[CLUE-Tech] Enthusiasm for Linux

[Jeff Cann]

On Friday 24 October 2003 1:37 pm, Chuck Downing wrote:
> 2.  I would like to be able to have a "demand dial" approach to my ISPs
> because the ISP which is a local call doesn't do Usenet and the other
> charges by the hour. 

AFAIK, you can accomplish the dial-on-demand using the diald program.  I don't 
use it, and haven't had a dial-up modem working under Linux for 4 years (I'm 
on a broadband account). 

I searched google for 'linux modem dial on demand' and found several articles 
on how to set it up.  It is not as easy as checking a box like you do under 
windows; unles KDE or GNOME modem dialers support this setup.  I don't know.

Your winmodem may not be supported simply because it was not designed to be 
used with another operating system besides windows; hence the name.  Despite 
what Linux vendors claim, not all windows hardware is / can be supported 
under Linux.  Also, different vendors have different compatability lists, so 
another one may work better with your hardware.

Don't forget that many hardware vendors do not give specs to Linux programmers 
and those programmers do not have the $ to purchase the specs.  So, many of 
the hardware devices have been reverse-engineered, which takes *a long* time.  
Only after years of pestering hardware vendors to support other (non-windows) 
operating systems, has the Linux community gotten more support from these 
companies.

Your best bet it to check Linux hardware compatibility sites:

 + http://www.linuxhardware.net/
 + http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO/

If you find that your modem isn't supported, another alternative is to spend 
$20 for a quality one that does not require windows to operate.

> 4.  OO would like me to install Java.  The Blackdown Java installation
> included with Libranet 2.8 on the CD cannot be completed because some
> library dependancies are not available on the debian web site.  Java has
> installed on Windoze for at least 8 years!

I have OO 1.1 and JDK 1.4 working just fine under Red Hat 9.  I also had the 
same success under Mandrake 8.2 and Slackware 7.

Also, there are two other Java installations you can use on Linux, IBMs or 
Sun's.   I personally stopped using IBMs once Sun kept their JDK Linux builds 
up-to-date (well, since they took Blackdown code and called it the Linux 
JDK).

I have been developing java software on Linux for 6 years (originally with 
IBM's and Blackdown JDKs).

<snip>

My recommendation is that you first figure out what you want to do with Linux 
and then use Linux programs to accomplish your goals.  Any windows emulation 
is a bad idea because it will always break with new version of those windows 
programs.

If you must have some type of windows / linux hybrid, why not consider Lindows 
or VMWare?

I'll also echo Joe's comments regarding your sentiment that you seem to want 
Linux to look or act like Windows.  It doesn't; this is why it's an 
alternative.   It could be that for you, Linux does not fulfill your needs 
very well because its flexibility means that it's harder to use for some 
folks.

Finally, I'll recommend Red Hat 9.0 - in my 8 years as a linux user, it's the 
most polished distribution yet.

Jeff