Ubuntu and Respironics Encore Viewer

[Fredman]

This is not off topic...please bear/bare (hmmm...which one is it?) with me....

I have migrated totally over to Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04. For those of you wondering what the heck that is, it is a Linux distribution Operating System. By the way, it's free and has scheduled updates. It's way faster in booting than my XP SP2.

Question for those of you that know about such things...is it possible to somehow use Encore Viewer in a Linux environment? I now longer have my GRUB installer with the choice between either Linux and Windows I kind of accidentally destroyed my XP when I installed Hardy Heron and don't have the will to install Windows again, I am really enjoying the Linux experience and balk at the idea.

[Snoredog]

You can install Virtual Box on the Ubuntu and then install XP with Encore installed. Only problem
is was Virtual Box didn't support USB devices like a card reader. Then it is very slow,
I had installed this combo on my Mac Leopard and it all loaded but couldn't get the Card reader to show up,
then I realized Windows just wastes drive space so I dragged it all to the trash.

http://www.virtualbox.org/

[Fredman]

Thanks Snoredog! I had a good chuckle, yep it's unfortunate that folks aren't aware or willing to give Linux or even Leopard or OSx a try. I am so happy with how stable this Ubuntu release is...a bit of a learning curve when using Terminal and Sudo...but a lot of good resources out on the forums.

The questions now becomes do I really want to install Virtual Box and XP so that I can download my data. My data is usually quite predictable and satisfactory....but maybe I can by used PC and install it on there just for this and other silly Windows based software.

[Snoredog]

You are better off having a junk PC with XP and Encore installed sitting around to do reports. I have a Sony Vaio S260 laptop for that.

[Goofproof]

Why do I run Windows (not Vista), because I need to run my computer in the real world, with real programs, and deal with all the problems that come with that. If not I'd still be running Commodore 128's. Why can't we buy a Windows XP that runs on ROM, and gives us a clean boot each time...... No need for every program to change the OS, just store the data on a drive that changes. Jim

[Craig-Tx]

You can install Virtual Box on the Ubuntu and then install XP with Encore installed. Only problem
is was Virtual Box didn't support USB devices like a card reader. Then it is very slow,
I had installed this combo on my Mac Leopard and it all loaded but couldn't get the Card reader to show up,
then I realized Windows just wastes drive space so I dragged it all to the trash.

http://www.virtualbox.org/

The OPEN SOURCE Virtual Box does NOT support USB, but the closed source (still free) Virtual Box DOES support USB. I am currently typing on my Ubuntu computer. I have XP installed on a virtual box primarily for Encore Pro.

I have wanted to try getting Encore Pro running using Wine so I don't have to boot the Virtual OS, but I just haven't had time. Encore Viewer Will probably work better under wine, If I am correct in that I heard it doesn't use a SQL server. No idea if it will work, but worth a try.

And as for the comment about using a computer in the "real world", I have been Windows free (except for Encore Pro) for about a year now. I can do EVERYTHING I need to do under Linux. And several things I do, I can do MUCH easier with Linux than with Windows.

[Mikosiko]

The OPEN SOURCE Virtual Box does NOT support USB, but the closed source (still free) Virtual Box DOES support USB.
..... I can do EVERYTHING I need to do under Linux. And several things I do, I can do MUCH easier with Linux than with Windows.

"closed source (still free)".... could you provide the link for that?

"... I can do... Linux...".... count me for two ... Ubuntu and PcLinux my choices
Miko

[Fredman]

What's WINE?

I have tried Encore Pro and the SQL server was not easy for this non techie to install. I had it finally working well, but opted to use Encore Viewer as it is lite and PRO somehow was defaulted to erase my smartcard after the download of data. Yikes

Anyways as far as Linux, as I said I am not a Techie...I was pretty good at navigating around Windows 3.1 playing around with the sys files and DOS. In University (I am sooo old), I learned a bit of APL and BASIC programming languages (Intro Computing course). There were no PCs! I had to travel across campus with my print job to pick up my printouts that were "spooled" on huge high speed dot matrix printers.

Linux yes...you can do anything that windows can! I also find the applications and programs just as functional without hogging tons of memory and hard drive space. It does take awhile to get used to the "clean" look of the desktop.

I can boot my Dell Dimension 4700 with 512mb RAM from a cold start to desktop completely open and ready probably under one minute. With the same computer with XP it would take almost 4 minutes to boot...so many hidden processes. That was after I had turned off some of the unnecessary processes too.

Not to start a Linux vs. Window war, I do think I may just get my hands on a good used PC for the purpose of running Window apps that won't work on Linux.

[Craig-Tx]

What's WINE?

WINE is an Open Source implementation of the Windows API on top of X, OpenGL, and Unix. It allows you to run native Windows applications in another environment (i.e. Linux). See http://www.winehq.org for more info.

I suspect that Encore Pro will be VERY difficult to get going under WINE. If I had a copy of Encore Viewer, I would be more likely to try. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience getting things to work i Wine, so if would take me a LOT of time to try to get it going. And I just don't have the time right now. But if I ever do, I will definitely post a how-to for my fellow Linux Hose Heads.

-craig

[Fredman]

Thanks Craig-TX! I have installed Wine and have installed Encore Viewer. Just trying to add the application to Wine. When I selected the encoreviewer.exe file and then select it via the Applications- Wine-Programs-Respironics-EncoreViewer it shows Encore Help and actually runs help not the executable for the program.

I know that the executable I added to the Applications in Wine Configuration was for the prorgram and not Encore Help...so I am bit confused.

The drivers for the USB seem to install without error and all looks like it should in the directories etc.

I will keep playing with this. If not, and not easily solved, I can go back to plan B and buy an old used Laptop or PC for this purpose...oh and to keep my wife happy. She only understands Microsoft and hates learning something different...computers and her do not get along so change is challenging!

[Craig-Tx]

That's great to hear your having progress. I personally haven't had much experience with Wine, I've installed one program under it, but I was basically following someone else's how-to. I can't say much about what I technically did.

Keep us up to date on your progress. I know several people will be glad to hear if an Encore program runs without Windows under it.

[adrienneiii]

Yes, please hold that thought keep us updated on your progress. I also prefer to use Linux Ubuntu, which is installed at the moment on our "second best" computer. I'm still keeping Windows XP on our more powerful computer to run those things that just won't run in anything else -- mostly work-related stuff, plus Encore Viewer.