[Linux4christians] Welcome

[Ken Sprouse / WA3FKG]

On Sun, Nov 6, 2011 at 8:22 AM, Lincoln Fessenden <l4c at thelinuxlink.net>wrote:

> I see there have been a barrage of new users signing on to the l4c list as
> of late and I wanted to take the opportunity to welcome you all and invite
> you to tell us all a little about yourself and how you use Linux.
>
> My name is Linc and I am a full time IT guy and the Senior Linux admin for
> Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.  I am also a minister and ex
> pastor.  Ex in the facility that I no longer pastor a church, but not that
> I have somehow given up or lost my faith.  I think a lot of my calling now
> is to provide an avenue for Christians to associate, communicate and
> fellowship around here in the intertubes.
> I use Linux ALL the time, as you can imagine, and have since around 1998
> or so.  I also occasionally use Mac OS X and I find my iPad invaluable when
> I am in the datacenter.
> My current favourite distribution is Linux Mint on the desktop, simply
> because it's the one that I have to fuss with the least to get working the
> way I like it.  I also use RedHat and CentOS constantly as a server admin
> and am RedHat certified.  In the past I was a Slackware junkie but have
> also extensively used Ubuntu and Arch and have tried, at least once, almost
> anything else you could name.
> I am the co founder of the Lehigh Valley Linux User Group and also have
> been doing a techie podcast called the LinuxLink TechShow for 8 years, long
> before there was such a thing as podcasts
> So, who's next?
>
> --
> -Linc Fessenden
>
> In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right...
>
>
My name is Ken Sprouse and I have been "tinkering" with Linux since around
version 5.0 of Red Hat because I am a ham radio operator and wanted to
combine the two hobbies.  I work for the IT department of a Fortune 500
company doing just about anything that doesn't fall into someone else's job
description and maintaining a DB2/2 database for our repair department.  We
are primarily a Windows shop but I sneak a Linux box in whenever I get the
chance.

A few years ago I was asked to help set up a file server for our
church/school and of course I suggested Linux.  We are now running the file
server which also acts as our Internet gateway,  filtering web pages and
hosting a shared calendar.  We have another box running Asterisk that
controls VoIP phones all over the building.  I run Linux because it put the
"fun" back into computers for me.  I go back to the pre-DOS days and have
tried most of the operating systems that have been on the market and a few
that were not.

With the exception of my wife's laptop all the computers in the house run
Linux but I don't get as much time to play as I would like.  I'm currently
running Ubuntu 10.10 and I think I am getting ready to switch to Linux
Mint.  I have decided to stop trying to force Linux on all my friends and
family and instead wait for them to ask me why I don't have all the
problems with my computer that they are having with theirs.  I tell them
about Linux and it's limitations and offer to help them switch over if they
so desire.  So far I have a half a dozen or so converts who are happy.

I am working on the guys who do a lot of the day to day work keeping the
school and office computers running and I hear a number of reasons why we
can't use Linux on all of our desktops.  The only valid reason that I have
heard so far is that we have specific software that we rely on which only
runs on Windows.  I have to admit that due to my work I haven't spent any
real time or effort to try to find open source replacements.  I knew I
would have a hard time when I heard how my disdain they had for Open
Office.  So I keep plugging away and perhaps at some point Microsoft will
try to wring a few more coins out of their customers for the privilege of
beta testing their software and it will be the straw that breaks the camels
back.  In the meantime I have picked up several good tips from the list and
enjoy it.

One of the things I'm looking to find out before I switch distros is how I
can back up my dictionaries for the office suite, web browser, Tom Boy
notes.  In the past I have just backed up my /home directory did a clean
install then overwrote the new /home directory with the backup.  This time
though I will be switching from Open Office to Libre Office as part of the
new distribution.  I also have made Chrome my default browser, another
reason to want to backup the dictionary.

-- 
Ken Sprouse / WA3FKG      John 3:16  http://wa3fkg.blogspot.com
You meet the nicest people at a TEA Party.
The box said "Win98/2000/XP or better" so I installed Linux!
Smith & Wesson - The ultimate point and click user interface.
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