On Fri, 20 Jun 2003, Tom Duerbusch wrote: > Where I agree on many accounts, I'm looking at it from someone that > doesn't know Linux or Unix. So I try to break down the learning curve > into smaller pieces. > > With Partition Magic, I don't have to know Linux or how to do it, PM > will just do it. A person can learn about how to do it the Linux way, > later. > > Go with what you know. If you know REXX, don't spend the time learning > Perl. Yes, eventually you will learn Perl as so many scripts are > written in it. But using what you already know, allows you to make use > of the system and have some reason for being on it. > > "resized a Windows 98 partition using FIPS which came with Red Hat > Linux. I backed uo the whole drive first, using dd to copy it to a > file > across the LAN, gzip to compress the file and cdrecord (maybe mkiosfs > too) to create a CD." > > For someone that didn't know Linux, the only words reconizable are > "Windows 98 and CD". I would think it would be a challenge for someone > that didn't know anything about Linux, and just installed Linux, to do > what you just said, in 8 hours. At this stage of the game most don't > know how to get help, much less to a How-To.
I don't know about that. It would be a challenge if you can't read documentation. FWIW FIPS is a DOS program. I was a little inaccurate to describe as a Linux tool, its one of a few DOS programs to get you started if your sole operating system is Windows or DOS. Lots of people used to use DOS, even my wife and children (when they were very young). > > After 4 hours, frustration tends to occur. The person stops working on > this and goes to something they can handle. Classes on the other hand, > tend to break things into hour increments. Things are broken down into > small enough hunks that you learn and do something within the same > hour. I think it's fair to assume most people here are fairly comfortable with computers, are able to read documentation, know how to backup their computers. I used Linux tools to backup the Windows computer because I don't know what Windows tools there might be. I have also used Linux to copy Windows 95 from one computer to another (though I don't recall how I made it work when it got there!). > > As far as suppliers go. My point was look at what distributions the > suppliers are supporting on the mainframe. When the option is 6 of one > or a half dozen of the other, why put a distribution on your laptop that > you wouldn't use on the mainframe. When you are investing your time, > invest wisely. It is worth more than money. I thought you were talking about changing distributions;-). I always counsel to use on your desktop what you think you want to use on the mainframe. Another good plan is to find an aged computer and use that. Pentiums will do, Pentium IIs are terrific, Pentium IIIs are overkill. Probably, you should have 64 Mbytes or more of RAM, especially if you want to run KDE or Gnome. I don't think RHL will install in GUI mode in less than 128 with swap enabled. OTOH yesterday I installed Debian on a Powermac 7300/200 with 32 Mbtes of RAM. Cost me about $20. I've also got here some 680x0 MACs, a few early Sparcs. All can run Linux, and Debian can be had for them all. If I find an RS/6000 or a Digial Alpha, those can run Debian too. All can be used to set up a basic Linux system to provide filesharing (the powermacs have 2 Gbytes of disk) and printing to a few Windows computers. -- Cheers John. Join the "Linux Support by Small Businesses" list at http://mail.computerdatasafe.com.au/mailman/listinfo/lssb
