Very Computer

I have been considering trying to install Linux but the more I read in the NG's for linux the more
apprehensive I become.I ain't no genius and it seems as though there are a lot of problems with
installation and hardware support and all.Is it really worth it?What is so special about Linux that
makes people change over?Is it faster,stronger,got more bells and whistles?What is it that people
see  about Linux that makes them decide to switch over?
 I really am serious with these questions.If I can get some idea about what's special about Linux,
maybe I'll give it a try.Any help with this would sure be appreciated.

If you can't dazzle em with brilliance,
baffle em with bullshit
                        Shakespeer

Quote:>I have been considering trying to install Linux but the more I read in the NG's for linux the more
>apprehensive I become.I ain't no genius and it seems as though there are a lot of problems with
>installation and hardware support and all.Is it really worth it?What is so special about Linux that
>makes people change over?

[snip]

How much hassle it is does largely depend on your hardware.  If you
have a pretty standard PC, eide drive and cdrom, or most anything
scsi, it may install with default settings.  It's not something easy
to fix by a general user who isn't used to configuring systems
or isn't willing to read a lot of technical notes to keep things
going.  The new installs are much easier though, believe me!

As for the attraction, it's a free multi-user multi-tasking operating
system, as opposed to Windows9x which is single user.  For that
reason, and the fact it's modeled on Unix which has been around
a long time, it's pretty rock solid!  So, it's kind of like somebody
saying "how would you like a $300 copy of Windows NT Server
free if you just put up with the hassle of getting it working
yourself?"

Also with the internet boom it's a cheap way to have a web server
and/or isp.  Many isps out there run on Linux, 'cause as I say, it's
very solid and dependable if you know how to configure and maintain
it.  Also as a server it's very fast.

So, you might think of it as ham radio.  If you just want to listen
to the radio, go to an electronics store and get a stereo tuner.
If you want to get into short wave, then you might build the
thing yourself or learn something about how radio works.
Same idea.

Mike

--

"I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member."
    -- Groucho Marx

There is nothing "special" about Linux other than the price - FREE. Just
about everything you can do on Linux can be done on any other operating
system. However, mostly due to the GPL (Gnu Public License) you will find
that anyone and their dog  develop apps for Linux.  The result of all this
is that you get a whole lot more FLEXIBILITY and can do a lot more TWEAKING
than you could on proprietary operating systems.  To be perfectly honest the
best thing about Linux is that it can be ported to run on just about any
hardware.  Everything from Macs to Alphas to Sparcs to you standard 386 can
run Linux with some success.  The only exception being hardware designed for
specific operating systems (winprinters, winmodems,...) Again, this is all
b/c Linux is not developed by any specific company or group (can you imagine
Microsoft making win98 for the Power PC?). A better question for you to ask
would be what do people use Linux for?  For most people Linux doesn't really
make sense due to time and effort that goes into tweaking (however with
RedHat 6.2, Mandrake 7.0 and Suse 6.3 things are changing), but for does who
want to play with it or just want to setup a machine that they have complete
(and I do mean COMPLETE) control over, it is the only way to go.

P.S. You will notice that most people who run Linux also run another OS,
something to think about.

Quote:> I have been considering trying to install Linux but the more I read in the

NG's for linux the more

Quote:> apprehensive I become.I ain't no genius and it seems as though there are a

lot of problems with

Quote:> installation and hardware support and all.Is it really worth it?What is so

special about Linux that

Quote:> makes people change over?Is it faster,stronger,got more bells and

whistles?What is it that people

Quote:> see  about Linux that makes them decide to switch over?
>  I really am serious with these questions.If I can get some idea about

what's special about Linux,

Quote:> maybe I'll give it a try.Any help with this would sure be appreciated.

> If you can't dazzle em with brilliance,
> baffle em with bullshit
>                         Shakespeer

http://www.linux.com to read more bout linux.