A few months back Jag wrote this article on OSNews about my travails in my first encounter with Linux. Now, that Jag has been using it for a while, he has written a new article detailing steps required to convert an out-of-the-box Red Hat 9 system to a working and useful desktop system. Linux veterans will probably not find anything surprising here, but for someone trying Linux for the first time, this should save a significant amount of time and effort.
Seems like an alright article, although I don’t think most people would benifit from playing mp3s in xine, or from my experience movies. Get the mpg123 plugin for xmms if you need to play mp3s. And my experience with xine has been glitchy and slow at best for video, so get mplayer for videos. Also I have never used gnometoaster, but if the program works as is suggested, k3b might be a much better choice. I haven’t used nero for about a year, but I have found k3b to be just as featured and pretty easy to use.
Some one should really put together a redhat “expansion” cd, with all these apps on it and a script to put it all together and add icons. Another good addition for such a thing would be giFT with fasttrack and gnutella plugins, so people can share files easily.
What sort of changes will RedHat make to the Bluecurve interface when 2.6 comes out? Obviously things will run faster but what about new tools and functionality?
Nice. And although I have become interested in the BSDs, Jag raises a fair point.
The one things I have yet to see is a clear and coherent explanation of how to set up a Linux box so that it can navigate a “network neighborhood”. Yes, I “read the f***ng manual” but I still don’t get it. Sorry, I is a novice. But my box is attached to a stable if outdated WinNT4.0 network – and I cannot share files, cannot print to our networked color copier. I sort of get it work in GNOME, but I prefer KDE. (Incoming!)
I also think future versions of RH – or any Linux – should do these things for us. How about an “add fonts” utility under Control Panel? (I am aware some versions of Linux do this, but RH seems to lag.)
While this presents a decent article, one has to ask why even mention BSD in the early area of the article. The only reason one may think of is to troll BSD users…
Funny that when trying redhat, this person install apt… Why not try knoppix, then ? Redhat is useless…
Rick,
Download LinNeighborhood. Type it as spelled above into google and you will be good to go.
You should be able to print to a printer connected to your NT box by following the printer wizard that is under System Settings.
Finally, Mandrake includes LinNeighborhood as part of the default distro as well as provide the graphical tool that you are asking for. It also makes for a very powerful server.
But Red Hat is all right. While most of my computers run Mandrake, my laptop runs Red Hat because I gave it a try and I have been too lazy to do things over.
I’ve been running a kernel patched with all the interactivity goodies.. this patch is a must if you’re using you using Redhat as a desktop system.
http://www.rexursive.com/software/redhat.html
I have the 2.6patch on one of my test systems running RedHat 9… It seems somewhat snappier.. but more so on the text side, rather than the GUI (which sounds contradictory to the ‘new feature’ claims…but whatever). After updating, a few modules failed on loading, but the overall stability is impressive…..
Looking forward to a GNOME 2.6, KDE 3.2, and Kernel 2.6 world!
I like RedHat and am running RH9 now, but what really annoys me is that rpm often hangs when installing rpms from nautilus (by double clicking). Anyone else have this problem with RH9 ?
Can I report the section about BSD in this article to a moderator?
Has Jag ever used BSD? I suspect not or he wouldn’t write that.
I use FreeBSD and I don’t need to use linux compatability for any of the applications that I use.
Oh yeah and nvidia have produced FreeBSD drivers as well.
Do some research next time before before you dismiss BSD.
Yea, use the command like rpm -U foo.rpm
or
put in log into Bugzilla.
http://bugzilla.redhat.com
” rpm often hangs when installing rpms from nautilus (by double clicking). Anyone else have this problem with RH9 ?” Yes..
Why cant rh have one page, where i can find apt server`s like mandrake have http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/urpmiweb.php
And why dont my xfreeconfig file work in rh ?? it works (and iam using it right now in mandrake.
# File generated by XFdrake.
# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************
Section “Files”
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath “unix/:-1”
EndSection
Section “ServerFlags”
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn’t work
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection
Section “Module”
Load “dbe” # Double-Buffering Extension
Load “v4l” # Video for Linux
Load “extmod”
Load “type1”
Load “freetype”
Load “glx” # 3D layer
Load “dri” # direct rendering
EndSection
Section “DRI”
Mode 0666
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Keyboard1”
Driver “Keyboard”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105”
Option “XkbLayout” “no”
Option “XkbOptions” “”
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse1”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Protocol” “ExplorerPS/2”
Option “Device” “/dev/psaux”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “6 7”
EndSection
Section “Monitor”
Identifier “monitor1”
VendorName “Plug’n Play”
HorizSync 30-96
VertRefresh 50-160
# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024×480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine “1024×480” 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync
# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768×576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine “768×576” 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
# 768×576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine “768×576” 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection
Section “Monitor”
Identifier “monitor2”
VendorName “Plug’n Play”
ModelName “TVM TCO6S Model”
HorizSync 30.0-69.0
VertRefresh 50.0-120.0
# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024×480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine “1024×480” 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync
# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768×576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine “768×576” 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
# 768×576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine “768×576” 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection
Section “Device”
Identifier “device1”
VendorName “3Dfx Interactive, Inc.”
BoardName “Voodoo5 (generic)”
Driver “tdfx”
Screen 0
BusID “PCI:1:0:0”
Option “DPMS”
Option “AGPMode” “true”
EndSection
Section “Device”
Identifier “device2”
VendorName “Matrox”
BoardName “Matrox Mystique”
Driver “mga”
Screen 0
BusID “PCI:2:1:0”
Option “DPMS”
EndSection
Section “Screen”
Identifier “screen1”
Device “device1”
Monitor “monitor1”
DefaultColorDepth 24
Subsection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
EndSection
Section “Screen”
Identifier “screen2”
Device “device2”
Monitor “monitor2”
DefaultColorDepth 24
Subsection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
Subsection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
EndSection
Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “layout1”
InputDevice “Keyboard1” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse1” “CorePointer”
Screen “screen1”
Screen “screen2” RightOf “screen1”
#Option “Xinerama”
EndSection
If I try to start x with this one,, both my monitor turns on and off.. on and off.. on and..
and if I have my mp3`s and ogg`s on an win box. but its so “hard” to copy over everything that I will play, cant there just be one thing like “always mount this ..”
>HorizSync 30.0-69.0
>VertRefresh 50.0-120.0
Are you SURE that these numbers are correct?
If yes, I suggest you take out completely out all the modlines entries (all 6 of them). If the above numbers are correct, probably you don’t need them.
Also change this:
Subsection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubsection
EndSection
to this:
Subsection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1024×480”
EndSubsection
EndSection
You see, in the start of the file we read that your monitor is an LCD that can only do 1024×480 and later you ask the monitor to do 1024×768.
It is only normal that it will go on and then off and then on and then off…
First, How is the Prempt patch working on your box.
Second, another way to get the font’s
rpm -ivh http://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/rawhide/i386/RedHat/RPMS/bit…
That might be to easy! 😉
“I use FreeBSD and I don’t need to use linux compatability for any of the applications that I use. ”
I. That’s the key here. Jag had problems. You don’t. You’re not Jag, ergo, this makes sense. Why do you naturally assume he was lying? Do you always cry for articles to be removed because they don’t say things you like?
As for the article, I thought it was good, although his attempts at humor made it less readable than it should have been. Fedora Core 1 is going to make all this easier: point yum to rpm-non-free repository; grab everything you need.
-Erwos
I don’t know how GNOME does it, but in KDE, its as simple as typing in:
lan://localhost into Konqueror’s address bar. There is a Kontrol Panel module to help you configure the Samba client. As for adding fonts, most recent distros use something called fontconfig. With fontconfig, adding fonts is as easy as copying your fonts to /usr/share/fonts and logging out than back in.
I just installed RH 9 last night, and was impressed at the hardware detection, found everything on my system. Would like to speed it up a bit, going to look into hdparm, but as a relative newcomer to Linux it was a pretty painless install. And once I learned about apt-get and Synaptic software installs were a snap.
I do have this strange urge to tinker with other distros though… 🙂
Hardware:
AMD Duron 800 / Shuttle board
Nvidia Riva TNT 16 MB
448 MB Ram
30 GB 7200 RPM drive
Sony CRX-225E Burner
LG CD/DVD-ROM
Onboard sound and ethernet (via82xxx, forget the NIC)
Jag doesn’t sound like he had problems. He sounds like he hasn’t tried.
These are facts
You don’t need to use linux compatibility to run most programs and there are nvidia drivers for BSD.
If he had said,
“App foo is essential for me, FreeBSD can’t run it except under linux compatibility and so I might as well use Linux.”
or
“I installed nvidia drivers that are available and they didn’t work as well as I would of hoped or they hung my system”
I wouldn’t mind but he basically wrote BSD sucks. Each to his own. This’ll be my last post about it.
P.S I wasn”t serious about asking for the article to be removed. It’s just that people have been modded down for much less.
Subject say’s it all, did I mis something?
http://fedora.redhat.com/participate/schedule/ September 25 2003 – Test 2 release
tnz Eugenia, I well try it on beta 2.
smb:///
nfs:///
What about the artical posted two days ago on how to secure
BSD. The first part is just on Linux problems. Tiz life, i suggest you try to pick up the pieces and move on with life.
http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00029.asp
The guy thinks it is a problem that Liux distros compete with themselves. I think that is actually a good thing.
In GNOME type smb:// at nautilus and you can also navigate the SMB network.
APT
apt4rpm is nice like yum (there may be issues but i will not discuss that further). try installing a .deb package without using apt (dpkg -i package.deb) and youwill also experience dependency hell.
“What about BSD?
An OS is meaningless without useful applications… “<== proved that this gent has no knowledge at all about computing science…
I am a linux fan though. have nothing to deal with this article.
To contribute future science, you need to have a scientific attitude, a good conscientia (latin) and a very true heart. This gent(Sorry I repeated) destroyed the science, the philosophy of life, the all that human is contributing together
*But science is science, that is pure science, do not say words related with science knowledge in a while you do not have a minimal knowledge of its or you do not have a balancing mind before doing it
A linux admin
“smb:///
nfs:/// ”
yes i know but i want it to rember my password too.
Way back in March of 2003, I wrote this http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3119 . That was an experience for me, including the flames that followed, I still use Red Hat Linux 9, dual boot on two systems (notebook/desktop). I’ve put together a small list of TIPS aimed at Linux noobs (like myself) with clear and hopefully concise instructions to get people doing things quicker with their Red Hat box.
Have a look if you want, the list is growing, slowly, but it’s growing 🙂
http://anyweb.kicks-ass.net/linux/tips/index.html
summary of tips here
TIP #1
Setup a simple NAT (Network Address Translation) in Linux.
TIP #2
Speed up Red Hat 9’s default disk access. To do this it helps….
TIP #3
Add the JAVA plugin to Mozilla 1.2.1 in Red Hat 9.
TIP #4
How to install Fluxbox in Red Hat 8/9.
TIP #5
How to mount a FAT32 parition (Windows 98) in 5 minutes or less 😉
TIP #6
How to read NTFS partitions in 5 minutes or less 😉
TIP #7
How to install WINE (and mIRC) in Red Hat 9
TIP #8
How to upgrade Mozilla 1.2.1 to Mozilla 1.4 in Red Hat 9
TIP #9
How to install Microsoft TTF Fonts in Red Hat 8/9
TIP #10
How to take a timed screenshot in Red Hat 8/9
TIP #11
How to install NVIDIA drivers in Red Hat 8/9
TIP #12
How to change the default login from Xwindows to console (or vice…)
cheers
anyweb.
I find it incredible that he claimed that BSD has no applications available, FreeBSD, the one with the most software “ports”, has more ready-to-install software (I think 6,000 packages, maybe much more) than Red Hat does; and the vast majority of them don’t need Linux emulation to work.
Linux is a Unix clone, *BSD *is* Unix. In fact, among software that’s been around for a bit, the software was more likely to have been written for Unix then ported to Linux rather than the other way around; and most software written first for Linux will compile for *BSD; the only stuff that needs Linux emulation is closed-source software that only includes binaries. In those cases *BSD’s emulation usually works great and since it’s only an API emulation between similar APIs works *fast*.
No, BSD is “NOT” UNIX.
Linux is not a Unix clone, just like BSD is not Unix.
just like BSD is not Unix.
Unless you work for SCO or something I would like you to explain that one to me.
> I like RedHat and am running RH9 now, but what really annoys me is that rpm often hangs when installing rpms from nautilus (by double clicking). Anyone else have this problem with RH9 ?
There is a well-known bug that causes RH9’s rpm to do this, even if executed from the command line. (Of course, your problem when installing rpms from nautilus might be a completely different bug).
The fix for the rpm bug is described here:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=97002
This page states that you can either keep the distro’s bugged version of RPM, and delete some stale lock files whenever you get the problem; or you can upgrade rpm to the bugfixed version from rpm.org.
I do not know why the fixed version of RPM is not distributed as an update for RH9, because the bug is critical, and the fix has existed for a while now.