A one Month update of my Desktop Crash
A review of things since Solstice 2021.
The Desktop Crash
December 21st 2021, my desktop crashed. I still have not looked to see what the issue is. My first interim system to use was the Raspberry Pi I obtained in November of 2020.If you can afford it, the Raspberry Pi made an excellent backup for me. It worked pretty good to keep me in touch and on line. The whole thing will fit easily in a drawer the tiny keyboard and the fat mouse with short tail.
My Raspberry Pi sitting on top of my laptop that i really did not like:
(source, my own picture being re-used)
My Raspberry Pi became my primary on-line connection and computer until the start of the New Year.
Putting the Laptop to Work
After a bit, (to start the New Year off semi right), I got use to using my Raspberry Pi and decided to give Linux a try on my pretty much unused and unliked laptop computer.I needed something with more power than the Raspberry Pi for offloading and manipulating images from my camera. The Raspberry Pi was good for a lot of things, but offloading a lot of pictures was not easy on it, let alone trying to manipulate images. It worked, but was slow and sluggish.
So the cheap laptop I did not like needed to be updated, and put to use. With a little bit of Linux learning courtesy of my Raspberry PI, I decided to install Linux Mint on my laptop.
The install and set-up of Linux Mint Cinnamon on the laptop did take some work, but I did manage to get it up and running. About the only thing I really miss from my Windows 7 computer is the analog clock widget I had in the upper right hand corner of my desktop so I could see what the time was.
Using Linux has not been a bowl of cherries, there have been a few issues, a few hard seeds in the works. It is difficult for me to get use to the file system, and on windows it was pretty easy to tell programs where you wanted them installed. Not so easy a task on Linux, so for now I just let them install where they want. Of course one problem with this is I have no clue quite often where the programs went.
I did try a different desktop program, (I think they call them wrappers, but I am not sure of the terminology yet). That experience did not go well, but with a bootable thumb drive, and my files I needed backed up, boot from disk then run the restore system. Fortunately I did set a restore point a couple days before the event. (It is called "Time Shift" I think). It worked the gnu desktop was gone and things looked normal.
Learning Python3
This is going to be a long slow process for me. Currently I am still in the Turtle phase of learning. My current learning tools are the How to think like a computer scientist book, and Thonny IDE.I have learned how to use the Import function, how to make DEF statements, and how to use **for i in range() and a few other things. Right now having fun with the Turtle as a doodle pad. Making odd and different shapes from just changing a few numbers and parameters.
I have not seen any post or web pages on people making the turtle clock a workable clock, but somewhere along my Python journey I hope to be able to do that. Here is one of my doodles:
Kind of like playing with a Spirograph but on line and with code manipulation. I'm having some fun with it, it is time consuming I can get lost for hours, but the repetition is helping with remembering and learning how small bits and pieces of code work together.
The Driveway Saga, and Weather
it has been a pretty light snow season so far. We still have the remainder of Jan, and then Feb. and March for snowfalls.This season so far we have only had to be plowed twice. We still have a lot of snow, but not like the last few years.Weather has also been on again off again. We got our cold snap beginning in Nov, and it lasted well into Dec. Things started to warm up around Solstice and we had one day it got up-to 41F/5C. We had a few days maybe 5 in total that the temperatures were above freezing and the snow melted off the roof.
We are currently back in the teens above freezing, but I am not looking forward to FEB, since it can be as bitterly cold as late Nov. early Dec. For this week a mix of weather in store for us. We had a small snow about 2 inches yesterday, and some more being expected, with another storm moving up from Kodiak, so we could be in for a mix of rain and snow.
So that is pretty much it for an update on what has happened and maybe a glimpse into what is to come especially weather wise.
Python is such a valuable tool, it is like having a swiss army knife of computer productivity - do stick with it! :)
I am still trying, it seems that for the last few years I have been an on again off again with learning python. Each try I seem to remember and recall more of what I have just learned.
I can fully empathize, I am like that with NodeJS :)
For me having a project to work towards is the best way to learn, something I want to build where I can see the progress I make!
I eventually hope to make a simple clock for my desktop, it may take a long time, and a lot more learning of how Linux works, but who knows maybe I'll get there.
I started to learn Python last year, I need to get back into it, thank you for mentioning it, and good luck with your laptop!
Thanks, it is not an easy transition to Linux Mint but it is so far manageable. Every few years I keep trying to learn Python, one of theses years it will stick.
I have friends who swear that Linux is awesome
So far it is working for me, there is a lot I have yet to understand about it, but I am sure with use I will become more familiar and it will feel like old hat stuff to me. It is a bit of a learning curve, but then so was going from Windows 2000 to Windows 7 Pro.
It is all new until you are you used to it, then bam easy peasy, you are a pro already!
Great post about your Linux journey. I have enjoyed mine also.
Here is my daily driver laptop. I went thru many over the years. This one is pretty much bullet proof. (no I have not actually shot it, but have dropped it)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughbook
Your desktop looks as busy as my wifes. When I hit the bottom of the fourth column of icons I then have to make a new desktop folder knocking back to two columns. I find it hard to find the program I want when I have to many icons.
I think it is because my left eye sees better than my right eye, At one point I could manage with a whole screen of icons, not any more though.
The left side of the toughbook was all the icons of programs I have yet to investigate and try out. I have removed a few dozen that I will never use, the Kali Linux is for very experienced hacker types. Way above my pay grade. But very interesting to learn about.
I run Linux Mint on my best laptop. It is the best of the Linux Distros in my Oppinion. My fave laptop of the 4 I have up and running now is the HP Gamer. I do not take it on the road. It is crazy fast tho with that Ryzen 7.
Not a shit ton of Icons (programs) only stuff I know how to use on this rig.
It is a Mining Workhorse. I could tweak more than the 1.3 kh/s average out of it. But over clocking the CPU causes heat and longevity issues.
So far I am liking the ease of use of the Linux Mint Cinnamon. I am sure ti will take a year or more of steady use to forget about Windows 7.
Huh..?
What's a Windows 7..?
LoL
Always interesting reading about how your computer work is going. You have more patience than I, in that department.
It’s freaking cold here today! I woke up and it was 6°F and now I think we warmed up to about 20. I think it’s on its way back down into the teens tonight.
Hello winter!
I just came in from clearing the car of snow. It was pretty warm feeling and the snow was very wet, and heavy. I was surprised to see the town temp, was 30F, but I am pretty sure at my house mid 30's. They are expecting 38F by ten PM this evening. Strange weather this month. Snow plow guy may show up today, but I am not sure. We do only have about 5 inches of snow in the driveway.
I am glad I bought that little raspberry pi a couple of years ago, with out it, I would have likely just went to walmart and bought a new computer.
I bought a PC from newegg 10 years ago and it’s just starting to slow down quite a bit. I just pay bills on it and what not around the house. I’m looking at buying another laptop, but who knows… I’m not sure what I want. They make so much stuff anymore and they’re always changing some thing. Putting out something better or some thing new or something faster. I guess I’ll have to start my research again. Don’t really want to buy a new computer right now but we tend to rely on them so much.
Have fun building a snowman! I know that’s what you’re going to do now. LOL. Sounds like it’s good snowman snow.