Beginners Guides: Linux Part 1: Getting Familiar

[Ioman]

Got this in our e-mail:

"In this first part of PCstats two-part guide to basic Linux use and installation, we aim to familiarize you with using Linux for everyday computing purposes by means of the most popular Linux desktop environment, KDE. Since we realize that many users will not be willing to take the plunge and install Linux onto their systems to test it, we will use a 'live CD' Linux distribution, which can run entirely off a single CD."

TITLE: Linux Part 1: Getting Familiar
ARTICLE URL: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1728

[openbsd-flipp]

It's not a bad article considering the target readers. I think that it would be a good place to start if someone was interested in learning linux but could not afford the time needed to go through a full install and configuration. The main advantage of a live cd system is that if people get stuck and frustrated then they can simply reboot.

[ECA]

But does it work with the OTHER versions/variations or Linux??

[spankers]

I wouldn't want to convert to Linux from Windows based on that article. A couple of good books on the subject would be in order. Desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, etc) have yet to "dumb" Linux down enough for the average user. Maybe Gnome 2.10 ....

One thing that is completely wrong:

Under the skin of this icon lies a mere operating system, but it's an operating system with a single staggering advantage. It's free. Not free as in "gee I hope nobody from Microsoft pokes around inside my computer" but 'free' as in the entire core of the operating system must be public domain.
Public domain my ass! Public domain means you can use it without restriction. The licensing for the Linux kernel (the General Public License) and for a number of important operating system utilities and applications has many restrictions.

BSD Unix flavors are much less restrictive but still are not "public domain"

[dang]

But does it work with the OTHER versions/variations or Linux??

It's a live cd, so it doesnt install anything. It runs off the cd. So yes, you could have anything installed as an OS on your hard drive and your live cd would still work.

It's the architecture of your cpu you need to worry about along with supported hardware for the live cd. For example, knoppix would not see my sound card or ethernet adapter on my laptop when I tried to use it.

[ECA]

Spankers..
READING his quote,

That is ABIT VAGUE...
theres ALOT of advantage in useing Linux...
Like LEARNING, about HARDWARe and SOOFTWARE and DRIVERS...
KNOWing more about your machine then your neihbor...
Making your machine DO, what you want, and YOUR WAY... Not windows WAY.. Not adapting yourself to HOW its done, but making it DO, what you WANT and the WAY you want.

Its NOT for the beginner that DONT want to know about computers, but is a GREAT START for the beginner that wants to LEARN how a computer REALLY works.

[llbbl]

Public domain my ass! Public domain means you can use it without restriction. The licensing for the Linux kernel (the General Public License) and for a number of important operating system utilities and applications has many restrictions.

like what? I always thought that it was much more public than MS.

[spankers]

public domain

(PD) The total absence of {copyright} protection. If
something is "in the public domain" then anyone can copy it or
use it in any way they wish. The author has none of the
exclusive rights which apply to a copyright work.

The phrase "public domain" is often used incorrectly to refer
to {freeware} or {shareware} (software which is copyrighted
but is distributed without (advance) payment). Public domain
means no copyright -- no exclusive rights. In fact the phrase
"public domain" has no legal status at all in the UK.


The article is adding to the confusion regarding open source. Just because the software is "free" does not mean there are no copyrights. For instance, the Linux kernel is distributed free of charge but if you poke through the source code you will see the copyright notices for the various IP owners, from Linus Torvalds to IBM to Caldera... cough...

What makes the software available for me and you to use is the General Public Licence. It basically says that the software is available for any use as long as the source for any derivative work is made publicly available. This is a Good Thing in my eyes. It allows for an ever larger publicly available code base that can be reused by anyone... as long as you contribute any improvements back.

The BSD license basically states that you can use the code for any purpose, up to and including using it to wipe your backside, as long as you maintain the copyright notices of and credit the Regents of the University of California at Berkeley. Microsoft has used a great deal of BSD code in XP. I believe the TCP/IP stack in XP came from BSD.

This is why MS hates Linux/GPL'd software so much and have called it "viral" in the past. The GPL doesn't allow MS to "have their pie and eat it, too."

For a better explanation than mine....
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/copyleft.html

[llbbl]

That's what I thought. Just the way you said it the restrictions were a bad thing. MS have always been good at stealing and buying out companies and their greatest fear is to make the source code for their products publicly available because then couldn't charge an arm and a leg for it.

[spankers]

Sorry I wasn't more clear. Restrictions in this case make for a great collection of intellectual property available to anyone. Hurrah!

[llbbl]

np thanks for the clairifcation