From: John Gay (John_Gay at domain eur.3com.com)
Date: Fri 28 May 1999 - 14:15:06 IST
That's right! FREE BEER! As much as you can drink!!
(Please excuse the re-send, but I haven't seen this come back to me and I got
only one responce)
Now that I've got everyone's attention, I was hoping some kind consultant-type
person would take pity on a 'Point-N-Click' type PC user and help me finish
setting up my Linux PC. First, the hardware:
Gigabyte Dual P II motherboard with both wide and ultra-wide SCSI on-board.
6G Harddrive. 2G WindowsNT partition, until I can wean myself and the family off
Windows. The other 4G divided into several partitions for Linux. I don't have
all the partition details with me, but I have Debian 2.1 installed and mostly
running.
ATI Rage II+ AGP 8M video card, working with the Mach64 server from X11R6
3.3.3.1, the rest of X is 3.3.2 from Debian.
CrystalWare Sound card, this is my main point of trouble. I've tried compiling
my own kernel from Linux 2.2.0pre1 sources I've got on a RedHat CD, but can't
seem to get my head around the issues.
Rockwell SoftK56 Data, Fax, Speakerphone PCI modem. I'm replacing this with an
ISA sporters model, because of all the bad things I've heard about RPI.
64 M RAM.
40X CD Drive IDE.
3COM 10/100 PCI TX Ethernet card. This, I think is working. It seems to
configure fine at boot-time, but I don't have anyone to test it with, yet.
Lexmark 3200 Colour inkjet printer. I've noticed that this model doesn't seem to
be supported in Linux, yet. I plan to get a Laserjet for most of my printing
needs, but I also need colour for special things.
The Plan:
I want to get my 9-year old daughter a cheap PC to network into this one, so we
can stop fighting over the one PC. I've got an old Pentium Motherboard and case
( without lid) but the hard disk controller seem to be broken, so it would
probably be easier to find a 486DX or higher used one for less than £100,
instead. I just want to have some PCI slots for a good Graphics card and the
Ethernet card, so the PC will be able to provide as good graphics as mine. I
also want to connect to ESAT for the internet and use Netscape for my browser.
For Office-type work, I wanted to use Star-Office. This will make it easier to
wean the family from Windows, if they can have something familiar to use. The
Ethernet cards have Wake-on-LAN connectors, and my motherboard says it is
Wake-on-LAN compatible. This should allow my daughter to just turn on her PC,
waking Mine, and then working away. I also want to have a look at Mosix-type
Cluster use. I can foresee getting several old PC's and networking them together
for more power, Whoa, whoa, whoa! As Tim, The toolman Taylor would say. But that
is for the future, when I've learned alot more about Real Computing, and not
just the Windows stuff I've been spoon-fed until now. I have lots of other ideas
swimming around, but they're too vague at the moment.
The Reward!
You would be helping spread Linux to the Desk-top community, encouraging the
average home user to give Windows the final boot. I would be able to show other
people that Linux CAN replace Windows on the Home PC with minimal impact. Once
I've had a chance to get used to working with Linux, I know several people who
would like to try Linux, but are afraid of the problems in setting it up. Oh
yea, and All the Beer you can drink. Let me know your favourite poison, and I'll
get in as much as you think you can drink. On the serious side, though, I can't
offer money, but I'll be happy to get in whatever you would like to drink, once
you can help me get my PC up and running Linux. My wife and daughter are afraid
of Linux due to the problems I've had getting it going. I'm starting to sound
like the MicroSoft Programmer: 'This is going to be great! Once we can get it to
actually work.'
I live out near Drogheda. I know this isn't very convenient for most people, but
if just one person could make there way out here and give me a hand, It would be
much appreciated and I can start showing people what Linux can do for them.
Thanks again for all your help and I look forward to getting Linux
up-and-running, and showing the Wife that I was right after all!
Cheers,
John Gay
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