Hello, I'm a newbie with Linux and I'm currently trying to use AmigoLinux, so far I've been able to setup X (a little) and to use a few applications, but I have some questions:

1- How do I configure my desktop resolution? I use to work in Window$ with 1024x768, and I'd like to work with the same resolution in Linux. My graphic card is a NVidia GeForce 4 and my monitor is a Compaq Presario MV500.

2- How do I connect to the Internet? I have tried to use the ISP Setup utility, but I just don't know how to connect to the web (currently I'm using Windows to write this). I'm not sure if the system has detected my modem. If it does not detect my modem how do I tell the system what modem I have?

3- How do I add new applications to my Linux computer? I'd love to use POV-Ray or The Gimp, but I don't know how to install them

hmmm... maybe that's all for now, as I said, I'm a newbie with Linux, I tried to use PhatLinux some years ago, but I couldn't make it work so I went back to Windows... please help me get away from Windows... I'm kind of sick of it...

nota: (si la respuesta me la puedes dar en castellano sería todavía mejor...gracias)

First off, some friendly advice on asking questions. Put one question per thread, and make the title short yet descriptive. This will quickly let other people decide whether or not they can help you, and keeps the replies on the same topic. Also, make sure you've searched existing threads for similar problems. If you post a question that has been asked numerous times before, you'll probably be ignored. I am unfamiliar with AmigoLinux, so I can't help with software installation. As for your other questions, if you are trying to connect to the internet with a dial up modem, use wvdial. It may be installed on your system already. If so typing "man wvdial" will give you the manual page. Configuring you desktop resolution is done through X windows, but there are different versions. For example, if you are using Xorg, xorgconfig is one tool for configuring X windows. Depending on what resolutions are currently configured, you can jump through them by pressing CTRL ALT +, and CTRL ALT -.

Excellent english. Es mas mejor de mi espanol.

He tratado Google Traducion? Unfortunately, I'm too new to linux to offer any technical help. There is a linux forum on www.dslreports.com Also, AMIGO is built around Slackware, so you should be able to look in Slackware forums for useful ideas.

Buena suerte!

Bienvenido! No es para nada que se llama Amigo, veras...
Bueno, para configurar X, necesitas editar el archivo /etc/X11/XF86Config. Esto se puede hacer manualmente, o se pude hacer usando uno de las herramientas incluidas. La mejor es 'xf86config'.
Abre un 'terminal' con doble-click en el penguino. Primero, haz una copia del archivo asi:
cd /etc/X11
cp XF86Config XF86Config.bkp
cd ~ (o: cd /)
xf86config
Despues, prensa juntos a <CTRL>+<ALT><BACKSPACE> para 'matarle' al X. Del modo consola(pantalla negra) mete:
startx (para iniciar X otra vez)
Asi tendras mas opciones, pero tambien pudes hacer que Amigo vuelva a detectar los aparatos de la maquina, incluido el modem.
Primero, haz copias de reemplazo de /etc/fstab, /etc/X11/XF86Config y cualquier otro archivo de configuracion que hayas editado. Termina a X como arriba. Luego, mete esto:
/usr/lib/amigosetup/pristine
Ahora, apaga y vuelve a encender la maquina -asegurate de que el modem este´conectado y encendido.
Asi, Amigo vuelve a hacer la deteccion de aparatos cuando se prende de vuelta.
Yo suponog que hayas usado el metodo 'EASY' para configuracion. Elige otro metodo para la configuracion grafica al que usaste antes. Ya que sabes cual es la tarjeta grafica, se hace mas facil. Intenta el metodo 'advanced' y 'advanced' otra vez. Esto te facilita la configuracion con Xconfigurator, lo que permite que pruebas la configuracion antes de terminar. Esta herramienta tambien permite resoluciones mas altas que 'xf86config'.
El modem no sera`configurado mas que se hace un 'link' del verdadero /dev/* al /dev/modem. Puedes ver el archivo /etc/sysconfig/amigo para detalles sobre lo que se detecta.
Que tipo de modem es? Digo USB, puerto serial, ?

Para instalar mas programas, primero mira en cualquier de los 'mirrors' de slackware. Amigo-2.0 es compatible con slackware-9.1. Si no tienen lo que buscas ahi, pudes conseguir mas programs de linuxpages.net -un sitio donde contributores ponen programas que han compilado para slackware. Pon le atencion al numero de version. Digo, siempre usa paquetes para slack-9.1.
No creo que vayas a encontrar POV-Ray pre-compilado. Instalando gcc (compilador) y 3-4 otros paquetes, ya puedes compilar lo que sea del 'codigo fuente'.

Thank you all for your nice responses, I'll try to follow your advices and I'll let you know the results... next week I´ll have a couple of days to play with AmigoLinux, so I hope everything will work OK...

Gracias especialmente por la explicacion en castellano, me hace las cosas mucho mas faciles, por cierto, mi modem es (de acuerdo con el manual de la board) una tarjeta ASRock MR con funcionalidad v.92...

And finally, sorry for having 3 questions in one thread, I'm not very used to post in message boards, so I don't know all the rules (but I'm learning...)

Is that a PCI board? If so, it will be identified by hwsetup, but not configured completely. Open /etc/sysconfig/amigo and see if hwsetup found the modem.
Normal serial-port modems are usually identified by the kernel as being on device /dev/ttyS0 ( COM1 under windows), or /dev/ttyS1 (COM2).
PCI modems are usually found on serial ports above /dev/ttyS4.
If the info is not available in /etc/sysconfig/amigo, you may have to experiment to find the port number. All you need is a link from the 'real' device to /dev/modem.
If you modem is on ttyS7, make the link like this:
cd /dev
rm -f modem
ln -s ttyS7 modem

Then, use 'pppsetup' or 'ispsetup' to configure your connection. Then to dial use 'ppp-on' and 'ppp-off', or try the yawmppp utilty.
If you get a connection, then open the Opera browser.

thank you again, I've already configured X using Xconfigurator advanced method, and its working OK...

finally I did not have enough time last week so I'll work on the modem this week (the system has already detected it, at least, I hope I'll make it work soon), but I have a new question...

when I start X I can see the desktop and the icons, but I don't have a clear view of the mouse pointer, so I have to try to select something just to know where the mouse pointer is, I guess I'm doing something wrong, but to be honest I'm clueless...

btw, your spanish is very good...

this is what I've found in the /etc/sysconfig/amigo about my modem:

-----------------------------------------------
class: OTHER
bus: PCI
device: (null)
driver: unknown
desc: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]|Intel 537 [56k Winmodem]
-----------------------------------------------

but reading the info that appeared when I tried to set up my connection using the ispsetup utility I understood that 'Winmodems' are not supported, in Windows my modem appears in port COM3... well, I'll just keep trying... (any help is welcome, please, please, please...)

You can try http://freewebhosting.hostdepartment...winmodem.html, where you may find informations about the winmodem-linmodem topic.

good luck r.

Ok I have gotten it all work up to the setting it up, but mine says it is lacking the PPP drivers or kernel or something, I a newbie too.