Community Forums

docj · 11-06-2022, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theoldwizard

Regarding email : DO NOT USE ANY WEB BASED APPLICATION !

With all due respect this might have been a good suggestion in the "pre-smart phone" era. But now many of us jump back and forth from phones to laptops and web-based mail applications mean that we always have all our mail available to us.

theoldwizard · 11-06-2022, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

With all due respect this might have been a good suggestion in the "pre-smart phone" era. But now many of us jump back and forth from phones to laptops and web-based mail applications mean that we always have all our mail available to us.

AND THUNDERBIRD ALLOWS THIS !!

The only thing you would not see is message specifically downloaded to a folder stored on your PC.

theoldwizard · 11-06-2022, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dons2346

Bought a Lenovo a month ago with 11 on it. At first it was a bust but slowly things are coming into place. It is a touch screen but I use a mouse because the DW has a thing about fingerprints on the screen. My old puter is a 7 machine

My "main" computer (the one I am currently typing on) is Win7.

Other than it is officially "not supported", I see no reason to replace it. I can not upgrade to Win10 or Win11 because there are no drivers available.

For the little I do on this machine, I am very seriously thinking of going to Linux !

Does anyone know if TurboTax will run on Linux WINE ?

smiller · 11-07-2022, 07:55 AM

Linux is the answer... no bloat, upgrades are only when and if you want them (imagine... actually having a choice

, more secure, no requiring your email address, no constant marketing something or another, no licensing issues, works well on just about any hardware vintage, and on and on. I just said no to Windows a few years ago and have never looked back, so glad to be off that silly treadmill.

I would suggest the Mint distro for users transitioning from Windows as the UI is very similar. There is a bit of a learning curve of course but for someone like the OP who uses only the web and email and such there won't be much difference at all. And these days installation is easy.

Linux has multiple equivalents to popular Windows programs that are for the most part equal or better. There will always be a few Windows programs you can't do without and my solution is to use virtualizing software and just run a Windows VM when needed, in which case compatibility is ensured. But I hardly ever use the Windows VM these days, maybe just for tax software or the like.

Alan_Hepburn · 11-07-2022, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theoldwizard

Does anyone know if TurboTax will run on Linux WINE ?

Haven't tried it recently but back about 5 years ago I couldn't get it to work with WINE...

docj · 11-07-2022, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Haven't tried it recently but back about 5 years ago I couldn't get it to work with WINE...

And it still doesn't run on Linux:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/ta...n%20the%20job.

smiller · 11-07-2022, 10:15 AM

TurboTax has always been one of the more difficult ones. As above I have found it easier to install a Windows virtual machine than fussing with WINE anyway, and using that method compatibility is virtually assured since as far as the application is concerned it is running under a full version of Windows. Either VMware Workstation or VirtualBox are free and pretty easy to install. You will need a copy of a Windows OS of your choice (I use Win10) in .iso form (on disk or CD or USB stick, doesn't matter) to do the install but that is very easy to acquire.

theoldwizard · 11-07-2022, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sibe

If I could ditch windows, I would.. I have Ubuntu Linux on my web browers machines and when traveling.. no complaints.

I strongly encourage you to try Thunderbird ! Just make sure that when you set it up you select IMAP. That way all of your mail stays on the server unless you specifically download it to a local folder.

Tip : When setting up Thunderbird, make sure to create a LOCAL Drafts folder and then tell Thunderbird to use this (Settings -> Copies & Folders -> Drafts and Templates). Now you can create new email even when you are not online !

theoldwizard · 11-07-2022, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiller

Linux is the answer... no bloat, upgrades are only when and if you want them (imagine... actually having a choice

, ...

I agree ! Other than things like TurboTax I really have no need for Windows. (I refuse to use the online version of TurboTax.)

What I really need for Linux is a lightweight screen shot and graphics editor. GIMP is great but "too heavy" (or maybe I should say I have not spent time learning it).

smiller · 11-07-2022, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theoldwizard

I agree ! Other than things like TurboTax I really have no need for Windows. (I refuse to use the online version of TurboTax.)

What I really need for Linux is a lightweight screen shot and graphics editor. GIMP is great but "too heavy" (or maybe I should say I have not spent time learning it).

GIMP is fully featured but definitely overkill for simple tasks. There are several lightweight graphic editing apps for Linux but I was so used to the popular Windows app irView that I still use that with Linux since it runs very well under WINE.

DaddyRV779 · 11-07-2022, 11:18 AM

MS had been thinking they could sell a lot of touch screen devices, partly due to a decline in sales of desktop computers...so Win11 came out, but cross-platform compatibility issues continually come up, especially with some updates, which is probably why some see similarities between Win8 and Win 11.

Oh yeah...in case you haven't heard...MS is already talking about Win12 development and release.

Tom_M · 11-08-2022, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [B

What I really need for Linux is a lightweight screen shot and graphics editor.[/B] GIMP is great but "too heavy" (or maybe I should say I have not spent time learning it).

I don't run Linux but I found this:
https://www.pinta-project.com/

A Linux flavor is available.

bdornbush · 11-10-2022, 02:55 PM

I recently upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 when the screen on my old laptop died. All went just fine except for one of my printers, a Canon MG6120. Canon chose to not upgrade the driver so I cannot use it with Windows 11. Fortunately, I have another computer accessible to me that is still on Windows 10 so I use it to print to that printer. The laser printer works fine with either 10 or 11. I suggest that you check your printers and similar devices to be sure they won't stop working, if that is important to you.

Gary P. · 11-10-2022, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCatsRV

Not too different from Win 10 which is not too different from Win 7. I had one running on a VM on Win 10 and it didn't seem all that much different, but since it wasn't supported on my machine (too old), I elected not to make a permanent UG as Win 10 works for me. Not touchscreen oriented (as far as I can tell) as Steve Ballmer's Win 8 was.

Am I wrong? I've been looking for a new machine and focused on W10 because I'd read W11 is now subscription - cost forever. I'd rather buy it once and use it until I have to upgrade again.