Linux

[mattf]

redhat uses rpm by default, but apt has been ported to rh and is another popular choice for package management

[Nick Mac]

I have an old IBM 365XD. Since its february vacation, a few friend and myself have decided to have a little fun with it. I don't use it for anything, the computer I use is this hp. I plan on just completely deleting the whole thing and switching (from windows 95) to Linux and opensource. I figured it would speed the machine up and it would probably be a good maneuver because IBM is converting to Linux right now anyways.

[Michael Auchter]

I would definitely recommend going for a not so userfriendly distribution, but not one that is extremely difficult for new users (gentoo, LFS). I find that slackware is just right: not difficult to install, but doesn't do everything for you like mandrake does. Personally, I use Slack 9.1 on my main computer (kernel 2.6.0), Vector 4 on my server (2.4.22 i believe... gotta get around to updating that to at least 2.4.24...), and Fedora Core 2 on my laptop (2.6.2). Fedora is the first rpm based distro I have used, and so far it is pretty nice.

also, as ............... said, your choice of windowmanager will make a big impact on your opinion... but what you chose depends on your tastes; if you are used to normal explorer on windows, then i would use either kde or gnome because they are very similiar to explorer. if you already use bb4win or litestep, then you may be more comfortable using something like blackbox, enlightenment, or pekwm.

also, if you do dualboot, use windows as an absolute last resort. in fact, the way that i learned linux was by deleting windows. you see, i love my computer so much that i was forced to figure out how to get things working the way they should be... if i had windows installed, i probably would have just given up sometimes and gone back to using it. a few years using solely linux, i have never looked back on the switch.

[Ryan M.]

Just play around in it. See how long you can go without having to reboot and enter Windows. If you aren't sure how to do something, try to find out how on the web, even though it might have been faster just to reboot to windows, where you know how to do it. Basically, just force youself to use it and one day you'll suddenly realize you don't need Windows. On that day, rasie a flag and declare your independence from the tyranny.

[LBK Rules]

I have run Anim8or v0.85 in WINE on Knoppix. (I did get some errors but it did run!)(Now I just have to figure out a way to save settings and I won't have to use Windows for AN8 (That Dosn't count the whole NTFS problem.))

I have tried to run max in WINE, but I can't setup the DLLs right.