Linux

[Mike Wrightson]

OK

I have 3 computers that I use here.  One is a beefy PC running WinXP used for gaming.  Then there is my Mac Mini used for general work/browsing and stuff.  I have a 2nd PC tucked away that I want to use as a server of sorts to store downloads/music etc. without clogging up the game PC and Mac.

Now then.  I want to try and get Linux onto the 2nd PC.  Never so much as looked at it before, so I'm after some help.  I know you can get Linux versions for free, but what to download and from where???  I need one that is easy to install and use.  The PC currently has 2 HDD's formatted as NTFS, can Linux run on NTFS or will I have to reformat them?  Oh, and can you run VNC on it??  I need to use it by remote control

Any advice/tips appreciated, I don't really wanna go buy another WinXP

p.s.  I bet £1 that Fozz is the first to reply

[Paul968]

I bet he isn't! I know bugger all about Linux, but can I have my pound please?

[fozzmeister]

Hoho Mike.

If your after a server, get Debian Stable, It's a bitch to install, but you'll never have to install it again. You can't run NTFS. Linux comes with many filesystems (it actually comes with many everything, but you'll find that out )

VNC does work. but really if your making a server (particularly with Debian) you ought to be using the Terminal (think very powerful command prompt type thing). Debian is a steep learning curve.

If your after just a file server. They there is http://www.openfiler.org/ which looks like by far the best solution. It can be an NT domain server, support WebDav (WebFolders (in 2K/XP), .Mac for mac's), NFS (Mac's probably prefer NFS) all with a nice Graphical Installer / Web based admin from teh looks of it.

I haven't used OpenFiler however, I'd love too, I've got a bastard of a server with about 6 120 gig disk in it, and its a right PITA to administer, but I've got a few management issues I've got to sort first :-S

Fozzmeister

[Mike Wrightson]

I bet he isn't! I know bugger all about Linux, but can I have my pound please?

Bollox !!! 

Fozz, I would ideally go for a version that is usable with apps as well.  What I would otherwise do is slap Windows on it and use the shared folders, but if I wanted to plug in a monitor etc. I could just use it as a normal PC.  Thats the kind of thing I'm after really.  Also a few peeps are coming into works asking stuff about Linux and nobody knows anything about it here, so it'd be hand in other areas too.

So really the "normal" Linux varieties with a GUI.  I looked at Debian website and the download listings scared me to death 

[picnic]

Personally I've been running SuSE for awhile now. I've found this fairly painless to install and comes with the usual Samba file sharing stuff etc. You can use KDE or Gnome as your windowing environment (again many to choose from)

You can now download an evaluation version and I've hear they are about to release a community version. SuSE was always a packaged solution which you bought, they only made the old versions available for download with the exception of a live system that runs from a CD/DVD and thus doesn't need to be installed (never tried it)

I have used VNC to access mine SuSE box but prefer running an X Server. To do this for free in XP look for cygwin. Whatever route you take there is a fair chunck to learn. Good luck 

[fozzmeister]

SUSE, RedHat etc. pretty good. Very polished GUI's etc. But you'll have to keep re-installing for new versions. and you have RPM Dependency Hell which happens as those companies only ship small amounts of software, so you have to use third party packages that often don't sit well together, as well as the problem such as "WhatYouWant depends on LibraryX" so you go hunting for library X, which you get which then depends on Library Y and its all a total PITA.

Really there are two breeds, Server and Client, and they don't really cross very much, as they are totally different things and have totally different requirements. If you want to span both your maybe better off with something like Ubuntu. It's Desktop aimed, but its Debian based so while its still a little bit difficult to install, you won't have Dependancy Hell, and they also re-package most of the Debian packages so you get access to all the great server related stuff too.

In a lot of ways I'm probably not the best to help, coz I understand all the base level stuff, and tend to work in the terminal, which you may well find intimidating at first. But Ubuntu I belive is cert the way to go.


Foz

[David M]

AFAIK, SuSE has recently gone completeley open-source and as a result, totally free!

[fozzmeister]

AFAIK, SuSE has recently gone completeley open-source and as a result, totally free!

Yeh Novell have certainly done good. SuSE used to be a really horrid mash of OSS/Commercial and basically a leach on OSS. I think the Linux landscape changes so quickly ATM that unless you want to be constantly re-installing you have to go Debian based, probably Unbuntu if you want a desktop too. Although RedHat (which had done a superb job improving last time I looked) and others may have done a lot to improve since last time I looked.

Fozzmeister

[Mike Wrightson]

I've found a cover DVD from 2003 with SuSE 8.1 on it   might have a go there, otherwise I found Libranet which is Debian based who have a free distribution too.

Where can I find the newest SuSE one??

[picnic]

Try http://www.novell.com/linux/download_linux.html

[fozzmeister]

Libranet isn't that good.

[Mike Wrightson]

Grrrr the coverdisk images wont boot, Libranets downloads stopped after 3hrs 

Trying to get the Novell SuSE images now one at a time

[fozzmeister]

Grrrr the coverdisk images wont boot, Libranets downloads stopped after 3hrs 

Trying to get the Novell SuSE images now one at a time

One coverdisk I saw wasn't bootable, they put the ISO's on the disk straight off. so you had to burn first.

Fozzmeister

[Mike Wrightson]

Yeah, burned the ISO's but the resulting CD's won't boot.  Ah well, 3 new drinks coasters.

ISO number 1 of the new SuSE on the way, 4 more to go   At this rate I'll be ready to install in about 3 days.

[picnic]

Might be worth trying the first one to see if it boots before downloading the rest