There are only two programs I use on Windows. One is Tower Hobbies "Real
Flight" RC airplane flight simulator. The other is "AVR Studio" a
programming suite used in programming Atmel's AVR 8-bit microcontrollers.
They have one, a relative new one, for the 32-bit controllers but the 8-bit
AVR's are only supported by a Windows program. If it wasn't for that . . .

Unfortunately, Windows has had a virtual monopoly on the desktop for
many years and a lot of programs are written specifically for it and
there's nobody who can re-write the code for Linux - or rather the
ones who could do it are all tied up on other projects :-(

R> Some will run under WINE but too quirky to be usable.

Have you considered Virtual software ( VBox / VMWare ) to run WinXP
within Ubuntu ? That way you get the best of both worlds and don't
have to give up one for the other

I will download and install VBox today. I have used Virtual PV on Windows but I
was not aware of it for Linux.

I have seen a number of responses about other software but when you have a fully
integrated logbook, spot collector, rig control plus nicely integrated with DX
Atlas it is hard to break away to what is available on Ubuntu.

I gave up on all that, drank the kool aid and just went to a dedicated doze box
in the hamshack (as well as a file server but that's a separate saga). Life is
a lot easier now.

If the issue was simple logging, basic digital modes, satellite tracking, etc.,
Ubuntu can fit the bill pretty easily. But throw in some radio programming,
equipment control, SDR, WinDRM or FDMDV, et al, and Linux is a non-starter.

And maybe I don't want something "like" N1MM, or HRD, or PCSat. Maybe I want to
run those apps because they do something unique, more easily or I just like
them. I shouldn't have to settle for the lowest common denominator.

Adding unnecessary layers of complexity doesn't add any value and I couldn't see
the point in jumping through hoops and wasting my time trying to configure Linux
into something it's not. At *best* you'll equal what a doze box can do but with
a time, effort and likely a performance hit. My Ubuntu machine does Linux
things, my doze machine does doze things, and ne'er the twain shall meet. For
the cost of a cheap dedicated PC it's just not worth the trouble.

It's all about the applications, and the best tool for the job. It won't always
be Linux. I would rather run doze and enjoy my time on the air than poking
around in Linux trying to get doze software to work right.

Understand exactly what you mean and if you can do that then yes it's
the logical method. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to run
two PC's though and in that case either trying to do it the 'Linux
way' or investigating Virtual OS's is the alternative.

FWIW - I don't see much, if any, of a performance hit running WinXP in
Virtual Box, well unless I load WinXP and Ubuntu up too much :-)

MB> My Ubuntu machine does Linux things, my doze machine does doze
MB> things, and ne'er the twain shall meet.

Have you tried FLdigi/???Comes in both vers- Was written for linux de W8KQ

And you can add jPSKMail, which works with fldigi and gives you a nice program
to send and receive e-mails in HF, as well as grib files, web pages in text
mode, APRS informations,...
About APRS you have also Xastir, which works nicely.
You have also some programs about satellites Gpredict).

Yes I have tried it but it lacks the integration I have come to rely on. I will
look into VBox as an alternative.

While I'm new to Linux as well, I find I'm able to enjoy our hobby quite nicely
with mostly native Linux apps. I use CQRLlog for my day-to-day logging. While
I'm still learining it and configuring it for my particular needs, it seems just
as powerful as HRD's logbook or Logger32. For contesting, I got N1MM Logger to
function under WINE with no difficulties. FLDIGI is a native Linux app, forked
to Winodws, for PSK31/RTTY and other digital modes. The certificate software
for Logbook of the World, TQSL, also has a native Linux version. About the only
disappointment I've found so far is there is very little good rig control
software that emulates what HRD does for rig control under Windows. That is a
limitation I can live with for the time being.

TNX, I find that both rig control and a good interactive spot collector are
sadly missing. I am in the process of installing Virtual box to see if that will
be the interim answer.

I am not a ham but do use acfax for NOAA weather maps. I know that
experimentation amongst some new hams has dropped off with the advent of
solid state transceivers. But I thought Linux was a good fit for those
looking for something to play with. It may be time to dust off the
thinking cap, and come up with an answer for the missing functionality.
We would love to hear about any application you develop to answer the needs.