1997 was the year I moved almost all my computer jobs to the
one I now write this paper on. This computer is using the Linux
Operating System that is free software and is an almost perfect copy
of the Unix Operating System.. The computer is a IBM AT Personal
Computer (PC) which in 99 out of 100 cases has Windows 95 as the
operating system.
My other computer has the Windows 95 Operating System and I
have my e-prom programmer and Quicken that is what I use to keep the
family money straight. These will not run under Linux and they are
both needed. If you have ever used Quicken you will never want to do
things any other way.
I moved to Linux because I was very tired of DOS and Windows
crashing. I have been a Packet Radio BBS (PBBS) since 1988. During
the summer months I travel and it seemed after a week doing a Boy
Scout 50 mile Wilderness backpack I would get home and find the PBBS
was down for several days.
Since I have been running Linux it has NEVER crashed. I
looked for reasons why Linux never crashes and found that it has a
thing called the "kernel". The kernel assigns ram to every process
running and when a process is turned off it re-assigns the ram as
needed. Windows and DOS have no kernel and leave to chance what ram
is used by a process. If you have 2 or more things running, it is
just a matter of time before the 2 process try and use the same ram.
When this happens the operating system crashes. You might think that
when running DOS as your Operating System it should not crash.
But what happens is your PBBS software and the DOS software try to
use the same ram...and crash.
So your a ham who now runs windows-95 and have had it crash
when you least wanted it to. But there are things you use and want to
keep using. And you want to try Linux. No problem these days with
very large hard drives. You can leave your windows program and load
Linux and using a "Boot Program" decide which Operating System to use
each time you turn on the computer.
In this way you can continue to use Windows and when time
permits you can boot Linux and work with that. I'm sure you will find
in time that you like the many features that come free with Linux. My
big breakthrough was getting the Internet I use transfered from
Windows to Linux. I love the program "Pine" that I use for both
Internet and Ham Radio tcp/ip mail. And with "procmail" I put the
mail into the proper file automatically. From that point on, I leave
Linux turned on 24 hours a day for my PBBS, and I use another X
window to write letters or check my mail or write code with the
wonderful C compiler that comes with Linux, all while the PBBS
is running.
If you have an Internet account you will get Linux software
to your computer by FTP or using Netscape. All the new software for
Linux shows up on the server called:
sunsite.unc.edu
in the /pub/Linux directory. I get new kernels from there as they are
made available. If your VERY POOR, or a student, you can down-load all
your Linux from this site. The best way to get Linux is on a cd-rom.
The Internet Special Interest Groups (Sig) contain messages
from people asking how to do things, and other people explaining how
to do it. The best for Linux are from a service at Rutgers
University. To gain access to these Sig send an e-mail:
To: aacxif.wmlkwdsgol@mx.dy.fi
Subject: nothing
subscribe linux-newbie
subscribe linux-hams
Very soon you will get a welcome from the Sig's and many messages.
Save the welcome in a safe place since it will be needed when you
want to turn off the service, or change it. There are many who use
the Juno e-mail system which is free. Do not be put off by messages
that seem too technical. They are now, but you will soon gain the
knowledge that allows you to read these messages.
It is a major commitment of time when you decide to run
Linux. Just loading Linux the first time can be "an experience". But
after you make this commitment and you become an experienced Linux
user you see the world of computers in a different way. I now look
upon this computer as a process server. I know it will do many things
at the same time and not crash. I like the way I write e-mail and
letters and make Vu Graphs and print on paper using Post Script to a
non-Post Script printer. And I just wrote a C program to process data
from my Autek Research "RF Analyst" impedance meter. To this date I
have spent $14.95 for software.
Best wishes
- Karl F. Larsen, 3310 East Street, Las Cruces,NM (505) 524-3303 -