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ghostdawg
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 Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| JohnnyBoy wrote: | | Ghostdawg - is the relationship between a window manager and Linux the same as Win 3.1 and MS-DOS? Am I on the right track here? |
When talking about the graphical user interface in Linux, people use confusing terms such as "X Windows", "Window Manager", and "Desktop Environment".
These have three different meanings:
The X Window System
Microsoft Windows is based on a graphical user interface (GUI for short) where you can control the apps by pointing and clicking. But Linux, just like Unix or MS-DOS, is completely text based. This means that everything in Linux can be done without any GUI, and it's a plus when using Linux, for example, as a server because the computer's resources aren't wasted in running a GUI. However, most of us normal home users want a pretty GUI where we can use graphical apps and point and click to our heart's content. So how do we get to the GUI?
Window managers
Because X provides the place to put the windows on but doesn't control them, you need additional software that takes care of handling the windows. The piece of software dealing with the windows is the window manager. The window manager is just an X program itself, and like the other graphical apps, it also needs the X Windows in order to work. It's just a special piece of X software because all it does is take care of the windows.
Desktop environments
The window manager provides everything you need for controlling the windows on your desktop, and for many users, this is just enough. However, you may want some additional features and may want the window manager to take care of the whole desktop, but providing these additional features isn't a window manager's problem. This is where you need a desktop manager, or a desktop environment, whatever you wish to call it.
I would assume OS X is a Desktop Environment. Where as using Linux two major DE are KDE & Gnome, but using a Window Manager on a low spec machine you can still have a nice GUI environment.
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the comprehensive answer, GD! That was really very useful.
I tried to learn Linux many years ago, believing that my knowledge of the MS-DOS command line would help, but Linux was SO much more in-depth that I became discouraged and gave up. It really looks as though I should pick up where I left off, because modern distros are so much more mature and useful than they used to be that the time taken to learn will be time well spent.
I like Aquafire's idea of buying a secondhand PC really cheap, just to install a popular distro and teach mysely as much as possible.
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dungeon92
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| Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject: what would you pay? |
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After hearing that the SSD is soldered I would never pay $400 for the 4G. If the price would drop to $300 I would buy one after I buy a MacBook (use the Eee PC for when I go to the movies and stop off at a coffee shop. I would upgrade to the max 2GB RAM though for sure just to get max performance from it.
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:07 am Post subject: Re: what would you pay? |
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| dungeon92 wrote: | | After hearing that the SSD is soldered I would never pay $400 for the 4G. If the price would drop to $300 I would buy one after I buy a MacBook (use the Eee PC for when I go to the movies and stop off at a coffee shop. I would upgrade to the max 2GB RAM though for sure just to get max performance from it. |
DungeonDude, here's the place to make your design change suggestions: http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/09/how-would-you-change-asus-eee-pc/
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scooper
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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| I've decided to pick up the new 9" model when it comes out. Is anyone else joining the party? |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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^ What OS do you think you'll install?
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scooper
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I want to give the standard OS a try, but I'll probably set it up with Ubuntu or XP. |
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dungeon92
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| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: tried one out |
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Tried one of those out at, they aren't too bad, but I would definitely wait for the 8.9" version with 1GB RAM and 12GB SSD if it ever drops to $400 instead of $500. Also the OS is not for the serious Linux user, I would recommend checking out the eeeXubuntu project, Xubuntu is already stripped down, and they hope to get it as small as possible to maximize the SSD's available space.
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:home
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"You must control your future by taking command of your present, and fixing and learning from your past."
"When history is forgotten people don't realize when it repeats."
Going to Missouri S&T!! |
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blazer
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scooper
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| blazer wrote: | | I was thinking about getting an Asus Eee PC until I saw the new HP Mini-Note mentioned on Engadget. |
It's a sweet looking little system. 
I like to use a mouse, so the trackpad with side buttons wouldn't be an issue for me. I'm little more concerned about the VIA processor and temperature readings reported in the NotebookReview review. They said the fan was running at full speed most of the time trying to keep up. They also mentioned that it was noisy. I think that is enough to turn me off for now. |
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g5g5
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:07 am Post subject: |
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I was just reading that Dell is set to enter the mini laptop space in June. I think it will be interesting to see what they bring to the table. One could only hope that Apple will be next. Could you imagine how well a $599 MacBook with a 9" screen would sell? Two words, like hotcakes.
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:15 am Post subject: |
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| g5g5 wrote: | | One could only hope that Apple will be next. Could you imagine how well a $599 MacBook with a 9" screen would sell? Two words, like hotcakes. |
How cool would it be to have a MacBook that's a little bigger than a DVD case? Just pull it out of your pocket, open it up and tap in that idea you've just had. Heck, I'd sleep with it next to me! 
Even if Apple didn't do this, it would still be cool to have a Linux mini-notebook if the apps used the same file formats as my OS X apps.
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dungeon92
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject: love and hate |
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One thing I'm not liking about the HP, VIA CPU when Intel is coming out with Atom mobile CPUs that might be better, but then again would cost more.
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"You must control your future by taking command of your present, and fixing and learning from your past."
"When history is forgotten people don't realize when it repeats."
Going to Missouri S&T!! |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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Twenty years ago, the size of an operating system was measured in kilobytes. Ten years ago, it was measured in megabytes. Today, it's measured in gigabytes.
I can't help but wonder whether this relentless pursuit of faster/better processors benefits end users or tech companies.
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blazer
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: love and hate |
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| dungeon92 wrote: | | One thing I'm not liking about the HP, VIA CPU when Intel is coming out with Atom mobile CPUs that might be better, but then again would cost more. |
I agree with you and Scooper on this one. The Atom Z530 at 1.6GHz and Z540 at 1.86GHz are much better chips. They totally blow away the VIA with more L2 and a faster FSB. They aren't expensive either. I bet Dell is waiting for them.
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