Very Computer

Hi everyone,
I recently ordered a CD-ROM for OpenLinux Lite 1.2 installation. I am just
going to use it to learn more about the Linux and wish to install it on a
AMD-K6, 233 MHz machine which has Windows95.
I have following questions:
1. Is it compatible with an AMD-K6?
2. Is it compatible with Windows95?
3. Can I have both the Operating Systems going on the same machine?
4. Can anyone guide me about steps I need to follow? at least a documentation
which I could refer to?
5. Any other suggestions?
I have no background in computers and info in a very simple language will
be appreciated.
Thank you very much for your response.
Samir Bhagwat

  1.    Linux will run on an AMD-K6.

   2, 3.  Linux and Windows 95 are not compatible.   They can run on the same
computer, but not at the
            same time.  Linux and Windows 95 are designed to do the same basic
job -- manage your
            hardware and provide an "environment" for your programs to run.
However, a computer almost
            never allows TWO operating systems to manage it simultaneously  (Who
gets to control the disk
            drive?  Who controls the monitor?  etc.).

            Having said that, there is a program for Linux called Wine.  It is a
Windows (3.1, 95, NT) emulator.
            It's currently in development (i.e., it doesn't always work), but it
can allow you to run Windows
            programs inside Linux.  Unless you use an emulator like Wine, you
can't run Windows programs in
            Linux.

4.    Go to the Linux section of any decent bookstore or library.  These books
will give some basic
       information on setting up and running Linux.  Also, Linux is very much
like UNIX, so if you need
       to learn some complicated UNIX command or language, look for small books
published by O'Reilly
       Associates.  These books have black-and-white drawings of various animals
on the cover, and are
       titled as the name of the command you want to learn.

       Check out www.linux.org or sunsite.unc.edu/LDP for more documentation.
The documentation here
       is not meant to be a general overview of Linux.  Instead, it's very
useful if you want to fine-tune your
       existing Linux installation (e.g., install PPP clients, setup a printer,
etc.).

5.    Other suggestions:  DO NOT buy the latest and greatest hardware,
especially concerning video
       cards.  Avoid Winmodems.  Linux drivers aren't written by the hardware
companies; they're usually
       written by various people in their spare time, when they can get
documentation.  So the most
       recent hardware probably won't have any Linux drivers yet.

       As long as your video/sound/modem hardware is at least a few months old,
you'll probably be OK.
       You don't really have to worry about things like SCSI, Zip drives,
CD-ROMS, disk drives, or
       keyboards.

       If you're unsure if what you have is compatible, go to
www.linux.org/help/howto.html and look for
       the Hardware Compatibility HOWTO.  It has a list of "safe" hardware.  For
the video card you might
       want to check www.xfree86.org.  XFree86 is the "graphics" for Linux.  It
gives you Windows,
       point-and-click, etc.  However, XFree86 isn't part of Linux -- it's like
a program that runs on Linux.
       Linux doesn't care what video card you use, but XFree86 does.  So if you
want to make sure that
       you're OK, you have to hunt around on XFree86's home page.

Good luck.

Hemonth Rao

Should be - I don't know if there are any bugs that haven't been worked
around though.

Quote:> 2. Is it compatible with Windows95?

Windows 95 is irrelevant.

Quote:> 3. Can I have both the Operating Systems going on the same machine?

Yes, you need to make sure you have some free disk space without a
partition (If your windows 95 installation uses up all your disk space
you'll have to use an app to repartition without losing data before you
even get to install linux. Some Linux distributions have boot disks with
the relevant software on. Or you could backup your data, repartition,
then reinstall/reconfigure Windows 95 and your apps, but that's a silly
approach :)

You'll also need to read the Dual-boot (or is it Multi-boot) How-to at
http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/

Quote:> 4. Can anyone guide me about steps I need to follow? at least a documentation
> which I could refer to?

See just above.

Quote:> 5. Any other suggestions?

Be careful when playing with partitions - you should backup everything
before you begin.

Quote:> I have no background in computers

In that case, another suggestion - ask if there's anyone in your area
who will offer to help you do the partitioning (but it is quite easy,
you just may feel safer). If you really want to be safe, get a fresh
hard disk and add it to your system :)

Quote:> and info in a very simple language will
> be appreciated.

I find C to be well structured, and as good as any other for basic
stuff. But you may want to learn scripted stuff instead. You should
definately learn the sh script language.

Could someone else give some good resources?

Quote:> Thank you very much for your response.

It's always a pleasure to help someone with Linux queries. Though I
probably didn't help much, I don't normally, even when I try my hardest
;)

--------------------------
And Now, the other side of the Usenet mentality...

         Newsgroups:
                     comp.os.linux.development.apps,
comp.os.linux.development.system, comp.os.linux.help,
comp.os.linux.m68k, comp.os.linux.misc

WTF IS ALL THIS ABOUT!

This post had *nothing* to do with app development on Linux, and
*nothing* to do with Linux system development, and *nothing* to do with
Linux m68k.

THIS IS A WASTE OF BANDWIDTH, THIS COSTS PEOPLE MONEY! IT'S JUST NOT
FAIR ON EVERYONE ELSE.
Be a bit more considerate Please.

--
Tristan Wibberley               Linux is a registered trademark
                                of Linus Torvalds.
Unix is normally set up by intelligent people with lots of
experience, and is then used with great productivity by idiots.