The Linux Advocate

 

by Scott Dowdle
dowdle@icstech.net
ICQ UIN: 15509440

 

Linux Advocate
Column #47
May 21, 1999

 

LOGIN:

The 20 Red Hat 6.0 CDs and the Official Caldera OpenLinux 2.2 that I ordered from www.cheapbytes.com. I upgraded my desktop to RHL 6.0 without any incident. I've been playing with the Gnome environment some but decided to switch back to KDE. The cool think is that I have access to KDE apps in Gnome as well as access to Gnome apps in KDE.

I also gave OpenLinux 2.2 a shot... and boy is the install slick. It is very slow on machines with 16MB of RAM or less but it works. On a machine with 32MB of RAM it is fine. OpenLinux has something called Lizard which stands for Linux Wizard and it has to be the easiest thing yet. An install I did at the Yellowstone Valley Linux User Group last night required me to type in a new password for the root account twice (to verify that it was correct)... and that's all of the typing I had to do during the install. The install is totally graphical and I remember mostly having to hit the [Next ->] at every screen. That's about all there was to it. Look for more info on OpenLinux and RHL 5 in future columns.

NEWS:

Item #1: LinuxExpo - The LinuxExpo in Durham, North Carolina is this week and it is too early for any reports back... well, almost. The first report  I'vefound can be found at the following URL: http://lwn.net/daily/linuxexpo1.html

Item #2: Linux 2.2 Gives NT a Run for Its Money--for Free - Hmmm, what do you think this article is about? If you have a good guess, or even if you don't, go read it at the following URL:  http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/pctech/content/18/11/tf1811.001.html

Item #3: More big technology firms embrace broad use of Linux operating system - I'm not sure who to believe. One story I read last week was reporting how all of the really big players were ignoring Linux and in other stories (like the one I mention here) say quite the opposite. It's starting to sound like politics folks... and what spin you hear depends on who you listen to. I'll try not to get you too dizzy by spinning. Check out the following URL: http://www.msnbc.com/news/269312.asp

Item #4: Love's Linux Lost - Time magazine ran another print article on Linux... and it's on the newsstand if you can find a copy before the next issue comes out next week. Anyway, the digital version can be found at the following URL:  http://cgi.pathfinder.com/time/digital/yourtech/0,2936,24865,00.html

Item #5: Linux Download Tops 1 Million - Wordperfect 8 for Linux has been getting a lot of downloads. That's pretty surprising considering most of the latest distributions include it so one doesn't have to download it. The free version (for personal use) is exactly like the commercial package except the free version doesn't include all of the fonts and clipart... which is ok since it is already a huge download already. Check out the short story about the 1 million downloads at the following URL: http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/19773.html

Item #6: http://www.linux.com/  goes live - 'nuff said!

Item #7: Gnome is no Windows dwarf - Speaking of Gnome, a UK newspaper ran a piece about it. I guess it does have a shot at catching up to KDE but I think the comment by the team leader of it... the one about thinking that KDE doesn't have much of a future because of Gnome... I don't know what the dude has been smoking. Red for yourself at the following URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_321000/321433.stm

Item #8: SGI to offer key piece of OS to Linux community - SGI announce yet more support for Linux. They are releasing their journaling file system  into open source. Read more at the following URL: http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?990520.pisgilinux.htm

Item #9: linuxnewbie.org - A decent site for beginners has been up for a month and a day. Yeah! Check it out for yourself at the following URL: http://linuxnewbie.org/


SPOTLIGHT: VMware 1.0 ships

I registered for, downloaded, and installed VMware 1.0. It actually shipped on a Saturday (shipped as in ... was available for download on the Internet)... on the date set. Wow. Amazing. Now if Microsoft could do something like that. :)

But seriously though gang, I haven't had enough time to play with it yet so no review this column. I continue to be amazed by this product but I just  haven't installed enough software under it yet to get past the honeymoon. Expect more soon.

LOGOUT:

As Always, Thanks for reading....   Any feedback would sure be appreciated!

Scott Dowdle

 

 

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