I have been using Linux for a long time now. At work and at home it is my primary desktop. My only reason to use Windows or OS/X is to sync my iPod, which I can't live without (but that's another thread).

My first taste of Linux was back in the mid-1990's when I purchased one of those "Learn Linux in 24 Days" books. My previous job was working with production and inventory control. We were installing and configuring an IBM AIX machine for a JIT application and I wanted to get more familiar with the *nix environment. Not being able to find a book that had a free copy of Unix, I settled for this one, which contained Caldera OpenLinux.

I struggled with OpenLinux, and gave up after a couple of days. Linux was still in it's infancy, (or maybe I was) and configuring and maintaining a Linux installation without going online to find out how to fix the configuration so that it ran on your hardware was too time consuming. However, my interest did not wane.

Time passed and my library collection expanded. "Linux Secrets" was a tomb which included a copy of Slackware, which I immediately tried. It was the first installation I used which enabled me to get X-windows running - a grey screen and a big 'X' cursor! Wow, was I excited!

Now Slackware running KDE is my preferred desktop. I dual boot into Ubuntu when I need to do something that I haven't quite figured out how to do in Slackware yet, 'todiskgui' is my current challenge. Runs fine on Ubuntu, but my Slackware 12.1 install is a no go.

This is a great forum! I hope to be able to contribute whatever I can to help others find their way...

Hi and welcome to LQ