Subj : Re: Is (Redhat) Linux just a cheap version of Windows? To : comp.os.linux From : Bruce Coryell Date : Fri Sep 03 2004 11:45 am I should point out here that Fedora Core is now the free/ open source version of Red Hat, has all its functionality, including OO, and can be obtained as cheap discs from various sources (e.g. cheapbytes.com). I actually like it better than Red Hat Enterprise Edition (which I've set aside). I also have Debian Woody on another machine, also a good alternative to the commercial expensive distros (Red Hat, Mandrake, Suse, etc). The main difference between a cheap distro and a commercial one is there is no telephone support with the cheap versions, but I never use that anyway. About Debian, I believe they are very close to making Sarge the "stable" version, replacing Woody... Larry I Smith wrote: > RoyalHeart wrote: > >> Patrick McDonnell wrote: >> >>> Hey genius, >>> >>> Did you try searching google? Or do you feels its below you because it >>> wasn't around during Version 7? >>> >> >> >> I've been lurking in the shadows quietly monitoring this news group. >> I've tried RH 5.2 on a Zenith Z-NoteFlex laptop (486DX2-50, 24MB RAM, >> 200MB HD -- yes, 200MB hard drive), and actually got it to work, >> though with such little space on the HD, there were very few apps I >> could install. >> >> Then I tried MDK 6.something (or was it 7.something?) on a P2 machine >> I built (256MB RAM, 30GB HD), and like it very much. However, after >> spending a day or two getting the modem working, and several more days >> trying to get the MIDI synth on my sound card (SB PCI512, which has >> been moved into a new home, my current system, an AMD XP2200+, 256MB >> RAM, 120GB HD), I gave up, and went back to Win95 (I now use Win98 Lite). >> >> It's now a few years later, and I'm willing to give Linux another try. >> I'm looking at either Redhat or Mandrake because I've tried both, as >> mentioned above. RH I can buy locally; MDK I'll have to mail-order. >> I'm leaning a bit towards Mandrake, but shipping charges make Redhat >> look a bit more appealing. Hmmm... Which to buy... (drums fingers on >> desk) >> >> Then I read Patrick McDonnell's post above, for a second, I thought, >> "with an attitude like that, why in heck do I want to try Linux again? >> Just because he knows a lot about Linux doesn't mean others do." >> >> This was followed by a second thought: "Google doesn't answer every >> question I wanted an answer to, nor provide a useful result within a >> few minutes of perusing the search results. I've spent HOURS going >> through close to a THOUSAND search results and didn't find anything >> close to giving me the information I was looking for." >> >> Google is a useful tool, nevertheless. Some people just don't think to >> use it, and would prefer a quick, simple answer, without being >> condescended to or treated as "not-one-of-the-elite-Linux-geeks" class >> just because I'd rather use a GUI than the command line (myself >> included; give me answer now and let me get on with what I'm doing, >> and later on I'll learn the details). (BTW, when I was exploring Linux >> those years ago, I DID use the command line, bash in particular, and >> thought I did quite well after using it for only a few weeks. I >> preferred MC for browsing around my hard drive, though.) >> >> So, here I am, having read the above post, and wondering how many >> people decided NOT to try Linux because of the attitude of SOME of the >> Linux geeks on this NG. I, however, overlook the rudeness of these >> particular folk and will continue toward a decision of which >> distribution to get. Until then, I shall continue to gather >> information, not only on which to choose, but Linux in general, and >> shall file it away in /usr/local/info (or is than >> /home/linux/info????? Give me time, I'll remember). >> >> Oh, and I am NOT a troll, just an amused lurker. >> >> Hmmm... In the Author's Note to the Novel I am writing, I state that >> the novel "was written using Star Office 5.2 running under Windows >> 98." If I can find the Linux version of SO 5.2, I shall move the novel >> over to the Linux platform and thence change that line to "was written >> using Star Office 5.2 running under [Redhat|Mandrake] Linux (version >> number here)." 'Twould be a boost, 'twould it not, to the Linux >> movement? (When it's published, that is.) >> >> Cheers, and LLL (Long Live Linux). >> > > OpenOffice (OO) is the Open Source version of StarOffice. > OO comes with most linux distro's. > > I would recommend "SuSE Professional Linux" v9.1 to > replace your Win-98; its GUI looks and operates much > like Win-98. It's available at many computer stores > (Best Buy, CompUsa, Fry's, etc) or can be ordered > on-line from SuSE. > > Regards, > Larry > .