Computer Question

[progmatist]

What is Linux?

Linux is one of many flavors of Unix. Windows stands alone as the only major OS not based on Unix. Every other one: Apple's Mac OS and iOS, Android, Amazon Fire OS, et cetera, et cetera are some variant of Unix. What sets Linux apart is the very elegant kernel designed by Linus ("Lean-us") Torvalds. Mac OS on the other hand is built on the clunky FreeBSD kernel. BTW: the kernel is the heart of any OS. Windows also has a kernel, which is completely different from any Unix kernel.

[moecurlythanu]

I just noticed that Windows 11 is ready to be downloaded and installed for free. They also say that some programs that ran on Windows 10 won't on Windows 11. Has anybody made the move yet, and if so, what do you think? Any problems?

Well, nobody replied on this so I decided somebody had to run point. I downloaded and installed Windows 11, and so far, it's been excellent. Some more icons on the lower task bar, and a slightly different appearance here and there. Chrome seems to be faster now. Don't know if the OS would have an impact on that, but...Anyway, much recommended here.

[SteveSly]

Well, nobody replied on this so I decided somebody had to run point. I downloaded and installed Windows 11, and so far, it's been excellent. Some more icons on the lower task bar, and a slightly different appearance here and there. Chrome seems to be faster now. Don't know if the OS would have an impact on that, but...Anyway, much recommended here.

[progmatist]

Well, nobody replied on this so I decided somebody had to run point. I downloaded and installed Windows 11, and so far, it's been excellent. Some more icons on the lower task bar, and a slightly different appearance here and there. Chrome seems to be faster now. Don't know if the OS would have an impact on that, but...Anyway, much recommended here.

Also running Win11 on my newest 10th Gen i5 machine. All my other machines aren't even candidates....at least not yet. Win11 has some Linux features: like the ability to open a terminal window directly from the current folder. In the old command prompt, one has to issue a series of CD (Change Directory) commands to navigate to the folder in question. There's also the ability to install Linux "Virtual Machines" to run Linux/Unix apps. And I say "Machines" plural because one can install many distros of Linux, like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, et cetera, et cetera.

[MudShark22]

if they have made VMs easier to install - then maybe I will run a linux VM and roll my own phone OS - #luneOS



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[Dave (in MA)]

I just noticed that Windows 11 is ready to be downloaded and installed for free. They also say that some programs that ran on Windows 10 won't on Windows 11. Has anybody made the move yet, and if so, what do you think? Any problems?

No real problems, and most people wouldn't be bothered by it but I like to have every task with its own entry on the taskbar and they stopped letting you unstack icons which I find a bit annoying; ditto for no longer supporting the classic-style Start menu. Apart from those I can't think of anything else right now. I guess I'd say it was the smoothest transition between OS versions that I can recall.

[progmatist]

if they have made VMs easier to install - then maybe I will run a linux VM and roll my own phone OS - #luneOS



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Seriously, if your phone is an android, you can install Linux from the Google Play Store. Then run it as an app, and from within that app do anything Linux can do. I have no way of verifying this, but don't see any reason iOS can't do it as well. It was always easy to run XWindows and one's preferred Linux GUI on Mac OSX, along with any linux app from within XWindows and the GUI.

[SteveSly]

So…….I have another chapter to my computer saga. For a while it seemed to be working normally again, but about a week ago it once again was like wading through quicksand. In the last couple of days I discovered something. When I am using the computer off the battery, and not plugged in to a power source, it runs fantastic until the battery dies out. As soon as I plug in the power chord, everything slows way down again. My computer is only a bit over a year old. The battery will still hold about 2 to 3 hours of power, but it does eventually run out. The computer also does not seem to be charging as fast as it used to. I am not sure if this is just my imagination or not, but it seems slower.

Anyone had any issues like this?

[MudShark22]

batteries can he fickle and laptop batteries most of all. If yours is "self replaceable" then thatbis an option.

What your seeing is the struggle of the PC to both charge and function (e.g. your activity) at the same time and as such - cannot power either effectively or efficiently.

That said - does not seem like an old battery to be having such issues.

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[markwoll]

There are some windows housekeeping chores that will happen only ( or usually ) when plugged in. Waiting a bit before using the computer ( on but idle ) may improve performance when you use it later.
If you use the laptop on battery, run it down and then try to use it you may be running into the charging taking too much of the power so the processors may throttle back until the battery is charged.
Also if you use any external peripherals ( external hard drive, charging off of the usb, etc ) during the charge time it might slow things too.
In the Dell bios there may be some battery/power settings that can be adjusted. On newer models you can specify 'normal' usage patterns.
By default it is adaptive, Primary AC use ( which can extend battery life ) , standard, custom. Adaptive is best for most.

[Garyhead]

Anyone having attempted charges on your credit cards? I'm getting daily credit card declines since last Wednesday. Must be Putin's backup plan to buy bullets.

[progmatist]

There are some windows housekeeping chores that will happen only ( or usually ) when plugged in. Waiting a bit before using the computer ( on but idle ) may improve performance when you use it later.
If you use the laptop on battery, run it down and then try to use it you may be running into the charging taking too much of the power so the processors may throttle back until the battery is charged.
Also if you use any external peripherals ( external hard drive, charging off of the usb, etc ) during the charge time it might slow things too.
In the Dell bios there may be some battery/power settings that can be adjusted. On newer models you can specify 'normal' usage patterns.
By default it is adaptive, Primary AC use ( which can extend battery life ) , standard, custom. Adaptive is best for most.

There are also different power profiles within Windows for when the machine is plugged in, and when it isn't.

[SteveSly]

Thanks all for your input! I will try some of your suggestions.

[SteveSly]

If anyone is interest here is an update on my computer issues. After trying most of the things suggested on this thread, I was still having problems with my laptop, so I decided to take it in to my local computer shop. He figured out the problem was the charge port that was causing all my problems, so I had it replaced. It is now working great again.

Thanks again for all of you who gave me suggestions.

[SteveSly]

I have a new computer question that is probably stupid and easy to figure out, but I am not having much luck.

I very rarely buy downloads. I usually buy CD’s and then burn them on to Itunes. Umphrey’s McGee just came out with a new album that is not available on CD. I purchased the download from their website. It downloaded onto my PC as a Zip file. I can find it, open it and play it. My problem is, I want to move this to I-Tunes so that I can sync it with my Ipod. I can’t figure out how to do it. I went on YouTube and it looks like it should be as easy as right clicking on the file and moving it to Itunes, but that does not work. I am sure it is easy, but I am not figuring it out. Anyone have any suggestions?

[MudShark22]

If you are playing them from the zip, you will need to "extract" the files from the zip and place/save somewhere else before moving to itunes

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[Plasmatopia]

After you unzip the file you open iTunes, go to File and Import. You then navigate to the location of the unzipped file. Usually there's a folder (the result of the unzipping process), you click on that folder and click Open.

[SteveSly]

Thanks guys I got it to work! Curious is there any way I can set things up so downloads go directly into I-Tunes by default?

[Plasmatopia]

Thanks guys I got it to work! Curious is there any way I can set things up so downloads go directly into I-Tunes by default?

I think when you download and unzip the file it (at least on my computer) ends up in the Downloads folder. When you go into iTunes and point it to the newly created folder I believe iTunes then copies the files into the appropriate place in your iTunes library (organized by artist). Not sure, even if you were to find a way to automate that process and create the appropriate folder in the appropriate place in your iTunes library, whether iTunes would even recognize the songs in the new folder without going through that process of pointing iTunes to the new folder. Someone may correct me here, but I'm pretty sure the "Import" function is necessary to update the iTunes library database which keeps track of the location of all your music.

[SteveSly]

I think when you download and unzip the file it (at least on my computer) ends up in the Downloads folder. When you go into iTunes and point it to the newly created folder I believe iTunes then copies the files into the appropriate place in your iTunes library (organized by artist). Not sure, even if you were to find a way to automate that process and create the appropriate folder in the appropriate place in your iTunes library, whether iTunes would even recognize the songs in the new folder without going through that process of pointing iTunes to the new folder. Someone may correct me here, but I'm pretty sure the "Import" function is necessary to update the iTunes library database which keeps track of the location of all your music.

Let me ask this question. I often buy CD's on Amazon. If I buy them new they come with a free download, but they go to Amazon Music and not to I-tunes. If I just buy a download it goes to Amazon music and I have not figured out a way to get it to I-tunes. I burn CD's to I-tunes, but can't do it if it is a download only CD. Is there anyway to get downloads from Amazon Music to I-tunes?

[rdclark]

If iTunes and Amazon Music are on the same computer, there's a setting in AM to automatically export your purchases to iTunes. It's in Settings, "Export Downloads to." Works both for purchased MP3's and for "Autorip" MP3's.

(BTW, a terminology note: you "rip" the tracks from a CD and save them to the computer. You take tracks from a computer and "burn" them to a CD-ROM.)

[Jerjo]

I steer iTunes to a file on my external hard drive. If I rip a CD I'll have a lossless copy on the main drive of the PC and then an iTunes MP3 rip on that external drive. If I download something from Bandcamp, I'll store the FLAC file in one place and steer iTunes to import the MP3 from that external drive. I use my phone for my daily walk/exercise and I end up rotating a fair amount of music through iTunes and the phone. If it sounds complicated, it's really not.

[progmatist]

Let me ask this question. I often buy CD's on Amazon. If I buy them new they come with a free download, but they go to Amazon Music and not to I-tunes. If I just buy a download it goes to Amazon music and I have not figured out a way to get it to I-tunes. I burn CD's to I-tunes, but can't do it if it is a download only CD. Is there anyway to get downloads from Amazon Music to I-tunes?

Trying to download Amazon music directly into iTunes is a little like going to Safeway, and asking where they keep the Kroger brand products.

[SteveSly]

If iTunes and Amazon Music are on the same computer, there's a setting in AM to automatically export your purchases to iTunes. It's in Settings, "Export Downloads to." Works both for purchased MP3's and for "Autorip" MP3's.

(BTW, a terminology note: you "rip" the tracks from a CD and save them to the computer. You take tracks from a computer and "burn" them to a CD-ROM.)

I am obviously not very tech savvy, but thanks for the info.

[SteveSly]

I steer iTunes to a file on my external hard drive. If I rip a CD I'll have a lossless copy on the main drive of the PC and then an iTunes MP3 rip on that external drive. If I download something from Bandcamp, I'll store the FLAC file in one place and steer iTunes to import the MP3 from that external drive. I use my phone for my daily walk/exercise and I end up rotating a fair amount of music through iTunes and the phone. If it sounds complicated, it's really not.

I still use an old Ipod Classic when I walk, so I am not really sure what a FLAC or lossless file is?