HI,
I'm a complete newbie. I have installed Redhat 7.1 (the only version I could get my hands on) on my desktop. I'm having a ton of problems. I want to try and get many of the regular applications working on Linux similar to Windows.
Firstly I wanted to setup dual boot but once I finished the install I don't have it. Anyway can it be done now??
Also I downloaded crossover office and plugin to get the other stuff working. since I didn't have anything else on my system I downloaded windows media player, quicktime word viewer and open office. but none of them work. I figured out I need WINE to run .exe files so I downloaded it in the .rpm file. I tried installing WINE using some rpm -iv... command and it didn't work. I really want to learn UNIX/LINUX but I need some patient help.
Raghav

A few things:

1) Red Hat 7.1 is really, really old. You can download later versions for free from anywhere, or you can buy a boxed set. It's really not that hard to get hold of the latest versions.

2) Wine should not be used unless you actually need it, and there are no native apps that fulfill your needs. In particular, you don't need Windows Media Player nor QuickTime (mplayer can play these files), nor do you need Word Viewer (oo can open these files).

Basically forget about Wine until you are far more experienced with Linux. I know it might seem a bit strange, having to learn all new apps but they aren't that different really. This would be easier if you used the latest version, a lot of ease-of-use has been added since the 7.1 days

Thanks for the help. I'll try and get my hands on a more later version. Also how would I install open Office as on unzipping I need to run the setup which is an .exe file. Basically I have no idea how to run such files. I'm will start lookin at some native apps.
Raghav

Red Hat 9 comes with OpenOffice on the CDs (for linux). You want to avoid EXEs for the time being.

OpenOffice has a native version out there, some curious bugs in the install befell me, never the less, if you are root and it isn't on a FAT32 (windows) partition you should be fine.

That said, Redhat 7.1 is REALLY REALLY old (sorry. you knew that).

to get a newer version of your distro of choice (why redhat???) check their website, they usually have a link telling you were to buy. Alternatively check the newsagents, they generally have a computer mag or two which have a current linux distro on the cover, in fact there often are dedicated linux mags that contain several distro's and instructions on installing them etc.

A good place to look is the debian webpage (i know they have good info on distributers all over the world) check http://www.debian.org and check their where to buy, and it will give you links to mail order places the world over.

as for wine, wine is good, i use it myself to play windows games (well winex actually, you have to pay for that though) which is great (doesn't really replace windows for games really though [better range on windows, but winex is getting there])
Applications can be run using codeweaver's crossover plugin (which you can find as a free trial thing as i recall) eitherway there are plenty of applications out there that do what you want on linux ... maybe not the way you are used to, but better because the people that code them focus on what real users need, and not what microsoft wants users to believe they need (like say a talking and ever present paper clip)

I think thats an excellant reply chakkerz!!!
Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie
Thanx