Re: linux, and audio.

["L. C. Robinson" <lcr@onewest.net>]

On Thu, 22 Nov 2001, cbowman wrote:

> ... another question. I haven't ever compiled anything before.

There is an excellent tutorial in the Software-Building-HOWTO.
You can usually shortcut this just by reading and following the
directions in the README that comes with the package.

> does this need to be done with all linux software

No.  You can almost always find an appropriate compiled, easy to
install version for your distribution.

> and is it hard to do?

That depends on the type of user.  The average M$ computer user
has been trained to expect, and "need" expensive phone support
for the simplest of tasks, but if you are reasonably literate,
and can read and follow directions, it should pretty easy.  You
don't need to be a programmer.  You will find that most of your
effort will then go into learning the many features and
capabilities of the average package.

Occasionally you may try an alpha or beta package that won't
compile on your system.  Usually you just wait till the project
matures a bit.  Tweaking the package, and trying to fix it,
usually isn't worth the effort, unless you are into programming,
AND have an special interest in that particular project.  Open
Source projects usually mature very quickly, and you would end up
upgrading anyway, in a fairly short time.

LCR

-- 
L. C. Robinson
reply to no_spam+munged_lcr@onewest.net.invalid

People buy MicroShaft for compatibility, but get incompatibility and
instability instead.  This is award winning "innovation".  Find
out how MS holds your data hostage with "The *Lens*"; see
"CyberSnare" at http://www.netaction.org/msoft/cybersnare.html