OS & Browser Compatability

socrates · 10-05-2002, 02:31 PM

Hello

Can anyone please answer these questions for me.

<b>
1] I imagine that Win98 OS works best with IE browser. If this is so what is the best OS to use if you are a fan of

a)Netscape
b)Mozilla
c)Opera

2] Having used and grown up with Win95/98, I am thinking of spreading my wings and trying something else. What I would like to know is if I change to Linux or Solaris, does that mean that all my Win software for printers, scanners and Internet/Antivirus software become useless, or do these OS's recognise and use this type of software?

3]Can anyone recommend an OS syatem for somebody wanting a change from Windows for no other reason than curiosity?</b>

Thanks for your help.

Cam · 10-05-2002, 02:58 PM

I just installed Linux on my computer and am impressed with it's usability so far. Installing hardware and configuring certain things are a little harder but if your curious you probably will be able to figure it out.
If you want to you can install Linux and Windows on the same computer. That way you can switch back and forth and keep your windows programs and the OS you know easily available for those times you get frustrated with Linux.

It is possible to run Windows software on a Linux environment, but it's not just as simple as double clicking. I havn't figured out how to do it, but Wine is a windows emulation program and will run windows programs. I'd check out Linux.org, and winehq.com, and do a search on them for more information to help you make a decision.

I have no experience or knowledge of Solaris so I can't give you any info on it.

Nic Name · 10-05-2002, 03:12 PM

Curiosity killed the cat.

I'd recommend changing to a much more robust and stable version of the operating system you are already familiar with.

Windows XP Professional would seem like a new operating system compared to Windows 95/98, and most of your familiar software will work just fine.

elSicomoro · 10-05-2002, 03:12 PM

NS always seemed to run best on a Mac...I don't know how version 6 is though. I'm still running 4.7 on Win95...and it sucks.

Cam · 10-05-2002, 04:11 PM

XP is a great OS, I agree. Unless your good at figuring computer things out, your probably are better off upgrading. But if you like challenges you should try Linux.

And about your brower question, I have XP on my computer at home and run Phoenix. But we have Win 98 on our computers at work and I've downloaded it and it runs pretty well.

10-06-2002, 12:55 PM

1) Mac OS X is probably the best operating system you'll ever run, but none of your current software will work. You'll have to find replacements, which is generally really easy for the big stuff (Office, IRC apps, etc), but little things may be more different.

2) Solaris is god-awful. It sucks on anything less than 32 processors. It isn't called "Slowaris" for nothing. If you want to run it in x86... HAHAHAHAHAHA. And if you want to run it on UltraSPARC, well, you need to buy new hardware anyway, which is good and expensive (and relatively slow, too). Solaris is great for development, but not as a personal computer. Don't even consider this option.

3) Linux is good fun, but it will keep you from doing some things you want to do, and it will always be a pain in the ass. There will almost always be something that isn't working quite right (if you try to push your system, anyway). Otherwise, it's great. I used it exclusively for nearly three years. I just switched to...

4) Windows XP Pro, which is the best consumer operating system for x86 hardware. I don't consider anything before Windows 2000 "usable", and XP improves on 2000 in a number of ways. This is probably the way to go, because all of your software will run and you'll get the benefits of improved speed and stability.

Incidentally, really fast computers can be built for relatively cheap now. Consider upgrading your hardware; a 1.4GHz Athlon with 512MB of RAM and a very decent video card (along with a 40GB hard drive) can be had for under $500.

As far as browsers, here's my breakdown:

Windows/Linux:

Speed and overall goodness: Mozilla's Phoenix
Everything but the kitchen sink: Mozilla
For those pages that just won't render in Mozilla: Internet Explorer 6 (Windows only, obviously)

Mac OS X:

Speed and overall goodness: Chimera
Everything but the kitchen sink: Mozilla
For pages that won't render in Mozilla: Internet Explorer 5.2.2

Solaris: Don't even bother.

kyoryu · 10-06-2002, 01:39 PM

Well, I'd have to say that AmigaOS is probably the best OS. EVAR. True pre-emptive multitasking years before any other commercial OS (yes, even Mac) had it, all in 1MB of RAM.

However, it died due to lack of support, which brings up a slightly more important point:

The best OS is not the OS that is best from a technical standpoint. It is the OS that lets you do the things you want to do, and run the software you want to run.

That being said, any Win2k or XP are really great. Linux is great at being a server, though I do know a few people (mostly zealots) that try and use it as a main desktop OS.

I really don't get Macs any more. PCs have caught up to them in graphics ability, and almost any decent Mac software is also available on the PC at this point.

BTW, I know a few people that use Opera and seem to really like it (on the Win platform). Haven't had a chance to mess with it too much, but the gestures rock

mbpark · 10-06-2002, 02:53 PM

Actually,

I had an Amiga 1200 about 1 year ago. While it has a nice UI, AmigaOS still has a lot of quirks. I was running 3.1 with 20MB of RAM and a 2GB HD. I also had an 030/40 in it.

Nice OS, but not too suited to the modern world. I was happier with my 200Mhz Cyrix box running Red Hat 6.1 in 64MB RAM. While I liked amIRC and the web browsers, it just had a very weird UI. I like OSX's and Windows 2000's. XP I put in classic mode whenever I have to use it, since I can't stand the new UI.

However, it did its job in a small amount of RAM, and got most of its speedup from the fact that there was no memory protection whatsoever.

Now, I'm running a 1GHz P3 with 512MB RAM and a 40GB HD with Windows 2000 Professional. I may consider putting Linux on a second HD, but considering I have everytihng filled in there now that I have a 32X CDRW, and DVD-ROM, I may not. That, and Linux drivers for my hardware aren't the greatest, especially my ATI All In Wonder Radeon 7500.

Actually, I'm considering getting an AmigaOne, if and when they come out with AmigaOS 4.0. At least then the OS will be running on PPC then, and be a little faster

. That, and they'll have a lot of Linux apps ported over, since the new developers are using GCC.

Mitch

juju · 10-08-2002, 10:28 PM

Konqueror is also a very good web browser for Linux. It's light and fast. I believe that when KDE 3.1 comes out, it will be able to do tabbed browsing.

socrates · 10-12-2002, 07:15 AM

Netscape 7.0
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020823 Netscape/7.0

Hi Guys

I am using the above browser. I have a small problem when I open up another tab or window as an alert window comes up with a message saying

'the connection was refused when attempting to connect to ad.doubleclick.net'

This is so annoying as you have to cancel it everytime to move on.

Any ideas?

Socrates

jaguar · 10-12-2002, 07:19 AM

Stop using netscape, it bites ass. Get mozilla, it does not.

I'm prettry sure the error is to do with the advertising shite in netscape.

socrates · 10-12-2002, 07:46 AM

trying phoenix 0.2 now

cheers

That Guy · 10-12-2002, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by socrates
Netscape 7.0
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020823 Netscape/7.0

'the connection was refused when attempting to connect to ad.doubleclick.net'

Try adding a line to your hosts file that says:
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net

In *nix you'll find it in /etc, in Winslows, you'll find it in the i386 folder probably in either the windows directory or winnt directory. Just use the search util, as I have no idea what OS you use.

jaguar · 10-13-2002, 05:16 AM

windows/system32/drivers/etc
or WINNT

MaggieL · 10-13-2002, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by blowmeetheclown
Try adding a line to your hosts file that says:
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net

I'd expect that to cause a "connection refused" message too...except on machines that are running their own web server. I've got a customized very short 404 message on my Apache for exectly that reason.

10-05-2002, 02:31 PM	#1
socrates Always Learning Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 31	OS & Browser Compatability Hello Can anyone please answer these questions for me. <b> 1] I imagine that Win98 OS works best with IE browser. If this is so what is the best OS to use if you are a fan of a)Netscape b)Mozilla c)Opera 2] Having used and grown up with Win95/98, I am thinking of spreading my wings and trying something else. What I would like to know is if I change to Linux or Solaris, does that mean that all my Win software for printers, scanners and Internet/Antivirus software become useless, or do these OS's recognise and use this type of software? 3]Can anyone recommend an OS syatem for somebody wanting a change from Windows for no other reason than curiosity?</b> Thanks for your help.

10-05-2002, 02:58 PM	#2
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	I just installed Linux on my computer and am impressed with it's usability so far. Installing hardware and configuring certain things are a little harder but if your curious you probably will be able to figure it out. If you want to you can install Linux and Windows on the same computer. That way you can switch back and forth and keep your windows programs and the OS you know easily available for those times you get frustrated with Linux. It is possible to run Windows software on a Linux environment, but it's not just as simple as double clicking. I havn't figured out how to do it, but Wine is a windows emulation program and will run windows programs. I'd check out Linux.org, and winehq.com, and do a search on them for more information to help you make a decision. I have no experience or knowledge of Solaris so I can't give you any info on it. __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail. Last edited by Cam; 10-05-2002 at 03:00 PM.

10-05-2002, 03:12 PM	#4
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Re: OS & Browser Compatability NS always seemed to run best on a Mac...I don't know how version 6 is though. I'm still running 4.7 on Win95...and it sucks.

10-05-2002, 04:11 PM	#5
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	XP is a great OS, I agree. Unless your good at figuring computer things out, your probably are better off upgrading. But if you like challenges you should try Linux. And about your brower question, I have XP on my computer at home and run Phoenix. But we have Win 98 on our computers at work and I've downloaded it and it runs pretty well. __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail.

10-06-2002, 02:53 PM	#8
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	I ran AmigaOS for a bit Actually, I had an Amiga 1200 about 1 year ago. While it has a nice UI, AmigaOS still has a lot of quirks. I was running 3.1 with 20MB of RAM and a 2GB HD. I also had an 030/40 in it. Nice OS, but not too suited to the modern world. I was happier with my 200Mhz Cyrix box running Red Hat 6.1 in 64MB RAM. While I liked amIRC and the web browsers, it just had a very weird UI. I like OSX's and Windows 2000's. XP I put in classic mode whenever I have to use it, since I can't stand the new UI. However, it did its job in a small amount of RAM, and got most of its speedup from the fact that there was no memory protection whatsoever. Now, I'm running a 1GHz P3 with 512MB RAM and a 40GB HD with Windows 2000 Professional. I may consider putting Linux on a second HD, but considering I have everytihng filled in there now that I have a 32X CDRW, and DVD-ROM, I may not. That, and Linux drivers for my hardware aren't the greatest, especially my ATI All In Wonder Radeon 7500. Actually, I'm considering getting an AmigaOne, if and when they come out with AmigaOS 4.0. At least then the OS will be running on PPC then, and be a little faster . That, and they'll have a lot of Linux apps ported over, since the new developers are using GCC. Mitch

10-05-2002, 03:12 PM	#3
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	Curiosity killed the cat. I'd recommend changing to a much more robust and stable version of the operating system you are already familiar with. Windows XP Professional would seem like a new operating system compared to Windows 95/98, and most of your familiar software will work just fine.

10-06-2002, 12:55 PM	#6
dave Guest Posts: n/a	1) Mac OS X is probably the best operating system you'll ever run, but none of your current software will work. You'll have to find replacements, which is generally really easy for the big stuff (Office, IRC apps, etc), but little things may be more different. 2) Solaris is god-awful. It sucks on anything less than 32 processors. It isn't called "Slowaris" for nothing. If you want to run it in x86... HAHAHAHAHAHA. And if you want to run it on UltraSPARC, well, you need to buy new hardware anyway, which is good and expensive (and relatively slow, too). Solaris is great for development, but not as a personal computer. Don't even consider this option. 3) Linux is good fun, but it will keep you from doing some things you want to do, and it will always be a pain in the ass. There will almost always be something that isn't working quite right (if you try to push your system, anyway). Otherwise, it's great. I used it exclusively for nearly three years. I just switched to... 4) Windows XP Pro, which is the best consumer operating system for x86 hardware. I don't consider anything before Windows 2000 "usable", and XP improves on 2000 in a number of ways. This is probably the way to go, because all of your software will run and you'll get the benefits of improved speed and stability. Incidentally, really fast computers can be built for relatively cheap now. Consider upgrading your hardware; a 1.4GHz Athlon with 512MB of RAM and a very decent video card (along with a 40GB hard drive) can be had for under $500. As far as browsers, here's my breakdown: Windows/Linux: Speed and overall goodness: Mozilla's Phoenix Everything but the kitchen sink: Mozilla For those pages that just won't render in Mozilla: Internet Explorer 6 (Windows only, obviously) Mac OS X: Speed and overall goodness: Chimera Everything but the kitchen sink: Mozilla For pages that won't render in Mozilla: Internet Explorer 5.2.2 Solaris: Don't even bother.

10-06-2002, 01:39 PM	#7
kyoryu Non-Newbie Sort Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 6	Well, I'd have to say that AmigaOS is probably the best OS. EVAR. True pre-emptive multitasking years before any other commercial OS (yes, even Mac) had it, all in 1MB of RAM. However, it died due to lack of support, which brings up a slightly more important point: The best OS is not the OS that is best from a technical standpoint. It is the OS that lets you do the things you want to do, and run the software you want to run. That being said, any Win2k or XP are really great. Linux is great at being a server, though I do know a few people (mostly zealots) that try and use it as a main desktop OS. I really don't get Macs any more. PCs have caught up to them in graphics ability, and almost any decent Mac software is also available on the PC at this point. BTW, I know a few people that use Opera and seem to really like it (on the Win platform). Haven't had a chance to mess with it too much, but the gestures rock

10-08-2002, 10:28 PM	#9
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Konqueror is also a very good web browser for Linux. It's light and fast. I believe that when KDE 3.1 comes out, it will be able to do tabbed browsing.

10-12-2002, 07:15 AM	#10
socrates Always Learning Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 31	netscape7 Netscape 7.0 Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020823 Netscape/7.0 Hi Guys I am using the above browser. I have a small problem when I open up another tab or window as an alert window comes up with a message saying 'the connection was refused when attempting to connect to ad.doubleclick.net' This is so annoying as you have to cancel it everytime to move on. Any ideas? Socrates

10-12-2002, 07:19 AM	#11
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Stop using netscape, it bites ass. Get mozilla, it does not. I'm prettry sure the error is to do with the advertising shite in netscape. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

10-12-2002, 07:46 AM	#12
socrates Always Learning Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 31	trying phoenix 0.2 now cheers

10-13-2002, 05:16 AM	#14
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	windows/system32/drivers/etc or WINNT __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

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