[NCLUG] Help requested in learning Linux

[Brian Stanback]

You might also want to look into having the pentium or another fairly fast
computer act as an xserver for the slower 486 machines.

I believe somebody else on the list was going to do just that, here is an
article they mentioned: http://www.linuxworld.com/site-stories/2001/0920.xterminal3-p3.html

On Tue, 14 May 2002, mbutcher wrote:

>
> I usually recommend Linux newcomers start with Mandrake Linux
> (http://www.linux-mandrake.com). The install is easy and it is aimed more
> towards desktop user. Last time I installed it, the default installation
> required 1.3 Gig. I've done custom installs in 500 or 600M, including Gnome
> and X and all of the applications I use on a regular basis. That particular
> install was on a Pentium 120 (pre-MMX) with 48M of RAM. Performance was okay
> (browsing, email, terminals), but it was certainly no speed demon.
>
> If you managed to come accross a decent sized hard drive, you could certainly
> configure your Pentium system to dual boot, and you wouldn't have to worry
> about messing around with the Windows installation on the current hard drive.
> You'd be able to run a window manager and X and all of that....
>
> If you were content with just the command line, you should be able to make the
> 486 systems work.
>
> Matt
>
> On Tuesday 14 May 2002 09:13 am, Ken Haile wrote:
> > 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
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
> > http://launch.yahoo.com
> > _______________________________________________
> > NCLUG mailing list       NCLUG at nclug.org
> >
> > To unsubscribe, subscribe, or modify your settings, go to:
> > http://www.nclug.org/mailman/listinfo/nclug
>
> _______________________________________________
> NCLUG mailing list       NCLUG at nclug.org
>
> To unsubscribe, subscribe, or modify your settings, go to:
> http://www.nclug.org/mailman/listinfo/nclug
>