Key. This would work with the appropriate install disk. So if the Product Key says Win7 Home Premium, you just need a Win7 Home Premium disk to use with your Product Key to get it reinstalled.

[Curt Harms]

The laptop is probably 7-8 years old--my how time flies. It is a Toshiba with an i-7 Intel processor. I see there are different versions of Linux mint do you have a recommendation on which one to use. I was leaning toward the Mint 17 Mate, but I am open to suggestions.

I think the easiest Mint version to adapt to is Mint w/ Cinnamon desktop. It feels and works very much like Windows XP to me. It includes media players and the ability to save .pdf files 'out of the box'. The biggest obstacle is likely to be wifi compatibility. Some, primarily Intel wifi chips work without doing anything. Broadcom often requires a one time wired connection to download and install Broadcom specific 'drivers'. You can determine if and how things are going to work without even having a hard drive installed. Boot off a DVD or better yet a USB flash drive. You can PM me and I can give you some places to look if you're interested. One of big barriers to using non-Windows non-Mac OSs has been the lack of a 'good' office suite. Apparently MSOffice 365 works just fine on Linux boxen though I haven't tried it - don't have the need. I find Libreoffice perfectly adequate for my uses.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Many, (if not all) major software companies (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.) have discounts for students. Sometimes the only thing you need is a valid .edu email address. Last time I dealt with a student getting MS products, they were able to get the professional edition of Windows 7 for 30 bucks. I don't know if Microsoft still sells W7, though. Might be an option if the student feels a particular need for Windows.

[glenn bradley]

I think that is pretty good advice. If the student wants Win7, there are probably resources available (from the university) to assist getting it loaded and all the required drivers installed.

I'm in this camp as well. I work for a university system and a user license of off our enterprise licenses are available for little or no cost. I run linux on a an old windows machine. As a matter of fact the best use for a machine that will no longer run Windows seems to be to install an "UX" distribution of your choice and breathe new life into the platform.

[Duane Meadows]

Well if it came w/ Win7, there should be a sticker on the bottom with the Win7 Product Key. This would work with the appropriate install disk. So if the Product Key says Win7 Home Premium, you just need a Win7 Home Premium disk to use with your Product Key to get it reinstalled.

OEM Product keys won't usually work with a boxed disk. At least I have not usually found them to.

As for Linux, it would depend on what the school requires. It should work fine unless data interchange with the schools systems is an issue. Or if specific Windows programs are required. I think only the school he will be attending can adequately answer that question.

I use and like Linux for many things, but for some I go back to windows. Just depends on the particular task... best tool for the job kind of thing!

[paul cottingham]

Lubuntu is fantastic on old hardware. Use a menu system if you don't like the stock one. Happiness and joy will ensue.

[Curt Harms]

OEM Product keys won't usually work with a boxed disk. At least I have not usually found them to.

As for Linux, it would depend on what the school requires. It should work fine unless data interchange with the schools systems is an issue. Or if specific Windows programs are required. I think only the school he will be attending can adequately answer that question.

I use and like Linux for many things, but for some I go back to windows. Just depends on the particular task... best tool for the job kind of thing!

Best answer. And as Glenn says, light linux distros are way to use a machine that won't run current Windows. Just for grins, I have an HP Pavilion 6735 - 667 Mhz Celeron probably 1999-2001 vintage - running MX14 (a linux distro). This machine shipped with WindowsME. I upgraded the RAM to 512 MB. and added an Ebay Nvidia PCI video card, got about $20 bucks in it. It won't play videos - flash is a pig - but works for web browsing. I'm thinking about making it into a bittorrent machine for lesser known linux distros.

[Phil Thien]

OEM Product keys won't usually work with a boxed disk. At least I have not usually found them to.


That is incorrect. Starting with Vista, OEM and Retail products use the same installer.

[Duane Meadows]

That is incorrect. Starting with Vista, OEM and Retail products use the same installer.

Yep, Phil, I stand corrected. Was true with XP, but not Vista and newer. Thanks

[Jason Kowell]

I'll second Linux Mint. It has great hardware detection and a UI that's similar enough to Windows that you won't get too overwhelmed right from the start.

I find that Linux is a great hobbyist machine, and a decent alternative to Windows for some people. However, the problem with completely switching over to Linux is that it takes time to learn to use (like anything else). When you just want to sit down and do something, you don't necessarily have the time or patience to learn new things at that moment. As such, if you are going to be giving it to someone to use as their sole computer, I would highly recommend setting it up to dual-boot both Linux and Windows so they have a fall back if needed.

[paul cottingham]

I'll second Linux Mint. It has great hardware detection and a UI that's similar enough to Windows that you won't get too overwhelmed right from the start.

I find that Linux is a great hobbyist machine, and a decent alternative to Windows for some people. However, the problem with completely switching over to Linux is that it takes time to learn to use (like anything else). When you just want to sit down and do something, you don't necessarily have the time or patience to learn new things at that moment. As such, if you are going to be giving it to someone to use as their sole computer, I would highly recommend setting it up to dual-boot both Linux and Windows so they have a fall back if needed.

Before the advent of windows 8, or frankly, the catastrophe that was Vista, I would have agreed with you. But if you need to learn a new OS, like Windows 8, why pay for the privilege?

[Brian Elfert]

Before the advent of windows 8, or frankly, the catastrophe that was Vista, I would have agreed with you. But if you need to learn a new OS, like Windows 8, why pay for the privilege?

At least all of your familiar Windows applications will still work with Windows 8. There are good reasons to look at Linux, but also good reasons to use Windows too. Windows 8.1 is usable unlike Windows 8.0.

Linux or ChromeOS work great if all you are going to be doing is email and web browsing. The main reason most people use Windows is it is almost impossible to buy a new PC without Windows installed.

[Jason Kowell]

Before the advent of windows 8, or frankly, the catastrophe that was Vista, I would have agreed with you. But if you need to learn a new OS, like Windows 8, why pay for the privilege?

Windows Vista/7/8.X aren't that different than XP, aside from the user authorization (which is more Linux-like anyway) and the ever changing start menu. Switching from Windows to Linux is much more of a challenge than switching from XP to a newer version of Windows, so if someone has trouble with upgrading Windows, I certainly wouldn't recommend Linux.

[paul cottingham]

At least all of your familiar Windows applications will still work with Windows 8. There are good reasons to look at Linux, but also good reasons to use Windows too. Windows 8.1 is usable unlike Windows 8.0.

Linux or ChromeOS work great if all you are going to be doing is email and web browsing. The main reason most people use Windows is it is almost impossible to buy a new PC without Windows installed.

Yes, not just web browsing and email, but also word processing, or using spreadsheets, or many other productivity applications. Yes, you may need to learn where stuff is in menus, but that is the same issue every time Redmond updates its productivity software. And - dare I say it? :-) - much less risk from virus infection or spyware.

[Curt Harms]

At least all of your familiar Windows applications will still work with Windows 8. There are good reasons to look at Linux, but also good reasons to use Windows too. Windows 8.1 is usable unlike Windows 8.0.

Linux or ChromeOS work great if all you are going to be doing is email and web browsing. The main reason most people use Windows is it is almost impossible to buy a new PC without Windows installed.

That is a HUGE part of it. One of Bill Gates' master strokes was essentially forcing PC Vendors to pay for a Windows license whether they used it or not. As I understand it, if vendors in the late '80s - early '90s wanted to install windows on any of their machines, they had to pay for a Windows license for every PC they sold even if there were a different O.S. installed. If you have to pay for something regardless, why not use it? Microsoft also bought ads on high profile TV events and magazines to build name recognition. Competitors relied on technical superiority. Not the first time a sorta adequate product with great marketing and aggressive sales tactics triumphed, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

[Brian Elfert]

Yes, not just web browsing and email, but also word processing, or using spreadsheets, or many other productivity applications. Yes, you may need to learn where stuff is in menus, but that is the same issue every time Redmond updates its productivity software. And - dare I say it? :-) - much less risk from virus infection or spyware.

Sure, but if one updates to Windows 8.1 they can install the same version of Office they have been using. You're not forced to upgrade office just because you got a new version of Windows. If one switches to Linux you will be forced to learn a new office suite.

My employer tested an alternative to Microsoft Office some years back. There were enough issues with the spreadsheet part that we stuck with Office.

[Jason Kowell]

Sure, but if one updates to Windows 8.1 they can install the same version of Office they have been using. You're not forced to upgrade office just because you got a new version of Windows. If one switches to Linux you will be forced to learn a new office suite.

My employer tested an alternative to Microsoft Office some years back. There were enough issues with the spreadsheet part that we stuck with Office.

That was years ago, though. Try LibreOffice, which is very Office-like.

[Curt Harms]

That was years ago, though. Try LibreOffice, which is very Office-like.

Yup LibreOffice has improved their reading MSO files and seem stable. And NO ribbon interface which some view as reason enough to try it. There is at least one problem with LibreOffice/OpenOffice though - I don't know that there's a way to run VBA macros. That seems like a deal killer espcially in spreadsheets. There is a recent development that may signal a crack in the MSO file format wall. The UK government has stated a requirement for Open Document formats vs. MSO formats. I wouldn't be too surprised to see the rest of Europe follow. Apparently current MSO correctly reads and writes Open Document word processors files at least, I don't know about spreadsheets.

[Jason Kowell]

Yup LibreOffice has improved their reading MSO files and seem stable. And NO ribbon interface which some view as reason enough to try it. There is at least one problem with LibreOffice/OpenOffice though - I don't know that there's a way to run VBA macros. That seems like a deal killer espcially in spreadsheets. There is a recent development that may signal a crack in the MSO file format wall. The UK government has stated a requirement for Open Document formats vs. MSO formats. I wouldn't be too surprised to see the rest of Europe follow. Apparently current MSO correctly reads and writes Open Document word processors files at least, I don't know about spreadsheets.

I just tried it with an ODS and didn't have any trouble reading, editing, or saving in MSO. Granted, it was just a basic spreadsheet, so I don't know if it carries over advanced features properly. MSO did try and get me to convert it to XLS, but LibreOffice and iWork also try and get you to use their preferred format.

[Curt Harms]

I just tried it with an ODS and didn't have any trouble reading, editing, or saving in MSO. Granted, it was just a basic spreadsheet, so I don't know if it carries over advanced features properly. MSO did try and get me to convert it to XLS, but LibreOffice and iWork also try and get you to use their preferred format.

Formulas transfer fine, macros don't AFAIK. I tried opening an .odt file in MSO2010 at a library. I got a warning that the file was corrupt but told it to open anyway. It was simple formatting - just lines and bullets - and it still was not formatted correctly. What I've read about .docx editing in Libreoffice/Openoffice is to save the .docx file in the native .odt format, edit as desired, save the edited .odt file then (save as) .docx and send that. Sounds like a lot of monkeying around but for occasional use it shouldn't take longer than a second or two/click. My uses don't usually require the output to be editable so I just send text documents as .pdf. There's a button for that.:)