So I'm Not Just Loving Linux So Far

Does it make me a weirdo that I prefer Win XP at the moment to my new Mandriva Boot? I'm having a really hard time figuring it out. I thought installing was suppose to be the hard part...

I had no problem getting online or using O, but so far, that's all I can do. I can't figure out how to add software and I can't figure out what a repository is (other than something from Urmpi) and I can't figure out which repositories I want or how I know what software is in a repository. I can't figure out how to make my desktop look as cool as some of yours (even though I did figure out how to change my wallpaper, but only because the process is almost identical to XP's).

I did take the first step toward helping myself- I ordered The Linux all in One Desktop Reference for Dummies. I've also been frequenting several forums, but even the "step by step" guides seem over my head. I really want to figure this out.

Any tips that will make it easier for me?

 

I completely understand where your coming from. It took some weeks to get around the learning curve but in the end i got there. I know most basic stuff including, internet connection, software and driver installation, basic customisations and some bash commands.

Well thats a good start, the best way to learn is what you have already done and thats read a book! Visiting Linix forums, buying Linux magazines and learning from friends that know their way around linux and last but not least - have a fiddle around, if you make a mistake then thats how you learn!
Good luck to you i say

 

Hmm, honestly? First of all, don't expect Linux to be a "better Windows"; it isn't. If anything, it's a better UNIX, which is a totally different thing altogether. IMHO, it's a positive difference. Even Microsoft, though they rarely admit it, is trying to make Windows more like UNIX. But, as Henry Spencer said, "Those who do not understand UNIX are condemned to reinvent it -- badly." My advice is to submerse yourself in Linux -- try not to just boot into Windows when there's something you don't know how to do in Linux. Instead, take the time and learn to do it properly. It'd be wise to fire up Xchat and hang around #mandriva at irc.freenode.net; a lot of the Mandriva developers frequent the place, so you can literally learn from the guys who built Mandriva Linux.* Believe me when I tell you that all of my formal training is in Microsoft products, I have around 8 years of professional field experience with Windows and about 18 years of non-professional experience with MS products. But once I'd learned Linux, I could not go back to Windows. So, if you decide not to stick with Linux, that's certainly your decision to make. But you definately haven't had enough experience with it to know what it does and doesn't offer.

* - If you don't want to quickly wear out your welcome on #mandriva, be sure to at least try to research on your own before you ask questions that may have an obvious solution.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm no where near ready to give up on Linux yet, but I will confess to being confused. I also wasn't expecting a better Windows. I was getting pretty bored with Windows. I am spending more and more time in Linux though, but so often I don't have time to sit there and try and work something else. The other problem is I have several MSN groups I'm actively involved in, even moderating one, and those don't work without Windows. I have yet to find a good solution to that problem. My main things I want to do now are get GAIM working, and if there is a way to get to my windows files from Linux, figure it out.

 

Gaim is straightforward enough, feel free to post any specific questions. If you're using Mandriva Linux, your Windows partition is usually auto-mounted at /mnt/windows.

 

Don't give up in it yet, I had no idea what to do when I got it and since I've only ever used windows and never had experience with the /usr/bin style directories I had to ask on here and do some googling. Sure there are some things which require windows (maybe MS is doing that on purpose) but thats why I had it on dual boot. To be honest Mandriva 2006 RC1 was the easiest to use distros of linux I've ever known (linspire doesn't cut it). It makes you feel much more welcome than 10.1. One of the most important things to remember when you're getting used to linux is to try to grasp the idea that you'll have to use the command line sooner or later.

 

Well, I'd agree with that to a point. I have installed Mandriva Linux for many people, and most average users never touch the CLI; they probably don't know it exists. Yet they manage to get around the system fine, and do everything they want to do in the GUI. Of course, I would consider the command line to be one of *nix's strong points. Anything you can do in CLI, you can easily write a script for. Anything you can write a script for, you can automate. For instance, the following is the simple script I use to update my systems automatically every morning at ~04:00 :

Code:

#!/bin/sh
echo =================================
echo Checking for updated packages...
echo =================================
/usr/sbin/urpmi.update -a
echo =================================
echo Updating Packages if necessary...
echo =================================
/usr/sbin/urpmi --auto-select --auto

...that's it. And really, all of the lines containing 'echo' could be done away with; they're just there to make the log files look nice. Also, not the least benefit of a CLI is that it's really easy to explain things in terms of a non-graphical shell. For instance, "type this: <pasted text>" and boom, you've got an explanation that'll work for anyone. The person can literally cut & paste the text you've provided, and if you typed it right it'll work for them too. On the other hand, explaining a GUI to somebody isn't nearly as straight-forward. "Click on the button at the bottom left corner of the... no, your other left. Yes. No, the one below that one. Yeah, that's it. Now, open the 2nd tab from the right on the left-hand side of the daughter window immediately below the..." Get my point?

 

Okay, specfic gaim question. I installed GAIM, it acted like everything went well, I got the "install complete" pop up, clicked ok, and now I can't find GAIM or figure out how to open it.

 

How did you install GAIM? (i.e. did you download it from sourceforge, urpmi it from the repositories, etc?)

 

I installed from the second link under the Mandrake 10 section on this page:
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

It had an installer, and prompted me for CDs 2 and 3 at points during the install.

I know it should be under Internet -> Instant Messaging, but it's not there.

 

Ahh yes, the guy who does the packaging for the Mandriva install on gaim.sourceforge.com doesn't ever seem to get the menu entries correct, so no icon shows up. The easiest way for you to run it would be to simply type gaim in a terminal (or click [Star] ==> Run Command and type gaim). Normally though, if a person running Mandriva Linux wanted gaim, they would simply type the following in a terminal:

Code:

su - root
urpmi gaim

the the software would be installed automatically, assuming of course that the urpmi repositories are set up correctly.

-AT

 

I know what Urmpi is, but how do I know if they are set up correctly?

 

I'm actually writing a brief tutorial on urpmi right now; I should have it finished soon.

 

I look forward to it!

 

Yay! So I got GAIM working through the run command. Now how do I add it to the menu of programs I see when I click the star?

 

Oh yes, and another question, AT, you guide to Urpmi was great, I now have it pretty well down, but how do I know what programs I can install from Urpmi, and what they do?

 

Normally, if you used an actual Mandriva package, the icon would be there for you. But in your case, you should right-click on the star icon, and choose menu editor.

 

If you don't already know the name of the software you want to install, it's probably best to use the GUI tool. That way, you can search by group, description, keywords, etc. When you click on a program you're interested in, you get a full description in the right pane.

 

I get a long error message when I try to install software that way, saying I have a conflict with something. What does that mean? I don't know how to fix it.

 

I don't know what "it" is, as you haven't listed it here. Therefore I cannot possibly know what it means or how to resolve it. If you post your verbosity (or at least a screenshot of it), I'll be glad to take a look for you.