26-07-2004, 09:31 AM
As you all know I am a bit of a Linux fan. I use Mandrake 10 as my single OS at home. I have recently picked up a cheapie Celeron 733 to use as a basic firewall / file and print server. I had it with me at work last night but without my Mandrake install disks. We dont have a working CD Burner so that meant I couldnt download the images and burn to CD. I had been looking at installing either Free BSD or SuSe 9.1 but with no way of burning media things looked bleak. Instead of which I made four SuSe boot floppies which allowed me to load a basic Linux kernel and then specify an FTP server from which to install the operating system. Booting with the four floppies was simple and all I needed to do was configure the network part of the installation and off we went. OK it wasnt anything like the 15 minute install I get with Mandrake but I was pulling the files across our lowly 2Meg leased line. However the install was painless. After about an hour and a quarter I had a nice shiny SuSe install ready for use. Out of the box everything worked with no fuss - network access, internet acess, multimedia software, real player, flash etc etc all worked fine first time. As is the norm with a Linux install the amount of software included is staggering. Office suites, mulitmedia authoring, CD/DVD burning software and loads more are on the box. If I need to add more everything is available close at hand via FTP.
SuSe is probably one of the most highly regarded Linux distrobutions. It is a doddle to install, configure and use. I am sure that this will continue over the next few weeks as I get used to using it.
With more and more people realising that paying for Windows is like paying for a 2004 BMW M3 with a 1986 Trabant engine - all flash and glitz on the outside but when you get to look at the core internals you realise that you have been fleeced. Linux may never quite attain world domination - not whilst there are so many computing sheep willing to graze at the hand of Shepherd Bill - but it certainly has become a force to be reckoned with!
Get your Tasty Linux HERE!
SuSe is probably one of the most highly regarded Linux distrobutions. It is a doddle to install, configure and use. I am sure that this will continue over the next few weeks as I get used to using it.
With more and more people realising that paying for Windows is like paying for a 2004 BMW M3 with a 1986 Trabant engine - all flash and glitz on the outside but when you get to look at the core internals you realise that you have been fleeced. Linux may never quite attain world domination - not whilst there are so many computing sheep willing to graze at the hand of Shepherd Bill - but it certainly has become a force to be reckoned with!
Get your Tasty Linux HERE!