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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) moving to Linux (Read 40809 times)
Jesse Gersenson
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #43 - 03/28/10 at 09:35:19
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Vladimir wrote on 03/28/10 at 00:39:02:
Did you set the engine to be executable as I said in this post?


No, I hadn't. They're working now!?

@ TalJechin
You must have downloaded the 'Alternate' version of Ubuntu, it installs via the command-line. That's a shame, the normal version of ubuntu is very graphical. Try again, just burn the iso, i posted above, to a cd and them pop it into windows.

@ Smyslov_Fan:
Thanks for keeping this thread where it is. I'm finally able to do all my chess analysis completely in linux!

  
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Vladimir
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #42 - 03/28/10 at 00:39:02
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Jesse Gersenson wrote on 03/27/10 at 19:24:36:
Vladimir, your make instructions got robbolito working. thanks.

there are a number of chess engines for linux but is there another trick for getting them to work in, say, scid? with some engines the make command has worked. with others, i didn't even need the make command, and still with others, such as

doch32-134-ja
komodo-10-32-ja

i can't them working.




Did you set the engine to be executable as I said in this post? Sometimes I forget to do so and then slap myself after twenty minutes of fruitless tinkering.

Vladimir wrote on 03/18/10 at 19:32:53:
Other engines on Linux sometimes come in pre-compiled executables like on Windows. For example, Spark and Komodo are closed source, so they will only be available as executables. There's one hitch when using them, however.

I've downloaded Spark 0.3a, and extracted it to my chess engines folder as well. The executable is just sitting there, but you can't install it in Scid just yet. Right click the executable (named spark-0.3-linux64 in my case), hit properties, and then the Permissions tab in the properties window. Check the "Allow executing file as program" box and then hit close. Alternatively, you could do the same thing in the command line by changing directory to Spark's folder, and typing the command

Code
Select All
chmod +x spark-0.3-linux64 



The chmod command changes the mode of the executable to actually be executable (+x), i.e., since you just downloaded it, the file didn't have the correct permission to execute.

You can then install it into Scid much the same as you did Stockfish, making sure it runs correctly. I think that's it, but if something goes wrong or you have any more questions, feel free to ask.


I don't want to incite a flame war, but I do want to say a few things. As for the difficulty in using Linux, I'll agree it has a few rough edges and needs a little computer savvy. However, I think many of the complaints are from people who tried it expecting a drop-in replacement for Windows. It just works differently, which is neither good nor bad, and necessarily requires learning. I guess that leads to teething pains, but it's rewarding to persevere.

As an aside, a whole lot of things don't need to be done at the command line. Doing so is only for convenience, i.e., it's easier for someone to tell you a command to copy and paste than to write what menus to navigate through to get to the button you need to press.

Chess is fine on Linux. Really, the only things that most people miss on Linux are video games, some crucial propietary software (Photoshop, AutoCAD, Chessbase, etc.) that they may need for their jobs, and anti-virus software. Well, maybe not that last one. For most things there aren't suitable replacements for (such as GIMP, OpenOffice, Scid), there's Wine.

Essentially, like everything else, what you want out of it depends on what you want to put into it.
  
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Jesse Gersenson
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #41 - 03/27/10 at 19:24:36
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Vladimir, your make instructions got robbolito working. thanks.

there are a number of chess engines for linux but is there another trick for getting them to work in, say, scid? with some engines the make command has worked. with others, i didn't even need the make command, and still with others, such as

doch32-134-ja
komodo-10-32-ja

i can't them working.


  
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TalJechin
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #40 - 03/26/10 at 11:41:05
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If there was a truly graphical ubuntu version that could be installed via wubi instead of via a cd/dvd I might still give it a go sometime in the future. I think there was one version called Mandrake that was supposed to be graphical?

But at the moment it feels like too much hassle for too little reward...
  
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Jesse Gersenson
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #39 - 03/26/10 at 08:01:28
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Alternatively, if you want to tell your computer what to do, and not have it tell you what you can't do - give linux a try.

there are a lot of versions of gnu/linux. ubuntu is most similar to windows xp.

@Willempie
Bxh7+!
  
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battleangel
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #38 - 03/25/10 at 21:12:25
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tbh. someone who can really use linux probably has the qualification to work in the it industry, so if you are not a "computer enthusiast", don't use linux.
If you want an alternative use mac os, and dual boot windows or run windows virtually with chessbase products. Sorry to say so, but from a user perspective, and especially from a chess perspective, linux is not really good. Maybe you can start up eclipse and maybe openoffice and firefox for some deskjobs, but for a private user who wants to have some multimedia stuff and be entertained linux is not really the way to go.
So don't waste your time with linux.
  
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Jesse Gersenson
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #37 - 03/23/10 at 10:12:18
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BlkSabb wrote on 03/16/10 at 00:22:35:
You might want to download winetools.  It lets you automatically download and install some of the Windows components that are required for Chessbase to run properly like Windows Media Player and DirectX.  Playchess is working for me.


Playchess is working? Last time I tried it, it didn't work. Any idea which version of wine are you using?

Vladimir/ Markovich
How do I get Robolitto to run on Linux? I download the rar file, than what?

With .exe engines, I just add them to arena. With the linux engines, I don't know what interface to use and how to do it. have tried eboard without luck.

engine matches
in arena (which is run under wine) this is simple. just as easy as with fritz/chessbase.
  
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #36 - 03/23/10 at 10:00:58
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I use the following:

operating system: xubuntu 9.04
chess interface: playwitharena.com
chess engine: rybka 3

other chess programs i run via virtualbox which runs windows xp:
from virtualbox / xp
- playchess
- chessbase
- ct art

to duplicate this set up you'd do something like the following:

1. download xubuntu
32 bit http://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/pub/linux/xubuntu/releases/karmic/release/xubuntu-9.10...

64 bit
http://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/pub/linux/xubuntu/releases/karmic/release/xubuntu-9.10...

2. burn this ISO file to a cd
3. reboot computer with cd inserted and install xubuntu

4. add/install the following programs (Applications > Add / Remove) ... first change the drop down box from "Show: Canonical-maintained applications" to "All available applications" then search for and checkmark the following applications

- wine
- virtualbox ose
- xubuntu restricted extras
- icedtea (optional)
- vlc media player (optional)
- ark (optional)
- open office

5. download and install arena
http://www.playwitharena.de/download/arena_201_setup.exe

6. add your engine to arena

7. start virtualbox (Applications > Accessories > Virtualbox) and install XP there

  
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #35 - 03/21/10 at 02:40:25
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TalJechin wrote on 03/20/10 at 19:24:40:
I found another program, Jose, that looked exactly like I'd want a chess program to look - but when trying to install it, I noticed a line that it's java based and "only works with 32bit, 64 crashes it."

So I'll  just scrap the whole linux idea and make Bill Gates a tiny bit richer...


Alright. That is indeed fair enough.

Sometimes you just have to go with what you know, and making a full transition is an investment in and of itself.  Smiley
  
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TalJechin
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #34 - 03/20/10 at 19:24:40
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I found another program, Jose, that looked exactly like I'd want a chess program to look - but when trying to install it, I noticed a line that it's java based and "only works with 32bit, 64 crashes it."

So I'll  just scrap the whole linux idea and make Bill Gates a tiny bit richer...
  
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TalJechin
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #33 - 03/20/10 at 18:40:14
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Vladimir wrote on 03/19/10 at 22:42:41:
TalJechin wrote on 03/19/10 at 22:27:02:
Well, I've followed the instructions but the engines I install crash when I start them. Can't find "Configure UCI engine" but maybe it's because it's spark.exe and not a UCI?

Would I need to find Scid's engine folder and copy the exe-files there?


Ah, .exe files are Windows-only executables. You'll have to redownload the Linux version from the Spark website.

Also, just to be sure, open up Scid again, go to the help menu, click About, and see what version you're running. The old 3.6.1 version may not have the UCI engine configuration window.

The reference picture from the Scid website for the Analysis Engine windows: http://scid.sourceforge.net/screenshots/uci.png


Hmm, strange - the Scid version is indeed 3.6.1 but I'm sure I downloaded and installed the latest file. Maybe it's simply not updated?

Btw, I noticed that there's another program called ChessDB which is based on the SCID code - is there any reason not to use this instead?

Btw2, the Spark engine is the 64 bit linux version, I just didn't know what to call a program in linux...
  
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Smyslov_Fan
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #32 - 03/20/10 at 05:15:01
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I'm going to leave it in the General Chess column for now because it's an issue that is legitimately interesting to almost all members of the chess pub community.  The Linux discussion is, in my mind, directly tied to using chess computers.  At least in this venue.
  
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Willempie
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #31 - 03/19/10 at 23:18:18
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Vladimir wrote on 03/19/10 at 22:58:33:
Ah, I'm sorry. We got sort of far afield, but we're talking about chess now, I swear!  Wink

I guess what I want to say is that in trying out Linux, you have to disentangle yourself from a lot of ingrained Windows notions you may not have even realized you had (e.g., .exe files being executables). I think we're in the middle of that troubleshooting process, although we can take it to PMs if the mods want.

No, by all means go ahead. Just make sure you put in Bxh7+! at some point Wink

And you are right that that is one of the problems, one other being that most people only use their computers to run certain programs and nothing else. So they are not bothered about the niceties of the installation itself(with windows it is next,next,finish).

PS I am not a mod in this section and I dont have a problem with such discussions at all. It was more of a lame attempt to point out the inconsistencies with remarks made in a thread in the chitchat sections (not by you btw).
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #30 - 03/19/10 at 22:58:33
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Willempie wrote on 03/19/10 at 22:45:35:
Not wanting to be a spoil-sport, but shouldnt this be in the chit chat or is this subject not weird enough? Grin

I will just add tha when using Linux you have to know a little what you are doing, in particular the free ones. It isnt for fun that companies pay for using Linux.
In this particular instance I am also not of much assistance I am afraid. Though to me it seems you and Vladimir are talking slightly different things.


Ah, I'm sorry. We got sort of far afield, but we're talking about chess now, I swear!  Wink

I guess what I want to say is that in trying out Linux, you have to disentangle yourself from a lot of ingrained Windows notions you may not have even realized you had (e.g., .exe files being executables). I think we're in the middle of that troubleshooting process, although we can take it to PMs if the mods want.
  
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Re: moving to Linux
Reply #29 - 03/19/10 at 22:45:35
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Not wanting to be a spoil-sport, but shouldnt this be in the chit chat or is this subject not weird enough? Grin

I will just add tha when using Linux you have to know a little what you are doing, in particular the free ones. It isnt for fun that companies pay for using Linux.
In this particular instance I am also not of much assistance I am afraid. Though to me it seems you and Vladimir are talking slightly different things.
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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