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Hello All
A brief background:
I was a main frame programmer (CoBOL, JCL, and some obscure report writing
languages written by Computer Associates) who got my training in one of
those "Chub" type "learn computers and get a job" programs. After
programming for 2 years and realizing I was not a corporate type I took-up
DTP which lead to my hatred of Microsoft.
My wife and I just got out from under an oppressive business
situation allowing me to fulfill a years old new year's resolution to learn
Linux and jump ship forever (taking along as many "other victims" as I can).
Last September I bought a box of Mandrake (8.0), but it refused to
install on my experimental box (a Compaq first generation pentium with SCSI
internal drive array, 98M of memory, and a Matrox video card that seems to
be fairly proprietary to Comaq). Mandrake's answer was that my old
computers 2x CD-ROM drive was too slow and I should buy a new one. A big
promise of Linux, for me, was it ability to port cross platforms and work
on old hardware (not withstanding availability of device drivers) with a
little surfing I found Debian and managed to get the kernel and shell
interface installed (an easy task because of Linux's affinity for SCSI
architecture. After 6 months (on and off) of banging on the box I got "X"
running and felt comfortable enough to ask Shantanu for a copy of Partition
Magic so I could try getting linux on my other machines. Currently I have
Red Hat on my Compaq Celeron 733 and my daughter's HP Celeron 733. Since
we installed a controller based modem and StarOffice on her machine I have
not seen my daughter in Windows for several weeks.
My ambitions for this summer are to set-up a Linux server, try to
put linux on my wife's laptop, and get them all printing (I have an old
HP-4 MP Postscript and a lot of patients).
If I can get this experiment working on my hardware, I'll be able
to get the old x86 stuff at school doing the same thing. If it's up and
running at school, the kids and teachers will see it, use it, and get
accustomed to it. I realize that in a technology rich district like this
one there is no real need to do this kind of application of Linux. It can
simply remain as a high end networking product as Olgierd rightly
suggests. I believe however that by bringing Linux and the free software
movement to the common end user it can and will force the Microsofts of the
world to change the way they do business; i.e. Making better products that
will be accessible to all who need them.
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<font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" size=3D4>Hello All<br>
A brief background:<br>
I was a main frame programmer (CoBOL, JCL, and some obscure report
writing languages written by Computer Associates) who got my training in
one of those =93Chub=94 type =93learn computers and get a job=94 programs.&n=
bsp;
After programming for 2 years and realizing I was not a corporate type I
took-up DTP which lead to my hatred of Microsoft. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>My wife
and I just got out from under an oppressive business situation allowing
me to fulfill a years old new year=92s resolution to learn Linux and jump
ship forever (taking along as many =93other victims=94 as I can).<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Last
September I bought a box of Mandrake (8.0), but it refused to install on
my experimental box (a Compaq first generation pentium with SCSI internal
drive array, 98M of memory, and a Matrox video card that seems to be
fairly proprietary to Comaq). Mandrake=92s answer was that my old
computers 2x CD-ROM drive was too slow and I should buy a new one.
A big promise of Linux, for me, was it ability to port cross platforms
and work on old hardware (not withstanding availability of device
drivers) with a little surfing I found Debian and managed to get the
kernel and shell interface installed (an easy task because of Linux=92s
affinity for SCSI architecture. After 6 months (on and off) of
banging on the box I got =93X=94 running and felt comfortable enough to ask
Shantanu for a copy of Partition Magic so I could try getting linux on my
other machines. Currently I have Red Hat on my Compaq Celeron 733
and my daughter=92s HP Celeron 733. Since we installed a controller
based modem and StarOffice on her machine I have not seen my daughter in
Windows for several weeks. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>My
ambitions for this summer are to set-up a Linux server, try to put linux
on my wife=92s laptop, and get them all printing (I have an old HP-4 MP
Postscript and a lot of patients). <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>If I can
get this experiment working on my hardware, I=92ll be able to get the old
x86 stuff at school doing the same thing. If it=92s up and running at
school, the kids and teachers will see it, use it, and get accustomed to
it. I realize that in a technology rich district like this one
there is no real need to do this kind of application of Linux. It
can simply remain as a high end networking product as Olgierd rightly
suggests. I believe however that by bringing Linux and the free
software movement to the common end user it can and will force the
Microsofts of the world to change the way they do business; i.e.
Making better products that will be accessible to all who need them.
</font></html>
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