How do you get started with Linux?

Tone · Post by **Tone** » 18 Aug 2003, 22:18

I want to enter the world of Linux but the installing and setting up of the OS is nothing like Windows I have a copy of REDHAT 8 at the moment but I feel like a idiot because it is strange domain that I am entering. Tried to install REDHAT 8 but it and Windows apparently does not go well together on the same particianed harddrive. Which one of the two must be installed first if I want to dual boot? I went through all the instructions as prompted by the installer of RH8. I enter the passsword as required, reboot and when I enter the password that I suplied with the reboot the OS does not want to accept What am I doing wrong?

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 18 Aug 2003, 22:32

If you want to dual boot, install Windows first and then install Linux on a seperate partition. RH8 should be relatively easy to install as it detects all your hardware and installs the necessary drivers for you. It doesn't always do a good job of it though

RH9 is much improved in this respect, from what I've heard that is. I still prefer RH7.3 cause, unlike the newer versions, it doesn't look like WindowsXP

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 18 Aug 2003, 22:40

oh and what...looking like Windows XP is a bad thing?

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 18 Aug 2003, 22:53

Hawk21 wrote:oh and what...looking like Windows XP is a bad thing?

Hawk, when I use Linux it's to get AWAY from Windows. With Linux looking like Windows it doesn't help much, does it? I don't want to be reminded of Windows at all when I'm using Linux.

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 18 Aug 2003, 23:01

True,True
(hey at least it looks like WindowsXP and not Windows98

)

anyways what Linux do you use?
im interested in trying out Linux (when i actually get around to downloading the entire thing

)

ive heard that Mandrake is great for begginers...but with the amount of different linux's choosing one gets pretty confusing

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 18 Aug 2003, 23:21

I use Red Hat Linux 7.3. Unfortunately I haven't been able to try any of the other variants yet. Mandrake seems very popular though. Apparently it's harder to start with Red Hat, which is exactly why I'm using it. I like to dive into the deep end first

I'm still learning as I go along. It's quite alot of fun once you get into it. I figure all of us should be using or learning to use Linux before Palladium shows it's ugly head. Then it'll be easy for us to jump ship from Microsoft. The other option would of course be OS X. On that day Bondi will be smiling smugly

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 18 Aug 2003, 23:36

thats the only way to learn

did you download RedHat or did you buy a release version?

the download sizes of linux frightens me and my little 56k 8O

palladium (from what ive seen) looks pretty interesting, theyr trying to do some "innovative" (i use that word litely) stuff for the windows OS

however im quite happy with XP (plus Style XP for that extra flash

)
jump ship from microsoft? never

but i would like to take a swim now and then

(by the way Dakes...um your sig has...shrunk?)
(hmm only 3 members on tonight?

)

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 18 Aug 2003, 23:48

I used a copy from my previous job. I would never sit through that download 8O

Palladium scares me. It makes the 1984 scenario seem all to realistic.

Microsoft are planning to use the 'pretty operating system' ploy to entice it's future victims 8O

Yeah, Cameron asked me to shrink my sig a little. Apparently it was causing havoc with the forum width

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 19 Aug 2003, 00:02

Microsoft are planning to use the 'pretty operating system' ploy to entice it's future victims

for some reason i feel i should explain my reasons for liking XP

:
its extremely stable and very compatible with most software...not for its "prettiness"

however you have to admit its good for graphics cards as theyl become more mainstream (i mean even more than they are now) thanks to Palladium and its encorporation of 3d features

thats a shame about the sig, it makes it hard to read...

(well im getting adsl in about a month...or year...depending on how telkom is feeling

so im going to download linux then)[/quote]

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 19 Aug 2003, 00:33

I have to agree about XP, it is extremely stable. Heck, I'm having a tough time trying to get it to crash

Palladium is supposed to be about creating a secure computing environment. But with the control Microsoft will be getting coupled with the lack of privacy and freedom we'll be having, I'm not so sure I want to be secure

As we all know, most of China is using pirated copies of Windows. This is true for many other countries as well. Yes, Bill Gates condemns this profusely in public. But what many people are not aware of is that he is ecstatic about this. He openly revealed this at some university (I'll try and find this lecture again somewhere). Yes, Microsoft are losing millions of dollars now through piracy, but the grand scheme is working beautifully. The more people there are using Windows (through pirate copies or not), the more popular it becomes. It's so easy to use, that the average man on the street becomes dependent on it. Using any other operating system will seem like a mountain to climb! Especially ones like Linux. It's not always as simple as just clicking on a button. So now everybody is hooked on Windows. In steps Palladium. Now it's impossible (in theory) to use pirated software. What now? What does the average man on the street do? "Linux is too hard to learn and Macs are too expensive," he thinks. He'll just have to buy his legal copy of Windows. And pay for any other upgrades and subscription fees that Microsoft and it's partners introduce.

This is where we're headed. Don't expect black-suited guys in dark glasses from Microsoft to come banging down your door if you're using a pirated copy of Windows.

Sorry about the long reply Hawk21, I just had to get that off my chest

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 19 Aug 2003, 00:54

long replies keep things interesting

well i have to admit my machine crashed once...but that was because i got a little too experimental with overclocking

that secure computing enviroment statement could be taken many ways...the way i take it is:Microsoft will know everything im doing on my pc...and thats why im sticking to XP for quite awhile

palladium is in my view a huge invasion of privacy (of course all were hearing is the tail ends of rumours and whispers in dark corners

it might not be as bad as we all think it will be)

Im sure Bill Gates is happy about the widespread use of his software piracy or no piracy,although i doubt he has some grand master plan to take over the universe (i just recieved $50 from microsoft for saying that

) the thing is like you say windows is the casual computer users OS of choice for its ease of use and simple effectiveness (not that pre XP windows versions were especially effective but they did what was needed of them and thats all that alot of people need.

although i think that linux is getting more and more people interested in it, its getting easier to use (by linux standards anyway) day by day.so this will be a constant thorn in microsofts side.

at least the whole thing of .NET services has quitened down...now that really worried me...subscription fees for my OS...now really

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 19 Aug 2003, 01:18

At least the Chinese people have wised-up to this. This issue received quite a bit of media coverage over there. They're angry for shooting themselves in the foot.

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 19 Aug 2003, 01:25

well the money they saved by using pirated software can now be used on medical bills for their feet

how do you mean theyv wised up? to what? the fact that Bill Gates is privately happy with piracy?

im confused

(hey my 200th post

)

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 19 Aug 2003, 01:34

Yes, they're aware that Bill condones their use of pirate software for his own benefit. He should've benefitted from the sales anyway, so their anger can't be justified. They just feel used. It's a case of 'who's kidding who'.

Hawk21 · Post by **Hawk21** » 19 Aug 2003, 01:44

ah ok i understand

well i suppose no-one likes being used...but thats hardly a reason to be angry, if anything they should be embarresed for feeling angry at Bill Gates not minding much about them using Pirated software,

LordRage · Post by **LordRage** » 19 Aug 2003, 07:11

So more and more people are joining the anti Microsoft campaign hey... Well NOT ME, I love MICROSOFT, I WANT TO WORK FOR MICROSOFT.

Anyway that is my 2cents!!

Dakes · Post by **Dakes** » 19 Aug 2003, 12:26

LordRage, I don't hate Microsoft. I just said what I did cause I value the truth.

Post by **Cameron_Losco** » 25 Aug 2003, 12:18

If you want to learn Linux then the first thing you have to understand is that it is not Windows. You have to take what you know about Windows and put it aside. I made the mistake of trying to use it the same way you would run Windows and all it spelt for me was frustration. Yes, the two operating systems do have similar qualities (in some respects) but at the end of the day they are completely different.

If you want to learn Linux try http://www.linuxdocs.org, there you will find a whole bunch of how-tos and guides. If I was you then I would install Linux on a separate drive and only connect the drive when you want to use it. This way you'll have a lot more faith that if you mess things up it can't mess-up Windows. Just remember, if you mess it up you can always fix it. If you can't fix it then you can always reinstall.

Hope this helps

Post by **Thrall** » 25 Aug 2003, 13:01

A separate drive is a good idea, yup. Here's The Linux Newbie Administrator Guide that I've used for the past few years - read it before you install Linux, as it'll give you a good overview of what to look for

Post by **Synkronos** » 25 Aug 2003, 15:25

Apple are also looking at coding their OSes for x86 architecture, so you will have people running MacOS on their Intel/AMDs at some point in the future. Which I think is a smart move by Apple, even tho it might drop their hardware sales a bit. In the long run, if the OS is all it's cracked up to be, then people will start buying entire Apple machines.

skunkymunky · Post by **skunkymunky** » 25 Aug 2003, 15:28

you wanna get me started with linux gimme a copy cos i aint down with downloading a gig on a 56 k and i aint down with buying something thts supposedly free.

if its free nobody will mind right.

Post by **Thrall** » 25 Aug 2003, 16:45

Debian, Mandrake, Red Hat, Slackware - R65 couriered to you.

Linux Warehouse

default · Post by **default** » 25 Aug 2003, 17:20

skunkymunky wrote:you wanna get me started with linux gimme a copy cos i aint down with downloading a gig on a 56 k and i aint down with buying something thts supposedly free.

if its free nobody will mind right.

right no body will mind un less its a Pro Version

Like some of the Suse stuff or RH stuff.

Redhat might be the easiest to install I know it used to be not sure now days.

rather stick to a well known Name like The ones Thrall listed you might find that finding support for some of the more obscure ones a little difficult

francoismar · Post by **francoismar** » 21 Sep 2003, 14:53

help me!!