alternative OS
If the live distro from CD connects wirelessly then wireless connection is trivial.
It all depends on the chipset in your wireless card.
You don't need any anti-virus unless you are also connected to Windows PC's.
Linux contains it's own firewall and you could configure it in special ways - but the default is normally aceptable.
You don't defrag or empty temporary files.
Updates - are automated.
Open Office is your best option - although other (similar) packages are available.
It's always a good idea to check hardware compatibility.
As for your MFD, it should certainly work as a printer - but not sure if it will also work as a scanner. You will need to research this.
In general (unless you are paying for special software) you download from a central repository of free software supplied with your distro.
I have access to over 24,000 packages - but have only 2,000 installed (nearly all the basic distro) ones.
It all depends on the chipset in your wireless card.
You don't need any anti-virus unless you are also connected to Windows PC's.
Linux contains it's own firewall and you could configure it in special ways - but the default is normally aceptable.
You don't defrag or empty temporary files.
Updates - are automated.
Open Office is your best option - although other (similar) packages are available.
It's always a good idea to check hardware compatibility.
As for your MFD, it should certainly work as a printer - but not sure if it will also work as a scanner. You will need to research this.
In general (unless you are paying for special software) you download from a central repository of free software supplied with your distro.
I have access to over 24,000 packages - but have only 2,000 installed (nearly all the basic distro) ones.
Quote from: poppy Kelly is exactly right. All the terminology above is interesting but beyond me!
I would recommend that if you want to try Linux for the first time, you use a non-destructive LiveCD on your existing Windows PC that has been mentioned here, or, better still, actually get hold of a cheap/old/redundant PC or Laptop and install it on there.
If you don't really know what you're doing then you risk breaking your existing Windows PC which will not be great news for you.
The Linux installation process is a whole lot easier that it used to be. I remember installing Linux for the first time back in 1997 (Slackware version 3.2 if I remember correctly) and it took the best part of 2 weeks to get so far as a command prompt; actually getting the X-Windows system up and running took many more weeks
The best way to learn how it all works is through trial and error; as such, be prepared to wipe your hard drive several times along the way
Matt Grest
Head of Future Development
PlusNet
As Matt says, there's at least 3 options and I'm sure many more permutations for you to try Linux and see if it fits your needs:
Linux has a learning curve, although many newer distributions have gone out of their way to help the migration from MSWindows. Google is your friend for all things Linux and so's the forums, Mailing Lists, and IRC channels of your chosen distribution to help you in your first steps. Also, you may want to have a look at Distrowatch, which regularly reviews the latest and greatest.
Good luck.
- LiveCD/DVD: like e.g. Knoppix. If you like it some, then you can shrink your MSWindows partition using e.g. Gparted LiveCD and create a Swap partition and a permanent home partition on your drive so that your desktop, etc., settings persist between reboots. If you really like it a lot then it's a small step to install it permanently on the hard drive and dual boot with MSWindows thereafter. Of course, you don't have to touch your hard drive at all. You can use a USB stick for your permanent /home files and settings.
- Full install on the hard drive: Here you go for the full monty after you shrink your MSWindows partition as described above.
- Virtual Machine: This involves installing VirtualBox, or VMWare, or any other virtual machine application on your original MSWindows OS and then installing any number of Linux distributions within it. If you don't like one of them you delete its virtual image file and create another one. If you decide you don't like Linux at all you delete the virtual image files, uninstall the virtual machine and you're back where you started. This is rather more complicated than the other two options above, but it may be something you want to consider as it does not interfere with your partitions or the MBR.
Linux has a learning curve, although many newer distributions have gone out of their way to help the migration from MSWindows. Google is your friend for all things Linux and so's the forums, Mailing Lists, and IRC channels of your chosen distribution to help you in your first steps. Also, you may want to have a look at Distrowatch, which regularly reviews the latest and greatest.
Good luck.
Hi all,
Saw this thread and just could not resist putting in my ten pence worth.
To anybody wishing to try out Linux I would suggest (as stated a few times in the thread) using a LiveCD, a good LiveCD will not 'mount' your hard disk by default - inotherwords you would have to go out of your way to damage your hard drive. LiveCD's also allow you to try the Myriad of different 'distro's' available.
The word 'Distro' refers to a distribution (or type) of Linux. there are community based distros, distros that comply with the free software foundation's principle of free software then the flipside of corporate distros, and even corporate funded community distros. so there is something for everyone in all areas of life.
A good resource for the ever growing list of distributions is www.distrowatch.com
I personally use no form of windows on any of my PC's having now switched to Linux 100% and have done so for the past 2 years.
One of the strongest benefits of Linux is that there are no Linux viruses 'in the wild' and the ones that have/do exist tend to have very specific purposes (ie of no threat to the desktop user), the only real threats to a Linux environment are rootkits (and you would have to give that permission to install), and potentially that which sits between seat and keyboard
After all the above I have yet to suggest a type of Linux to use. well choosing a Linux variant is a matter of finding what works for you, all the distributions available have differences some are more different than others, try looking at the LiveCD selection's or if you have the likes of VMware or Vbox installed on your Windows box and you have the ram to do so, virtualise.
If you do try a distro of Linux and decide to install, make sure you back up all that personal information and data you have on the machine - just in case - and if using Vista make sure you use Vista's own partitioning software to make room for it on the hard drive.
The distro I find works best for me is PCLinuxOS details here: www.pclinuxos.com and the community forums here http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26 there is a wikki and a series of irc channels (I can be found on the #pclinuxos-fixme channel )
Should you need any further information take a look at the forums of the distro you choose to try.
I hope this helps
Jase
Saw this thread and just could not resist putting in my ten pence worth.
To anybody wishing to try out Linux I would suggest (as stated a few times in the thread) using a LiveCD, a good LiveCD will not 'mount' your hard disk by default - inotherwords you would have to go out of your way to damage your hard drive. LiveCD's also allow you to try the Myriad of different 'distro's' available.
The word 'Distro' refers to a distribution (or type) of Linux. there are community based distros, distros that comply with the free software foundation's principle of free software then the flipside of corporate distros, and even corporate funded community distros. so there is something for everyone in all areas of life.
A good resource for the ever growing list of distributions is www.distrowatch.com
I personally use no form of windows on any of my PC's having now switched to Linux 100% and have done so for the past 2 years.
One of the strongest benefits of Linux is that there are no Linux viruses 'in the wild' and the ones that have/do exist tend to have very specific purposes (ie of no threat to the desktop user), the only real threats to a Linux environment are rootkits (and you would have to give that permission to install), and potentially that which sits between seat and keyboard
After all the above I have yet to suggest a type of Linux to use. well choosing a Linux variant is a matter of finding what works for you, all the distributions available have differences some are more different than others, try looking at the LiveCD selection's or if you have the likes of VMware or Vbox installed on your Windows box and you have the ram to do so, virtualise.
If you do try a distro of Linux and decide to install, make sure you back up all that personal information and data you have on the machine - just in case - and if using Vista make sure you use Vista's own partitioning software to make room for it on the hard drive.
The distro I find works best for me is PCLinuxOS details here: www.pclinuxos.com and the community forums here http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26 there is a wikki and a series of irc channels (I can be found on the #pclinuxos-fixme channel )
Should you need any further information take a look at the forums of the distro you choose to try.
I hope this helps
Jase
Linux is quite capable of repartioning (including NTFS).
What kind of PC has the defective BIOS that tries to foist a particular OS on the user?
That sounds like an invitation to repartion using fdisk.
What kind of PC has the defective BIOS that tries to foist a particular OS on the user?
That sounds like an invitation to repartion using fdisk.