Ready to wipe MS Win 8.1 and load a Linux version, but

[wayne49]

Mint 18.3, current most up to date.

I dont have bluetooth working on the current laptop (a Lenovo Edge 15), other than that Linux has worked near perfectly for all these years.

I have a Lenovo laptop with the crazy integrated wifi and bluetooth comm device. Got the wifi working, but could never get the bluetooth to function.

Think Penguin has a bluetooth usb dongle that works with Linux, just plug and play. That is what I use for Bluetooth.

 

[Charly]

wayne49,

found it here : https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI thanks. The wifi has always worked just fine.

And thanks for help via PMs. had a couple other questions specific to the park. Will figure a way to get those answered.

----
And as far as using Linux. It is super simple. I have been able to google everything I have needed to know to keep it going without issue. The command line is nothing that should stop anyone from using Linux in my opinion. I rarely need to and help abounds.

 

[Charly]

Keeping a win PC run Win7Pro only for Yaesu programming ham channels & relay stns on 2 Yaesu's, FT857D mobile and VX8DR handy talky. 
I dislike windows intensely.
Yes, awesome Mint 18.3, I also bought a $240 HP notebook, and now running Linux Mint only on it, after brute forcing Linux OS onto it, took 3 days to get past & delete HP OS. Can't stand dual boot, that's just me though.

My Icom programming software was windoze based, i was able to run it in WINE, but CHIRP just started supporting it, so no need for that any longer.

 

[SoulRaven]

My Icom programming software was windoze based, i was able to run it in WINE, but CHIRP just started supporting it, so no need for that any longer.

Lucky you! 
With Yaesu's, I wasn't so lucky. WINE did not like the Yaesu prog software, which I already had. It was all a gift from my kid, after I passed all 3 tests back in 2014. I would have had to buy chip cable to use CHIRP. So I dusted off his i5 Dell, old Win PC, got them programmed. Need to redo soon, to add in North AZ freq's.

 

[tx2sturgis]

REAL hams can field program a radio from the keypad.

Heck, Chuck Norris can do it blindfolded and with a full body cast. 

 

[Matlock]

REAL hams can field program a radio from the keypad.

Heck, Chuck Norris can do it blindfolded and with a full body cast. 

a telepathic link possibly, mind meld indeed!

Anyway, I just noticed this thread had been revived and wanted to chime in.... I've given up on the Linux dual boot, did a clean install of Windoz 8.1, sold the old dell Vista and bought a new Asus w/SSD and Win10.
I use the 8.1 laptop for surfin and the new Win10 for financials only.
Guess I'm too stubborn to tackle another OS.

 

[SoulRaven]

REAL hams can field program a radio from the keypad.

Heck, Chuck Norris can do it blindfolded and with a full body cast. 

TAH.

 

[Motrukdriver]

This laptop I'm using is an old Dell Inspiron 1545 I've repaired/upgraded three times. New keyboard, screen, screen bezel, upgraded memory, upgraded processor, new hard drive and windows 8.0 upgraded to 8.1 (it came with 7). Originally bought it for my son to take to college and every time he came home from school it was dead. Viruses from... less than family friendly sites. It eventually was just dead dead so he left it and didn't want it back. I took it and started repairing it starting with the hard drive and slowly over a few years and it bouncing around in the big truck it now my everyday laptop. Blazing fast from the processor and memory upgrade as well as a very fast internet connection. I like 8.1 and will never upgrade this one to 10. I have an older Dell laptop I bought to be a dedicated KODI box from a used computer store that has 10 installed on it. Don't like it. I had to buy an emergency laptop in the truck when this screen went black and I was on the road (I pay my bills online of course) so I bought an ASUS and it has 10 installed. Still don't like it. My very old HP Pavilion that is in pieces waiting to be reassembled has 7 on it and I'll probably upgrade that to 8.1 when I finally put it back together. Bottom line here is I have a laptop with 8.1 and one with 10. Side by side I much prefer 8.1 over 10. I still prefer 7 over any of them but with only 2 more years of extended support for it is why I'll most likely upgrade the HP when I finish it. Lets see, I use Firefox about 99% of the time and I manually clear out the cache about once a week, ccleaner and clean master to get rid of all the junk files and clean master has an option to verify and upgrade any drivers that are out of date or slow, I use eusing registry cleaner to get rid of crap registry markers, avast for virus and malware issues and I defrag the hard drive about once every 3 months or so. Like I said, blazing fast. Oh, I also use classic shell so it looks and feels like 7. My 2 cents...

 

[SoulRaven]

"Linux is well known to be a friendly OS, but Linux also chooses who its friends will be." 

An old Linux "published" joke & can be quite true, where some may know & understand through their own experiences. 

Like any other OS, upgrades can be lousy & cause issues, similar to Win7Pro vs Win10. I will stick with Win7Pro for older programs, which will always work for my needs without ever having to upgrade unless I buy new Win programs which I won't likely do, but will use Linux OS on main PC for online whatevers.

 

[SoulRaven]

I use Firefox about 99% of the time

Have you considered or tried Opera browser? It is much faster than Firefox, & does sync from all your devices after setting up an Opera account, and does it well. Has many good features as well as numerous apps & extensions. Its speed dial & bookmarking system is close to amazing. 
It is an easy DL at opera.com

 

[Motrukdriver]

I have the latest version installed already. That's the browser I use the other 1% of the time. I've tried a bunch of them over the years and I just got the most comfortable with Firefox. This Firefox Quantum is good. Check this site for browser speed comparisons.

http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/articles/fastest-browser/

Note: This is a website that compares the differences between the major web browsers.