Anyone running Linux in their squadron HQ?

[JGremlin]

I've been involved with CAP for almost a year now and as I'm a computer tech in my day job, I've become one of the main computer gurus in my squadron. As I'm sure most squadrons do, we have a hodge podge of donated equipment in our squadron and most of it ranges in age from 'pretty old' to 'The Smithsonian called and they can't believe you still have one of those and it still (sort of) works.'

In an effort to eek a bit more performance out of the hardware we've got, I decided to install Ubuntu Linux on a few of the boxes. It seems to be able to run a bit faster than XP on the same hardware and since its Linux, malicious infection issues are minimized automatically.

So far the experiment has been going fairly well. When I did the installs, I put icons for Firefox right on the desktop and labelled it Internet so most members just click on that and go. We've had a few issues crop up where you need IE in order to do certain testing on eservices and I've yet to be able to get the machines to play wmv files reliably. But otherwise, most members don't even notice that they aren't using Windows until I tell them.

So I'd like hear from others who might also be doing this in their squadrons. Are you doing it or have you tried it at your squadron? If so, did it work out or were there too many issues? If you're a Linux guru (I am not), would you or would you not install it on the machines in your squadron and why?

I can see some real advantages to using it in a squadron environment but it seems like you could only use it if you also have XP machines available at this point. Comments? Thoughts?

[Eclipse]

I can see some real advantages to using it in a squadron environment but it seems like you could only use it if you also have XP machines available at this point. Comments? Thoughts?

I don't see any - the "performance gains" are likely so marginal as to be noticed only by someone biased towards using an open source operating system.

The other, larger issue is that anything sent by NHQ for use on the machine will be written and tested for Windows, Office, and/or (Lord help us) Internet Explorer.

Further, as a percentage, few of your members are going to know or care about anything but Windows, and probably these days Vista, and if it doesn't work they way they expect it to, they just won't use it, and at the point you are no longer a factor in the decision they will be changed back.

If the machines are working, and NHQ spent money on a big-boy OS and office suite, there's no reason to change things out "just because".

If you're talking about re-purposing vintage equipment and have no money for the OS and office suite, that's a different discussion.

[wuzafuzz]

It's a moot point for a lot of us, since we don't have a squadron HQ, office, or coat closet.

Eclipse is right, some software needed for CAP may not run in Linux.  Getting some of it to run in Windows can be a challenge.

Final thought, everything should be as close to plug and play as possible.  If you leave CAP those computers need to remain as useful as possible to the Luddites among us.

[JoeTomasone]

Joe's law:

Linux = Server platform, uber high-end user platform.

Windows = User platform.

[MIKE]

Linux seems to be moving toward being a lot more user friendly than it used to be, particularly with this new netbook craze.  Certinly compared to what I saw a few years ago.

[JoeTomasone]

It has been making inroads, but mostly in the manner of "putting pretty GUI tools in place to save the n00bies from the Unix command line world".   

[Eclipse]

Linux seems to be moving toward being a lot more user friendly than it used to be, particularly with this new netbook craze.  Certinly compared to what I saw a few years ago.

Apple has too, and they are still in single-digit market share, with a recent drop off thanks to the economy.
Rising mrgin and falling share is not exactly a great way to run a business in an economic low point.
http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/04/17/why-apples-shares-rose-as-its-market-share-shrank/

I agree with Joe, do whatever you want for a closet you support, but leave Windows for the users.

[JGremlin]

Leaving windows for the users is very fair opinion and makes lots of sense. But I've already done the switch and so far I've gotten zero complaints about the machines not running Windows. The ubuntu interface is so windows-like that most folks don't notice and those that do notice, don't care. What I've also noticed since the switch is zero 'can't you do anything to make this thing go faster?' complaints.

These are very anemic boxes. If I install XP on them and bring it up to SP3, we're looking at 2 to 3 minute boot time and up to 60 seconds to load IE or word. With ubuntu 8.10 boot time is around 60 seconds and firefox or open office load in around 10 seconds. That's a measurable difference.

I know the responsible standard practice thing to do would be to just put XP on the boxes and listen to/ignore the complaints about slowness. But having seen what I've seen so far, I'm really starting to wonder whether that's the best thing for our current situation.

Right now I'm thinking that I'll leave the machines for another month or so and then I'll back em' and whack em'. I'll put clean xp installs on and see what the reactions are among the troops.

[SilverEagle2]

I assume that you are not connecting any of these boxes on a LAN that uses networked shares or printers.

Here in Utah Wing, all are on the same domain. I have had the same thought with a few of the old machines, but alas, have not done it yet.

The time may come though.

[JGremlin]

I assume that you are not connecting any of these boxes on a LAN that uses networked shares or printers.

Here in Utah Wing, all are on the same domain. I have had the same thought with a few of the old machines, but alas, have not done it yet.

The time may come though.

They are on a LAN and we've got a shared network printer (static ip) but we're not running a domain, just a workgoup. Getting the boxes the use the networked printer was just a matter of telling them what IP to look for. They did the rest (identified the printer, downloaded and installed the driver) all on their own. I'm not sure how ubuntu boxes would behave on a windows domain, but they have no trouble talking to windows workgroup machines and windows boxes seem to have no trouble talking to them.

[KyCAP]

Using the same domain with a mixed environment  probably isn't a problem either as long as you're up to snuff on LDAP Directory Services, NFS and other Linux related services that have to be running to make UNC shares and the AD forests play nicely with one another.   Also, free isn't so nice when trying to use commercial applications for management.   In some cases Fedora a) isn't supported at all or b) isn't supported by a driver that works correctly.

(Aint worth it)
Use Windows and spend your time flying..


-- MacBook Pro OS X 10.5.6