View Poll Results: Should I just not bother w/ Linux?

**linuxnooby** · 03-05-2005

Hey you other 1/2 of the world. I am an MS baby, currently working on contract at MS, and am pissed off that my job is being farmed out to India... & that I will likely not get another contract at MS because of it.

So I came home one day & wiped my 2003 server, installed Linux RedHat 9 as a server & now can't do crap! I figured out how to get networking set up, I can create folders & download crap. BUT THAT'S IT! I'm sad, I can't even freaking figure out how to use Winrar or Unrar (although I have them downloaded, yay me.... not).

I have a book & CD-based training but it's just not doing the trick to move me along at the pace I want to be at. Can someone please direct me to good walk-throughs (from the simplest basics), mentor me via chat w/ specifics I am trying to do, or simply tell me what the hell I do w/ this unrar 2.71 I downloaded? I read the read-me & it says "should uncomment one of initial lines in OS.H to define the Operating System you are using". Well when I try to I can put my cursor in the place to remove the # sign in front of Linux, but then when I use backspace or delete nothing happes... WTH? And then what the heck would I do? I see no exe file! j/k No, but really... do I have to copy the files somewhere, is there a magical install file that I need to click on to install the dang app?

Can someone please bridge the gap between Windows & Linux files? Like exe = "x" in Linux and offer any other beneficial info as such. I don't want to give up on Linux but I need help, I really don't have any Linux friends

Many thx,
> Linuxnooby <

**dylunio** · 03-05-2005

I'd have a peak in the tutorial section of the site, especialy, HOWTO INSTALL SOFTWARE

also check out www.tldp.org

dylunio

MOD_EDIT(fix_url_tags); -l_n

**Chuckinator** · 03-06-2005

Also check out the Linux courses at linux.org. They provide a good introduction into the basics of using Linux.

**Santa's little helper** · 03-06-2005

Originally Posted by linuxnooby

Well when I try to I can put my cursor in the place to remove the # sign in front of Linux, but then when I use backspace or delete nothing happes... WTH?

Which editor are you using ?

Originally Posted by linuxnooby

And then what the heck would I do?

What does README say you should do ?

**linuxnooby** · 03-07-2005

I don't know what editor. I do know when I "init 5" to change runlevel from it's default "3" I am then using gnome. It all looks nice, but it's not too user friendly.... & help SUX.

Ok, I tried opening another file to edit & the same thing... can't edit it. I downloaded Ventrilo to play with since it's so light & simple.

- How do I start ventrilo_srv when I am in gnome (runlevel 5)? I double click the ventrilo_srv & nothing happens. I go to the redhat "start" menu & choose "Run Application", I browse to it & choose "run in console"... & black window pops up & then goes away but nothing starts.

- How do I find out what editor I am using? How do I manipulate/edit these dang files?

Many thanks,
linuxnooby

**Flatline** · 03-07-2005

If you were using an editor you would probably know which one, because you would have to fire it up manually when you're at the command line. You could try (as root in a terminal)

Code:

nano /etc/inittab

or

Code:

pico /etc/inittab

if you have the nano or pico editors installed; otherwise, you can use (less user-friendly for noobs)

Code:

vi /etc/inittab

You're pretty much assured that you have vi installed.

Once you've got the file open, change this line

Code:

id&#58;3&#58;initdefault&#58;

to this:

Code:

id&#58;5&#58;initdefault&#58;

and you'll start up in a GUI by default.

**jeremy1701** · 03-07-2005

I answered yes, on accidentally, as your question was worded rather oddly.

I think you should just not, not bother with linux.

Or, without all the double negitives, give it a try!!

**genesus** · 03-07-2005

The Linux Newbie forum on this site offers an excellent howto on installing apts in linux, with all the variations...very easy to follow, tells you how to untar files etc, you shouldn't have to dl those other programs but you can do it from the command line. All of the commands for the different extensions are in the tutorial. And don't fret when something doesn't work right away, if we can all, at least to some extent, learn linux then you can too.

**dylunio** · 03-07-2005

Originally Posted by linuxnooby

help SUX

NOTE: If you want to find out anout a command, or important file or program in linux, go to a terminal and type:

Code:

man <command/filename/progname>

e.g. if you wanted to leard anout the list command ls go to a terminal and type

Code:

man ls

dylunio

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