🚀 go-pugleaf

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On Sat, 22 Nov 1997, Freedom of Choice wrote:

> Michael, thanks again for the support...

No worries :-)
 
> My next obvious Q is where do I pick up RedHat in oz......

Okay, if you want to get involved in your local usergroup, they'll be able
to point you to the right direction, however if you want cheap Linux in
Australia, you can't go past Glenn Tesla's deals -- to say one thing, I've
found he's reliable, cheap and honest. 

Please, have a look at his webpage at http://www.tesla.net.au/ and you'll
be quite suprised at the prices. I suppose one question you will ask (if
you already know, then sorry for the answer) is "Why is one RedHat $40
something, and the other $10ish?"

There are two versions of most Linux distributions, the Official and the
Unofficial. The unofficial versions are still from RedHat, although you
don't get any manuals and support with it (except the support in
aus.computers.linux, etc) -- if you want to think about it in a Microsoft
way, it's like somebody giving you a pirated Windows 95 CD-ROM, it's a
Microsoft product, it's alot cheaper, but it doesn't include any
documentation. Unofficial versions are completely LEGAL, and I always buy
them. 

Manuals? "I need a manual!" I hear you cry.. In Linux there is a myriad of
online documentation, include Olaf Kirch's Network Administration Guide,
Matt Welsh's Introducing Linux, etc.. But, if you want a RedHat manual,
there's even better news.. it's available online on the web.

Check out http://www.redhat.com/ and follow the links (it's there --
somewhere), and you'll be able to find an online 4.2 or something mnaul.
Personally, I don't run RedHat, but Debian -- I find it more stable, but
that's my opinion, and it's a little harder to setup.

The offical versions of most distributions, include technical support, a
users manual, easy installation guide, and a little bit of commercial
software as a bonus.

As an example, the unofficial RedHat's usually include XFree86 (the free X
server produced by the XFree86 Project; http://www.xfree86.org/), where
the offical versions include a server called Metro-X
(http://www.metrox.com/).

Metro-X is said to be a little faster than XFree86, but I'm not a stickler
for speed, so I don't need or run it. You'll also find that many Linux
applications may assume that you are running XFree86, and fail when you
use Metro-X -- however, this is highly unlikely.

Don't take all of this information as gospel though, I have never
installed RedHat before, but I've used a RedHat system once or twice. Same
goes for all distributions except Debian and Slackware; my reasons were :-

* When I installed my first Slackware, way back in late 1994, I too was a
complete newbie to Linux, in fact I thought that Linux was developed by
Patrick Volkerding, because he developed Slackware, because Linus' name
wasn't mentioned in any of the files ('cept the kernel source, which I
never installed). Also, I didn't know about virtual consoles either then,
so I thought Linux couldn't multitask without a terminal connected to it.

All of these previous assumptions are from myself, as a newbie,
way-back-when. Certaintly, a little bit of C experience helped me a little
bit in Linux, but not a suprising amount.

Slackware doesn't yet have a clear upgrade path, if you want to upgrade,
you really need to be extreemly careful, or destroy and reinstall (have a
look at the Installation HOWTO, 
http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/Installation-HOWTO).

A few months later, somebody exploded these myths for me, and enlightened
me to a new world of computing.. so just let me fill you in on some of the
myths I have had :-

= Linux only has one VT -> you can have as many virtual terminals as you
like, and to switch from one to another press ALT-F1, F2, F3, etc.. When
you're in X, use CTL-ALT-F1, F2, etc.. instead of just ALT. 

= Linux was made by {insert distribution} and Linus Torvalds -> Linux
was made by them, but not only them. In fact, Linux works in such a way,
that people expect there is some internal development structure, and
imagine that Linus Torvalds or {distribution maintainer} created the whole
thing. This isn't the case. Linus created only the inital kernel, he still
keeps track of the kernel and maintains them, but many people have
contributed to that as well. In fact, I estimate in a single distribution,
that over 3,000 people have contributed to that, if not more!

Anyhow, this year I switched to Debian GNU/Linux. It's performed reliably,
and acceptably all year, and includes a host of utilities. It includes a
smart package and upgrade manager, all using curses (ie: full screen with
a nice colorful interface) -- and I never have to destroy and reinstall to
do an upgrade. If you have an Internet connection, you can set it up so
that it will fetch the latest updates to your programs from your local
Debian mirror, and install them while you wait. This means, for many
people that they only need to purchase one CD in their whole lifetime.

In fact, I installed Debian wholly off the Internet, no CD's at all were
involved, beleive it or not. However, I was lucky enough to have a Debian
mirror only one hop away, that could serve me at an average of 36.1k/sec..
this made installation nice and fast, and really put a smile on my face.

What you see in these groups, is an extreemly intellecutal community, one
that respects each others views.. People can try, as that Aaron S did to
disturb the community, and make them flame each other, but this nearly
always fails. Don't understimate the power of the Linux community, after
all Linus' aim is for "world domination". 

Sorry about the length of this post, I hope it's enlightened you and many
newbie readers of aus.computers.linux to many of the issues relating to
Linux, and hope I get some useful comments or suggestions.

Note: I've crossposted this to aus.computers.linux, as it concerns the
general newbie community, and should benefit anybody thinking of
installing Linux. Merry Christmas!

- -- 
Michael Strates          /\  e-mail: mstrates@minkirri.apana.org.au 
+61-3-9458-4787          /\  http  : http://linloft.home.ml.org/
Avail. for Contract UNIX /\  saft  : saft://minkirri.apana.org.au/mstrates
Sys. Admin. Tasks.       /\  finger: mstrates@minkirri.apana.org.au
BoyCott Internet SPAM!   /\  pgp   : 3D68CFB3C61B3A05 7FC68308A3BC0B86

 Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies
 the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry
 penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more
 careful about what they say if they had.
      -- Linus Torvalds



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