So, I've been using Ubuntu now for almost a month, and I'm comfortable with it, and I'm getting more comfortable by the day with using Terminal (the Command Line entry) to dip my toe in the water with BASH, the shell and passages to the Kernel.
I decided to take the next logical step and try to integrate all my old useful Windoze files. The best way to do this with a Linux distro like Ubuntu is to modify your kernel with WINE, which stands for something like "Windows Integrator Not Emulator". It is more than just a file manager that can handle Windows files. When installed, your computer seamlessly uses all your old Windoze stuff except the .dll files. You use those old non-Linux files and aside from the slight differences in menus on programs, you can do anything with the files that Windoze used to do.
I was going to set up a second Documents folder to keep all of them in, about 15 gb worth, some dating back to 1986 and WIN 3.0 They're mostly letters and such.
So, I shake hands three times as Mister Super User and begin:
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa
The kernel salutes me back, grinds a half-page of code out, and says, "go ahead"
$ sudo apt-get update
Now the box gets into the no-shit serious mode, and hammers page after page of code out for about 5 minutes, then says, "I can take all you can get me, Big Boy":
$ sudo apt-get install wine1.7 winetricks
Another major hammering of pages for about 3 more minutes, then the box says "done" and gives me a EULA to agree to/sign. A EULA? WTF, over, it's Linux, we don't do EULAs, I sneer, that's insecure MicroSquish apple-crapple. Yes, this EULA is from MS. Something about giving limited permission for me to use my own files, but not by handling them with dear departed Windoze.
/shakes head/
I mouse over the "agree" button and click.
Nothing. Click again. Nothing. Right-click. Nothing. Highlight and hit "enter". Nothing. Take a 5-minute break and come back. Nothing.
I do notice, however, that the formerly-speedy machine now has some hitch in it's gitalong. It's slowed down. Dono why. The code for WINE only added about 600mb to the 5 gb on the disk.
Then I get a message popping. Some Bug Report has been generated, do I want to send it to Ubuntu Central? I agree and send. Another message, confirming that WINE will not be available for me because Microsoft hates my ass, or something. I start to see red.
3 deep breaths, then back to Terminal:
$ sudo apt-get remove wine <enter> then
$ sudo apt-get remove -purge wine <enter>
30 seconds later, and a couple clean-up commands, and THAT little bit of MS mischief is in the rear-view mirror.
The cause? Just guessing, but it appears that when MicroSquish sent over it's EULA to the developers, it sent a read-only file, and there was no way to send the signed EULA back to whoever needs to keep it. Simple enough bug, eh? WINE has been around at least 3 years, this should have been fixed by now.
Comments