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Re: I Don't Have to Use Windows



James,

I would agree with you that loading Linux on a dual processor SGI machine is
not an easy task; however, most people will be loading Linux on an Intel
platform or an Apple. I have found that it takes about 30 minutes to load
and configure RedHat 7.1 on reasonably fast Pentium III machines. There are
three key hardware issues that need to be addressed for ease of loading.
(1) Make sure the graphics card you have is supported (check the RedHat web
site for the list of supported cards). (2) If you are connecting directly
to a network, make sure the network interface card is supported (again check
the RedHat web site for the list), and that you know the parameter settings
needed to connect to your network. (3) If you are connecting to the
Internet through a modem, make sure that you have a "hardware" modem (Linux
doesn't like Wintel modems).

I have found that it is much simpler to spend a few dollars to replace an
unsupported card with one that is supported, rather than spending a lot of
time hunting down drivers for the unsupported cards.

Mark Shapiro
http://www.IrascibleProfessor.com

-----Original Message-----
From: James Mackey [mailto:jmackey@HARDING.EDU]
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 8:15 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: I Don't Have to Use Windows


No response to "OS Wars" - I use both Apples and Windows machines (mostly
windows because of the costs << less expensive than Macs). However, I will
comment on the "easy to load as Windoze" statement. I am in the process of
installing RedHat Linux 7.1 on and SGI workstation for a chemistry teacher
friend. While this is a dual CPU machine, the NT install went fairly easily,
but trying to install the Linux on a second partition has NOT gone easily. I
have downloaded and read 30 - 60 pages on info from Linux sites, and
finally
think I know how to get it to work (we'll see this aft.!). The arcane
terminology and commands (from my perspective) continue to make a Unix
install not something for the faint hearted. I expect that when its finally
up and running, that it will be very stable - but its no there yet!
BTW - there's no local Linux group, and our ITS people run the other way
when
you ask for Unix assistance.
James Mackey

"Shapiro, Mark" wrote:

Dear Paul,

Don't be afraid to try out Linux. The new distributions (RedHat 7.1 and
several of the others) are as easy to load as Windoze. Check the net for
your local Linux Users Group. They will be happy to help.

Mark Shapiro
http://www.IrascibleProfessor.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul O. Johnson
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Sent: 8/1/2001 7:46 PM
Subject: I Don't Have to Use Windows

Hugh Haskell <hhaskell@MINDSPRING.COM> uses the signature:

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because
they have to..

I've smiled for years whenever I read this at the end of Hugh's
messages. I was a Mac disciple for 10 years -- from the year the Mac
Plus came out till the year after Windows 95 came out. I was an officer
in the local Dallas Mac Users Group, I edited the newsletter for our
Mac Users Group at work, I helped new users get up to speed on the Mac.

When it was time for me to upgrade my Mac in the mid 90s, I discovered
that Windows 95 was almost as easy to use as the Mac OS, I could get a
Pentium machine with Win95 for much less than a new top-of-the-line
Mac, and there were many more applications to run under Windows. So I
switched.

I regretted my decision for the two years I used Win95. It crashed
weekly and I had to reinstall it every few months. But when I switched
to WinNT 4.0 I discovered better stability than I ever knew on the Mac.
Now I use Win2K and it's even more stable.

I hate to say it, but I really believe the remaining Mac afficionados
are fighting a losing battle. Even though Mac OS X has gotten good
reviews, I'm afraid the Apple line is dying out.

This is not to say that I have a great deal of love for Microsoft. I
plan to switch to Linux whenever I can get up the nerve.

Paul O. Johnson

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