"L.D. Best" wrote:
>
> So here is my plea: Is there a Linux out there [I'll even pay for a CD
> if I have to!] that I can simply run an install program for and have it
> up and working for me? Something that has a user interface [GUI not
> required] which will take me by the hand and walk me through to
> successful use at the "dummy" level?
>
> l.d.
I use Red Hat 6.1. The install program is pretty straight forward. Steve
explained this very well in his posting. On the CD you should be able to find
information about how the disk should be partitioned. The actual partitioning
takes place during the installation. No need for Partition Magic.
Linux as an OS is as simple as DOS. But, if DOS comes with only few programs
and utilities, Linux supplies you with a ton of different applications,
utilities, libraries, tools and, optionally a GUI which is not really a GUI
but only a support for tens of custom GUIs, if I may put it that way.
The popularity of Windows comes almost entirely from the fact that different
applications look and act the almost the same (i.e. you will always find the
"File" menu in the upper left corner of the window, with "Open", "Save", "Save
As", "Print", and "Exit" as options). This probably makes it easier to start
using every new program and also makes it easier for people who had never
messed with a PC before, to start using a computer. But this leads to
uniformity and monotony and that's probably why the people on this list are
not comfortable with windoze. Also this is what lowers the standards, and this
is what brings the majority of computer users to the same low level of
computer knowledge. This is if fact the communism, banned from the political
world, but seeking refuge in the world of computers .
Linux, being developed by thousands of programmers from different corners of
the world, does not impose any particular standards of its own. Applications
look, act and are configured differently. There is a big difference between,
let's, say mailers, for instance. In windows they have Eudora, Outlook,
Foxmail, programs which are basicaly similar. In Linux there are mail, Elm,
mh/exmh, Mutt, Pine, Kmail, Balsa, and so on, and each as different from the
others as Insight from Outlook
This is what makes Linux so difficult to master, but also so addictive. If you
manage to stay near it for the first two or three days, you'll get to love
Linux, despite the fact you're bumping into all sort of things you've got no
idea how to handle. Fortunately there's lot of documentation included and even
more not included, but easy to find on the Internet.
I wish you good luck on your future quest of Linux user.
--
Cristian Burneci
Bucharest, Romania
