Linux anyone?

[bensonga]

I wasn't sure where to post this.....just wondering if there is anyone here doing their image processing on a Linux machine. I decided it was time to learn something new.....so I installed Ubuntu Linux on a spare Toshiba laptop (17" screen, AMD64, 4gb RAM, 250gb HD). I went so far as to completely wipeout the installed Windows OS...this is a pure Linux box now! Thus far, I've played around a little with Gimp just to get a feel for it. Still trying to get my wireless adapter working on it.

If there are any other Linux users here....any tips will be greatly appreciated, with the focus on Linux/image processing of course.

As I said.....just figured it was time to learn something new. I've used UNIX a bit over the years at work when I had to, but it's been awhile.

Gary
Alaska

 

[Lisa]

Hi, Gary. I use linux at work all day, not for photography, but for engineering, and get along better with it than with any fancy window-interface operating system (command lines and I get along well ). I still use Windows for Photoshop and other photo processing, though. The last time I looked at GIMP a few years ago, it didn't have real functional color management - has that changed?

My spouse has converted his previously Windows-based home PC to Ubuntu linux too, and seems to like it (though he still has a Windows laptop when he wants one). I don't use his PC much, so I don't have much personal experience, but let me know if you have any general questions and I can pass them along to him. (He doesn't do much in the way of image processing on it, though.)

Lisa

P.S. Someone apparently made a Christian-themed version of Ubuntu (with religious backgrounds etc.). In response, someone else made a (jokingly) Satanic-themed version. My spouse is enjoying the Satanic version.

 

[kweide]

Just made a second HDD for my ThinkPad with the new UBUNTU. WOW its flying.....

 

[bensonga]

Just made a second HDD for my ThinkPad with the new UBUNTU. WOW its flying.....

v9.04? I see it was just released as a supported version (2 days after I installed v8.10). A second HDD? A second hard drive or a hard drive partition?

I'll be working on it this weekend to try and get the Toshiba wireless adapter running under Ubuntu connected. Not sure what the heck is the problem.....from the help files I've seen, this could get very technical, very quickly. Oh well, I wanted to learn new stuff....time to get serious about it.

I'm also hoping to spend some time with Gimp this weekend. Every now and then, a participant in the monthly print exchanges I organize will mention that they used Gimp to process and print the images....so it can be done.

Gotta keep this 50+ year old mind learning new stuff....too easy to just keep on doing what I've been doing.

Gary
Alaska

 

[bensonga]

Hi, Gary. I use linux at work all day, not for photography, but for engineering, and get along better with it than with any fancy window-interface operating system (command lines and I get along well ). I still use Windows for Photoshop and other photo processing, though. The last time I looked at GIMP a few years ago, it didn't have real functional color management - has that changed?

My spouse has converted his previously Windows-based home PC to Ubuntu linux too, and seems to like it (though he still has a Windows laptop when he wants one). I don't use his PC much, so I don't have much personal experience, but let me know if you have any general questions and I can pass them along to him. (He doesn't do much in the way of image processing on it, though.)

Lisa

P.S. Someone apparently made a Christian-themed version of Ubuntu (with religious backgrounds etc.). In response, someone else made a (jokingly) Satanic-themed version. My spouse is enjoying the Satanic version.

I doubt that I'll ever completely switch from Windows/Mac PCs running Photoshop to Linux/Gimp....but who knows. I do like the idea of supporting the Open Source community in any way I can....even if just as a sometime user.

Christian vs Satanic theme Ubuntus? Ha...I had no idea these existed! I kind of like the African theme standard version I installed.....it has one of the only default backgrounds/splash screens that I actually really like. African theme might not be the right description, but it reminds me of a photo a friend of mine took of the building where he taught school as a Peace Corp volunteer in Kenya in the 1970s. Kind of a rough, hand textured surface with a beautiful color. Of course, it also reminds me of the intro scenes from the HBO series "Rome"....go figure.

Gary
Alaska

 

[bensonga]

Processed with GIMP and sent from my Ubuntu/Linux/Toshiba laptop (tethered by wire to my Airport Extreme router...I gotta get this wireless connection sorted out).

I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Gary
Alaska

 

[shakeshuck]

You might also want to take a look at Pixel:

http://www.kanzelsberger.com

I downloaded it but haven't got around to testing it. If you read the news page, it says the 1.0 version is to be released 30 April. I presume at that point the price will be going up. If you test it quick and like it, you may still get it for 33 Euros.

 

[JayMcKinsey]

I use Linux (Kubuntu) for my photo processing. I highly recommend Lightzone for Linux http://www.lightcrafts.com/linux/

Good info for Linux processing at these two sites:
http://www.linuxphoto.org/html/software.html
http://jcornuz.wordpress.com/ (that top post on the page is an April fools)

Wireless cards have historically been one of the weakest areas for Linux support. Though it is getting much better. My advice is to not beat your head against the wall too long on it. Since it didn't recognize out of the box then the I'd say the odds are 40% it just won't ever work, 50% you'll get to know the joys of ndiswrapper, 10% some simple fixit will take care of it. The key to linux support is to just keep putting the error messages into google. A fairly simple way to solve this is to just buy a new pc card with known linux support and use it.

 

[shakeshuck]

Thanks for those links, Jay.

It'll take a while to give that little lot a good going over!