I refer you to your last post !!!!

" Bye bye linux " - I thought it was about money??????

LOL

I am short sighted and mercinary. The only reason I came to linux, and I posted this somewhere else, is that I was constantly being chopped off, when asked to activate windows xp, reformatting win 98 and my win xp upgrade, because I was too tight to buy Windows XP

It's a shame to give up. I am quite a computer Newbie, only had a p.c.for 18 months. Wanted to give Linux a go for (probably the usual) two reasons. Had been having a lot of trouble with windows, for some reason - I don't know why, and the cost of all the extra software that I fancy installing.

So someone suggested trying Linux, and at this time there was also a flurry of articles about trying out Linux alongside windows to see how you like it. After reading all the reviews I decided to try Lycoris, because of its simplistic approach; I am an utter duffer when it comes to technology and computers, but I do enjoy the experience.

Running Linux along side windows seemed like a great idea, because while I was messing about with Linux I still have a working windows computer with which to work with.

I got the boxed Lycoris Desktop/lx direct from Lycoris. Being completely honest, it was easier to install then trying to work my television! The installer leads you by the hand, finding the Creative SB sound card, and a driver for the Nvidia graphics card immediately. Help with printer set up was given (it worked straight away, but, to be honest, I think it does need a better driver though.), the network card was detected and so I was immediately connected to the internet via my ADSL router. All by magic!

The desktop is pleasant, Mozilla Browser and Mozilla Mail is really nice. (I wish I could get Mozilla Mail to work with Hotmail, but I don't think Hotmail is supported by Mozilla or Kmail.) The word processor and spreadsheets work ok too. Extra software is easy to install from the Lycoris auto installer called IRIS.

To this point, nothing could be simpler. An effective working system which is really nice to use.

I think the problem really comes when you want to dig deeper and start adding extra packages and software and look for drivers for other stuff. This is where we Newbies fall over.

I am utterly baffled as to how to find the correct driver for my Canoscan N670U Scanner, and even more mystified by how the heck I would install it once I found it. But I am at the bottom of the learning curve. After a period of time I will eventually find out - probably through these very forums.

The point is that while learning about Linux / Lycoris, I have, in the meantime, got access to a pc which I can do my scanning on. Eventually I will get Linux doing everything I want. (well almost everything - unfortunately I am doing a learn at home study course which needs to run on windows, so until I have finished that I do have to have windows).

It really is a case of plodding on, and don't expect too much too soon.

It seems to me that Linux, unlike most windows procedures, does expect the user to know how the system works to be able to do (what most consider simple things in windows) like installing software. What is RPM and how does it work, what is compiling and how do you do it? I haven't the foggiest idea! But given some time (considering that, as I said, I am an utter duffer when it comes to technology) I WILL find out!!!!

So don't give up. Run side by side with another OS for now, and then you can gradually migrate, whether it's in a few months, or even next year. There seems to be plenty of help available! I am sure it will be worth it. My Linux computer just looks really nice and what it does it does really well, I look forward to cutomising it in the future.

Try LYCORIS Desktop/lx for an easy easy easy introduction. Some members here may look down their noses at Lycoris, but it does seem to work. I have read that SuSe and Mandrake are also fabulous, so try one of those, but stick at it. If nothing else it's great fun!

Good Luck. Mike

# Guides to software management
LNAG - How do I install a program I downloaded from the Internet?
Rute Guide's software explanation
You might want to check out CheckInstall to manage source code installations/uninstallation

Thanks. - again.
Mike.
Best wishes

sad to hear you're leaving...or gone by now I suppose.

I can't believe I read nearly every single post in this thread. I just found it today :O

I agree with so many people's feelings and opinions posted in this thread, but I can't remember which posts and don't want to put forth the effort to finding them to reiterate. Just so you know

as for those of you who are asking who really got a Linux system up and working in 2 days... my first jab at Linux was when I was 14 with Mandrake 7.0. I plugged the CDs into my Pentium 120Mhz, 64MB RAM and it installed and ran perfectly. As far as I could tell anyways. Granted it was slow and all that, but I wasn't disappointed. The only installation I've had take 2 days+ is Gentoo, but that's only because it was a slow computer to begin with and there's loads of downloading and compiling to be done with it. Slackware, my main distro, installs (fully, meaning every package) in about 20-40 minutes depending on the speed of the machine. There's the occasional tweak with the XF86Config file, but XWindows has always worked straight off for me. The tweaking is just higher resolutions and bit depths... oh yeah, the scroll thinger on the mouse too. lol

So yeah, Linux can be installed and working properly in less than 2 days.

Yep, with the right distribution that is obviously possible, as I proved with Lycoris, it was fully functional within two hours. It's adding all the extra bits, ie software from other sources, that take the time to learn about.
Mike

i'm just ignoring him. if he wants to be a windows drone, let him be. separates the men from the boys.

I hear the worlds smallest violin jabbermacy, and its playing cry me a river. If nothing went wrong, this site wouldnt exist. Did you ask anyone for help?

I remember first time I tried to install Slack, my very first linux... 2 days, 4 installs.... Years later, when I was with my slack running smoothly, I tried Debian with another computer. I spend 3 days to get it to work properly!!! Call me dumb! It was pretty difficult for me to get used to that dselect stuff and tweaking needed by Debian, but when I learned about apt-get I buried dselect, got a new installation of debian system in less then 1 hour from scratch. Just installing kernel and basis and downloading and doing full customization of my beloved linux. I loved Debian so much I thought about giving up slackware (don't worry slack followers, I'm still on the right side - I just couldn't slack is far better - but let's stop it now, no wars). But all that required me reading, and asking and searching and tweaking. I think that linux is about freedom of choice and about mind freedom as well. So, If you don't get along with some distribution, you may just try another instead of dropping out. Once I said (on some thread out there) that linux is already standardized (remember, linux is the kernel, you can always do everything by ./configure make && make install, if can do it in some other way, thank your distro), but the existence of distributions give you the chance to choose something that fits you better. Although linux has many flavors it is always linux (just like Ice-cream, I love Ice-cream ). So, if you to go ahead with linux, ask for help. Don't act like a pseudo-suicide that just want to get some attention by writing a note and getting some cameras around them while they scream they're going to jump when they don't really wanna do it.

whatever the f ever I love linux

lol Neither can I

It took me at least 6 months to understand how to install slackware, without even configuring ANYTHING. I remember the battles with Nvidia drivers. Now it is easy though, because I spent more than the weekend learning.

hamster,

I just installed the Nvidia Accelerated Linux driver and now my games are working! which is sweet. But my Display isn't right. My resolution isn't 1024 x 768 and my screen is off set to the left. No matter how much I mess with the display properties or the /etc/X11/XF86Config file nothing happens it just remains the same. I have the documentation after going threw I realized allot of the stuff seems to be over my head at this time.

ROFLMAO Thanks, that's a good one...made my day

Heeeheeee...I wouldn't use WinXP if THEY paid ME...