• Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]

    From Jagossel@OUTWEST to Nightfox on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 20:19:09
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to jagossel on Wed Aug 16 2017 02:37 pm

    Imagine that, I didn't think that Linux distributions still sell CDs.

    I didn't know either.. I remember when some distros cost that much, with th
    eir
    own box and manual etc..

    Ah yea, I remember (and still have the box somewhere) the Red Hat Limux 7 (before it split into two: enterprise [RHEL] and desktop [Fedora]) box, in all its glory: the black box with the Red Hat logo, and the screenshots and low-end system requirements. I think my dad got me that copy of Red Hat Linux 7 for Xmas that year. It had the manual, license agreement, card to sign up for the Red Hat Network @ US$60/year, the CD case with three CDs placed in plastic sleeves, and a floppy boot disk in the pocket.

    Ah, the good ol' days; where it was, rare, but possible, to got to Wal-Mart and pick up a Linux distribution for around ~US$60.

    Like others have already said, now-a-days, you can just simply download a net installer ISO and install Linux. Arch Linux has fully embraced that idea.

    Maybe I should go find that box again and look at the contents again. I tried to install it in a VM, but apparently it's too old to run on modern systems. Oh well...

    -jag
    Code it. Script it. Automate it!

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Jagossel on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 21:44:23
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Jagossel to Nightfox on Wed Aug 16 2017 08:19 pm

    Ah yea, I remember (and still have the box somewhere) the Red Hat Limux 7 (before it split into two: enterprise [RHEL] and desktop [Fedora]) box, in all its glory: the black box with the Red Hat logo, and the screenshots and low-end system requirements. I think my dad got me that copy of Red Hat Linux 7 for Xmas that year. It had the manual, license agreement, card to sign up for the Red Hat Network @ US$60/year, the CD case with three CDs placed in plastic sleeves, and a floppy boot disk in the pocket.

    Ah, the good ol' days; where it was, rare, but possible, to got to Wal-Mart and pick up a Linux distribution for around ~US$60.

    Yeah, I remember when it was fairly common to see Linux distros sold in stores. Even if a store these days still sells PC software, I don't see Linux distros in stores anymore.. I remember going to my local Egghead Software (when they were still around) and buying a boxed copy of RedHat Linux. I think it was around $30 or $40, and I think it was before they were known for being an enterprise Linux distro. It wasn't even the latest version of RedHat; I just wanted to get more familiar with Linux. I think it was RedHat 4.2 or somewhere around there. A few years later (1999, I think) I bought a boxed copy of SuSE Linux at CompUSA (I think it was around $50). SuSE was my favorite Linux distro for a while (I still like it overall in its current incarnation, OpenSuSE).. SuSE seemed to make it easier to get XFree86 going - It seemed to detect my video card & settings more successfully than other distros would. I think SuSE had their own special utility for configuring XFree, which worked fairly well. Now most distros seem to get the GUI running better out of the box without much fiddling.

    I thought it was pretty cool to be able to go into a store and buy a
    copy of Linux off the shelf - I thought that meant Linux had finally 'made it' (or was close to it) as a consumer operating system. These days, I still don't think Linux is a major player for desktop computers, although I occasionally hear about some PC companies installing Linux on their PCs at the factory.

    Nightfox

    ---
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@REALITY to Jagossel on Thursday, August 17, 2017 09:06:18
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Jagossel to Nightfox on Wed Aug 16 2017 08:19 pm

    Ah yea, I remember (and still have the box somewhere) the Red Hat Limux 7 (before it split into two: enterprise [RHEL] and desktop [Fedora]) box, in all its glory: the black box with the Red Hat logo, and the screenshots and low-end system requirements.

    Don't forget the Man-with-the-fedora Red Hat logo window stickers!

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  • From Jagossel@OUTWEST to poindexter FORTRAN on Thursday, August 17, 2017 11:11:54
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Jagossel on Thu Aug 17 2017 09:06 am

    Ah yea, I remember (and still have the box somewhere) the Red Hat Limux
    7
    (before it split into two: enterprise [RHEL] and desktop [Fedora]) box,
    in
    all its glory: the black box with the Red Hat logo, and the screenshots
    and
    low-end system requirements.

    Don't forget the Man-with-the-fedora Red Hat logo window stickers!

    Awe man, yea! I completely forgot about the window sticker! :D

    -jag
    Code it. Script it. Automate it!

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Vk3jed on Thursday, August 17, 2017 12:24:37
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Vk3jed to KK4QBN on Thu Aug 17 2017 12:24 pm

    I also like that their images are both USB and CD capable out of the box, no need to specially prepare them for USB. But yeah, netinst is a great way to go these days.

    I didn't think you'd normally have to do anything to prepare an ISO for USB. I've written Linux and Windows ISOs to USB flash drives and never had to do anything special.. Perhaps the software I was using did the necessary stuff for me.

    Nightfox

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  • From Vk3jed@FREEWAY to Nightfox on Friday, August 18, 2017 06:53:00
    Nightfox wrote to KK4QBN <=-

    Me too, Slackware was the first Linux I saw. Slackware was one of the first, and I think many people who looked at Linux in the early days probably had a look at Slackware.. I haven't used it in years though.
    I'm not sure it had much of a package manager (perhaps it does now?).
    I remember reading a review on Slackware where someone described it basically as an "image of some guy's hard drive".. :P

    Slackware was the second distro I tried. Worked pretty well, solid and reliable, but apt and yum make distributions much easier to manage. I switched to Red Hat (and related), and in the last 5-10 years switched again to Debian.

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  • From Vk3jed@FREEWAY to Nightfox on Friday, August 18, 2017 07:12:00
    Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-

    I didn't think you'd normally have to do anything to prepare an ISO for USB. I've written Linux and Windows ISOs to USB flash drives and never
    had to do anything special.. Perhaps the software I was using did the necessary stuff for me.

    Debian state that their ISOs are designed for DVD or USB booting. There is software that can write _any_ bootable ISO to a USB stick and make it bootable.


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  • From KK4QBN@KK4QBN to Nightfox on Saturday, August 19, 2017 16:44:03
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to jagossel on Wed Aug 16 2017 14:37:02

    I didn't know either.. I remember when some distros cost that much, with their own box and manual etc.. But you could also go to cheapbytes.com and buy a copy they'd burn onto CD-R/DVD-R for you and just pay for the media (maybe $3) and shipping.

    I know ubuntu asks for donations and all, I can understand that, and you can purchase CDs from canocial (sp) but I think they are cheaper than that..

    as I stated earlier though, maybe someone somewhere would have a need for them so... .. . .. :)

    --

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    KK4QBN BBS

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  • From KK4QBN@KK4QBN to Nightfox on Saturday, August 19, 2017 16:49:21
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to KK4QBN on Wed Aug 16 2017 14:38:33

    Slackware is the first linux I ever laid eyes on. we tried zipslack
    first,

    Me too, Slackware was the first Linux I saw. Slackware was one of the first, and I think many people who looked at Linux in the early days probably had a look at Slackware.. I haven't used it in years though. I'm not sure it had much of a package manager (perhaps it does now?). I remember reading a review on Slackware where someone described it basically as an "image of some guy's hard drive".. :P

    Yeah, thats pretty much exactly what zipslack is, and its written to a FAT system.

    After we cut our teeth on zipslack dualbooting, we finally went full slackware, and I really cannot recall any type of package manager.. it's been years since I fooled with it, but everything one would need, we would have to search for and it all came in a gzipped tar packet, and we would have to install everything to its correct area for a system install, or even build it all, which really would be preferible if one had the time for all that :)

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  • From KK4QBN@KK4QBN to Nightfox on Saturday, August 19, 2017 16:57:32
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Vk3jed on Thu Aug 17 2017 12:24:37

    I didn't think you'd normally have to do anything to prepare an ISO for USB. I've written Linux and Windows ISOs to USB flash drives and never had to do anything special.. Perhaps the software I was using did the necessary stuff for me.

    yeah.. I cant quite remember offhand but don't you just make sure you have an umounted filesystem on the usb device and use ''dd -blah.iso /dev/whatever'' yeah looks stupid.. cant remeber but it's like one command to issue and it will slap the iso on the usb drive and it be bootable and all in less than 10 minutes..

    I think its dd.. hell I might be compeletely off.. I just know it's one of the easiests things I've done after wasting hours trying to find a gui app that would do it..

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

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  • From Zeb@DMINE to Nightfox on Saturday, August 19, 2017 16:30:25
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Vk3jed on Thu Aug 17 2017 12:24 pm

    I didn't think you'd normally have to do anything to prepare an ISO for USB. I've written Linux and Windows ISOs to USB flash drives and never had to do anything special.. Perhaps the software I was using did the necessary stuff for me.

    Windows ISOs definitely need some preparation - you can't just dd them straight to a flash drive. I always have to use a program like Rufus (on Windows) or WinUSB (on Linux) to make a Windows USB drive. Most Linux distros, on the other hand, you can just dd to a flash drive.

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Zeb on Saturday, August 19, 2017 17:36:54
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Zeb to Nightfox on Sat Aug 19 2017 04:30 pm

    I didn't think you'd normally have to do anything to prepare an ISO
    for USB. I've written Linux and Windows ISOs to USB flash drives and
    never had to do anything special.. Perhaps the software I was using
    did the necessary stuff for me.

    Windows ISOs definitely need some preparation - you can't just dd them straight to a flash drive. I always have to use a program like Rufus (on Windows) or WinUSB (on Linux) to make a Windows USB drive. Most Linux distros, on the other hand, you can just dd to a flash drive.

    That's what I've done when writing ISOs to a flash drive, I've used a tool such as Rufus, etc.. Same with Linux ISOs, I've used Rufus and similar tools to write Linux ISOs to USB drives (from Windows). I didn't know you could just dd Linux ISOs to a drive and have them boot, but the tools I normally use for Windows make it as easy as opening the ISO and writing it to the drive. As I said, perhaps the tools I've used do the necessary stuff for me.

    Nightfox

    ---
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  • From Mro@BBSESINF to Zeb on Saturday, August 19, 2017 19:39:53
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Zeb to Nightfox on Sat Aug 19 2017 04:30 pm

    Windows ISOs definitely need some preparation - you can't just dd them straight to a flash drive. I always have to use a program like Rufus (on Windows) or WinUSB (on Linux) to make a Windows USB drive. Most Linux distros, on the other hand, you can just dd to a flash drive.



    in windows i do bootsect /nt60 [driveletter]:
    then copy the files over

    i think you have to grab bootsect from the ms site
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  • From Jagossel@MTLGEEK to KK4QBN on Saturday, August 19, 2017 23:31:51
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: KK4QBN to Nightfox on Sat Aug 19 2017 16:57:32

    I think its dd.. hell I might be compeletely off.. I just know it's one of t easiests things I've done after wasting hours trying to find a gui app that would do it..

    It is "dd"; I've used it many times to get images on USB flash drives, and to create floppy disk images.

    Example: dd if=/dev/zero of=/home/vmuser/imges/floppy012.img bs=512 count=2880

    That will create a zero-filled (blank) 1.44MB floppy disk image for VMs to format and use. :)

    -jag
    Code it, Script it, Automate it!

    ---
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  • From KK4QBN@KK4QBN to Nightfox on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 16:29:07
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Zeb on Sat Aug 19 2017 17:36:54

    Windows ISOs definitely need some preparation - you can't just dd
    them straight to a flash drive. I always have to use a program like
    Rufus (on Windows) or WinUSB (on Linux) to make a Windows USB drive.
    Most Linux distros, on the other hand, you can just dd to a flash
    drive.

    I spent so much time trying to find a good gui under linux to do it not knowing that it could be done with dd, then got lucky and run up on a good ubuntu forum.. wow saved so much time :)

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

    ---
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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to KK4QBN on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 15:35:46
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: KK4QBN to Nightfox on Tue Aug 22 2017 04:29 pm

    Windows ISOs definitely need some preparation - you can't just dd
    them straight to a flash drive. I always have to use a program like
    Rufus (on Windows) or WinUSB (on Linux) to make a Windows USB
    drive. Most Linux distros, on the other hand, you can just dd to a
    flash drive.

    I spent so much time trying to find a good gui under linux to do it not knowing that it could be done with dd, then got lucky and run up on a good ubuntu forum.. wow saved so much time :)

    You replied to me, but I did not write what you quoted..

    Nightfox

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  • From Vk3jed@FREEWAY to KK4QBN on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 08:33:00
    KK4QBN wrote to Nightfox <=-

    I spent so much time trying to find a good gui under linux to do it not knowing that it could be done with dd, then got lucky and run up on a
    good ubuntu forum.. wow saved so much time :)

    What's a Linux GUI? :P dd is one of my friends on a Linux box. I miss it when I'm stuck on a random Windows machine. ;)


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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Vk3jed on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 09:32:57
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Vk3jed to KK4QBN on Wed Aug 23 2017 08:33 am

    What's a Linux GUI? :P dd is one of my friends on a Linux box. I miss it when I'm stuck on a random Windows machine. ;)

    The GNU tools (including dd) are available for Windows. One that I can't do without now is grep - I got used to grep on Linux, and now I sometimes like to use it in Windows to search for text in my files.

    The GNU has a CoreUtils package for Windows that you can download, which includes dd:
    http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm

    And if you're interested, grep is also available as a standalone package: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm

    Nightfox

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  • From Jagossel@MTLGEEK to Nightfox on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 14:06:43
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Vk3jed on Wed Aug 23 2017 09:32:57

    What's a Linux GUI? :P dd is one of my friends on a Linux box. I miss i
    t
    when I'm stuck on a random Windows machine. ;)

    The GNU tools (including dd) are available for Windows. One that I can't do without now is grep - I got used to grep on Linux, and now I sometimes like
    to
    use it in Windows to search for text in my files.

    The GNU has a CoreUtils package for Windows that you can download, which includes dd:
    http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm

    And if you're interested, grep is also available as a standalone package: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm

    I will have to check that out myself when I get the chance, There were a couple of times where I needed dd in Windows to create blank floppy images.

    I've used GoW (GNU on Windows), but BASH didn't work then. Does GNUWIN32 require Cygwin or are they standalone?

    -jag
    Code it, Script it, Automate it!

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Jagossel on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 12:37:02
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Jagossel to Nightfox on Wed Aug 23 2017 02:06 pm

    I've used GoW (GNU on Windows), but BASH didn't work then. Does GNUWIN32 require Cygwin or are they standalone?

    They're standalone. Pretty much just Windows-native builds of the GNU tools (for the command prompt).

    Nightfox

    ---
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  • From Digital Man to Nightfox on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 16:45:18
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Jagossel on Wed Aug 23 2017 12:37 pm

    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Jagossel to Nightfox on Wed Aug 23 2017 02:06 pm

    I've used GoW (GNU on Windows), but BASH didn't work then. Does GNUWIN32 require Cygwin or are they standalone?

    They're standalone. Pretty much just Windows-native builds of the GNU tools (for the command prompt).

    These are the unix utils for Windows I usually install: http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

    Except for grep. I still use a Borland version of grep because it supports a recursive search with a wildcard file/pattern match. (e.g. 'grep -d BLAH \src\*.h'). The GNU greps don't support that usage.

    digital man

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  • From Vk3jed@FREEWAY to Nightfox on Thursday, August 24, 2017 09:26:00
    Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-

    What's a Linux GUI? :P dd is one of my friends on a Linux box. I miss it when I'm stuck on a random Windows machine. ;)

    The GNU tools (including dd) are available for Windows. One that I
    can't do without now is grep - I got used to grep on Linux, and now I sometimes like to use it in Windows to search for text in my files.

    Yeah, I know, heance the reference to "random Windows machine" (i.e. one where I haven't had the opportunity to install GNU tools on it). :)

    The GNU has a CoreUtils package for Windows that you can download,
    which includes dd:
    http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm

    And if you're interested, grep is also available as a standalone
    package: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm

    All of which make Windows much more useful. :)


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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Digital Man on Thursday, August 24, 2017 09:28:02
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Aug 23 2017 04:45 pm

    These are the unix utils for Windows I usually install: http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

    Except for grep. I still use a Borland version of grep because it supports a recursive search with a wildcard file/pattern match. (e.g. 'grep -d BLAH \src\*.h'). The GNU greps don't support that usage.

    Ah, interesting. I wondered if there was a way to use grep that way or a version of grep that allowed that.

    Nightfox

    ---
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  • From Digital Man to Nightfox on Thursday, August 24, 2017 11:44:28
    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Thu Aug 24 2017 09:28 am

    Re: Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Aug 23 2017 04:45 pm

    These are the unix utils for Windows I usually install: http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

    Except for grep. I still use a Borland version of grep because it supports a recursive search with a wildcard file/pattern match. (e.g. 'grep -d BLAH \src\*.h'). The GNU greps don't support that usage.

    Ah, interesting. I wondered if there was a way to use grep that way or a version of grep that allowed that.

    You can get the Borland (now Embarcadero) version of grep.exe from this package (along with a free C/C++ compiler, linker, CRTL, etc.): https://www.embarcadero.com/free-tools/ccompiler

    digital man

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  • From Chris@DMINE to Nightfox on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 21:41:04
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Jagossel on Wed Aug 16 2017 09:44 pm

    I thought it was pretty cool to be able to go into a store and buy a
    copy of Linux off the shelf - I thought that meant Linux had finally 'made i (or was close to it) as a consumer operating system. These days, I still do think Linux is a major player for desktop computers, although I occasionally hear about some PC companies installing Linux on their PCs at the factory.

    Nightfox


    I remember when you could get a box set also. Between Egghead, Walden sofware and some of the computer/book stores like CompUSA, I remember getting the early Mandrake and Redhat box sets. Even though nobody pays for it today and it's taken for granted, I always thought it was worth the $30 or so that you spent for what you got.

    Physical packaging in general for software is mostly going by the wayside, and part of me misses that.

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Chris on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 09:48:38
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Chris to Nightfox on Tue Sep 12 2017 09:41 pm

    I remember when you could get a box set also. Between Egghead, Walden sofware and some of the computer/book stores like CompUSA, I remember getting the early Mandrake and Redhat box sets. Even though nobody pays for it today and it's taken for granted, I always thought it was worth the $30 or so that you spent for what you got.

    Even back then, you could usually download the Linux distros for free even though you'd pay $30 or so in the store for a box set. It seems a little odd now when I think back on that..

    Physical packaging in general for software is mostly going by the wayside, and part of me misses that.

    I miss that too. There was something fun about going to a store, browsing, and holding a box in my hands and taking it home, and then opening it and installing it. Nowdays, I do like the ease of buying software online and downloading it, but it feels like there's something missing about it too.

    Nightfox

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  • From KK4QBN@KK4QBN to Nightfox on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 20:54:28
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Chris on Wed Sep 13 2017 09:48:38

    Physical packaging in general for software is mostly going by the
    wayside, and part of me misses that.

    I miss that too. There was something fun about going to a store, browsing, and holding a box in my hands and taking it home, and then opening it and installing it. Nowdays, I do like the ease of buying software online and downloading it, but it feels like there's something missing about it too.

    I've always loved getting packaging with my console games, etc.. but the only Linux Distro I have ever purchased on CD was Ubuntu around when it was first conceived, and I still have it put up somewhere.. it was a kick ass looking CD.

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to KK4QBN on Thursday, September 14, 2017 08:48:15
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: KK4QBN to Nightfox on Wed Sep 13 2017 08:54 pm

    I've always loved getting packaging with my console games, etc.. but the

    I did too. I also liked looking through the manual that came with my console games. I often felt like reading (or at least skimming) through the manual first would provide some useful information that would help when I started playing the game, rather than jumping into the game and not knowing what I was doing.

    Nightfox

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  • From Vaclav@DIGDIST to Nightfox on Thursday, September 14, 2017 20:06:00
    Nightfox wrote to Chris <=-


    Nowdays, I do like the ease of buying
    software online and downloading it, but it feels like there's something missing about it too.

    For me, it's the same thing missing from buying music on physical media: Resale value. Digital distribution pretty much kills the used market.



    ... This post courtesy of Crazy Vaclav's Place of Automobiles. "Put it in
    H'!"
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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Vaclav on Thursday, September 14, 2017 20:14:36
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was:
    By: Vaclav to Nightfox on Thu Sep 14 2017 08:06 pm

    For me, it's the same thing missing from buying music on physical media: Resale value. Digital distribution pretty much kills the used market.

    I agree there. And I've heard the music industry doesn't (or didn't used to) like used music sales because the publishers don't get profit from used sales, only new sales.

    Nightfox

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  • From Vaclav@DIGDIST to Nightfox on Friday, September 15, 2017 09:38:00
    Nightfox wrote to Vaclav <=-

    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was:
    By: Vaclav to Nightfox on Thu Sep 14 2017 08:06 pm

    For me, it's the same thing missing from buying music on physical media: Resale value. Digital distribution pretty much kills the used market.

    I agree there. And I've heard the music industry doesn't (or didn't
    used to) like used music sales because the publishers don't get profit from used sales, only new sales.

    Yup. Thinking about it a little more, apart from ruining our nostalgia for old things,a digital-only method of distribution can seriously hamper preservation of software, music, literature, etc for the future. What do we leave behind once the power goes out and the last servers die?

    Sorry, it's probably too early in the day to be waxing philisophical...



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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to Vaclav on Friday, September 15, 2017 09:23:05
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was:
    By: Vaclav to Nightfox on Fri Sep 15 2017 09:38 am

    Yup. Thinking about it a little more, apart from ruining our nostalgia for old things,a digital-only method of distribution can seriously hamper preservation of software, music, literature, etc for the future. What do we leave behind once the power goes out and the last servers die?

    Sorry, it's probably too early in the day to be waxing philisophical...

    :) Presumably the data would still be accessible on a hard drive. If you only have a downloaded copy of something, I think it's prudent to invest in backup media (whether that be a USB hard drive, USB flash drive, optical discs, etc.) and back up the stuff you purchase & download. I believe Steam (PC game software) even has an option to let you burn backups of your downloaded games to optical media and can let you split it across multiple discs if it's too big.

    Speaking of optical discs, I thought LightScribe was cool when LightScribe was introduced. The thing is that it's black and white and you often need to burn the LightScribe image more than once to get it dark enough, but it lets you put a more professional-looking label onto a disc rather than just writing with a marker. There are other ways to make a professional-looking disc label, with color, but I think those involve printing a paper label and sticking it onto the disc.

    Nightfox

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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@REALITY to Nightfox on Friday, September 15, 2017 08:58:27
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: Nightfox to Chris on Wed Sep 13 2017 09:48 am

    Even back then, you could usually download the Linux distros for free even though you'd pay $30 or so in the store for a box set. It seems a little odd now when I think back on that..

    I'd buy the CDs online - with a 768kb/128kb DSL line, it made more sense to
    pay a couple of bucks to one of the online places for a white label CD.

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  • From Nightfox@DIGDIST to poindexter FORTRAN on Friday, September 15, 2017 12:43:50
    Re: Slackware 14.2 Sale [Was: CD Distribution Sale]
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nightfox on Fri Sep 15 2017 08:58 am

    Even back then, you could usually download the Linux distros for
    free even though you'd pay $30 or so in the store for a box set. It
    seems a little odd now when I think back on that..

    I'd buy the CDs online - with a 768kb/128kb DSL line, it made more sense to pay a couple of bucks to one of the online places for a white label CD.

    Yeah, back then I also bought some Linux CDs online because I had dialup and didn't want to download ISOs that way. But it was still much cheaper to buy them that way. There was a site called cheapbytes.com that would basically burn the ISOs to CD-Rs for you and sell them to you for pretty much the cost of the CD-Rs and shipping.

    Nightfox

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  • From Vaclav@DIGDIST to poindexter FORTRAN on Saturday, September 16, 2017 08:57:00
    poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Nightfox <=-


    Even back then, you could usually download the Linux distros for free even though you'd pay $30 or so in the store for a box set. It seems a little odd now when I think back on that..

    I'd buy the CDs online - with a 768kb/128kb DSL line, it made more
    sense to pay a couple of bucks to one of the online places for a white label CD.

    I'd wait until Walnut Creek put out a 6 CD set ;)


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