Re: I've had it with Windows--I'm switching to Linux

ac wrote:
HIT Fanatic wrote:
[...]
I started a Torrent download of Fedora Core 6--is this a suitable
version of Linux?
I have not used FC6 except perhaps briefly as a live CD. It is a popular
distribution and should be no problem.
Other choices can be seen at for example
www.distrowatch.com

If using Fedora Core I do suggest at least a 1024MHz machine with 512 MB Ram,
if not getting up to that DSL and Vector Linux could be better options.


I admit right now, not knowing very much about
installing Linux. I have done some basic administration of RedHat
servers at a previous job, but these were already set up, and I simply
followed pre-written instructions on how to reboot web applications
and the servers in question. Because of my knowledge of MS-DOS, I'm
fairly certain that this knowledge is easily transferable for the
Linux command line. I also know all about the -rwxrwxrwx thing.
I would suggest a little caution when reading on from msdos to linux
command line. In my own limited experience the only thing you would take
from one to the other would be careful typing. Linux cl is pretty powerful.

There is help on the net, check this page to see differences between dos and
Linux command line

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.2-Manual/getting-started-guide/ch-doslinux.html


My concern is by choosing a certain flavor of Linux, that certain
applications might not work for me.

You don't use the same binary, due dependencies, but you will have the same
programs to 99% on each distro, those that you don't have in one distro you
can always compile from source.


Can Fedora run most Ubuntu programs?

Fedora is I believe based on red hat so will use .rpm packages. These
are self installing files.

Sorry, but *.rpm, *.deb and other package formates aren't self installing, all
require an external program to install the content.


Ubuntu is based on debian and uses .deb approaches. However, it is
possible in theory to convert a .rpm file into a .deb file. The results
are not guaranteed so your experience needs to be ready to cope.

Even if it in some cases works to install a package with alien, you will get
things broken as dependencies aren't met and file locations can be quite
different. You notice this if you would use Mandriva packages in FC, both uses
the same package manager and have the same historical roots, but programs
won't work well, in such cases use the *.src.rpm and build a new binary *.rpm,
this will generate far better success, even if it's not always so.


--

//Aho
.

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