Re: new to linux

[Alan Mead <adm ipat com>]

At 11:45 AM 7/3/00 , you wrote:
> Hello hope sombody out there will take pitty on this new user but im
> getting real confused here i see everyone talking about comands to do
> this or that but i cant figure out how or why there in what i asume is
> the comand line why doesnt anybody use the GUI?? when i set linux up i
> set it up to boot to gnome which im starting to think was not a good
> idea cant you do these things in there? or am i just to used to windows?
> now before everybody starts flaming me with things like well what are
> you trying to do all im trying right now is to get away from windows, i
> run spreadsheets for work, a little word processing, picture scanning,
> and internet surfing.
> I am not looking to write any programs, I build systems for people. I
> am  mainly looking for a better alternative to Windows, but once I have
> Linux in, I have no idea what to do with it.
> Sorry for the rambling.
> Jim

Hi Jim,

Linux is a really sweet operating system for a lot of things.  I've usually 
been interested in it for servers and I prefer the command line.  I suspect 
that a lot of people are the same way.  So it's really a preference that 
you are noting.

Linuxconf and other graphical tools (linuxconf can actually be used in 
graphics mode or console mode) can definitely be used to administer a 
system.  File managers, etc. are available to GUI users just like 
Windows.  In fact, I think you'll find Gnome and/or KDE provide the same 
sort of general functionality that Windows/Mac/whatever-GUI-you-like 
provide.  This should all be installed.

You may need to install a little more software to do everything you 
mentioned (just like Windows except you get these add-ons free or 
cheap).  For office, I like StarOffice which is in version 5.2 and is 
offered for free download or $10 CD from Sun but there are WordPerfect, 
ApplizWare, etc. adherents.  Also there are office suites in the works for 
KDE and Gnome.  You should already have Netscape for surfing.  I think 
Opera and Mozilla are testing browsers for Linux now.

I'm not so sure about scanning; I think its been discussed here though...

I would start by reading the Red Hat manuals which, if you did not buy a 
boxed set, are still available somewhere on the Red Hat site; 
http://www.redhat.com

Then I would checkout the books and HOW-TO's of the Linux Documentation 
Project: http://www.linuxdoc.org

Then I would post specific questions here (or a more appropriate 
list/newsgroup).

Best of luck,

-Alan Mead