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Thread ID: 46143 2004-06-15 00:43:00 Discussion: What Do Newbies (And you) Need to Make the Switch to Linux?? Chilling_Silence (9) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
244559 2004-06-15 23:58:00 It will be just as difficult for a non-IT literate person to install Windows or Linux if they have no previous experience.

However, once installed, the same person if exposed to either O/S for the first time will have the same frustration. I know - I deal with these type of people all the time. After a couple of sessions on basic Windows (or Linux) training they will continue to use it and over time will gain confidence (well some of them anyway).

As an example - I have a non-IT literate staff working on a Linux Mandrake PC. It wasn't that hard at all introducing him to it, however he didn't have to install it. 		nzStan (440)
244560 2004-06-16 00:27:00 > But WTF X-( really got my gander up with his
> "pretty coloured plugs" etc in his 12.02am post. And
> the rest of the post is just for him.........

*yawn* did you think I really directed my post just at you?

Damn near all major desktop computers and most lap-tops have adopted the colour coded plug system. Have a look at the back of any computer built in the last 5 - 6 years or more. 		whiskeytangofoxtrot (438)
244561 2004-06-16 00:36:00 > As an example - I have a non-IT literate staff
> working on a Linux Mandrake PC. It wasn't that hard
> at all introducing him to it, however he didn't have
> to install it.

I thought you considered yourself a clever man?

The user you refer to isn't using linux as such,he is using the apps running on linux,get him to do a system task with linux and no help from his suport then come back and blow your horn.

Hell,get him to install some nvidia display drivers,Even with detailed instructions he will be cursing linux.

What a joke. 		metla (154)
244562 2004-06-16 00:44:00 > > As an example - I have a non-IT literate staff
> > working on a Linux Mandrake PC. It wasn't that
> hard
> > at all introducing him to it, however he didn't
> have
> > to install it.
>
> I thought you considered yourself a clever man?
>
> The user you refer to isn't using linux as such,he is
> using the apps running on linux,get him to do a
> system task with linux and no help from his suport
> then come back and blow your horn.
>
> Hell,get him to install some nvidia display
> drivers,Even with detailed instructions he will be
> cursing linux.
>
> What a joke.
>
>

Metla, I apologise to you if for any reason I had offended you with my post. No I don't consider myself a very clever man. Wiser as I grow older and always learning every day.

My point is that any person who do not have Windows or Linux experience would have problems installing anything on a PC be it Windows or Linux. If it was that simple on Windows I wouldn't be helping fellow church members fixing or installing peripherals on their computers on most Saturdays.

But if it was done for them, like a PC out of a box with Windows and Office installed it wouldn't cause a problem for standard user. Take for example the approach by Walmart offering a fully packaged Lindows PC.

But like I said, sorry if I had offended you and not it wasn't a joke. 		nzStan (440)
244563 2004-06-16 00:44:00 SKT174>
Linux wins Hands-Down with the right Disto.
Give them LFS, Gentoo, Arch or anything along those lines and even with the brilliant documentation, you need to know generally what you're doing. In the case of these three, Windows would win without a doubt
Give the user any Windows OS, Or Ark Linux, and I gaurantee 100% that after the user has:
Selected their region/timezone
Selected System Install (It tells you what each of the three install types does)
Allow them to play Tetrix for about 20 minutes and wham, bam, thankyou mam you have Linux :-)


Personally, I think one of the biggest problems is too much choice for n00b's...... 		Chilling_Silence (9)
244564 2004-06-16 00:48:00 Bah ,How do you think im offended, im just noisy,and i for one consider you clever, lmao,I just thought it was a bad example,The fact that someone using an app or 2 on linux with a suport crew behind him is managing doesn't make it superior to windows.and ignores the downsides of linux(but every pro linux post in this thread is more one sided then a Green party get together) metla (154)
244565 2004-06-16 00:56:00 Actually I've been quoted in various media before that I do not consider Linux as suitable for corporate desktop yet because there are just too many legacy windows applications to be ported over.

But I remember in one article I said that IT Managers could gain some savings by targeting fringe users ie someone who doesn't need all the whizbang, maybe just Word Processing and Spreadsheet and email. That Linux user I mentioned above fitted the category. I saved not having to purchase Windows XP professional and Office XP Standard Edition for him. Plus I was able to re-use an older PC that was suitable for Mandrake. PC does everythinh he need including onboard sound plus some nifty games. 		nzStan (440)
244566 2004-06-16 01:11:00 > I thought you considered yourself a clever man?
>
> The user you refer to isn't using linux as such,he is
> using the apps running on linux,get him to do a
> system task with linux and no help from his suport
> then come back and blow your horn .
>
> Hell,get him to install some nvidia display
> drivers,Even with detailed instructions he will be
> cursing linux .
>
> What a joke .

Whoa, Metla . . . . . you can say that about the average Windows user as well . How many of them can install display drivers or do a system task? And no, I'm not referring to the type of people who regularly frequent this and other computer forums . ;-)


Why don't I change over to Linux? Mainly because I have spent well over $700 over the past four to five years on Windows and Windows programs that I need (and that is excluding games) and I want to get my money's worth out of them . If some can run on Linux that would be great, but what is the point of switching to Linux and using all my Windows programs on Linux? That would be daft - I may as well stick with Windows for running Windows apps .

I do play with Linux when I have spare time just for the fun of it and one day my next computer will probably be a Linux box . Unfortunately, at the moment I find it difficult getting my head around some of the Linux ways of doing things and it is particularly hard to remember things when I have had a bit of a break from it . :-( 		Susan B (19)
244567 2004-06-16 01:35:00 >
> Whoa, Metla . . . . . you can say that about the average
> Windows user as well . How many of them can install
> display drivers or do a system task? And no, I'm not
> referring to the type of people who regularly
> frequent this and other computer forums . ;-)
>


Instructions for installing display drivers for nvidia card

Windows .

Click . exe

Linux .

Currently there are not any pre-built kernel drivers for Mandrake Linux 9 . 0, so you’ll have to construct your own . If you’ve ever compiled your own binaries from source code, you won’t have any problems with the next step .

If you are using an earlier version of Linux, you can go to . nvidia . com/view . asp?IO=linux_display_1 . 0-3123" target="_blank">www . nvidia . com to find a precompiled kernel driver to match your distro .

Building your own kernel drivers

Copy both the GLX and kernel drivers from the CD-ROM into a temporary directory on your hard disk . If you are installing a new video card, now is the time to turn your machine off and swap video cards . The easiest way to install the kernel drivers is to do the job in command line mode by typing linux 3 at the lilo prompt . Remember to log in as root, otherwise you’re not going to be able to exact any changes on the system . Change into the directory where you dumped the two tar balls and enter the following commands at the prompt:

$ tar xvzf NVIDIA_kernel-1 . 0-3123 . tar . gz

$ tar xvzf NVIDIA_GLX-1 . 0-3123 . tar . gz

This will unpack the two files into their own directories as sub-directories of the one you just created . Change into the NVIDIA_kernel-1 . 0-3123 directory and enter the command make install to install the nVidia kernel files . After this command has been completed successfully, key in cd . . /NVIDIA_GLX-1 . 0-3123 to change into the GLX directory . Key in the same make install command to move the required OpenGL and XF86 files into the correct locations .

The next thing you have to do is tell XFree86 that the drivers are there, and to make use of them . At the console, type XFdrake and press enter . If you are using Red Hat, key in xconfigurator, and for SuSE, sax2 to launch the XF86 configuration scripts . This will detect the card and write a configuration file called /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 . Open the same file with your preferred text editor, and look for the Module section . There should be a line that reads Load "glx" . If it’s not present, add it . Also look out for Load "dri" or Load "GLcore", and if they are there, delete the lines . Move through the text file to the Graphics device section . If the default driver is still there (look for the line Driver "nv"), replace it with Driver "nvidia" and save the file .

You’ve now made all the changes required to install the new driver files . The last thing you may want to do before restarting X is to add a drop-shadow to your mouse cursor . Open the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file in a text editor and add the following lines under the Option "DPMS" line:

Option "CursorShadow" "true"

Option "CursorShadowAlpha" "75"

Close and save the text file when you are done, and you will have a cursor shadow the next time you load X . You can also play with the transparency by modifying the number after "CursorShadowAlpha" . Restart X by hitting ALT+CTRL+BACKSPACE, or (if you are still logged in under the command line mode), logout and log in under an X session .

Xvidtune

While you are fiddling around with your video drivers, you may want to configure the screen to ensure that you get the highest quality output possible . Refer to your monitor manual to find the highest refresh rate that your screen will tolerate without suffering damage and enter it into the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file . It’s extremely important to check your manual and be careful here, as using the wrong settings has a good chance of damaging your hardware .

After you have entered the refresh rates, restart X-windows and launch a console screen . Key in xvidtune at the shell prompt and press enter to launch the x video tuning application . Here you can make fine modifications to X’s output settings, and improve the output of your screen . xvidtune is especially useful for finetuning output to a LCD screen . Make sure that you don’t make any changes that are unsupported by your hardware; the worst-case scenario could mean you paying for a new monitor and graphics card .

Of course, we could have provided a script to install the driver, make the changes to configuration files, and launch xvidtune for you, but where’s the fun in that? Much of the attraction of Linux is in rolling up your sleeves and diving into the inner workings of your computer . It’s the best way to learn how your Linux box actually works .




oh my giddy giddy aunt . 		metla (154)
244568 2004-06-16 01:49:00 I think you have proved your point very well indeed Metla :)

There cannot be any answer to that :D 		Terry Porritt (14)
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