[Rudre]

Greetings! I'm new to the TSG forums, hoping some of you could give me some advice/answer basic questions regarding Linux.

Before I start, some background on my computer:

Dell Inspiron 6000 (latptop)
Intel Pentium M 1.73 GHz
2.00 GB RAM
ATI Mobility Raedeon X300
OS: WIndows XP (Media Center Edition) Version 2002
(not sure what else is relevant, ask if you want more specifics)
I'm currently networked with 2 other computers, both running Windows XP.

Basically, I've been looking to learn more about the workings of computers, start some basic coding, etc. I'm also starting to get annoyed with many things about Microsoft Windows. Looking ahead, it seems like Unix/Linux systems are the hot new systems, and since computer science is the field I'm looking to get into, I'm considering making the change to Linux.

But before I consider the change, there's a few things I'd like to know. I would greatly appriciate it if you could help me clear this up.

1. First and foremost, is Linux compatible (network wise) with Windows XP systems? I'm connected using a US Robotis router to the internet, so being able to interact with other computers on the network is a priority.

2. What are the (average) system requirements for Linux? Would my computer (above) support it?

3. All of my data is saved in Windows-type files. Will these open natively on Linux or will I have to emulate it?

4. On the subject of emulators (WINE is the one I'm looking at) does it signifigantly hit preformance to use? Can it be overcome?

5. Is there a good base of programs that have been developed for Linux systems? Or are most of them still in alpha/beta stages?

6. Are major programs available as a Linux port? Or do most of them require an emulator?


And finally, how easy is it to covert from windows XP to linux? Is most of the same functionality constant (i.e., can linux do most of the things XP can?) What can Linux do that XP can't? In other words, whats the real benefit for switching? Would you recommend making the switch to Linux? If its worth it I"m seriously considering it, but if I'm just going to end up using WINE for 90% of it, I'd rather stick to XP.


I apologize if things are phrased akwardly or if I repeat myself; I'm very tired. >< If you need any clarification I'd be happy to provide it. Thanks in advance. ^^

[tomiboi]

I myself switched my desktop to Ubuntu Linux. However, before I did this, I read a lot about which Linux distro (flavor) would be the easiest for a newbie to Linux. Since there was a lot talk and hype about Ubuntu, I decided to give it a try. All I can say is "WOW." This Linux thing is great. On my Dell Inspiron 6000 (yes I got one too, but with lower parameters) I decided to keep Windows XP Pro simply because I use the laptop at hom & work so I need one Windows machine. And, I do not want to run a virtual machine on my laptop as the laptop is important to me. So, I'd rather just keep the way it is. But the desktop is an experiment and a learning unit (custom built, about 3 years old). If you want to have a LAN with a Windows and Linux systems that is possible, but you will then need an antivirus software on the Linux system when you share a LAN with a Windows machine. However, if you decide to run Linux not on a LAN then you don't need antivirus or antispyware software (another benefit of Linux). Just make sure you install a software firewall and have a router setup. As for Linux software, a lot of them are stable enough if not more stable than Windows based apps. And, in terms of software replacement, you can find an alternative that is similar or even better than those apps found under Windows. For example if you select Ubuntu Linux, there are some 16,000 apps for Ubuntu to choose from ALL FREE.
I think that Ubuntu would be a good start for you, I was in the same place feww weeks ago. And, I was asking along with reading a lot about Ubuntu before I made the choice. I suggest that you take a look at the following:
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper

Is Ubuntu for you?
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=63315

Linux distro chooser test
http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/

About Linux
http://linux.about.com/od/popular_distros/

Lowfat Linux
http://www.lowfatlinux.com/

http://monkeyblog.org/ubuntu/installing/
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/

[tomiboi]

Here's a list of some apps that are replacements for Windows applications.
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=33183

[lotuseclat79]

Hi Rudre,

1. Use SAMBA client on your Linux system to interface with Windows: Ref: http://us2.samba.org/samba/

2. Don't know what disks you have (uh, ok, you have a 40GB disk- big enough though!), but you sure have enough RAM, and if you don't have a high-speed connection to the Internet aka use dialup like me, you'll have to get an External Modem. I use an external USR FAX Modem - model 5686E. It works right out of the box for Linux even though it comes with install media for WINXP - I have a grub boot loader to choose either Linux or WinXP. To make it work out of the box for Linux I referenced Linux-PPP HowTo web page at: http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/PPP-HOWTO/ and also copied my WinXP settings from the device manager modem logs to initialize it using the wvdial command and wvdial.conf file in Linux.

3. I have a four disk system and software mount my WinXPProSP2 disk from Linux to read the WinXP disk- I have backedup all of my Windows files on Linux.

4. Lots of apps like Open Office suite to use instead of Microsoft Word for example and the other Office apps as well.

5. Red Hat Fedora Core 5 (free) comes with SELinux which boosts the security a lot - none of the Windows crap.

6. Basically, if you are just going into computers and you are already flumoxed by Windows - and considering Linux, you are headed in the right direction, esp. if you are going for a computer science or engineering degree.

7. No need to emulate with Linux, you just cannot execute Windows executables from Linux unless you are using the right interface, e.g. Windows environment for Linux. I can burn ISO images with mkisofs and cdrecord easily to be compatible with WinXP.

8. All in all, Linux is more stable than any Windows platform, and you don't have to pay for it, and it appears to be way less susceptable to crackers than Windows because it is harder to crack - although there are know Unix cracks out there, so you must still keep your system up-to-date with the latest RPM security updates for your brand of Linux.

-- Tom

[khazars]

Is ubuntu easier than Mandrake 9?

[lotuseclat79]

Hi khazars,

I bought the August 2006 Linux Pro mag sold in the UK here in the States and it came with a Ubuntu 6.0.6 Live CD. Easy boot up into RAM.

I use the SysAdmin Disk Manager to mount my hard drives, both WinXP Pro SP2 and Linux Fedora Core 3. Since I am on dialup, I softlink /dev/ttyS0 to /dev/modem (ln -s /dev/ttyS0 /dev/modem), and then copy my wvdial.conf file from /etc in the Linux FC3 mounted drive to /etc in Ubuntu (i.e. in RAM).
I then copy the saved .mozilla file (copy in Ubuntu didn't like the .mozilla directory, so temporarily I renamed it to mozilla) from my Linux FC3/Ubuntu directory into both the ubuntu user account directory (/home/ubuntu) and into the /root directory for su in Ubuntu (sudo -i).

The reason I saved the .mozilla directory onto my Linux FC3 disk was that I installed about 10 firefox extensions that I normally use in a Windows environment (having troubles with this summer), and so with the steps I have described, I can then:
1) execute wvdial to login to my ISP, and
2) crank up Firefox 1.5.0.3 (in Ubuntu 6.0.6)
and surf as I normally would protecting against Google-Analytics with CustomizeGoogle extension for Firefox, SpoofStick, ShowIP, NetcraftToolbar, etc.

Never used Mandrake 9, so unable to comment, but Unbuntu is a breeze to use, and I'm only using the Live CD and have not installed it anywhere as yet.

-- Tom

[killah]

Mandrake has a good history of being user friendly and offers lot of programs...very nice.

Ubuntu is great also...both are very good distro's and cant go wrong with either one.

[saikee]

Just a personal comment.

(1) Ubuntu has been in the No.1 position for some time in Distrowatch.com. It can't possibly get to that position without some nice features. However many distros are equally as good and so a lot depends on the personal taste of how the desktop is organised and how easy to get to the things you want. Mandriva is the successor for Mandrake so compare it with Ubuntu.

(2) There is no law against a user to install Linux side by side with Windows or several Linux together. The only way you can tell which one is better is to install as many as you want to get the word from the mouths of the horses. Every Linux has been designed to multiboot and to co-exist with any number of operating systems.

(3) Linux has superior boot loaders representing by Lilo and Grub. They can boot more MS systems than MS's own products.

(4) One can keep all the NTFS partitions and files and run them with XP. Linux can read all of them and have programs to do all the major tasks. If you keep the data in FAT32 partitions then it can become a neutral ground all operatings can write and read.

[AGCurry]

Originally Posted by Rudre

Looking ahead, it seems like Unix/Linux systems are the hot new systems, and since computer science is the field I'm looking to get into, I'm considering making the change to Linux.

Umm, Unix has been around far longer than Microsoft Windows - or MS-DOS, for that matter.

Originally Posted by Rudre

1. First and foremost, is Linux compatible (network wise) with Windows XP systems? I'm connected using a US Robotis router to the internet, so being able to interact with other computers on the network is a priority.

Since Linux and Windows both network with TCP/IP, networking will not be a problem. What MAY be a problem is different filesystems.

Originally Posted by Rudre

2. What are the (average) system requirements for Linux? Would my computer (above) support it?

Absolutely. Linux doesn't need nearly the resources as Windows XP.

Originally Posted by Rudre

3. All of my data is saved in Windows-type files. Will these open natively on Linux or will I have to emulate it?

Text files will not be a problem. Proprietary file formats will need some kind of equivalent program to process them.

[tdi_veedub]

Text files will not be a problem. Proprietary file formats will need some kind of equivalent program to process them.

Not exactly. If these are plain text files used for any kind of scripting, then they will need to be converted to UNIX format. The CR control character needs to be removed from the file before it can be properly read by *nix.

Here is a text file in Windows/DOS(the CR/LF is invisible, you can't see it):

This is a line of text<CR><LF>
This is a line of text<CR><LF>
<CR><LF>
This is the final line of text<CR><LF>


Here is a text file in *nix:

This is a line of text<LF>
This is a line of text<LF>
<LF>
This is the final line of text<LF>

[AGCurry]

Originally Posted by tdi_veedub

Not exactly. If these are plain text files used for any kind of scripting, then they will need to be converted to UNIX format. The CR control character needs to be removed from the file before it can be properly read by *nix.

That's why Linux provides the unix2dos and dos2unix utilities.