🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 28 Dec 1998 23:08:59 +1000, Doug Cox <Doug_Cox@Bigpond.com> wrote:
>Terry Porter wrote in message ...
><snip>
>>Others will suggest the "APC pocket guide to frustration", the number
>of people
>>coming here and asking the most basic questions after getting it,
>show its
>>NOT enough! The fact it has a cd, is irrelevant imho, you want the
>latest
>>stuff, and cd's age very quickly in the Linux field.
>
>The APC Pocketbook is not a comprehensive guide by any stretch of the
>imagination, but I think the original idea was to take Linux to the
>masses.
The funny thing is linux doesnt care, and is'nt meant for the masses anyway!
I may get flamed here (tp puts his aspestos underwear on!)

I'm not trying to be elitist, I see enough people having major problems just
trying to upgrade to Win98!

If they cant do that, what chance do they have installing a os thats 20
times more functional and complex???

Since 1993, linux has been available in a distribution form (Ygdrassil),
those who were of a inquisitive nature found it at some point :-)

These people were always trying new stuff, and loved learning, whats more
they took the time to do it, followed the ng's etc.

I read "Running Linux" three times before I attempted to install
Redhat4.2, and naturally it went as smooth as silk. I really pity people
who are only armed with the apc "pocket guide", I dont think Linux will be
too pleasant for them!

Some key words:
nfs
ip masq
dns
dosemu
remote x
compiling
tgz
ssh

Running Linux has 650 pages each twice the size of the apc thing, and barely
is able to touch on these subjects, yet I use them every day !

I think the original idea was for apc to make money, however they can. Its
not hard to knock out a cd and a tiny booklet. 

Yggdrassil did that in 1993.
And it contained a floppy as well. You inserted the floppy and cd, turned the
pc on and you had a 3 choice menu.

1/ Ram only system, play to your hearts content, your sys was unmodified1
2/ Min install, ref to cd when necessary, about 300mb
3/ Full hdd install, 600MB plus

In 1993, it found my cd, my sound card, my vid card etc and booted first
time. MS would have you believe their windoze is innovative :-P

> It has led to an increase in the number of people taking up
>Linux and overall must be a good thing.
What bothers me, is if people have problems, because they assume a tiny thing
like this "pocket book" is all they need, then they will blame Linux.

Can you immagine a newbie running as root, makes a small slip like
rm -R / home/user/rubbish-dir  !!! what are they going to say when they find out
the hard disk (partition they are on)  has been TOTALY erased ???
(I know Red Hat gives you a are you sure?), but it illustrates my point.

The "pocket book" should be marked "EXPERTS ONLY" inho, as a newbie really
needs heaps more, unless he gets Linux preinstalled, like windoze!

>
>I've been struggling with Linux since it came out and I'm happy to
>hear someone say it takes a couple of years to get into it.
Its true, it really does, especially for ex windozers like me.

>
>It's my secondary system, but I'm still chipping away and having a few
>small wins.
Cool, hang in there its WELL worth it, heck after 1.4 years, the old windoze
habits are still hard to shake off :-(

>
>Doug Cox
>Work to ride, Ride to work...
>Doug_Cox@Bigpond.com
>http://www.users.bigpond.com/Doug_Cox/
>
>
>


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