Newbie Questions

Hectic · 10-10-2004, 06:31 AM

So..... I'm new to linux. I've tried Mandrake, RedHat, WhiteBox, and a bunch of live CDs. I've decided Slackware is the way to go (transferring from windows). I got a few questions and any help/responses will be greatly appreciated.

What is the system monitor app I see in all the screenshots?
freeyourmachine.org/desktop.png
It's in the top-right. (can't post urls until 5 post)

Are there any apps to monitor the motherboard? (CPU temp, Fan Speed, etc.)

Are there any bandwidth monitor apps?

I love IRC, what do you recommend for IRC?

Whats the deal with the programs in the k menu (KDE) that DO NOT have icons beside them? I was told that, that meant they weren't installed, is that correct? if so... How do I go about installing them? Example: k-menu -> Editors -> Text Editor (Pico)
by the way I'm using Slackware 10 without any updates (swaret is running... taking forever)

Can you make windows transparent? I know you can make the Konsole transparent using Settings -> Schemes. But if I have a web browser under the konsole it shows the background and not the web page like I would like it to. is that possible?

I have a microsoft trackball explorer 1.0 ps2/usb compatible mouse but as of now it's set up as a standard ps2 mouse. How can I get slackware to recognize it? For windows I could just go get the drivers or something to the effect. Does linux have things like drivers? Or How can I get my mouse to work under linux?

Sorry for all the questions in one post and it being my first post. I starting to like linux, so... give me some help and I'll start to love linux. thanks

heema · 10-10-2004, 06:54 AM

the program that monitors everything is called gkrellm
http://web.wt.net/~billw/gkrellm/gkrellm.html

the best irc client IMO is Xchat
http://www.xchat.org/

u will find all of these installed in slack

rotvogel · 10-10-2004, 07:42 AM

Some alternatives: KVIrc is a nice and good IRC client as well. KDE has system monitors included: KSim is a panel in KDE which is able to monitor as well (if it doesn't crash). Knetload is a nice network monitor dock app.

typho · 10-10-2004, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hectic

I have a microsoft trackball explorer 1.0 ps2/usb compatible mouse but as of now it's set up as a standard ps2 mouse. How can I get slackware to recognize it? For windows I could just go get the drivers or something to the effect. Does linux have things like drivers? Or How can I get my mouse to work under linux?

Try editing /etc/X11/xorg.conf in your Input Device section to look something like this:

Code:

    Identifier  "Mouse1"
    Driver      "mouse"
    Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option "Buttons" "5"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

predator.hawk · 10-10-2004, 01:07 PM

My Personaly Prefered IRC client is BitchX........

CletusJones · 10-10-2004, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by predator.hawk
My Personaly Prefered IRC client is BitchX........

I prefer BitchX as well, but Xchat isn't bad at all. That'd be my second choice.

predator.hawk · 10-10-2004, 06:07 PM

xchat's my GUI Choice, BitchX is just more fun

.

Hectic · 10-11-2004, 10:13 PM

Thanks for all the replies...... they helped me greatly!!!

Any help on the transparent windows and/or terminal? (post #1)

gbonvehi · 10-11-2004, 10:22 PM

About transparency, You have to use a terminal that support it, I personally use Eterm but I see most users prefer aterm (they both do transparencies).

Btw, you can find packages for both of them in www.linuxpackages.net if you don't want to compile.