[thelist] Linux Simple Installation Wanted

[Jorah Lavin]

At 10:13 AM 9/4/00 +0200, Mr. Cook wrote:


>I've been running RedHat for a while and it gets better with every release.
>It's worth going with a shrink-wrapped version to get the installation
>documentation that comes with it.

Now my next question (after cruising around Amazon.com for a while) do I 
get the Standard or Deluxe version?  I'm tending toward the Deluxe, since 
it seems to have better documentation.

>  If you are prepared to dedicate the
>machine to Linux, rather than running a dual-boot system then the install
>*should* be really straightforward.

Yes, the machine is pretty much useless at this point, and would need to be 
wiped and an OS re-installed anyway, so the hardware guy (who is also 
curious about Linux) doesn't mind me messing with the box, since after I'm 
done with it he'll be doing a clean install...

>  I say *should* with a little reservation
>because non-standard hardware can make an install more of a headache. It
>sounds as though you should be alright though as you are on a LAN.

Let's see... it is a Compaq box, and the LAN card should be the only 
'extra' thing added to it.


>If you run the server install in RedHat, the install will automatically
>install with all the software you require to run a web server (Apache)
>internally.

Cool.  Should be an interesting change from NT IIS.

>If you plan on opening up the box to the outside world, you'll
>want to read up a lot about securing the box. If it's simply for tinkering
>internally and isn't visible to the outside world, you'll be fine with the
>default install.

Yeah, they recently hired some other 'internet-aware' folks over in 
Creative Services, so this will give us all a safe playground to practice 
Perl and suchlike stuff on. (It feels good not to be the only person 
speaking the language in my division)


>My other recommendation is to buy a book that is a basic guide to Linux
>administration. If you are completely new to the OS, it will make your
>journey a LOT easier.

Now, you just KNOW what my next question has to be... "What do you 
recommend?"  One of the Blue Books?

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on Linux.  I just landed a spiffy quick 
half-day job which will earn me enough for a book and the shrink-wrapped 
software, so I'm psyched.

-Jorah




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