Ok so I finally got the Windows Virtual PC working on my Windows 7 Ultimate computer.

Installing Ubuntu was a relatively pain free installation, nice.

That is relative, I installed Linux probable 15 years ago (maybe 20), before Slackware put it on a CD so I had to install from 36 3.5" floppy disk, now that was a pain.

So now what do I do with it? How do I program the Nerdkit in Ubuntu. Is there any type of IDE or do I just use emacs?

I suppose I'll load the Windows emulator (WINE?) so that I can run AVR Studio but I would rather run something native.

So how are you using Linux?

I hope Windows 7 is stable I have gotten 2 BSD's the past couple of days since I loaded Internet Explorer 9.

Oh sorry BSD is "Blue Screen of Death".

Of course I have also gotten BSDs from my Mac with OSX so it is not just a Windows thing any longer.

So what about Linux/Ubuntu??

Ralph

Sorry to hear you installed IE9... I won't run any IE version any more after one update trashed my system a few years ago.

I am in a Linux class right now and they supplied a set of four CD=ROMs for installation. Red Hat, Fedora Core 2. I just found out that it is also an old one and there are newer versions out, so I am going to wait to do the install.

Ralph, I use linux 24/7 for the past 4 years. Only thing i'm using Windows for is gaming. So feel free to ask as many questions as you want :) also ubuntu has quite welcoming formus (not as welcoming as nerdkits i'm afraid, but they are more likely to help too)

Anyway, personally, I use avrdude + make. And edit those files in gedit - that's a gnome's idea of a notepad, quite neat little thing. It has a lot of plugins, some identation abilities, and syntax highlighting for MANY languages.

If you really want IDE thought, personally I like Eclipse. But you might find it a little hard setting it up to work with avrdude. Nevertheless it still can be accomplished.

oh, and check with the NerdKits guide, it has good instructions about setting everything up in linux too

mongo, there are a great TON of linux distributions our days. For almost any likes. Ranging from a painless, fully automated ubuntu, that'll have interface of that similar to windows. To a fully manual, edit-all-files-by-yourself-and-learn-a-lot gentoo, and 256 more in the middle!

A while ago I found a very good resource I recommend anyone who is interested in linux - DistroWatch this site keeps track and ranks of all linux distributions. From there you can find pros and cons of this or that distribution, and choose which one you like.

Ralph, how's linux learning? lol I like talking about linux, so let me know if you have any questions or want to debate :D

Hi Stan, Ubuntu appears to run fine. I am running it in my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a Windows Virtual PC 2007 and the screen size is one half of the monitor so even on my 24" monitor it is not pleasant viewing. I have a three monitor setup with three different size monitors (wide 19" 24" 20").

I have gone through the Settings in ubuntu and it is maxed out so there is probable something in the virtual pc causing this.

Also Virtual PC 2007 does not pass through USB (except for keyboard and mouse).

I need a different virtual pc, I specifically loaded it because I wanted a computer to talk with my oscilloscope but then discovered that there was no USB. I do have a serial port and virtual pc recognizes it so I could use that but I have to find a male x male DB-9 connector.

I know I have a big box just overflowing with serial cables and adapter/connectors but I cannot find it, maybe I actually threw it away.

So what is another virtual pc? I used to use a virtual server from Canada but can not remember the name. I'll Google it.

I would not mind doing a dual boot with Ubuntu or I have another pc that I could put Ubuntu on.

So I got it going and downloaded and installed Chrome and looked around and figured out how to use the GUI but not much more.

Ralph

Ralph, the virtual pc that I'm using is Oracle's VirtualBox it has a bunch of cool stuff like usb forwarding, and even 3D graphics acceleration (although in beta stage)

VBox can also run in a full screen mode. So you can have Windows in 2 most-right monitors, and ubuntu in most-left.

Also, it is very easy to make a dual-boot with ubuntu. I think when you are installing it, there will be a question about that. After letting the installer know that you want to dual boot, It'll do all the magic by itself.

If you learn how to use the command line, linux will be much easier. Here's how I learned to use the command line - Learning the shell