In reply to MM0FMF:
Morning Andy
Thanks for your comprehensive reply.
I had heard about the potential wi-fi issues with certain flavours of Linux, and talking to the developers at work they confirmed it can be a bit of a pain to get running. Work has agreed that I should spend some time and evaluate a second stream O/S for various things we do here. As a way forward I am going to use work time to build a dual boot machine (Desktop) and have a play with various flavours of Linux. As it is summer I should be out playing radio from the hills rather than shutting myself in the shack, and will probably make a decision on the netbook based on works funded findings when the dark nights appear again. I then have plenty of time to make everything sing over the rainy winter nights ready for next season.
Ok on the low overheads with Linux too making solid state storage a good robust option for throwing around in a backpack. I also had a look at WSJT, there is plenty of help available to make it work on a linux based machine too. Re evaluating the reasons for wanting to go down this route, I too don’t need the power of a portable mainframe or the expense of a top end Sony laptop on the hills, for £150 I can learn to live with any limitations for the few hours I would be away from a fire breathing machine at home or work.
Work are looking with interest at running apps on the more powerful mobile phones, another avenue to watch with interest.
Thanks again for all the comments and help, will look out for you on PSK S2S.
Cheers
Tim
G4YTD
In reply to G4YTD:
Just seen the Linux part of this set of postings and would support Andy’s comments.
I moved from Win XP at home some time ago - I kept one machine on it to play games (!) but it hardly ever gets used. The “office” machine runs Ubuntu Linux, which I have used for a few years now and been very happy with, my wife’s “office” machine is a Mac mini (wanted to try a Mac and that was the cheapest way - and since it’s Un*x underneath it’s very similar to a Linux machine to look after!) and I have installed various flavours of Linux on various ancient laptops, currently Fedora on the one I use most.
For the few occasions when I find there’s an old (or downloaded - e.g. RFSim99) Win program I wish to use, I have found wine (http://www.winehq.org/) works, though it is still being developed and certainly isn’t the solution for everything.
73
John
GM8OTI