Internet connection from USA

Lewis,

"Topsecret Linux" is not a supported distribution of Mepis. If it was derived from SimplyMepis or one of the other Mepis Linux distributions then we may be able to help you, but I have no documentation on how Topsecret Linux is supposed to work.

Where did you get this distribution and approximately how long ago, because the current stable version of Mepis is 3.3.1?

To get back to your current situation and try to help, have you installed the OS or are you running it from the Live CD? When you state, "...I don't see USA on the list of countries...", what application are you trying to run? Again, I have no information on this distribution so please be specific as to what icons, menu options, or commands you are using. With that perhaps I or someone else on this forum can help you fix the problem

If not, you are going to have to contact wherever you got the distribution from.

Jon

jon, it looks as if it may be another one off ebay, see this link

http://stores.ebay.ca/VentureLive-Auctions

DESCRIPTION

"TOPSECRET" Linux is a NEW Linux distribution that has the folks at Microsoft scared silly. This revolutionary, state-of-the-art operating system designed for the desktop is so good, it can easily replace your Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, or XP system and Microsoft is so concerned they are trying to BAN this CD from eBay! Read below and see why this is so and jump on the band wagon and get your copy TODAY! Hurry, this CD is offered at a bargain basement price for a limited time only!

"TOPSECRET" Linux comes loaded with a wide variety of the best applications and useful tools pre-installed (such as a Web-Browser, an Email-Client, a complete Office Suite, CD-Burning Software, Photo Editing Software, MP3 & Movie Playback Software and a Top Firewall for the best Security) so you can get started right away. In fact, you don't even need to install the operating system, IT RUNS RIGHT OFF THE CD . That's right "TOPSECRET" can be used both as a bootable LIVE CD and can be installed on your hard drive as well.

"TOPSECRET" Linux is the future of operating systems! If you are tired of Windows constantly crashing all the time, the blue screens of death, the nasty viruses, constant pop-ups, and sluggish performance, you will find "TOPSECRET" will do all that you normally do with Windows WITHOUT any of the hassles.

hippy (Dave)

linux reg no #371875

"Hurry, this CD is offered at a bargain basement price for a limited time only!"

Many thanks to you good people for your helpful insight.

After writing my first letter I tried the program in a spare computer with an external hard drive and was able to get online successfully, so I then installed it on the hard drive.

I found the receipt that came with the CD and it is, as Dave astutely pointed out, from 'venturelive' and I bought it from E-bay at the begining of July.

On the screen, I do see the term 'simply mepis', Jon, and when I asked, "...I don't see USA on the list of countries...", that was from when I was trying to configure the dial-up modem. After I had some more coffee, I reasoned that the reason why the good old USA was NOT on the list was because the list was to aid people who who lived OUTSIDE the USA. Duh!!!

The modem I have is a 56K (which normally operates at about 44 - 50K with Windows) but I see that it is only operating at 9600 with Mepis, so my next problem is to try to find out how to improve this situation.

Kind regards.

Lewis.

*****************

I sent info on this to LordDavon earlier this morning.

I just wonder when "Da Mepis Posse" is gonna ride

Jon

I say we /. 'em. A brief article about Ebay and open-source piracy might do the trick.

If you treat your beta-testers as if they're your most valuable resource, they will respond by saying 'ni'.

We will review the listing(s) you have reported for violations of our
Unauthorized Copies Policy. We often rely on members like you to bring
such violations to our attention.

In light of eBay's privacy policy, we cannot share with you any action
taken by eBay with respect to this listing. If we determine that the
listing violates this policy, we will remove the listing or suspend the
seller. Account suspensions are usually reserved for those sellers that
repeatedly disregard policy.

If the item you reported does not appear on its face to violate this
policy, we may refer it to the intellectual property rights owner for
review. If the rights owner has a good faith belief that the item is
infringing, they may choose to send eBay a formal request to remove the
listing. For more information on eBay's cooperation with rights owners,
please visit:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/programs-vero-ov.html

For more information on eBay's Unauthorized Copies Policy, please visit:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/replica-counterfeit.html

Thank you for your report.

Regards,

The eBay Community Watch Team

If you treat your beta-testers as if they're your most valuable resource, they will respond by downloading SimplyMEPIS 3.3.2.test03.

...unfortunately I think they're flying below the radar yet. Although TOPSECRET Linux ain't so secret anymore, I think once we have more information we can REJOICE and watch TOPSECRET disappear!

Da Mepis Posse: You DO NOT want to see an angry geek!

Jon

I love to watch a geek get really MAD, then I look in the mirror, DANG! I am the GEEK! LOL.

Hi, Jon, I placed an order for the "Official" SimplyMEPIS 3.3.1 - CD
SKU: SKU16145 yesterday.

Hopefully I will not, now, be looked upon with disdain.

Kind regards.

Lewis.

**************

Lewis, you were certainly not being looked upon with disdain, you saw something that caught your eye, it seemed to be a bargain and you went for it, not your fault lewis but well done on your order and welcome

hippy (Dave)

linux reg no #371875

Somewhere, USA, August 26, 2005.
On August 25, 2005, L (Lewis) Campbell ordered an official copy of SimplyMepis 3.3.1. After initially contacting the support forum for assistance in configuring a modem, he discovered that the CD he had originally purchased back in July, thinking that it was a "reasonably priced" version of Mepis, was in fact an over-priced coffee coaster. Campbell became concerned for his safety when he was informed that "Da Mepis Posse" had been called in to investigate. However, he was assured by officials that there would be no stain upon his reputation for his initial actions. After a thorough investigation, "Da Mepis Posse" reported to authorities that, "We could find no distain," after which they disbanded and returned to their badly-lit cubicles. Some time later, Campbell was interview and he stated, "I was utterly shocked when I wasn't shunned or had stale donuts and bagels thrown at me, but instead was greeted by a bunch of warm, caring, cheering geeks! One of them even offered me (sniff) a warm Red Bull!"

(I think I've had too much coffee this morning)
Welcome to the gang Lewis!

Jon

You gentlemen are TOO funny.

Thanks.

I have been flirting with Linux for about a year now, trying a system that trashed my hard drive, a system that tried to load onto my hard drive but ended up tying itself in a knot, 'live' CD's, some of which seemed good but did not have the option of being loadable and some which would not connect to the 'net.

Also I have changed ISP's several times because of their incompatibility with Linux.

So, here we are, I now have a system that appears to be quite viable and an even better one in the mail.

By doing some more reading, I hope to be able to resolve the issue of my slow modem connection speed but, generally speaking, I'm happy with the way the system is working and hope I'll be able to interest some other people in it, also.

Thanks for being so supportive.

Lewis.

***************

I've seen alot of this on Ebay and I personally disapprove of the fact that alot of effort went into Mepis so some idiot could sell the unsupported version on ebay for .99 cents.

And every chance I get, I'll send an email to the high bidder of theese auctions and give them a heads up and usually the link to whatever distribution the Images in the auction resemble most.

So they can retract their bid on the grounds that the item was improperly described as they usually never state whether its a supported or unsupported distrubution. Generally theese fly by night morons will just bend over and take it because they know that what theyre doing is illegal.

"Knowledge is Power" Share it and set yourself and others free.

P.S. I,m only sorry that I did'nt get to your auction in time. I could have saved you shipping and handling. , and also welcome to the forum.

Well, that was then and this is now.

I would like everyone to know that I now get online at 50,666 baud with my dial-up modem, which is a SmartLink PCI with an SL 1900 chipset and they often sell on E-bay for $3.00 (yes, thats THREE bucks)

Don't be fooled, Mepis works very well with dial-up.

Kind regards.

Lewis.

*************

Hey there Lewis. I certainly hope that the long delay between your previous post (8/26/2005) and and the last one (1/6/2006) is not due to your cheap three dollar eBay modem

Actually, I'm glad to hear that things are working so well. I don't use a dial-up modem, but I have a friend who still uses one. Although I like the high speed of broadband, I think it's a shame sometimes that there is so much software and so much need for "bigger and faster" that we have somehow forgotten that "dialup is good".

Thanks for the post to let us know that all is well with you

Jon

Couldn't agree more, Jon! NEVER come between a geek and his GPL!
Let's hope they can deal with this guy. But it's February '06, and he's still selling Mepis, Knoppix, Ubuntu, OpenOffice 2.0, and loads more on eBay. In fact, that's the way I found this string - saw his auction listings there, and went looking for something called "Topsecret Linux." When I didn't find it listed on DistroWatch, Google landed me here.

If anyone knows who to report this sort of abuse, please do. His eBay store is at stores.ebay.com/VentureLive-Auctions
where the list of open source software he's selling looks like a "who's who" of top names. (I wouldn't be surprised to learn he does a brisk business in pirated MS software as well on the grey market, eh?)

Like you, Lewis, I've been flirting with Linux for years, since I got a Corel Linux OS box handed to me to try when I worked at Tripod.com (ahh, love those start-up days!). Never did figure out Corel (didn't they turn into Connectiva, and then Mandriva?), but now after playing with 20 or 30 distros, I have a Compaq Evo laptop running Xandros, assorted liveCD's to play with, and a brandy new Nokia 770, running a lovely stripped down Debian system. Check it out! http://www.nokia.com/770

Another new Linux junky is born. ;-P