Re: ...the Linux saga...

[Bruce Smith <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I'm lucky to have access to several versions of Linux available to me - 
> a friend has let me borrow the CDROMs with RedHat, Linux Pro, Slackware, 
> and Debian versions...  By now I have checked out a bunch of the Linux 
> sites on the WEB, and have subscribed to a couple of the Linux newsgroups. 
> The closest Linux user group is 50 miles away, so I decide to do it by 
> myself, with just the info from the WEB, and the CDROM that I have...

I've used Slackware, SuSE, and Redhat and would personally recommend
Redhat.  A RPM based distribution is the only way to go IMHO.  Although
there are other RPM distributions out there (SuSE included), I think 
Redhat has the market share and, if nothing else, you are more likely
to find people who can answer specific questions for a new user.

Althought they are essentially the same, there are minor differences
with setup and file/directory names.  i.e. The problem you're having
with mounting diskettes/CD's could be answered more exactly if you
are running Redhat since a lot of the people on this list know what
Redhat calls it's mount points for these devices by default.

> I tried to do a DIR of my my floppy drive - A: - by using the commands 
> shown in the books - CD /dev/fd0 - ls - etc...  didn't work!  Then tried 
> to do it with the CDROM drive... CD /dev/cdrom... didn't work...!!  
> Studied the books some more, and the files (HOWTO's) that I had downloaded 
> from the WEB, but still could not even read a directory on the floppy 
> drive, or the CDROM drive...

I believe Adam answered that, but if you're still having problems
send another message to the list.  We can show you how to do mounts.

You need to think of the device files (files in the /dev directory)
as direct access to the raw hardware.  You need interface programs
to translate the raw bits & bytes into something you understand,
so you "mount" the device on a directory, then you can use the files
on the device just like any other directory.  However (IMPORTANT) you
need to umount the partition before you remove the diskette/CD.  
That can be hard to remember at first for a former Dos/Windows user.

This is different than Dos/Windows handles things, and takes a little
getting used to, but is pretty nice once you get the hang of it.

> 	BTW, what is the correct pronounciation of Linux?  

I've heard it many different ways.  I don't know which is correct,
and I don't really think it matters very much.

> So, anyway... I still would like to get to know Linux a bit, and actually 
> get it to do something useful for me.  I'm 50 miles from the closest user 
> that I know of, so it isn't like poping into a local friends place to 
> learn a few useful things.

There is one person who drives down from Grand Rapids to attend KLUG
meetings almost every week, so 50 miles is not out of the question.
But if you can't make it, for whatever reason, there are a lot of 
good resources on the net to get answers.  This mailing list is one.

> Finally - two things that have been bothering me... First, is Linux really 
> useful to a "home user" who only wants to do a few apps - word processing, 
> get on the Internet, etc... and the most bothersom thing... why do Linux 
> people on the news groups seem to find it more important to point out the 
> minor problems that people are haveing with other OS's, than spending that 
> same time and bandwidth supporting their favorite OS and helping others with 
> their problems??

Linux is not as user friendly as Win95.  I don't think anybody will give
you much of an argument there.

And, for the type of people who use a computer strictly as a tool, and their
only purpose is to use a word processor, spreadsheet, or even surf the net,
then Linux is not for them (IMO).  My wife is the perfect example.  She
hates computers, she only wants to see MS-Word to do her job, and an internet 
browser to look up information.  I would never dream of trying to teach her
Linux, Win95 does what she needs more simply.  I used to think my sister
fell into that same catagory, but she is currently trying to prove me wrong.

And, since Windows had the monopoly on the market, Linux users tend to
compare Linux to Windows.  It's very hard to do that comparision without
it sounding like you are slamming Windows.  I can't speak for everyone,
but I personally do it more in jest.  Windows has it's nitch, same as Linux.
(It was very difficult for me to write this email spelling Windows correctly,
since I'm very much in the habit of spelling it "windoze" :)

> 	I'd like to hear from anyone who has used Win95, and has then used 
> Linux, to see what their impressions were as to home use and accessing the 
> net...  I know that there are lots of Linux users who are kind of forced to 
> it's use by being associated with UNIX systems, and others who have never 
> used Win95 (or 98) that really don't have a useful comparison to present...

I know Win 95/98/NT/WFW all to well.  I've used them for many years.
I also had a hard time learning Unix at first (I started with a different 
Unix than Linux, but it's the same comcept).  It was only when I started 
getting the hang of Unix when I started realizing the advantages it has 
over Windows.

I don't have a lot of complants about Win 95.  It does what it's suppost to
rather well.  I just like all the additional things that can be done with
Linux that you couldn't even dream of doing with Windows.  Everything is
so much more configurable, and if you don't like the way something works,
you can change it since you have the source code.  Let me know if you'd
like more specific examples.  (I'm trying to keep this email from getting
too long)

With anything this powerful, it is going to be harder to configure and
learn, simply because there is that much more to it.

> 	I still have the 486 systen, and I won't give up easily to Linux's 
> unusual requirements... I'd like to learn how to use it.  It seems like 
> someone should write a book for Linux beginners that would say things like.
> "if you want to see the DIR of your CDROM, do this command..." and then 
> state the command, rather that assume that the user already knows what the 
> command is...

There are a lot of books written about Linux, and I'm sure some address the
new user and some of the problems you are having.  I can't recommend any
since I personally don't own any Linux books.  Perhaps someone else can.

> 	I have the Red Hat 5.1 on CDROM coming soon... I could not get it 
> from the local Linux user group, as they requested that I travel 50 miles, 
> and bring my machine with me to get it installed - at the very inexpensive 
  ^^^
That is not technically correct.  You don't HAVE to bring your PC and 
have it installed.  You can simply buy a CD at a meeting if you'd rather
install it yourself.  Installation help is optional.

> price of $2...  but I found that I could buy the latest version from the 
> Linux Mall for only $1.49 (plus shipping) and it would be delivered to my 
> door... can't beat a deal like that!

You are right, the only way to get a CD is to attend a meeting.
I'm the person who makes the CD's, and I don't do this to be mean.
I just don't have the time to hassle with a mail order business, going
to the post office to mail them, going to the bank to cash $2 checks,
trying to figure out how to take credit cards, and what do I do with
returns?  I just don't have the time!  As you found out, you can buy it 
almost as cheap from other mail order places.  That's fine with me, I'm
not making any profit on these CD's (and neither is KLUG).

> Back many years ago, I spent many late hours trying to master IF, THEN, 
> ELSE with the Sinclair ZX-80... maybe I can even figure out the Linux 
> command structure...

It will take some time, and you will get frustrated at times.
But in the long run, you will get out of it what you put into it.

Please keep us updated with your progress, and fell free to ask questions.

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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