Newbie

[JSMITH242B]

Hi Group,
What's the best way to start using Linux? I've just been on an Linux and Apache course. My skills are in Windows however I used to use UNIX way back and am now interested in the open source stuff.
I installed and configured Apache many moons ago on a Windows machine but I would like to do things using Linux.

Basically I want to know what kind of machine to do the installation of Linux. Should I do a dual boot? I would prefer to have Linux running on a clean machine but most machines come with Windows pre-installed!?! or can I get a machine with Linux pre-installed?
Also, what version Suse Linux or RedHat Linux should I use?

Many thanks!!

 

[thedaver]

RedHat linux' free offering is the Fedora project - now on a version called Fedora Core 3. Suse is probably 9.1 or 9.2 by now.

My personal recommendation is for you, as a newbie, to avoid the pain in the ass that fussing around with Dual booting can be. You would do well to remove the drive from an existing Windows machine, set it on a shelf and plug another - perhaps older - drive into the box and install linux. You can mangle and reinstall linux all you want and then you can put the Windows drive back in its place if you need to do so.

ALTERNATIVELY you should get to know the Knoppix distribution. IT's a full CDROM's worth of linux functionality that DOES NOT install itself on the machine. This is typically more useful for people who want to "see" linux in a GUI and convince themselves that linux isn't hard. Knoppix will NOT be a good solution for you to build an Apache install since the reboot of the machine looses anything you configured in the previous Knoppix session.

Yes, there are machines pre-installed with Linux - I believe Dell sells them for example. However, there's no sport in having someone install a linux on for you. Not at all in the spirit of adventure that learning linux is founded upon - IMHO.

I would go ahead and get yourself the 2-3 CDs from Fedora, plug in a different hard drive into your Windows machine, and load up Fedora. Don't be afraid of botching the install or ruining Apache. You can fix it.

HowTOs and key product vendors help to move you along:

http://www.tldp.org/

http://www.linux.com/

http://www.apache.org/

http://www.apachetoolbox.com/

http://www.php.net/

http://www.mysql.com/

http://www.knoppix.net/

http://fedora.redhat.com/

Hosting Solutions for Home or Business.

http://www.surfinbox.com/hosting/