What are the most popular versions?

[J.F.]

I'll have a cheeseburger, fries, and large Diet Coke. ;)

[ActiveX]

I was surprised to see this old thread of mine pop up again, and well, not so surprised either to see food as the topic now? :lol:

I still haven't started linux yet, I've got summer classes and in the midst of that I'm studying for the A+ tests. I'll probably take the hardware one in 2 weeks or so, but I'll need another 2-3 weeks before taking the OS one. After thatI'll begin linux as i said I would. Maybe by that time they'll have "Fedora Core 4 for Dummies" out and I can start with core 4 instead of core 3? :wink:

The plan is to make my current windows rig my dedicated linux box, its got a 3200 winchester and 1Gb corsair VS...so I should have pretty darn good performance for breaking into my windows machines....gotta walk before I run though!

[J.F.]

Already out. :D

http://home.gagme.com/greg/linux/fc4-tips.php

[gilboa]

*Don't* use the livna repository... It's know to create RPM hell (They tend to change the packages contents, conflicting with other packages.)

Cheers,

[J.F.]

Actually, I suggest using the Smart Package Manager.

http://smartpm.org/

I've been using it on FC3 with the default channels. I have managed to install stuff I could never get before without any conflicts. This PM does a great job of resolving any conflicts.

[ActiveX]

Already out. :D

http://home.gagme.com/greg/linux/fc4-tips.php

Not 'dumb' enough for me.:lol:

I literally plan to use a "for dummies" book or something very similar. I need hundreds of pages of very very very easy and simplistic info that I can slowly work through. That tip page that you linked might as well have been instructions on how to design nuclear car engines. The only time I've ever been on a linux machine is when I missed the promt on a dual-booted machine in one of my classes...and when linux tried to come up all I got was something about a 'grub error' repeated about 4000 times. I was shocked as to how fish bait could be causing such an error? :lol:

[10tonrage]

Already out. :D

http://home.gagme.com/greg/linux/fc4-tips.php

Not 'dumb' enough for me.:lol:

I literally plan to use a "for dummies" book or something very similar. I need hundreds of pages of very very very easy and simplistic info that I can slowly work through. That tip page that you linked might as well have been instructions on how to design nuclear car engines. The only time I've ever been on a linux machine is when I missed the promt on a dual-booted machine in one of my classes...and when linux tried to come up all I got was something about a 'grub error' repeated about 4000 times. I was shocked as to how fish bait could be causing such an error? :lol:

I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Active.

Linux isn't THAT hard. To use, anyway. Advanced system administration, sure that can get pretty tricky, but you really don't have to know everything there is to know about Linux to install and use it. Honest.

Plus, there's a LOT more distributions these days, and many are geared toward helping the novice Linux user get the feel for Linux.

The key thing to remember is, after you get the damn thing installed (after having decided in advance on partitions, and what filesystem to go with, etc), is to set up a non-root user pronto, and then LOG IN AS THAT USER.
Heh. I hosed a few of my old Linux installs (I remember thinking "I thought this Linux business was supposed to be MORE stable than Windows!), I'm sure because I simply didn't understand the power that root had. Any process spawned had the ability to hose the system. This can be especially problematic when you're in the X-Windowing environment.

So, to re-cap, find a reasonably newbie-friendly Distro, make sure you have some idea of how the partitions are usually laid out, also backup any data you care about that might get lost if things go really awry, don't make a habit of logging into X as root (use the console for that) and just go to town, man.

[ActiveX]

I definitely welcome the user account tips and will keep it in mind when I start linux. Right now I've only got a single windows box but once I pay for fall tuition the current rig will probebly become my dedicated linux box. I'm not trying linux just for kicks, I need to get good...real good. For the next two years I'll be doing offensive and defensive security labs with and against the other machines on my home network as I finish up my degree. Slowly but surely I'll turn myself into a valueable InfoSec employee.

[10tonrage]

I definitely welcome the user account tips and will keep it in mind when I start linux. Right now I've only got a single windows box but once I pay for fall tuition the current rig will probebly become my dedicated linux box. I'm not trying linux just for kicks, I need to get good...real good. For the next two years I'll be doing offensive and defensive security labs with and against the other machines on my home network as I finish up my degree. Slowly but surely I'll turn myself into a valueable InfoSec employee.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Chinese Proverb

The important thing is to get started...

[ActiveX]

Indeed. I'm just waiting for the hardware, until then I plan to knock out A+ just for the heck of it and maybe dive into the Mitnick books that my mom sent me for my birthday...the 'ol wife obviously hooked me up on that one because no one in my family would know who Kevin Mitnick is unless my wife told them. Good woman.:wink:

[kclee]

The key thing to remember is, after you get the damn thing installed (after having decided in advance on partitions, and what filesystem to go with, etc), is to set up a non-root user pronto, and then LOG IN AS THAT USER.
Heh. I hosed a few of my old Linux installs (I remember thinking "I thought this Linux business was supposed to be MORE stable than Windows!), I'm sure because I simply didn't understand the power that root had.

LOL! Linux caveman says...

10tonrage advice good.
rm -f -R * as root BAD.

[gilboa]

Or actually rm -rf / ....

[ActiveX]

Or actually rm -rf / ....

:shock: :cry: :shock:

:?:

:? :lol:

[gilboa]

rm == delete file and/or directory.
-r == delete directories.
-f == force delete. (Don't ask, just delete).
/ == file system root.

rm -rf / means "Delete the OS, don't ask (stupid) questions; I'm the f**ken admin and I (think) I know what I'm doing... (and/or I've got a live system backup that I'm itching to test :D)"

[ActiveX]

Cool, well thats my first lesson on what to never type. Like I said earlier I still have to wait at least another month on hardware but once I get going I'll start a thread as a journal sort-of, maybe it'll help out fellow linux noobs.

[gilboa]

I had a very long Installing Linux for the first type howto thread in the old-forum. Sadly enough it was lost once we moved to post-nuke.

EDIT: Just found it.
Somehow somebody posted it in Linux questions :) I feel honored!
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/topic- ... highlight=

I'll update it and post it again.

Cheers,

[The_Ghost]

do it so i can make it a sticky :)

[gilboa]

http://www.amdzone.com/index.php?name=P ... f994#73582
Done.

[J.F.]

Nice!