btw - after all the logging in from the last tome made me forget to ask ----

ok - I get the message that only root can mount the fat partition.

So I log in as root, make the directory, mount the fat partition, etc.

But - since I'm downloading stuff as a regular user, not root, I either can't or don't know to access the files I've downloaded as a regular user so I can copy them to the fat partition so WinDoze can see them.

So ???? - is there a way to see the the files I d/l'd when I'm logged in as root? They don't show up in the root desktop.

Ok, first of all, don't log in as root unless you absolutely have to. It is too easy to cause irreversible errors. You can simply log in as a normal user, then open a terminal to 'su' to root, or you can use the 'sudo' command.

Unless you specify otherwise, anything you download as a normal user should be in that users' /home directory.

As for the problems you are having with linux, my only recommendation is that you remain patient. It would seem that the problem you are having with firefox could be a firefox issue (maybe). While firefox does a very good job of blocking popups, many people are finding ways around it. As for mplayer, assuming you installed it correctly, are you getting any kind of error message when you try to play something? If so, please post it.

Fedora (and linux in general) is definitely not useless for web applications - you simply need to learn that things work differently on a different OS. Its the same with security. Sure an unconfigured Fedora is vulnerable to hacking and even viruses, but statisticly the odds are much better that an unprotected Windows box will be compromised over a unprotected Fedora box. Even then, I would say that Fedora is still more stable than Windows. You are probably referring to individual applications (which can crash, yes), but you usually don't have to reboot the entire system to fix the problem.

As for having to constantly log in: do you have your screensaver set to start quickly (like less than 5 minutes) after the computer is idle? By default Fedora requires a password to resume once the screensaver has been activated.

Thanks for the response.

First - the constant login - looks like was because I had cookies disabled.

I do have a lot to learn ... and I do mean a lot.

I found a book - only one - on core 4 at a local bookstore. So far it's pretty much useless. Anything like going beyond the 'active firewall' or clicking the grant access boxes (which I didn't) is simply referred to as 'beyond the scope of this book'.

Nothing on using the terminal other than how to open it. No commands are even mentioned ley alone how to use them or even a list of those available.

What little I've managed to do is based on dim memories of DOS and other ancient relics.

Once I get everything set up I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with Fedora and Linux.

But that's going to take a lot of time and a much better book - or books - than the one I have. So I'm open to suggestions on other books that have really useful info on Core 4 or Linux in general.

mplayer - simply couldn't get it to open. Either directly or by using 'open with' on different types of vid files.

That was maybe 8 or 9 nukes ago - since then whenever I try to install either I get a message that basically says the files contain stuff that may be a security threat.

So to heck with them.

Mozilla ad blocking - I'm talking about ads and banners embedded in web pages - I HATE those. So maybe some sort of after market plug/virus checker.firewall is needed. Of which google only lists articles - mostly 3 or more years old. Nothing on actual available programs.

So - while I hope to get Fedora/Linux working with adequate security I'm also starting to think maybe I should just buy an el cheapo used Apple for use as a firewall and be done with it.

So how do I mount the vfat partion so it is visible to the regular user?

I don't recommend that you get a book on Fedora. It changes too fast for any book to keep up with it. You can continue checking forums like LQ, or you can also read this.

Just about every command you could type at the terminal has a 'man' page that goes with it. They should be able to explain how the command works. If you must get a book, O'Rileys "Learning the bash shell" is worth a look.

As far as blocking ads within web pages, try adblock. It allows you to click on just about any ad on a site and remove it.

Thanks again for the response.

Still can't transfer data between Fedora and Windows via the vfat drive.

It's mounted - shows up in my folder - I can save things to it. But Windows doesn't see those files. Nor does Fedora see any files posted there by Windows.

Very frustrating - the whole purpose of this is to avoid using Windows for connectimg to the net.

As it is I have a 33 mb update for one of my graphics animation programs waiting for download. Looks like I'll have to burn a cd with a whopping 33 mb of data on it.

Really? That's strange...

At this point I don't know what to say; I have told you all that I know about this subject, and am fresh out of ideas. I am surprised that neither OS sees the others' files. However, what is keeping you from connecting to the internet with Fedora?

Nothing - I can connect fine - if by a clunky method.

As I get some unwanted hidden visitors - usually by name of moe.HG57JG or something similar - if I turn my modem on before Fedora is fully laoded and stablized (finished doing whatever it does after the desktop appears) I wait then use the System Tools > Internet Connection Wizard to activate the connection.

The fat32 logical drive is created by Windows XP Pro - maybe there's something tricky about it like the differences between pre-XP and XP NTFS partitiitions and files ??

Tried following the mplayer install from that link - thanks for that, it'll help a lot - but it balked at the .configure command. I'll have to check and make sure I have all the stuff off the Core 4 cds. Should have been installed - I think - as I use the Custom > Everything option for installs.

Not knowing diddly about Linux isn't helping - but I'll get there one step at a time.

p.s. - clatification -

I hope to use Fedora or Linux of some origin - to connect to the /net for thongs like downloading that update I mentioned and uploading stuf to my website for.from my Windows apps.

I dual boot at present nut if I get allthe stuff figured out I'll probably use a dedicaed Linux box for the net connection and relay stuff via my LAN.

I just installed fc4 2 weeks ago and I can't get my ntfs partition to mount. I tried:

# mount /dev/hda1 /user/home/my_ntfs

and it said "mount: unknown filesystem type 'ntfs'

any help would be greatly appreciated.