[Coco] VCC1.41

[Frank Swygert]

What kind of processor does your Windows box have? If you've got a dual 
core (or any multi core) processor try running Linux with Sun Virtual 
Box installed. I'm running it on a quad core AMD processor with Linux 
Mint installed and Windows XP runs as fast or faster than any single 
core computer. I set the system up so that the VB takes over one core. 
You have to install an actual copy of Windows on the Virtual Box, but 
you don't have to partition. The VB software does everything for you. It 
can make a dynamic virtual hard drive that isn't a specific size, though 
I think you start with a minimum size and it makes it bigger as 
necessary. It's really just a big file to the Linux file system. I 
haven't looked at it in the Linux file manager to see what it displays 
as though. But it works flawlessly so far!

I have WINE installed, and will check Windows software under that before 
resorting to the VB. But for software that doesn't like WINE I have an 
option! Don't know if the telescope software would work or not. Does the 
'scope connect to a USB or serial port? If USB it should work...

When you do take the Linux plunge try Linux Mint. Most Linux 
distributions only come with open source software, nothing proprietary. 
There are several proprietary codecs for various media files that are 
free to use but not open source. You have to find and load those on your 
own. The Mint developers don't have the open source hang-up. If it's 
something that's needed and free to use it's included. It's the most 
"plug-n-play" iteration of Linux I've seen! I forget who suggested Mint, 
but I think it was someone on this list. I wanted the easiest to install 
and run Linux possible, and that is it! I've installed it on several 
machines with few problems. One older Dell (P3) laptop had some driver 
issues, but that was due to an odd chip that the Dell used. I forget 
what it was... maybe video?

------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 09:50:56 EDT
From: RJRTTY at aol.com


Well I shy away from partitioning whenever I can.  I would much  rather
buy another machine for dedicated operation which I could do.

So I am not really "stuck" with windows but since I am already using  it
(and I am basically lazy to boot)  I use it.    When I  get the time (my
converter
assembly takes all my time right now) I will probably get a linux only
machine
and take the plunge.   Some of the people I respect the most on  this list
use it so it must
be worth the extra effort of running another machine.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars"
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://www.amc-mag.com
(free download available!)