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Re: Spinoff: Using Linux for work? was RE: Why Tech-Writers ShouldKnow About ...
Subject:Re: Spinoff: Using Linux for work? was RE: Why Tech-Writers ShouldKnow About ... From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axion -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 19 Sep 2005 15:14:06 -0700
On Mon, 2005-09-19 at 17:56 -0400, HBacheler -at- aol -dot- com wrote:
> One of the things to remember is that not all tech writers have the 'luxury'
> of having access to Linux.
No, but there are a lot of open source applications that you can use
under Windows, too. I've yet to meet a manager who insisted on paying
for PhotoShop when the GIMP was available for free.
> What are the requirements to have Linux on a 'home' PC desktop?
That depends on the distribution you choose and how you configure it. In
general, though, Linux is far less demanding about hardware than
Windows. Unless you are doing memory-intensive work, you could be quite
comfortable with 128 megabytes of
RAM.
A barebones installation of Linux with a desktop is about 750 megabytes.
However, you can have several gigabytes of additional programs if you
choose.
> Does it require a 'dual boot' configuration?
Usually -- at least if you want to use it on a computer that has a
Windows installation. One or two distributions install alongside
Windows, but I haven't used them and can't vouch for them.
If you're interested in just seeing Linux, I suggest that you download
and burn a Knoppix CD. Knoppix is a version of Linux that runs from a
CD. It's slow, which isn't surprising, considering that it's using a CD
drive and detecting your hardware the way it would if you were
installing, but it will give you a good idea of what Linux is like.
Knoppix also makes an ideal rescue disk. It even contains QTParted, an
open source version of Partition Magic.
"Mr Ledbetter won't you tell me again,
What's a Mississippi flush and how's it beat this hand?"
"They don't ask questions in the graveyard,
It's a small revolver and any five cards."
- Ray Wylie Hubbard, "Mississippi Flush"
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