Linux and college?

[chase23]

I will be enrolling into a online college courses and I will be using my Linux Mint laptop primarily.
I'll be getting an associates in information technology with a certification in programming.
I would like to know your thoughts on if I will be able to complete all these courses not having a windows or mac as the University "Requires".
Here is a link to the overview of the courses.

http://www.phoenix.edu/programs/degree- ... ab=courses

Thanks

[jimallyn]

I suspect that "Windows Application Development Using Html5 And Javascript" may be a problem. On the other hand, html5 and Javascript should be platform independent.

[Fred Barclay]

First of all, congrats on going to uni!

Now, if you are "required" to have a Windows, you could always run it in VirtualBox inside Mint. That way, you can keep it safely in jail, still run Mint, and fulfill the uni's requirements. On the other hand, you might get a professor who is impressed by your running Linux (if he's into comp. science he'll probably recognise that this is unusual--unlike most people who really couldn't care less at first) and give you the freedom to code in whatever OS you want. But still, I'd have a virtual Windows if I were you--better safe than sorry. You can always erase it if needed.

(Side note, since you're going to college in the States you might be interested to know that when you say "college" I assume you mean the American definition--similar to our "university"; as opposed to our "college", which is *usually* (but not always) similar to your "dorm" . Quick cultural lesson--for free! ).

[exploder]

I think you should be alright with Linux Mint but I like Fred's idea of having Windows in Virtualbox just in case.

[Ark987]

It is a good idea that you keep Windows around, either dual boot or in Virtual Box. You don't want to spend precious study time wrestling with the operating system, lucky are the ones who can claim that are Windows free after your done with your college you will have to deal with Windows anyway either by using it or making a product for it.

[chase23]

Thanks all for your input. I'm pretty comfortable around a linux environment and I have run a virtual box before. I even have windows xp and windows 7 iso on my downloads folder. But I was just worried about the windows development environment with html... Should be interesting. I guess if I had to build software for a "Windows" I could do so inside of linux and test it in Windows VB? I really wish these universities would start recognizing Linux for what it truly is. But the majority of the world is fixated on Fraud Gates hahaha. And Fred haha I used the word interchangeably. I really appreciate all of your input. Thanks.

[chase23]

And if he gave me freedom to code in my chosen OS Idk if it would really matter except for the IDE he wanted me to use right? I mean Java Eclipse is windows also isn't it?

[DrHu]

Of course the internet doesn't run on Windows, even if MS thinks so
--I always remove the windows client for networks, since TCP/IP is all that is needed for internet connections; except maybe for files and printer sharing

The advice about having a windows OS available is good, but it is possible that you may still have some issues with particular software such as Sharepoint and so on
--I expect that visual studio will work, for the programming side.

• Like everyone else replying: on the whole I think it should be reasonably OK
  --even when a windows specific procedure is usually asked for

[chase23]

I'm sure there would be a work around in wine if the vb couldn't handle it I guess..

[DrHu]

A VM is a much better choice than wine, since it does emulate a standard (VM's pc configuration)
--working with wine and its various glitches is a real pain

• Most newer games have no change of working, and since a VM is more convenient(all in one place) for apps etc, it is usually the best choice..

For any application, I can always use a VM, such as virtualbox
--and I have several installed, including MS visual studio.

Good luck with the courses, and I do expect few if any problems while using your Linux OS for the courseware tasks..

[mike acker]

i have been helping my daughter through this exact problem

what we run into is: if we do not run exactly what they ask for: they just say "we don't support that" -- and the is no further discussion of any question until we comply with their demands

the right way to do support is to support the standard -- e.g. W3C for web pages, ODT or -- the open version of XML for open documents -- rather than a manufacturer

but: there are a lot of things in life that ain't they way they should be. which is why my old Friend Bob always used to tell us -- "save your energy for fights you can win"

Sage advice

[coder123]

@chase23

Hi I've been studying CS in school myself for years. I can tell you from experience that the only classes where you might be forced to use windows are the windows application development classes. I've used every language mentioned on that list except Javascript. I'm pretty sure that what I'm about to say for html apples to javascript. You do not need windows for html. Html is interpreted by the browser. You just make a new file with the .html extension, write some code in it with gedit and open it in a browser. I never used javascript but I've seen it used and it seems to be the same case scenario. (my web class only required html and css but one group went above and beyond in their final project and used javascript) In fact I just googled about it. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5317 ... javascript

Like others have said run a virtual machine of windows to be safe.

Oh and as far as the other languages mentioned here are the Linux equivalents.
C/C++ = GCC
Java = Intellij IDEA (there is a Linux version here https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/ follow in install text file instrictions (skip the optional steps) but do this before following those instructions http://askubuntu.com/questions/122133/t ... -classpath (install the jdk) When I tried to get it from the oracle site the windows way I couldn't figure out what do with the .gz file terminal's way easier.

I've only come across one language that's not Linux friendly. That's C#. To those reading this thinking "what about mono?" I couldn't get it running every time I tried to open it closed on me.

[skywolfblue]

For all the CS courses I took at university, we were graded by the source code. Meaning you didn't actually have to build or run it on your computer, so long as it could be built and run on the instructors computer. So for example you could write code on linux that the instructor could compile into an .exe on their machine.

"Windows Application Development Using Html5 And Javascript" Reads like "99.9% CSS/HTML5/Java, and .01% windows". It sounds as if the windows part of it is almost irrelevant.