For a while I''ve been thinking about getting another OS, such as Linux, to run alongside Windows, and I have a few questions before I make the jump. 1) Is Linux a good choice? Or is something else better? I am still going to use Windows, because of my family, and because I want to make programs that my friends can use, etc. But I want to have something else along side to use and fall back on. People say Linux is very stable, and is great for programmers. 2) How easy (or hard) is it to get Linux installed and running alongside Windows? I know I''ll have to reboot into the different OS, but that''s no biggy. I plan on using something like System Commander, that will let you run multiple OS''s pretty easily (supposedly) Thanks for the help.

I personally like Linux a lot. On my personal computer I triple boot between Win98, NT 4.0 Workstation and Linux. On my hardware Linux is tons more stable than NT 4.0. However I don''t do much programming in Linux anymore. Mostly I use it for network troubleshooting or GIMP.

If you don''t already have a free partition to give to Linux, getting a dual-boot can be a pain. I designed my current partition format to support the triple boot, so for me it was pretty easy to do the install, but then again I''ve also got experience with that kind of stuff.

There are Linux systems that will run from Windows/on top of a Windows partition, but I don''t track them. I heard PhatLinux being tossed around on the board before, though.

For real Linux systems, (I don''t count any Linux that runs on top of a Windows partition to be a real Linux), I''ve found RedHat 6.0 and SuSE 6.x to be easy installs. SuSE 6.3 is a really easy install, and is what I''m running right now.

As for programming, I find that what little programming in Linux I do nowadays is either in ClanLib, glut or funky languages like scheme, lisp and SML. ClanLib and glut will compile in Windows without much trouble, so you won''t have much trouble sharing that with family.

But again in all honesty, I''ve been finding Linux much more useful as a server platform than a development platform. Heck my apartment is wired with a 10BaseT network with a Linux router connecting to the outside world.

This post is sort of losing focus, but I think you get the idea.

I also like Linux. I''ve been using it for about 6 years. All of the installation schemes for Linux that I''ve seen give you an option for being able to boot your old Windows partition (which might not be so old since you often need to repartition for Linux). Linux comes with LILO which is basically a program that runs when you boot and with which you can select what system you wish to boot.
Linux is extremely stable, I once set up a machine in Connecticut (I live in Baltimore) and had nothing but remote access to the machine - for all intents it was a mars lander We had no problems with it and finally made the trip to take it down after like a year when the co-owner (who lives in CA) bought a new machine (also running Linux). My work machine has been up for 124 days, which would have been over a year if not for a power outage.
On the development side, its a great system to use for developing network stuff, UNIX stuff, Text-based stuff (I adminster a MUD running on Linux). I''ve worked on a video game system through linux, and it was a bear. Its been awhile though, maybe it''s easier now. I especially remember the sound support being very poorly documented. I find game programming with Windows easier than through Linux, though Linux tends to find some bugs that Windows doesn''t catch. I guess it''s all dependant on what kind of projects you''re planning on attempting
Oh, also, I have used the Slackware distribution for Linux for a long time, it usually works, but RedHat has become the mainstream distribution. I think they take a bit too much credit for cramming a bunch of stuff onto a CD tho
I think Slackware now has a 100 meg complete linux system that exists on your windows drive (no repartitioning needed) I think if I were unsure about it, I''d grab that and see if I liked it or not, though it doesn''t come with Xwindows.

HTH,




-ns-

SiCrane, its sounds a lot like my house, I got a Linux Router with 2 nics and one to the DSL and one to or LAN, with about 6 computers on it, its also 10BaseT.

Speaking of Linux...

I have an 7 comp network at home, hooked to a NT 4 server that communicates via ISDN with the internet. to do this, I am, unfortunately, using MS Proxy 2.

Problem #1 is that I would like to use my PC (on which I have linux installed) to communicate through the proxy. However, Linux doesn''t seem to like Proxy 2 for some reason. Anyone have any hints as to where to look for info regarding this?

Problem #2. I''d really like to have Linux installed on my server instead of Winsux NT and Prissy 2. Where can I find info regarding setting up proxy-like software on linux?



*oof*

quote: Original post by Oofnish

Speaking of Linux...

I have an 7 comp network at home, hooked to a NT 4 server that communicates via ISDN with the internet. to do this, I am, unfortunately, using MS Proxy 2.

Problem #1 is that I would like to use my PC (on which I have linux installed) to communicate through the proxy. However, Linux doesn''t seem to like Proxy 2 for some reason. Anyone have any hints as to where to look for info regarding this?

Problem #2. I''d really like to have Linux installed on my server instead of Winsux NT and Prissy 2. Where can I find info regarding setting up proxy-like software on linux?

*oof*

Problem one is something I can''t solve off the top of my head. Problem two I can warn you about. Linux is wonderful and I ran the OS for a long time. Come time to purchase my ADSL connection, BellSouth told me that Linux was not a supported OS. In other words I was on my own for the install and maintenance. While ADSL is really similar to other forms of networking, since it is new technology I decided to stick with what was supported by my ISP. WindowsNT unfortunately is it for me. The only other thing I didn''t want to do is spend inordinate amounts of time setting up Linux for use as a firewall/proxy. The documents I found went through all sorts of command line driven stuff and I just don''t have the time to fool with it for my home network. I have to say that aside from the server reboots on NT(there were about 10), the installation of Proxy, NT and assorted drivers went well. Since Linux was not supported by my ISP, I was faced with a much less detailed set of documents to help me configure a proxy server under Linux. For these reasons I chose to keep NT over Linux. Hardcore Linux guys please hold back the flames, as I totally respect and love the OS, just didn''t feel like the learning curve to get it working.

Kressilac
ps I have also found that guys at work can help with NT configuration problems more readily than they can with Linux. In a lot of places Linux is still a black art.

My ISP supports linux connectivity just fine. HOWEVER, they REALLY don''t like the idea of me proxying several computers off of one user account, so they refuse to help.

I would like to learn this stuff myself, but unfortunately, the rest of my house would kill me if I had to take the server down for two months or whatever it would take.

*oof*

Oofnish:

Can''t help you with problem 1... though problem 2 is a cinch. You can set up Linux as a router with about 3 commands (assuming your hardware and kernel are set up). It''s been a few months since I had to set it up, so I don''t remember the steps off the top of my head. Go to linux.org''s support section and read the HOWTO on ipchains.
You may have to do a little kernel configuration but that''s a cinch too. Again, it''s all in those HOWTOs.

Hope that helped... really jumbled. (I speak C/C++, not English

i use Linux, and i think it''s wonderful to develop under.

gcc is a kick-ass compiler, you can peek at the source to almost every program out there for Linux, it''s hard to crash the computer itself even with your own (often buggy) programs, there are man pages for almost everything...
i could go on forever.
it''s just wonderful.

as for installation... well, it can be hard sometimes. especially the first time, when (if) you have to re-partition you harddrive. i really recommend Partition Magic, it''s a great program that re-partitions your harddrive to ext2fs (Linux'' native filesystem) without destroying data.

the distribution you choose also matters for ease-of-installation. i''ve heard Corels distro is really easy to install, but i don''t know if it''s very good to develop under (since it''s meant for "normal" home/business users).

if you know a "Linux-expert", i''m sure he/she will be glad to help you.

// Siigron

Hi, just a little word about Corel Linux. I''ve tried alot of distros since a couple of years and have always come back to SuSE 6.2( I still don''t have the 6.3 version ). As far as corel linux goes, I''ve installed and ran it for 2 or 3 days and I found one thing, my AWE 64 SoundBlaster was not detected by the installation software and OSS wasn''t able to be compiled as I had to install some components from my other SuSE in order to be able to compile it. Anyhow, those are my views and are in no way meant to put down the OS. I''ve been running my linux partition for about 5 years and it''s a heck of alot more stable than my Win 98 partition. As far as coding, it''s really something else. Easier than most windows programming and game coding is starting to shape up. Loki soft is just one example. They port alot of windows games for Linux like for instance "QUAKE 3: ARENA".

Cyberdrek
Headhunter Soft
DLC Multimedia
Two Guys Soft

quote: Original post by Anonymous Poster

i use Linux, and i think it''s wonderful to develop under.

gcc is a kick-ass compiler, you can peek at the source to almost every program out there for Linux, it''s hard to crash the computer itself even with your own (often buggy) programs, there are man pages for almost everything...
i could go on forever.
it''s just wonderful.

as for installation... well, it can be hard sometimes. especially the first time, when (if) you have to re-partition you harddrive. i really recommend Partition Magic, it''s a great program that re-partitions your harddrive to ext2fs (Linux'' native filesystem) without destroying data.

the distribution you choose also matters for ease-of-installation. i''ve heard Corels distro is really easy to install, but i don''t know if it''s very good to develop under (since it''s meant for "normal" home/business users).

if you know a "Linux-expert", i''m sure he/she will be glad to help you.

// Siigron