Miscellaneous > The Lounge
And you wonder why Linux is not Mainstream Like Windows is?
willysnout:
Voidman and pkd, thanks for the responses. Both of you had some good points in the "debate," and some good practical information. I appreciate it. Two comments and one question, then I'll go away and check out linux over the next several months.
The comment is that I'm not as closed-minded as I might appear. I'm actually getting more open to moving away from Microsoft as a result of the XP fiasco, and their attempts to take over the Internet with this Palladium thing. But I'm also very practical minded, and one facet of this is that I really don't want to be a beta tester science project nor do I want to have to know how to build the car in order to drive it. It's a balancing act, and maybe linux just ain't for me and I'll have to put up and shut up with Microsoft.
The second comment is to Voidman, who noted that some people who are active in that community have a mental age of 12, but that's not a fair description of the whole community. That's an excellent point. Thanks for saying it, and I will try hard to remember it. In my work life I have been close to some very specialized, truly arrogant pricks and therefore am hyper-sensitive to overweening geeks of all kind, comptuer and otherwise. It's a hot button for me because I regard the point of specialized knowledge to be to use those talents for a wider purpose rather than to use your knowledge as an extension of your insecurities. That said, my reaction goes too far as well.
Now for the question: Do you folks have any recommendation for a book on linux for beginners? If not that, maybe some ideas on how to start in the shallow end of the pool? The Linux boards on this site seem to be dominated by arguing techno-nerds. I just want to figure out what it's about and leave the religious wars to others.
Any recommendations would be most appreciated. Thanks much.
voidmain:
I would suggest that before you spend any money, or buy any books that you download a copy of DemoLinux and just boot it up from your CD. You may find that it is easier than you think. In fact, since I recommended it, I am right now in the process of downloading it and checking it out myself and will give you a better assessment of it after I try it out.
Do you have a high speed internet connection and a CD burner?
willysnout:
quote:Originally posted by VoidMain:
I would suggest that before you spend any money, or buy any books that you download a copy of DemoLinux and just boot it up from your CD. You may find that it is easier than you think. In fact, since I recommended it, I am right now in the process of downloading it and checking it out myself and will give you a better assessment of it after I try it out.
Do you have a high speed internet connection and a CD burner?
--- End quote ---
Yes to the questions. I've been to the site and am thinking about how to download this program. I've got a bunch of other more urgent stuff on the to-do list this week, but maybe I'll try it out next week.
voidmain:
Well here is the one I am downloading now:
ftp://ftp.fsn.hu/pub/CDROM-Images/demolinux/3.0/demolinux-3.01.iso
I've only got about 25% of it downloaded right now, it seems to be a slow link for me as I am only getting between 10 and 60KB/s. Now it is a very large file (~650MB) so it will take a couple of hours even over a high speed connection. I would suggest when you are finished using your computer for the evening, you start it downloading and it should be there for you the next morning.
It is a CD ISO image (a standard CD image format). Any CD burning software should be able to create a CD from this file but you will have to look in your help or manual for your CD software to determine the proper way for that particular software to write an ISO file to CD. You can not just copy it to the CD as that will not work.
I should have my CD burned and tested some time this evening. I will let you know if I think it is worth your trouble.
[ August 06, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
choasforages:
ahhh, demo linux, i have had both good and bad experiances with it. first it doesn't like my dads thinkpad 1400. but i used it to save my friends winxp computer. so if it doesn't work like promised don't give up hope immediabn'ly. and as for my job, im getting ready to recommend a copy of winnt 4.0 for a guy that needs to upgrade the os on his laptop. suprise, linux isn't an answer unfourtantly. he already knows howto use windows, its not going to change, and im giong to get paid for it, though i will try to show him apps like openoffice and mozilla. im pushing for them to decide on a new macintosh though. well, have phun
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