[dwaynea515]

Hello all, I am just starting to consider new systems for my computer, can someone tell me what is involved with downloading a linux or unix OS? I now have a 3 week old gateway with win ME 20 G hard drive 128 ram, How hard is it to learn and what are the advantages. thanks in advance

[stufine]

Congratulations on your decision to try Linux. It is loads of fun.

You can download Mandrake or Redhat free off of www.mandrake.com or www.redhat.com and then burn them to a cd.

Or you can spend $20 and go to the store and pick them up.

I would recommend mandrake. It is pretty easy to install and really easy to use with lots of toys.

Redhat is very easy to install but not quite as many toys as mandrake. Tuxracer enuff said.

Advantages:
Not so many viruses
Totally customizable
Fun to play with
Everything is free
Teach yourself stuff you never thought you would learn.
It gives me someone else to talk to on this board besides maxim.
It doesn't crash as much as windows.
Feeling of accomplishment when you get something to work.

Disadvantages:
Takes a little while to learn.
Becomes frustrating
Not many games to play
can't run exe files without emulator.

[maxim]

*****POSTED BY STUFINE*****
It gives me someone else to talk to on this board besides maxim.
*****POSTED BY STUFINE*****

Ha ha! Yep, you and I are pretty much only the only ones who post here. Well, well, someone to help! This makes me happy! Remember, dwaynea515, make sure you MESS UP YOUR COMPUTER so that me and stufine can help you. In answer to the question, here are the advantages:

*It's hard for a newbie (like I was, still am, sort of...)
--That's a bad thing...

*GOOD: Software is free

*It NEVER (almost) crashes

*Linux is free.

--and many more. And you can get all of these for 12 easy payments of $199.95. Send the money to maxim! (not really)

To download it, unless you have a cable/DSL modem, be prepaired to WAIT A LONG TIME! (about 30 hours on a 56K modem.) What you can do if you have a 56K modem:

*READ:
--Why not learn C++, or read a Stephen King novel?

*Write:
--Or you can write a novel

*Or, if you have another box, you can always spam stufine! He'll be happy to take it. It's fun to spam stufine! LOL

I highly recommend the last one.

<a href=http://www.linuxiso.com>Here</a> is a useful site for Linux ISO images if you have a CD-RW.

That's all I can say right now. I now must spam stufine with special offers on canned tuna in water

Bye Bye!!!

--maxim

[maxim]

don't go to that link! Sorry, I gave you some crazy german site

I'll have to find it later!

Gomen Nasai!

--maxim

[stufine]

This is one bad thing about linux.

Look what it did to maxim. <shudders> Scary huh!!

[maxim]

Hey! Just because I've never had a girlfriend...and I never get out of the house...and I don't do much around the house...and I don't talk to my friends all that much...

...hmm, you know, you might actually WANT to stick to a boaring OS like Windoze! If you're like me, you'll get hooked in Linux! I can see myself on a commercial saying "They say Linux isn't addictive...how could they say that?" Then, I start to re-compile the kernel, and then I partition the drive!

...Uhh, excuse me, I don't know what I'm talking about!

--maxim