This new stand alone release based on the legendary War in the Pacific from 2 by 3 Games adds significant improvements and changes to enhance game play, improve realism, and increase historical accuracy. With dozens of new features, new art, and engine improvements, War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition brings you the most realistic and immersive WWII Pacific Theater wargame ever!
As long as we're on the subject guys (computers, not hairy weasels), where is the world in terms of practical alternatives to Windows or Mac? Are there any alternative operating systems that are:
1) Compatible with modern mainstream computers;
2) Compatible with mainstream (Windows-based) applications and games;
3) Reasonably user friendly; and
4) Reasonably affordable?
If so, who are they? And in which of the above criteria are they strongest?
There's always Linux. There are many distributions and WINE is a Windows emulator that works decently well, AE will run under WINE according to some. It's free, will run on any x86/x64 processor based machine (other distributions are compiled for different processors), and more user friendly than it was 10 years ago. But it still takes a bit of skill to get it configured properly, and there are some Windows aps that won't run. I think a large number of older games will run though.
If I didn't have to write code for Windows, I'd probably have switched over to Linux long ago.
Think of Linux as the umbrella and under the umbrella are all the different flavored Operating Systems.
The different OS gives a different feel and different functionality.
To play around with Linux, you can dual boot a machine with as low as 15 (some types lower) gig of hard drive space to get a feel of the OS. When you boot up a screen initially appears asking which operating system you would like to boot into. Simple.
Or you can run the OS from a CD or USB drive, though it is slower then.
If you are a windows 7 or eariler user I would urge you to try Linux Mint versions 17.2 or 17.3. The interface will make more sense. Windows 10 or Apple you might want to try Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (LTS means long term stable and 5 years of support).
If you don't want to do that, you could buy a Raspberry Pi and install Noobs (a lite linux install) and still surf the web, use email, and have Libre Offfice installed. The PI is $30, slap on a hdmi monitor, usb or wireless mouse and keyboard and find a micro usb power supply and micro sd card and you are good to go. If you can scrounge up the parts this is a great way to test it...and then turn it into a TV Media Center using Kobe and Exodus and ditch your Netflix or Cable.
Pros:
Free and open.
No viruses from the web (99.9%). I run no virus programs.
Very fast surfing.
Very easy to install/delete programs that are in the software library (about 50,000 in Mint for example)
Easy and controllable updates (update all programs as a group)
Easy driver mgt (most of the time but not all)
Very good for older machines as you can install a resource light OS
Wine and Play on Linux combine to emulate windows
Most programs are free
Helpful community
Incredible improvement over the last two years.
Linux sees windows partitions on a dual boot machine...very handy.
You can get a few more years service off an older computer
Cons:
Can be frustrating trying to get an unsupported program to work
Sometimes you can't get the program to work no matter what
Terminal, think DOS, type in commands. If you go linux you will eventually like it for the ease and simplicity but at first it is confusing -- sudo apt get -- what the hell is that?[;)]
Big games library (just look on Steam for Linux games) but not all -- my thought here is that Linux will overtake Windows as the OS of choice for gamers mainly thanks to Steam.
I started with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS two or three years ago. Now it is on version 16.04 LTS and it has improved considerably. But recently I have switched to Mint because I like the look and feel better.
Sometimes it is difficult converting a format intensive document into Libre Write.
Windows won't recognize Linux partitions on a dual boot machine. A pain.
Some business programs like Accounting...tough to run on Linux imho.
Programs I use on Linux: Libre Office, Opera, Chrome, Firefox, VLC (movie player), Banshee (music, radio & podcasts), Thunderbird (email client), Gimp (advanced paint, there is a Paint.net equiv), Tomboy Notes (incredible), Audacity (audio recording and edit), Gthumb (photo mgt), Gparted (partition tool, great), Archive Manager, System Monitor, Foxit pdf viewer, Dropbox, steam, brasero (cd/usb burner), bluetooth and WITP AE.
Other games I play on Linux: EU, CKs, Stellaris, Left for Dead 2, Baldurs Gate 1 & 2 and Dragonspear. I play these games cross platform multiplayer with my kids over the net. Incredibly easy when I think back how hard it was to get them to work years back over a wired LAN and everyone in the same house.
There are a few threads of how to install WITP AE on linux systems, and it is even easier now. I have not been able to get Tracker to work, but I haven't spent more than 30 minutes on trying yet.
You can install Linux Mint or Ubuntu in about 30 minutes. Going slow and cautiously, you can easily dual boot a windows machine in under one hour.
One nice thing about Windows is unless you're up against somebody's proprietary software (like interoperability with Apple products), somebody has probably written something for Windows.
One nice thing about Windows is unless you're up against somebody's proprietary software (like interoperability with Apple products), somebody has probably written something for Windows.
Here is perhaps the best of all. Compatible (in English), friendly - requires no maintenance other than a damp cloth now and then.
Cheap? You'll never spend better money.
I have this machine already. But the lag on command inputs for AE is terrible, and the resulting output doesn't seem that great either.
I guess I need to look into Linux more. My goal would not be to run it within Windows, but rather to ditch Windows entirely. I already dumped Outlook for Thunderbird, IE for Firefox/Chrome, and Office for Libre Office. The open-source "free" concept is attractive, but the real goal would be to support someone other than the two giants.
"It's all according to how your boogaloo situation stands, you understand."
Formerly known as Colonel Mustard, before I got Slitherine Syndrome.
For months, every time the "Upgrade to Windows 10" popup appeared on my screen, I clicked "No" or otherwise indicated: "Go away, you blood sucking leaches." But someway, somehow, deep in the night, I either missed something, accidentally clicked something that I thought said one thing when it said another, or was otherwise tricked into automatically downloading Windows 10. I did not do it voluntarily. I walked away from my computer, came back a few hours later, and *presto*, discovered that 10 was about 78% downloaded.
You wanna talk about one mad puppy. Down here in the South, conduct like that is sufficient reason to challenge lowlifes to a duel.
This happened to me on both of my computers. Apparently MS did a "slick trick" and changed the format so you were in a sense giving them to go ahead while you thought you were not. I was furious myself and wondered why there was not some sort of class action. That said: Win 10 is working fine and I sort of like it. Except for the fact that is screwed WITP AE on both my machines. I was able to modify my laptop so it is working fine. But no number of switch combinations on my desk top has solved my issue with slow scrolling and delay after clicking. It is terrible and I just have been using my laptop.
I have this machine already. But the lag on command inputs for AE is terrible, and the resulting output doesn't seem that great either.
I don't know of any player the forum hasn't been able to help with the proper setting of switches to make AE run fine under all versions of Windows.
Well, there is me. But I am going to go to the tech forum and start a new thread. The old window ten thread has so many suggestions and I tried them all but my desk top still does not want to conform.
I have this machine already. But the lag on command inputs for AE is terrible, and the resulting output doesn't seem that great either.
I don't know of any player the forum hasn't been able to help with the proper setting of switches to make AE run fine under all versions of Windows.
You have to shake the 8-ball eight times to get the right answer. That takes time, and there are no switches that make it any better. [:)]
Half the time, the command decisions made using the method result in the evisceration of my squadrons, task forces, or LCUs - almost as if it were random chance.
"It's all according to how your boogaloo situation stands, you understand."
Formerly known as Colonel Mustard, before I got Slitherine Syndrome.
I have this machine already. But the lag on command inputs for AE is terrible, and the resulting output doesn't seem that great either.
I don't know of any player the forum hasn't been able to help with the proper setting of switches to make AE run fine under all versions of Windows.
You have to shake the 8-ball eight times to get the right answer. That takes time, and there are no switches that make it any better. [:)]
Half the time, the command decisions made using the method result in the evisceration of my squadrons, task forces, or LCUs - almost as if it were random chance.
There is no random ... only Karma! You got what you deserved! [:'(]
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
