Re: Learning debian Linux

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Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 02:59:12 -0800
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org

Knut:

on Thu, Nov 20, 2003 at 10:42:31AM +0100, Knut Willy (willy35@c2i.net) wrote:
> I am a novice at Linux. Never used it, but want to teach myself.
>
> 1. Have a Windows-98 PC, which has internet connection.
> Do not intend to use Linux on this one.
> Afraid of having two operating systems on same machine.

It's possible to do this, though somewhat impractical as you will have
to boot one or the other OS. Most GNU/Linux users I know leave their
systems on for months at a time -- the system doesn't crash (barring
power outages), and there's little or no reason to log out. You simply
set your screensaver to lock the terminal after a few minutes of idle
time.

Rather than risking your existing HD by repartitioning, I'd recommend
buying a new disk and installing GNU/Linux onto it. Of the various
options open to you, this is likely your easiest, least expensive, and
most feasible option. Note that you'll probably want to keep the HD <
40 GiB (small by current standards) due to BIOS restrictions on older
hardware. I _think_ GNU/Linux can bypass these with ease, but you
should research the issue first.

> 2. Have a portable Compaq PC, (Windows-95) on which I intend to
> install Linux. This Compaq has no internet connection, no CD
> station. Only a A: station for 1,44 mb diskettes.

Define "no internet connection". Do you mean no network interface? If
the system supports PCMCIA, which it probably does, you can buy a PCMCIA
NIC for ~$30-$50 US. Note that for a system of this age, you'll likely
need a 16 bit, rather than the newer 32 bit PCMCIA cards. Avoid Belkin
(flakey cards, poor support). This will make a number of things much
more practical.

Your local internet connectivity is likely either:

  - Diaulup through the Win98 box directly.

  - Broadband via a DSL or cable "router" with multiple ports.

In the first case, you'll need to get an additional network card for the
legacy MS Windows box ($9 US and up), in the second, you'd be able to
plug the GNU/Linux box directly into the DSL or cable router.

I go through this because you're *not* going to be happy doing
floppy-based file transfers to the GNU/Linux box.

There are other possibilities, including setting up PLIP or SLIP
connections -- networking over serial or parallel ports. This will work
in a pinch, but it's pretty infeasible for serious use.

Note too that it makes a heck of a lot more sense to describe a system
in terms of its hardware capabilities than its installed OS. Though I
can ballpark the age of this system by Win95 -- it's probably a pretty
clunky 486 or very early Pentium laptop, with 200 MiB to 1 GiB of disk,
and 16 - 64 MiB RAM. No onboard modem. No onboard NIC. Very likely
PCMCIA support. No USB. One or two serial ports, parallel port, video,
PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports. Confirmation/specification on your part
would be helpful.

> 3. My intention is to do all downloading on the Win-98 PC, and then
> copy everything over to the Compaq, using diskettes.

A current full Debian install spans about 7 CDROMs. At 650 MiB per
cdrom, this is 3,159.7222 floppy disks worth of data.

Even using a one-disk installation is going to require 451.3888 floppy
transfers. I doubt very much you'll find this reasonable.

For an absolutely minimal base system install of a prior Debian release
I sometimes use to "bootstrap" an installation, I still need to floppy
over about 15 disks worth of material...then add additional packages
over time.

> 4. I read somewhere that Debian Linux is the best choice for a novice
> learner.

Really? We could use the cite.

More often you'll hear that Debian's not the easiest GNU/Linux to get
started on, but it *is* the easiest to use and maintain over time.
Ease-of-installation is improving over time, I've used it and loved it
since 1999, having used most other mainstream Linuxes both before and
since.

> And also that one does not need to install EVERYTHING from
> Linux. Just a small starter package will do. A minimum package.

Debian supports this principle very well. I've got systems ranging from
150 MiB to 80 GiB+ at the moment, on hardware ranging from 486 to P-4.

> 5. Is it possible to go ahead as I have mentioned above?

Yes.

GNU/Linux and Debian in particular make pretty damned near anything
_possible_. Given sufficient pain. And for what you're describing,
that's lots.

Is it practical? No. Buy, at the very least, sufficient networking
hardware to allow you to link the intended GNU/Linux system to your
existing legacy MS Windows box. Working out how to use your 'Doze box
as an Internet gateway would also be useful.

Alternatively, hunt around for a deal on a PC with 2-4 years on it, but
still serviceable. Say, a PIII-500 MHz or better system. You'll get
far, far faster hardware, much more space, will pay ~$50-$100 US for the
privilege (about the same as a PCMCIA NIC), and will be able to install
directly via CDROM rather than hassling with network connections (though
you'll almost certainly want these as well).

Peace.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
    True love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice
    MLT... mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich
    - Princess Bride

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