Damn computers...

bungobaggins wrote:About a year ago iTunes decided to fuck up all my metadata during an update. Everything in my library has been a mess, I'm currently looking for a cloud solution for storing my music files. Going to try google first because I can upload a lot for free.

I'm glad I block itunes with a firewall so that Apple couldn't force that awful U2 stuff onto my computer.

Eldorion wrote:I switched back to Ubuntu earlier this year and I've been very happy with the decision.  It's really easy to install Linux on a computer, and many distributions are free, which is nice of course.  You just have to get a copy of the OS on a disc (either by downloading it and burning it yourself, or getting a disc from someone else) and then follow the step-by-step instructions.

I think having Linux on a laptop will be cool because a lot more games are becoming compatible. Plus there's the security aspect of it too.

bungobaggins wrote:Netflix runs better on my phone than it does on my computer.

Do you have decent specs? If so, it could also just be a browser issue. I'm not sure though... HBO Go and Hulu are notoriously bad on my pc and I have a pretty good set up.

Does anyone here have any experience with Chromebooks?

Nah, I find the idea interesting, but I still like having physical back-ups and my Internet isn't always all that reliable. I remember when netbooks were supposed to be the next big thing (this was before the iPad (temporarily?) revitalized the tablet market) and it seems like a continuation of the same idea. At least netbooks and Chromebooks have a keyboard so that you can do actual work on them, but I dunno how much of a mobility advantage they really provide.

Yeah I kind of liked the idea too, but then I think about programs that I like to use that I wouldn't be able to install. I think the more I look into it the more I realize it might not be for me. I like using Google drive/docs/sheets, but I don't think I'd be ready to take that final leap. I'm still not sure what to do for my next computer.

Go for Linux!

Although if you're worried about compatibility, there are plenty of programs that don't have Linux versions, though the situation is a lot better than it was in years past. And if you need to hook your computer up to a printer that can sometimes be an issue for the same reason.

bungobaggins wrote:I swear my computer sounds like it's going to blast off into outer space when I'm watching Netflix. Glad I'm not alone in this.

Probably flash - that is the worst resource hog ever. I put a flash blocker on so that it reroutes to HTML5 if available, and if not I have the option to play flash and grit my teeth through the fan noise.

A flash blocker also makes a lot of webpage better behaved - you really have no idea how much of modern webpages are flash until you block it.

How do I linux.

I do have to warn you against linux unless you are more than a bit of a computer geek. Not everything will have an automated install, and you'll often end up scrolling through a list of mysterious command line instructions to get things to work.

Then again, I've mainly used Linux for scientific applications, where nobody will bother to make it simple. Perhaps Eldo has had a different experience.

Wait for Eldo's report first - as I said it may be that if you're installing a word processor rather than a radiation transfer module you'll find life is good.

halfwise wrote:I do have to warn you against linux unless you are more than a bit of a computer geek.  Not everything will have an automated install, and you'll often end up scrolling through a list of mysterious command line instructions to get things to work.

Then again, I've mainly used Linux for scientific applications, where nobody will bother to make it simple.  Perhaps Eldo has had a different experience.

You haven't had to use command line much in Linux for years, man.  There are plenty of distros that are geared towards the average end-user and have an extremely straight-forward presentation.  Occasionally I have to do command line stuff but I'm on Ubuntu and most stuff you can download through the software center or otherwise pretty easily.

bungobaggins wrote:How do I linux.

The Linux community is decentralized and mostly non-profit, so the first thing you have to do is pick which version you want to use.  Ubuntu is probably the best starter version.  Then you either get a disc by purchasing it (you used to be able to order them online, you can still find them bundled with some Linux-themed magazines) or downloading the files for the operating system and burning it onto a disc yourself (the entire thing fits on a single CD).  Then you put the disc in your computer, turn it off, and restart it.  Most versions have a graphical installer and it walks you through the steps of dual-booting your computer so that whenever you turn it on you can choose if you want to use Windows or Linux.  Many versions come bundled with software such as Firefox, Libre Office (free and open source office suite that works nearly identically to older versions of MS Office), GIMP (image editor), and the like.  Google Chrome is also available for Linux.

It takes a little bit of getting used to but I feel that Ubuntu offers a lot more respect for me as the owner of my computer and doesn't force me to do shit or update things if I don't want to the way Windows does. Speaking anecdotally, I've found Ubuntu boots and runs a lot faster than Windows and crashes less frequently even when it's running on the exact same computer. It's also offers a lot more options; if you don't like the default desktop environment you can go with one of several other open source versions that have been developed over the years and enjoy official or semi-official support. Because there are so many different groups developing Linux, it often leads the pack in terms of development and Windows has been trailing behind in new features for a long time (though the gap isn't as large as it used to be). The only big downside to Linux (IMO) is the compatibility issue. I ran into some trouble with Amazon Instant Video recently because they want Flash to have a certain DRM thing in it that isn't supported by Ubuntu anymore. Most websites (including Netflix and YouTube) work completely fine though. The days when people would create websites that straight-up refuse to load for anyone other than Windows users are pretty much gone.