Another linux question

Heh, Audacity is full of sadness and fail compared to Cool Edit. One thing that I couldn't stand about it was that when playing a WAV file it wouldn't scroll smoothly, it would rapidly jump ahead when the marker got to the end of the current segment. That's very annoying when you have to listen to the file while you're editing it. And when I noticed an error I needed to fix, I actually had to press stop! In Cool Edit, clicking the waveform stops the scrolling, even if you're still playing.

CE2000 also has a significantly more advanced compressor, something that I use very frequenly. Audacity doesn't even let me change the release time. And, VERY stupidly, if you apply any effects while zoomed in on the waveform, it zooms all the way out! What the hell? The blue on gray color scheme is annoying as well, and unfortunately, it can't be changed. It also seems like the whole interface is running at 5 FPS.

The level meter in CE2000 is actually maked in db from total silence all the way to clipping, and has convinient clipping indicators as well. This is useful for knowing where the noise floor is and how loud the signal is in comparison.

Small things like this matter, and make anything other than Cool Edit completely unusable to me.



Truly one of the best programs ever written. I've attatched an example of my work, a before-and-after. Listen to it, it's actually quite funny.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Your problem is that you're expecting a windows clone. And like so many others before you realized - Linux is none.
If you don't want to abandon Cool Edit you've to stick with Windows. Or use Wine, VMWare, etc. to get it running. But that's not what Linux was built for.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I wasn't expecting a Windows clone. I what I wasn't excpeting was having to use such laborious and roundabout measures to do simple program installs with a Linux distro that is supposed to be extra newbie friendly.

But I will deal with it. Despite all of my whining, I learn quickly, and soon I'll look back on my difficulties and laugh. Eventually, I would like to attempt to emulate Cool Edit, because it is the one Windows program that I really need. Otherwise, everything is working very well. If all else fails, I can keep my windows partition just for running Cool Edit.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek

I wasn't expecting a Windows clone. I what I wasn't excpeting was having to use such laborious and roundabout measures to do simple program installs with a Linux distro that is supposed to be extra newbie friendly.

See, your problem is that you're too windows bound. For the native linux user these 'simple program installs' are a breeze when working on the console. You're expecting that everything works by clicking some button. Trust if I say it's best for a 'newbie' (I really don't like that expression) to work only with console at the start. You learn a lot more than starting you linux career with a gfx interface.

Imagine someone using linux for his whole life. Now he wants to install some software package on windows. At first he does not find the package manager (nearly every linux distri has one), maybe he realizes he has to download the packages by hand from the net. This done he wonders about the strange method of mounting filesystem (C:, D: <- ???) while browsing the directories for this home-directory. Eventually he finds the exe he has downloaded, and double-clicks. After reading some serious bullshit about license, etc. the install ends and the poor guy tries to execute the application, but where to find the right icon to click?? (at least he learnt to click everything *g*)
You see, it's also hard for the linux guys to understand windows.

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Originally Posted by LiquidAcid

For the native linux user these 'simple program installs' are a breeze when working on the console. You're expecting that everything works by clicking some button.

But you have to admit that this is entirely possible on most distros these days. If an Ubuntu or Debian user doesen't want to hack "apt-get install [program]" into the terminal there is always Synaptic.
Plus graphical user interfaces have more advantages over a text-only interface than "stuff you can click on". Tool tips come to mind, intuitively organized menus, stuff like that. The console is for people who preferably know what they want and how to do it. That's not exatly newbie friendly and it never will be.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Cyrus XIII

But you have to admit that this is entirely possible on most distros these days. If an Ubuntu or Debian user doesen't want to hack "apt-get install [program]" into the terminal there is always Synaptic.

Synaptic requires just as much information and skill as using Aptitude, or even apt for that matter. Many people I know can type faster than they can click to things, and just for reference most of them are in their thirties. Not using that to say anything negative about you, but I just don't really like GUIs.

Quote:

Plus graphical user interfaces have more advantages over a text-only interface than "stuff you can click on". Tool tips come to mind, intuitively organized menus, stuff like that.

Back to our old friend Synaptic/Aptitude. Go fire up Aptitude and try to tell me that again. Besides, what if X breaks? If the person is completely reliant on gedit for editing, they'll be pretty much screwed without vi, nano, emacs, or friends (since it's really easy to break things in vim). Alternately, what if they need to get something reinstalled, but are inconfident in their skills with apt? Aptitude is much more familiar, and usable.

Quote:

The console is for people who preferably know what they want and how to do it. That's not exatly newbie friendly and it never will be.

How is it not newbie friendly? You can do everything a GUI can much faster on the terminal. I will admit to you here that I used to be a "GUI or Bust" type, but then I found the wonders of man. Namek seems to know what he's doing with Windows, just that the transition from being a "Windows Power User" to "Linux WTF" type person will confuse anyone. As an example, I have a friend's parents (in their seventies) on Linux and they can use it fine, since they're not looking for all this eclectic stuff you are (much less, they're on Gentoo).

It's all choice, though. Want it to "just work" when you were raised on the OS? Go Windows.

How ya doing, buddy?

I sure hope I know what I'm doing with Windows; I've been using it since Windows 3.1 came out! Speaking of terminals and command lines, I was an MS-DOS master! I knew every command and could navigate my way around almost as quickly as I can clicking on directories in Windows. I hope I can achieve the same proficiency in Linux.

Anyway, everything is running smoothly now, except for the fact that my laptop won't suspend properly. It seems a lot of other people have this problem as well. Also, there seems to be a problem with sound playback. I was watching a video on Youtube, and the sound was nearly one second out of sync with the video right from the get-go. It also sounded very muffled, like there was no treble at all. It runs and sounds just fine on Windows...

Not a big deal at all, but what it causing it? XMMS' MPC plugin sucks as well, it abruptly stops playing the file about five seconds before the end of the actual song, and the timer constantly goes out of synch.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Duminas

I will admit to you here that I used to be a "GUI or Bust" type, but then I found the wonders of man.

Yeah sure, same here.
I'm faster at a lot of taks with the terminal as well, one of them being software installation. My Ubuntu is a server install upgraded to a just-what-I-need desktop and for most other administrative tasks, nano and mc are my tools of choice. But you just cannot throw this at newbies and be like "here, eat up!" or act as if their Windows-grown liking for GUIs was some kind of primitive tribal tradition.
After all, Open Source software is about choice, steaming from people's individual preferences. I'd never gotten into Linux in the first place if it had not been for a solid base of easy to use graphical programs to cover my basic computing needs (like putting on some music in XMMS/BMP ... with a few no-brainer clicks). Of course, when guiding people through their first steps with Linux, I show them a few basic things on the terminal but there's usually plenty of other stuff they will regard as a tad more urgent at that point.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Heh, about three minutes ago, my copy of Linux actually crashed. I went to take a shower, and when I came back, the screensaver was on. So I moved the mouse, and bam, total system crash. I was forced to restart.

I don't really need the screen saver at all, but that is just ridiculous that trying to stop the screensaver would cause the system to fail.

Double Post:
Speaking of suspend mode, does anybody know why my sound quits working when I come out of suspend? It displays an error message, but it isn't there long enough for me to read. Is there any way I can capture this message for a bug report?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I have another question. Does anyone know of a good GUI-based partitioning tool for Linux? I've got this configured to the point where I can use it for 99% of my activities. The only thing I need Windows for is to run Cool Edit, Photoshop, and possibly some games, so I want to make that partition smaller, and this one bigger.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Qtparted should be fine for that. (Or gtparted?)

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

It's actually gparted for the Gnome version, qtparted for the KDE-ish version.

In your case, Namek, get gparted as Ubuntu uses a Gnome base. The interface is not that dissimilar to that which PartitionMagic uses, if you are familiar with the latter program.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Now how do I get it to let me edit the partitions?

How ya doing, buddy?

You cannot edit partitions on a drive which is active (mounted) in any way.

Unmount all active partitions on the volume, and try again. A Knoppix LiveCD could be of use for you.

FELIPE NO

I tried unmounting it; it still wouldn't work.

I also encountered something lame tonight. I wanted to install my preferred torrent client, ABC, but you have to compile the source yourself. Of course, there is NO documentation whatsoever. They just assume everybody knows how to do this. So I tried Azureus next, (it is on "the list") but it's dependant on a bunch of java libraries, (understandable) and, for some stupid reason, the Mozilla web browser suite (WTF). Well, I already have Firefox, so I don't need Mozilla installed, sitting around and being useless and taking up space.

Shit.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Let me guess, you're trying to work on /dev/[h|s]da, right? That'd probably be the same drive where Linux is installed. You cannot unmount the drive if Linux pulls files from it while you are within the OS. Use fdisk -l to get a list of partitions, and cat the /proc/mounts file to see what is where.

First, ABC's experimental on Linux, as far as I recall. Second, rtorrent is far superior, so grab that instead if you want.

Also, about compiling, Merv pretty well explained the process. Change into the source directory, ./configure --help, then ./configure with appropriate options, make, and sudo make install. Google would have even told you this, if you search for "Linux compile process".

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Quote:

Also, about compiling, Merv pretty well explained the process. Change into the source directory, ./configure --help, then ./configure with appropriate options, make, and sudo make install. Google would have even told you this, if you search for "Linux compile process".

I tried that. Didn't work. Should I use my camera to make a video of it as proof?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

No need for that.
What's the error? And, again, ABC on Linux is experimental. Go read their FAQ, and if the bolded experimental doesn't give it away, his warning on that page should explain why I'm against you trying to use it anyways.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Well, I'll just use the app you suggested then.

Double Post:

Quote:

Let me guess, you're trying to work on /dev/[h|s]da, right? That'd probably be the same drive where Linux is installed. You cannot unmount the drive if Linux pulls files from it while you are within the OS. Use fdisk -l to get a list of partitions, and cat the /proc/mounts file to see what is where.

It doesn't matter any way, it seems it is physically impossible to make my Windows partition smaller and reallocate the freed space to my Linux partition. Either that, or the program simply isn't advanced enough to do it.

This really sucks because I need more space to store all of my Mp3s on this partition, and just more space in general. The only way I can see of doing this is wiping the whole HD clean and restarting from the beginning with nothing but Linux, but that really isn't an option.

How ya doing, buddy?

There is a stable tool, named ntfsresize (part of the ntfsprogs package) that you can use to resize you ntfs filesystems. Do this and after that create another ext3/reiserfs/xfs/your_choice_of_linux_fs on the free space. Than you mount the new FS and voila, more diskspace directly usable within linux.

cya
liquid

I was speaking idiomatically.

It doesn't matter, I just deleted the whole Linux partition. It's too difficult to work with and just isn't usable enough, so I scrapped it.

It sucks, because that was the first Linux distro I've ever liked. It just isn't ready for use as a primary desktop OS, though.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

You should point out that's your point of view - because I think a lot of linux users would state the contrary. Try Gentoo next time - it's a lot harder to install (not using the newer gui-guided install method, but the old one), but you learn a lot about the system internals and how configuring the system to your needs. And if you finished install and config it simply works

Sad to hear you scrapped it...

cya
liquid

FELIPE NO

Hm, I kinda doubt Piccolo would have the patience for Gentoo - no offense.

In my experience a friend who knows Linux is the best way to get into the OS and stick with it in the long run. Not only is someone to talk about what distro to chose, expectations, specific requirements, etc. a big help, setup issues can be solved much faster and the healthy "don't expect a Windows"-ellbow check from time to time helps keeping things in perspective.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

There are reasons other than that. For example, my laptop wouldn't suspend properly, and when I did, I would lose all sound upon waking. Only restarting would bring it back. I always suspend my laptop when I'm not using it, so that was just unacceptable. Sound playback itself wasn't as good, either, with an obvious drop in quality and severe lagging when playing videos.

Lack of tools equivalent in quality to the tools I use in Windows was another factor. This isn't really Linux's fault per se, but rather, the fault of people who either A) Won't release their software for Linix, or B) People who write crappy programs for Linux. I'm sure it would be possible to have a Linux sound editor that's equally as awesome as Cool Edit. It's just that nobody has created it.

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A fix for your suspend problem. Before suspending, shutdown the sound system (mostly ALSA) und unload the kernel modules for the soundchip/soundcard. This can be done by script. Then on resume you only have to reload the modules and restart the sound subsystem.

There's nowhere I can't reach.