[NCLUG] Help requested in learning Linux

[Ken Haile]

Greetings -

I would greatly appreciate some kind persons help in getting me started
learning Linux.  I noted that you won't be having and "InstallFest" for a
while.

Me: I am comfortable with Dos and Windows.  In the distant past I repaired
ISA type computers.  I'm a bit rusty with the latest technology - but I
can work through the concepts of IRQ, DMA, Master and Slave IDE.  Now I
work more with Applications software support - not so much with operating
systems and hardware configuration.

Goals: My first goal is to install Linux from scratch and understand what
I am doing. My first attempts to install Redhat Linux version 6.0 did not
work. I suspect that it is because the 4X CD Drive on the EISA 486 was not
recognized.

Resources: I have 3 computers: 1) EISA 486/33 with 16 meg of Ram and a 210
meg hard drive, 2) ISA 486/50 with 16 meg of Ram and an approximate 500
meg hard drive and a 270 meg Syquest drive, and 3) Pentium 366 mHz with a
3.2 gig hard drive already half occupied with Windows programs (which I
also use for my school assignments and so am reluctant to offer it as a
sacrifice to my learning curves with Linux.)

Cheapskate: I'm open to purchasing more capable hardware if what I have
doesn't really offer the type of power needed to run Linux.  One of the
many pages I've read on Linux states that I need at least 500 megabytes of
hard disk for a "standard" install.  I can deal with that, but I thought
that Linux was more efficient and stable than MS Windows and would give me
the equivalent performance on a computer with a earlier hardware.  Perhaps
I am wrong.

Questions: 1.  Does any of my available hardware represent a reasonable
configuration to learn Linux.  I'm okay with command line for a while but
eventually would like to run a Graphical interface (X Windows.)

2.  There is Debian, Red Hat, Caldera, Turbo Linux, etc.  Which version
would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Ken Haile
Greeley, Colorado

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