using dsl linux

[cksboy15]

I downloaded dsl last night just to get a look at what linux is like, and now I'm at a loss as to how anything is done.

I have windows booted right now cause I can't figure out how to setup a dialup connection on linux.

I would also like to know to get into my hard drive to.

[DoubleK]

I warned you.

I don't want to try DSL, but if I recall it does come with Dillo correct? If not I know Firefox was developing a browser at one time? Getting Firefox to run may be VERY time consuming. Dillo is OLD and barely updated and you will have problems with certain web pages.

Your CURSE is that you are stuck on dial up and surfing for information is painstakingly slow and probably why you did not download knoppix to begin with?

Here is the only option I quickly found:

Links@Sourceforge.net

By any account you are into a whole sub culture now and answers to your technical concerns of linux will probably be more expertly answered here:

Damn Small Linux Board

DSL information

[cksboy15]

It came with firefox.

I downloaded dsl to see what linux was like. I do have a copy of ubuntu coming to me.

[ShyguyXPC]

linux's strong point is its command console based usage... its one of the reasons I'm turned away from many versions, the core basic usage is usually as easy to use as Windows, but many times "power" using needs to use the console or command interface, and since I'm not knowledgeable of many of Linux's commands or terminology, this stands or is short for this, etc etc... I have no clue what I'm doing usually.

is it were DOS i'd be able to do a bit more, but with linux its just harder for me... if only they offered Linux for noobs at the local community college, even if it was a summer class thing, I'd take that to learn it or at least familiarize myself to some degree with it.

just reading tutorials and books on it, usually isn't enough, one book I have on one version, they use a lot of terminology freely as if I'm supposed to know what their talking about, and the bad thing is, the book was made for people who don't know how to use it (the OS) so its not really effective, at least not for me.

[cksboy15]

the book was made for people who don't know how to use it

I know how you feel. hopefully ubuntu is easier. I have 8gigs of memory waiting to be put in my comp but all i have is xp 32bit.

EDIT:
I believe dsl would work but I still have yet to figure it out to the point of where I can use it.

[KarmaKiller]

The good thing about Ubuntu is it's *mostly* plug and play like windows. It's super easy to use, or you can get in depth with it also. There are also guides out there for anything you could ever think to do on Ubuntu, so that would help also.

I prefer Gentoo, but it's taken me forever to learn what I do know, and I maybe know like 20% of what I would like to. :\

Linux takes time to learn, so don't think your gonna be able to do everything in one day. I think it took me a FULL week to 2 just to learn how to install all the drivers I needed for my system, and then do the "tweaks" that I like.
BUT, once you learn the basics, you'll start catching on to more stuff a lot quicker.

Good luck

[MrSpartan1717]

I have a buddy who is going for his CompTIA Linux+. So I hear alot about SUSE all day at work. And it is all command line they test on no interface. It is one brutal test. Probably just as brutal as Server+. If not worse. Its cool though to see him burn a CD using command line. Also I wouldent go Linux if I where you. What happens if you have imporant data or something on there. And you Interface dies. Your gonna have to figure out how to get back from the command line, Or force your slef to reformat and start over. Plus Ubuntu requires alot of updates and downloading. And on dial up you will be there for ever. Had to update kaspersky the other day at a person house on dial up. Took about 2 hours.

[KarmaKiller]

Well you just raised an interesting point there.
You don't need AV like you do in windows. My gentoo box has been running for ~2 years with no AV installed at all. They simply don't make virus's for linux, or very few I guess I should say. I've heard of it happening, but most of the time you'd almost have to be logged in under "su" for them to be able to do anything.
And generally, you won't be logged in as a "su", sooo.....

[ShyguyXPC]

also one of the reasons of the lack of virus's, is besides the fact that a majority of targets for virus's use either Microsoft or Apples OS's, but there are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many versions of linux out there, its hard to make one virus that can affect most or all versions...

[MrSpartan1717]

where did this virus talk come about. I was just saying when I updated kasperky on a dial up connection it took a long time that is all i was implying. Nothing about Anti Virus and Linux. And even when I use a Linux OS. Like Ubuntu I still use an AV you never know when the day comes and you thank yourself. You got some form of security. Anyways Linux with no real OS experiance and knowledge. Does he at least know DOS command line. And dial up is a real bad idea. I would just stick with windows if i where him.

[EXreaction]

linux's strong point is its command console based usage... its one of the reasons I'm turned away from many versions, the core basic usage is usually as easy to use as Windows, but many times "power" using needs to use the console or command interface, and since I'm not knowledgeable of many of Linux's commands or terminology, this stands or is short for this, etc etc... I have no clue what I'm doing usually.

is it were DOS i'd be able to do a bit more, but with linux its just harder for me... if only they offered Linux for noobs at the local community college, even if it was a summer class thing, I'd take that to learn it or at least familiarize myself to some degree with it.

just reading tutorials and books on it, usually isn't enough, one book I have on one version, they use a lot of terminology freely as if I'm supposed to know what their talking about, and the bad thing is, the book was made for people who don't know how to use it (the OS) so its not really effective, at least not for me.

Terminal basically is DOS. The only difference is you need to relearn the applications you need to run for basic tasks like listing files (dir works, but I prefer ls or ls -la). I am taking a class on Linux in my college right now and have learned quite a bit, mostly about how to get around and I am starting to learn where to look to find things.

Well you just raised an interesting point there.
You don't need AV like you do in windows. My gentoo box has been running for ~2 years with no AV installed at all. They simply don't make virus's for linux, or very few I guess I should say. I've heard of it happening, but most of the time you'd almost have to be logged in under "su" for them to be able to do anything.
And generally, you won't be logged in as a "su", sooo.....

You don't need an AV in Windows either.

I've not used one in a very long time, somewhere around 1 year, I can't really remember anymore.

[MrSpartan1717]

Really I faithfully By A copy of internet security every year. I'm using Kaspersky at the moment. In conjunction with Spybot Search and Destroy And Teatimer.

[Taxmancometh]

For noobs. Freespire They sell computers at Sears with this installed.

Don't believe me??? Sears Mirus Intel Celeron D 420-1.6Ghz 1GB RAM 80GB HD CDRW Freespire-Linux OS Customer Ratings & Reviews - Top & Best Rated Products

The only problem I've had with Freespire is with WiFi enc. It doesn't allow WPA, only WEP. Now why have a secure OS with a non-secure WiFI connection?? LMAO!

[MrSpartan1717]

Ya To Bad That Celeron D Sucks Ass. And a 80GB hard drive i could fill that in a hour or two. And Just a CD RW Yuck. Sorry dude I will build my own and down load my own copy of Linux and configure it. Plus who buys a computer from Sears Really. Thats worse then Best Buy or London Drugs.

[cksboy15]

I used kaspersky for a little while and I could never get it to update, 2 hour connection limit with my isp, so I use Avira which takes about half an hour if I update everyday.

[MrSpartan1717]

WoW you have connection limit. And I thought my ISP was bad. Why is that.

[DoubleK]

WoW you have connection limit. And I thought my ISP was bad. Why is that.

Because it is quite apparent to everyone by now that you do not read and or comprehend the thread. Glil.

cksboy15, glad to hear you have ubuntu coming. Much more robust and it should give you that sense of being able to accomplish something while learning some of the more basic functions.

My knowledge in linux is quite lacking and as I have already stated I use it mainly to inspect ntfs and fat partitions.

Karma, I was with you until I started to visit some unsavory sites in Europe. AntiVirus is a must now. I wonder if I could get you to call me sometime? Considering your experience I would like to pick your brain. I will pm you my cell # or pm me yours if $ is a consideration. I have to enroll this week for the fall Please and Thanks!

[Sky King]

linux's strong point is its command console based usage... its one of the reasons I'm turned away from many versions, the core basic usage is usually as easy to use as Windows, but many times "power" using needs to use the console or command interface, and since I'm not knowledgeable of many of Linux's commands or terminology, this stands or is short for this, etc etc... I have no clue what I'm doing usually.

Your post is the most perfectly eloquent paragraph on this topic I have ever seen. The Linux guys rail on the non-technical world for being mired in the quagmire of Windows, when there is no doubt that Linux is more robust, secure, extensible, etc... I can use pretty much any linux and get by with the basics, for sure. But when I am tackling something more complicated I am merely pasting in commands others have told me will solve my problem, and I have no idea what I am doing. And my "linux friends" don't get why that doesn't work for me. They enjoy the knowledge quest of solving the problem, and participating in the community to solve problems. (What the book "The Tipping Point" calls "mavens"). They don't seem to understand why most of the rest of us aren't as interested in engineering elegance as they are, and so they can't see why we are all so easily held hostage by Microsoft.

Linux reminds me of that famous quote about C:

Then Dennis and Brian worked on a truly warped version of Pascal, called 'A'. When we found others were actually trying to create real programs with A, we quickly added additional cryptic features and evolved into B, BCPL and finally C. We stopped when we got a clean compile on the following syntax:

for(;P("\n"),R--;P("|"))for(e=C;e--;P("_"+(*u++/8)%2))P("|"+(*u/4) %2);

[cksboy15]

WoW you have connection limit. And I thought my ISP was bad. Why is that.

That's as long as the ISP can provide. Their dropping their dial up later this year (somewhere in november) so I was gonna try it out with this other ISP that provides a cheap 512mb connection, but I haven't gotten around to it yet seeing that they charge a $200 startup fee along with a payment of $25 a month for the first three months then I pay $10 a month from then on.

[cksboy15]

I got my copy of ubuntu today, and it wants a password when I try to boot it from CD.

Anyone know the password?