For All you Linux version Mint GURUS

[Super Sarge]

Running the latest Mint using Mint4Win

OK!! explain this one, I installed the Thunderbird mail client version 3.xx, using software manger, I created my account it checked for mail found some this would indicate it worked.
I closed Thunderbird reopened it check for mail got error message saying server timed out/or password invalid, and Yes I did tell it to remember my password

Now here is the kicker, I go to the drive where my W7 64 bit resides I go to program files (86) Mozilla Thunderbird folder I gave permission to run the EXE from this folder and Thunderbird version 5.0 runs as advertised.
The only kicker to it I created a shortcut to the Mint desktop but it will not run from the shortcut, I have to open it from its folder in Windows 7

 

[ranchguy]

I just installed Thunderbird 3.xx on my desktop, it is remembering my password after initial setup. You could try running the testing version, I have it on my laptop, and it runs fine, never a crash in over a year. It updates every day, but you don't have to update it every day if you don't want.

You can do this without the terminal if you would rather use software installer, I'd just do it this way myself.

Start a terminal copy and paste this in exactly, press enter
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa

then copy/paste this, press enter
sudo apt-get update

then copy paste this, press enter
sudo apt-get install thunderbird-trunk

To run it you need to run thunderbird-trunk, the old thunderbird might still be on there.

I see you were trying to install Outlook with WINE. Microsoft products would be trickier probably, especially newer ones. Wine doesn't work for everything, but it does ok for some things. I did not look into installing it, what configuration is needed. If it works, there is probably a guide somewhere to set it up.

You could also try Evolution, it should already be installed, if not it's in the software installer.
Evolution Screenshots 2.4

 

[Super Sarge]

I tried various flavors of Linux over the last week, I found litle irratating things that I did not like, I will stay with W7 as it is far more customizable. Linux is faster and safer for surfing but that is not enough to ever make it my primary OS, I have never been infected on Windows and my first OS was Windows 3.0

 

[ranchguy]

W7 as it is far more customizable.

You're very, very wrong with that statement, but you are entitled to think that way if you choose to. But, I really don't know how you can think that if you even looked at anything I linked, which was but a small fraction of what a person can do, but so be it. I wasn't aware it was easy to run Windows without a taskbar, or to easily change it's width, or replace it with something that functions completely different, as examples (easily, without additional software). I saw you're screenshots, there are many, many choices for icons, the wallpaper is the same, gadgets that function on the desktop are very plentiful. You have a choice of a few completely different Window Managers even, that in itself is what I'd call more customizable. Etc., etc.

Again, a small portion of what can be done.
Eyecandy for your KDE-Desktop - KDE-Look.org
Eyecandy for your GNOME-Desktop - GNOME-Look.org

Linux is faster and safer for surfing but that is not enough to ever make it my primary OS

That's right, if it's not for you, don't use it. Free country/world/mostly.

For me, it does everything I need it to. I can make it look however I want, it's much more customizable. I can edit Video with a choice of powerful editors, same with photos, music apps, office apps, etc. The visual effects are at least as good, if not better in a lot of cases (and they can individually be changed). I keep a 7 partition on my laptop for diagnostic purposes/helping people out, the glass effect is most certainly equal at least. There is NOTHING Windows can do that I can't do with Linux (the stuff I use), all for free. And when I build my own computers as I do, I can do it for $100 or so less since I don't have to buy a license. And I can make an installable updated copy of any installation on any of my computers, and have a clean install running on a new machine in less than 15 minutes, including all hardware and software. I can count on less than one hand the number of times in the last couple years that I've had a crash or freeze causing me to have to reboot. That's why I use it. And I never had a virus on Windows either. Is it for everyone, no. But I've literally set it up for 80 year olds in my family, making cheap computers for them, and they have no problem with it the way I set it up.

I also maintain several computers in the area, including all versions of Window, Mac, and several Linux. All are happy with what they choose to use, as it's their choice.

 

[Super Sarge]

That all may be well and good, yes I have looked at your threads. Border selections suck the title bar does not show or use gradient colors as far as I can see, The icons are not as good as the 3 D one I can get for Windows, In fact when I choose a cursor it only ran inside of application, when on the desktop it showed as a default cursor. Many boards gave me ideas on how to correct but none worked. Kubuntu and Ubuntu and Mint XFCE could not find my laser printer but plain old Mint could. I prefer Office 2007 to Libre Open Office and it will not run on Linux Wine only 2007 Office Pro for install miy version is not Office Pro.. Thunderbird is as good as OUTLOOK but I prefer Outlook, I have Outlook 2010 and it does not install on Linux. I have various other programs purchased and free that will not work on Linux. Yes Wallpaper. is Wallpaper. I was only playing around with Linux and I really did not like the look nor feel of it. I grant you for Mail and surfing setting it up for old folks it is ideal as it is really safe and quick. I may be old but I still have a very active mind and feel young so I am off to woods to grandmas house to play on my windows platform. I may put Linux on my HP 9600 Laptop which since I retired do not use very much so I can still toy around with Linux

 

[NaiyaShamiso]

Linux is very powerful. I will go out on a limb and say that it is the only OS at all that can go from a workstation to a server with just the installation of software. The bulk of things that you can do is under the hood of the OS, and depends on the distribution you get. Ever since the release of SELinux, more and more distributions have gotten stingy about letting the user do what they want. Even to the point of denying root from being able to log on as a user, have to go through the sudo command. I like the idea of SELinux and it came out before the UAC on Windows, buy why dummy down the OS to the point of it being Windows. It all boils down to how much time you have to edit and change the OS. I encourage you to put it on your laptop. Though don't stop at minute changes to the OS, go full fledged into the system. If you have time I am sure you will find out that there is so much you can do with it.

 

[Super Sarge]

I have put it on my laptop mint 32 bit version, I am thinking about taking it off and replacing it with the XFCE version. I know the Boot partition should be 30 to 50 Meg
I will make the swap file 6 Gig
How big should the root partition be?
The rest will be the home partition

 

[NaiyaShamiso]

When I set up a Linux install on a single physical disk I do:

100MB - /boot
RAMx2 - swap
the rest of the drive - /

Just how I set it up and have never ran into a problem with that.

 

[Super Sarge]

I believe XFCE needs a /Home partition so what size would you recommend for a root partition

 

[ranchguy]

As I've been saying, you don't need to reinstall. Just install the package xubuntu-desktop (or something like that, I'm on a phone now so I can't check) logout, select it, log back in. That will get you XFCE. You keep all your installed software and the same hardware detection.

You could get by with less than 10GB for /

This is how I do it
15gb / just to be safe
Big as possible /home
Swap can be about 6, could be less, if you don't do hibernation
No other partitions needed

 

[Super Sarge]

I went with Mint 11 32 bit on Laptop, it is working fine. for now I will only play around with it on my laptop. I had a laptop for work but I retired 4 years ago just for work part time no big need for the laptop it makes a great machine to play around with Linux on it is a HP 9600 with 2 gig of ram

 

[catilley1092]

Super Sarge, you may want to take a look at Zorin OS. I've only had it installed a couple of weeks & am impressed with the OS. One thing, from the Start Menu, you can change the look to XP or Windows 7. This OS (on my system) is faster than Mint 12 or Ubuntu 11.10.

Also, Mint 12 still has some work to do as far as supporting AMD/ATI video cards. Their driver, which has always worked in the past, doesn't here. My desktop video card is the AMD Radeon HD 3200.

Zorin OS can be found here:

Zorin OS - Home

Take the tour & try it out. It's a good OS, I wouldn't recommend it if it wasn't, meaning that I wouldn't suggest to anyone to run any OS that's I see is unfit to use. There's some good Linux OS's & some bad ones. Same as Windows & Mac, they've had their share of flops too.

Cat