Totally confused

[Snaresman]

I’ll give all of them a try. So far I haven’t found a combination that works.

I’ve also tried Elementry.

This was the latest error.

 

[ShadowVII]

I’ll give all of them a try. So far I haven’t found a combination that works.

I’ve also tried Elementry.

This was the latest error.

I remember being in that stage, and I remember trolling distrowatch and testing distro after distro to find what felt right to me. I too was looking at distros for programming, and one of my all-time fallbacks is manjaro. With your laptop being a dual-core, like others have said you shouldn’t have any problems with any distro. I will say that turning off secure-boot will help. I usually use etcher for my ISOs, as I have found that to be the simplest of burners. Also, check and make sure that legacy is enabled in bios as someone else said. If all else fails, google the crap out of error codes (which I did when first getting into Linux) and that might help point out issues.

 

[Snaresman]

I finally got Ubuntu to work using Unetbootin. After some research on an error, I had to go back into the BIOS and disable the "Secure Boot" option under "Security". It booted up and I played with it a bit. I'm going to download Python and Arduino to put on it and I'll be using it full time probably starting tomorrow.

I saw that I couldn't access any of the files on the HD. Not a big deal. What I am wondering is the programs I install and the data files from them, will they be saved on the USB with the OS?

Thank you very much to everyone who helped me! I greatly appreciate it!

 

[captain-sensible]

When you say you did some research, you mean you read @gvisoc post at #20 ? First you say you are going to install python ;python is part of the main os so you can mess it up if not careful.now I'm assuming your talking about the live os when you talk about saving stuff or installing additional software.say you create a python file and decide to install geany which you can use to edit and run python.unless you have persistence with the live os set up both will disappear when you shut down the live os.i got persistence working with mint cinnamon ,using Ventoy and a one gig .IMG file

 

[Snaresman]

I’m going to try the persistence so I don’t have to reset the preferences each time.

My research has been into which types of Linux would work best for my use.

I’ve been trying a lot of different versions and Ubantu and Mint seem to be the top runners so far.

I’m still trying to get a different version of python to work and arduino won’t work at all, but I can use the online version for all I’ll be using it.

Spyder and Pycharm didn’t work on the last version I tried. The one from Python.org wouldn’t load and internet went down again, so that stopped my experimenting. I hope to start again soon.

 

[khedger]

Hello

I'm brand new to Linux. I have an old Windows laptop I use for data logging. I have a python program running on it as a data logger and soon to control some Arduino controller boards. I hate windows and it's trying to crash. I'd like to change it to Linux, but after reading several pages on the different versions, I'm totally confused on which one to try. I'd like a GUI and I'll be programming python on it. I really don't know where to start. Any help is appreciated.

One thing to try not to get confused about is the difference between a distro and what a distro's default configuration is. That is, if you install the linux kernal via any of the available distributions, you can basically customize the system to be whatever you want itt to be. That includes the window manager and how it looks and feels. So when you see a screenshot of say Ubuntu and a screenshot of Mint, understand that they are both versions of the same (depending on version) Linux kernal and can pretty much use the same packages.
So the real difference is distros is the stuff that is packaged along with the Linux kernal and how the distro is managed by the developers.
Let's say I install Ubuntu on one machine and Mint on another. My Ubuntu install will have a certain look and feel and uses the Gnome desktop manager while I have installed Mint with the XFCE desktop manager. I could change the Ubuntu install to use XFCE and I cold change the Mint install to use Gnome. Kali is a distro optimized for network development and hacking. What this basically means is that Kali comes with a crapload of network centric packages installed, and a lot of typical desktop stuff not installed. However you can install another distro and install all of the network stuff Kali has...it's just that if networking is your thing, Kali just does a lot of the work at install time so you don't HAVE to install the networking stuff yourself.
I know you're getting a lot of answers here about distros, but I wanted to make sure you understand what a 'distro' is.....it might help you in your quest.

keith

 

[sp331yi]

Keep at it, @Snaresman -- you're getting there!
Suggestion: try a true Debian and a Slackware distro, and if you must, an Arch-based, like Manjaro. LOL
Get well-rounded!

 

[Snaresman]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll give them a try. Also thank you for the clarification on the different distros. That helps a lot.

There is a storm front going through and I'm recording the data from my weather station. As soon as it's over, I want to start working on it again.

 

[Snaresman]

I’ve been trying Ununtu and Mint lately. I’m running them from the USB to try. I can’t get Python to run at all. I’ve checked the command line and it shows the version that comes with it. I’ve downloaded IDLE from Python.com and PyCharm. I’ve extracted them to the USB and I can’t get any of the three to run. I get various errors from can’t be found to not being authorized. When I search for the built in Python, it can’t be found. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing wrong. Is it because I’m running it from the USB? Because Python is on the USB? Where is the built in one located? I did get Spyder to load once, but there was no way to run it. I have Spyder on the laptop and it has a “run” button and an option if you right click on the program. This one didn’t have any of that.

Any idea what I’m doing wrong?

 

[Vrai]

I’ve been trying Ununtu and Mint lately. I’m running them from the USB to try. I can’t get Python to run at all. I’ve checked the command line and it shows the version that comes with it. I’ve downloaded IDLE from Python.com and PyCharm. I’ve extracted them to the USB and I can’t get any of the three to run. I get various errors from can’t be found to not being authorized. When I search for the built in Python, it can’t be found. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing wrong. Is it because I’m running it from the USB? Because Python is on the USB? Where is the built in one located? I did get Spyder to load once, but there was no way to run it. I have Spyder on the laptop and it has a “run” button and an option if you right click on the program. This one didn’t have any of that.

Any idea what I’m doing wrong?

It would help if you could post the "exact" error message you are referring to.

Also, pick one distro (either Mint or Ubuntu) and troubleshoot it.
When you say that you cannot get Python to run "at all" - do you mean the Python program or a Python script or an application written in Python or Python in the Idle app or 'all-of-the-above'?

When in Linux Mint you should be able to start a Terminal and at the prompt simply type

python

or

python3

and Python will start. You can see which version has started. That is Python running on the system. The three 'chevrons' or 'angle brackets' is the Python prompt. You don't have to use Idle but perhaps that does make it easier to write a program.

I do not know exactly what is on the USB but I cannot imagine why the Python included in a Live .iso would have to run with 'root' privileges.

 

[Snaresman]

"When you say that you cannot get Python to run "at all" - do you mean the Python program or a Python script or an application written in Python or Python in the Idle app or 'all-of-the-above'?"

It is all the above. It says it loaded. I can find the version through terminal. That's it.

I've tried Mint the most. The next time I try it, I'll copy the error messages.

 

[khedger]

Put this in a file called my.py:

#!/usr/bin/python
print("hello world")

Then do: chmod +x my.py
Then: ./my.py

Does this run correctly? If not, what happens?

keith

 

[Vrai]

I can find the version through terminal

How are you finding the version in the Terminal?
What exactly are you typing to find the version?
What is the exact output?
Do you see the three angle brackets

>>>

?

 

[Snaresman]

I'll give that a try Vrai and khedger.

I have found a solution that has been working for a few days now. Please don't laugh, but I'm running the Raspberry Pi OS from a USB with the data files are being written to a second USB. The Python program that comes with it (Thonny?) seems to be working.

I got to thinking that I rarely look at the desktop since the display is scrolling the results from the program or I'm transferring the data files to a different USB to analyze it. Since I was playing around with a Raspberry Pi, I figured I'd give it a try. So far it's working. They also have a desktop version of the OS that I might try to load onto the laptop if it's down for any reason. I still want to try some of the other distros sometime. I hope to get another laptop to setup. I like to experiment with one till it works the way I want it to and then swap it with the first one and start experimenting again. I do the same with the Arduino boards I use. It saves down time while I play. Does anyone know if Linux will work on a Chromebook?

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me. I greatly appreciate it!