Re: Where to ask really newbie questions

"Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz"
<spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:44b23f7b$14$fuzhry+tra$mr2ice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Right here, nut you might want to browse
comp.os.linux.answers.

For some reason, XNews tells me that comp.os.linux.answers has
zero messages, so if you don't mind I'll just stick around here
until I straighten my reader out.

Start by spelling out your background and requirements.

Ah...prepare to be deluged!

In approximate order of importance, as close as I can figure,
here's what I do with my computer:

* Emailing and internet browsing.
* Typing stuff (with word processors like OpenOffice and MSWord
and also with LaTeX). I do this less, but it's more important.
* Multimedia. A lot of basic stuff, like playing with the
contrast on a photograph or watching a movie. A little bit of
music. No video editing or music mixing or original Photoshop
art.

However, I'm off to university in a year, and I might get
courses paired with a specific program, like math and
Mathematica, physics and Matlab, etc. At the very least,
PowerPoint or something compatible, both viewing and
presenting. I've got a Windows laptop that can do that, but
wouldn't it be nice not to have to get upor reboot into Windows
when I finally stop procrastinating?

The machine I plan to run Linux on has the following hardware:
* VIA C3 800MHz CPU
* 248MB DDR-RAM
* 7.85GB total HD, but maybe only 3-4 for Linux
* Bootable CD-ROM and 3.5" floppy drives
* USB of some sort (how do I distinguish 1 and 2?)
* Some kind of video and sound and ethernet NIC (I can probably
get more specific information if it's important)

I plan to test for compatibility by popping in the LiveCD and
waiting for the error messages.

Do you have broadband access? ...

I have DSL coming through a router to three computers: a WinXP
machine, a Windows Tablet laptop that goes on and off the
network, and a Win98SE/soon-to-be-Knoppix-bootable one. The
router is set up for static addresses and port forwarding (for
uTorrent on the WinXP machine).

... Will you be doing software development? ...

I might fiddle around a little bit with C++ or webdesign, but
I'm a dabbler at best. A little script to re-format a screwed-
up text file, maybe, but nothing that anyone would call
``software.'' I do use LaTeX often, but again, only to typeset
stuff. I don't write my own styles or packages.

... Will you want to install a lot of applications? ...

Yes, but I also uninstall a lot of applications. I hear about
something from a friend, try it out a bit, and usually delete
it. If I can get a few important ones working, like
email/browser/typing thing/BitTorrent/media player, I'll be
okay.

... Do you have a lot of free space on disk? ...

Let's say I have about 3GB of free space. I plan to delete a
lot of files (I haven't used any of them for about three years
now) before I start this, but I don't know how much extra space
that'll give me.

... Do you understand extended logical partitions and logical
drives? ...

No, I don't, but I am willing to learn. I might even have a
sandbox to practice in. If I can be assured of reinstalling
Windows, I plan to mirror the drive to a portable (and,
ironically, larger) HD and reformat the whole thing. I have to
do some homework on that.

Would you be more comfortable with a multiboot setup or with
a virtual machine setup?

Could you contrast the two? I know what they are, but not in
enough detail to choose wisely. Multiboot means when I push the
power button it asks me whether I want Windows or Linux.
Virtual machine means I run both, but one of them is like a
program in the other without knowing it, like pod people in the
Matrix. That's the extent of my knowledge. What are the
advantages and disadvantages?

The LiveCD option is available for several distributions,
and is adequate for a quick look, but it may be too sluggish
for a lengthy trial.

I'd like to play with it for a month or two. Does that count as
a lengthy trial?

Space permitting, I would install several different
distributions on disk and see which felt most comfortable.
That does require close attention to how you do your
partitioning, e.g., keeping /home on a separate logical
drive.

That sounds like a lot of complicated partitioning and file
management. I'm really not any kind of computer whiz, even in
Windows. Can I start out with one very minimal, simple setup
and later add bits and pieces as I learn? From what I've seen
of Linux, you guys really like hordes of specialized widgets.
Can I build myself a whole system out of those?

If you're still here, I want to thank you for sticking it out
through 100+ lines of my ramblings. I'd mail you a cookie, but
I'm broke and also cheap.
.