[ltp] New...

Joe Clark linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com
Tue, 9 Jul 2002 16:43:26 -0400


----- Original Message -----
From: "zongliang li" <lizl@ict.ac.cn>
To: <linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com>
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 8:54 PM
Subject: Re: [ltp] New...


Steven Crane

>>New to Linux.
>>New to Thinkpad.
>>New to the Linux-Thinkpad mailing list.
>>
>Less than a week ago, I finally got my grubby techno-paws on an old
Thinkpad 600e.
>>
>>One reason is that I need to maintain access to some important files in
case of a
>>disaster while doing some upgrades to my main computer. Another reason is
that I feel
>>its about time I started moving towards Linux... preferably without
risking the important
>>files on the main computer from reason one.
>>
>Never upgrade your BIOS unless you want to up grade you hardware or fix
some known buges that annoy you. It dangerous and may bring the hard ware to
be >new one and your OS may cannot recognize them.
>>
>2 - Linux version?
>>
>Mandrake Linux is very well, I have  install Mandrake 8.1 and 8.2 on TP600
and TP600x perfectly. Suse is good too. But I more Like Mandrake because it
>bring me well interface of chinese. I am a chinese. You may choose a
version as you like. But you should a new one.
>>3 - Windows 98?
>Windows 98 is too old and some it will crash down and you can do nothing
but to reinstall it. I use windows 2000 .

>I also install FreeBSD on my TP600X , Release 4.6 is very good to use.

I am wondering if the responses to Steve's questions have overlooked two of
his original parameters.  First he is new to Linux and second he wants to
limit the space available to Linux to about 3 Gb of the 6.4 Gb on his hard
drive.  Will there be a conflict between these two requirements if he
attempts a normal install using one of the newer Linux versions available?

I originally installed RH 6.1 on my TP 600E because that's what came with
the "Linux for Dummies" book that I checked out of the library (later
editions come with RH 7.1).   I found the book very helpful as an
introductory text and RH 6.1 was quite adequate for exploring Linux.  Later
I installed RH 7.2 and found that it demanded quite a bit more of my hard
drive --  not a problem for me because I had already decided to 4.4 Gb for
Linux.  Steve could certainly tailor any of the distributions to fit into 3
GB, if he knew what he wanted to do with Linux.  My experience has been that
time and experience are required to get to the point that a user can do a
good job of tailoring Linux.

An alternative that might be considered is adding more disk space.  Since
Steve appears to archiving "some important files," he could consider a zip
drive perhaps one that uses USB access so he can connect it to any of his
computers.

Joe Clark



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