--- Joseph Zachary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> My name is Joseph Zachary. I have been and still are
> a user of Macintosh Computers for some years.
> I have recently gotten interested in Linux. I use
> RedHat 9.0 and SUSE 8.1. both have seperate features
> I like , so I use them as needed for the task at
> hand.

First, welcome to the Linux community!

> I have checked the web site, and find no
> sesions in the near future
> geared to the new user.

I am not sure what you mean by this, but I think you
mean there are no upcoming meetings geared
specifically to new Linux users. That is not actually
so, if that is what you mean. The Newbies meetings are
usually on the third Monday of each month. The next
meeting should useful for you, so I recommend that you
go. If anything, you can meet other Linux newbies and
ask questions.

> As a new user, I can access
> the internet, and e-mail ok, but I would like to
> know how to install software,

Good question. Lots of ways to answer that question
too. Here's a good place to start:
http://www.granneman.com/techinfo/linux/installsoftware/

Basically, Linux software installation if of two
kinds: You can install software packages, like RPMs,
or you can compile and install software from source
code (tutorial:
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/os-dw-linuxcompiling-i.html).
If this doesn't make much sense right now, don't worry
about it.

> and networking to access my mac computers,

http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue26/dubs.html

> and set
> up Samba to access the other OS.

http://www.linuxorbit.com/howto/sambahowto.php3

> I subcsribe to
> Linux Forum Magizine, and it comes with gobs of
> software that I have yet been successful to
> install.I follow the instructions in the magizine,
> but it always fails.

If you could write down the steps you are following,
or better yet log the steps if you are typing commands
in a console window, and let us know the detals, we
could help you more effectively.

> Maybe the learning curve is to great for my age?

Never to late to learn! I'm 38 and plan to keep
learning until I croak.

> Installation from RPM's work ok, but I am really
> interested in learning to use Linux better,
> as I believe it is the future.

There's a lot to learn about Linux, but it is a great
ride.

>I have a small
> computer business, and I refurbish donated computers
> for a charity in BR for resale.

Excellent!

> As "Bill" frowns on using his software for such a
> cause, I have been installing RED HAT 8.0 on these
> machines, and have had no complaints from people
> that have bought these machines, as most of these
> customers who buys a $75.00 computer is usually new
> to computing,
> and have no pre-concieved notion as to the OS, and
> have learned quite well. I will continue doing this
> in hopes of gaining more Linux folks.

In the past, I wanted to do something very similar.
Congratulations to you for actually doing it!

> I would appreciate any advice to help me with some
> of the gaps in my knowledge with problems listed
> above. Thanks in advance, Joe

I hope the suggestions above will help. If they do
not, simply ask again with more information and we
will help you out!

I'd like to suggest that you try out Knoppix
(http://www.knoppix.net) and Mepis Linux
(http://www.mepis.org). You will definitely appreciate
knowing about those distributions.

Good luck!

John Hebert

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