NewTlug Meetings:2000-10-24
From GTALUG
Here are the scheduled topics for the next NewTLUG meeting:
1) Mandrake 7.1 installation, review and demonstration
Presenter/reviewer: Don Rambajan
2) "Newer is not better or easier" or "should I or shouldn't I upgrade or change Linux Distributions".
James Schofield will lead a open/panel discussion. An outline of his experience and views is attached below. If you have strong feelings on this topic please come out and help us debate. If you are as confused about this as many/most of us are, come out and find the answer that is right for you.
3) "Lynx - text based web browser AND full screen file manager"
Many Linuxers use lynx as a web browser but few realize that it is also a terrific file manager. As a file manager it can be used to navigate through the file system(s), move files and directories, change permissions, view and edit files, change permissions and more. As a web browser, because it is text or character based, it allows one to surf the net much faster (especially with slow internet connections), is very useful within an office intranet and is an easier and faster desktop client for web based applications (power users such as order entry personnel will be far more productive than with a point and click browser). And as an added bonus for web developers: lynx has a very high level of HTML syntax error checking and reporting. Lynx will report html errors that other browsers (seem) to tolerate but that often lead to unexpected results and intermittant errors. All this and it runs perfectly on a 486 with 8megs, very small hard drive and vga monitor.
When and Where: Tuesday Oct 24th., 6:30pm to 9:30
SGI in Mississauga. The address, directions and map are on the website at: http://newtlug.linux.ca (or at least will be when that site is back online :-| )
CU all,
Herb Richter <hgr_at_buynet.com> Richter Equipment, Markham, Ontario http://PartsAndService.com http://PartsAndService.ca
[James_Schofield.txt]
Stick with it - newer is not better or easier.
Although I am no linux expert by any stretch of the imagination, I would like to discuss not only the choice of distribution, but also the reasons why you want to choose one and stick with it.
I have been "playing" with linux for almost 2 years now. I say that because in the two years of installing my first distribution I have re-installed various distro's maybe 40-50 times. Sound like a lot? Not really, I own about 10 different distributions, and as a newbie to the OS it is much easier to just wipe out the install and try again rather than try and fix or investigate what went wrong, because this is our hobby OS and nothing important is on it (YET)
This attitude toward Linux I think is what has been holding me back from getting past the hump in the learning curve. Easily re-installing has prevented me from having to force myself to learn more.
Also with the advent of the 2.2 kernel linux has made great strides in the area of the desktop. Most people in the know will still agree that it is not ready for prime time yet, and this demands a level of interest and knowledge not required in the windows environment. Being open-source though makes it very easy to just try again. If I don't like the current distro, try another or try again with the same one - "I'll get it right this time".
This is especially true with a lot of the new users to the OS in the last year. Getting into it because its not windows, because they want to learn a little more about their machine, because they are a bit of a hobbyist at heart. When push comes to shove they are still looking to replace their desktop. Not many are setting up Webservers, Fileservers, Gateways or Software development workstations, all things that linux is excellent for. Those type of specific applications shorten the learning curve because you know you want to get from A to B you just have to learn to get there. As a desktop machine there is little focus, you might want multimedia, games, connectivity to the internet, office or business tool. A lot more hurdles to jump, because linux's greatest strength of open flexibility also means that no corporation is going to solve your software needs for you - its out there many people have done the work - you just have to take the time to find it, read it, absorb it and use it.
Ever notice that your distribution if you look back a year has been updated and revised 3-4 times? Windows has been revised 4 times in 5 years and none of those required major changes in software use. Also there are Debian based distributions, Red Hat, Slackware, and on and on... each using the same base but different enough in the packaging that even most level of experts can just jump from one to the other without adjustment.
My point today is, don't get caught up in every new release or different distribution, it's a never ending game. Because its open-source there are many choices, now as opposed to 2 years ago the number of choices has jumped 5x. To learn and to grow with linux to gain the knowledge that would allow you to use it successfully as a desktop, webserver, etc, etc.. you need to spend some time on it. It looks like the OS is moving away, no its expanding, but you have to learn the base and that requires giving it the time to learn. I know - remember I have been "playing" with linux for 2 years now - time for me to stop playing and start learning.
