After many, many moons... Back on VectorLinux.

[bentonmiddleton]

Been an avid Linux man since around 2002, though I've had my ups and downs (mostly downs) with the MicroSoft world as well. Been through almost all versions of Fedora, as I love cutting edge and technology in general. Once you get used to the CL, Fedora is really a lot of fun and the options and possibilities have just got to be in the millions.

I was once a proponent of VectorLinux too, but as a newbie no one told me the difference between a final stable and a beta or release-candidate. The vector I used at that time crashed big-time and I was not ever able to get it up again, so I cleaned the drive, added more drives and went back to playing with Fedora. I've also had fun in downloading many different distros and playing with them too. Loved DSL (Damn Small Linux), Sabayon, and a few others. Even tried clustering a few old PC's (we won't go there, OK?!) and experimenting with Xen and VMWare. That's still one of my favorite things to do and look forward to my next machine with CentOS as a base and several Linux'es in guest domains.

Currently I'm running VectorLinux 6.0-Standard on a 2-1/2 yr-old HP/Compaq laptop - Intel Centrino 1.73ghz, 512MBs DDR2, 15" screen and a DVD player that burns CDs (courtesy K3B). A friend here told me about VCL Player and my media will never be the same. I've got DVD playback, MP3's and OGG files, Flash, can ply Windows Media files and more. This is by far the best PC I have ever owned.

Have KOffice, Kontact, Plato, Quanta++ (for web development), Latest FireFox & Thunderbird (though I prefer KMail), StreamTuner, GIMP, Pidgin and more. Am still trying to get Skype on here but am rusty on Vector's running of Bash. Things do not always work as I want them too. Any help with this would be appreciated.

Also a word about WiFi on Linux (vECTOR IN PARTICULAR)- absolutely a dream. I use it at the Library, at college, McDonalds and even in some parks and bus depots. How cool is that?! I mean I currently DO NOT pay for internet; there's no need to. WicD works everytime... finds the broadcasts, organizes them, gives me Config options, and with the click of one button, I'm surfing.

Anyway, I'm in Clearwater, Fl., and am having a blast down here with other Linux enthusiasts and sometimes I make it to the beach. Will be moving there soon. So, All of you guys just starting with Open Source, hang in there. You've got it a LOT easier than us older hands had it. Keep up with the forums and newsletters, and when you get a chance... laugh at the pitfalls and mishaps of the Bill-Gateans, OK?! Later............................................!

[RonB]

Have KOffice, Kontact, Plato, Quanta++ (for web development), Latest FireFox & Thunderbird (though I prefer KMail),

I'm not a huge fan of Thunderbird either. You can get KMail by installing 'kdepim' -- but that also gives you several other KDE applications (that you may not want). Included in KDE PIM is: Kontact, Akregator, Blogilo, AddressBook, KAlarm, KJots, KMail, KNode, KOrganizer, KTimeTracker, kabcclient, KonsoleKalendar, Kandy and KPilot. (Read about it here: http://community.kde.org/KDE_PIM). I used to like KNode but am used to Pan now. Instead of Thunderbird I use claws-mail (but most of my emailing is done on GMail and Yahoo Mail).

VectorLinux is my favorite Desktop Linux -- but I still tri-boot to CentOS (second favorite now) and Linux Mint (my Dad uses that, so I need to be able to support him via phone). I also have Puppy Linux and JoliOS on flash drives. I like Fedora, but it's a bit too "cutting edge" for me (too many downloads).

[kc1di]

Welcome back bentonmiddleton,

I Just returned after a long break also. 
using VL-7.0 RC2 here and it's looking good. 

Enjoy your VL Experience.
 

[bentonmiddleton]

To all of you who responded to my post, thanks... and thanks for the "welcome back". No matter what I do on my desktop, I believe I'll always keep Vector on my notebook, at least this one. Like I said before, I prefer a stable system, so I'll wait for the stable 7.0 to come out and use it then. In the meantime I LOOoooooooove 6.0 Standard. To RonB who told me where to get KMail, I already have it, as it came with KDE. I use it everyday along with Kontact and KOrganizer.

Thanks to everyone else for your support and I look forward to sharing many great moments here with all of you. When I get my desktop up and running, you can look forward to my posts on how Vector fares inside a KVM image alongside other distros on my virtualized PC. I have wanted to do this for a LONG time, and now I'm going to make that dream come true.

To the guy who said he'd tried Fedora but it was 'Too Much' cutting edge, I understand. I guess you have to really be into the Geek Factor to truly appreciate all that the Redhat tream has delivered via Fedora. Maybe someday you'll be there too, but if not, at least stay with Linux and open-source. You really cannot go wrong here.

That's all I'bve got fer now. Until the next one Y'all, later...................................!

[sledgehammer]

I don't use Fedora because its too "cutting edge."  I don't use it because its too slow.  I use VL6 because it is small and runs fast on my T42.

As to skype, it runs fine on my VL6.0. In fact I use it constantly.  Stretchedthin has a video out which explains how to load and use it on VL 6.  Its quite good.

John

[bigbenaugust]

The cruft is why I dumped Fedora 3-4 years ago for Ubuntu, which I in turn dumped for Debian, which I am in the process of dumping for VL on my laptops (the shiny new work machine still has #! for now, which is Debian-based). Somehow, a really good VL desktop install is smaller than Slackware. And it takes less wrangling once you're done. It really shouldn't take 6GB of disk (or hours of package [de]selecting) to surf the web, log in to the servers, and play the odd multimedia file.

Have you considered the slogan "VectorLinux: Slackware for people who don't have time for Slackware."? 

Eagerly awaiting VL7 Light here.

[stretchedthin]

"VectorLinux: Slackware for people who don't have time for Slackware."?

That's awesome!!!

[bigbenaugust]

It's also free.  Go nuts.