Opinion

Jim Lesurf on his love of Linux, the early days of Acorn Computers, adapting to the taps and swipes of tablet use and why he laments the demise of the old-fashioned user manual

I found Barry Fox’s struggle with the Linux OS [HFN Oct ’25] interesting for two reasons. Firstly, because I’ve been a user of Linux for decades for anything related to audio – so my own opinion is quite different to his. The second is that I’ve recently started using a new – to me – type of computer with a user interface, etc, totally different to anything I’ve used before. I am, of course, talking about a tablet. I bought an Android model to use primarily as an e-book ‘reader’. And Android is, come to think of it, based on Linux...

RISC and reward

Anyway, while I don’t want to downplay Barry’s experiences with Linux, I’ve tried a number of ‘distros’ (versions of the Linux OS) and found one set-up in particular which I prefer – so I will share this with any HFN readers who are also Linux users.

The set-up is a form of Ubuntu Mint xfce on top of which I run ROX-Filer. One thing Linux does offer is a wide choice of ‘look and feel’, which might bewilder newcomers, but introduces a great deal of flexibility in user experience. ROX-Filer lets the Linux desktop mimic some of the features of the RISC OS system that the UK computer firm Acorn devised [see early Acorn models pictured above] to run on the early ARM chipsets (which the company also invented). I still use a RISC OS machine for various tasks – including writing this column – but prefer Linux for playing/recording/processing digital audio and video through programs such as Handbrake, VLC and Audacity.

There is, naturally, a learning curve. My first computer was a mainframe ICL that half filled a room, and you had to submit a program in the form of a stack of IBM ‘punched cards’ which encoded the instructions as a pattern of rectangular holes. Yet that computer came with printed documentation from its makers which explained in great detail how to use it. And back in the days when Acorn produced computers it also provided comprehensive user manuals. Alas, when you buy a new computer or device now, the manufacturer and retailer often assume you already know how to use it, or will be able to find out via the Internet or just ask the nearest eight-year-old. The old days of ‘Welcome’ guides have largely evaporated.

My new tablet has introduced me to a universe of taps and swipes utterly unlike ye olde mouse and keyboard with a pointer on screen. The manual supplied with it is, for all intents and purposes, useless.

Given all this, I can understand why people might be wary of an unfamiliar user interface and system, and hence be deterred from trying something different. This tends to ‘wall in’ users to stay with what they already know how to use.

Ancient entertainment

So back to my colleague Barry’s column. Using a suitable USB stick is often a way to try out various Linux ‘distros’. You can also find – as I have – a dealer who will provide pre-installed systems of various kinds, from ones based on modest Raspberry Pi-type devices to high-power laptops – in some cases dual-booting updated versions of RISC OS as well as a form of Linux.

The big snag is as above: the lack of useful printed (or even electronic) guides for new users. It has taken me days of experiments and guesswork to be able to really make best use of the tablet as an e-book reader, however I’m now enjoying e-versions of ancient sci-fi books and magazines that are unobtainium now as original paper copies. I still prefer those quaint old things using ink on paper, though.