[SLUG] Free software day

[Bob Garrood]

Hi

I said at the last meeting that I would produce a short poster/handout 
designed  to alert and reassure newcomers to Linux as to what they might 
expect to find on switching from, say, Windows.  Here is the text part of the 
first draft.  I will bring the actual file to the next meeting.


Linux isn't that hard!

What do you need to know to get a Linux system up and running?
 
You will find it easiest if you have a reasonably modern machine.  Linux is 
famous for its ability to run on older machines, but to make life easy you 
want a machine with at least 256MB of RAM and a processor with a speed of  at 
least 700Mhz.  You can buy these, as second user, for about £100 by mail 
order(try magazines like MicroMart), or you can buy new just off the High 
Street for £150 plus the cost of a monitor(try Quay Tec opposite tkmax)

This is the real hurdle.

You need to attach to the internet.  You will need an external modem unless 
you can get someone to sell you an internal modem with your system with the 
right drivers.  Ask before you buy.  You will not be given a CD to do the 
work for you.  You need the dial-up number of the ISP (internet service 
provider) you use and your password.  If you already have an ISP, you should 
have no problem using it.  If you do not, you will have to arrange facilities 
with an ISP, by phone, letter, or e-mail.  You will come across companies to 
whom Linux is non-existent.  I found Tesco bad, but Tiscali good.

One company you can use to start with is Linux-ISP.  Their number is 0845 123 
2000.  It costs slightly more than a standard phone call while you are 
attached, but that is all you pay.  Your username will be 'linux' and the 
password is always 'isp'. 

When you set up email programs on the computer you will need to know  two web 
addresses,  your outgoing mail server and your incoming mail server.  These 
always look much the same.  For example mine are smpt.tiscali.co.uk and 
pop.tiscali.co.uk.  Your ISP should tell you what these are when you 
subscribe.

And that, mostly, is it.  Once on the internet  you can get free books -try  
Introuction to Linux on  http://tille.xalasys.com/training/tldp/ .  There are 
plenty of websites that will respond to any queries you type into you search 
engine.  You could even join SLUG!

Can anyone pick obvious holes or errors in this.

Bob Garrood