New to Linux? Check this out

[msterzer]

What do you all do about drivers? Chipset drivers, etc. Probably don't call them drivers but you know what I mean. Is installation a hassle if you are not doing a duel boot, but a UNIX OS of some type?

[originel]

they are called drivers in *NIX. I go with the defaults unless the default doesn't work/doesn't exist.

ndiswrapper is a useful tool that allows you to load windows drivers in linux.

nvidia has excellent driver support in linux.

[eskiled]

they are called drivers in *NIX. I go with the defaults unless the default doesn't work/doesn't exist.

ndiswrapper is a useful tool that allows you to load windows drivers in linux.

nvidia has excellent driver support in linux.

I think you mean "modules" in *NIX, drivers in Windows. www.linuxcommand.org is very good for help with commands, and especially with bash scripting. i also visit www.justlinux.com for general linux needs, and www.linuxteens.com for fun. Installation difficulty depends on the distribution you pick. Ubuntu for explain, you put the CD in and it even has an auto partitioning scheme it uses. Install takes like 20-30 minutes and you're up!

[lynch]

They're called drivers in either OS. A module is a device driver inserted into the kernel while it's running. Other drivers are built into the kernel.

[GroundZero3]

http://www.linuxnewbieguide.org/

[eskiled]

They're called drivers in either OS. A module is a device driver inserted into the kernel while it's running. Other drivers are built into the kernel.

good call, my bad.

[New2Linux]

Test your knowledge

http://www.sans.org/conference/unix_quiz.php

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=TYK

[GroundZero3]

http://noahhayes.com/linux.htm

Thanks to diggs again!

[surreal]

And for the complete boob that doesn't have a clue and you're too embarrassed to ask cause you don't know what the heck your even asking about

Linux for Non-Geeks (just put floral contact paper on the cover no one will ever know)

[GroundZero3]

http://linuxcommand.org/learning_the_shell.php

[Marsoph]

www.ubuntu.com, www.ubuntuforums.com most popular OS.

[crouse]

Crouse's Websites
USA Linux Users Group
OpenSuse.us
Bash Scripts
Bash Batch Image Processing Script

Linux Distribution Websites

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Damn Small
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Linux News Sources

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CNET News http://news.com
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IDG.net http://www.idg.net
Motley Fool http://www.fool.com
SiliconValley.com http://www.siliconvalley.com
The Standard http://www.thestandard.com
News Forge http://www.newsforge.com
Linux Today http://linuxtoday.com
Fresh News http://www.freshnews.org
Linux Pipeline http://linuxpipeline.com
LWN http://lwn.net
OS Dir http://osdir.com
Linux Insider http://www.linuxinsider.com

[njolakoski]

Great Stuff Crouse...Just to tell ya, from today on... I am dual booting

Windows XP, and Suse 10.0

[ltkenbo]

Yeah about that
http://www.linuxgeek.net/beginners/
Its mostly man pages, you might as well read those. I found a good site at:
http://www.linux-tutorial.info

[jetman]

My contribution begins with:

FreeSpire - Even though I've only spent a few hours w/ it, it's the best Linux for folks who want a more stable Windows-like OS. FreeSpire is the OSS version of Linspire, which started life as Lindows, the distro that ran into trouble w/ the Redmond crew. Debian/KDE-based, w/ everything but the kitchen sink in it, for regular users and developers. It is a better Windows than Windows. Adding apps is as easy as a mouse click, bec of an integrated service called Click-N-Run.

My personal Linux fav is Slax - Slax is a small, Slackware-based distro that's intended to be a live CD forever. Sure, you can install it on a hdrive, but that's really not what Tomas (its creator) had in mind. There are different editions: basic (non-GUI), lite-weight GUI (Xfce), desktop (KDE+WINE), and a server (MySQL+DNS+SAMBA+etc). Even the server edition is tiny (< 250MB.)

Extending Slax happens via a couple thousand (mostly) ready-made modules one can d/l from the site. Just add your downloaded modules to the /modules sub-dir on the CD and you've remastered your Slax CD. Customize the env (chg the wallpaper, add some icons, whatever), then plug in a USB thumb drive and at shutdown-time, Slax will offer to save the chgs to the thumb drive ! They also have a service (which I haven't tried), where one can save customizations to the Slax website in a password-protected repository. Cool idea, just isn't my cup'o tea. Of course, one can add packages via the tried-and-true tarball method and bec this distro is Slackware-based, you can get kits that are blessed by Slackware itself (from the Slackware site itself.)

Before I found Slax, I started to roll-my-own distro w/ Linux-From-Scratch. Even if you don't want to do it all yourself, they have a nice XFce-based live CD, which one can enhance using the excellent documentation on their elegantly-designed and efficient website. It's also good for learning how a distro is put together.

Even though it's been mentioned before, I can't stress the importance of Linux Questions.

Since I prefer live CDs, I recommend the LiveCD News site, for news about new/updated live CDs, a categorized list of live CD distros, and a forum discussing the subject.

Later....

[kopfjaeger]

Thanks all, for all the info on Linux of all flavors.

This is a ton of useful information that will take some time to digest. I do have some specific questions which may apply to all Linux distros. Bear with me please.


a) I mostly do word processing using Corel WordPerfect 8.0. I have the 2000 version and the WP 8.0, most recent update. I have quite a few peripherals, ranging from scanners, external dialup modems (which I hope to replace soon with Cable modems), webcams and security cams of all sorts, printers, etc.

-- Will Linux support older (1995-forward) peripherals?

b) Can I import my existing and archived word processing files, dating back to WP5.0? This is very important since I have to be able to retrieve old files.

I do understand that PCI modems, specifically WinModems won't work under Linux, but this is not a major problem if my collection of NIC cards can talk to a cable modem.

c) My machines run the gamut from an aging Dell Latitude to a 64-bit Athlon. I will assume that I will be learning on Mandrake and upgrading to Mandriva.

-- Will the older Mandrake work on a Notebook with about 128 MB of RAM and still be able to communicate with a Mandriva-based 64-bit system?

Many thanks in advance.

Some background on the Linux transition quest, thus far, below.

KJ
================================================== =

I've been attempting to make the jump from Win98se (I did actually have an XP system for awhile, but it was a complete POS, so I sent it and the CD back) over to Linux for some time now, but I will say that the task, to date, has been daunting.

1) Went to a local Linux Users Group and spent all day at an install party with a set of RedHat CD's which, for one reason or another, refused to complete installation.

2) Bought a Sam's "Teach Yourself Red Hat Linux 8.0" which came with two install CD's. Upon going back for a second shot at an install party, the Linux Old Salts determined that the CD's were flawed. Sam's sent me back a nastygram saying that they weren't liable for any problems with the install disks. I should've read the fine print disclaimer.

Alrighty then....

3) Got a buddy to burn a 7-CD set of Red Hat install disks. My Win98 box couldn't read a gosh-darned one of them. Falling back and punting by freshly fdisking to FAT32 and formatting to a simple command prompt, the copied disks couldn't read that the install disks either (a tad of arrrggg coming out here).

4) Now I've got a boxed set of Mandrake 8.2, complete with users' guide and factory-fresh install CD's. Granted, it's old and long since replaced by Mandriva, but it DOES have the literature that will give me a fighting chance at making a successful install on a test bed machine that I have set aside expressly for the purpose of being my instructional LinuxBox.

If all goes well, I plan thereafter to get the latest version of Mandriva and load it to the 64-bit AMD machine.

[GroundZero3]

kopfjaeger please create a new thread with your questions. This thread is just providing information for linux users

[hulkMAD]

http://linux-newbie.sunsite.dk/index.html

Last updated in 2004, but still very useful. Helped me a LOT when i started out. I still think it's one of the best tutorials out there. Very easy to read and informative.

[eskiled]

http://linux-newbie.sunsite.dk/index.html

Last updated in 2004, but still very useful. Helped me a LOT when i started out. I still think it's one of the best tutorials out there. Very easy to read and informative.

+1

yeah i had that bookmarked for a long long time. but its been replaced by rute..

[GroundZero3]

http://www.brunolinux.com/