DLS and Linux

[pounder]

First question - anyone actually been able to get either the 2002 or IV versions of it to run successfully under wine on linux ? (I have tried both and actually got 2002 to run but it blows up when you try to do anything significant) Boy do I hate windows only applications!

Failing that though, anyone put any thought into actually programming a panel or getting the configuration out of it via the 2DS ?

If it behaves exactly as a keyboard does as far as the keybus is concerned there shouldn't be any huge roadblocks to this except it would have to have a pretty complicated state machine to keep track of which programming index is being accessed and what type (bits or numbers) it is and how many virtual items are in that index. This is all well documented in the programming worksheets though. Tedious maybe but should be possible unless I am missing something.

Comments anyone ?

[pounder]

No one else here running Linux on the desktop ? Really ?

Every time one of my friends' computers gets too virus'd up to save on windows I just install Linux for them and they don't look back (these are non-technical people). Stuff like printing and installing and finding software for specific things has never been simpler.

These people are also shocked at how much Linux is already around them (android, embedded routers, media players, servers, etc.)


I can't understand why more technically oriented people aren't running it on the desktop when they do use it for servers all the time. In the 5yrs or so since I made the switch, I just shudder every time I have to help a windows user with something. I have run into maybe 2-3 pieces of software that will not work under wine over the years and dls is one of those.

[joako]

I work in the technology field and I do not use Linux on the desktop because it's too unreliable. I spend all my working time fixing systems for others, the last thing I want to do is fix my system to get work done, or get home and have to fix my system.

I tried and tried and tried many times and I give up.

With that said yes DLS Is very windows-based. It's not a simple application, it installs a Microsoft SQL server so it's probably very reliant on the Windows libraries such as ODBC.

Installing XP in virtualbox is going to be your best solution. If you use IP interface such as TL260GS it should work 100%, if you use a serial interface then it may be more complicated.

[pounder]

Wow - I'd love to hear what experiences made you think Linux is unreliable on the desktop.

I can't even tell you how many times I have booted someone's trashed unbootable windows system off a linux boot stick, rescued all their data, and then converted the whole thing to Linux. Not one of them has ever looked back and missed windows. These are mostly non-technical people too. The comments I have got are wow - this is just like a mac.

"moving into" a new machine is dead simple too, copy your home directory after installing the same apps and everything is there, right down to your browser history, first time I did it I was shocked it was so simple and thorough.


As for the original comment - yes I am using serial, yes it is a pita.