Re: New to Linux .. sort of

Roodwriter_at_core.com
Date: 02/29/04 

Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 19:36:11 -0500

johns wrote:

> Been years since I did a Linux install .. for good reason.
> However, I just installed 9.0, and it seemed well behaved.
> I've never used Linux, so I have a few basic questions :-)
>
> 1. Where the hell are the drives ? I can't find any of
> them anywhere. I read something about "mounting"
> them. Are they freaking kidding? Is this thing still a
> toy for CS majors? Reportedly, in the help files,
> there is a file manager called Nautilus. Has anybody
> ever seen Nautilus? It is suppose to have the drives
> at least mentioned somewhere.
>
> 2. Supposedly, Grub is on the boot partition. I want to
> dual boot Linux / WinXP and allow each to see
> the working directories of the other. Apparently I
> don't speak enough geek, so I can't even phrase
> the question to the help menu to get directions on
> how to start the install of WinXP. The Help menu
> seems determined not to help me at all. It is nothing
> but trivia.
>
> 3. How do you save a file? There is absolutely no
> indication whatsoever that says SAVE a file.
> What the hell does this OS actually do? It seems
> to be determined to reduce productivity and user
> interface to worthless side bars. I need to get going
> on an Engineering project running a Linux CAD
> program. Is there a "Dummies For Linux" that would
> answer the obvious questions?
>
> johns

Every Linux GUI program that I've ever seen that produces a file, like word
processors, spread sheets etc., has a "File" on the menu bar and then a
"save" somewhere in the drop-down menu. They're accessible by mouse. Just
like Windows. Just like Mac.

This is assuming you're not looking at just command-line programs, which, of
course, don't have menu bars. Be assured there are programs that work just
like the ones you're accustomed to. There really are only so many ways a
computer can work, no matter what the operating system is. Check out things
like OpenOffice, KOffice, AbiWord, Gnumeric.

(The thought has occurred to me I'm assuming you are opening up into KDE,
which is the most like Windows with a task bar that works the same way.
There are a few minimalist environments where you have to click on the
desktop to get a menu. I also haven't seen the newer versions of Gnome,
which used to be a Red Hat default, which may work slightly differently.)

As far as drives go, drives aren't lettered like they are in Windows but are
named. Rather than the "A" drive you'll see a drive named "floppy." A cd
burner would be "cdrecord." Your hard drive isn't listed (it's there
automatically on a stand-alone machine) so your files would go under the
"home" directory, followed by the name of your personal directory. The
personal name is whatever you've designated, probably your own name,
although you could call it "Bullwinkle" if you like.

Just to compare to Windows, you may save a file to:

C:\workstuff\myfile.txt

On Linux it would be:

/home/myname/workstuff/myfile.txt

A slight difference, but not show-stopping. Actually, the Linux method to me
is more logical. What's the point of lettering the drives? In those rare
instances when I have to use a Windows machine when working elsewhere, I
have to take the time to figure out which drive letter is the CD and then
where I should put my work files. Irritating, especially when I forget
which drive my files are in when I return to work and have to go through
them all. (Yes, Windows people, I survived.)

Of course your general programs will pop up a box to "save-as" just like
they do in Windows.

My book (below) addresses these questions (not the GRUB one) because after
using Linux for awhile I was most impressed with how much it WASN'T
different, though for me with better tools and fewer drawbacks.

My book isn't the only one. Other current books for beginners are "Linux for
Dummies" and Marcel Gagne's (I may have the title slightly wrong) "Kiss the
Blue Screen Goodbye." There may be others. Mine is only available online
but these others are in bookstores.

You can also learn a lot the same way you did Windows. Click on things and
try them out. One of Linux's many advantages is the diversity of programs.
If you don't like your word processor, try another and see if that works
the way you work. Choice is nice.

Hope this helps.

--Rod

__________

Author of "Linux for Non-Geeks--Clear-eyed Answers for Practical Consumers"
and "Boring Stories from Uncle Rod." Both are available at
http://www.rodwriterpublishing.com/index.html

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