Fedora Linux 8 and a newbie

[Chris Wilson]

I have had half hearted plays with Linux before, and having decided to format and re install Windows XP on my desktop PC I thought I'd have a look at how things are these days. I tried installing Ubuntu 7.10 on my old Compaq 600c and nearly became suicidal as it flagged I/O FD0 errors on loading and has defied all attempts for me to fix this, including some arcane boot up string addition (and why the hell SHOULD I have to try and fix this, a laptop sans floppy isn't a three legged chicken, now, is it...?) So I am nearly finished downloading a full DVD of Fedora 8. I am hoping this will load cleanly on both machines. My first question is, does it have a proper application installer, to seamlessly load new software like Windows has? And can I uninstall without leaving the detritus that Windows apps leave hidden in every corner? Thanks. I am hoping that this will show how much linux has come "on" since I last played a couple of years ago, but I must say, if I am totally honest, I think that it will still wrankle as an OS that's geeky, with absurd names for files, apps and a general reliance on pseudonyms and an assumption all users wish to look under the bonnet, rather than just use the software. I hope I am wrong.

[JamesG]

From my experience, you're not wrong. I use Linux a lot, but only really for server-type applications. Every so often, I download a distribution to see how much better the desktop environment is. I'm usually disappointed.

 

I have no doubt that Linux on the desktop can be better than Windows, but you really have to put the effort into learning and customising it. And they'll always be something that comes along that only works in Windows, so you'll have to either dual-boot (which is too slow to be a workable solution), have another computer running Windows, or run something like VMWare where you can have a virtual machine running Windows (but at the cost of some performance).

 

Maybe you'd find the best compromise is to buy a Mac. You get a very nice desktop environment, good applications and it's based on UNIX. The only problem I can think of would be working out how to remove your oily fingerprints from one

[Chris Wilson]

I had a quick play with a Mac a while ago, and was very impressed. I will try this fedora stuff (although I think I have already cocked up, as I downloaded a full DVD's worth of stuff and it's taking forever to load onto my laptop. I don't REALLY need Arabic fonts or probably a host of the other stuff it's putting on. maybe i should have donloaded something more trim from fedora, or is this how it is *BIG*?

 

Thanks James.

 

As an aside do Pectel take any input from end users when the software is updated, like opinions on the interface?

[JustGav]

If you are going to take on Linux, I'd suggest trying one of the ubuntu releases, means you don't have to delve too deep into it's depths

[Chris Wilson]

Gav, I tried with Ubuntu 7.10 and failed, see first post mate Fedora 8 seems to be loading up fine, I will re load again after, having just realised I could have opted NOT to install a lot of this stuff that i won't need.

[JustGav]

Gav, I tried with Ubuntu 7.10 and failed, see first post mate Fedora 8 seems to be loading up fine, I will re load again after, having just realised I could have opted NOT to install a lot of this stuff that i won't need.

 

The other one worth trying is Debian, seems to work quite well for some people (apt-get based as well, similar to ubuntu). Fedora I found just become to bloaty, however you seem to have the right idea with thinning it all out.

 

If you are REALLY adventurous, try Gentoo, it is all build from source, does mean you can fiddle but it can get a bit painful.

[Pete]

Or PCLinuxOS which is aimed at newbies and comes on one CD.

 

Macs Rock!

[JustGav]

Macs Rock!

Yeah, I'm even tempted to build a hackintosh for leopard..

[Wez]

Fedora is fine, we use it on lots of boxes doing all sorts at our place.

 

For installing apps there is a tool called yum, you can access this from the command line or through a gui, there is an update manager for keeping your installed apps/packages up to date.

 

Feel free to mail me with any questions chris

[Pete]

Yeah, I'm even tempted to build a hackintosh for leopard..

 

It's easy enough. You can even run unhacked kernels now.

Start your reading at http://www.netkas.org on how to create a native Mac GUID formatted drive with his EFI emulation boot loader.

I'm running 10.5.1 unmodified on an Asus P5W-DH Deluxe. Just need to remove two kexts and add a couple for sound card. (kext = driver)

[Pete]

You might find this interesting http://linux.sys-con.com/read/382946.htm

[JustGav]

It's easy enough. You can even run unhacked kernels now.

Start your reading at http://www.netkas.org on how to create a native Mac GUID formatted drive with his EFI emulation boot loader.

I'm running 10.5.1 unmodified on an Asus P5W-DH Deluxe. Just need to remove two kexts and add a couple for sound card. (kext = driver)

 

Yeah, used to run tiger on a G4 unit and loved it, figured I'd give it another go. I'll go through the netkas stuff and see if what I can find. Cheers for that.

[Thorin]

Odd that Ubuntu wouldn't work for you Chris, my laptop doesn't have a floppy drive either yet installed fine. I would personally have stuck with a Debian based distribution, Pete's suggestion of PCLinuxOS is a good one. I used RedHat, then Fedora, for years but got sick of RPM-hell and bloat. I'm sure it's better now though.

 

Stick with it though, I wouldn't go back to windows now for my work PC, I only use it still at home because I like to play the odd game or two that won't run under Wine on Linux.