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10.But - - if you install Linux on your office computer, you boss won't have a clue what that means.
What types of Linux work best? It depends on what you really want. Redhat Linux is famed for being the
easiest to install. The Walnut Creek Linux 3.0 CD-ROM set is also really easy to install -- for Linux, that is!
My approach has been to get lots of Linux versions and mix and match the best from each distribution.
I like the Walnut Creek version best because with my brand X hardware, its autodetection feature was a life-
saver.
INSTALLING LINUX is not for the faint of heart! Several tips for surviving installation are:
1) Although you in theory can run Linux on a 286 with 4 MB RAM and two floppy drives, it is *much*
easier with a 486 or above with 8 MB RAM, a CD-ROM, and at least 200 MB free hard disk space.
2) Know as much as possible about what type of mother board, modem, hard disk, CD-ROM, and video card
you have. If you have any documentation for these, have them on hand to reference during installation.
3) It works better to use hardware that is name-brand and somewhat out-of-date on your computer. Because
Linux is freeware, it doesn't offer device drivers for all the latest hardware. And if your hardware is like mine -
- lots of Brand X and El Cheapo stuph, you can take a long time experimenting with what drivers will work.
4) Before beginning installation, back up your hard disk(s)! In theory you can install Linux without harming
your DOS/Windows files. But we are all human, especially if following the advice of point 7).
5) Get more than one Linux distribution. The first time I successfully installed Linux, I finally hit on
something that worked by using the boot disk from one distribution with the CD-ROM for another. In any
case, each Linux distribution had different utility programs, operating system emulators, compilers and more.
Add them all to your system and you will be set up to become beyond elite.
6) Buy a book or two or three on Linux. I didn't like any of them! But they are better than nothing. Most
books on Linux come with one or two CD-ROMs that can be used to install Linux. But I found that what was
in the books did not exactly coincide with what was on the CD-ROMs.
7) I recommend drinking while installing. It may not make debugging go any faster, but at least you won't
care how hard it is.
Now I can almost guarantee that even following all these 6 pieces of advice, you will still have problems
installing Linux. Oh, do I have 7 advisories up there? Forget number 7. But be of good cheer. Since everyone
else also suffers mightily when installing and using Linux, the Internet has an incredible wealth of resources
for the Linux -challenged.
If you are allergic to getting flamed, you can start out with Linux support Web sites.
The best I have found is http://sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/. It includes the Linux Frequently Asked
Questions list (FAQ), available from
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/FAQ.
In the directory /pub/Linux/docs on sunsite.unc.edu you'll find a number of other documents about Linux,
including the Linux INFO-SHEET and META-FAQ,
The Linux HOWTO archive is on the sunsite.unc.edu Web site at: /pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO. The directory
/pub/Linux/docs/LDP contains the current set of LDP manuals.
You can get ``Linux Installation and Getting Started'' from sunsite.unc.edu in /pub/Linux/docs/LDP/install-
guide. The README file there describes how you can order a printed copy of the book of the same name
(about 180 pages).
Now if you don't mind getting flamed, you may want to post questions to the amazing number of Usenet
news groups that cover Linux. These include:
comp.os.linux.advocacy Benefits of Linux compared
comp.os.linux.development.system Linux kernels, device drivers
comp.os.linux.x Linux X Window System servers
comp.os.linux.development.apps Writing Linux applications
comp.os.linux.hardware Hardware compatibility
comp.os.linux.setup Linux installation
comp.os.linux.networking Networking and communications
comp.os.linux.answers FAQs, How-To's, READMEs, etc.
linux.redhat.misc
alt.os.linux Use comp.os.linux.* instead
alt.uu.comp.os.linux.questions Usenet University helps you
comp.os.linux.announce Announcements important to Linux
comp.os.linux.misc Linux-specific topics
Want your Linux free? Tobin Fricke has pointed out that "free copies of Linux CD-ROMs are available the
Linux Support & CD Givaway web site at http://emile.math.ucsb.edu:8000/giveaway.html. This is a project
where people donate Linux CD's that they don't need any more. The project was seeded by Linux Systems
Labs, who donated 800 Linux CDs initially! Please remember to donate your Linux CD's when you are done
with them. If you live near a computer swap meet, Fry's, Microcenter, or other such place, look for Linux
CD's there. They are usually under $20, which is an excellent investment. I personally like the Linux
Developer's Resource by Infomagic, which is now up to a seven CD set, I believe, which includes all major
Linux distributions (Slackware, Redhat, Debian, Linux for DEC Alpha to name a few)plus mirrors of
tsx11.mit.edu and sunsite.unc.edu/pub/linux plus much more. You should also visit the WONDERFUL linux
page at
http://sunsite.unc.edu/linux, which has tons of information, as well as the
http://www.linux.org/. You might also want to check out
http://www.redhat.com/ and http://www.caldera.com/ for more
information on commercial versions of linux (which are still freely available under GNU)."
How about Linux security? Yes, Linux, like every operating system, is imperfect. Eminently hackable, if you
really want to know. So if you want to find out how to secure your Linux system, or if you should come
across one of the many ISPs that use Linux and want to go exploring (oops, forget I
wrote that), here's where you can go for info:
ftp://info.cert.org/pub/cert_advisories/CA -94:01.network.monitoring.attacks
ftp://info.cert.org/pub/tech_tips/root_compromise
http://bach.cis.temple.edu/linux/linux-security/
http://www.geek-girl.com/bugtraq/
There is also help for Linux users on Internet Relay Chat (IRC). Ben (cyberkid@usa.net)
hosts a channel called #LinuxHelp on the Undernet IRC server.
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