We need a Linux version of the Downloas Status Meter !

[Gwalk900]

I for one am going to pass on Win10 and the clock is ticking for Win7.
Linux Mint runs very well on my laptop but it would be nice to have a Linux compatible version of the Download Status Meter.
 

[GabeU]

Those figures may end up changing a bit in the near future, though.  Microsoft really irked quite a few people, including some of their longtime customers, with windows 10, and W7 is going to be going by the wayside for most in the not very distant future.  It wouldn't surprise me in the least if that 2.02% started creeping up.  I actually expect it to.  As distributions are released they become more consumer friendly. 

[Amanda]

So lets consider a few things if this chart represents the majority of computer users. 

1. The HughesNet demographic is comprised of many rural, retired users. 
2. Many of these users would consider Linux to be in the "not user friendly" category, even if it isn't.
3. The majority of customers would first switch to a Mac or all tablet/mobile device network than use Linux. 

That would put the number of Linux users at a percentage of already small and condensed demographic base that is HughesNet customers. We're talking a percentage of 1mil+ extremely niche customers, not X-Company's 27million+.

It seems like a lot, but there are what, 5 or 6 active users in the community who use Linux?

[Pawnee County]

I have to differ with you sweetheart there are many many rural folks in my area switching to Mint most of them are Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 8/8.1 users.  They have older machines that Windows 10 will run but not very well and are on Metered Internet either Wireless, HughesNet, or Exede.  The rest or on DSL where available which out here has a download speed of 5 or 6 Mbps tops.  I don't know if you noticed but the majority of Linux users on the community are old retired folks like myself.  That theory don't work with our demographic.    

[Amanda]

I just can't see the "many" being as big as an impactful number as everyone thinks in this service. The majority of users in the community are retired users to begin with, we're just pulling a demo from a small group in an even smaller group in a smaller group.. I believe the thinking is, why hire more people to develop an entire tool to be updated once a year for such a small amount of users with alternative ways of checking it? How many of the 1mil users on Hughes are Linux users? I can ask to see if we have recent data.

[GabeU]

There are precisely 47,326 Hughesnet users out there who use Linux.  LOL.  I deduced that by putting my Carnac the Magnificent hat on.   

There aren't many now.  I'm sure we'll see what happens after Windows 7 extended support is over.  That's when we'll really start to see if the few changes to more, I'm sure.  For now Linux users can just use the SCC.    

[Pawnee County]

Hey Gabe

I don't care the the thing myself it just seems a shame that certain customers are ignored due their choice of OS they use.  If you can use Python (Can be downloaded in the software manager.) you can write your own version of the meter.  If you don't know the language it is easy to learn gives you something to do while keeping the mind sharp as well.

[Gwalk900]

When more novice users find that they will have to pay ... Geek Squad ... or whomever to recover their OS because of another troublesome update or Win10 removes some needed installed software all on its own ... people will look for alternatives.

When more Hughesnet users find that Win10 is eating their data allotment due to limited or no control ... they will look for alternatives.

I loaded Mint 17.3 on my laptop, once installed it only took 285 MB to bring a months old download up to date.

[foxbrook]

My son tried Linux Mint and a few other distro's on his laptop. He spent about 3 months with it and then switched back to Win10. Too much aggravation, last straw was one day when he booted up his machine and the mouse wouldn't work. Yes there was a fix online but that was just one of many problems he had.

What percentage of non-techie Hughesnet customers are going to have the same experience? Linux is not some ultra-reliable stable OS that don't have problems. It suffers from the same problem of too may hardware configurations that Windows does.

[ibncrzy]

until someone else address your need can you use the modems default wed page it too has a use meter? "192.168.0.1 a common network setting"

[BirdDog]

I'm not a programmer, but seems like it wouldn't be that difficult for a real one to cross-compile the code they already have, especially if it is C++ or Fortran. 

[BirdDog]

OK then, thanks.

My programming experience dates back 30 years ago to some BASIC and dBASE IV so I'm pretty out of touch. Still seems like wouldn't be a major project for a decent programmer to work off what they already have.  If Hughes even let him/her spend 10 minutes a week on it there would already be a Linux version.

Maybe no in-house programmers, everything is outsourced. 

[foxbrook]

My son informs me that the existing status meter ran just fine using Wine on Linux.

I'm sure this is an this idea is repulsive for Linux purists.;)

[BirdDog]

Thanks foxbrook, no purist here, that is good info. Wine is one reason I'm even considering moving to Linux, want to be able to run Windows software when I want/need to.

Jezra, are you basically saying it is a matter of entering "Linux" and clicking the mouse to compile a Linux version?

[Wadebear]

Unfortunately the problem with developing anything for Linux is that Linux isn't just one operating system.  It's a whole slew of operating systems, each one with minor and major differences, so a program written for one version wouldn't necessarily work on another.

For example: I'm using Linux Mint with Cinnamon - Cinnamon being the GUI interface.  I used to use Linux MInt with Mate but had issues with the Bluetooth drivers.  I tried switching to Cinnamon to see if it would solve the issue and liked it much better - for the most part.  There are still some things I miss from Mate.

Zoneminder, the multi camera security system we use, runs on Linux and is currently not too difficult to run on Mint, but I have spent more hours than I care to admit trying to get it to work (and keep working) on various versions of Linux in the past.

[Pawnee County]

The majority of Linux Distros are based on Ubuntu or Debain if the meter was written to run via the Kernel wouldn't it be fairly easy to run on most all Distros? 

[Pawnee County]

Maybe it is time for all us old timers who use to write in BASIC (myself it was QBASIC) should put our brains together and come up with something on our own.  I mean that would be a lot of fun if nothing else.  I still think Python could be used to develop something that would serve the same function as the status meter.

[jackjak5445]

I have been using Linux for a couple years now. What I have discovered is the the operating system must match up to the hardware you are using. I have installed many versions of Linux. I have found that linux mint KDE works well with most hardware. No issues. 

[Gwalk900]

FYI:
The Download Status Meter seems to run well on Mint 17.3 under Wine.

[BirdDog]

I don't run so well with wine. 😛

[Gwalk900]

Moderation in most if not all things. 🙂

[BirdDog]

I'm sort of almost kind of working on a status meter type thingy

Lol, hey better than I could do. Not a bad basic meter IMO. Some folks may not want to use WINE for whatever reason.