oops more Linux questions

[Kwatt]

Just installed Vector Linux last night.

This is the first linux install I ever got far enough in to be able to post.🙂

I tried commerical ver.(from CompUSA) of RH,Suse, and Mandrake. I guess I was doing something wrong.

"Firebird" works the same on linux as it does on windows!
It only took about 3 minutes to setup email.🙂
95% of my computer use is browsing and email. Except for SETI of course.


Anyway questions. I created a "user" and setup a password. I am going to be trying out a lot of stuff with linux.
How likely am I to trash the setup using only the "user" account? I think I read somewhere that the "user" is very limited in what they can do. But, I want to be sure.😀 I know sooner rather than later I will do something wrong as "root". But if I can get this install to last a week or so I will be pleased.🙂

Next question. Virus in emails. How risky is this in linux? If it low risk my mother's computer may be getting a linux install.😀 She only uses a computer for email and Spider.

Next question. Is their a Spider type game for linux? It would have to be simple to install. I'm OK with the command line is DOS. But in linux i'm only an "egg".

Thanks


Kwatt

 

[Armitage]

It'll be difficult to do any serious damage as a normal non-root user. You can certainly trash that user's setup, but not the base OS.

You don't need to worry about viruses via email at all on your linux box.

Never heard of spider.

 

[Ynog]

As long as you are just logged in to the user account, the base OS should remain safe.
Like ergeorge said, you might trash the user area, but the machine will be ok.

Virus in email is an almost non-existent risk. Most viruses are designed for Windows.
So they just don't work under linux.

Also never heard of spider? Is it a card game?

Also if your ok with a command line in DOS, you should be ok with a command line in Linux.
It just takes alittle time to adjust to how it works and get the feel of the filesystem.
There are plenty of websites that can tell you all of the basic commands you'll need.

 

[Kwatt]

Originally posted by: ergeorge
It'll be difficult to do any serious damage as a normal non-root user. You can certainly trash that user's setup, but not the base OS.

You don't need to worry about viruses via email at all on your linux box.

Never heard of spider.

>So if I trash the "user" setup. I just create another "user"? That's good to know.<
>Take that Norton<😉
>Spider solitaire came with WinME<

Thanks ergeorge


Kwatt

 

[Ynog]

Not sure what Vector linux comes with, but if you have the program AisleRiot, that game
contains many different types of card games including Spider.

Most distributions of linux come with atleast one card game program, which contains
many different types of card games in one program.

 

[mrweirdo]

heck you could allways find linux games to download and install as well 😉

 

[earthman]

Most distros have solitaire and other card games in abundance. Just make sure you installed the games packages, there's lots of versions there.

 

[drag]

Vector linux is a offshoot from Slackware and is designed to run fast on limited hardware. The packages are compatable with Slackware 9.0, so if you go to places like http://www.linuxpackages.net/ and the offical packages from www.slackware.com you can find a bunch of stuff.

The biggest pain is that your going to have to compile software and take care of dependances yourself, which is a pain, but is also good for learning. Keep in mind that if you get tired of hunting down packages and get confused about compiling lots of stuff Distros like Debian, Gentoo and Fedora have the ability to keep track of packages and download the apropriate dependances automagicly.

Goto http://happypenguin.org/ and you'll find information about the hundred thousand or so games aviable for linux.

A good one to check out is frozenbubble, also KDE and Gnome have a plethura of office-style games, like card games, tetris games and puzzle games aviable with their desktop stuff.


Viruses in Linux is a interesting thing. Generally NO, you don't have to worry about viruses e-mail or otherwise. In the past there have been viruses and worms for linux, but they never got anywere. Linux does have a couple virus scanners like f-prot, and most big virus companies have linux virus scanners. They also try to scare people into thinking that linux viruses are a issue, but they aren't, they are just trying to sell you something.

For they time being you are 100% perfectly safe from viruses and worms, but it doesn't mean you should be compliant. Hackers still target linux computers just like anybody else's and in the future there are a strong possiblity that people will create widespread viruses and worms to target linux computers.

Security is still a issue. Keeping everything up to date is important, and a good package manager helps that out quite a bit. For instance with my debian box all I have to do is: "apt-get update; apt-get upgrade" and it will automaticly update all my programs to the latest versions aviable for debian and install any security patches or updates.


Slackware may have something like that aviable with the latest versions or have something like that for the next version to come out. If they do it would be aviable from the linuxpackages.net. However it's been ages since I last used Slackware.

>So if I trash the "user" setup. I just create another "user"? That's good to know.<

User configurations are stored as .filename files in that user's home directory.

The . before the name is like adding the hidden attribute in dos or windows and hides the file or directory from a normal ls command. To see the hidden files you go: ls -a

After a while these config files get numerouse and annoying so I delet ones from programs I don't use very often.

If any program gets messed up on the user level you can simply delete the .filename or directory were it's configuration is stored and it will be regenerated next time you use that program. Of course you lose all your settings.(only for user settings! system wide /etc/ settings can be lost forever, that's why you always make backups of those when you edit stuff/)

 

[civad]

The biggest pain is that your going to have to compile software and take care of dependances yourself, which is a pain, but is also good for learning. Keep in mind that if you get tired of hunting down packages and get confused about compiling lots of stuff Distros like Debian, Gentoo and Fedora have the ability to keep track of packages and download the apropriate dependances automagicly.

Slackware has a utility called swaret (similar to apt) that can be used to get over the dependency/install from source problem. I think there was a mention of something called autopkg for Slackware. A google search might give more info.

I loved VL when I used it on my PII 233 /192 MB. It screamed (almost 🙂)

As for Spider solitaire, as usual, Google is your friend

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: civad

The biggest pain is that your going to have to compile software and take care of dependances yourself, which is a pain, but is also good for learning. Keep in mind that if you get tired of hunting down packages and get confused about compiling lots of stuff Distros like Debian, Gentoo and Fedora have the ability to keep track of packages and download the apropriate dependances automagicly.

Slackware has a utility called swaret (similar to apt) that can be used to get over the dependency/install from source problem. I think there was a mention of something called autopkg for Slackware. A google search might give more info.

Ya I heard about something like that before, but I couldn't recall any of the details. 😛

 

[civad]

Autopkg (I stand corrected: I think autopkg is NOT similar to apt.

Swaret

 

[Kwatt]

Thanks for the info everyone🙂

I had installed Debian on this computer from the Woody.ISO. But I could never get Xwindows to start. After playing with this box yesterday I don't think I ever installed Xwindows.😱

I am having a problem with Firebird v0.6. When I open a second page in the same terminal it shuts down Firebird. (I think terminal is the correct term, there are four buttons on the control bar) At least when Firebird fails I don't have to 3 finger the computer. It may be caused by lack of CPU. I have a couple of things running. I'm not going to troubleshoot this because the box is only a old PII-400,192 MB ram, with a 2gig drive. This weekend i'll be installing Debian on an XP1600,512 MB ram ,with a 13 gig drive.

Do most linux distrobutions have the 4 terminals? I like being able to clear the screen and start something else with 1 click.🙂



Thanks again all


Kwatt

 

[Nothinman]

I had installed Debian on this computer from the Woody.ISO. But I could never get Xwindows to start. After playing with this box yesterday I don't think I ever installed Xwindows.

That's very possible, Debian makes you explicitly say what you want and X isn't installed by default.

Do most linux distrobutions have the 4 terminals? I like being able to clear the screen and start something else with 1 click.

Those are virtual desktops and 4 is just the start number, most window mangers allow you to have alot more, I generally use between 6 and 10.

 

[Kwatt]

Thanks again everyone!

A couple of questions for about Debian.
I used "taskel" to install xwindows.
Now I need a "desktop environment" I think. It appeares to be huge. Do I need all of it or is there another way?

All I really want is a browser "Firebird", the "IceWM" windows manager , simple email, and "Gaim".

KDE or Gnome? either, neither, or both? I want to keep it simple. Once I learn how to get a base installation working. I will not mind messing it up later. I'll reinstall as often as it takes to learn.🙂 If I know how to get the basics back on my own. I have tried "Googling" and the Debian site but there is too much information for a "FNG" like me.

If I "apt-get" ICE will that get everything I need for browsing(dependencies)?
What about a simple email? I use email a couple times a week at most.



Kwatt


Edit: During the install I got confused and installed the wrong video drivers. :disgust:
I have to try another install again tomorrow.🙁 Right now I going for :beer: Well Crown Royal and ginger ale.😀 We need a whiskey icon!

 

[Nothinman]

If I "apt-get" ICE will that get everything I need for browsing(dependencies)?

If you install icewm via apt it'll install everything icewm needs, not anything a browser needs because it's not a browser. You would need to pick something like mozilla-firebird to install.

What about a simple email? I use email a couple times a week at most.

I've been using mozilla-thunderbird for a while now, it's not as fast as Evolution for some things but it works.