[NCLUG] Help requested in learning Linux

[Marcio Luis Teixeira]

> 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.

The minimum install with no graphics GUI fits rather comfortably in 250MBs 
(and you'll want to have 250MBs of free space, for files and stuff), but such 
a minimum install is usually only good for firewalls or server type 
applications. Without the GUI tools, you won't get much satisfaction from it 
and maintenance is very difficult (since you don't have any of the GUI tools
to help you).

It is true that a "standard" linux install may require a lot of space, but 
you get a lot for it. Unlike Windows, a "standard" install includes hundreds 
of applications, tools, documentation, some developer tools, text editors, 
image viewers, etc. It isn't fair to compare one to the other.

I recommend at least 1GB or perhaps even 2GBs drive. Don't think this is 
incompatible with being a cheapskate -- you can find a 2GB IDE drive on eBay 
for under $15 and people will practically pay you to take the 1GB 
"paperweights" off their hands!

A second alternative is to combine the various drives you have onto one 
machine. You should be able to put two IDE cards on your machine (assuming 
you have enough IRQs) and each can support two drives.

Anyhow, that's my 2 cents worth.

Hope it helps,

Marcio Luis Teixeira