Hello?

[Stonelaughter]

*AHEM*!!!
One two one two. *THUMP THUMP* is this thing on? Oh... right. Thanks. Sorry.

Hi Folks! I'm Tom - brief bio in my profile... but basically I'm an ex-Amiga fanatic who was also an Operator on a Bull DPS 6000 (very UNIX-like command structure) - who has since been working in The Dark Side as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

I have got as far as installing Ubuntu Linux 8.04 on my home system (multi-boot) and have managed (by being told what the commands are etc) to install and enable the window effects extensions which enable me to have whizzy effects and configure them all. I think it's Compiz Fusion...? Anyway - I've also installed Lokkit as a starter firewall - I'm concious that I need to get something far more Zone-Alarm like in functionality but I don't know where to find it.

I can't get used to the fact that a whole boatload of applications are actually listed on my desktop and I just tick the box to install them...??! Also for the OS to come with Open Office already installed is brilliant.

I'm really loving Linux but I need to write down plans for what I want to do with it... so that I can structure my learning. First thing I need to do is understand how it hangs together and what all the teminology means... so that I can make sense to you lot!

Thanks for a great forum...

[GNU-Fan]

Hello Stonelaughter,

welcome and please take seat for your first lesson on terminology:

Linux vs. GNU/Linux

(Hey, he asked for it )

[Stonelaughter]

OK - I get it So I'm using the Ubuntu "Distro" of GNU/Linux.

What I don't get is - which bits of what I'm using are not "Free", and will I have to pay for them at some point???

[GNU-Fan]

I do not think that you will have to pay for it when you have it from the official Ubuntu sources because free/non-free in this context doesn't refer to price but to freedom. Further explaining

There exists non-free software given away gratis and there is also Free Software being sold.

As far as I know, Ubuntu has the domains main/universe for FreeSoftware and the restricted/multiverse which contain non-free (also called proprietary) software.

[bigtomrodney]

Welcome to the forum Stonelaughter

I haven't been too pushed on my firewall setup so I'm not sure about getting a ZoneAlarm type frontend. You can put your faith in IPTables to look after you though. If it makes you feel any better until you install something to change this, an Ubuntu install by default has no listening ports so the firewall has nothing to mask. It's still a good idea to have one but just so you know things aren't as fragile security wise on this side. You can always harden more but you get a nice headstart with Linux

Good luck and welcome again, glad to have you.

[smolloy]

What I don't get is - which bits of what I'm using are not "Free", and will I have to pay for them at some point???

Hey there Welcome to the forum. Glad you've had such a good first impression of linux -- I hope it continues....

When linux-types talk about "free", they mean "freedom" not cost. They say proprietary or patented code is non-free cos you can't have a look at the source code, and you can't edit things at will -- like MS Office, if there's a bug in there you have to wait til MS fixes it, no matter how skilled a coder you are you're not allowed to fix it yourself.

The non-free packages in Ubuntu are "non-free" in this sense. You won't have to pay for them, and they won't timeout. They're full versions of the code, but you just don't get to see the source code.

And you're right -- one of the best things about linux is the huge amount of software that it comes bundled with. Browsers, email clients, office software, games, dev tools, etc.

I'm not sure you need to worry too much about getting a firewall installed. Linux distros normally come with everything closed down anyway, so, unless you're planning on running some sort of server, I wouldn't worry too much about firewalling and virus-scanning your machine.

[Jonathan183]

Welcome to the forums Stonelaughter

... thats to Linux forums

Have a and hope you enjoy your time here.