On 27 Dec 2001, Penguin wrote:
> I see in the lists of distributors of Debian CD sets that most are CD-R > copies, but I'm looking for a boxed set with printed manual. Does such a > distribution exist that I can buy in Australia? Or do I need to buy a book > and a CD-R set to get that kind of kit. What is the best Debian book that > starts from the beginning with an overview of everything, like the old huge > Dr Linux book (all LDP docs printed), and what is the best book for Debian > GNU/Linux networking and security? There doesn't seem to be much by way of packaged box sets and published books for Debian. I just burned the three official binary Potato cds after downloading it off the web. Then I printed off some documentation off the web. There are several books covering installation and basic configuration of Debian on the web. This is enough to get you started. Try, for example, Dwarfs Guide, and there are official installation instructions at the Debian web site. And there are some others. If you want details about what I used send me an email. I didn't know anything about Debian when I started using it this summer and managed fine. I also found http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/ quite useful. And of course for more general Linux stuff look to the Linux Documentation Project. > Also, with Debian Potato 2.2r4, will this support my Nvidia GeForce II MX400 > 64MB video card? It's a USB card. I need XFree86 4.0.1 or better for the > Nvidia drivers on their website. What else do I need apart from this, and do > I need to do anything special to get X running? Sounds like you should go to testing. I just installed drivers for an Nvidia card (Nvidia Vanta) yesterday. I think the same drivers support the Geoforce, but check at the Nvidia web site. It was quite straightforward, and the driver came with clear and simple instructions that at least for me worked fine. Personally, I just needed to slightly modify my /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, which I first created using the default nv drivers. The Nvidia drivers are better, though. You will need to compile a kernel module for the card to use with the driver. I would recommend that you recompile your kernel while doing so. There is a nice guide by Jesse Goerz on http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/ that will get you started on compiling the kernel the Debian way. Also look at the documentation by Manoj Srivastava in the kernel-package package, particularly the main README and README.modules. Also note that most kernel module sources come as Debian packages, which makes your life easier. This includes the nvidia drivers, though for some reason (presumably license reasons) the drivers are not included in the package and have to be downloaded off the net using wget. > I also have a NetComm Roadster II 56K external Parallel/Serial modem, and a > Sony CD-RW. Will these work at all? How do I manually configure a modem > dialup interface, and how do I bring it up and down with just a shell, ie not > with the icons on the Gnome desktop. I use wvdial/wvdialconf to configure modems. It is quite easy. > Also, can Debian be 'secure out the box?' What is Progeny? Is it after Woody > or before Potato? Is Woody ready for general use? I mean, is it so unstable > that I couldn't profit from using it, even if it has some imperfections? It > is surely better than RedHat. I think Debian tends to be more secure out of the box than Redhat and other commercial distributions, since it enables less services by default, though I have heard the commercial distributions are changing in this respect. I'm currently using Woody, which seems quite stable. I was a bit nervous about using it, however it seems Ok. I upgraded from Potato. If you are just beginning with Debian you might want to start with Potato and upgrade to woody when you feel more comfortable. I think Woody is a better bet than Progeny. Stick with mainstream Debian; just my opinion. Of course I assume you are aware that Progeny are no longer developing their distribution, which make it an even more compelling reason. To answer your question, Progeny is/was an offshoot of the main Debian distribution, but is probably already out of date. Sincerely, Faheem Mitha.
