If you know someone looking for a really simple system to just do email, internet, chat, and some word processing, then take a hard look at Puppy Linux. I've been really impressed at how much they've fit on a small CD, and how efficient and fast it is. Plus, it's one of a very few Live-CD distros where you can actually save your work (it creates an in-file filesystem on any convenient harddrive, USB disk, or even a floppy, everything in one file, which makes backups a breeze too) and treat it pretty much like a normal install. You can even install it on a USB keychain drive for a one-step portable environment. ==Joseph++ Bryan.ONeal@asu.edu wrote: > Thanks, good advice on the Debian / Ubuntu > I think he will like Ubuntu better, but as long as he has a few office apps, a > web browser, and VM Ware to run his AutoCAD in, I think he will be fine. He is > just sick of word, or ie, or (of all things) solitare, crashing his entier > system and wiping out his cad work. > > For that mater I have super intendent at work who I am convincing to go lin for > similer reasons... He get boged down with viruses and all he wants to do is > surf, chat, and read email.. but windows seems wofully inadequate for this as it > keeps crashing :) > > Quoting Joseph Sinclair : > > >>Linspire is not quite compatible with Debian, you have to use their >>repositories, and that means you have to use their GUI tool (they call >>it "CNR technology", and it should be on the desktop). >>If you want more freedom (or just don't want to pay their annual support >>fee), you should do what Hans does, just install Debian (unless you're >>running an Athlon64, in that case try Ubuntu). >> >>OpenOffice.org 1.1 is the only thing widely supported in repositories, >>for the betas, you'll need to go to the OpenOffice.org site, download >>their source, and load it manually. Alternatively, is an unofficial >>.deb build at >> > > (ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/localization/OpenOffice.org/devel/680/SRC680_m125/Build-1/OOo_SRC680_m125_en-US_native_LinuxIntel_install_deb.tar.gz). > >>Again, if you're running an Athlon64, don't use these, they're highly >>likely to crash your system if you have a 64-bit version of Linux >>loaded. >> >>Firefox extensions are installed through Firefox. Any other method is >>highly discouraged, since it'll be broken as soon as Firefox 1.5 comes >>out in a few months. >> >>You seem to have the right idea for the long-distance setup with VMWare. >> Just make sure to set up SSH to protect the VMWare session. >>You should also be sure to lock down the firewall to only allow SSH >>connections from a limited set of IP addresses (basically, your IP >>addresses), since SSH daemons are a popular target lately. >> >> >>Bryan.ONeal@asu.edu wrote: >> >>>Ok, I purchased a cheep desktop for my dad, and it comes with >> >>LindSiper pre >> >>>installed. I need to get some stuff on thier, like OpenOffice.or 2.0 >> >>(Ok 1.9+ >> >>>Beta), the latest firefox with a bunch of plugins, VMWare, etc. >>> >>>What I need is >>>1) how do I set the apt-get repositories in LindSpire >>>2) where can I get a GUI front end? >>>3) any sugestions on configuring a machine for a first time linux user >> >>who lives >> >>>1000 miles away? >>>--------------------------------------------------- >>>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 >>> >> >>--------------------------------------------------- >>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 >> > > --------------------------------------------------- > 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 > --------------------------------------------------- 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