Where to get Linux download?
 

I got a Red Hat Linux book at a yard sale. It came with Red Hat Linux 6 but it only had the 2nd disk in it. Where can I download the rest of it. Will it be free or not? Can I get a download that's not a dvd? Fedora insted?

You don't want something as old as Red Hat 6 (it's no longer supported). I'm not even sure if you can still find it. There are a number of different distributions available -- try LinuxQuestrions.org's own site or LinuxISO. You might also want to read the reviews on DistroWatch.

Red hat Linux 6 is old and not supported by anybody. All support ended many years ago.

As as suggestion get a modern support version of Linux, if staying with the Red Hat family I would suggest CentOS;

http://www.centos.org/

They provide a 100% freely avaialable clone of RHEL5, which is not to be confused with RHL6/7/8/9 and remaned to FC1/2/3/4/5/6 and renamed again to F7/8

FC= Fedora Core, F=Fedora

I would wait a day or two the CentOS mirrors are being updated as I type with CentOS5.1 (the very latest version).

btmiller's suggestion of distrowatch.com is a good one, it's a hub for most of the up-to-date distributions (versions) of Linux. I wouldn't give too much credit to their ranking system.

If you have broadband then I'd advise that you download and burn several of the more common live distros and try them. If you don't have broadband, distrowatch lists several vendors that sell CD/DVD media at cheap prices. part of the fun of Linux, to me, is having that great variety to try before you commit.

As they say, Have Fun!

As mentioned, RH 6 is now really rather old. I'm guessing around year 2000 or something. If you were to use it, you'd have to patch pretty much all of the system to get a system that had all the bugs and security fixes, even if you can still find the patches on-line. While this isn't an intellectually challenging process necessarily, it probably involves as much downloading a complete new system. So, don't do it. It doesn't have any advantage and would only give you something archaic.

You ask whether its the download will be available as a non-DVD? Well, it will be available wherever you store it. What you need is to get the download chopped up into little bits of the right size for your media.

You ask whether it will be free? Well, downloads of most linux systems are available for zero cost, if that's your question. There are a few exceptions but these tend to be where services (e.g., support) or 'added value features' are bundled, thus justifying (in the eyes of the vendor) charges. Often even though there are paid for versions, there are less well publicised zero cost options.

If you want to go down the RedHat route, the zero cost version is called Fedora (I'm sure they'd prefer the description 'Community version'), with RedHat being roughly Fedora, plus enterprise features and support for some cost.

You might mean, is the stuff on the CD free in an intellectual property sense? If so, most distros are primarily free in this sense but have some (more or less involved) options to add on 'not free in the intellectual property sense' bits, if you feel that you need them. Largely, if you are concerned about this aspect, it is up to you to preserve the 'purity' of your system, but I'll just point out this is often unpopular with people who don't realise why things like MP3s aren't playable 'out of the box'.

Personally, I'm not a RedHat fan (but there are people who I respect who are) but recent RH and Fedora releases are much improved over older releases. Ubuntu/(kubuntu)/etc are very popular these days and make good beginners distros and there is a (somewhat limited) one CD version available. PClinuxOS has been getting a lot of good press recently, so that would be another candidate and if you like the 'mega big, do everything style' I'd consider SuSE. On older hardware one of the more frugal distros like DSL, Puppy or Frugalware could be appropriate.

To be honest, none of those are bad, and you should just try something for a few months (maybe a live CD?) then come back to the selection decision better informed.

But, whichever you choose, please choose something released in, at worst, the last 12 or 18 months.

I had a pile of similar books and considered putting them in a yard sale. To avoid a situation such as that described here, I simply threw them away. Let's hope OP hasn't been turned off by the experience.

Hi,

Eco friendly?


BTW, I like your sig.

One exception, 'build radios with acid-core solder', no way.

I've been doing hardware since ... not to date myself. In my vacuum days, we would never use acid core solder. Too much damage from the core. Now to use solid with a resin that is dipped or brushed then that is dated. Micro core solder of today saves a lot of work with current circuit board work. As for the lead content, I still have spools of .040 60/40 solder. Getting hard to find now.

I do have some core memory in the basement shop. Most people look at it an ask 'what is that'?

What about unit records? Wired program boards? Punch drums? Card separators/sorter? I could go on and on. Been there!

I know that I should have recycled the books--the guilt has haunted me for years.

The whole point of acid core is not that I know HOW to do it--it's that I know not to do it AGAIN. That one item always seems to get a reaction.

It hasn't been pointed out yet, but if the OP hasn't been put off by our reponses so far, that book can still be of some value. For learning basic commands and getting a good foundational understanding of Red Hat and consequently, Fedora.

Regards,

Brandon

Thanks sorry for the confusion but I wondering it the downloads on most sites would be free. Thanks for the answers they really help me. What kind of download should I get to install fedora on a computer. I don't have a dvd burner just a cd burner.

Fedora is available on a CD--it might take some digging at their site.

Most Linux versions are either totally free (Fedora, *buntu, Debian, and more) or at least have a free version...

Only a small minority would require you to pay. (RHEL, Xandros?)

Thanks found what I was looking for. Getting Fedora 6.

I would just take the cd's out of them, and put a note in them about how to get linux or something like that

Hi,

I've got a lot of Data books that I've got to get rid of. I will donate these to a local high school. High school programs cannot get this type of data book(s) without laying out some major money. I'm retired and the data books were part of my technical library. I spoke with a colleague about getting the cd/dvd data sets. I could always get them from the manufacture(s) by begging the reps.

I may even downsize the library, some of the engineering books could be considered antique. I'll check on those. Little good to a high school, maybe a Jr college.

As for the acid core solder, don't feel bad. I know several people who have made the same mistake and they should know better. The damage to the circuit boards when it is used is bad. If the tubes are chassis mounted then the problem can be corrected. Heck I know of cases where large diameter solder was used on pcb and you should have seen the damage. I always kept acid core in the lab but it was secured so no one could get to it but me. The solder was secure for obvious reasons, at least to me.

I had some lab assistants that once used silver solder on a project. That was a waste plus expensive. Those TA's really got a ear full for that one. The temperature alone caused significant damage.

You should know your tools and how to implement proper use!

vacume tubes etc.
 

I not only know what a vacume tube is/was, I replaced bad ones.
I used and replaced magnetic core memory.
I punched many a program up on an IBM card punch and a many Fortran program decks.
You didn't even mention punching programs up an paper tape and doing compiles on a paper tape reader that punched out intermediate results on a paper tape punch. I remember when a big day arrived and I got a powered paper tape winder. It took all day to do a Fortran compile and then when you loaded in your program if you got a check sum error you just went to the bar.

Darryl Keller