I want to give Linux a go...

[Onno Tasler]

Onno Tasler wrote:

Can't remember what I got with the PowerPack. Uh...I use KDE, and have
Gnome installed for playing with, and there's blackbox, Ice...seems like
a couple more.

I remember five selections from the installation program. There were KDE
and Gnome as main alternatives, and a small box where one could choose
from three less well known Window-Managers.

My first choice is Gnome, but I will look at the other, smaller ones as
soon as I have some time to play again.

Well, to some people, Lindows *is* Linux, if that's all they've ever
seen or all they've ever bought, or...all they've ever even heard about
on a pre-assembled machine.

Hmm, that is right. Perhaps Microsoft created Lindows to have something
to proof how bad Linux is?

I think the two are connected, Onno.

Well, of course. They are connected, but not the same. There is the wish
to make something safe and there is the way to do it.

Windows NT (Windows XP is Win NT 5.1) was created as high-security OS.
Therefore, it theoretically should be safe. But it is not, because MS
decided to link browser, file manager and e-mail client. Due to the
connections between these programs, many security holes opened.
There are other things as well, but this is one big part.
(Others are the network settings and the fact that it is, say, difficult
to use Windows XP HE if you are not an administrator)

Look at Windows 98: most security issues are in fact problems with HTML
engine (=the Internet Explorer). Once you disable (or remove) IE and use
another browser and mail program, you are safe against most problems.
Why? Because there is no longer one program that has access to
everything. You do not need one security hole to breach into the system,
but a special combination. The Internet Explorer can delete files -
Opera cannot. If you browse with Opera, it is more difficult to remote
delete files from your Windows. (It is still possible.)

And that is what makes Linux quite secure: There is a good mix of
different, specialised programs. Even if you know a way to break into
one, you probably will not be able to damage the system itself.

(Therefore I do not like the fact that Gnome & KDE use their browser as
default file manager. I think that could turn out as a security problem
one day.)

<Brando>

The horror.

</Brando>

Who is Brando? uzzled:

bye,

Onno

 

[Jason de Bougainville]

If I read that inaccurate diatribe correctly, if you use LINUX you will
probably die.<

If you had read it correctly you wouldn't have posted such an asinine reply.

 

[Blinky the Shark]

Blinky the Shark wrote:

I remember five selections from the installation program. There were KDE
and Gnome as main alternatives, and a small box where one could choose
from three less well known Window-Managers.

My first choice is Gnome, but I will look at the other, smaller ones as
soon as I have some time to play again.

Hmm, that is right. Perhaps Microsoft created Lindows to have something
to proof how bad Linux is?

Well, of course. They are connected, but not the same. There is the wish
to make something safe and there is the way to do it.

Windows NT (Windows XP is Win NT 5.1) was created as high-security OS.
Therefore, it theoretically should be safe. But it is not, because MS
decided to link browser, file manager and e-mail client. Due to the

I didn't think of that aspect (the everything-tied-together part).

connections between these programs, many security holes opened.
There are other things as well, but this is one big part.
(Others are the network settings and the fact that it is, say, difficult
to use Windows XP HE if you are not an administrator)

I'm thinking about the question that's asked every week in
alt.os.linux.mandrake, "Why not just log in as root and stay there?"

Look at Windows 98: most security issues are in fact problems with HTML
engine (=the Internet Explorer). Once you disable (or remove) IE and use

That should draw fire from the MS-worshippers.

another browser and mail program, you are safe against most problems.
Why? Because there is no longer one program that has access to
everything. You do not need one security hole to breach into the system,
but a special combination. The Internet Explorer can delete files -
Opera cannot. If you browse with Opera, it is more difficult to remote
delete files from your Windows. (It is still possible.)

And that is what makes Linux quite secure: There is a good mix of
different, specialised programs. Even if you know a way to break into
one, you probably will not be able to damage the system itself.

(Therefore I do not like the fact that Gnome & KDE use their browser as
default file manager. I think that could turn out as a security problem
one day.)

Hadn't thought about that re Konq. I'm not fond of Galeon. I'm
probably split about 70-30, in a typical day, with the 70% being file
management from the console.

Who is Brando? uzzled:

USan actor. The quote is from a USan film named "Apocalypse Now".

 

[H-Man]

Hmm, that is right. Perhaps Microsoft created Lindows to have something
to proof how bad Linux is?

Lindows, it seems, is intended to be a Windows emmulator, riding on the
Linux OS platform. I think it really is a great thing that someone took
Linux and made it as useable as Windows for a Windows user. I know it's not
perfect, neither is Windows, so that seems a wash IMO. Even though, isn't a
good thing that once someone gets Linux savy with Lindows, and realizes that
full blown Linux can be that much better, they'll get a real Linux distro
and move on. At that point it'll be a 50/50 decision to go to Windows, or
Linux. Linux will be free with way more free apps and way more built into
the OS. Seems like that should put Linux over the top.
IMHO it can't be a bad thing to provide a go-between for those not ready for
the whole shebang. JM2CW

 

[cb]

I'm thinking about ditching my old pc for a newer faster, sexier model.

However, I don't really want to get rid of my old one. I think I'd like
to give a free Linux OS a try, just to get my feet wet once I've
transitioned to the new Windows-based pc.

What's your suggestion for a free Linux OS for my situation?? Thanks in
advance!

I would recommend JAMD Linux if your old equipment will support it. JAMD is
a Red Hat derivative that has apt-get/synaptic for package management which
makes life somewhat easier. It also works pretty well from the
start...however my experinces with Linux is that how well something
(Distro) will work for you is really deopendant upon your hardware. Trying
to get dysfunctional hardware going can be a tremendous pain and time
consumming ordeal. It is only one iso. to download and has installed well
for me on a variety of desktops and a laptop although I still have not
succeeded in getting a wireless network card working. Good user community
and help forums at the JAMD website as well. Try it.
Regards,
Ceejay

 

[CHarneyCHRIS]

i hope you dont mind the 690 megabyte download.

 

[Jonathan Wolgamuth]

I'm thinking about ditching my old pc for a newer faster, sexier model.

However, I don't really want to get rid of my old one. I think I'd like
to give a free Linux OS a try, just to get my feet wet once I've
transitioned to the new Windows-based pc.

What's your suggestion for a free Linux OS for my situation?? Thanks in
advance!

Just wanted to give everyone a collective **thank you** for an
informative thread! (Man, I go away for a day and come back to find 20+
replies!)

You've given me much to go on!

--
Jonathan

"Kids are great Apu! You can teach them to hate the things you hate, and
they practically raise themselves with the internet and all!"

H.S.

 

[Blinky the Shark]

Just wanted to give everyone a collective **thank you** for an
informative thread! (Man, I go away for a day and come back to find 20+
replies!)

You've given me much to go on!

Have fun!

 

[cb]

i hope you dont mind the 690 megabyte download.

If you can't download it try this: You may also request a CD be mailed to
you for the cost of materials (~$5) by emailing (e-mail address removed)
Payments are handled via PayPay by clicking the button. If you want a more
commercial route try here: http://www.budgetlinuxcds.com/ click on the JAMD
link; or do a Google search for another cheap Linux CD supplier of your
choice.
Regards,
Ceejay

 

[Jason de Bougainville]

Amazing how hard it is to get a FREE Linux distribution if you don't have a
broadband connection huh?
There are some resellers that will send you just the disks and only the
disks, for about $10.00, to cover shipping and handling of course. Just type
the name of the distribution you want ( Mandrake, SuSE, RedHat) into google
and they will automagically pop up.

 

[Tiger]

Amazing how hard it is to get a FREE Linux distribution if you
don't have a broadband connection huh?

It's not hard at all...just time-consuming. Start the download before
you go to bed and in the morning, you have it. I did this with my
first version of Mandrake. All three iso's were sitting on my hd by
morning.

--
Tiger

"Zero is where the fun starts
There is too much counting everywhere else."
- Hafiz

 

[Bernd Schmitt]

Contrary to popular opinion Linux is not free.

Contrary to your lie, it is free software GPL.
You can copy and modify this software - you only have to make the
(modified) sources available.

Slackware and Debian are the closest to free you're going to find but they
also have the steepest learning curve because they don't try to be a Windows
clone.

Knoppix is Debian based, easy to use (no install needed but possible).

If you do want to check Linux out you
may want to do so soon before it is no longer available without an expensive
annual license fee if SCO has their way in court.

SCO has nothing. No proof only trying to rumor, that is all.
I've seen their "presentation of proofs" - it is laughable, no chance ever
on any court, even in USA.

Bernd

 

[Jason de Bougainville]

I've been watching you Linux people attempting to change the definition of
free for the last two years so you can start charging for your so called
"value added" software.
I also don't think that is the accepted definition of freeware on this NG so
who is liar here?

 

[Gordon Darling]

I've been watching you Linux people attempting to change the definition of
free for the last two years so you can start charging for your so called
"value added" software.
I also don't think that is the accepted definition of freeware on this NG so
who is liar here?

Care to elaborate? What are you trying to say exactly?

Regards
Gordon

 

[Tiger]

Care to elaborate? What are you trying to say exactly?

Whatever it was, he failed miserably.

--
Tiger

"Zero is where the fun starts
There is too much counting everywhere else."
- Hafiz

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

Care to elaborate? What are you trying to say exactly?

He's hit the perils of top-posting, which has made it very hard to tell
wtf he's talking about. He is talking about OSS for which support
contracts may be purchased, e.g. Red Hat Linux. He misunderstands the
GNU GPL or this newsgroup or both.

 

[Jason de Bougainville]

Care to elaborate? What are you trying to say exactly?

Regards
Gordon

I believe this post from alt.os.windows-xp pretty much says it all!

 

[Gordon Darling]

Whatever it was, he failed miserably.

Answering both yourself and »Q«.
I went back and re-read the whole thread. The word delusional springs to
mind. Either that or he works for Microsoft, he's just trolling or
both.

Ah well, back to the real world.
Regards
Gordon

 

[R Vijay]

I believe this post from alt.os.windows-xp pretty much says it all!

Nope it doesn't say everything. If everything said in that post was true why
will this site come into existance: www.ibm.com/linux
The above is just one example by the way.

Wine is needed where a few Windows applications from the past are needed, as they
were worked with before. From what I see, there is so much software Linux
offers, that there is no need for more. At the higher end look at Debian
www.debian.org (comes with 8710 programs approx.). Even to try them all at the
rate of three applications a day one needs a few years !!!

Most Linux user groups online have several members and are rapidly growing. This
shows its increase in popularity. Citizens of several Countries in the World
can't afford to pay the high fees of MS Licensing. Linux is a great
Free alternative. Besides in supporting OS for older systems Linux becomes an
environmentally friendly project.

By the way, I am not against MS Products. They have contributed a lot to the
economy and assisted several.

Linux has its drawbacks as well just as every other
system. Overall, there is a wide choice available for everyone these days. It is
hard to generalize. The best is to learn and try a few OS that is of interest
that fits the individual needs.

Vijay

 

[techie]

Wine is needed where a few Windows applications from the past are
needed, as they were worked with before.

Or as I like to put it, wine was designed to allow Linux users to
continue to run their legacy-OS applications...