"[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote:
>
> Hi guys,
> I'm back. I'm giving it another try.My parents are also willing to use
> linux.
great. do keep us posted about their opinions about linux as they use
it.
> What my parents
> want is email and wordpad and printing (they dont even want to browse the
> internet
could you share with us what is the broad purpose of their venture into
linux. i mean if they have any particular inclination, like learning to
develop some simple web pages, or learning how shellscript works or
command mode editor like vi works, which they wont find in windoze, we
would concentrate our answers around that so as to make their learning
more easy.
> (yet - also for them to learn a permanent connection to the net is
> the only solution - which is not possible and will only be possible when
> cable modems take off here).
i don't think that permanent connection of a cable modem will do away
with its setup through linuxconf. so the ease you are perceiving might
not be there. if you are worried about current complecity of
establishing a net connection somewhat cumbersome for them, you set that
up once, then they have to just give one command and voila it is done.
their is no need of them starting with installing linux and setting up
ppp.
> I understand that it may not be as polished and
> smooth as using something like windows (for desktop users) but I think that
> linux is a diamond in the rough.
you have captured the spirit beautifully. thanks.
> So tell me - How do I switch to linux - at
> home?I have a 3.2 GB HDD which is fully occupied by a fat32 partition
> containing Windows 2000.
first defrag the windows partition, so that all data comes together
leaving all empty space at the end.
then run fips which is available in several linux inst cds. it will
divide your single partition to two and in the second one you can
install linux. 1 G for linux inst will be appropriate for starting.
if your win occupies more than that. you might have to uninstall some of
the bulky win applications which you do not need for the time being.
otherwise you need to have another hdd.
> so there is the issue of being able to retain this data.
fips retains everything in the old parition, so need not worry about
that. however taking backup is always the first commandment.
> I feel I am
> trapped.I feel very badly about this because I have all the software to run
> Linux (tons of it!)
to enjoy it fully, another hdd is a must.
> and make the switch but I cant do it because
> repartioning will make me lose the data I already have.
and the above is for win9x. if any changes are there for win2k, i am not
aware.
hope that helps.
regards,
-vulcan
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