[Sussex] I might like to become a SLUG

[John D.]

George Zachariah wrote:

>    
> Met some SLUGS at the computer fair at Charmandean, first Sunday this 
> month. For some time, I have been thinking about giving Linux a try, 
> downloaded Knoppix 3.2 some while ago, bought the Corel Linux book 
> with CD, but have since done nothing. Bitter experience with Windows 
> and various associated applications have taught me that one needs a 
> hand to hold when trying something in this sphere. Perhaps The Sussex 
> Linux Users Group is what I want.
> Please let me know when the Knoppix 3.8 Cd will be available, with 
> only a dial-up connection, I do not want to try to download it.
> Will there be a meeting this month; the last Thursday is the day 
> before Good Friday?
> Regards, George Zachariah (01903-740296). email to g_z at onetel.com 
> <mailto:g_z at onetel.com>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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>
Welcome George,

I couldn't make it last Sunday (when I can I'm only there for an hour or 
two anyway).

I'm the self confessed "LUG nugget", because my level's of linux 
knowledge are pretty low. Also as a "non-techie" I often find it hard to 
get my head round some of technical type issues.

You'll find that the list has some serious levels of linux knowledge and 
experience. The chaps are very helpful when it comes to pointing you in 
the right direction.

If you're curious, I've only been doing this "linux thing" for about two 
and a half years, most of that time has been taken up using/learning 
Mandrake Linux. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a first distro, 
because in a "windowsesque" sort of way, it does do a fair amount of 
configuration for you (which often isn't to the liking of those who have 
a higher tech understanding and like to do more for themselves).

In the last 6/9 months, I've moved to gentoo linux, though mainly 
because it was my habit to get "boxed set" discs from mandrake directly, 
because it would install directly on my system (a medion based PCworld 
"wonderbox") without any hassle at all i.e. no issues with graphics etc 
(erm, laziness as well).

Though once you've got an up to date copy of knoppix, if you find that 
to your liking, you can also install that to a hard drive without much 
difficulty (I still prefered the mandrake installer having tried knoppix 
on my HDD). You'd find instructions for doing that at the knoppix forums 
<http://www.knoppix.net/forum/> plus theres also a "new to linux" forum 
there I notice.

If "push comes to shove", I may be in a position to download knoppix (or 
a different distro if you're keen to learn) and burn it to disc, though 
thats dependant on whether you have transport (I'm over in Lancing).

Another link that I've found absolutely invaluable is Linux questions 
<http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/index.php> there's a mountain 
of stuff there that may be of assistance.

Finally, as a bit of a "heads up", you mentioned that you're on dial up, 
so it may be worth while finding out exactly what kind of modem you use. 
Because lots of the internal ones are known as "winmodems". i.e. they 
are basically software devices that are windows based and can be a 
nuisance to configure (indeed, some of them can't be made to run on 
linux). Personally, I've never used a dial up connection with linux as I 
have the luxury of a broadband connection and a modem router device (the 
internal modem in my system just sits there unloved and unwanted). You 
might be able to find out about the model of modem you have at the 
"Linmodems" <http://www.linmodems.org/> site, it's all about support for 
winmodem devices.

Oh, and don't let ANYONE, convince you that linux is "hard", because if 
I can run a "normal" linux system (without any of the other really 
clever/special stuff that it's capable of), then anyone can!

Again, Welcome

regards

John D.