On Mon, 14 Jul 2003, Thomas Cameron wrote:

> 
> >   I have been following this thread with great interest. My knowledge of
> > *nix is rather limited. I did take some unix admin courses at the local
> > community colleges --- and they both used Red Hat.
> 
> Red Hat is the most commercially successful distro - it makes sense to learn
> it.
> 
I agree, the others are gravy. I use RH mainly, but for small firewall
type installations I find slackware to be slim and easy to install the
current version on even ancient hardware. And the Slackware installation
was nowhere near as difficult as I was expecting(and surprisingly easy to
install and upgrade packages) some stuff is in slightly different
locations once installed.

> >   I just wonder if it is possible for someone with limited knowledge to
> > do a gentoo install and compile the whole thing.
> 
> 
> >   Now, I do have a spare machine, but it only has a 100mh Pentium and 40
> > mb ram, so from what I read it would take a few days to get the system
> > up and running. I do have the time, though.
> 
> It depends on what your time is worth.  I would go nuts on a machine that
> slow.
While it might take a while to compile and install everything, you could 
potentially turn off the monitor and just let it run- I would have to keep 
checking to see how much time was left, but that's me.

> 
> >   Oh, I would use that machine basically as a firewall/router. RH 7.3
> > has problem detecting both nic cards, 1 an ISA the other PCI.
> 
> Get RH 9 - it should work better.
> 
http://www.redhat.com/software/linux/technical/
RedHat recommends a beafier machine for RH9. The installer probably will 
fail without the minimum ram of 64mb. RH7.x wouldn't install on a machine 
without at least 32mb ram.


> >   Presently I am using my computer as the firewall/router, but I need
> > more felxibility with it. When I shut mine down, my home network is also
> > down.
> 
I take it that the 100mhz machine is in addition to this then? If it's not 
critical (the 100mhz machine) fire it up and try the Gentoo install... it 
would be interesting if nothing else.


> Get one of those cheapie $69.00 broadband routers and beat on your PC freely
> without interrupting other users.
> 
> Thomas
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------
> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change  you mail settings:
> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
> 

-- 
Patrick Fleming, EA
Licensed to represent taxpayers
before Exam, Appeals, and Conference 
divisions of the IRS