I have Linux

[quiet mike]

Well After I cleaned my HD from all it's mess, I partitioned 50GB and installed Linux on it. I got the ISO images from Mandrake, and I just finished so I'm saying "HI" from the new OS. Right now it still loks like any Windows or MacOS, only having to search where everything is. I'll tell you after I give it a ride how I feel about it. Hopefully I'll soon find what are those aclaimed benefits of open source. See you guys around.

Yes stdPickachu, we've been lonk tech geeks untiul you passed me. But I won't be staying on my lazy ass anymore. ;)

[sdtPikachu]

A 50 GB Linux partition?!?! Seems a bit of overkill to me...! Mind you, once I've got everythng set up properly I'm going to reformat all my partitions to a better file system (IE: not windows), so eventually I'll have myself a several-hundred-gigabyte Linux partition...

[Lord Germano]

I got myself linux to, but im having a hard time setting it up.

I got red hat 7.3, and a couple of weeks latter 8.0 came out. Lucky me, now I get to download 1.95 gig when I have a cap of 1 gig for the month.

[Cyrax9]

Well, I'm thinking that in a year or two this PC is going to be half-dead and I'll be buying parts to build a new PC, or just buy a Mac, either way, (probably build a PC), I'm going to try and rund a dual-boot eventuall, if it's a Mac it'll be Mac OS X/Linux eac with a smalll HDD partition and a Large partition for "data" such as spreadsheets and games, if it's a PC, I'l use that copy of Windoze ME sitting in my closet that was practically ahnded to me for free and linux, each Partitoned into their own little HDD Sections,t ha I'll partiton a large section of the hard drive for Games, Spreadsheets, DV, MP3's, and other "Data".If I go with the "Windows" system itl basically be used as a "Crutch to get me into Linux, and for the few windows-only programs out there right now. I've seen what open-spource can do, and "free" software kis just oen of the perks (Stability is the other big one), but I have one question for Pika and othther 'nix users: Does Linux have any "Firewall" and "VirusScan" programs, like "MacCaffe", and ZoneAlarm, or will I be relying on a no-name no-support VirusScan/Firewall? Reason I ask is because I like having my PC kept as secure as Alectraz, and when I can't do that I get really annoyed.

[sdtPikachu]

Yes Cyrax, Linux does have firewall and AV software.

Linux comes with a load of inbuilt stuff (namely iptables and suchlike) for simple software firewalling (but since I have a hardware firewall now, I tend not to bother with them as they suck up CPU cycles), and some companies, like Mandrke, make special "security" editions with enhanced security features (namely - runs less services, and runs as little as possible as root) designed to be installed on your gateway (namely a junked PC you put between your notwerk and the internet, in order to block unwanted incoming and outgoing traffic).

Virus scanners are hard to come by, but there are plenty available. Some things you need to bear in mind:

There are very few linux viruses out there
Linux is inherently less prone to viruses than Windows due to it's modular nature (as are most versions of *nix)
Most of the AV software out there is very expensive, as it's designed for mission critical hardware - namely webservers etc etc. I have a student copy of Datafellows F-Secure (Windows and *nix edition) which I'm going to install once I start running a webserver and other promiscuous net apps.

BTW, for all you out there who may know someone who paid for Exchange server, I laugh in your face.

P.S. I've just looked on Netcraft and have just seen that out webserver (the work one, running Apache on Linux) has an uptime of nearly a year. I rest my case :D

[Cyrax9]

I'd buy a Boxed Version of *nix if I Built a PC, probably RedHat Linux 7 (or 8 if it's out by then), otherwise once this school year ends and I know C++ I'll DL *nix and start getting off of the "Moronsoft Blowhards OS" usage cycle. Notice I have a new
"pun" for Windoze ;), if I "Buy" Linux form Staples (an office store) It's ony going to cost me $50.00 US Dollars, but remebr, I'm not paying for the OS, I'm paying for the Cardboard Box it comes in, and the nice fat "Book" for the OS itself that I coudl also DL and print out (But I'm too lazy to do so), and $50.00 ain't that much compared to $299.00 US Dollars for an M$ OS, besides $50.0 twoards a *nix system is $50.00 less out of Bill Gates' wallet. I know that's like saying "A Penny saved is a Penny earned" and we all know that a penny aint worth crap, but several Pennies make a Dollar and hopefully, pretty soon Mr. Dollar Bil Gates will be gegging for them should his precuious Macrosoft be dissolved, as for another reason toditch WinBlows, XP or otherwise, has anyone here heard of the new "Worm" Virus that's wreaking Havoc across Windoze PC's everywhere? If you haven't, this one's worse than 1000 "Code Reds", it's called something "Bear" (I don't remebr the name because I won't be stupid enough to open it in Lookout Express or AOHell), basically this bugger Destrys your Virus and Firewal programs then it steals your data after it opens a port, good luck cleaninit ifyour Virus and Firewall can't be used. I'm thinking it's aboutt ime to get a nice "external" USB Firewal if I can find one, just so it'll be agressive enouugh to block this kind of thing, as far as my "Home Built" Comp goes, I'm only looking at parts now, but PC Companies are worried because they can't sell their software and rpices are expected to drop severley in a year, meaning that the $3000.00 dolla PC you bought today will cost about $1500.00 in a Year or Two becauese PC's are becoming as CXommon as Car's and TV's.