Anyone here use Linux?

More specifically Mandrake Linux 9.1?

I just got a used laptop, and need an OS... and was thinking of giving this a shot. I'm fairly computer literate, although still a newb. Looks to be more secure than Windows, and definitely cheaper, haha. As I type, I'm downloading the ISO's.

The main purpose for the laptop, is to be a dump for my CF cards when they get full, and I need to keep shooting (i.e. on vacation). Currently has a 5GB HDD... meaning, if I shoot in RAW (G2), and the OS takes up approximately 2GB's... I should be able to fit about 1400 images before I run out of room (I'll be upgrading to at least a 10GB HDD soon). I'll then transfer the images to my PC (running WinXP)when I return home, via peer to peer cable.

Recommendations/caveat​s? Anyone else do this same thing... and if so, how is working out for you? Specifically Mandrake Linux 9.1?

I've been using linux for the last 10 years (in fact, that is my work, i'm a network administrator), and RedHat for the past 3 years. Mandrake is a RedHat derivative, but I don't have first hand experiences with it.

Speaking of linux in general, I think you will have no problems. If your idea is to shoot in RAW and preview the images in the notebook, there is a RAW converter written for linux. You can find a lot of info here:

http://geocities.com/p​iccolbo/dplinux.html

I haven't tried none of them personally, because I'm only using my linux PC as a server (apache, LDAP, VPN server, etc) and all my photo & video work is done in a WinXP PC, but if you have any doubt, feel free to ask

Excellent, thank you for the link.

If I don't like Linux, I can just install Win2k, or 98se... I've got those lying around somewhere. I need licensces for those though. From what I've read however, Linux looks to be a solid alternative to Windows.

Thanks again.

Im running SuSe PowerPC 7.3 and Mac OS X. I like linux for the speed, but for eye candy you cant beat OS X. (and as far as photo editing, i use Gimp for linux which will do for most, but you can't beat Photoshop for OS X)

Well... I downloaded the ISO's for disc 1, 2, and 3 of Mandrake Linux 9.1, and installed... but the installation kept hanging on disc 3. I tried downloading the ISO's from 4 different sources after that... same thing.

I ended up just installing W2K Pro. It's working out well. Thanks for the replies Guillermo, and carnage.

Before I put in a new HDD, I think I'll try Red Hat.

Sorry about Mandrake. Probably some incompatibility with your hardware. Usually Linux installation DON'T fail in the middle, at least RedHat ones. Most of the problems are at the begining, with some strange or too new disk adapters. The middle installation failures usualy have its roots in faulty or non-standard memories or bus subsystems. But the notebooks are trickier than desktop PC's, do you remember the installation error message?

There was no message... it would just stop, and do nothing else(longest I waited for any action was 25 mins.). I would then have to shut it down "dirty", and when I rebooted, it would tell me it had been shut down "unclean"... and list a plethora of errors. I was going to take a picture of the screen, so I would know what to research online... but I never did. Guess I should have.

I didn't mention before, that I did get an error the first two times on disc 1. It was the "Could not uncompress second ramdisk" error. I researched it... took my estimation at what it was, and was able to remedy that situation (bad ISO).

As for the 3rd disc hanging... I didn't even really research it after it happened the 4th time. 45 minutes per installation... I'd had enough. Like you said.... laptops are trickier, and also, this one isn't so new. IBM Thinkpad 600, PII-300Mhz.

Red Hat seems to be more widely used, so I'll definitely try that once I get a new HDD.

Thanks again for your reply.

Linux?

Linux? Was that one of the Peanuts gang?