Laptops in barracks

[tseng]

Are you allowed laptops etc in your barracks and can you get internet for your room etc.

[tseng]

does this mean they check the software licenses even if already loaded on to the computer. As i have many software that has no license if ya get what i mean.

[Chappy]

Use Linux then. Its open source, has Firefox and Open Office. What else would you need?

[Gazza85]

Use Linux then. Its open source, has Firefox and Open Office. What else would you need?

Yup, free and legal. But dont you need windows installed in the first place to run linux or is that only redhat?

[Chappy]

Nope - Linux is superior to Windows in every way, the last Windows update was six years ago! Indeed Longhorn steals most of Linux's core code, repackaged and sold for $$.
Linux has no real viruses due to the way its core OS code is wrote and ontop of that, no one hates Linux unlike MS so dont really want to write viruses for it.

If you want to try linux you can goto:-
http://www.novell.com/linux/suse/

And download a CD that you run 'live' which means that Linux runs entirely from the bootable CD and is not installed on the hard disk. Allowing you to try before you install properly.

Here is a screenshot of a typical Linux desktop.
http://www.h-trader.de/temp/desktop.jpg

Good eye candy and best of all, its free.

[tseng]

I think ill just buy another laptop just for the army as i dont want to be buying windows xp just so i can have the license, then a year down the line end up buying another one. I might by a Mac ibook or powerbook depending on funds. that'll be better i think. Then i wont be tepted to download loads of pirated software as i will with a windows computer.

[Grimey Vibes]

Come on lads its the Army, not prision. You are restricted a lot of privilages whilst in training, but once you pass out, as long as you turn up and do your job no one will bother you. Guys in my place have laptop's set up to speakers, set up to sky, set up to PS2's!!

[GD]

You won't find anyone coming round your billet checking to see if your software is legit or not.

Just bear in mind if you ever get caught it'll be your fault and you'll carry the can. Will you get caught though? I doubt it somehow.

[Doc]

Actually GD they do check.

I remember at CDOLOGs they regularly checked for TV liscences and everything electrical had to be passed by the duty sparks so it didnt fuse and burn the barracks down.

[GD]

That's probably the correct way to do it Doc but when you have an entire infantry or cavalry unit in barracks it's a helluva big job to stay on top of. Nobody ever checked us for TV licences or if our eccy stuff was PAT tested or whatever.

[GD]

Looks as if things have changed then. My apologies for giving the wrong info out lads.

[Rocko]

I doubt most ITSO's would be bothered about privately owned laptops, especially in an ATR