Partitioning drive (desktop), using old programs and Windows 7/Linux
by Wild Vagabond from LinuxQuestions.org on (#4YFFS)
Questions for the Linux forum - from a neophyte
I have been using Windows 7 and do not want to upgrade or purchase a new computer. (There is no continued support for Windows 7.)
What I would like to do is:
1. Continue to use my old-fashioned Windows programs (list below), and also:
2. Use some version (recommendations please) of Linux for browsing and operating the system.
3. My initial thought is to somehow partition my hard drive (something I have never done) and use one partition for Linux - connecting to the internet and maintain my web site (html) and such, and the other partition to run my old programs. I looked at WINE and it seems to be gamer-focused (I am not a gamer) and says nothing about the programs I use, as far as I can tell.
Perhaps I'd develop the web page additions using my old tools, then use Linux to send files, email, and other connection tasks - might this work?
Maybe there are Linux alternatives to all these programs, yet somehow I doubt it. Am I incorrect? I imagine there are Linux alternatives to Windows Explorer and MS word/excel (which are able to read and use old files) - not sure.
Maybe there is a better way to approach this than partitioning, suggestions please.
4. Do this on the most stable Linux platform - so that modifications and updates after updates are not needed. A friend told me that the MX version is very stable and easy to use.....?
5. I really have no idea how to proceed and could use some (OK, a lot of) help. I'm not a programmer or a computer person, yet someone who likes to do stuff with computers (not caring about the intricacies of how they work). I'm an old guy and did not grow up using computers; they are like a foreign language to me.
My system:
Desktop, Dell, studio XPS
Processor - Intel (R) core i7 CPU
Installed memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
System type - 64 bit
Windows 7 - home program 1
2 TB hard drive (installed after original drive crashed)
Approximately 245 GB of files - mostly jpg photos, text files, word files, pdf files
Connection is via a (slow) DSL set-up.
My web domain address is: http://wildernessvagabond.com/index.html
This website is not fancy. It's oriented to trip reports (hiking, biking) and little else. I mostly copy and paste code because I really don't know what I am doing, code-wise. It seems to work and that's all I care about. Silly me, I think that decent writing and relevant photos are more important than flashy programming, partly because I am not a programmer in any sense of the word.
The (old) programs I use to maintain and build this website include:
Batchthumbs (by Harmware) - to resize and create html for photo sets (see the website for examples - recent reports are most illustrative).
Notepad
Adobe photoshop elements 10
Smoky City Design\The Panorama Factory V5\PFactory_64.exe for stitching together panorama photos
Microsoft word 2003 (initial text work - copied to Notepad)
FileZilla - for ftp transfers to/from server
Epson Scanner - Perfection V500 Photo and text
Windows Explorer - for organizing files and photos
Other programs include:
Thunderbird mail
Seagate backup plus hub (8GB)
2003 microsoft office excel
Norton Antivirus - provided by my internet service provider
I have a Brother HL-5370DW printer - and hope that Linux has a driver for it?
Perhaps for the Epson Scanner - Perfection V500 too?
I do some things via web-based programs, such as gaiGPS mapping (creating files/maps on the web, sending them back and forth to the smartass phone), farcebook (no apps), GPS Visualizer, google maps, etc. - and assume that using Linux handles all these sorts of things just fine. Is this correct?
Among my biggest concerns are:
1. operating BatchThumbs and Panorama Factory (alternatives?)
2. using Photoshop elements 10 (is there a Linux alternative?)
3. using my scanner and printer
4. using the Seagate backup hub as a means to back-up files
Thanks for wading through my notes and questions.
What will be the smart and easy and non-technical and safe (no data or hair loss) way to proceed?
Thanks and cheers, WV
I have been using Windows 7 and do not want to upgrade or purchase a new computer. (There is no continued support for Windows 7.)
What I would like to do is:
1. Continue to use my old-fashioned Windows programs (list below), and also:
2. Use some version (recommendations please) of Linux for browsing and operating the system.
3. My initial thought is to somehow partition my hard drive (something I have never done) and use one partition for Linux - connecting to the internet and maintain my web site (html) and such, and the other partition to run my old programs. I looked at WINE and it seems to be gamer-focused (I am not a gamer) and says nothing about the programs I use, as far as I can tell.
Perhaps I'd develop the web page additions using my old tools, then use Linux to send files, email, and other connection tasks - might this work?
Maybe there are Linux alternatives to all these programs, yet somehow I doubt it. Am I incorrect? I imagine there are Linux alternatives to Windows Explorer and MS word/excel (which are able to read and use old files) - not sure.
Maybe there is a better way to approach this than partitioning, suggestions please.
4. Do this on the most stable Linux platform - so that modifications and updates after updates are not needed. A friend told me that the MX version is very stable and easy to use.....?
5. I really have no idea how to proceed and could use some (OK, a lot of) help. I'm not a programmer or a computer person, yet someone who likes to do stuff with computers (not caring about the intricacies of how they work). I'm an old guy and did not grow up using computers; they are like a foreign language to me.
My system:
Desktop, Dell, studio XPS
Processor - Intel (R) core i7 CPU
Installed memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
System type - 64 bit
Windows 7 - home program 1
2 TB hard drive (installed after original drive crashed)
Approximately 245 GB of files - mostly jpg photos, text files, word files, pdf files
Connection is via a (slow) DSL set-up.
My web domain address is: http://wildernessvagabond.com/index.html
This website is not fancy. It's oriented to trip reports (hiking, biking) and little else. I mostly copy and paste code because I really don't know what I am doing, code-wise. It seems to work and that's all I care about. Silly me, I think that decent writing and relevant photos are more important than flashy programming, partly because I am not a programmer in any sense of the word.
The (old) programs I use to maintain and build this website include:
Batchthumbs (by Harmware) - to resize and create html for photo sets (see the website for examples - recent reports are most illustrative).
Notepad
Adobe photoshop elements 10
Smoky City Design\The Panorama Factory V5\PFactory_64.exe for stitching together panorama photos
Microsoft word 2003 (initial text work - copied to Notepad)
FileZilla - for ftp transfers to/from server
Epson Scanner - Perfection V500 Photo and text
Windows Explorer - for organizing files and photos
Other programs include:
Thunderbird mail
Seagate backup plus hub (8GB)
2003 microsoft office excel
Norton Antivirus - provided by my internet service provider
I have a Brother HL-5370DW printer - and hope that Linux has a driver for it?
Perhaps for the Epson Scanner - Perfection V500 too?
I do some things via web-based programs, such as gaiGPS mapping (creating files/maps on the web, sending them back and forth to the smartass phone), farcebook (no apps), GPS Visualizer, google maps, etc. - and assume that using Linux handles all these sorts of things just fine. Is this correct?
Among my biggest concerns are:
1. operating BatchThumbs and Panorama Factory (alternatives?)
2. using Photoshop elements 10 (is there a Linux alternative?)
3. using my scanner and printer
4. using the Seagate backup hub as a means to back-up files
Thanks for wading through my notes and questions.
What will be the smart and easy and non-technical and safe (no data or hair loss) way to proceed?
Thanks and cheers, WV