From: Russell Ward Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 9:10 AM
Hi there, again. Just to tell you that I appear to have a working Linux system now...
:oD
A couple of things I found off-putting as a Linux newbie: No-one explains the partitioning process, you seem to have to know about that already.
I agree, if it weren't for my previous incarnation as a SunOS sys admin I would've found starting of with GNU/Linux much more difficult. There are some excellent HowTos that cover this (see Linux Documentation Project). I wonder if it would be helpful for the distro's to have copies of selected ones on the CDs (or at least the appropriate URL's).
The 'auto-partition' offers several partitions under Linux, why is that? I wanted, and got, just one, mount point '/', alongside a Win98 partition.
Just a matter of disk space management really. What you're being offered is a scheme that will allow your disk space usage to grow without compromising your overall system. e.g. mounting the /home area on a separate partition. Again there are some good HowTos covering this. Wait until you've crashed the system by filling up /tmp a few times then you'll see why they do that :o)
Also, it is so much easier to learn Linux using a GUI rather than commandline/console, such as browsing the file structure as well as opening various apps. Sounds obvious, but this doesn't seem to be emphasised in the literature, where commandlines and editing config files
abound. Probably a lowest common denominator approach, but not everyone is a GUI fan. Us olduns who don't multi-task very well, are often more comfortable with a command prompt ;-)
Keith ____________ CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbour. - Ambrose Bierce - The Devil's Dictionary