Hi all, I AM a newbie and I did not post this in the newbie section, because I want to meet, talk and find someone who i can talk to about the basics and whatevers of linux. I have just read the very long Thread about "Why is Linux so hard and when Windows is so easy" ETC. ETC, it includes answers like "you have to use your brain", "I don't have any problems, its easy" ETC. I'm afraid I too have Tried and tried to get different Linux's up and running and have spent a huge amount of time being frustrated and basically failing in the end. I should point out I did get "Smoothwall" going very well on 3 servers at an Internet Cafe, but I've gotta be honest, it was a bit of a fluke and Smoothwall is very basic. I have a lot problems with the totally new terminology and naming conventions and methods of doing things. I could go on but to get to the point.. I would like to meet someone who would like to teach and go thru the basics with me. I'm afraid I can't wait till the next night to look at any possible answers on this forum for what might be of help and half the time what suggestions I do get I don't really know how to do it, although the other half are very helpfull (after all I have a thousand questions). I would like to know if there is anybody who lives in Cairns, Australia that might be willing to shortcut me to the point of being able to do the simple and basic tasks. I think I could learn in a few hours what will take months over the Internet. Anyway, if there is someone who would like to help me I'd appreciate it enormously. And just to state the obvious, I'll check here tomorrow night (and the next.......), Dazzler

Hi... I'm not in Cairns, but at least I'm in the same state I'm a bit north of Mackay... I get up to Townsville a lot and Ingham sometimes, but not to Cairns very much

You are right tho. If you sat in with someone for a couple of hours you'd pick up a lot and it would make it easy... It really is not that hard, it's just conceptually very different from windows so it takes a while to get your head around it... Took me a couple of years, but that was waaay back when slackware was the 'easy distro'

No mind you, I don't find mandrake too much harder than smoothwall - maybe easier. So have you given mandrake a go?

You can pm me if you want to email direct...