Is there a guide for Puppy beginners?

Booting, installing, newbie
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rmcellig
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Is there a guide for Puppy beginners?

#1 Post by rmcellig »

I am looking for some documentation hopefully in table format that will brefly show me the equivalent way to do basic things in Puppy Linux that I can do in Windows. Stuff like setting the time, time zone, background wallpaper, creating shortcuts, setting up Dropbox etc....

I have had a love/hate relationship with Puppy Linux since I discovered it a few weeks ago. I LOVE the speed, and boot up time. I just find that I get lost when I want to do something that I would take for granted on the Mac or Windows.

I find that Puppy Linux would be the perfect OS for my old Dell Desktop 3000. I tried it from the CD and it was super fast for the audio work I need to do.

I really look forward to hearing back what there is out there that can help push me over the top and REALLY love Puppy and all it has to offer even for us newbies to Puppy world!

Thanks!!! :)

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dk60902
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#2 Post by dk60902 »

The icyos videos on youtube are a good start. It helped me transition to puppy.

rmcellig
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#3 Post by rmcellig »

Yes. Icyos is excellent with his videos. I guess I can look at his videos regarding previous versions of Puppy Linux? I am running 5.2.8 but I guess I should get a better understanding of Puppy Linux by viewing the older Puppy videos as well?

Thanks for your response!

ICPUG
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#4 Post by ICPUG »

rmcellig

Remember the old adage - Linux is not Windows.

You will find that you cannot do some things that Windows does. I guess the most frequently mentioned on the forum is that you cannot create shortuts on the desktop by dragging things onto the desktop. That's because of the way Puppy Linux works.

You have to be open minded enough to allow different methods of achieving the same aims. If you are, then your experience of Puppy will be more love than hate!

That being said - your request for a table of equivalences is a good idea. The answers to many common problems are here on the forum and they keep coming up over and over. A table like you suggest and a FAQ for common problems would go a long way to resolving a lot of issues. The trouble is the precise method might change between Puppy versions so writing these things would be laborious.

As you have 5.2.8 I would like to mention one thing. Have a good look at the Control Panel. You will find many of the basic setup tasks (including time, time zone, wallpaper) all within one tabbed interface.

rmcellig
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#5 Post by rmcellig »

Thanks ICPUG!!

I love your feedback and comments regarding an open mind. Actually, I have been a diehard Mac user since 1988 but had to use Windows because of work :(

I always told myself that if I could find an OS that I found better and more accessible than the Mac or PC Windows, I would give it a try. Let's just say that I use my Intel iMac about 10% of the time now. i have tried several distros and so far I have gone back to Ubuntu 10.04. I know where everything is and I find it very straight forward to use.

Puppy Linux has always been there for me as well. As much as I have struggled wrapping my head around it, I always come back to it. The more I try things out, the more I love it and the more questions I have which I think is a good thing!

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bigpup
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#6 Post by bigpup »

In Lucid Puppy 528 look at
menu->help->Puppy Help 101.
It gives good info on what each program, listed in the menu, does.
A lot of programs have help files accessed in the program.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

rmcellig
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Adding applications on the Puppy Desktop

#7 Post by rmcellig »

Instead of always going into the Puppy drill down menu (right click) to access my frequently used apps, can I put launch icons on the "desktop" or maybe there are other alternatives I can explore?

I just installed 5.2.8 on my Dell Dimension 3000 and so far I have set up most of what I need for my work.

mill0001
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#8 Post by mill0001 »

Hi, at the link you can get wbar which I think will do what you want. I've been using it on all my puppies for years and it works great.
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dis ... ges-lucid/
Look for Wbar_with_setup-1.3.3-Lucid.

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Lobster
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#9 Post by Lobster »

Use the force Young Puppy Jedi . . . :wink:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... ?p=526#526

Puppy evolves so fast that even basic intros are soon dog meat
http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT7455536044.html

This reference table may be of interest . . .
http://tubeguy.org/PLRC-0.01b.html

As you are a Mac user and they currently have what I believe is the best computer in the world (the Ipad 3 - not yet available) you want ease of use. Puppy is not the easiest Linux. It is a little geeky but nothing too major.

Click on chat and ask a question on IRC
Put on your Puppy slippers and join the fireside chat
http://puppylinux.info/

Stay away from the Sith with their promises of pink toutou [not to be confused with the French Puppy]
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 231#360231

Above all. Have fun. :)
Puppy Raspup 8.2Final 8)
Puppy Links Page http://www.smokey01.com/bruceb/puppy.html :D

Dewbie

#10 Post by Dewbie »

ICPUG wrote:
I guess the most frequently mentioned on the forum is that you cannot create shortcuts on the desktop by dragging things onto the desktop.
Try this:
Menu / Filesystem / ROX-Filer file manager.
Click on the green "up" arrow, then go to usr/share/applications.
You can drag an icon onto your desktop this way.
(Appearance-wise, some are complete; others are not.)

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Lobster
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#11 Post by Lobster »

You might also try Puppy School :)
Created and hacked together in the last 24 hours
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/PuppySchool

. . . I think I mentioned how fast things evolve . . . 8)

Puppy Linux
More Penguin for your bits
Puppy Raspup 8.2Final 8)
Puppy Links Page http://www.smokey01.com/bruceb/puppy.html :D

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