Jigglybootch
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2004
- Posts
- 1,770
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- 12
Yesterday I officially began another foray into Linux. I've used Linux before, but never really stuck with it. But with my choices being Linux and Vista (choices that don't involve purchasing new hardware, i.e. buying a Mac), I opted for Linux. Vista has too much system overhead, and with my computer being a couple of years old (and outfitted with a rather weak video card) I sometimes have issues with Vista (mainly playing HD movies; they stutter and skip). Basically, in order to get Vista to run smoothly, I was going to need to upgrade my computer, which is something I'm purposely trying to avoid (at least until I pay off that Bravia XBR5). So I went back to Linux.
I'm purposely trying to avoid using Ubuntu. Nothing against it really, I just want something else. I started with Fedora. Things seemed to be working OK, but any time I put a CD/DVD into the optical drive (even blank discs) the tray would automatically close after I ejected it, meaning I either had to grab the drive tray and hold it open to remove the CD, or I had to restart the computer and eject the CD before the OS loaded. Not cool. I have no idea what caused this. Needless to say, I wasn't too happy because I was really starting to like Fedora.
I decided to try OpenSUSE next. I'd read good things about it so I figured, "Hey, what the hell." I installed it (with KDE 3.5, as I feel KDE 4 is a bit too green at this point) and fell in love. I generally don't get along with KDE and always find a reason to dump it and go back to GNOME. I also have mixed feelings about companies heavily modifying things and sort of "branding" their distro, but I have to be honest. Novell's additions to the standard KDE desktop fit very well with KDE in general. I can't really describe it, but for the first time I was using a KDE desktop and really enjoying it more than GNOME. That was, of course, until I found my sound card wouldn't work. Everything seemed to indicate that the card was recognized and configured properly, yet it wouldn't work. Naturally, I'm freaking out at this point because I really liked OpenSUSE. At this point, I figured I'd never truly be satisfied with Linux so I bit the bullet and reinstalled Vista.
Vista lasted all of 10 minutes. I decided to give Fedora another chance. I installed it (again) and immediately began testing to see if I could replicate my previous issue. I couldn't. Excitement ensued. I then set about downloading and installing updates. But after about an hour, Fedora was still downloading updates and was nowhere near being finished. It didn't take nearly as long to update the first time around, and I installed more packages that time. At this point, I decided I was going to try OpenSUSE one more time.
So I (again) installed OpenSUSE. I knew exactly what needed to be done. I was going to get sound output come hell or high water. I played around with the mixer settings forever, but to no avail. I was ready to punch something when I remembered some stuff I'd read in regards to this very same issue on the OpenSUSE forums. It seemed that others were having the same issue with OpenSUSE 11 and the Audigy 2 ZS. I thought back to what I read and found settings in the mixer that seemed to correspond to that. One mouse click later, my sound was working. At that point, I decided to just go to bed.
And that brings me to now. I'm still running OpenSUSE, though my friend was quite certain that I'd wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and decide to install Gentoo. I haven't yet gone about installing any codecs or the like to watch any videos. I will eventually, though. But so far, I'm really liking OpenSUSE, and it only took 4 hard drive formats in one day to figure that out.
I'm purposely trying to avoid using Ubuntu. Nothing against it really, I just want something else. I started with Fedora. Things seemed to be working OK, but any time I put a CD/DVD into the optical drive (even blank discs) the tray would automatically close after I ejected it, meaning I either had to grab the drive tray and hold it open to remove the CD, or I had to restart the computer and eject the CD before the OS loaded. Not cool. I have no idea what caused this. Needless to say, I wasn't too happy because I was really starting to like Fedora.
I decided to try OpenSUSE next. I'd read good things about it so I figured, "Hey, what the hell." I installed it (with KDE 3.5, as I feel KDE 4 is a bit too green at this point) and fell in love. I generally don't get along with KDE and always find a reason to dump it and go back to GNOME. I also have mixed feelings about companies heavily modifying things and sort of "branding" their distro, but I have to be honest. Novell's additions to the standard KDE desktop fit very well with KDE in general. I can't really describe it, but for the first time I was using a KDE desktop and really enjoying it more than GNOME. That was, of course, until I found my sound card wouldn't work. Everything seemed to indicate that the card was recognized and configured properly, yet it wouldn't work. Naturally, I'm freaking out at this point because I really liked OpenSUSE. At this point, I figured I'd never truly be satisfied with Linux so I bit the bullet and reinstalled Vista.
Vista lasted all of 10 minutes. I decided to give Fedora another chance. I installed it (again) and immediately began testing to see if I could replicate my previous issue. I couldn't. Excitement ensued. I then set about downloading and installing updates. But after about an hour, Fedora was still downloading updates and was nowhere near being finished. It didn't take nearly as long to update the first time around, and I installed more packages that time. At this point, I decided I was going to try OpenSUSE one more time.
So I (again) installed OpenSUSE. I knew exactly what needed to be done. I was going to get sound output come hell or high water. I played around with the mixer settings forever, but to no avail. I was ready to punch something when I remembered some stuff I'd read in regards to this very same issue on the OpenSUSE forums. It seemed that others were having the same issue with OpenSUSE 11 and the Audigy 2 ZS. I thought back to what I read and found settings in the mixer that seemed to correspond to that. One mouse click later, my sound was working. At that point, I decided to just go to bed.
And that brings me to now. I'm still running OpenSUSE, though my friend was quite certain that I'd wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and decide to install Gentoo. I haven't yet gone about installing any codecs or the like to watch any videos. I will eventually, though. But so far, I'm really liking OpenSUSE, and it only took 4 hard drive formats in one day to figure that out.
