Linux Or Windows Xp?

I am wanting to get a different Operating system for my computer I am really good with computers (all microsoft O.S'§) That is I never tryed to use linux or unix. But I really want to try to learn all Operating Systems of unix that is I have the unix bibles all the rainbow books plenty of computer manuals texts etc...My question is if I install linux can I still access the internet with(AOL) <----I know to get a real IS.P but my girlfriends friends all have AOL! I am currently running Windows 98 S.E on a 56 k connection! Can you have multi Operating systems on a home computer? I found it office depot in Y-bor had linux Redhat 7.2 for $69.00?
Or should I buy Windows XP I just wanted to see whats it about. Whats the best operating system to buy and EASY to use from the Unix family? Money is no object!

It's a matter of prefrence. I haven't used red hat yet but from what I've heard
it's a good OS. I've heard a few good things about XP also but it cost a bit
more than red hat. Yes you can use gayol on red hat. AOL even considered
buying red hat but changed their mind. You can have more than on OS
on your box but it slows it down incredably. It's up to you though but if
I had to chose I'd go with red hat.

Remote_Access_

If you don't have any previus experience with Linux I don't recommend using that as your main OS, anyways, that's just my opinion.

Yes, you can get two OS on a computer, I actually recommend having two separate HDD instead of making a partition.

WinXP looks fine, but I don't think is ready yet if we are talking about security, just get W2Kpro and Linux.

My box (It's called Rosita) has two HDD, each of 2GB, one with W2kpro and the other one runs Mandrake.

<tip>Install Win first and then Linux</tip>

Thank you Remote_ Access_ you really sound like you know your stuff...thanks

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If you don't have any previus experience with Linux I don't recommend using that as your main OS, anyways, that's just my opinion.

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Well OSO what do you recommend I should buy? I really want to try to stay away from Windows operating systems AND GO FOR UNIX OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF UNIX LINUX SOLARIS ETC NEED HELPP

By personal experience, to start out, get yourself Mandrake. Some ppl don't like it, but for me it was very easy to install and have a first look. RH is also very user friendly.

There is alot of ppl going for SuSE too, but to run AOL I know you need RH or compatible (mandrake is very compatible, I don't actually know if it runs AOL though), anyways, most of the programs written for Win are also coming as available for RH (or compatible).

Hope it helps!

well, since u hv intended to change, ur best bet will be redhat. its easy to install and u hv a choice of gui (gnome or kde). its gui is very close to those of win. the other think is before u install redhat, make sure u hv all the needed drivers, esp the display and modem. good luck.

rgds
de

I say go with your gut i don't blame you for not wanting winblows i have same os as you and trust me i,m going to switch soons i get some cash because my computer crashes all the time i want something that doesn't crash. Some people suggest linux but i don't know anything about it. How is Red Hat for supporting hardware and software? Like you see most programs here where i,m from say win 95 and up or some linux? :)




ANTI-HACKERS

Personally, I think Mandrake is cheap ripoff of linux(if that's even possible). At the moment, I have a dual boot system of XP( I don't reccomend it) and Red Hat. Among other systems as well. There are some things to consider... If you don't want a windows system, you may want to consider a dual boot system for the time being, because if you get into trouble with linux, you will nedd to load a familiar OS to fall back on. Any system can be dual booted.


ANTI-HACKERS: check here: http://hardware.redhat.com to see about hardware compatibility. Personally I think it has excellent hardware support, and great community knowledge.

Wow thats a big list ok i,m convinced about the hardware how about software like games,word processors,AV so on and so on? any input would be great :)



ANTI-HACKERS

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If you don't want a windows system, you may want to consider a dual boot system for the time being, because if you get into trouble with linux, you will nedd to load a familiar OS to fall back on. Any system can be dual booted.

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I have no clue about dual booted! Thanks for the reply and the link to redhat that help me out a lot I made my choice I am going to but redhat 7.2 thursday

Well I have been using Mandrake for a while and still learning. It is not my main OS because I'm not that good. Try here http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ they have a nice forum also to help you. :D

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Originally posted by Remote_Access_
You can have more than on OS
on your box but it slows it down incredably.

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Just for the record: Multiple OSs on one box won't slow it down. But there could be some hassle involved. But that is antoher thread......

your choice of rh is a good one. There are other distros you may want to consider later, once you are more familiar.
Also if you choose to work in the IT industry you will help your prospects by learning one of the "industrial" ux versions.

good luck and let us know how it goes. Oh and glad you chose ux over xp. :)

ANTI-HACKERS: Linux gaming is a whole other story. While some games(very few) have made the jump over to linux, most have stayed away. Linux is just not a gaming platform.

Word processors: there is always star office www.staroffice.com (yay its free!) and both gnome and KDE have their own little versions of word etc built in to it.

AV: When was the last time you heard of a linux/unix virus? Most of the "viruses" for a linux system are just exploits that cause destruction in the system. As long as you patch your system, you should be fine.

Linux and unix are more of the server/workstation type OS, not really for fun and games like Microsoft products, you generally have to have an idea of what you are doing on it to make it work. If not, there is a whole world of knowledge in the man pages and online.

best of luck.

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Originally posted by proactive

Just for the record: Multiple OSs on one box won't slow it down. But there could be some hassle involved. But that is antoher thread......

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- Ermm... do you have more than one OS on your box? Try to use windows and any distro of linux and you'll see that it's significantly slower than just using one OS.
Just for the record: Yes it will. :rolleyes

Remote_Access_

Yes I have. One partition with RH and one with win2000. Doesn't slow down my box. (Although, win2000 ****ed up my Lin partiotion). So ermmm, I think you're wrong. Maybe you can explain why two seperate partitions would slow down my box? It's not like I'm using both at the same time, so there should be no overhead.

If money isn't an option, then you might want to consider getting another computer, put redhat on one, and win xp on the other. It would be a little more costly, but if your girl wants to come over and use aol while you are messing around with redhat, it would probably work out better. Then you get to play around with some networking too.

And who doesn't want an extra computer? :)

I can give you some advice from experience. Not the experience of an expert Linux user, but experience with the scenario you are talking about.

I had WinXP and also wanted to try a Linux OS. I have a computer mag with RH 7.1 - so I decided to partition my HD and install RH on it. I had a few troubles with the monitor settings, but the AO IRC community helped me out with that one. :)

Right now I've got both OS working fine (dual-boot). However, I wouldn't recommend, if you are not experienced in Linux, to have it as your only OS. If I had RH as my sole OS, I would be totally lost. I have a winmodem, thus Linux cannot use it, so Internet use would not be an option. I'm gradually learning about Unix/Linux - I'm in the middle of reading a text book on Unix, so hopefully I can gain experience from there.

Anyway, WinXP is really good. Very user-friendly and, as I upgraded to it from Win98, I can say that I find it much much better (and faster - I have a Celeron 400). However, I would recommend you to dual-boot with RH, as it is good to learn a new OS, especially Linux - which I'm learning is very powerful and has a large community of helpful people, many of them right here at AO. :)

Greg

Use XP if your too stupid to own a computer
Use linux if you wanna learn what computing is really about.

Hot_ice: read my thread in the *nix security discussions on winmodems.......

PS. Dual booting will not slow down the speed of your computer

a question never quite touched (if I missed it, sorry) on was if you could still AOL. There are a few options...

- dual booting with a windows os and *nix. mixed feelings posted in this thread. i've never had a problem. however, as mentioned at one point load the win-os !first!

- using linux only and some version of an instant messanger nock-off. i can't give any names, i don't IM. sorry

I do want to worn you of one area. Make sure of driver compatability with your system and the specivic brand and version of linux you get. Most workstarions/desktop systems are easy. Laptops are another story. Having loaded some dozen brands and models, I've never found one make and version of linus that worked on ALL of them.

Good luck. Have fun!

I was not saying i want to do any gaming on linux/unix i was using it as an example and i,m very expierenced with computers not your average blow. As far as the internet my dsl supports linux so that is not a problem. I Network companys for a living just not with linux thats why i was asking about it. Because i,m sick of my computer crashing all the time. I,m from Canada and where i,m from in Canada even at the office they use Microsoft and thats everywhere i go. So i want some thing i can work on and control myself.




ANTI-HACKERS

Multiple OS is very doable... Win2K already has dual boot capacity built in to install
prog... Just parition HD and install, for instance, Win 98 on first primary partition. Then
install Win2K using install options, this will guide you into dual boot config..
Also, get master booter, http://www.masterbooter.com offering support for many OS's.
;) Gecko

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Originally posted by I am a cracker
Money is no object!

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If this is true, try Windows 2000 Advanced Server, it has a cost of $999 at the local compUSA. Get freeBSD off of the internet too, it is free.

Well.... WinXP is pretty much the same at Win2k..... There are a few differences (GUI, Firewall, etc.) Wow when I first read this post I was amazed that a dedicated Windowze user (who uses AOL) wants to go to Linux... Well.. Yeah, you should go to Linux to get the feel of different operating systems... I personally reccomend RedHat 7.2 (ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/7.2/en/iso/i386/). Linux doesnt have support for AOL itself because AOL was too lazy to make a client for Linux... But there is a instant messaging client (GAIM) so you can talk to people on AOL but not connect to the internet with it.... Im guesing your using Dial-Up and a winmodem (a modem controlled by software and not hardware) So if you decide to install Linux.... Go here and check out the links everyone posted.....

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Give a person Windows and thell have a word processor and AOL,... Give that person Linux and thell assasinat Bill Gates :D

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