Any Linux users around ?

yep

it means getting down and dirty with XML and poi files on the PND still - or boot to windows for a quick update.

but progress is being made.

I'm using Redhat Linux only at work

I use Linux at home for infrastructure -- servers, monitoring, and such. I also run Untangle for net security, firewall, and such; it's Linux based.

http://www.untangle.com/

I'm running the free version with some add-ons.

I can't really call myself a Linux user (in good conscience), but I have a dual-boot XP/Ubuntu machine as my daily PC. Unfortunately I mostly boot XP.

I set it up to try and wean myself off of M$oft, but I just have too many XP apps.

I've used VirtualBox in XP with some success in the past, maybe this thread will jog me enough to put some more effort into doing Linux with a virtual XP when I really need it. I'm too old to spend more time using consoles & such, so it's gotta be mostly point & click.

Now that would be even better !

I've also built a Virtual machine for XP, using VirtualBox. And I also learned the technique for increaing the size of your virtual disk (it's explained on Webupd8, for those who might care)

But the map updates require .Net and a few SP installed - and THAT is starting to feel like asking too much in my view.

I know Garmin Devs are using Linux, and I also know that our GPS run on a form of 'Nix too - but why aren't there any MapSource or the likes available for us natively ?

Garmin, if you're reading this, do listen to our plea please

have you tried WINE? (not the drink)

I tried it about 1-1 1/2 years ago and wasn't real impressed. I'll probably revisit it though. One of my favorite XP apps is FrameMaker SGML, so it's not on anyone's popularity list for effort.

Yup... I've been using Fedora Linux since version 3, now using Fedora 12. I have a dual boot system (the rest of the family uses Vista).

Yup, I run an OpenBSD box here (actually Unix) since PF is the best firewall ever created and I'm getting ready to set up a CentOS box for FreeSwitch, to control the VoIP phone system.

Unfortunately, my wife's laptop came with Vista but I set her up to dual boot into Ubuntu or Vista. She hardly EVER uses Windows anymore.

Ubuntu is great, your grandmother could use it.

I wasn't very impressed with Wine myself when I tried to install Microchip's MPLab IDE a year or so ago - it didn't work at all. I tried it again recently after updating to the 10.10 release and it worked like a charm, so it has definitely improved with age... (must be red Wine). Sadly, TurboTax won't run, however.

And if you prefer Gin try Bombay Sapphire - makes the best Gin & Tonic I've ever had!

- Phil

I'm a UNIX weeny since way-back (started around 1985). I have seven systems at home running some version of Linux and/or Micro$oft OSs (not including the laptops -and they are set up to dual, or triple boot some flavor of WinBlows or Linux).

I still use Win XP or Win7 when I have to, but I prefer Linux by a long-shot. I don't find it that difficult to use, but I know it can be intimidating for the novice user.

If you really want to give Linux a try, I always recommend Ubuntu ....it's probably the easiest to use, and the most Windows-like of the various Linux distributions, and you can do everything you need to do without ever opening a Console window.

A very nice feature of Ubuntu is that it has an option to install it from Windows if you wish - just like any Windows application. It even sets up the dual-boot environment for you, and if you don't like it, you can even uninstall it from Windows - makes trying it out super simple. You will be amazed at how much better your system runs on a REAL Operating System ☺

Have Fun....

with Schweppes ... Oh yeah.

And if you forgot your daily fruit.. Gin & Orangina.
I call it Gin-Genie (think David Bowie).

He's not kidding, the laptop appears to run about twice as fast with Ubuntu.

There is a very good Unix/Linux tutorial here:
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/

Grab your favorite drink, open up a terminal window and have fun. Just don't log in as root while you're learning.

Especially avoid logging in as root once you start to feel like you know what you're doing.

- Phil

gotta get your Vitamin C somehow, if only there was a better way to get the rest of your daily recommended vitamins and minerals.

I really like the way you guys think.

- Phil

You don't say... My father is 80, and he bought his first PC ever last year. Guess what it runs... Ypu, Maverick Meerkat !

And yes, he went through a couple releases, and I must say I'm impressed, cuz he even ran the upGRADES by himself ! Yes, not just the updates...

And the fun part is, none of his grandkids or even kids (save for me) know Linux. While my Pa learned how to change his keyboard layout all by himself. He's Belgian, and uses a French-layout keyboard. And my nephews would frequently set it to a Begian keyboard for THEIR ease of use.

Not any more - he's outfoxed them all !

And now let's hear from Garmin if they'll get us some native apps ?

is hard to find in Utah

Well, I guess that means we'll never hear from Garmin after all... I'm still staying on teh same OS, though - annd I'll have that glass of wine you were talking about !

I'm also a Linux user (primary OS since '97).

I just installed 10.10 Maverick Meerkat a few weeks ago. It's not that hard to use but as someone who has Windows background, there's a little bit of learning curve to get used to the new OS.

I am still confused when it comes to downloading and installing software. One example is when I tried to update my Flash Player. There are several Linux download options to choose from: YUM, .tar.gz, .rpm, .deb, APT for Unbuntu 9.04+.

Holy cow! What are those? Google comes to the rescue. I ended up getting the .deb file.

I wish I would have learned linux for my last night working on rooting my phone and attempting to delete those programs that come when you purchase a phone from samsung on a verizon network, so much bloatware, I am in the process how to do that now..

You're best off using the package from the repository. To get flash and a bunch of other stuff look into the "ubuntu-restricted-extras" metapackage. Updates are distributed automatically though Update Manager.

Here's what I did (sorry if I misunderstand you, all this Linux stuff is new to me).

I searched for ubuntu-restricted-extras in the Synaptic Package Manager and found ubuntu-restricted-extras package (latest version 42). Are you saying I should install this instead of downloading+installing Flash Player from Adobe? Is this Flash plugin distributed by Adobe? Is it safe to use?

I am a Linux Die Hard, and I run linux on several machines. I run Ubuntu 10.10 32-bit on both my desktop and laptop. I also have my home phone run through "Incredible PBX," an asterisk system which runs on Centos. I have 2 hacked Tivo boxes that run their own version, but also add features that I want. My next phone will likely be an Android, though I'm still happy with my PalmOS Treo for now. If I got rid of the Treo, I could get rid of the Palm hotsync app, one of the few Windows programs that I absolutely need (The Garmin software to install POIs, the Livescribe Desktop to sync my smartpen are the others).
I run XP in VirtualBox for the windows apps that I need that don't run correctly under WINE. My wife's XP laptop serves to provide the XP functions that won't run in VirtualBox correctly.

jebradl,

You might want to check out the Telephreak conference... lots of Asterisk-heads in there:
http://www.telephreak.org/

*4673-2 through SipBroker.

Be warned though, while there are often a lot of cool folks in there, it can sometimes be a mixed bag.

I may run Asterisk instead of FreeSwitch... still trying to decide. Incredible PBX is pretty awesome, especially the no-callback Google Voice PSTN terminations.

- Phil

I started running Linux on my desktop full time starting in 2000. I used Mandrake which later changed names to Mandriva..

About two years ago, I switched to PCLinuxOS and have been using that ever since.

"ubuntu-restricted-extras" installs a bunch of packages, one of which is "flashplugin-installer". That package downloads Flash directly from Adobe and installs it. When Flash is updated, so is that package. So, if you do it that way you don't have to mess with updating manually.

That was one of teh first points I really enjoyed when I started using Ubuntu: never need to worry about using an outdated version, you just set it up so it updates everything whenever you wish.

And then sometimes we would get some video errors - but knock on wood, we have't had those in a while !

End of teh week, I update to Natty Narwal. I'll stay clear off Unity, what about you fellow users ?

It's pretty obvious that I don't get onto this site very often when I am replying to a 2 year old message.

The thing that I enjoy most about my Asterisk telephony system is that the IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system is a great way to filter out junk phone calls. Anyone calling my home gets an initial message where they have to punch a number for the person that they wish to talk to. Even though I'm on the do-not-call listing, I still get junk calls. The auto dialer doesn't know to punch a button, so that call never rings to the phones. I do have it go to voicemail, so that if there's actually a person at the other end that for whatever reason can't punch a button, I'll still get those calls, but the autodialer calls tend to not do anything. It's wonderful!

I haven't been around for a while too. I do use Linux, a lot (used in products we make at work) but my "answering machine" at home is a very old headless windows box (I VNC in). I blacklist junk callers immediately, so the next time they call, all they get is an "out of order" tone. Back to the topic, nope, I've never plugged any of my Garmin devices into a Linux box.

I've been running FreeSWITCH for nearly 2 years now and I send all of the junk calls to Lenny:
http://www.itslenny.com/

They have a SIP URI which I use, and they have DIDs (regular phone numbers) as well.

I do the same for one of the businesses that we do hosted VoIP for, if a fax caller (attempts) to block their CallerID, I send those calls to Lenny, so they get almost no junk faxes now. A lot of the junk fax callers block their number.

I haven't moved our home phone over to our hosted service yet, I just haven't gotten around to it. We're on the no call list too but that doesn't seem to matter much anymore. One trick that works pretty well is to record a "Hello..." with a pause at the beginning of your answering machine message. This tricks the autodialers into connecting the person or playing their recording at the beginning of your announcement instead of the end. If your announcement is long enough, they usually hang up before your machine starts recording.

I may need to make the announcement just a bit longer as I will often hear the end of those annoying "Press 1 to lower your interest rate" calls, apparently they're not the brightest autodialers in the shed.

- Phil

Those telemarketer recordings are hilarious! Makes me want to put together a FreeSwitch box, and use a spare Obi 110 I already have as a PSTN gateway -- one day. Sorry, I still can't let go of the landline. Thanks for the link.

I use SUSE SLED 11 SP2.

Started experimenting with it on a dual-boot laptop with Windows 8.1 preview.