Thread: Linux & woodworkers

I have been using red hat linux on and off since version 5.1. It is my pick because they seem to be one of the biggest and most supported/supportive dists. Have used corel wordperfect for linux and sun star office 5.2. Haven't used staroffice 6, but apparently it is VERY good, just not free (but who cares when the os costs $0??) and substantially cheaper than MSOffice.

Just make sure everything is plugged in and turned on when you install (modems, printers etc).

Suse is also very good, I just haven't used it much.

Hi, been using Red Hat since 6.2 (currently 8.0)and also use Mandrake 9 .0 . Red Hat have the better support in Australia but I think Mandrake is the better for the newbie, it has a better instalation program and configuration tools. I use it for the network at work and run the usuall businees type programs. I first came to Linux because of the problems with Windows viruses, and the fact that I was then running Win 98 and had all the usuall stability problems. Linux is absolutly tops for networking, I knew nothing about networks except that I needed one, Linux was an excellent choice, I was able to set up my first small network one saturday afternoon using information downloaded from the web, it's been running 24/7 ever since and grown a couple of extra machines since then. Oh yes the price was right too, FREE.

I use "Quasar Accounting" from linux Canada, usually Netscape Browser, Open Office suite, and the usuall stuff like Adobe Acrobat etc. Open Office is compatible with Micro$oft file formats so opening stuff people send you by e-mail is not a problem.

The best thing to do is create a partion on your hard drive and load one of the distributions and have a play with it. I, at first had my systems set up to dual boot with Windows but of late haven't needed Windows at all, so have been happy to have the machines just running Linux alone. Oh, By the way, it helps if you like penguins.

May The Source Be With You
Graeme

Ah Ha!!
Real humans talking about Linux.
A question for you knowledgable folks. I f a person was to do the C:/ "format" thing in an attempt to rid themselves of the Windoze curse, and then install Linux, how does one go for finding drivers for scanners, cameras and the like?
I often wonder about these things as almost evry hardware type gadget has a Windoze "driver" and I worry that there won't be a Linux thingy to make the gadget work.
Thanks
Dennis.:confused:

The only hardware I've had problems with is "WinModems" - the modems built into some (many) motherboards. Last time I looked, there was Linux development going on to cater for these.

You don't have to go the "format C:" route - Linux quite happily partitions a hard drive, and co-exists with Windows.
Or, you can get some distributions which run "under Windows", or from a CD, so you don't need to perform major surgery.
Or, you can grab an old(er) PC, which doesn't have the grunt to run Windows, and give it a new lease of life with Linux.

My favourite app is The Gimp - an image manipulation prog.
I also enjoy playing with Povray - a 3D image renderer.

Cheers,
Andrew

What the heck are you all talking about? Can you turn it? What species of wood would be best.
Anyway isn't Linus a character in Peanuts?

OOPS!
Sorry john and others. I just could not resist the temptation to make some enquiries.
Sadly you cannot "turn" Linux but it does turn some people on.
And Linux costs Peanuts compared to the MickySoft bloatware that most of us use now.
I shal get back to termite food from now on.

I would suggest looking to see if drivers exist for your hardware first. But Linux is pretty sophisticated these days.

Winmodems do seem to have issues, as does my usb modem.

But for less than $50 you can buy a new modem anyway. That is what I will be doing shortly.