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| Thread ID: 10867 | 2001-08-18 04:54:00 | Linux - Worth the temptation? | Guest (0) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 17164 | 2001-08-18 04:54:00 | I know little about, but am interested in installing Linux on my PC, and was wondering where I should start - RedHat, Lin4Win etc. Is it worth the trouble playing around with this or more something for the computer geeks (of which I am not). Any constructive comments appreciated, thanks. | Guest (0) | ||
| 17165 | 2001-08-18 07:05:00 | I recomend Mandrake 8.0 for beginners, and I think most people would. It has two options, install beside windows, or on a serperate partition. As for installation, it is just as easy as installing windows. With mandrake you won't have to leave the GUI (unless you want to). Even my parents can handle it (well as well as with windows anyway :-). Why not give it a try, you can keep windows around but will probably find yourself using linux more and more as you get used to it. The only problem you may have is hardware support, check at www.linux-mandrake.com/en/hardware.php3 As there is some hardware out there that is windows only. As for getting the disks, if you want to pay retail, I have seen copies of Mandrake 8.0 in DiskSmith stores. Or for the cheaper option, get a copy from your nearest geek for a couple of dollars (remember it is FREE so its ok). A LUG (Linux User Group, www.lug.net.nz) is another option, they will be more than happy to help you, and run installfests where they will install and set it up for you. |
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| 17166 | 2001-08-18 07:28:00 | Thankyou b.m. for the response, much appreciated. I checked out mandrake at its home site and was impressed with its easy to understand documentation & GUI. How come we don't see these OS's preinstalled on PC's, or is it just early days and they soon will? Anyway I'll give it a go, thanks again :-) | Guest (0) | ||
| 17167 | 2001-08-18 08:17:00 | Good question. I havn't seen any computers preloaded with linux yet, but I would imagine that will change if manufacturers look to reduce costs, i've seen quite a few computers with StarOffice (free) over the MS equivilants. Another problem is microsoft, I think one of the conditions of getting cheap OEM copies of windows is not to sell anything else. I know that some of the local companies will supply linux but you need to make a special request. Most of the big OEMs, eg HP, have linux as an option on their business computers. Good luck with trying out linux, if you run into trouble there are many linux users like myself who are willing to help you, esp the LUGs I mentioned. |
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| 17168 | 2001-08-19 10:03:00 | Just as a matter of interest I have recently removed all MicroSoft software from my PC and am using RedHat 7.0 and StarOffice 5.2. I transfer files between home and work using tar/gzip which is compatible with WinZip. I use StarOffice for Windows at work. Linux is becomng a practical desktop option! | Guest (0) | ||
| 17169 | 2001-08-19 22:23:00 | Yes I have heard of RedHat & I do have a copy of StarOffice courtesy of a NZ-PC World disk. One of the big problems for newbies like myself is the range of different Linux flavours available - are these very different or reasonably compatable like versions of Windows. I have checked out Mandrake & seems OK, so my question is what main differences exist between eg RedHat & Mandrake. When looking at the LUG I read comments about security issues associated with some versions of Linux (can't remember which). Any comments appreciated. As a side issue, how can DSE justify $79 for Mandrake if Linux is free? :-) |
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| 17170 | 2001-08-20 03:06:00 | Mandrake was origionally designed to be totally compatable with Redhat, as it is the most popular distro. But mandrake is so popular now that many packages are made specifically for mandrake. There generally isn't much difference between the distros, especially the redhat based ones. Mandrake is popular because they have put a lot of effort into making it easy for beginners. I don't know what specific security problems you read, but linux still has holes found (not as regularly as MS though) but for a home user most of them will be in server services that you wont (shouldn't) be running anyway, eg Apache, Telnet. Mandrake has Mandrake Update that will update your software if you have an internet connection. And also a built in firewall from Bastile Linux. AS for the $79, it isn't DSE infrating prices 5000% :-). That is the offical distro from Mandrake, the cost covers some manuals and includes support from the company and some non-free (as in GPL/speech) eg StarOffice, RealPlayer. Where as with the free disks they let you download you don't ge a printed manual, or support from the company. Although they do run sites like: www.mandrakeuser.org that can give you help (as well as your nearest geek). It may seem silly to pay $79 for what you can get for free, but many users want to give something back to the linux community. |
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| 17171 | 2001-08-20 03:36:00 | Thanks for the clarification b.m. your comments have been very helpful, including the pay/non pay options. Mandrake sounds like the one for me as I definately fit into the beginners category. Seems I have a bit to learn about the Linux language too (distros). :-) | Guest (0) | ||
| 17172 | 2001-08-20 11:44:00 | Sorry about the 'distros', its short for distribution. Linux itself is only the very core of the operation system. So by itself its pretty useless and there is no 'offical' distribution. A number of companies have packaged together all the other stuff (which is also generally free) that you need in an operating system, which is called a distribution. eg Redhat, Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, Yellowdog, etc. |
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