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Re:No more Mp3 -- OGG by QRDeNameland · 2007-02-23 12:17 · Score: 1 · on Microsoft to Pay $1.52 Billion in Patent Suit Damages

dBpoweramp Music Converter, often referred to the Swiss knife of audio. The basic version is free, and it will convert between just about any two audio formats you can name.

One thing to be aware of, however, is that converting from one lossy audio codec to another (e.g., MP3 to Ogg Vorbis) will result in a loss of audio quality.

Re:Request by Phroggy · 2007-01-26 11:32 · Score: 1 · on 25 Percent of All Computers in a Botnet?

Bots are basically just viruses and spyware, with a payload. Pretty much any time you hear about a new virus or worm, it turns your PC into a spam zombie, but nobody ever bothers to mention that detail.

Try AdAware, and your favorite antivirus software.

This is NOT a new story... by Anonymous Coward · 2007-01-20 19:00 · Score: 0 · on Chinese Prof Cracks SHA-1 Data Encryption Scheme

I downloaded a piece of Encryption software on CNET and it mentions that SHA-1 and MD5 had been broken.

The software is called '448 Bit Marx Encryption' and runs on Windows.

The release date was 14th Sept. 2006!

Here is the link:
http://www.download.com/448-Bit-Marx-Encryption/30 00-2092_4-10578367.html

Taxcut 2006 is free by HappyUserPerson · 2007-01-19 18:36 · Score: -1 · on What Tax Software Do You Use?

H&R Block's TaxCut 2006 Basic is completely free this year. No registration, just download (about 30 megs) and install. You pay an additional fee only if you want to e-file. Print out the forms and mail them and it's free. TaxCut Basic will handle anything as simple as 1040ez or as complex as you want (interest income, business income, etc).

Taxcut 2006 is free by HappyUserPerson · 2007-01-19 18:36 · Score: -1 · on What Tax Software Do You Use?

H&R Block's TaxCut 2006 Basic is completely free this year. No registration, just download (about 30 megs) and install. You pay an additional fee only if you want to e-file. Print out the forms and mail them and it's free. TaxCut Basic will handle anything as simple as 1040ez or as complex as you want (interest income, business income, etc).

Re:Simple MP3 player needed... by Arramol · 2006-10-30 17:38 · Score: 1 · on Windows Media Player 11 Released

Doesn't get much simpler than XMPlay. Plays your standard audio formats, great quality, and absolutely no bloat.

Re:Zune Meme Analysis by Skim123 · 2006-10-21 07:32 · Score: 1 · on A Hands-On Zune Review

Thanks for the suggestion, but this didn't work for me. I downloaded a video from YouTube using the VideoDownloader 2.0 extension for FireFox and can watch the FLV file just fine in FLV Player 1.3.3. I downloaded MPlayer 1.0pre8 Windows build from http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html and ran the command "mplayer -vo null -dumpaudio FLVfilename". It created a stream.dump file, which I then renamed to .MP3. Playing it in Windows Meadia Player indicated that it was a 43 second MP3 (even though the video is close to two minutes) and it was, sadly, 43 seconds of silence.

Any suggestions? Did I mess up somewhere? Thanks!

Multidesk by Dunx · 2006-10-13 01:02 · Score: 1 · on Virtual Desktops on Windows?

I've been using Multidesk (or possibly Mutidesk2001 - I don't have my work machine to hand to check) for years now, long before the PowerToy came out. It gives you:

up to nine desktops (MSVDM only gives you four)
hot keys to switch desktops
a workable, if inelegant, mechanism to move windows between desktops

It's by no means flawless, though - it's freeware, but not Free; and the code is old, having not been updated since Win98 days. But my Windows days at work would be vastly more painful without it.

I will be looking at some of the other recommendations in this thread, though.

Multidesk by Dunx · 2006-10-13 01:02 · Score: 1 · on Virtual Desktops on Windows?

I've been using Multidesk (or possibly Mutidesk2001 - I don't have my work machine to hand to check) for years now, long before the PowerToy came out. It gives you:

up to nine desktops (MSVDM only gives you four)
hot keys to switch desktops
a workable, if inelegant, mechanism to move windows between desktops

It's by no means flawless, though - it's freeware, but not Free; and the code is old, having not been updated since Win98 days. But my Windows days at work would be vastly more painful without it.

I will be looking at some of the other recommendations in this thread, though.

Re:The sad thing is . . . by Bazouel · 2006-09-25 10:20 · Score: 1 · on How Linux and Windows Stack Up in 2006

One out of MANY counterexamples to your argument: http://www.download.com. Come on, how many applications do you think exist on Windows ?? Do you realistically think it would be possible to have ONE central directory of all of them ? Talking about not having a clue ...

SyncBack works good for me by Zippy47701 · 2006-09-02 08:29 · Score: 1 · on It's 2006 and Backups For Home User Still Tricky?

I use SyncBack, free for download at http://www.download.com/SyncBack/3000-2242_4-10548 273.html?tag=lst-0-1/ It works great for me. I've used it for about 4 months, and so far, I haven't had any issues with it. See the website for the full feature list. zippy

Asset Navigator by extrandall · 2006-08-20 13:01 · Score: 1 · on IT Asset Tracking and Helpdesk Software?

Download a Demo Version: http://www.download.com/Asset-Navigator/3000-2651_ 4-10374256.html
Limitations: 10 computer nodes, 1 admin account

Re: Scanner Compatability by extrandall · 2006-08-20 12:59 · Score: 1 · on IT Asset Tracking and Helpdesk Software?

I believe Asset Navigator Does: http://www.alloy-software.com/solutions/am.html The company I worked for about 5 years ago was implementing barcode scanners Download a Demo Version: http://www.download.com/Asset-Navigator/3000-2651_ 4-10374256.html Limitations: 10 computer nodes, 1 admin account

Re:Galactic Civ DRM by Anomalyst · 2006-08-08 09:42 · Score: 1 · on Piracy Killing PC Gaming?

GC2 "DRM" is pretty simplistic, after registering it will add a file called, I believe, "signature.bin" I don't have my laptop in front of me. It even pops a message saying you just need to copy that file on any re-installation. So just backup the file to a USB flash drive and you can schlep the install disks around and re-install anytime any where without any additional interaction with Stardock. Can't say from experience because GC2 bluescreens the ATI driver and and the vanilla drivers will not update amy laptop. I will admit that it is a kinda PITA to do the activation but from a business ethics point of view compared to other game companies, it is almost BSD-like in permissiveness. As for the game itself, I owned a copy of the Original OS/2 version and it just keeps getting better, if you like turn based strategy games. The tunibility for challenge level, size of playing area, # of AI opponents, each race has a different "personality" that governs its goal seeking, resource allocation and more give it an excellent replayability. At $39 at provides a great value for $/hour of entertainment. They have a free trial http://www.download.com/Galactic-Civilizations-II- Dread-Lords-demo/3000-7493_4-10518894.html to see if it suits you.

Re:Not practical or profitable to develop for Linu by westlake · 2006-08-01 02:16 · Score: 1 · on Cedega and Linux Games

I spent over $500US in the last seven months on Linux games. I think this is profitable for someone>

Download.com has logged 7.5 million downloads of the SolSuite Solitaire demo for Windows. It can be really, really, hard for a Linux Geek to admit that he counts for nothing in the home PC market.

best lyrics program EVAR: -- EVILLYRICS -- by ClioCJS · 2006-07-17 08:09 · Score: 1 · on Music Industry Looking for Lyrics Payoff

EvilLyrics is the best program EVER!! (quicker download link: HERE)

Automatically search for lyrics of the song currently playing in Winamp, and display them in a tiny window. You can also store lyrics for offline viewing. This version supports Windows Media Player, Foobar2000, Sonique, iTunes, Winamp, and RealPlayer.

Not only that, but you can display the lyrics with timing -- they are hilighted as they are sung. They can also be sent to MilkDrop as they are sung. About 45,000 "karaoke" files have been created. Creating one is as simple as listening to the song once, and hilighting the lyrics yourself using the down-arrow key. Then they are uploaded and anyone else listening to that song can benefit.

I donated $50 to the author of the program, and more development is really needed. Development has been slow this past year.

His program does not actually store any lyrics; it just searches 50+ search engines for the lyrics, and frequently gets them right in 1 or 2 tries.

No single program has ever enhanced my music-listening experience more. Having a hard time understanding lyrics, I am suddenly finding the true meanings of many songs I have been listening to for 15 years or more. It is like a musical re-awakening...Suddenly being able to know every word of every The Misfits song is really sweet.

Re:Personally, I think it's a publicity stunt. by Nazo-San · 2006-07-09 21:38 · Score: 1 · on Opera Seeks Developer Input For Opera 10

Then you haven't seen the way frequently requested things are added all the time.

Such as? I'm not saying nothing gets added, I'm saying that it really feels like they aren't so much listening to requests as just adding what they think makes sense when they think of it.

Maybe extensions aren't considered to be of critical importance, or maybe it takes more than a week to implement an extensions system properly.

Maybe. Maybe extentions take more than a year because people have been calling for them for a very long time now, not just a matter of a few weeks.

Then why do Opera widgets have tens of thousands of downloads? Clearly there is something you are not getting, and clearly there is something of strategic importance with widgets, seeing as they are available on mobile phones too (they were before the PC version got widgets).

Tens of thousands? That's actually not very much when it comes to downloads. Let's take an example of something relatively worthless: Birthday Alert on Tens of thousands of downloads, yet, if you think about it, Windows, since 98 or so, has had a built in task scheduler in which you could simply make a task to give yourself a message on the specified date. Linux has had task schedulers built in to any distro in the market for as long as I've used it. But, hey, it has tens of thousands of downloads, so it must be useful huh?

Something I'm not getting you say? I tried numerous widgets, quite a few of which should have been useful (such as a unicode paster thing) and I just found that they got in the way. Perhaps it's not that I'm missing something despite the direct experience, but, instead perhaps it is that all the many people who claim widgets are pretty much a waste of time and resources might actually not be just making thigns up randomly. On a phone, maybe widgets are useful, but, then I'm not discussing the phone browser.

Also, lots of FF extensions can be "emulated" using widgets.
Emulated? Extentions do things within the browser itself. Widgets are actually pretty much external. At least I certainly have yet to see a single widget that can do things within the browser itself instead of in it's own external annoying window that gets in the way.

Except doing them with web standards is faster and cheaper, and it's easier to deploy.

What web standards? It's an Opera API... Anyway, if you want a so called "web standard" Java has been known all over the web for a lot longer. Java apps will work in pretty much any browser, while Opera widgets will only work in, you guessed it, Opera. Plus Java isn't even limited to the browser and can be 100% external. It's also quite easy to program for as even I could do simple applications after only a couple of weeks or so of a low level OO class that focused on Java. Some very useful and popular applications use Java, such as the well known BitTorrent client, Azureus. Name one well known popular widget.

Or take a long time. Or aren't a priority for some reason. Sometimes, long awaited features arrive only after some major rewrite since they relied on some kind of functionality which wasn't present yet.

Yes, this is true and I don't disagree. The flaw in this explanation is the fact that extentions have been a request for several major revisions. By now they could have worked in whatever might have been needed had they wanted.

Huh? What about the suggestions about better web dev tolls?

What's a dev toll, and how does it in any way disprove that only a few suggestions from devs are likely to be any more useful than "support x standard in W3C document y" (which my point is that they'll get around to eventually anyway, so the main thing that would do is prioritize.)

Re:Do you have to be 'genuine' and run WGA first? by westlake · 2006-07-01 07:29 · Score: 1 · on Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3 Reviewed

If so, i think ill pass.

Click to validate the OS, click to download the software. Done.
Click to validate the OS on installation. Done.

That is sum total of time and thought the average user will give to WGA.

Downloads through Download.com: 213,000 (June 29th-3PM ET July 1st) Internet Explorer Beta 3 (SP2)

A fundamental change of spam economy by ericald · 2006-05-02 04:22 · Score: 2, Informative · on BlueSecurity Database Compromised?

What many spammers already understand, including the criminal who is now threathening Blue Security's users and trying to DDoS their website, is that this is a new era in the fight against spam - and for the first time, spammers know they are losing the fight.

This is not just another passive mesure tryig to keep spam away; Blue Security's solution undermines the economy spammers rely on, the economy that motivates them to send billions of unsolicited messages. They know they will have to adapt to this new reality - some will comply now (Blue Security claims top spammers already comply) and others will try to put up a fight before understanding they have no other choice but to stop spamming the users that are willing to stand up for their rights and do something to fight spam.

I call all Internet users with any sense of responsibility for the future of the Internet to join the ranks of the Blue Community and make sure that spammers realize that common sense and justice will prevail.

Blue Frog can be downloaded from Blue Security's site or from major download sites such as download.com.

Do the right thing - join the fight now!

-- A proud member of the Blue Community

http://www.bluesecurity.com/register
http://download.bluesecurity.com/BlueFrog
http://www.download.com/Blue-Frog/3000-2092_4-1052 7188.html (download.com)

Re:Corporate version? by Neoprofin · 2006-04-13 06:35 · Score: 1 · on Aero To Be Unavailable To Pirates

Actually:

Movie Maker
Movie Maker
WMP

And that's with two google searches and only looking at the first five results, if you utilized ultra extreme 133t tactics like bittorrents I'm sure you could find even more. Or, as I said, VLC and MPC, which most pirates would be using anyway, because WMP is garbage. Pirates never have to buy anything. Where there's a will there's a way.

Re:Corporate version? by Neoprofin · 2006-04-13 06:35 · Score: 1 · on Aero To Be Unavailable To Pirates

Actually:

Movie Maker
Movie Maker
WMP

And that's with two google searches and only looking at the first five results, if you utilized ultra extreme 133t tactics like bittorrents I'm sure you could find even more. Or, as I said, VLC and MPC, which most pirates would be using anyway, because WMP is garbage. Pirates never have to buy anything. Where there's a will there's a way.

Re:Application Virtualization by Anonymous Coward · 2006-04-12 11:59 · Score: 0 · on An Overview of Virtualization Technology

The Altiris product (Software Virtualization Solution) is managable via any framework. You can use command line strings, WMI calls, or API Calls to manage the installation and activation of the virtual packages you create. You could even use login scripts if you don't own an Enterprise Software Delivery tool. If you do, Altiris has GUI's that snap into the Altiris Console, and there is also an MMC snap in Microsoft's SMS too. However, it's not required if you choose to code your own automation or use command line strings that you somehow execute remotely. There's even a user based self service tray app that allows you to reset and activate and decactive layers too, if you trust your users with that much functionality once the virtualized apps are installed.

Conflicts aren't an issue because each install is sandboxed. You can litterally have multiple versions of the same file in the same directory. Each application uses the version it installed, and doesn't touch the version another app installed. It's similar to a traditional type of application isolation (DLL redirection) but isn't limited to DLL's. The entire application is isolated to a hidden redirection directory, including all it's registry keys. The app executes normally, except that the virtualization driver redirects file requests to the hidden areas of the machine.

Offline access isn't a problem. Altiris SVS installs to a local hidden directory, there is no server required or any other communication over the wire to make the virtualized app work. Citrix and Softricity use radically different approaches. SVS installed apps behave normally, and in most cases the user never knows they are using a virtualized application.

I agree, it is dissappointing that the article doesn't mention this new method of virtualization, which works on older hardware, is extensible via any framework, and does not change the end user experience.

Oh, and it's free for personal use:

http://www.download.com/Software-Virtualization-So lution/3000-2651_4-10516818.html

Must-have software? by crossmr · 2006-04-11 15:39 · Score: 5, Informative · on Useful Apps for First-Time Windows Users?

AVG:
http://free.grisoft.com/
Ad-aware:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Editi on/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
Spybot Search and Destroy:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000 -8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-2
Hijack This!:
http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-103 79544.html?tag=lst-0-1
Firefox:
http://www.firefox.com/
Trillian:
http://www.trillian.cc/
Spywareblaster:
http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022_4 -10486084.html?tag=lst-0-1
And just about anything from:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/index.html

Must-have software? by crossmr · 2006-04-11 15:39 · Score: 5, Informative · on Useful Apps for First-Time Windows Users?

AVG:
http://free.grisoft.com/
Ad-aware:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Editi on/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
Spybot Search and Destroy:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000 -8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-2
Hijack This!:
http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-103 79544.html?tag=lst-0-1
Firefox:
http://www.firefox.com/
Trillian:
http://www.trillian.cc/
Spywareblaster:
http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022_4 -10486084.html?tag=lst-0-1
And just about anything from:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/index.html

Must-have software? by crossmr · 2006-04-11 15:39 · Score: 5, Informative · on Useful Apps for First-Time Windows Users?

AVG:
http://free.grisoft.com/
Ad-aware:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Editi on/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
Spybot Search and Destroy:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000 -8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-2
Hijack This!:
http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-103 79544.html?tag=lst-0-1
Firefox:
http://www.firefox.com/
Trillian:
http://www.trillian.cc/
Spywareblaster:
http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022_4 -10486084.html?tag=lst-0-1
And just about anything from:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/index.html

Must-have software? by crossmr · 2006-04-11 15:39 · Score: 5, Informative · on Useful Apps for First-Time Windows Users?

AVG:
http://free.grisoft.com/
Ad-aware:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Editi on/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
Spybot Search and Destroy:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000 -8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-2
Hijack This!:
http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-103 79544.html?tag=lst-0-1
Firefox:
http://www.firefox.com/
Trillian:
http://www.trillian.cc/
Spywareblaster:
http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022_4 -10486084.html?tag=lst-0-1
And just about anything from:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/index.html

The Only Windows Software you Need... by No+Salvation · 2006-04-11 15:36 · Score: 3, Funny · on Useful Apps for First-Time Windows Users?

AVG, Zone Alarm, AD-Aware and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and you should be set.

Re:Linux to Real Networks... by Ilgaz · 2006-04-11 04:57 · Score: 1 · on Real Networks to Linux - DRM or Die

Yea, http://www.download.com/RealPlayer/3000-2139_4-102 55189.html (23 million downloads), helix itself is installed on 60 million Symbian handhelds and http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/ 15540 http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/8428 (419.000+122.000 downloads on OS X).

Good morning already.

Re:Nice Idea, but No Thanks by BruceCage · 2006-04-09 03:06 · Score: 5, Informative · on Firefox Extension Guide and More

There are, how about the Extend Firefox contest or CNET download.com's Best Firefox Extensions and Optimizing Firefox.

And this article doesn't even mention ScrapBook even though it has to be one of the most revolutionary ways to organize reference material. Just check it out, it won 'Most Useful Upgraded Extension' in the Extend FF contest.

Re:Nice Idea, but No Thanks by BruceCage · 2006-04-09 03:06 · Score: 5, Informative · on Firefox Extension Guide and More

There are, how about the Extend Firefox contest or CNET download.com's Best Firefox Extensions and Optimizing Firefox.

And this article doesn't even mention ScrapBook even though it has to be one of the most revolutionary ways to organize reference material. Just check it out, it won 'Most Useful Upgraded Extension' in the Extend FF contest.

Re:It'll be the same story as always by SpiritGod21 · 2006-03-30 12:04 · Score: 1 · on Anti-malware Vendors Stare Down Microsoft Threat

Except the anti-spyware bundled with Symantec and McAfee is largely worthless. I don't know how many computers I've had to fix that had one of those programs installed where part of the solution was uninstalling Norton/McAfee and putting on Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and AVG. Generally, when I run Ad-Aware, Spybot doesn't catch anything else... but sometimes it does, and the Immunization feature is nice.

Re:It'll be the same story as always by SpiritGod21 · 2006-03-30 12:04 · Score: 1 · on Anti-malware Vendors Stare Down Microsoft Threat

Except the anti-spyware bundled with Symantec and McAfee is largely worthless. I don't know how many computers I've had to fix that had one of those programs installed where part of the solution was uninstalling Norton/McAfee and putting on Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and AVG. Generally, when I run Ad-Aware, Spybot doesn't catch anything else... but sometimes it does, and the Immunization feature is nice.

Re:It'll be the same story as always by SpiritGod21 · 2006-03-30 12:04 · Score: 1 · on Anti-malware Vendors Stare Down Microsoft Threat

Except the anti-spyware bundled with Symantec and McAfee is largely worthless. I don't know how many computers I've had to fix that had one of those programs installed where part of the solution was uninstalling Norton/McAfee and putting on Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and AVG. Generally, when I run Ad-Aware, Spybot doesn't catch anything else... but sometimes it does, and the Immunization feature is nice.

Oh? You want a book? by irimi_00 · 2006-03-29 06:45 · Score: 2, Interesting · on Beginning Ubuntu Linux

This book is great and if you can't install Unbuntu yourself; go and buy the book. But here is what I did:

I wanted to migrate away from Windows.
I am sorta tech savvy - I know the different parts of a computer, I can trouble shoot some basic problems, and I can type "getting your printer to work in ubuntu' into google.

My point is, instead of paying 40 dollars for a book, here is what you do:

1.Go download the Ubuntu ISO
http://mirror.mcs.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/CDs/5.10/ ubuntu-5.10-install-i386.iso

2.Go get some burning software, I had to download a few free ones off downloads.com to find that actually worked burning isos as they claimed to, but you probably have some installed, I'm sure.
http://www.download.com/Click-N-Burn-CD-DVD/3000-2 646_4-10461707.html?tag=lst-0-5
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0-2-0.html?qt=bu rning&author=&titlename=&desc=&li=49&os=&swlink=&g filetype=
I installed slackware a few years ago and my friend spent like 5 hours helping me configure it to get everything to work and it still gave me problems.
It was a pain, or else one of us just overcomplicated it.

Once Ubuntu was installed... it just worked wonderfully. I sometimes forget I'm not using windows and any non GPL software. The install went like this: insert CD, boot off cd, go through install process, Ubuntu won't start up, switch to boot of IDE-0 in bios - Everything is perfect

I also installed automatix, and Auto Packages
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=13840 5
http://autopackage.org/docs/howto-install/index.ht ml

I don't like computers particularly, I'm not a poweruser or a nerd, and I don't really game. Ubuntu provides me near full functionality for what I need - more than windows ever did.

CentOS provides other options too, but why use Windows if you don't have to?
I feel like such a subversive.
So do what works for you.

Oh? You want a book? by irimi_00 · 2006-03-29 06:45 · Score: 2, Interesting · on Beginning Ubuntu Linux

This book is great and if you can't install Unbuntu yourself; go and buy the book. But here is what I did:

I wanted to migrate away from Windows.
I am sorta tech savvy - I know the different parts of a computer, I can trouble shoot some basic problems, and I can type "getting your printer to work in ubuntu' into google.

My point is, instead of paying 40 dollars for a book, here is what you do:

1.Go download the Ubuntu ISO
http://mirror.mcs.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/CDs/5.10/ ubuntu-5.10-install-i386.iso

2.Go get some burning software, I had to download a few free ones off downloads.com to find that actually worked burning isos as they claimed to, but you probably have some installed, I'm sure.
http://www.download.com/Click-N-Burn-CD-DVD/3000-2 646_4-10461707.html?tag=lst-0-5
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0-2-0.html?qt=bu rning&author=&titlename=&desc=&li=49&os=&swlink=&g filetype=
I installed slackware a few years ago and my friend spent like 5 hours helping me configure it to get everything to work and it still gave me problems.
It was a pain, or else one of us just overcomplicated it.

Once Ubuntu was installed... it just worked wonderfully. I sometimes forget I'm not using windows and any non GPL software. The install went like this: insert CD, boot off cd, go through install process, Ubuntu won't start up, switch to boot of IDE-0 in bios - Everything is perfect

I also installed automatix, and Auto Packages
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=13840 5
http://autopackage.org/docs/howto-install/index.ht ml

I don't like computers particularly, I'm not a poweruser or a nerd, and I don't really game. Ubuntu provides me near full functionality for what I need - more than windows ever did.

CentOS provides other options too, but why use Windows if you don't have to?
I feel like such a subversive.
So do what works for you.