I agree with you. This is true for a couple of other Linux magazines. My only
problem with them is that it applies only to those trying to install a distro
to a Windows OS computer. They have completely ignored those wanting to
install a Linux distro to a Mac OS computer. To get a LInux distro for a Mac
OS computer, one must still go to a Linux website and attempt a download. I
have after 4 months still been unsuccessful in getting any distro to load on a
Mac system. I have installed SuSe and Ubuntu on WIndows PC's with the DVD's
obtained from Linux magazines. I am still waiting for the day one of these
magazines offers a DVD or CD for a distro installation for Mac systems.
Ron Tate
Ron Osborne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
One good source for Linux programs and distros is a magazine called
Linux Format. It has about a $15 price tag, but it comes with a DVD which
usually have different distros and other programs on it. It may have one distro
which can be used directly from the DVD as either a Live DVD or as an install
disk. It, also, has a number of ISO files already on it; so, if you don't have
broadband, you won't have to spend a couple of hours on a download. It, also,
has very good articles, but since it is a British magazine, you will have to
contend with British English.
Ron
Chad Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> 1- Would it be advisable to turn to Linux?
Always. I mean, yeah, you're computer will be slow, but there's not a
whole lot that can be done about that. All in all, Linux is more secure
and cheaper, if nothing else.
> 2- Reasons?
As I mentioned, the big ones are security and price. There's also a
wide variety of software out there. You're not going to find a lot of
games, but there's a variety of other software available. Another big
factor is choice. There are a lot of choices available to you that your
average Windows user wouldn't know about. This could be a good thing or
a bad thing, depending on how you look at it.
> 3- How should I do so?
Download a distro and try it out. Most install quite easily. Fedora,
Ubuntu and SuSE are quite good, though SuSE isn't free, as I understand
it. If you're willing to just blow away your Windows installation,
there really shouldn't be much in your way. Just be prepared to read
documentation.
> 4- Should I expect a steep learning curve?
There are things to unlearn from using Windows. Just keep an open mind
and be willing to read and ask specific questions. If you start with
installing a distro that runs GNOME or KDE, it should ease your transition.
> 5- If I just use my computer to type things, use home Excel sheets, send and
> receive e-mails with Outlook, browse the web with Firefox, and not much more:
> What should I expect to improve with Linux?
Improve? Certainly, you'll be able to continue to do these things, but
with different programs. OpenOffice is quite good with compatibility
with Office formats. Firefox is available for Linux. There are many
mail clients from Thunderbird to Evolution. It isn't possible to run
Windows programs natively in Linux, and the Windows emulators for Linux
aren't perfect, but there are often equivalent programs to use in Linux.
> 6- Which of the distros is best suited for old and very limited computers? I
> should also tell you that I am "old and limited" being almost forty YO.
It's hard to get a distro that's lean and user-friendly. I mean,
graphical interfaces come at a performance price. I would start with
one of the distros I mentioned above and just install a basic set of
programs. You can always add more later if you have space. You might
also want to poke around distrowatch.com for further ideas.
Chad Martin
"The service we render to others is really the rent we pay for our room on this
earth."
--Wilfred Grenfell
---------------------------------
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates
starting at 1ยข/min.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe from this list, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] & you will be
removed.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
