Ive got my eye on Linux

[Comanche 417]

So I keep wanting to try Linux. It seems to be gaining speed slowly and with Win 8 being more geared towards tablets, Linux keeps calling my name. I'm using Win 8 now, and so far happy with it for the most part, but I'm thinking of installing a 4th drive on my system to use just for Linux testing and may, down the road, switch to it if I'm happy and comfortable with it.

 

My question is, what addons for X-plane don't work in Linux?

 

Also, un-related to X-plane, is there any video editing software for Linux?

 

Rob

[Tom Wright 438]

I wouldn't!

 

I gave it a good try for a couple of months and just couldn't hack it. I removed it entirely and went back to Windows and haven't looked back since! I'm sure people will disagree, but I found it an absolute pain in almost everything. The little things in Windows and Mac OS X which you take for granted like being able to plug in a new piece of hardware and it automatically searches and installs the drivers and starts working instantly, are all but gone. And when you do get round to downloading drivers, you don't download and run a single executable, you download a text file full of code that then has to be executed along with a thousand other lines of commands through the terminal. I think I was asking too much expecting my audio to work through the TV as it does so seamlessly in Windows, but I gave up after weeks of trying and asking on Linux forums only being made to look stupid.

 

Windows 8 really isn't bad. I've been using it since launch. It's A LOT faster than Windows 7. You can use it almost exactly like Windows 7 except for the Start menu, which does grow on you after a while. If the Start screen was designed solely for tablets, Microsoft wouldn't have put the same Start screen in Windows Server 2012!

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

The little things in Windows and Mac OS X which you take for granted like being able to plug in a new piece of hardware and it automatically searches and installs the drivers and starts working instantly, are all but gone.

Last time I checked Windows, drivers installation was rarely automatic. And...

 

The little things in Linux which you will take for granted like being able to install a new piece of software and it automatically searches, installs, update, and starts working instantly, are all but inexistant in other systems.

 

 

So I keep wanting to try Linux. It seems to be gaining speed slowly and with Win 8 being more geared towards tablets, Linux keeps calling my name. I'm using Win 8 now, and so far happy with it for the most part, but I'm thinking of installing a 4th drive on my system to use just for Linux testing and may, down the road, switch to it if I'm happy and comfortable with it.

 

My question is, what addons for X-plane don't work in Linux?

 

Also, un-related to X-plane, is there any video editing software for Linux?

 

Rob

 

Try it ! It's not so daunting as some make it appear, nowadays. Just do things in the right order.

First, download a live CD from a very popular distro, Like some Ubuntu variant, or Mint, Mageia... (don't know the last one though). 64 bit version. For X-Plane I would recommand one of the Ubuntu derivatives or distributions based on Ubuntu. (Mint is)

 

Then, don't do the same mistake as Tom Wright above. Check first that your hardware works flawlessly. Don't try to solve the problems after installing it, because even if there's almost always a solution, you are not yet comfortable enough with your new system, and helpful people in the forum are going to ask you to do some strange things like open a terminal, type "sudo apt-get update" and so on ...

 

FYI, most of the hardware works well nowadays. And the day your new system grows on you, you will very naturally check, when you buy some hardware, wether it's fully compatible. For example, I've always gone with Nvidia, since their proprietary driver is less prone to performance problems under Linux. This may have changed, I don't know.

 

You have to know that even if some hardware doesn't work well on a distribution, it might work on another. Search the net and try the CDs.

 

Because the world of Linux is made of many shades and variations, take your time to disover what suits you the best. Especially dektops, because there's quite a choice now. Your choice of a desktop is not limited by your distribution, most modern distros give you the choice. (hence Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu...).

 

Be aware that some modern desktops are also agressively shifting they paradigm toward touch devices. that's not necesseraly bad, IMHO some great UIs are born from this tendency. Just to share my personal experience, I like Unity (the Ubuntu desktop) very much. But I use the KDE desktop as well, because it has an option to disable all compositing when starting a 3D game full screen. This make a big difference with X-Plane on my system. (this is your first X-Plane on Linux tip ).

 

My question is, what addons for X-plane don't work in Linux?

For the most part, Gizmo right now. But according to the developer, the new version is already working internally, although he won't provide much support for us Linuxers.

The only other major one I can remember right now is XPUIPC.

Check your favorite plugins.

 

Also, un-related to X-plane, is there any video editing software for Linux?

Yes, I'm not very well informed in video software, just tried a bit lately. Found these : RecordMyDesktop for video capture, HandBreak for conversion/trancoding, PiTiVi or OpenShot for editing. There is probably some more professional software, but these are very easy to use. In the future, Ben Sputnik said video capture will also be included in X-Plane Linux. (was not the case).

 

I have been a long time with Linux, Windows is gone now. I took all the time to get familiar with it, and I've become familiar with some technical aspect as well, but very gradually and without pain. Now I'm even able to manage a distant virtual server with the command line alone, from my desktop. Never thought I could do that one day. I've installed Untunu for some friend who have no technical knowledge about computers, she's now very happy and still can't believe there's no need for antivirus software.

 

Hope this helps, share your experience !

 

Pascal

[Comanche 417]

Thanks for the tips an opinions guys! Im going to give it a try. If its too much trouble or has some show stoppers, ill just go back to my windows installation which I will set up for a dual boot.

 

Rob

[Mountain Man 142]

I've run a dual-boot system for years with Linux as my primary OS and Windows on a second drive that I use primarily for playing games (though I currently have X-Plane installed only in Linux). If you're really serious about wanting to learn your way around Linux then I would recommend you try using it exclusively for several weeks which will force you to learn how to make it do what you need it to do. It's not that Linux is harder to use or less capable than Windows, but like with anything there is a learning curve, and you'll be much better served if you work through problems instead of giving up in frustration and going back to Windows. Once you learn your way around, you'll find Linux to be at least as convenient and user-friendly as Windows but with a lot more flexibility.

 

I personally would recommend a Ubuntu variant since they're easy to install and maintain. I use Kubuntu myself because I think the KDE desktop is vastly superior to the alternatives.

[Jude Bradley 659]

It's all a personal choice of course,but I prefer KDE since it's very similiar to the old Start menu layout in Windows.

Try a vmware player install, that way no drives get messed up.

Later, you can go for a full install when you feel comfortable.

be preared to use google a lot

 

Good Luck!

[JasonHarris 96]

If you were going to say you would wipe your windows and go linux without using it first I wouldn't suggest that. As a second install it's a good idea to try it or as mentioned a vmware install is a good option to try things if you have vmware. I think you can get a 30 day demo although xplane performance will not be good but you will get familiar with linux through it.

 

Some will like it and some will not but like most things you do need to spend some time with it, no doubt most of your favorite albums took a few plays before they got on your favorite list

 

For most people the determining thing as to whether or not they stay with linux is what other software they use and if the equivalent works for them or not.

[goates 576]

VirtualBox is a better way to try Linux than the free VMware Player. VB has better support for 3D graphics under Linux. Also saves the hassle of setting up a dual boot system.

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Why do you advise trying Linux on a virtual machine ? Won't be good for X-Plane. Comanche said he will install it on a separate HD.

[Jude Bradley 659]

To get the feel of it with minimal disruption.

[JasonHarris 96]

Why do you advise trying Linux on a virtual machine ? Won't be good for X-Plane. Comanche said he will install it on a separate HD.

 

Yes, because he already knows what xplane is like but doesnt know what linux is like. This will get him looking at it fairly easily. Goates, good idea re virtualbox.

 

Another possibility vm player which is free, then you can just download a distribution made for it and you will be running in 5 minutes of the download without having to had modify your main machine yet.

 

E.g., any of these https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/store/categories/operating-system will run directly on vm player without needing to install the OS yourself. Essentially like a live CD running in the VM.

 

vm player is here http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

 

Obviously xplane will not run acceptably well but he understands xplane and this will let him play with linux. I run things in VM's a the time without issue and he has 8gb ram which is fine for running a single instance.

[JasonHarris 96]

Also for virtualbox here are some ubuntu images ready to run

 

http://virtualboxes.org/images/ubuntu/

[MdMax 233]

:blink: GNU/Linux inside a virtual machine inside a proprietary operating system is just like trying to fly a glider inside a hangar. I can't believe this can help to "get a feel".

 

It will be much better on a dedicated hard drive.

[JasonHarris 96]

What? Why not?

 

Given your wording about running in a proprietary OS being like flying in a hangar it seems like your advise here is tainted for your dislike of windows.

 

We are trying to give the best advise so that someone can try out linux. I like linux myself a lot but many dont like it long term so we are trying to suggest a that is easy to setup without any hassles on the hardware side.

 

The OP can do what ever he likes, if he wants to repartition and format he can do that.

 

Don't give bad advise because you dont like windows.

[MdMax 233]

Why not?

 

A virtual machine can't show you the performance you'll get with your real machine and a fast file system. The goal here in this forum is not to use small tools like Firefox, VLC, LibreOffice and a file manager, but the latest X-Plane release with advanced add-ons, and all the tools around, like OSM2XP, PlaneMaker, Blender...

 

Don't loose your time with a virtual machine if you have a hard drive where you can run the real thing.

 

There's another solution, I don't like it but it's a lot better than a virtual machine, it's called Wubi, a Windows installer where you can install and uninstall Ubuntu like a Windows application, but where it will reboot your system to start GNU/Linux:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/install-ubuntu-with-windows

 

You don't need a partition: it will only create a large file on your Windows partition.