[SLUG] Free software day

[john at johnallsopp.co.uk]

Hi Bob

A couple of typos introuction and monitor(try. You could give the SLUG
web address, and offer help at the meetings or online if anyone has
any problems.

The main thing, for me, having spent a while learning about setting up
modems under Linux is, there's nothing about setting up a modem. The
key thing, according to the LPI stuff, is that the modem you buy
should NOT be a winmodem.

I should get myself into gear and write mine too.

J

> 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
>
>