Gentlemen,
Thank you for your reply.
Just would like to add a few comments about Redhat:
I just read [INFO WORLD] where Linux has a larger installed base than
OS/2 [5 million] and Apple [1 million].
When I bought my first computer 10 years ago, it was a 386i running DOS
3.0. All command line back then.
Along comes MS's windows and since it was gui, hell, I thought, now I don't
have to remember all those commands at the prompt anymore.
But it was like jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire [trying to get
Windows
not to crash.
THen along came OS/2 [version 2.0]. Very balky, but an alternative tol MS
Win. I then bought 2.1, much better, then version 3, about the same time
that
WIN-95 came out. I was doing pretty good with OS/2 V3 when I discovered
that existing maturing programs were being written for WIn-95. And some,
maybe most of the programs wouldn't run under OS/2's Windows emulation.
Now what. Most OS/2 apps were share/freeware and support was hard to come
by. And, IBM's poor support/management for OS/2 destroyed it [had they
stuck around to at least support WIN-95 app. emulation, I'd still be with
OS/2.
[Gerstner was under the gun to turn IBM around and I guess didn't want to
take
any chances on OS/2]. Pitty. But OS/2 V4 server runs well. Maybe there's
still a chance, you know, with JAVA.
So back to Windows,,,, this time "95'. STILL CRASHING'er than ever.
I added it to Boot Manager [what a mess that was,, Win has to be on a
Primary
partition with DOS next to it fighting with Boot Manager for the first
track, and,
aww, never mind.]
I tried NT. IT doesn't like communications, with the NET, with fax, or
with
it's owner [I never really knew what was going on until I looked in TASK
MGR.
RED HAT, LINUX? why not. 30 years legacy. Salt of the earth. The mother
of all that is hallowed in the computer world.
I bought it. RED Hat. V4.2.x.x.x.x. Opened the box, shook out the contents
and out dropped some free NET ads, a 1/2 thick paperback and a CD jewel
case. What?, no floppy [s].? I might have to read the instructions on
this
piece of software.
I made the boot floppy. Plugged it in, pushed the reset and watched what
might have been an OS/2 config.sys jerkingly scroll by on that good ole DOS
black panel.
THen it stopped, started to ask questions. I answered. It said, and do
you
want to install LILO? Sure, why not. Would you like to install Lilo in the
MBR?
Sure why not. So I did. I installed a printer [mine wasn't there so I went
with
a close generic. It asked me for my server. Server? What server? I am
looking
at a setup screen for my video card [which wasn't in the selection]. Do
they
refer to a video cards as a "server"? Anyway, there was no recommendation
on what to select if my card is not an option.
The next screen comes up and says, "you goofed up something". "YOU MUST
START OVER". But the computer didn't lock up. Even after I said "OK".
It went on to another setup screen, answered the questions, expecting a
crash
or a TILT message. None came. IT said, reboot and watch RED HAT come
to life. I hit CTL-ALT-DEL, but nothing happened.
So I took a break, grabbed the RedHAT paperback and headed for my 6ft x 6ft
office. Leafed around the book, found a few things, including SHUTDOWN
NOW -r [I still don't know what will happen if I leave out the "-r"]. My
tail dropped
into the water when I read that 'you don't really want LILO in/on the MBR
first
disk if you have other systems on the machine. Okay, I screwed up. I
leafed
through the book, trying to find the antidote/the command to uninstall
LILO.
SOrry.
I booted the machine. UP popped 'LILO BOOT' with the cursor winking at me.
I just starred at for a total of four seconds when suddenly it started to
boot.
Over a minute, and I ended up with a COMMAND LINE. Not no C:\, but a
loong one ending with root#. Now what? What do I do now? I ran DIR.
Nothing.
CHKDSK. Nothing. Back to the paperback. Back and forth. Trying to find
some commands. For heaven's sake, I back to the command prompt. I"ve
come full circle.
The paperback [book] says to set up a few DIR's,,, strange ones at that.
Nothing
in the book makes sense on how to set up the DIR's, or why. No list of
commands, let alone, what they do. All you get is READ the FAQ's on
HOWTO, MAN and a few others. IT"S NOT CLEAR HOW TO DO THIS.
What, am I that stupid? How do I VIEW a file?? I really MUST be stupid.
"type readme.txt, read readme.txt, view readme.txt, SEE readme.txt, hello
readme.txt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nothing. BASH [Why doesn't LINUX have numbers
after it! Two groups of numbers: one for the number of times you repeated
the
error, and another number to go to for reference on the cure?]
[I'd boot back to DOS but the floppy doesn't have the MORE command on it.
OK, I admit, I'm lazy, and didn't read the book. But the book LACKS.
Granted,
it's all on the CD. BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE CD INTO THE OFFICE, or
to the beach.
And, it's arcane. UNIX, LINUX, whatever flavor is too damned complicated
and I do not want to learn another system. Hell, I don't even want to
learn
DOS or OS/2 but you had to,,, back in those days.
TOday, we want to computer to do things for us. Make our life easler,
more productive, be better informed. Make life BETTER.
BUT I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO LEARN ANOTHER DAMNED SYSTEM,
AND WORK FOR THE COMPUTER, WASTING MY GOOD TIME SEARCHING
FOR 'DLL'S, LOST FILES, UPGRADES, TWEAKING THE HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE.
I WANT THIS COMPUTER TO WORK FOR ME,, DO WHAT IT'S TOLD TO
DO, FINDING THAT CURRENT EARNINGS REPORT, THE LATEST MEDICAL
REPORT ON SLEEP APNEA AND THE WORLD'S GREATEST RECIPE FOR
FRIED CHICKEN.
TO DATE, COMPUTERS HAVE COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLAR IN
CASH, THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF WASTED TIME FOOLING WITH IT,
WEIGHT GAIN, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, HATE, LOSS OF FRIENDS,
THREATENED MY MARRIAGE AND A DEVELOPMENT OF VERY
PECULIAR HABITS.
I USED TO BE A TECHY. [ I WORKED ON THE APOLLO MANNED SPACE
FLIGHT PROGRAM AND OTHERS]. I ENJOYED PROTOTYPE STUFF,
HEATH KITS, ETC. NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. BUT THAT'S THE
WAY I VIEW LINUX.\
I;M SURE LINUX IS A GOOD SYSTEM. MAYBE THE BEST. GUESS I'M
JUST GETTING OLD.
--
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