Which version of Linux?

Which version of Linux?

[Vic Beckley]

Hi all,

I am a very very newbie just deciding to set up my very first Linux system.  I am an experienced DOS/Windows user, however.  It is a Pentium 200 MMX with 4.3 gb hd and 32 mb ram.  At this point, I am trying to decide whether I should go with Debian, Red Hat, or Slackware.  What are the pros and cons, differences and similarities of these flavors of Linux?

Also, I eventually want to experiment with the Gnome Desktop and the access tools for that.  Can this be installed and ran under any of the above distributions of Linux?  Is it possible to disable Speakup when you go into a graphical environment like Gnome?  How?  If not, how would one accomplish getting them to coexist on the same system and still have speech all the time?

thanks a lot for all your help in advance.  If I decide to go ahead with this experiment, you will be hearing from me plenty of times I am sure.  Bye for now.



Best Regards from Ohio, U.S.A.
Vic
MailTo:vbeckley@wilkshire.net 

Re: Which version of Linux?

[Sean Murphy]

Hi.

only having 32 mb of ram isn't enough to run GNU XWindows.  Using a shell
environment is fine.

It is relaly personal choice which version of Linux you go with.  Majority
of books talk about Red Hat.  Debain is what I am using and this is because
it is a work requirement.  The biggest difference between distribution is
the method they install applications.

Debian will remove, update or install any packages that are dependent on the
package that you are installing.  If you are install package x and this
package depends on package y, z and A.  If package A isn't on the system,
then Debian will automatically go out on to the net and grab them and
install them.  If y isn't required any more, then it will automaticlaly
rmeove it and if Z is an older verison, then it will automatically upgrade
the package.

RPM can do simular functionality, but you have define switches to do the
same.  Debian has a very good application called aptitude that does this all
for you and is a nice text base interface.  Apt-get is the tool that you use
to install and remove application.  apt-cache is used to find applications
and.

The bigest ara that you will need to learn, is how to use linux.  It is very
different from windows and dos.

Finally, Redhat and Debian are good environments.  The choice comes down to
what you already know and willing to know.


Debain will install a very bar bone system.  While RedHat by default
installs a lot of applications that you never use.  It is more difficult to
remove these applications, if you don't know what you are doing.

I am sure other members of this list can assist.

Sean

Re: Which version of Linux?

[Gene Collins]

Hi Vick. You probably won't be running the ex windows stuff, at least
not for a while.  Gnopernicus, the ex windows screen reader, is still
very much alpha software, and can't really do anything at the moment,
except cruise the windows desk top.  It can't even look at the ex windows
help system, let alone browse the web.  People who think they will have
access to the ex windows environment soon are engaging in some serious
fantasizing. 

However, under Linux, not having access to ex windows is not really
important, since almost everything you want to do can be done from the
text console using Speakup.  By the way, when and if the Gnopernicus
folks ever get their act together, you can disable Speakup on the
console where your ex windows session is running.

As to which distribution to use, it's pretty much your choice.  Some
folks like Redhat, some folks like Slackware, and some folks like
Debian.  In order to decide which is for you, visit the various web
sites for the different distributions, and read, read, read the
installation documents and users guides.  Linux has a farely steep
learning curve when compared with Windows or DOS, but the pay off is
unbelievable.  Multiple consoles, running multiple tasks and multiple
user sessions.  Not to mention the stability you get from Linux, where
your machine can stay up for years at a time, as opposed to minutes at a
time for Windows.

If I seem to be evading your question, I'm not.  It's just that reading
is the best way for you to answer this question.  We get newbees who
come the list all the time and ask this question, and the distro wars
get started all over again.  The choice of which distribution to use is
a very subjective and personal choice.   I use Debian because I like
it's package manager.  Others use other distributions for other reasons.
Whatever you decide to use, welcome to the list.  We'll try to answer
your questions.  Sometimes you'll get a very specific answer, and
sometimes you'll get directed to a source for more reading.  It's all in
an attempt to help you learn and to get the most from your use of Linux.
Good luck, and have fun.

Gene

>Hi all,
>
>I am a very very newbie just deciding to set up my very first Linux system.  I
 am an experienced DOS/Windows user, however.  It is a Pentium 200 MMX with 4.3
 gb hd and 32 mb ram.  At this point, I am trying to decide whether I should go
 with Debian, Red Hat, or Slackware.  What are the pros and cons, differences a
nd similarities of these flavors of Linux?
>
>Also, I eventually want to experiment with the Gnome Desktop and the access to
ols for that.  Can this be installed and ran under any of the above distributio
ns of Linux?  Is it possible to disable Speakup when you go into a graphical en
vironment like Gnome?  How?  If not, how would one accomplish getting them to c
oexist on the same system and still have speech all the time?
>
>thanks a lot for all your help in advance.  If I decide to go ahead with this 
experiment, you will be hearing from me plenty of times I am sure.  Bye for now
.
>
>
>
>Best Regards from Ohio, U.S.A.
>Vic
>MailTo:vbeckley@wilkshire.net 
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Speakup mailing list
>Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
>http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: Which version of Linux?

[hank]

I wish a x window screen reader would be availble
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Collins" <collins@gene3.ait.iastate.edu>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 11:43 AM
Subject: Re: Which version of Linux?


> Hi Vick. You probably won't be running the ex windows stuff, at least
> not for a while.  Gnopernicus, the ex windows screen reader, is still
> very much alpha software, and can't really do anything at the moment,
> except cruise the windows desk top.  It can't even look at the ex windows
> help system, let alone browse the web.  People who think they will have
> access to the ex windows environment soon are engaging in some serious
> fantasizing.
>
> However, under Linux, not having access to ex windows is not really
> important, since almost everything you want to do can be done from the
> text console using Speakup.  By the way, when and if the Gnopernicus
> folks ever get their act together, you can disable Speakup on the
> console where your ex windows session is running.
>
> As to which distribution to use, it's pretty much your choice.  Some
> folks like Redhat, some folks like Slackware, and some folks like
> Debian.  In order to decide which is for you, visit the various web
> sites for the different distributions, and read, read, read the
> installation documents and users guides.  Linux has a farely steep
> learning curve when compared with Windows or DOS, but the pay off is
> unbelievable.  Multiple consoles, running multiple tasks and multiple
> user sessions.  Not to mention the stability you get from Linux, where
> your machine can stay up for years at a time, as opposed to minutes at a
> time for Windows.
>
> If I seem to be evading your question, I'm not.  It's just that reading
> is the best way for you to answer this question.  We get newbees who
> come the list all the time and ask this question, and the distro wars
> get started all over again.  The choice of which distribution to use is
> a very subjective and personal choice.   I use Debian because I like
> it's package manager.  Others use other distributions for other reasons.
> Whatever you decide to use, welcome to the list.  We'll try to answer
> your questions.  Sometimes you'll get a very specific answer, and
> sometimes you'll get directed to a source for more reading.  It's all in
> an attempt to help you learn and to get the most from your use of Linux.
> Good luck, and have fun.
>
> Gene
>
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I am a very very newbie just deciding to set up my very first Linux
system.  I
>  am an experienced DOS/Windows user, however.  It is a Pentium 200 MMX
with 4.3
>  gb hd and 32 mb ram.  At this point, I am trying to decide whether I
should go
>  with Debian, Red Hat, or Slackware.  What are the pros and cons,
differences a
> nd similarities of these flavors of Linux?
> >
> >Also, I eventually want to experiment with the Gnome Desktop and the
access to
> ols for that.  Can this be installed and ran under any of the above
distributio
> ns of Linux?  Is it possible to disable Speakup when you go into a
graphical en
> vironment like Gnome?  How?  If not, how would one accomplish getting them
to c
> oexist on the same system and still have speech all the time?
> >
> >thanks a lot for all your help in advance.  If I decide to go ahead with
this
> experiment, you will be hearing from me plenty of times I am sure.  Bye
for now
> .
> >
> >
> >
> >Best Regards from Ohio, U.S.A.
> >Vic
> >MailTo:vbeckley@wilkshire.net
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Speakup mailing list
> >Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup